Rebel's Creed by Daniel B Greene, a review. The second instalment by the Dishevelled Goblin and a marked improvement on the Novella. Deepening the lore and expanding the world of the Almighty and the Anointed.

 

Rebel's Creed, a review.

    The first outing by Daniel, Breach of Peace, was a novella. It had been his intention for the next to be one also. That changed with the writing of Rebel's Creed. This outing is a novel over 350 pages in length with a deeper story and far more lore than the first book. It is also a direct continuation from where the novella finished, picking up with Khlid in dire straits and in the hands of the Anointed. In this book, we learn more about the Empire and the Anointed herself, more about what the Empire's plans are, and those that stand against them.

    Khlid is bound and trapped, her body experimented upon by her captors. Flooded with the Drip, she is already being changed by it, the first real success beyond what had happened to Chapman before his death at the Anointed's hand. We get a little more as the experiments continue, and the story changes to the new protagonist of this story. Holden is a mess, he believes none of the accusations against his former mentors, and here we see how manipulative the Anointed can be. She uses her position, power, and her obvious charisma to spin a tale that the grief-stricken Holden will hold onto. It is an obvious play, one seen in many novels, but here it is done well enough that Holden is never entirely taken in by her but is invested enough to go along with what he is told. It is an interesting back and to between them, and it gives some insight into both characters at this moment in time. This is just the setup for what is to come, the story taking a turn I did not expect.

    We learn more of what happened to Chapman leading up to the murders and everything that then, subsequently, followed. It was nice to get more backstory to the abrasive Chapman, who in the earlier novella felt like he needed some fleshing out. Here Daniel does that well, showing how Chapman became involved with the rebellion and his true place within its structure. Sure, there are some cliches, but there are some interesting turns, and we see just how much of an arse Chapman can be, whilst also seeing some of his struggles, humanizing him in a way that had not been done previously. In a twist I was not expecting, we see just how undermanned the rebellion is, just how small a force is set up against the mass of this formidable Empire. I would have liked to have spent more time with Chapman, but we get enough here to see how his direct involvement led to everything in the novella and the events occurring in the present story. At least now we understand a little more about the Drip and its study.

    Back to the present day and we see a much-changed Holden. No longer is he part of the Seventh, that precinct has now been left to rot, having been moved to the Eleventh Precinct, where life is proving far from easy. We catch up with him as he is being beaten by several of his fellow officers. Holden had made the mistake of reporting officers from the Fifteenth Precinct to his sergeant, a man he had believed he could trust. Gone is the prospect of him becoming an Inspector. He has been placed in the Eleventh to keep him out of trouble and out of sight. A place where there is little support and no real chance of him making himself a nuisance for those in power. He isn't entirely broken, but he isn't far from that point. Throughout this time, he has held on to his belief in Khlid and Samuel, that they were innocent and all blame lay at Chapman's feet. Though beaten down and increasingly jaded, there remains a fire in Holden, a need to discover the truth of the events at the Seventh. When the chance comes to truly learn what happened to Khlid and the Seventh, Holden will stop at nothing to get those answers. Once he discovers she is alive, he will not stop until he frees her from her captors.

    The book's pace remains quite fast, at no point did I feel like the story was stuck in place or there was too much filler. Holden, and his relationships, felt real and none too forced. Though, I have to note that some of the dialogue didn't quite work for me. I think that issue is down to Daniel's style and could well work for others, it just didn't for me. In the scene between Flip and the Anointed, Avi Cormick, I felt like the interplay was a little off. The chess-playing broke up the scene more than I would have liked, but I could see what Daniel was striving for as he described the scene. I enjoyed the slow evolution of Khlid, the development of her new form, and the power she now possesses. Even those experimenting upon the former Inspector are unsure as to what effect the Drip was truly having. More than anything I enjoyed seeing Avi unleashed. Seeing how dangerous and powerful the Anointed truly is, raised things up a notch for me. Rebel's Creed is a marked improvement on The Breach of Peace, Daniel's writing is becoming stronger, and I hope to see that develop further with his next entry into the series.

    I'd give this book a solid four out of five stars. There is room for improvement, but it is a very solid entry. I can't wait to see what comes next as we sail for the land beyond the Endless Ocean. I'd recommend any fan of the first entry to give this book a look, and for any fan of fantasy to give this book a read.

The Tomb. The Watchers Book 1, a review. A story by Carl Novakovich. A story of Demons, Angels, and the fate in the world. All set to the backdrop of the Windy City. Say hello to John Gideon of Chicago.

 

The Tomb by Carl Novakovich, a review.

