Felix Castor is a
freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. It may seem like a
good ghostbuster can charge what he likes and enjoy a hell of a
lifestyle--but there's a risk: Sooner or later he's going to take on a
spirit that's too strong for him. While trying to back out of this
ill-conceived career, Castor accepts a seemingly simple ghost-hunting
case at a museum in the shadowy heart of London--just to pay the bills,
you understand. But what should have been a perfectly straightforward
exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show,
with demons and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. That's OK:
Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It's the living who piss him
off...
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“You move on. You move back. On because you're always getting older, back because there's always a set of habits and routines to catch you and suck you back in when your guard is down.”
I loved Mike Carey's writing style, it's sublime - colorful, poetic flow, funny when it's supposed to be, dramatic when it's supposed to be. Not all of the British terminology is familiar, but I adore the British writing tone as long as it's not bone dry. And hey, learn something new every day?
The protagonist Felix is a likeable guy - his outlook works, his humors fun, he's a good sort. He has the unique ability to see ghosts and try to help them cross over to an unknown side he avoids thinking about or even believing in half the time. The woman he's staying with is a likeable mystery. Scary villains are scary. And his friend in the mental asylum was uber disturbing. That succubus though...
The plot was interesting and just that touch of different that makes it stand out from other UF. Felix is a down-on-his-luck sort of guy who gets hired, against his better judgement, to take on a job that he shouldn't have taken on. From there things fall down the lego effect hole and bad goes to worse and then worse still.
So why a 3 star rating? For some reason I just couldn't get into the story much, it wouldn't grab my attention. There's some lagging here and there so perhaps a trimming of book length would help. Fans of male leads in Urban Fantasy series should try this one and see how they like it.
Overall a dark, gritty Urban Fantasy with a strong mystery, an enjoyable voice via the main character, and creepy touches with demon and ghost appearances. I couldn't get fully emerged in this story, but it warrants trying the sequel out.
Book Quotes:
“I took a strong dislike to him right then to save time and effort later.”
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