Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Sandman Slim

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey tells the story of James Stark, who has recently escaped from Hell – literally. At the age of nineteen, he was set up by his fellow magicians to be dragged “Downtown,” alive, by demons. The residents of Hell, never having seen a living human before, tortured him experimentally for a while and then put him to work as a sideshow gladiator for eleven years when he stubbornly refused to die. Now he’s back and determined to take revenge on those who betrayed him and killed the woman he loved. To help he has Vidocq – yes, the historical crook-turned-cop whom Victor Hugo used as inspiration both for Valjean and Javert in Les Miserables. In Sandman Slim, he’s also an alchemist who managed to make himself immortal accidentally. But how can Stark really know who to trust, when the forces of Heaven, Hell, and every kind of unaffiliated magic there is seem to be playing their own games?

This is the grittiest, darkest paranormal noir that I have ever read. The pace is fast and the dialogue is razor sharp. It is not for the faint of stomach, but if you can handle the guts and gore place your request today and be one of the first to get your hands on a copy.

-- Kristen, Main Library

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