Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Mar 062012

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Book 1 of Sandman Slim series

Free download from Kobo (no longer available as a free download)

Synopsis from Goodreads: “James Stark’s great rep got him sent to hell. When his fame as a teenage magician attracted the attention of demons, they snatched him up and dispatched him to the inferno, where he spent the next 11 years as a sideshow freak entertaining Satan’s minions. Now released and hell-bent for revenge, Stark loses no time seeking out the dark magic cabal that nearly destroyed him; but he soon discovers that in the war between heaven and hell, he is not the only one with big plans. “

AH’s Review – 4 skulls – B+

Sandman Slim is the story of James Stark. Stark has quite a chip on his shoulder: He was sent to Hell at age 19 and has languished there for 11 years. Stark is out for revenge and wants to kill those responsible for his time “Downtown.”

Told from Stark’s point of view, the narrative voice combines a wicked sense of humor with irreverence, snark, and the need to get even with those who wronged him. Stark is a complex character: He is still grieving the death of his first love Alice. At the same time, there doesn’t seem to be a car in L.A. that cannot be hotwired by Stark. Stark is adept at all kinds of weapons use. He is also a magician, but he hesitates to use his magic for fear of attracting the attention of the Hellions. Stark is also difficult to kill, a definite asset in his world.

The world building is quite extensive and the use of L.A. and its’ seedy side adds a dark, urban feel to this book. Stark’s memories of his time in Hell and his descriptions of the various factions at war there add color and texture to the narrative.

I was also impressed by the variety of different paranormal creatures. While there were the usual angels, demons, and vampires, there were also the Kissi – a freaky kind of fallen angel. One of my favorite characters was a Jade – a kind of vampire with shark teeth.

The eclectic mix of characters makes this book very interesting. I loved Vidocq, Stark’s old friend and companion. Allegra, the Goth video store clerk was a surprising character. Candy the Jade was a perfect partner for Stark.

The story is well paced and there are some fantastic action sequences that kept me on the edge of my seat. Stark and his friends like their guns and know how to use them. My only criticism of this book is that there were absolutely no chapter breaks. I never really could tell where I could stop and take a break. Not a big problem; I finished the book fairly quickly.

So far there are 3 books in the series with a 4^th book to be published at the end of August.

Sandman Slim
Kill the Dead
Aloha from Hell
Devil Said Bang – August 28, 2012
TBA

Favorite quotes

“Now you are thinking like a thief. Fewer guns and more exits. We’ll cure your cowboy ways yet.”

“We’re monkeys in trees one day and the next we’re monkeys with dental hygiene and cell phones. Best of all, we don’t throw shit at each other anymore.”

Rating: ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠

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AH

Hi all! Bonjour! I’m AH and I am obsessed with reading. I read all kinds of books, but my favorites are paranormal romance and urban fantasy. What is it about those vampires and shape-shifters? Lately, I seem to be reading a lot of dystopian books as well. Are zombies the new vampire? I hope not. I have 3 boys – all reluctant readers so I tend to read a lot of young adult books aimed at boys. I want them to catch the reading bug too! I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts about books with you. Hope we can discover some great reads together.