    This book is the first in the series and the first book that I have been approached to review. A novel experience in itself. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I've had mixed experiences with urban fantasy over the years. Some are brilliantly written and work well, others, however, have fallen short of such accolades. Thankfully this one edges closer to the better of the lot. I won't tell you this is the best book I've ever read, it definitely has some faults, but overall I enjoyed it and would happily read what comes next in the series. 

    The premise is a simple one. We have a young former detective that gets caught up in a plan to bring about the apocalypse, dragged in as he seeks his missing partner. This follows a similar pattern in many ways. We, the reader, are brought along with John as the events unfold around him. The story unfolds from several different points of view, with John's being the main one. I will say that at just over 200 pages this is not the lengthiest novel, and it might have been worth extending the page count to flesh out some points of the story. That being said, the short length and fast pace mean the story never falters or stutters as we race to the conclusion of the tale. John is written well, though some of his thoughts seemed a little out of place at times, given the circumstances he finds himself in. I do like his humor on display, and John has a strong identity. Technically the writing is not overly flowery, and there is a strong sense of direction throughout. I would have preferred a greater descriptive style, but that is a personal preference, and I won't drag down the review of this book for Carl's personal style of writing. I will say that his villains and background characters feel real enough that there is a weight to events as they unfold. His use of a certain Angel as the main antagonist is a favorite of mine. I have always had a fondness for his character after watching Fallen with Denzel Washington. I would have liked to see greater use of demons, more of the differences of the types of demons in use utilized, and more of the history of some of the characters. Some of the romantic elements did not work for me, but again that is because I'm not such a big fan, in general, of those elements. 

    All in all, I would give this 3 out of 5 stars. It is a quick read that will hold your attention until the very end and has enough of a cliffhanger to grab your interest for the next installment. So if you're looking for a quick read, and after some demons and Angels, give this book a go. You might find your next series. 

Dark Hollow. The second book in the series of Charlie Parker novels. A review of the story and the deepening mythos being hinted at in this brilliant detective/supernatural blend.

 

Dark Hollow by John Connolly, a review.

    This begins with a series of events that appear unrelated to one another. A sting turned bad, and the suicide of an old woman near the town of Dark Hollow. Unfortunately, though that is not the case, one proves to impact the other. Charlie Parker finds himself in the middle of something he cannot escape as the events spiral outwards and bring an old evil back into the world. 

    I always enjoy the novels following Charlie Parker. For me, Connolly's writing style drags me in and keeps me engaged even after reading the book several times. Parker feels so real, his world almost tangible, and those he interacts with leave a lasting impression of their own. Connolly always does a good job of building the tension throughout his books, as we, and Parker, learn more about what the detective faces. We meet Parker still dealing with the aftermath of the confrontation with the Travelling man and all that occurred, still haunted by his deceased wife and daughter. We catch him just as he is dealing with a new case and pinned with a knife cutting into his cheek. Parker is not having a good day as he attempts to deal with one, Billy Purdue. He has come to get child support from the brutish young man, an attempt to help Purdue's ex-wife and child, and things have not gone well. The novels are written largely in the first person, and we get everything from Parker's point of view. His internal monologue often has me smiling as the detective comments on his own stupidity or that of others around him. Billy Purdue is trouble from the get-go and proves to be at the center of everything that unfolds around Parker. From this simple interaction, Parker managing to get out of it relatively unscathed, things spiral rapidly. It isn't long before Parker finds himself dealing with the Mob, assassins, and worse, the detective reeling from one murder to another. Somehow, it all revolves around Purdue, from the sting to the sudden unexpected deaths of his ex-wife and child. Parker is driven by his sense of principle, unwilling to let their deaths go as he moves from one line of inquiry to another. This aspect of Parker is probably the most compelling. Parker isn't driven by anger or hate but by empathy and compassion. This single factor means that he can't turn away from what is going on around him.

    Parker doesn't believe that Purdue is responsible for his family's death, no matter how it looks. He begins to think that he may have inadvertently caused it through his dealings with the Mob boss Tony Clean. The thing is, more people begin to turn up dead, ones that Tony Clean would not know about, people from Billy's past. As Parker delves deeper into these mysteries, more problems arise, and it is only through the arrival of his friends, Louis and Angel, that we learn of them. The relationship between these three men feels very real. Louis and Angel have Parker's back at every turn, and without them, he would fall afoul of the dangers that lurk out in the dark. Connolly does well at wrapping up Parker's family history as part of the tale, events in his grandfather's past that impact the things Parker is now up against. It all feels very organic in its presentation and the way it takes place within the novel. Faced with another complication, Parker, finds himself looking for the daughter of old friends. Ellen Cole has gone missing, having last been seen, with her boyfriend, heading Northwards. This doesn't feel like a coincidence to Parker, but he is unsure which party could be responsible. The story builds rapidly, further complications added as he arrives in the town of Dark Hollow, old wounds reopened, and more dangers than the detective had anticipated. Throughout it, Parker continues to be haunted by half-seen figures and the specters of his dead wife and child, the anniversary of their deaths creeping upon him. Again Connolly does a good job of weaving in elements of the supernatural, of another world that exists alongside our own. Again and again, a singular name comes up, Caleb Kyle. Kyle is a figure of dark legend, a tale of darkness and fear that is supposed to be nothing more than the bogeyman. Parker knows that there is more to that name than that. Years ago, his grandfather met such a man and was left horrified by what he discovered in his wake.

