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A review by kathydavie
Half the Blood of Brooklyn by Charlie Huston
5.0
Third in the Joe Pitt urban fantasy set in contemporary New York City.
The Story
Joe's been cruising. Doing the security gig for Terry. Taking down the competition. Then, I dunno, Terry gets ambitious, sees war coming and wants alliances. Ya can't trust Terry. He'll use up anyone to further his aims. Don't let his laid-back hippie style fool ya.
Terry wants backup and he's not willing for a potential ally to cross over to the Coalition but the real story starts when he sends Joe and Lydia over to meet with the Brooklyn Clans. That initial meeting sure does make ya appreciate a circus…a normal circus that is. Then there's the unexpected betrayal! Yeah, all betrayals are unexpected…this one more than most! Our Lydia's in for a real nasty surprise as well when the rebbe kidnaps her for her Jewish genes…and Joe walks off without her because, hey, the Jewish vampires have taken over Brooklyn and it's only by the grace of God that Joe gets to walk away. With a guilty conscience.
Just to set us up for the future, Huston lets us know that Amanda and Sela have a plan to start their own clan…family style. Not like the other clans around New York with their attitude of everyone out for him/herself. Amanda is almost 18 and she plans to carry on where her father left off…research-wise that is.
Amazingly, the Count is still alive after No Dominion. Okay, maybe not so amazing as Terry is siphoning off the Count's trust fund for the Society. But this little visit Joe pays has a twist I never expected. I have to wonder if it was the trigger for Daniel's fatal actions. It certainly didn't end up doing Joe any good when he brought the dying Evie to the Enclave hoping that the Count's pre-med background could help her. It certainly ends any ties with the Society. No more money from Count Chocula and Joe had the nerve to try and save his girl. Try I say because the Count finally gets his own back on Joe and we, along with Joe, get a wholly unexpected tour of NYC.
The Characters
Oh yeah, they're characters all right. Count Chocula with his delusions of grandeur. Sociopathic little… Then Terri. What a political animal he is. A Dexter Predo in beads and hemp jeans. Lydia cracks me up with her holier than thou organic approach of "you will tolerate everything I do and say" and like it! The rebbe and his group certainly gave me a whole new perspective on the tribe of Benjamin…whoa…
My Take
Joe has certainly been burning his bridges. He's pissed off Terry and Lydia. Dexter already thinks he's a loser and not worth anything. Then he's taken Evie to the Enclave and we don't, definitively, know if she's still alive or… How will Evie feel about Joe once she is turned? Will she be in thrall to the Count? Even biker boy, Christian, very nicely told Joe to get lost. The only reason Enclave welcomed Joe was because of Daniel and with him gone…Joe thought it was hard being a rogue when he was tolerated, liked.
I am so looking forward to Every Last Drop.
The Cover
Oh yeah! That trademark split cover with the thug aiming a gun and two fangs over his lower lip and the night-lit Brooklyn Bridge in the background is just so Joe Pitt.
The Story
Joe's been cruising. Doing the security gig for Terry. Taking down the competition. Then, I dunno, Terry gets ambitious, sees war coming and wants alliances. Ya can't trust Terry. He'll use up anyone to further his aims. Don't let his laid-back hippie style fool ya.
Terry wants backup and he's not willing for a potential ally to cross over to the Coalition but the real story starts when he sends Joe and Lydia over to meet with the Brooklyn Clans. That initial meeting sure does make ya appreciate a circus…a normal circus that is. Then there's the unexpected betrayal! Yeah, all betrayals are unexpected…this one more than most! Our Lydia's in for a real nasty surprise as well when the rebbe kidnaps her for her Jewish genes…and Joe walks off without her because, hey, the Jewish vampires have taken over Brooklyn and it's only by the grace of God that Joe gets to walk away. With a guilty conscience.
Just to set us up for the future, Huston lets us know that Amanda and Sela have a plan to start their own clan…family style. Not like the other clans around New York with their attitude of everyone out for him/herself. Amanda is almost 18 and she plans to carry on where her father left off…research-wise that is.
Amazingly, the Count is still alive after No Dominion. Okay, maybe not so amazing as Terry is siphoning off the Count's trust fund for the Society. But this little visit Joe pays has a twist I never expected. I have to wonder if it was the trigger for Daniel's fatal actions. It certainly didn't end up doing Joe any good when he brought the dying Evie to the Enclave hoping that the Count's pre-med background could help her. It certainly ends any ties with the Society. No more money from Count Chocula and Joe had the nerve to try and save his girl. Try I say because the Count finally gets his own back on Joe and we, along with Joe, get a wholly unexpected tour of NYC.
The Characters
Oh yeah, they're characters all right. Count Chocula with his delusions of grandeur. Sociopathic little… Then Terri. What a political animal he is. A Dexter Predo in beads and hemp jeans. Lydia cracks me up with her holier than thou organic approach of "you will tolerate everything I do and say" and like it! The rebbe and his group certainly gave me a whole new perspective on the tribe of Benjamin…whoa…
My Take
Joe has certainly been burning his bridges. He's pissed off Terry and Lydia. Dexter already thinks he's a loser and not worth anything. Then he's taken Evie to the Enclave and we don't, definitively, know if she's still alive or… How will Evie feel about Joe once she is turned? Will she be in thrall to the Count? Even biker boy, Christian, very nicely told Joe to get lost. The only reason Enclave welcomed Joe was because of Daniel and with him gone…Joe thought it was hard being a rogue when he was tolerated, liked.
I am so looking forward to Every Last Drop.
The Cover
Oh yeah! That trademark split cover with the thug aiming a gun and two fangs over his lower lip and the night-lit Brooklyn Bridge in the background is just so Joe Pitt.