by
Glen Cook
ISBN: 0-451-45875-3 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com
Another installment in this hard-boiled noirish mystery pastiche set in a fantasy world, this adventure continues with attarctive and exotic dames, humanoid aliens, hard fights, sarcasm, magic, and an old-fashioned stubborn detective.
Reviewed by David on June 15, 2002 (rev. 1)
Genre: Fantasy (Private Investigator, Mystery, Humor)
Synopsis: In an alternate world shared by elves, dwarves and other magical hybrids, the humans are the most highly organized and best armed of the many races.
A friend of Garrett's with an overly generous nature has informally adopted a boy. The boy—obnoxious but full of improbable but potentially lucrative ideas—appears in danger from some hard-to-see, very unusual "elves."
In this installment, in addition to the usual proliferation of self-centered factions, Tunfaire is infested by spaceship-traveling aliens. Doing his best to survive magic, and magic-seeming technology, Garrett is, as usual, in danger from good old-fashioned violence and attractive, and sometimes attracted, females.
Full Review: This is the latest in a series of noir-ish hard-boiled detective novels featuring Garrett by Glen Cook. The earlier books were:
This one features all the usual characters: the Nero Wolfe-like Dead Man (an ancient and massive telepathic non-human who lives with Garrett), Morley Dotes, a not entirely honest half-elf and a fellow veteran, the prim cook Dean, the Goddamn Parrot (a curiously obnoxious bird—a gift from Morley) and Garrett's inflammable girlfriend Tinnie.
The author seems to have fun in this book, and it shows. With less of bitter sarcasm of the previous books, and a lot more of funny romp, this book nonetheless maintains continuity. The author's trademark snappy dialogue, so apropos to the hardboiled genre, and constant action, provide enormous entertainment, as do Garrett's combination of good and bad luck, in both investigation and romance.
A very enjoyable romp, this one can stand on its own, but will benefit from familiarity with at least some of the earlier books in the series. With mild character development, and plenty of fun, this book whets the appetite for continuing adventures from the Garrett Files.
Overall: 6.5; Plot: 6; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6.5; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 6.5;
Copyright date 2002, Penguin Group (Roc), April 2002, Mass-market, 364 pages
ISBN: 0-451-45875-3 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com