Review: SLASHBACK

Slashback by Rob Thurman
Book 8 of the Cal Leandros series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About Slashback:

I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay.…

Source: Info in the About Slashback was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808602-slashback on 09/03/2013.

My Thoughts:

I still think that Sam & Dean Winchester are very good visual representations of Cal and Niko Leandros.

I was reading Spider's Bite when my copy of Slashback arrived in the mail. Normally I would drop all other books I was reading when a Rob Thurman book arrives, but I was just getting to the juicier part of Spider's Bite and the fact that I was a tad disappointed with the last Cal Leandros book, so consequently I ended up reading both books at the same time. I listen to Spider's Bite in work and read Slashback at home. At the end of both books, I got both stories mixed up in my head that I had to think for a minute to sort out whether this aspect of the story belonged to Slashback or Spider's Bite... Anyway, it contributed to my reading this book longer than I usually do a Rob Thurman book. Plus the fact that I was trying to stretch it out as long as I can and savour the book rather than rush through it because Rob Thurman is obviously back in her game with this book. And I didn't want the wonderful reading time to end so soon. What can I say? I got another quality fix for my Cal Leandros addiction. Plus the story telling quality is Rob Thurman's usual masterful quality again. The plot although not that convoluted, is none-the-less entrancing. I am very happy with this book. the only sad thing is it has to end and now I have to wait another year for the next book.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 4.5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries


Books in the Cal Leandros series:

Review: THE GRIMROSE PATH

The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman
Book 2 of Trickster series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About The Grimrose Path:

I looked at the metal coated with blood — so very much blood — the same color as the darkest crimson rose. I was undoing this. I was making this right. And I’d like to see the son of a bitch who thought he could stop me.

Bar owner Trixa Iktomi knows that inhuman creatures of light and darkness roam Las Vegas-especially since she’s a bit more than human herself. She’s just been approached with an unusual proposition. Something has slaughtered almost one thousand demons in six months. And the killing isn’t going to stop unless Trixa and her friends step into the fight.

Source: Info in the About The Grimrose Path was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7827387-the-grimrose-path on 10/09/2012.

[Image Credit: Wes-Talbott]

Narrative Evaluation:

I have a few issues with some minor details... like when you sink a pointy heel into somebody's chest they tend to scream in pain and struggle, or even fight back. Not just lie there and let you do it. Little details like that, which tends to drag the suspension of disbelief down a couple of notches. And like in Book 1, this book also got a few little holes in the plot. I am kinda hoping that this little annoyances would improve in the next books in this series because I really like this author's story telling quality! It's quite compelling and I guess this is the main contributing factor why the book is a fast-paced one. Another thing about this book which I like is that Rob Thurman has masterfully woven the different mythologies with the christian "War In Heaven" theme into the world of the Trickster. This earned this series brownie points! At the end of it, I enjoyed this book a lot and looking forward to reading more books in this series. I am just hoping that there would be a lot of improvement in the plot building.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Review: ALL SEEING EYE

All Seeing Eye by Rob Thurman
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About All Seeing Eye:

Picking up a small pink shoe from the grass forever changed young Jackson Lee’s life. Not only did its presence mean that his sister Tessa was dead — murdered and stuffed in the deep, black water of a narrow well — but the shoe itself told him so.

Tessa’s death triggers an even more horrific family massacre that, combined with this new talent he neither wants nor can handle, throws Jack’s life into a tailspin. The years quickly take him from state homes to the streets to grifting in a seedy carnival, until he finally becomes the cynical All Seeing Eye, psychic-for-hire. At last, Jackson has left his troubled past behind him and found a semblance of peace.

That is, until the government blackmails him. Helping the military contain the aftermath of a bizarre experiment gone violently wrong, everything Jackson knows about himself will change just as suddenly as it did with his little sister’s shoe.
And while change is constant...It’s never for the better.

Source: Info in the About All Seeing Eye was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13260196-all-seeing-eye on 19/08/2012.

Review:

This book made me cry buckets! Specially towards the end. So make sure you got a box of kleenex handy, just in case. Rob Thurman brought into this book the fantastic story telling quality that I've come to know of her with the Cal Leandros series. And I think, because of that, this book is very fast-paced indeed! Read the book in one day. I got a few nitpicking issues with the reincarnation subject matter but I am willing to let it slide for now for the wonderful reading time that the book gives! I also like the twists in the plot. Things I never saw coming... That was a true bender! Just to add to the creepy factor, here is a screenshot of Jack's house where it all started (a still shot from the trailer)... No, this book is not horror, it's urban fantasy. And the bestest best thing about this book? You don't see any TSTL (too stupid to live) protagonists! The plot does not depend on the characters behaving stupidly in order to create a story! And that is a real gem indeed!! I am not having a dig at Charlaine Harris and other authors like her, because she is a wonderful story teller, am just appreciative of books that does not have TSTL characters in it. This is a stand-alone which I am kinda hoping would have follow-up books because I really like to read more of this world and of Jack! So am keeping my fingers crossed for more books in this series...

So after waxing poetic and all that gushing you might wonder why only 4.5 and not a 5? Well, it's the cover art that brought things down. What can I say? It's NOT a selling point...

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4
Cover art = 3
Pace = 5
Plot = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Book Trailer:

Review: DOUBLETAKE

Doubletake by Rob Thurman
Book 7 of the Cal Leandros series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About Doubletake:

Half-human/half-monster Cal Leandros knows that family is a pain. But now that pain belongs to his half-brother, Niko. Niko's shady father is in town, and he needs a big favor. Even worse is the reunion being held by the devious Puck race - including the Leandros' friend, Robin - featuring a lottery that no Puck wants to win.

As Cal tries to keep both Niko and Robin from paying the ultimate price for their kin, a horrific reminder from Cal's own past arrives to remind him that blood is thicker than water - and that's why it's so much more fun to spill.

Source: Info in the About Doubletake was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11473820-doubletake on 03/10/2012.

My Thoughts:

I've waited for a long time for this book. When my pre-order did not come I tried buying it again but amazon keeps sending me this stupid excuses about changed delivery estimate dates, la di bla di bla... I emailed Rob Thurman and she said it was due to the fact that the UK publisher was releasing the book several months after the US release date and that UK retail outlets are obliged to comply with the UK publisher including amazon UK. What bullshit!! So I have to order on the internet from a US seller on exorbitant mailing charges and wait two months for it to arrive!! And then, when I finally got it.... I don't know if anybody noticed but I had this book in my "Reading" widget in the sidebar for the longest time. And it was that long that it took me to read this book. For some reason my mind wanders when I start reading this book and then I have to find the motivation to pick the book up again. That is really strange for me because I am an old Rob Thurman fan and most specially, a die-hard fan of the Cal Leandros series. And probably the same reason why I am a Supernatural TV series fan too. So I am at a loss why this book is dragging... The story is good as any Cal Leandros book is. The "family" theme that ran throughout the book was quite good. The plot is good. But for some strange reason this book dragged big time for me. However, I still enjoyed it and would give it an overall rating of 4 out of 5 (not without bias here with me being a Cal fanatic), but I wouldn't be pre-ordering Slashback (Book 8) anymore (like I did with this book).

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 3
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 2.5
Plot = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Books in the Cal Leandros series: