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graculus's review against another edition
3.0
This is the third in Carey's series of novels, following on from [b:Vicious Circle|1128964|Vicious Circle A Felix Castor Novel|Mike Carey|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181228226s/1128964.jpg|1325171].
Once again, our 'hero' is Felix Castor, freelance exorcist, who is dealing with the aftermath of earlier events as Dead Men's Boots starts with him attending the funeral of a friend who died at the end of the previous novel.
As usual, Fix soon finds there's more going on that he had previously realised, as his friend who has died was terrified of being brought back in some way and there's a plot afoot to resurrect criminals in order to allow them to carry on their illegal ways. While dealing with this, Fix is also trying to cope with a challenge to his plans for the friend he accidentally got possessed by a demon, as one of his former colleagues is trying to gain custody of him through the courts.
As with the earlier books in the series, I enjoyed Carey's laconic writing very much and feel some sympathy for Fix and the predicaments he finds himself in. The series continues in [b:Thicker Than Water|2808554|Thicker Than Water|Mike Carey|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1236282876s/2808554.jpg|2834452], which I look forward to reading.
Once again, our 'hero' is Felix Castor, freelance exorcist, who is dealing with the aftermath of earlier events as Dead Men's Boots starts with him attending the funeral of a friend who died at the end of the previous novel.
As usual, Fix soon finds there's more going on that he had previously realised, as his friend who has died was terrified of being brought back in some way and there's a plot afoot to resurrect criminals in order to allow them to carry on their illegal ways. While dealing with this, Fix is also trying to cope with a challenge to his plans for the friend he accidentally got possessed by a demon, as one of his former colleagues is trying to gain custody of him through the courts.
As with the earlier books in the series, I enjoyed Carey's laconic writing very much and feel some sympathy for Fix and the predicaments he finds himself in. The series continues in [b:Thicker Than Water|2808554|Thicker Than Water|Mike Carey|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1236282876s/2808554.jpg|2834452], which I look forward to reading.
wyvernfriend's review against another edition
3.0
This took a while to get going and then when the resolution happened it was over quite quickly.
I suspect that Possession is 9/10 of the law featured in thoughts with this book. *evil grin*
Felix Castor is investigating why a friend of his committed suicide and why a murder has all the hallmarks of a long-dead American serial killer. And also his friend Rafi is in danger of being handed over to experimenters, and everyone who likes him is starting to wonder why, as several of them get injured or dead, or at least an attempt is made. He has to gang up with some unsavoury people to get things done and stay alive.
Interesting but it just didn't engage me until I was into the last third.
I suspect that Possession is 9/10 of the law featured in thoughts with this book. *evil grin*
Felix Castor is investigating why a friend of his committed suicide and why a murder has all the hallmarks of a long-dead American serial killer. And also his friend Rafi is in danger of being handed over to experimenters, and everyone who likes him is starting to wonder why, as several of them get injured or dead, or at least an attempt is made. He has to gang up with some unsavoury people to get things done and stay alive.
Interesting but it just didn't engage me until I was into the last third.
ninjamuse's review against another edition
2.0
In brief: Between his friend’s suicide and resurrection as a poltergeist, the American hit-woman who’s been dead for decades but has struck again, and the mad psychologist who’s trying to kidnap his oldest friend, Felix Castor’s really not having a good week. Third in a series.
Thoughts: On an urban fantasy/mystery level, this was as fun as the last two. Creepy ghosts and great fight scenes and the edge-of-the-seat question of how Castor’s going to win, plus a great noir voice, good humour, and a series arc I still need to know the resolution for. It was just want I needed at the time I read it. Two thumbs up. However…
It’s been a few years at least since I read one of the Castor books and clearly my eyes have been opened in the meantime. Carey’s … not great … when it comes to his female characters. They’re all given different personalities and are clearly living lives away from Castor (and neither put up with his shit or particularly want to sleep with him), but at the same time, nearly every female intro includes Castor’s assessment of their looks, a mention of how they’d slept or nearly slept together in the past, or both. Plus there’s the case of Juliet, the reformed succubus who’s still deathly attractive to every man and who is the center of “walk into a flagpole” type jokes and comments at every turn, and the hit-woman’s backstory isn’t all that enlightened either. Sigh.
Still liked the book over all and will still be reading the others, but will I buy them? Probably not, and they’ve gone from “good series” to “guilty pleasure” now.
Warnings: Gore and graphic violence; mention of more of the same; mentions of rape and extreme sexual violence; the thing with Juliet; “it’s okay, the abuse made her do it.”
6/10 (would be a 7 except for the female character stuff)
Thoughts: On an urban fantasy/mystery level, this was as fun as the last two. Creepy ghosts and great fight scenes and the edge-of-the-seat question of how Castor’s going to win, plus a great noir voice, good humour, and a series arc I still need to know the resolution for. It was just want I needed at the time I read it. Two thumbs up. However…
It’s been a few years at least since I read one of the Castor books and clearly my eyes have been opened in the meantime. Carey’s … not great … when it comes to his female characters. They’re all given different personalities and are clearly living lives away from Castor (and neither put up with his shit or particularly want to sleep with him), but at the same time, nearly every female intro includes Castor’s assessment of their looks, a mention of how they’d slept or nearly slept together in the past, or both. Plus there’s the case of Juliet, the reformed succubus who’s still deathly attractive to every man and who is the center of “walk into a flagpole” type jokes and comments at every turn, and the hit-woman’s backstory isn’t all that enlightened either. Sigh.
Still liked the book over all and will still be reading the others, but will I buy them? Probably not, and they’ve gone from “good series” to “guilty pleasure” now.
Warnings: Gore and graphic violence; mention of more of the same; mentions of rape and extreme sexual violence; the thing with Juliet; “it’s okay, the abuse made her do it.”
6/10 (would be a 7 except for the female character stuff)
tomasthanes's review against another edition
4.0
This novel is, if possible, more intense than the previous one. If Felix Castor was a real person, his body would be covered with scar tissue. Wow.
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