Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Not just for Christmas, 17 Oct 2008
After I originally read the first novel in the Secret Histories series by Simon I started out a little unclear as to whether or not he was being serious or whether it was a jokey supernatural spy story eventually coming to the conclusion that whilst the titles have a link to the 007 world of Ian Fleming they're a rollicking good read on their own.

Here in the second instalment of the series we still get to meet the characters who we were so engaged with in the original as the Droods go to war to prove that they're not as weakened as the world has been led to believe. A great story with an interesting premise and characters that just leap off the page, although as a side note, you don't turn your back on Mr Stab, which keeps this tale trucking along at 70MPH with the hidden bonous of another of Simons epic characters leaping through time to join this epic adventure keeping everything at top note for the entire journey.


Anice mix of urban fantasy, epic adventure and greens nutty wit to finish it all off!, 06 Sep 2008
British writer Simon R. Green's imagination seems limitless. The Man With the Golden Torc (Roc Fantasy) introduced his readers to a new realm of magic, sci-fi, and desperate, against-the-odds adventuring. We learned of the all-powerful Drood family, which for almost two thousand years has secretly ruled the world, even as it protects humanity from unnatural menaces. And we met Edwin Drood (known as Shaman Bond to the unwitting world), an elite field agent who was framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run, relentlessly pursued by his family. By the end of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, Eddie had turned the tables around and, by destroying the Drood Heart (the source of the Drood's power), had shattered the long-held family status quo.

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER opens with Eddie in wobbly charge of the family. Rumors of the Droods' current vulnerability had leaked out, and various forces are up and about, seeking to test the family's strength. In response Eddie intends to make an example of one of the Big Bads, to lend an impression that his family is still powerful and in control. He targets the the soul-consuming Loathly Ones, the worst of the demonkind. But, in this, the Droods may have bit off more than they can chew, because the Loathly Ones are already on the move...

There's an extra incentive here, as the Droods were the ones responsible for the Loathly Ones' presence on earth. Worryingly, the Droods come to find that the Loathly Ones serve merely as the vanguard for other-dimensional creatures called the Invaders, or the Hungry Gods, seeking a foothold on Earth. And these monsters are ready to burst thru into our reality.

Man, what must it be like to be inside Simon Green's head? Pound for pound, he has to be one of the most consistently inventive fantasists out there. DAEMONS ARE FOREVER may be an obvious wink to the James Bond literature and flicks, but it doesn't lack for originality in terms of wild ideas and cool concepts. Green packs in the pages with nifty characters such as the Hungry Heart and the Vodyanoi Bros - and these are only the throwaway characters! And what would a 007 homage be without some crazy gadgets? The Droods' Armourer (Eddie's Uncle Jack) comes up with amazing knick-knacks, with my favorite being the dimension-hopping Bentley. Speaking of gadgets, how unreliable is the Time Train and just what is the ultimate weapon called the Deplorable End? Intrigued yet?

Of course, Eddie is still with his Molly, the anarchic witch of the wild woods. But, happily, Green reintroduces other supporting characters from the first book. Eddie thinks that, over the centuries, the family had relied much too much on their golden armour and that the Droods now need to learn new tricks and develop a different mindset. He calls on old acquaintances to conduct tutorials, which is how we meet up again with the veteran demon fighter Janissary Jane, the supernatural serial killer Mr. Stab, the luck-thief Subway Sue, and the grungy half-elven Blue Fairy. Meanwhile, Harry Drood, whose father Eddie killed, returns to the fold and looks to wrest away leadership from Eddie - and he's brought a hellspawn with him. Eddie does receive help from several other fronts, namely from the otherworldy entity who now provides the Droods with their new and silver armour. This entity prefers to be called "Ethel," but Eddie adamantly refuses ("Please, call me Ethel." "Over my dead and lifeless body."). Green also cheerfully throws in a character crossing over from one of his other series.

Despite the James Bond connotations, there's not a lot of superspy stuff going on (other than the cool gadgets). This series mostly tells of big, bold, rollicking adventures, with occasional tongue-in-cheek moments. Simon Green is almost a genre unto his own; no one does it quite like he does. Or maybe no one throws in so many elements in the pot like he does. Green isn't what I would call a subtle writer. For one thing, his characters do go on with their over-the-top last stand speeches (I don't know if other writers can get away with it). The action sequences tend to be violently operatic in their scope and extremes. Reading his stuff is like watching one of those old cliffhanger movie serials, but more visceral. Mostly, Simon R. Green knows how to entertain you, and he develop his characters enough that you do end up caring for them. You almost can't help getting swept up by the man's sheer energy and scampering imagination. I say, definitely keep the Shaman Bond series going.

Lastly, with all the vivid images and crazy subplots in this book, what stands out the most for me, somehow, is how Molly disposed of the Frankentein monsters... I thought that was one of the cleverest things...

Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Not just for Christmas, 17 Oct 2008
After I originally read the first novel in the Secret Histories series by Simon I started out a little unclear as to whether or not he was being serious or whether it was a jokey supernatural spy story eventually coming to the conclusion that whilst the titles have a link to the 007 world of Ian Fleming they're a rollicking good read on their own.

Here in the second instalment of the series we still get to meet the characters who we were so engaged with in the original as the Droods go to war to prove that they're not as weakened as the world has been led to believe. A great story with an interesting premise and characters that just leap off the page, although as a side note, you don't turn your back on Mr Stab, which keeps this tale trucking along at 70MPH with the hidden bonous of another of Simons epic characters leaping through time to join this epic adventure keeping everything at top note for the entire journey.


Anice mix of urban fantasy, epic adventure and greens nutty wit to finish it all off!, 06 Sep 2008
British writer Simon R. Green's imagination seems limitless. The Man With the Golden Torc (Roc Fantasy) introduced his readers to a new realm of magic, sci-fi, and desperate, against-the-odds adventuring. We learned of the all-powerful Drood family, which for almost two thousand years has secretly ruled the world, even as it protects humanity from unnatural menaces. And we met Edwin Drood (known as Shaman Bond to the unwitting world), an elite field agent who was framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run, relentlessly pursued by his family. By the end of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, Eddie had turned the tables around and, by destroying the Drood Heart (the source of the Drood's power), had shattered the long-held family status quo.

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER opens with Eddie in wobbly charge of the family. Rumors of the Droods' current vulnerability had leaked out, and various forces are up and about, seeking to test the family's strength. In response Eddie intends to make an example of one of the Big Bads, to lend an impression that his family is still powerful and in control. He targets the the soul-consuming Loathly Ones, the worst of the demonkind. But, in this, the Droods may have bit off more than they can chew, because the Loathly Ones are already on the move...

There's an extra incentive here, as the Droods were the ones responsible for the Loathly Ones' presence on earth. Worryingly, the Droods come to find that the Loathly Ones serve merely as the vanguard for other-dimensional creatures called the Invaders, or the Hungry Gods, seeking a foothold on Earth. And these monsters are ready to burst thru into our reality.

