The Getaway God by Richard Kadrey
Stark has saved the world a few times (and will again, no doubt) but still can’t work the coffee machine. Book 6 in the Sandman Slim series ratchets the stakes even higher, when the Angra have a real gambit for getting back at our puny God for stealing their creation and banishing them. Not only that, Stark has to work with Marshal Wells and the Golden Vigil again. I don’t know if there are enough cartons of Maledictions and bottles of Aqua Regia to make it worth it.
It’s raining, like Noah’s Ark raining, in LA and raining blood Downtown. Humans and otherwise are streaming out of the city, leaving the sodden landscape bereft. Whatever, there’s still plenty to do, when the serial killer Saint Nick makes himself known to the authorities. The dead people and random body parts aren’t anywhere near as disturbing as what his end game is. He needs to gather an army for the Angra and he means to do it with the recently dead and dismembered.
“Saint Nick is creating empty vessels. Inhabiting an intact human being is difficult for a God. But by using specific parts of different bodies, someone could make something more suitable.”
Ew. And holy schneikies!! It just keeps getting worse. Mason Faim is back and boy is he ever pissed. Then there’s the other god brothers meeting up in Hell. Oh and did I mention the 400-year-old mummy Buddhist monk?
Through all of this action and turmoil, which is stellar as always, I must say I am impressed at how much depth these characters are getting. The relationship between Kasabian and Stark is becoming more nuanced and grounded. Naturally things between Candy and Stark are heading into all new realms. Even between Samael and Stark new dimensions are being added. Not only that, Stark is having some real heart to hearts with himself about the universe and his place in it. Meaty stuff. It bodes well for the series, because not only does it give Kadrey a lot of places to go, but it gives us readers a much deeper connection with these characters.
My only beef is that now I have to wait until July 28th for the next book.
janniethestrange 