Enter Sandman

Now that I have a bit more free time on my hands I’ve reinvigorated my interest in reading novels, and I came across a great series by accident. I wandered into a cute independent book store near my office, Magic City Books. Since I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, I just picked up random books with interesting covers. I don’t know what about this cover grabbed my attention, but the blurb on the back “Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse.” made me want to read more.

I’d never heard of the novel or the author, Richard Kadrey, before, but, man, he’s got a tight story and interesting characters. The main character, James Stark, is a foul-mouthed, irreverent guy who, for all that he spent eleven years in hell, proves relatable. He reminds me a bit of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden from the Dresden Files, but more hard-boiled and disillusioned. (Did I mention eleven years in hell?) The face-paced story heightens tension with its lack of chapter breaks. In all reality, I was halfway through the book before I really noticed, and I had no intention of putting it down any time soon.

Since I didn’t want to put the book down, I was a little sad when I finished it. I mean, you only get to read a book for the first time once, and now that experience was over. My faith was restored when I discovered it was a series.

I went out the next day to buy the rest of the titles provided by my closest book store. Unfortunately, they only stocked number two and number…I don’t know seven maybe. Now, I’m waiting for number three to come in, because I tore through the second book Kill the Dead even faster than Sandman Slim.

I thought maybe I could read The Kill Society without reading the intervening books. I do not recommend it! Things happen in the intervening books that are alluded to in the first handful of pages, and now I need to know how these things happened! That, my friends, is the hallmark of a good series. When you are angry at the bookstores for stocking the first two titles and the most recent two titles but none of the intervening books.  Have I mentioned that I need to know what happens?

If you couldn’t tell, I highly recommend this series. Also, if there’s anyone who has any pull on what gets stocked in my bookstores….stock the whole freaking series! Please! Now, excuse me while I go outside to wait for the postman to deliver book three.

‘Til next time,

Jess