Man, what must it be like to be inside Simon Green's head? Pound for pound, he has to be one of the most consistently inventive fantasists out there. DAEMONS ARE FOREVER may be an obvious wink to the James Bond literature and flicks, but it doesn't lack for originality in terms of wild ideas and cool concepts. Green packs in the pages with nifty characters such as the Hungry Heart and the Vodyanoi Bros - and these are only the throwaway characters! And what would a 007 homage be without some crazy gadgets? The Droods' Armourer (Eddie's Uncle Jack) comes up with amazing knick-knacks, with my favorite being the dimension-hopping Bentley. Speaking of gadgets, how unreliable is the Time Train and just what is the ultimate weapon called the Deplorable End? Intrigued yet?

Of course, Eddie is still with his Molly, the anarchic witch of the wild woods. But, happily, Green reintroduces other supporting characters from the first book. Eddie thinks that, over the centuries, the family had relied much too much on their golden armour and that the Droods now need to learn new tricks and develop a different mindset. He calls on old acquaintances to conduct tutorials, which is how we meet up again with the veteran demon fighter Janissary Jane, the supernatural serial killer Mr. Stab, the luck-thief Subway Sue, and the grungy half-elven Blue Fairy. Meanwhile, Harry Drood, whose father Eddie killed, returns to the fold and looks to wrest away leadership from Eddie - and he's brought a hellspawn with him. Eddie does receive help from several other fronts, namely from the otherworldy entity who now provides the Droods with their new and silver armour. This entity prefers to be called "Ethel," but Eddie adamantly refuses ("Please, call me Ethel." "Over my dead and lifeless body."). Green also cheerfully throws in a character crossing over from one of his other series.

Despite the James Bond connotations, there's not a lot of superspy stuff going on (other than the cool gadgets). This series mostly tells of big, bold, rollicking adventures, with occasional tongue-in-cheek moments. Simon Green is almost a genre unto his own; no one does it quite like he does. Or maybe no one throws in so many elements in the pot like he does. Green isn't what I would call a subtle writer. For one thing, his characters do go on with their over-the-top last stand speeches (I don't know if other writers can get away with it). The action sequences tend to be violently operatic in their scope and extremes. Reading his stuff is like watching one of those old cliffhanger movie serials, but more visceral. Mostly, Simon R. Green knows how to entertain you, and he develop his characters enough that you do end up caring for them. You almost can't help getting swept up by the man's sheer energy and scampering imagination. I say, definitely keep the Shaman Bond series going.

Lastly, with all the vivid images and crazy subplots in this book, what stands out the most for me, somehow, is how Molly disposed of the Frankentein monsters... I thought that was one of the cleverest things...

Great Creations, 07 Mar 2008
The Hawk and Fisher stories (there are 6 in all) are brilliant
typical Simon Green Fantasy,Horror and black humour
Highly enjoyable



A brilliant read, loved every minute of it, 17 Jun 2001
This book is actually three combined into one and was an excellent read. I loved all three stories. I found the characters funny and interesting, the only downside with this book is that is exactly the same of Fear and Loathing in Haven. All three stories are the same, except that the first one, Wolf in the Fold was called Vengeance for A Lonely Man. It's even got the same front cover. The stories are still great and you do get very involved in them but if you're expecting a new set of Hawk And Fisher books forget it.

Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Not just for Christmas, 17 Oct 2008
After I originally read the first novel in the Secret Histories series by Simon I started out a little unclear as to whether or not he was being serious or whether it was a jokey supernatural spy story eventually coming to the conclusion that whilst the titles have a link to the 007 world of Ian Fleming they're a rollicking good read on their own.

Here in the second instalment of the series we still get to meet the characters who we were so engaged with in the original as the Droods go to war to prove that they're not as weakened as the world has been led to believe. A great story with an interesting premise and characters that just leap off the page, although as a side note, you don't turn your back on Mr Stab, which keeps this tale trucking along at 70MPH with the hidden bonous of another of Simons epic characters leaping through time to join this epic adventure keeping everything at top note for the entire journey.


Anice mix of urban fantasy, epic adventure and greens nutty wit to finish it all off!, 06 Sep 2008
British writer Simon R. Green's imagination seems limitless. The Man With the Golden Torc (Roc Fantasy) introduced his readers to a new realm of magic, sci-fi, and desperate, against-the-odds adventuring. We learned of the all-powerful Drood family, which for almost two thousand years has secretly ruled the world, even as it protects humanity from unnatural menaces. And we met Edwin Drood (known as Shaman Bond to the unwitting world), an elite field agent who was framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run, relentlessly pursued by his family. By the end of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, Eddie had turned the tables around and, by destroying the Drood Heart (the source of the Drood's power), had shattered the long-held family status quo.

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER opens with Eddie in wobbly charge of the family. Rumors of the Droods' current vulnerability had leaked out, and various forces are up and about, seeking to test the family's strength. In response Eddie intends to make an example of one of the Big Bads, to lend an impression that his family is still powerful and in control. He targets the the soul-consuming Loathly Ones, the worst of the demonkind. But, in this, the Droods may have bit off more than they can chew, because the Loathly Ones are already on the move...

There's an extra incentive here, as the Droods were the ones responsible for the Loathly Ones' presence on earth. Worryingly, the Droods come to find that the Loathly Ones serve merely as the vanguard for other-dimensional creatures called the Invaders, or the Hungry Gods, seeking a foothold on Earth. And these monsters are ready to burst thru into our reality.

Man, what must it be like to be inside Simon Green's head? Pound for pound, he has to be one of the most consistently inventive fantasists out there. DAEMONS ARE FOREVER may be an obvious wink to the James Bond literature and flicks, but it doesn't lack for originality in terms of wild ideas and cool concepts. Green packs in the pages with nifty characters such as the Hungry Heart and the Vodyanoi Bros - and these are only the throwaway characters! And what would a 007 homage be without some crazy gadgets? The Droods' Armourer (Eddie's Uncle Jack) comes up with amazing knick-knacks, with my favorite being the dimension-hopping Bentley. Speaking of gadgets, how unreliable is the Time Train and just what is the ultimate weapon called the Deplorable End? Intrigued yet?

Of course, Eddie is still with his Molly, the anarchic witch of the wild woods. But, happily, Green reintroduces other supporting characters from the first book. Eddie thinks that, over the centuries, the family had relied much too much on their golden armour and that the Droods now need to learn new tricks and develop a different mindset. He calls on old acquaintances to conduct tutorials, which is how we meet up again with the veteran demon fighter Janissary Jane, the supernatural serial killer Mr. Stab, the luck-thief Subway Sue, and the grungy half-elven Blue Fairy. Meanwhile, Harry Drood, whose father Eddie killed, returns to the fold and looks to wrest away leadership from Eddie - and he's brought a hellspawn with him. Eddie does receive help from several other fronts, namely from the otherworldy entity who now provides the Droods with their new and silver armour. This entity prefers to be called "Ethel," but Eddie adamantly refuses ("Please, call me Ethel." "Over my dead and lifeless body."). Green also cheerfully throws in a character crossing over from one of his other series.

Despite the James Bond connotations, there's not a lot of superspy stuff going on (other than the cool gadgets). This series mostly tells of big, bold, rollicking adventures, with occasional tongue-in-cheek moments. Simon Green is almost a genre unto his own; no one does it quite like he does. Or maybe no one throws in so many elements in the pot like he does. Green isn't what I would call a subtle writer. For one thing, his characters do go on with their over-the-top last stand speeches (I don't know if other writers can get away with it). The action sequences tend to be violently operatic in their scope and extremes. Reading his stuff is like watching one of those old cliffhanger movie serials, but more visceral. Mostly, Simon R. Green knows how to entertain you, and he develop his characters enough that you do end up caring for them. You almost can't help getting swept up by the man's sheer energy and scampering imagination. I say, definitely keep the Shaman Bond series going.

