URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Dave Vs The Monsters 2: Resistance - John Birmingham

Release Date: 25/05/15
Publisher: Titan

SYNOPSIS:

When a dragon brings down the Vice President's plane and fresh demons emerge across the United States, monster slayer Dave Hooper realises that the Battle of New Orleans was just the beginning. