One sucky thing about being a writer is that it absolutely kills your available reading time. It doesn’t help that I’m a workaholic, so whenever I actually stop to read a book I feel guilty because I’m not writing. One of the good things about going on tour is I spend a lot of time on airplanes and trains, so I actually get to read a few things. (I know some authors can write on planes, but I’m 6’5″. I can’t open my laptop and have knees at the same time on an airplane seat).
Kevin J. Anderson gave me a copy of Death Warmed over at Book Expo in New York. He figured a monster story crossed with a hardboiled detective comedy would be right up my alley. I’ve been working on Grimnoir, which is fairly dark to write, so it was nice to read some comedy. I finally got to read it during tour, and I enjoyed it.
Dan Chambeaux, or Shamble as everybody calls him, is a zombie detective in a world filled with vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and every other supernatural thing you can think of, all living in the Big Uneasy. A good detective doesn’t let a little thing like getting murdered slow him down, and I got a kick out of Shamble trying to solve a series of oddball cases, including his own. He’s the kind of zombie you want to root for, and his cases are good, light hearted fun.
It’s a pretty quick read, because he bounces around between a bunch of different cases. It’s campy and can be goofy, and there’s a little bit of adult content, but nothing too bad. I laughed at the goofy bits, but every now and then Kevin likes to remind you that he is really freaking good at this writing stuff, and he’d slip in some poignent bits. For example, Shamble’s girlfriend is a ghost, and there are some great character bits in there about her.
If you like that Try Mario Acevedo’s series from a few years ago
Former US Army Private Felix Gomez. Turned Private Detective (and Vampire)
featured in
Nymphos of Rocky Flats
X rated Blood suckers
The Undead kama Sutra
Jail Bait Zombie
Werewolf Smackdown
and
Killing the Cobra.
Think Philip Marlowesqe meets Anne Rice and Hugh Heffner.
VERY well Written Short and entertaining.
http://www.marioacevedo.com/
Damn it to your comment also…
Damn it! it’s hard enough being a Physics/Engineering major while trying to write my own novel. Now I read this review and I find myself buying another book.
Someone really needs to invent either shadow puppets to do all the work that needs done so I can just read, or come up with Matrix style learning so I can download novels and read them in my sleep.
Thanks for the recommendation, Larry. I added the book to my Amazon wish list. I already spent my book money this month, on… your Kickstarter! 🙂
Ok Larry,
You got my 25 bucks for Legion. Barnes and Nobles in White Marsh Still had Autographed copies
I started it around…630ish and Just finished it up about a minute ago.
Can I blame you for my brain being mushy for lack of sleep tommorow?
Yeah, yeah. I’m over here trying to hit a deadline and was stupid enough to open Monster Hunters Vendetta (still working through your backlist) when I should’ve been editing. When I could finally pry myself away, I got too few pages edited and went to bed late. =op
And I’m loving every minute of it. Sleep is overrated.
Thanks for the recommend. (Like I need another book in my TBR pile… Harrumph.)
Editing? Shouldn’t you be writing your next best seller? 🙂
I’m reading this now. If you like puns, this is the novel for you.