Lastly, with all the vivid images and crazy subplots in this book, what stands out the most for me, somehow, is how Molly disposed of the Frankentein monsters... I thought that was one of the cleverest things...

Great Creations, 07 Mar 2008
The Hawk and Fisher stories (there are 6 in all) are brilliant
typical Simon Green Fantasy,Horror and black humour
Highly enjoyable



A brilliant read, loved every minute of it, 17 Jun 2001
This book is actually three combined into one and was an excellent read. I loved all three stories. I found the characters funny and interesting, the only downside with this book is that is exactly the same of Fear and Loathing in Haven. All three stories are the same, except that the first one, Wolf in the Fold was called Vengeance for A Lonely Man. It's even got the same front cover. The stories are still great and you do get very involved in them but if you're expecting a new set of Hawk And Fisher books forget it.

Good fun, 08 Dec 2008
This book was gripping and a lot of fun. It has a lot of energy and goes at full steam. A lot of the elements seen in Simon's other books make an appearance and, although sometimes it would be nice if he came up with different types of supporting characters, this book ticks all the boxes and is very satisfying - even down to the name of Eddie Drood - which is just great!

bond. shaman bond, 12 Oct 2008
first in a new series of fantasy novels from established fantasy/science fiction writer simon r green. although this is a series the story in this one is pretty much complete in one volume, but the ending sets up future story possiblities at the same time. it runs for roughly 398 pages.

the set up for the series is that it focuses on edwin drood, member of a family who secretly fight nasty occult creatures in the present day world. edwin is a field agent for them, but when he is suddenly declared rogue and his family turn against him, he has to fight to stay alive and find the truth about the drood family, and he only has one former enemy turned ally to help him out.

written in good clear prose the setting is very imaginative in it's detail, with a great many passing remarks naming strange characters and objects. this gives it a good amount of background detail.

but whilst it's a generally entertaining and imaginative read, there was a slight sense of deja vu about it, as it felt that with just a few changes this could well have been a novel in the writer's series of nightside books, which feature a tough private detective in a world seemingly just like ours but where he deals with the supernatural.

a few good plot twists and developments in the final third do salvage it somewhat, though.

3.5/5 as a whole as a rating for this book. and you round halves up so it gets a four from me. as an established fan of the writer this is not quite his best book, but it's worth a look. however if you've not read any of his previous work and you like imaginative urban fantasy, then you should enjoy it

Dr maybe, 19 Sep 2007
Simon R Green ,as any fan of his writing will already know, is the author of the phenomenally entertaining "Deathstalker" series. He would always be hard pressed to top that so it should come as little surprise that his latest novel -an attempt to fire up a new saga pales into comparison when set against the exploits of Owen Deathstalker and company.
The Man With The Golden Torc ,as the title hints is an attempt to mesh together the spy genre with the supernatural thus we find Shaman Bond (yes really) aka Eddie Drood acting as a field agent for his family who have been protecting humanity from all kind of nefarious and unpleasant paranormal and mystical beasties . The torc refers to the device around his neck which allows him to armour up protecting him from all the unnatural elements and weapons railed against him. The torc is the personal protector of all the Drood family but Eddie is the black sheep , tolerated and allowed some autonomy because he is so good at his job. Suddenly though he is declared rogue for reasons that remain a mystery and must assiduously hunt for clues that will lead him to the truth .Along the way he hooks up with a mortal enemy -Molly the witch and learns that his family has some long hidden deeply unpleasant secrets. He also discovers his golden armour is not as impenetrable as he first thought.
The book is entertaining enough and full of imaginative touches but it filches too heavily from ideas already utilised in the Deathstalker chronicle. Eddie is declared rogue like Owen and then must fight to prove his innocence. Both have hereditary powers-Eddie the torc , Owen the boost and both hook up with a feisty women and have an unrequited thing going on. The family is again an inviolable but assiduous influence. There are some nice homage touches to the Bond series -the "Armourer" is obviously a "Q" substitute and the "Matriarch" a darker "M"(If you take into account the Judi Dench portrayal)
The story lacks the scope and sheer range of characters of the Deathstalker novels , no surprise I suppose given that they had whole galaxies to cover but the interchanges between characters seem rather contrived now and some of these verge on the embarrassing . It doesn't help either that its given a first person narrative so we only see things from one point of view. On the plus side he doesn't use the phrase "Inhumanly fast" once.
The Man With The Golden Torc is worth a read but I doubt it will have you salivating for the next instalment like The Deathstalker novels did. Sorry to keep mentioning them but they are the standard by which Simon R Green will always be judged. The next book in this series is to be called "Daemons Are Forever" .I feel the one after should be titled "The Sprite Who Loved Me " or "Golemeye" or maybe "Die And Let Live" .....just a thought.





Fall from grace, 19 Sep 2007
Take a bit of John Taylor, a bit of the Darkside, bring them above ground, mix in a welter of parody from all the James Bond paraphernalia we are familiar with and you get this book. I like Simon Green's books normally and turned to this for something different. It is one thing to spoof a genre, especially if you believe you are on the way to making a serious point, but this is just a mixed up melange of bits that don't gel. It isn't badly written, and has a pace to it, but it is not satisfying on any level. All the detail at the beginning about the creatures we can't see as we go about our daily business just filled up the beginning of the book to little purpose. The prodigal son character was a re-tread, and not too original. It was hard work getting to the end, but I did, but I won't revisit the series.

Entertaining Supernatural Bond, Shaman Bond, 18 Sep 2007
A different book that left me wondering exactly where it was going when I started reading it. With a cover that takes the mick out of the James Bond world and with the book back appearing to do the same it left me wondering if it was a comedic novel or if it was a serious tale. It later comes out to be a serious tale and when you get used to this its very entertaining bringing the mystic warrior to British shores in modern times whilst also maintaining their secrecy from the general public. If you're looking for something a little different then this may well be a book for you especially if you're a fan of Jim Butcher, Lilith Saintcrow, Kelley Armstrong then this is definitely a tale for you. Just remember to ignore the cover work and think to the quality of Simon's Deathstalker novels and you know that its money well spent.

Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Not just for Christmas, 17 Oct 2008
After I originally read the first novel in the Secret Histories series by Simon I started out a little unclear as to whether or not he was being serious or whether it was a jokey supernatural spy story eventually coming to the conclusion that whilst the titles have a link to the 007 world of Ian Fleming they're a rollicking good read on their own.

Here in the second instalment of the series we still get to meet the characters who we were so engaged with in the original as the Droods go to war to prove that they're not as weakened as the world has been led to believe. A great story with an interesting premise and characters that just leap off the page, although as a side note, you don't turn your back on Mr Stab, which keeps this tale trucking along at 70MPH with the hidden bonous of another of Simons epic characters leaping through time to join this epic adventure keeping everything at top note for the entire journey.


