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croaker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Just to get it out of the way early, this book loses a half a star because the "mystery" is concluded in a less than satisfying way. It was just a bit too sudden for me. The ride to the ending was amazing which helps.
Everything else about this book is what I love about the series.
Contrary to the last book this one makes Tunfaire(the city Garrett lives in) feel like a real place and not just a bucket full of people Garret knows. The weight of the previous books is much lighter here but still gives you great cameos from the past.
Yet again Cook just sneaks some amazing stuff into what should be a run of the mill detective novel.
The city is close to bubbling over from racial tensions. Secret police have started to show up in crowds to deal with race riots.
You get a deep dive into the pantheon of gods in the city and how their hierarchy functions in the world.
A dash of cosmic horror which is always fun.
The best part is the humor he throws at you when you least expect it alongside the moments where he just slaps you in the face some of the best writing I have ever seen out on a page. It isn't fair. I'm getting whiplash.
The book is great, the series is still great, and I will be reading book 9 very soon.
More people should give this series a chance. They are fun pallette cleansers with a lot of meta humor and satirical musings on the fantasy/noir genres.
Everything else about this book is what I love about the series.
Contrary to the last book this one makes Tunfaire(the city Garrett lives in) feel like a real place and not just a bucket full of people Garret knows. The weight of the previous books is much lighter here but still gives you great cameos from the past.
Yet again Cook just sneaks some amazing stuff into what should be a run of the mill detective novel.
The city is close to bubbling over from racial tensions. Secret police have started to show up in crowds to deal with race riots.
You get a deep dive into the pantheon of gods in the city and how their hierarchy functions in the world.
A dash of cosmic horror which is always fun.
The best part is the humor he throws at you when you least expect it alongside the moments where he just slaps you in the face some of the best writing I have ever seen out on a page. It isn't fair. I'm getting whiplash.
The book is great, the series is still great, and I will be reading book 9 very soon.
More people should give this series a chance. They are fun pallette cleansers with a lot of meta humor and satirical musings on the fantasy/noir genres.
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review
4.0
This isn't my favorite of the Garrett P.I. books, but it's still a fun fantasy/detective cross. The gods story line is somewhat boring to me, and none of the new characters really entertained or interested me.
hollydoesstuff's review
2.0
This one anomaly was poorly edited or something. Things jumped all over the place, and it was so confusing, I totally get why Garrett couldn't figure anything out. I don't even know what I just read. Because I like the series as a whole, I'll keep going. But this one was not very good to me.
lgilders's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nghia's review
1.0
My least favorite of the Garrett books (so far, at least).
It breaks out of many of the standard Garrett tropes, which is a nice attempt. It just doesn't pull it off in a very satisfying way.
Unlike most Garrett books, the Dead Man plays a huge role, Morley and Tharpe are barely seen, and things take on a galactic scale. Garrett seemed abnormally whiny in this book and his dalliances with the mandatory beautiful women seemed even more perfunctory than normal.
In the Garrett books, there is a hint that -- despite its episodic nature -- Things Change in the greater world. But after 8 books the hints dribbled out here and there just aren't enough. The failed Tinnie Tate and Maya relationships seemed handled poorly; the "friendships" with Morley, Saucerhead, etc, make Garrett seem like a sponse; the glacial progression of the Glory Mooncalled stuff; etc.
I wish Cook would take some risks and shake the series up a bit. Hell, at this point, even if it does work out he can kill of the series and still have a dozen-odd books in it. Let him get married to Maya. Let some Big Stuff happen.
It breaks out of many of the standard Garrett tropes, which is a nice attempt. It just doesn't pull it off in a very satisfying way.
Unlike most Garrett books, the Dead Man plays a huge role, Morley and Tharpe are barely seen, and things take on a galactic scale. Garrett seemed abnormally whiny in this book and his dalliances with the mandatory beautiful women seemed even more perfunctory than normal.
In the Garrett books, there is a hint that -- despite its episodic nature -- Things Change in the greater world. But after 8 books the hints dribbled out here and there just aren't enough. The failed Tinnie Tate and Maya relationships seemed handled poorly; the "friendships" with Morley, Saucerhead, etc, make Garrett seem like a sponse; the glacial progression of the Glory Mooncalled stuff; etc.
I wish Cook would take some risks and shake the series up a bit. Hell, at this point, even if it does work out he can kill of the series and still have a dozen-odd books in it. Let him get married to Maya. Let some Big Stuff happen.
highway_corsair's review
2.0
As much as I've enjoyed the Garrett PI series this is a pretty clear low point. Confusing and often bordering on nonsensical, Garrett's encounters with the gods of TunFaire was not half as entertaining as it should have been and I'm glad that the next book seems to be a return to form.
eldritchscholar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lottpoet's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
brewergnome's review against another edition
4.0
I laughed so hard I almost cried. Awesome and funny.