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A review by charles__
Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey
3.0
I've been reading all the "Sandman Slim" series as they come out. This is the 5th in the series. While not as 'fresh' as the earlier books in the series, it still manages to hold my interest.
Kadrey is a sly fellow. Originally a cyberpunk author, he 'saw which way the wind blow' and redirected his art to catch the urban fantasy wave. (It seems like all the cyberpunk readers have marched into the urban fantasy swamp with cyberpunk's demise.) The Sandman Slim series is twofer-- its a OTT action-anti-hero thriller and an arch ironic commentary on Cali (specifically Los Angles) hipsterism. You need to keep in mind that Kadrey himself is a San Francisco hipster. He has knack for knocking tropes. Things you'll take away from any Sandman Slim story are the: graphic gore and violence, new age noir badinage, amusing character descriptions, and music and movie recommendations.
Examples of music and film references in "Kill City Blues" include: Meiko Kaji's international music album "Zenkyokushu" (1972) and "Tombs of the Blind Dead" (1972) by Amando de Ossorio. Kaji's album which includes two tracks used in both of Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films is referenced as part of its choreography in a whupping dealt out by Slim. The film is a Spanish dungeon crawl, horror movie that ques-up the action for Slim's entry into "Kill City". Music references are usually delivered through the reoccurring 'Bamboo House of Dolls' Sandman Slim bar hangout's jukebox. ("Bamboo House of Dolls" itself a film reference.) Film references come through Slim's "Maximum Overdrive" video rental business or references to it.
The theme of "Tombs of the Blind Dead" summarizes "Kill City Blues". In this book Kadrey pumps some life back into the series's backstory in the first half of the book, then does a dungeon crawl through an urban fantasy-infused mega-mall. No real characters to the series are introduced, although all existing characters are refreshed. Personally, I'm disappointed the buddy-film relationship between Stark (AKA Sandman Slim) and Kasabian doesn't get more word count. Slim also is having less, well documented, athletic sex with his GF Candy. While not as good as "Kill the Dead" (Sandman Slim #2) its a readable addition to the series.
Finally, like most series, Sandman Slim is slowing down. The backstory has been progressively taking-up a larger portion of books. The stories are no longer as 'fresh' as they used to be. It has not *yet* reached my threshold for reiteration, but its looming.
"Kill City Blues" is a readable, although not the best addition to the series. It has all the elements of a "Sandman Slim" story that in the past have made the series a 'good read'. If I have a criticism, its that Sandman Slim series like a much loved vinyl record that is constantly played, is showing signs of wear.
Kadrey is a sly fellow. Originally a cyberpunk author, he 'saw which way the wind blow' and redirected his art to catch the urban fantasy wave. (It seems like all the cyberpunk readers have marched into the urban fantasy swamp with cyberpunk's demise.) The Sandman Slim series is twofer-- its a OTT action-anti-hero thriller and an arch ironic commentary on Cali (specifically Los Angles) hipsterism. You need to keep in mind that Kadrey himself is a San Francisco hipster. He has knack for knocking tropes. Things you'll take away from any Sandman Slim story are the: graphic gore and violence, new age noir badinage, amusing character descriptions, and music and movie recommendations.
Examples of music and film references in "Kill City Blues" include: Meiko Kaji's international music album "Zenkyokushu" (1972) and "Tombs of the Blind Dead" (1972) by Amando de Ossorio. Kaji's album which includes two tracks used in both of Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films is referenced as part of its choreography in a whupping dealt out by Slim. The film is a Spanish dungeon crawl, horror movie that ques-up the action for Slim's entry into "Kill City". Music references are usually delivered through the reoccurring 'Bamboo House of Dolls' Sandman Slim bar hangout's jukebox. ("Bamboo House of Dolls" itself a film reference.) Film references come through Slim's "Maximum Overdrive" video rental business or references to it.
The theme of "Tombs of the Blind Dead" summarizes "Kill City Blues". In this book Kadrey pumps some life back into the series's backstory in the first half of the book, then does a dungeon crawl through an urban fantasy-infused mega-mall. No real characters to the series are introduced, although all existing characters are refreshed. Personally, I'm disappointed the buddy-film relationship between Stark (AKA Sandman Slim) and Kasabian doesn't get more word count. Slim also is having less, well documented, athletic sex with his GF Candy. While not as good as "Kill the Dead" (Sandman Slim #2) its a readable addition to the series.
Finally, like most series, Sandman Slim is slowing down. The backstory has been progressively taking-up a larger portion of books. The stories are no longer as 'fresh' as they used to be. It has not *yet* reached my threshold for reiteration, but its looming.
"Kill City Blues" is a readable, although not the best addition to the series. It has all the elements of a "Sandman Slim" story that in the past have made the series a 'good read'. If I have a criticism, its that Sandman Slim series like a much loved vinyl record that is constantly played, is showing signs of wear.