Anice mix of urban fantasy, epic adventure and greens nutty wit to finish it all off!, 06 Sep 2008
British writer Simon R. Green's imagination seems limitless. The Man With the Golden Torc (Roc Fantasy) introduced his readers to a new realm of magic, sci-fi, and desperate, against-the-odds adventuring. We learned of the all-powerful Drood family, which for almost two thousand years has secretly ruled the world, even as it protects humanity from unnatural menaces. And we met Edwin Drood (known as Shaman Bond to the unwitting world), an elite field agent who was framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run, relentlessly pursued by his family. By the end of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, Eddie had turned the tables around and, by destroying the Drood Heart (the source of the Drood's power), had shattered the long-held family status quo.

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER opens with Eddie in wobbly charge of the family. Rumors of the Droods' current vulnerability had leaked out, and various forces are up and about, seeking to test the family's strength. In response Eddie intends to make an example of one of the Big Bads, to lend an impression that his family is still powerful and in control. He targets the the soul-consuming Loathly Ones, the worst of the demonkind. But, in this, the Droods may have bit off more than they can chew, because the Loathly Ones are already on the move...

There's an extra incentive here, as the Droods were the ones responsible for the Loathly Ones' presence on earth. Worryingly, the Droods come to find that the Loathly Ones serve merely as the vanguard for other-dimensional creatures called the Invaders, or the Hungry Gods, seeking a foothold on Earth. And these monsters are ready to burst thru into our reality.

Man, what must it be like to be inside Simon Green's head? Pound for pound, he has to be one of the most consistently inventive fantasists out there. DAEMONS ARE FOREVER may be an obvious wink to the James Bond literature and flicks, but it doesn't lack for originality in terms of wild ideas and cool concepts. Green packs in the pages with nifty characters such as the Hungry Heart and the Vodyanoi Bros - and these are only the throwaway characters! And what would a 007 homage be without some crazy gadgets? The Droods' Armourer (Eddie's Uncle Jack) comes up with amazing knick-knacks, with my favorite being the dimension-hopping Bentley. Speaking of gadgets, how unreliable is the Time Train and just what is the ultimate weapon called the Deplorable End? Intrigued yet?

Of course, Eddie is still with his Molly, the anarchic witch of the wild woods. But, happily, Green reintroduces other supporting characters from the first book. Eddie thinks that, over the centuries, the family had relied much too much on their golden armour and that the Droods now need to learn new tricks and develop a different mindset. He calls on old acquaintances to conduct tutorials, which is how we meet up again with the veteran demon fighter Janissary Jane, the supernatural serial killer Mr. Stab, the luck-thief Subway Sue, and the grungy half-elven Blue Fairy. Meanwhile, Harry Drood, whose father Eddie killed, returns to the fold and looks to wrest away leadership from Eddie - and he's brought a hellspawn with him. Eddie does receive help from several other fronts, namely from the otherworldy entity who now provides the Droods with their new and silver armour. This entity prefers to be called "Ethel," but Eddie adamantly refuses ("Please, call me Ethel." "Over my dead and lifeless body."). Green also cheerfully throws in a character crossing over from one of his other series.

Despite the James Bond connotations, there's not a lot of superspy stuff going on (other than the cool gadgets). This series mostly tells of big, bold, rollicking adventures, with occasional tongue-in-cheek moments. Simon Green is almost a genre unto his own; no one does it quite like he does. Or maybe no one throws in so many elements in the pot like he does. Green isn't what I would call a subtle writer. For one thing, his characters do go on with their over-the-top last stand speeches (I don't know if other writers can get away with it). The action sequences tend to be violently operatic in their scope and extremes. Reading his stuff is like watching one of those old cliffhanger movie serials, but more visceral. Mostly, Simon R. Green knows how to entertain you, and he develop his characters enough that you do end up caring for them. You almost can't help getting swept up by the man's sheer energy and scampering imagination. I say, definitely keep the Shaman Bond series going.

Lastly, with all the vivid images and crazy subplots in this book, what stands out the most for me, somehow, is how Molly disposed of the Frankentein monsters... I thought that was one of the cleverest things...

Great Creations, 07 Mar 2008
The Hawk and Fisher stories (there are 6 in all) are brilliant
typical Simon Green Fantasy,Horror and black humour
Highly enjoyable



A brilliant read, loved every minute of it, 17 Jun 2001
This book is actually three combined into one and was an excellent read. I loved all three stories. I found the characters funny and interesting, the only downside with this book is that is exactly the same of Fear and Loathing in Haven. All three stories are the same, except that the first one, Wolf in the Fold was called Vengeance for A Lonely Man. It's even got the same front cover. The stories are still great and you do get very involved in them but if you're expecting a new set of Hawk And Fisher books forget it.

Good fun, 08 Dec 2008
This book was gripping and a lot of fun. It has a lot of energy and goes at full steam. A lot of the elements seen in Simon's other books make an appearance and, although sometimes it would be nice if he came up with different types of supporting characters, this book ticks all the boxes and is very satisfying - even down to the name of Eddie Drood - which is just great!

bond. shaman bond, 12 Oct 2008
first in a new series of fantasy novels from established fantasy/science fiction writer simon r green. although this is a series the story in this one is pretty much complete in one volume, but the ending sets up future story possiblities at the same time. it runs for roughly 398 pages.

the set up for the series is that it focuses on edwin drood, member of a family who secretly fight nasty occult creatures in the present day world. edwin is a field agent for them, but when he is suddenly declared rogue and his family turn against him, he has to fight to stay alive and find the truth about the drood family, and he only has one former enemy turned ally to help him out.

written in good clear prose the setting is very imaginative in it's detail, with a great many passing remarks naming strange characters and objects. this gives it a good amount of background detail.

but whilst it's a generally entertaining and imaginative read, there was a slight sense of deja vu about it, as it felt that with just a few changes this could well have been a novel in the writer's series of nightside books, which feature a tough private detective in a world seemingly just like ours but where he deals with the supernatural.

a few good plot twists and developments in the final third do salvage it somewhat, though.

3.5/5 as a whole as a rating for this book. and you round halves up so it gets a four from me. as an established fan of the writer this is not quite his best book, but it's worth a look. however if you've not read any of his previous work and you like imaginative urban fantasy, then you should enjoy it