    The theme of this book seems to be of the past influencing the present, of old evils that corrupt and live on far longer than they have a right to. Again Parker is left changed by these encounters. How could he not be? There is enough character development here to warrant the changes, enough to keep readers interested in how Parker may change in future novels. As someone who has read many of them, it is worth continuing on with the series.

    This book easily gets a 4 out of five. This should be higher, but I have to compare it to the rest of the series, and in comparison, 4 seems the right number. I would recommend it to any fan of detective novels or horror/supernatural books in general. Let me know if you think the same.

A review of Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows by James Lovegrove. A mix of the detective and Lovecraft's Mythos done in style and keeping the core of the characters front and center.

 

The Cthulhu Casebooks: Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows, a review.

    I did not know what to expect from this book. I had never read anything by the author before, and I haven't read any Holmes beyond Doyle himself. The mix of the consulting detective and H.P. Lovecraft's Mythos piqued my curiosity, and I picked up the book on the off chance. Boy, that was a good move. Lovegrove is an engaging and talented author who writes Watson and Sherlock so well that I forgot that this is not a piece of fiction by Doyle himself. This is a rewrite in many ways taking what is well known and turning it on its head. The author presents us with a more youthful detective, presented through the eyes of his companion, Watson. I enjoyed the preface by Lovegrove, mixing reality and fiction together well to get the reader's interest straight away. This then leads into the foreword by an older DR. John Watson explaining the truth of this story before we dive into this new twist on the classic beginning of the partnership of Holmes and Watson. I enjoyed the premise that Watson had been hiding the truth of their adventures his entire life. That these books were, in fact, the true tales of their partnership. 

    The story begins with Watson relaying the events of the Afghan war, the injury that he sustained, and the fallout that had he had carried back to England. This is a far more harrowed Watson than I am used to, a man haunted by something that he has yet to put a name to. Lovegrove does a good job at keeping the core of the character but adding new elements and experiences to flesh out his own version of the good doctor. The changes from the established lore begin with his meeting with Stamford, his student friend from Barts. This marks a change from everything known and makes everything that unfolds that much more interesting, in my opinion. This meeting leads to the introduction of the renowned detective, though far from the height of his power as he is so often portrayed. Their introduction leads to a pursuit of Stamford, and from there, the adventure begins. Unfortunately, for them, this adventure proves to be one full of darkness, unseen masterminds, and the fell influence of the Great Old Ones. The partnership works well, the core remains unchanged in the face of this investigation, and the horrors they are exposed to as they come to face those behind disappearances and worse. The familiar characters are present throughout the first novel, it wouldn't have worked as well without them, and there are several nods to creatures and entities from the Cthulhu Mythos. There is so much I could say about this book, so much that could potentially spoil the book for those that have not yet read it. In an attempt not to ruin the experience for anyone looking to give this a look, I will keep the details sparse and just note what worked for me.

    The mix of the Great Old Ones, the typical shenanigans of the consulting detective, and an older London work well together. The atmosphere is dark and weighs heavily over the entire story. Those working behind the scenes are left out until the right moment, even if I saw the reveals coming. Lovegrove has a clear understanding of both Holmes and Lovecraft's work. He merges them so well and keeps the tight narrative flowing well. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I immediately set out to purchase the next in the trilogy. Unfortunately, I had to wait a year for the final entry to be published. At some later point, I will review the other two, for now, though I recommend that you give this one a look. 

    I give this one a solid 4 out of 5 and recommend it to any fan of Holmes and/or the Cthulhu Mythos. It does something that I thought impossible, took the characters I thought I knew so well, and threw them into an adventure unlike any I had read before. It is well worth a read. Let me know what you think.

