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gategrrlWhew! What a ride these two books were!
Here's a link to my review of the first two books.
Madhouse (book 3): Thurman definitely set aside the overuse of metaphors and overly thick descriptions of...just about everything. She's gotten much, much better, even from Book 2.
Madhouse sees the introduction of Delilah, a smart werewolf woman with connections to the Kin (the werewolf mob) and a more intimate connection with Cal. She starts out as just a way to keep George out of his life and safe, and develops into a highly entertaining, blunt, enjoyable character who I hope sticks around for a few more books! She's awesome. (and depicted on the cover along with Cal).
There's also a female Boggle with a litter--oh boy--who is distinctly different from her mate, Boggle, who was killed in an earlier book. There's a mummy living in the basement of Metropolitan Museum (where else?). And of course, the Big Bad, Sawney Beane, a cannibal creature from Scottish lore and legend.
Madhouse, like the other entries in Thurman's series, tends to read episodically, like a TV show, within each novel, with three or four acts bookended by teasers and tags. Moonshine, book 2, was formatted the same way, and missed some opportunities: I thought the "Goodfellow" tagging along with Cal was really the *other* puck, but nope. Anyhow!
Cal learns he can make gates-tears in space-time-and use them to get away, to go to the hell the Auphe held him for two years, and uses that in the fight against Sawney. But every time he uses that newly developing power, his Auphe side churns closer to the surface. The relationship between Cal and Niko is, of course, paramount, even as they allow others into their inner circle. An entertaining, if gruesome read. This series isn't afraid of making sure the reader knows that humans are simply a convenient food source for most of the supernatural creatures featured within it. It's a VERY dark New York.
Deathwish-(book 4, just released (SPOILERS)
Here, Thurman alternates the first person point of view between Cal and Niko. It's a good thing, too--I was starting to wonder about Niko and his perfection as a Ninja fighter so great that he's even better than Cal, who's half Auphe and as deadly as they come. Thurman doesn't quite succeed in making their voices completely distinct (I would have to flip back to the chapter heading to make sure what POV I was reading sometimes--hey, I get distracted when I have my kids running around!). It was great to find out what motivates Niko, but more importantly WHY. It does fit, and does make him more understandable and human. It'd be nice if Thurman could explore his POV more often in later books, if only to make him a little more human and a little more flawed.
Cal comes into his own in this book, grows up a lot, and by the end, settles a big issue with Niko--a giant pychological issue. Hopefully, since they've both moved up a notch, and no longer have a major enemy to contend with, other developments can take place. Mainly, Cal's inner demon-monster is in danger of resurfacing in ways dangerous to him and their friends.
The story zings along, with the addition of a new character, new monsters from South America, and the loss of trust between Niko and Promise--but the final two chapters, while not exactly coming out from nowhere, felt tacked on somehow. A surprise villian shows her colors, but then--that's it. The emotional arcs played out expertly, and I tore through Deathwish in one day. The character dynamics are right there, feel psychologically accurate, they feel real (including the omnisexual Robin, who gives Capt Jack from Torchwood a run for his money!) and they're fun, if dark. If you don't like Dark Horror/Urban Fantasy, don't go near these, but if you enjoy Supernatural, but are like me and a wimp when it comes to seeing horror on the screen, this series is for you.
Thurman only gets *better* in her series, just like Jim Butcher-the current gold standard in UF. What I like most, and there's a lot to like:
A) consistent continuity from book to book, there are facts that skip one book and are mentioned two books later! Thurman treats her readers as *intelligent*! Wow, you have NO IDEA how important that is
B) the characters do change and grow, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly and time does move on--they aren't stuck in a weird timeless well that series tend to suffer from
C) Thurman is still improving as a writer, so stylistic mistakes you see made in one book are quickly fixed in the next book.
D) interesting twists on monsters, informants and what makes and doesn't make a monster (Cal is something of the "Spock" or "Data" or better yet, the "Worf" for the series)
E) Although set in New York you virtually never meet regular humans except as spear throwers or as a chunk of meat in a monster's lair. It makes for a strange version of such a popular setting for fiction.
F) the way the books are set up, you just KNOW the ending of the series is going to end tragically. Just *listen* to the conversations between Cal and Niko, and their realizations of who's going to outlive whom, and what's going to happen then. Hopefully Thurman can live up to that "gun on the wall". It's a huge, elephant gun up on that wall.
Here's a link to my review of the first two books.
Madhouse (book 3): Thurman definitely set aside the overuse of metaphors and overly thick descriptions of...just about everything. She's gotten much, much better, even from Book 2.