Dr maybe, 19 Sep 2007
Simon R Green ,as any fan of his writing will already know, is the author of the phenomenally entertaining "Deathstalker" series. He would always be hard pressed to top that so it should come as little surprise that his latest novel -an attempt to fire up a new saga pales into comparison when set against the exploits of Owen Deathstalker and company.
The Man With The Golden Torc ,as the title hints is an attempt to mesh together the spy genre with the supernatural thus we find Shaman Bond (yes really) aka Eddie Drood acting as a field agent for his family who have been protecting humanity from all kind of nefarious and unpleasant paranormal and mystical beasties . The torc refers to the device around his neck which allows him to armour up protecting him from all the unnatural elements and weapons railed against him. The torc is the personal protector of all the Drood family but Eddie is the black sheep , tolerated and allowed some autonomy because he is so good at his job. Suddenly though he is declared rogue for reasons that remain a mystery and must assiduously hunt for clues that will lead him to the truth .Along the way he hooks up with a mortal enemy -Molly the witch and learns that his family has some long hidden deeply unpleasant secrets. He also discovers his golden armour is not as impenetrable as he first thought.
The book is entertaining enough and full of imaginative touches but it filches too heavily from ideas already utilised in the Deathstalker chronicle. Eddie is declared rogue like Owen and then must fight to prove his innocence. Both have hereditary powers-Eddie the torc , Owen the boost and both hook up with a feisty women and have an unrequited thing going on. The family is again an inviolable but assiduous influence. There are some nice homage touches to the Bond series -the "Armourer" is obviously a "Q" substitute and the "Matriarch" a darker "M"(If you take into account the Judi Dench portrayal)
The story lacks the scope and sheer range of characters of the Deathstalker novels , no surprise I suppose given that they had whole galaxies to cover but the interchanges between characters seem rather contrived now and some of these verge on the embarrassing . It doesn't help either that its given a first person narrative so we only see things from one point of view. On the plus side he doesn't use the phrase "Inhumanly fast" once.
The Man With The Golden Torc is worth a read but I doubt it will have you salivating for the next instalment like The Deathstalker novels did. Sorry to keep mentioning them but they are the standard by which Simon R Green will always be judged. The next book in this series is to be called "Daemons Are Forever" .I feel the one after should be titled "The Sprite Who Loved Me " or "Golemeye" or maybe "Die And Let Live" .....just a thought.





Fall from grace, 19 Sep 2007
Take a bit of John Taylor, a bit of the Darkside, bring them above ground, mix in a welter of parody from all the James Bond paraphernalia we are familiar with and you get this book. I like Simon Green's books normally and turned to this for something different. It is one thing to spoof a genre, especially if you believe you are on the way to making a serious point, but this is just a mixed up melange of bits that don't gel. It isn't badly written, and has a pace to it, but it is not satisfying on any level. All the detail at the beginning about the creatures we can't see as we go about our daily business just filled up the beginning of the book to little purpose. The prodigal son character was a re-tread, and not too original. It was hard work getting to the end, but I did, but I won't revisit the series.

Entertaining Supernatural Bond, Shaman Bond, 18 Sep 2007
A different book that left me wondering exactly where it was going when I started reading it. With a cover that takes the mick out of the James Bond world and with the book back appearing to do the same it left me wondering if it was a comedic novel or if it was a serious tale. It later comes out to be a serious tale and when you get used to this its very entertaining bringing the mystic warrior to British shores in modern times whilst also maintaining their secrecy from the general public. If you're looking for something a little different then this may well be a book for you especially if you're a fan of Jim Butcher, Lilith Saintcrow, Kelley Armstrong then this is definitely a tale for you. Just remember to ignore the cover work and think to the quality of Simon's Deathstalker novels and you know that its money well spent.

Massive in scope and massively entertaining , 09 Nov 2006
Other reviewers on these pages do a sturdy job of regaling potential purchasers with the myriad threads of the plot and the impressive cast of murderous despots, miscreants , bounty hunters , and bizarre aliens in Simon R Greens first book in The Deathstalker series , so I won't bother.
What I will do is impress further on you that if you read a more entertaining, enjoyable romp that this then E-mail me forthwith .....I want to know about it. Deathstalker has everything any discerning reader could want from Science Fiction- a truly epic galaxy spanning scope, lots of intrigue decadence and political skulduggery, nasty implacably hostile aliens, hugely imaginative settings and characters, a complex plot told in an unfussy enjoyable style with no little humour, a reluctant but capable hero - This is space opera so vast it will it will need several more books to conclude the story. And it all moves quicker than David Cameron spotting a hoody that needs hugging.
It's a cliché I know, but I found it near impossible to put this book down, even reading snatches when I went to the toilet at work, then getting frustrated when I couldn't read more. Stupidly I put the second book in the series on my Christmas wish list and now have to wait till then to enjoy that. If it's as good this , and I'm sure it will be, then Christmas be dammed , I know what I,,ll be doing for the days afterwards. Who needs Santa and the Snowman when you can have Owen Deathstalker, Hazel D, Ark Hadenmen, Espers.... and aliens so aggressive and dangerous they would make Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Hollywood prime crap his pants.


The thrilling beginning of a monumental space opera epic, 01 Feb 2005
If you like your science fiction short and sweet, Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series is not for you. This is space opera in the grand tradition, filled with sweeping turns and possibilities extending across an Empire of worlds and centuries, featuring a cast of human aristocrats, clones, espers (mutants with varying ESP capabilities), monstrous aliens, augmented men, genetically-enhanced creatures, legends and heroes from the past, and outlaws. The newest outlaw is none other than Owen Deathstalker, de facto leader of the Deathstalker clan ever since the imperial murder of his father. All Owen wanted was to be left alone to pursue his history studies, but destiny has a way of finding its chosen victims wherever they may be. Queen Lionstone XIV declares Owen an outlaw, and in an instant he is running for his life. Thus are sown the seeds of a rebellion that will change the Empire forever. Of course, that story only begins to be told in this first volume of the exploits of Owen Deathstalker.

Deathstalker first escapes - barely - to Mistworld, a cold stink-hole of a planet that serves as the one and only refuge of outlaws all across the Empire. In the company of fellow outlaw Hazel D'Ark, to whom he literally owes his life, Owen seeks out the Empire's most legendary rebel, Jack Random, to join his nascent little rebellion. Throw in a sassy female bounty hunter and one of the Hadenmen (augmented men who once sought to wipe out the inferior human race), and you've got quite an eclectic bunch of revolutionaries. Things only get weirder from here, as upcoming destinations for Owen include Shandrakor, the legendary planet where the founder of the Deathstalker clan reportedly lies in stasis, and - deep within the confines of the Dark Rim - the Wolfling World, home of the Tomb of the Hadenmen, the Madness Maze, and the Darkvoid Device, destroyer of worlds.

Strangely enough, however, especially given all of the action Owen Deathstalker and his allies see - and, brother, they see all kinds of fierce, bloody action - at least half of this novel takes place back on the home world of the Empire. Here we see just how big a mess the Empire is really in. Besides the Queen's constantly dastardly plans, we see an aristocracy run amuck with intrigues, secret deals, betrayals, murderous vendettas, and all kinds of juicy stuff that truly reeks of decadence. No one is really who they seem, especially the likes of Valentine Wolfe, the Empire's most famous drug addict, and Finlay Campbell, a comical little fop whose secret identity as the Empire's greatest fighter is unknown to everyone but the woman he loves, a woman who just so happens to be a clone - but that is only one of many other secrets that slowly reveal themselves as this epic novel proceeds. Several personal roads lead us deep into the underground, where a secret alliance of clones, espers, and humans plan their own revolution against the Iron Throne. I found this aspect of the novel even more fascinating than Owen Deathstalker's remarkable story, and the rebel assault on the esper prison known as Wormboy Hell proves even more exciting than the novel's closing engagement on the Wolfling World.

Brimming with intrigue, harboring a number of significant and genuinely shocking surprises along the way, and filled with fascinating characters of all sorts, Deathstalker is quite an exhilarating read. It's a rather long read, as well, and you should keep in mind that it is really just the beginning. This is a story that will play out over literally thousands of pages, and Deathstalker represents only an initial plunge into the vast ocean of Simon R. Green's creative genius. The book has a few shortcomings in terms of specific plot events, and it can be disconcerting to see how much of the novel does not involve the main character, but this is awe-inspiring science fiction played out on an epic scale. Only a select few writers can realistically give life to such a large and complex world, but Green proves himself to be a master juggler of words and ideas - best of all, he seems to have a full bag of startling surprises and plot twists at his disposal that promises to make the Deathstalker series something really special and vastly entertaining.