Breach of Peace by Daniel Greene, a review

 

Breach of Peace by Daniel B. Greene, a review

    The Dishevelled Goblin, the youtube agent of Chaos that is Daniel Greene. I first came across his work on Youtube during the madness of the pandemic as it began to unfold. I'd say that was fortuitous timing, or merely happenstance. Either way, it led me to one of the most entertaining Book Tubers on the platform. Daniel has a unique sense of humour and a genuine love of the fantasy genre, both come through in his videos and make him such a standout amongst the many reviewers now on Youtube. His skits alone are worthy of seeking out, especially the Brandon Sanderson writing one. His latest 'interview' with 'Disney' is an amusing parody that had me chuckling hours later. Throughout this journey, Daniel had expressed his desire to write a number of Novellas before moving forward with his own full-length novels. This was to be the first in a trio but Daniel's second outing has now blossomed into a full novel. I'll discuss that later, for now, I'll concentrate on his first outing as a published author. 

    The story begins with a murder, a rather grisly one in fact. Now, this has been highlighted in certain reviews but I found it no worse than many of the scenes in any modern horror book. This murder is of an important family, people of worth within the Empire. Here we are brought into contact with Khlid, one of the investigators, as she starts to look into the killings. Khlid is one of three investigators in this murder case, Samuel, her husband, and Chapman being the other two. It is clear from the outset that Chapman is not well-liked, there is an arrogance to the man that instantly makes him hard to deal with but that arrogance is partially earned. He is intelligent, markedly so, and able to make quick deductions with a deep insight but his people skills are rather lacking. Khlid and Samuel have something of a reluctance to working with him but they do so regardless, this case is far too important not to. Now I don't want to give too much away as this is primarily a detective novel, to state too much would give away elements of the mystery of the book. I will say that the story unfolds well, with some twists and turns some will see coming but they are executed well enough that it will do little to spoil your enjoyment of the book. 

    For a first outing, this is a solid offering. Daniel's writing hints at a much bigger world than we are exposed to and there is more than enough here to entice the reader back to see how the story will progress. I enjoyed his character work and the hints of what goes on behind the scenes of this new and dark world he is presenting to us. Sure it is not perfect but for a first published Novella, it is a damn good introduction. I am looking forward to what his next offering will bring, and with it now being a full-length novel I am more enthused than I was initially at the idea of the second Novella. I hope Daniel continues to unfold this world to us, I, for one will be eager to read more. Give it a go and see what this interesting young talent has to offer.

    I'd rate it 3.5 out of 5. A good first published book with tons of potential moving forward, can't wait to see what he has in store.  Let me know what you think in the comments and give Daniel's Youtube channel a look if you enjoy good reviews of the fantasy genre. 

Every Dead Thing Review

 Every Dead Thing by John Connolly review.

    Every Dead Thing is the first in a series of novels by John Connolly that detail the strange and often tragic tale of Charlie Parker, a man cursed by events beyond his control. It begins with an evil that walks right into his life, destroying everything he holds dear. Charlie Parker begins the novel as a broken man, working on the side of a man named Benny Low. The events from this moment lead into a complication that leads Charlie invariably back to the loss of his wife and daughter and the man that took them from him. Parker is largely a broken character throughout the length of this book having committed certain acts whilst in the pursuit of this killer before events of this novel take place. He is no longer a police officer and many of his former officers believe him to be dangerous and potentially a killer, rumours of his exploits following the deaths of his family have reached many of them. This is a dark tale about loss, revenge, and a twisted killer with hints of the supernatural dashed in here and there, enough that you will be unsure if they are real or not. 

    For me, Connolly's characters are one of his stronger points, with Parker consumed with his guilt at the death of his family, his rage simmering ever beneath the surface as he searches for a way to move on. The Travelling man is a perverse and yet interesting killer with motives that will surprise and sicken in equal measure. Rachel Wolfe is a strong, intelligent, woman that sees the pain that Parker is in and during their time working to catch the Travelling man, professional interest turns to something more. It would be criminal not to mention Angel and Louis, a pair of side characters that in my mind are two of the best in the entire series. Angel the former thief who feels he owes Parker for a former kindness and Louis a man that is enigmatic by nature with lethality to him that speaks more than the man does. Parker comes to rely on these two more than most with former friendships falling apart as he pushes on in his mission to hunt down the Travelling man. 

    The prose is another strong point, it often seems to flow with ease, so much so it that allows you to go whole chapters without realising, it all seems so effortless. Connolly creates a world that is at once so familiar and yet deeply unsettling and grim. To me, Connolly merges the detective genre well with supernatural elements that aren't overt at first, a subtlety to their presence that makes you wonder if it is merely Parker's guilt at play. For me this is a brilliant first entry with only a minor flaw in its pacing, I often feel that the climax kind of rushed up there at the end, and would highly recommend it to both horror and crime fans.

I give Every Dead Thing 4 out of 5. Would recommend it to all.

If there are any similar books you would like to recommend feel free and let me know how you felt about this debut of the series in the comments.