Madhouse sees the introduction of Delilah, a smart werewolf woman with connections to the Kin (the werewolf mob) and a more intimate connection with Cal. She starts out as just a way to keep George out of his life and safe, and develops into a highly entertaining, blunt, enjoyable character who I hope sticks around for a few more books! She's awesome. (and depicted on the cover along with Cal).
There's also a female Boggle with a litter--oh boy--who is distinctly different from her mate, Boggle, who was killed in an earlier book. There's a mummy living in the basement of Metropolitan Museum (where else?). And of course, the Big Bad, Sawney Beane, a cannibal creature from Scottish lore and legend.
Madhouse, like the other entries in Thurman's series, tends to read episodically, like a TV show, within each novel, with three or four acts bookended by teasers and tags. Moonshine, book 2, was formatted the same way, and missed some opportunities: I thought the "Goodfellow" tagging along with Cal was really the *other* puck, but nope. Anyhow!
Cal learns he can make gates-tears in space-time-and use them to get away, to go to the hell the Auphe held him for two years, and uses that in the fight against Sawney. But every time he uses that newly developing power, his Auphe side churns closer to the surface. The relationship between Cal and Niko is, of course, paramount, even as they allow others into their inner circle. An entertaining, if gruesome read. This series isn't afraid of making sure the reader knows that humans are simply a convenient food source for most of the supernatural creatures featured within it. It's a VERY dark New York.
Deathwish-(book 4, just released (SPOILERS)
Here, Thurman alternates the first person point of view between Cal and Niko. It's a good thing, too--I was starting to wonder about Niko and his perfection as a Ninja fighter so great that he's even better than Cal, who's half Auphe and as deadly as they come. Thurman doesn't quite succeed in making their voices completely distinct (I would have to flip back to the chapter heading to make sure what POV I was reading sometimes--hey, I get distracted when I have my kids running around!). It was great to find out what motivates Niko, but more importantly WHY. It does fit, and does make him more understandable and human. It'd be nice if Thurman could explore his POV more often in later books, if only to make him a little more human and a little more flawed.
Cal comes into his own in this book, grows up a lot, and by the end, settles a big issue with Niko--a giant pychological issue. Hopefully, since they've both moved up a notch, and no longer have a major enemy to contend with, other developments can take place. Mainly, Cal's inner demon-monster is in danger of resurfacing in ways dangerous to him and their friends.
The story zings along, with the addition of a new character, new monsters from South America, and the loss of trust between Niko and Promise--but the final two chapters, while not exactly coming out from nowhere, felt tacked on somehow. A surprise villian shows her colors, but then--that's it. The emotional arcs played out expertly, and I tore through Deathwish in one day. The character dynamics are right there, feel psychologically accurate, they feel real (including the omnisexual Robin, who gives Capt Jack from Torchwood a run for his money!) and they're fun, if dark. If you don't like Dark Horror/Urban Fantasy, don't go near these, but if you enjoy Supernatural, but are like me and a wimp when it comes to seeing horror on the screen, this series is for you.
Thurman only gets *better* in her series, just like Jim Butcher-the current gold standard in UF. What I like most, and there's a lot to like:
A) consistent continuity from book to book, there are facts that skip one book and are mentioned two books later! Thurman treats her readers as *intelligent*! Wow, you have NO IDEA how important that is
B) the characters do change and grow, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly and time does move on--they aren't stuck in a weird timeless well that series tend to suffer from
C) Thurman is still improving as a writer, so stylistic mistakes you see made in one book are quickly fixed in the next book.
D) interesting twists on monsters, informants and what makes and doesn't make a monster (Cal is something of the "Spock" or "Data" or better yet, the "Worf" for the series)
E) Although set in New York you virtually never meet regular humans except as spear throwers or as a chunk of meat in a monster's lair. It makes for a strange version of such a popular setting for fiction.
F) the way the books are set up, you just KNOW the ending of the series is going to end tragically. Just *listen* to the conversations between Cal and Niko, and their realizations of who's going to outlive whom, and what's going to happen then. Hopefully Thurman can live up to that "gun on the wall". It's a huge, elephant gun up on that wall.
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Date: 2009-03-09 05:22 pm (UTC)Seven books, eh? That might be a good thing. I'd hate to have the writer run out of good ideas for these two. And I like definite *endings*, you know? Not everyone can be a Jim Butcher and expertly stretch out their mystery and so forth for over 10 books.
In any case, I'm looking forward to the next one. When is that supposed to come out? Do you have any idea?