Great book - definately worth reading, 04 Jan 2004
All the usual Simon R Green trademarks are here - vivid, loveable characters, great descriptive passages, really unpleasant baddies and plenty of laughs.

The book focuses on Owen Deathstalker, an aristoctact inexpicably outlawed by the empire, who is forced to recognise the empire's inhumanity and cruelty and then vows to bring justice. As well as Owen and his closest allies - Hazel, Ruby and Jack, the book contains a veritable cast of thousands and lots of other stories are pursued. It's a mark of how well the characters are drawn by the author that it never becomes confusing.

Owen's a great hero, but a lot of the best characters play smaller roles, like Finlay Campbell - a man with two identities and Captain John Silence loyal officer of the empire.

The book contains some memorable passages: for example the Empresses' cybernectic maids/bodyguards and Wormboy Hell - are the stuff of nighmares that remain vivd after reading.

It's also interesting as you read on in the series to see the way that all the little characters and plotlines do get developed.

Something Special, 28 Nov 2003
Basically this book has everything. If you like Star Wars then you will love it. Multiple plotlines spanning several worlds give a rich and entertaining vision of the future. The downtrodden hero beset at every turn by people and things wanting to take his head off is not an original thought but Simon R. Green pulls it off with great skill. With a body count that will rise into the millions, when you read further into the series, you are never far from action and excitement. Also the dark destiny awaiting mankind gives you the idea that while vast, the human empire has too long stagnated in its grandeur. Who else can rouse it but Owen Deathstalker, quite possibly the best hero to be put into written word. I love this book and I'm sure all Sci-fi fans will. Plus it has an alien killing machine that would make even the mighty Ripley quake in her boots.

A not too heavy fast packed sci-fi adventure with humour., 04 Jan 2001
I only read this book on recommendation of a friend because on a quick scan it did not look promising, but I was glad I did. It is a fast adventure packed sci-fi read with inter galactic politics - but never heavy - and a lot of laughs. Very similar to Star Wars.

Some things still annoy me, the naff names of most of the characters, the fact that everyone is the best killing machine, unconvincing - and late in the story - description of why they bother with disrupter guns when the things only work every two minutes. A good machine gun is wanted!

Green follows his standardrecipe, 17 Jul 2008
Simon Green has a way with words, and his imagination can create creatures and monsters like few others. And this novel is no exception.
Apart from that this novel is disappointing.

Simon Green follows his standard recipe : John Taylor is paid to find something and naturally succeed. A lot of very powerful beings want to stop him, but whenever John Taylor gets into a tight corner he uses his gift. Why does Simon Green even bother to invent these terrible monsters, if all John Taylor need to do to deal with them is to use his gift for finding things?

Even John Taylors interaction with his companion on the mission is strangely flat and routine. Perhaps because we know from the start that a love affair with someone other than Susie Shooter is so out of character.

I liked "Hell to pay" but that story worked because there was a great plot with a lot of twists and surprises. "The unnatural inquirer" don't have such a plot and Simon Greens talent for witty dialogue is not enough in itself. Perhaps the Nightside series has come to an end.


Nightside noir, 17 Jan 2008

Simon R. Green's Nightside is the REAL dark side of London -- a city full of sleazy supernaturals and dark secrets, perpetually locked in night.

And "The Unnatural Inquirer" is Simon R. Green's eighth fantasy-noir set in the Nightside -- it's full of weird crimes, crazy inhabitants, and strange power grabs. This isn't quite Green's best, but it has his usual solid blend of mystery, horror, fantasy and dark humour.

As the story opens, John Taylor and his new love Suzie Shotgun are dealing with voodoo mayhem at a gruesome adult carnival. But then Cathy sends him a new assignment, working for the sleazy tabloid The Unnatural Inquirer. Apparently a guy named Pen Donovan somehow recorded a vision of the afterlife on a DVD -- nobody knows whether it was heaven or hell -- and then disappeared.

As with anything important, a lot of people in the Nightside want that DVD. And with a perky half-demon paparazzi beside him, Taylor starts prowling all the possible locations. But not only are the people he encounters dangerous, but something is pursuing them and erasing the nastier ones. Is the DVD truly a sight of the afterlife -- and is it worth dying for?

Futuristic ice queens, space generals, Lovecraft homages, an evil King Arthur, corrupt cardinals and the offspring of a succubus and a wayward Rolling Stone -- Green certainly knows how to keep the Nightside series interesting. Though the Nightside is not the sort of place you'd want to visit -- let alone live in -- it makes for a wonderful horror-noir read.

As with many of the other Nightside books, this a straight-line kind of mystery, where the hero investigates A, B, C and D before he finding the right person. And Green fills it with deliciously weird baddies (Kid Cthulhu?), spells (a T-rex in a museum), and he really goes to town with the tabloid titles from the Unnatural Inquirer ("Old Ones Fail To Rise Yet Again").

And he hasn't lost his touch for dialogue -- despite the many dark moments, Green always has some funny lines ("I really do hope it isn't the Devil again." "I could ask Mummy for you. She has contacts with the Old Firm..."). But the final confrontation is a bit anticlimatic, and it goes switching around from villain to villain... very, very fast.

And Green weaves in some interesting relationship threads -- a major subplot through the story is John being tempted by a more "normal" relationship, rather than the one he has with Suzie. Which involves no sex at the moment, due to her past of sexual abuse.

Suzie herself is only here for a spattering of pages, but we see more hints of the wounded teenager on the inside. Bettie is a fun and rather appealing young half-demon, and we see some old favorites here and there -- the Walker, the Collector, and Alex the surly barkeep. Not only does he get very gung-ho soldier in this one, but he reveals a startling secret about his love life.

"The Unnatural Inquirer" suffers from a rather anticlimactic battle, but it's a solid noir mystery in a world that is (thankfully) nothing like ours. Worth a read.

Not just for Christmas, 17 Oct 2008
After I originally read the first novel in the Secret Histories series by Simon I started out a little unclear as to whether or not he was being serious or whether it was a jokey supernatural spy story eventually coming to the conclusion that whilst the titles have a link to the 007 world of Ian Fleming they're a rollicking good read on their own.

Here in the second instalment of the series we still get to meet the characters who we were so engaged with in the original as the Droods go to war to prove that they're not as weakened as the world has been led to believe. A great story with an interesting premise and characters that just leap off the page, although as a side note, you don't turn your back on Mr Stab, which keeps this tale trucking along at 70MPH with the hidden bonous of another of Simons epic characters leaping through time to join this epic adventure keeping everything at top note for the entire journey.


Anice mix of urban fantasy, epic adventure and greens nutty wit to finish it all off!, 06 Sep 2008
British writer Simon R. Green's imagination seems limitless. The Man With the Golden Torc (Roc Fantasy) introduced his readers to a new realm of magic, sci-fi, and desperate, against-the-odds adventuring. We learned of the all-powerful Drood family, which for almost two thousand years has secretly ruled the world, even as it protects humanity from unnatural menaces. And we met Edwin Drood (known as Shaman Bond to the unwitting world), an elite field agent who was framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run, relentlessly pursued by his family. By the end of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, Eddie had turned the tables around and, by destroying the Drood Heart (the source of the Drood's power), had shattered the long-held family status quo.

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER opens with Eddie in wobbly charge of the family. Rumors of the Droods' current vulnerability had leaked out, and various forces are up and about, seeking to test the family's strength. In response Eddie intends to make an example of one of the Big Bads, to lend an impression that his family is still powerful and in control. He targets the the soul-consuming Loathly Ones, the worst of the demonkind. But, in this, the Droods may have bit off more than they can chew, because the Loathly Ones are already on the move...

There's an extra incentive here, as the Droods were the ones responsible for the Loathly Ones' presence on earth. Worryingly, the Droods come to find that the Loathly Ones serve merely as the vanguard for other-dimensional creatures called the Invaders, or the Hungry Gods, seeking a foothold on Earth. And these monsters are ready to burst thru into our reality.

Man, what must it be like to be inside Simon Green's head? Pound for pound, he has to be one of the most consistently inventive fantasists out there. DAEMONS ARE FOREVER may be an obvious wink to the James Bond literature and flicks, but it doesn't lack for originality in terms of wild ideas and cool concepts. Green packs in the pages with nifty characters such as the Hungry Heart and the Vodyanoi Bros - and these are only the throwaway characters! And what would a 007 homage be without some crazy gadgets? The Droods' Armourer (Eddie's Uncle Jack) comes up with amazing knick-knacks, with my favorite being the dimension-hopping Bentley. Speaking of gadgets, how unreliable is the Time Train and just what is the ultimate weapon called the Deplorable End? Intrigued yet?

Of course, Eddie is still with his Molly, the anarchic witch of the wild woods. But, happily, Green reintroduces other supporting characters from the first book. Eddie thinks that, over the centuries, the family had relied much too much on their golden armour and that the Droods now need to learn new tricks and develop a different mindset. He calls on old acquaintances to conduct tutorials, which is how we meet up again with the veteran demon fighter Janissary Jane, the supernatural serial killer Mr. Stab, the luck-thief Subway Sue, and the grungy half-elven Blue Fairy. Meanwhile, Harry Drood, whose father Eddie killed, returns to the fold and looks to wrest away leadership from Eddie - and he's brought a hellspawn with him. Eddie does receive help from several other fronts, namely from the otherworldy entity who now provides the Droods with their new and silver armour. This entity prefers to be called "Ethel," but Eddie adamantly refuses ("Please, call me Ethel." "Over my dead and lifeless body."). Green also cheerfully throws in a character crossing over from one of his other series.

Despite the James Bond connotations, there's not a lot of superspy stuff going on (other than the cool gadgets). This series mostly tells of big, bold, rollicking adventures, with occasional tongue-in-cheek moments. Simon Green is almost a genre unto his own; no one does it quite like he does. Or maybe no one throws in so many elements in the pot like he does. Green isn't what I would call a subtle writer. For one thing, his characters do go on with their over-the-top last stand speeches (I don't know if other writers can get away with it). The action sequences tend to be violently operatic in their scope and extremes. Reading his stuff is like watching one of those old cliffhanger movie serials, but more visceral. Mostly, Simon R. Green knows how to entertain you, and he develop his characters enough that you do end up caring for them. You almost can't help getting swept up by the man's sheer energy and scampering imagination. I say, definitely keep the Shaman Bond series going.

Lastly, with all the vivid images and crazy subplots in this book, what stands out the most for me, somehow, is how Molly disposed of the Frankentein monsters... I thought that was one of the cleverest things...

Great Creations, 07 Mar 2008
The Hawk and Fisher stories (there are 6 in all) are brilliant
typical Simon Green Fantasy,Horror and black humour
Highly enjoyable



A brilliant read, loved every minute of it, 17 Jun 2001
This book is actually three combined into one and was an excellent read. I loved all three stories. I found the characters funny and interesting, the only downside with this book is that is exactly the same of Fear and Loathing in Haven. All three stories are the same, except that the first one, Wolf in the Fold was called Vengeance for A Lonely Man. It's even got the same front cover. The stories are still great and you do get very involved in them but if you're expecting a new set of Hawk And Fisher books forget it.

Good fun, 08 Dec 2008
This book was gripping and a lot of fun. It has a lot of energy and goes at full steam. A lot of the elements seen in Simon's other books make an appearance and, although sometimes it would be nice if he came up with different types of supporting characters, this book ticks all the boxes and is very satisfying - even down to the name of Eddie Drood - which is just great!

bond. shaman bond, 12 Oct 2008
first in a new series of fantasy novels from established fantasy/science fiction writer simon r green. although this is a series the story in this one is pretty much complete in one volume, but the ending sets up future story possiblities at the same time. it runs for roughly 398 pages.

the set up for the series is that it focuses on edwin drood, member of a family who secretly fight nasty occult creatures in the present day world. edwin is a field agent for them, but when he is suddenly declared rogue and his family turn against him, he has to fight to stay alive and find the truth about the drood family, and he only has one former enemy turned ally to help him out.

written in good clear prose the setting is very imaginative in it's detail, with a great many passing remarks naming strange characters and objects. this gives it a good amount of background detail.

but whilst it's a generally entertaining and imaginative read, there was a slight sense of deja vu about it, as it felt that with just a few changes this could well have been a novel in the writer's series of nightside books, which feature a tough private detective in a world seemingly just like ours but where he deals with the supernatural.

a few good plot twists and developments in the final third do salvage it somewhat, though.

3.5/5 as a whole as a rating for this book. and you round halves up so it gets a four from me. as an established fan of the writer this is not quite his best book, but it's worth a look. however if you've not read any of his previous work and you like imaginative urban fantasy, then you should enjoy it

Dr maybe, 19 Sep 2007
Simon R Green ,as any fan of his writing will already know, is the author of the phenomenally entertaining "Deathstalker" series. He would always be hard pressed to top that so it should come as little surprise that his latest novel -an attempt to fire up a new saga pales into comparison when set against the exploits of Owen Deathstalker and company.
The Man With The Golden Torc ,as the title hints is an attempt to mesh together the spy genre with the supernatural thus we find Shaman Bond (yes really) aka Eddie Drood acting as a field agent for his family who have been protecting humanity from all kind of nefarious and unpleasant paranormal and mystical beasties . The torc refers to the device around his neck which allows him to armour up protecting him from all the unnatural elements and weapons railed against him. The torc is the personal protector of all the Drood family but Eddie is the black sheep , tolerated and allowed some autonomy because he is so good at his job. Suddenly though he is declared rogue for reasons that remain a mystery and must assiduously hunt for clues that will lead him to the truth .Along the way he hooks up with a mortal enemy -Molly the witch and learns that his family has some long hidden deeply unpleasant secrets. He also discovers his golden armour is not as impenetrable as he first thought.
The book is entertaining enough and full of imaginative touches but it filches too heavily from ideas already utilised in the Deathstalker chronicle. Eddie is declared rogue like Owen and then must fight to prove his innocence. Both have hereditary powers-Eddie the torc , Owen the boost and both hook up with a feisty women and have an unrequited thing going on. The family is again an inviolable but assiduous influence. There are some nice homage touches to the Bond series -the "Armourer" is obviously a "Q" substitute and the "Matriarch" a darker "M"(If you take into account the Judi Dench portrayal)
The story lacks the scope and sheer range of characters of the Deathstalker novels , no surprise I suppose given that they had whole galaxies to cover but the interchanges between characters seem rather contrived now and some of these verge on the embarrassing . It doesn't help either that its given a first person narrative so we only see things from one point of view. On the plus side he doesn't use the phrase "Inhumanly fast" once.
The Man With The Golden Torc is worth a read but I doubt it will have you salivating for the next instalment like The Deathstalker novels did. Sorry to keep mentioning them but they are the standard by which Simon R Green will always be judged. The next book in this series is to be called "Daemons Are Forever" .I feel the one after should be titled "The Sprite Who Loved Me " or "Golemeye" or maybe "Die And Let Live" .....just a thought.





Fall from grace, 19 Sep 2007
Take a bit of John Taylor, a bit of the Darkside, bring them above ground, mix in a welter of parody from all the James Bond paraphernalia we are familiar with and you get this book. I like Simon Green's books normally and turned to this for something different. It is one thing to spoof a genre, especially if you believe you are on the way to making a serious point, but this is just a mixed up melange of bits that don't gel. It isn't badly written, and has a pace to it, but it is not satisfying on any level. All the detail at the beginning about the creatures we can't see as we go about our daily business just filled up the beginning of the book to little purpose. The prodigal son character was a re-tread, and not too original. It was hard work getting to the end, but I did, but I won't revisit the series.

Entertaining Supernatural Bond, Shaman Bond, 18 Sep 2007
A different book that left me wondering exactly where it was going when I started reading it. With a cover that takes the mick out of the James Bond world and with the book back appearing to do the same it left me wondering if it was a comedic novel or if it was a serious tale. It later comes out to be a serious tale and when you get used to this its very entertaining bringing the mystic warrior to British shores in modern times whilst also maintaining their secrecy from the general public. If you're looking for something a little different then this may well be a book for you especially if you're a fan of Jim Butcher, Lilith Saintcrow, Kelley Armstrong then this is definitely a tale for you. Just remember to ignore the cover work and think to the quality of Simon's Deathstalker novels and you know that its money well spent.

Massive in scope and massively entertaining , 09 Nov 2006
Other reviewers on these pages do a sturdy job of regaling potential purchasers with the myriad threads of the plot and the impressive cast of murderous despots, miscreants , bounty hunters , and bizarre aliens in Simon R Greens first book in The Deathstalker series , so I won't bother.
What I will do is impress further on you that if you read a more entertaining, enjoyable romp that this then E-mail me forthwith .....I want to know about it. Deathstalker has everything any discerning reader could want from Science Fiction- a truly epic galaxy spanning scope, lots of intrigue decadence and political skulduggery, nasty implacably hostile aliens, hugely imaginative settings and characters, a complex plot told in an unfussy enjoyable style with no little humour, a reluctant but capable hero - This is space opera so vast it will it will need several more books to conclude the story. And it all moves quicker than David Cameron spotting a hoody that needs hugging.
It's a cliché I know, but I found it near impossible to put this book down, even reading snatches when I went to the toilet at work, then getting frustrated when I couldn't read more. Stupidly I put the second book in the series on my Christmas wish list and now have to wait till then to enjoy that. If it's as good this , and I'm sure it will be, then Christmas be dammed , I know what I,,ll be doing for the days afterwards. Who needs Santa and the Snowman when you can have Owen Deathstalker, Hazel D, Ark Hadenmen, Espers.... and aliens so aggressive and dangerous they would make Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Hollywood prime crap his pants.


The thrilling beginning of a monumental space opera epic, 01 Feb 2005
If you like your science fiction short and sweet, Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series is not for you. This is space opera in the grand tradition, filled with sweeping turns and possibilities extending across an Empire of worlds and centuries, featuring a cast of human aristocrats, clones, espers (mutants with varying ESP capabilities), monstrous aliens, augmented men, genetically-enhanced creatures, legends and heroes from the past, and outlaws. The newest outlaw is none other than Owen Deathstalker, de facto leader of the Deathstalker clan ever since the imperial murder of his father. All Owen wanted was to be left alone to pursue his history studies, but destiny has a way of finding its chosen victims wherever they may be. Queen Lionstone XIV declares Owen an outlaw, and in an instant he is running for his life. Thus are sown the seeds of a rebellion that will change the Empire forever. Of course, that story only begins to be told in this first volume of the exploits of Owen Deathstalker.

Deathstalker first escapes - barely - to Mistworld, a cold stink-hole of a planet that serves as the one and only refuge of outlaws all across the Empire. In the company of fellow outlaw Hazel D'Ark, to whom he literally owes his life, Owen seeks out the Empire's most legendary rebel, Jack Random, to join his nascent little rebellion. Throw in a sassy female bounty hunter and one of the Hadenmen (augmented men who once sought to wipe out the inferior human race), and you've got quite an eclectic bunch of revolutionaries. Things only get weirder from here, as upcoming destinations for Owen include Shandrakor, the legendary planet where the founder of the Deathstalker clan reportedly lies in stasis, and - deep within the confines of the Dark Rim - the Wolfling World, home of the Tomb of the Hadenmen, the Madness Maze, and the Darkvoid Device, destroyer of worlds.

Strangely enough, however, especially given all of the action Owen Deathstalker and his allies see - and, brother, they see all kinds of fierce, bloody action - at least half of this novel takes place back on the home world of the Empire. Here we see just how big a mess the Empire is really in. Besides the Queen's constantly dastardly plans, we see an aristocracy run amuck with intrigues, secret deals, betrayals, murderous vendettas, and all kinds of juicy stuff that truly reeks of decadence. No one is really who they seem, especially the likes of Valentine Wolfe, the Empire's most famous drug addict, and Finlay Campbell, a comical little fop whose secret identity as the Empire's greatest fighter is unknown to everyone but the woman he loves, a woman who just so happens to be a clone - but that is only one of many other secrets that slowly reveal themselves as this epic novel proceeds. Several personal roads lead us deep into the underground, where a secret alliance of clones, espers, and humans plan their own revolution against the Iron Throne. I found this aspect of the novel even more fascinating than Owen Deathstalker's remarkable story, and the rebel assault on the esper prison known as Wormboy Hell proves even more exciting than the novel's closing engagement on the Wolfling World.

Brimming with intrigue, harboring a number of significant and genuinely shocking surprises along the way, and filled with fascinating characters of all sorts, Deathstalker is quite an exhilarating read. It's a rather long read, as well, and you should keep in mind that it is really just the beginning. This is a story that will play out over literally thousands of pages, and Deathstalker represents only an initial plunge into the vast ocean of Simon R. Green's creative genius. The book has a few shortcomings in terms of specific plot events, and it can be disconcerting to see how much of the novel does not involve the main character, but this is awe-inspiring science fiction played out on an epic scale. Only a select few writers can realistically give life to such a large and complex world, but Green proves himself to be a master juggler of words and ideas - best of all, he seems to have a full bag of startling surprises and plot twists at his disposal that promises to make the Deathstalker series something really special and vastly enter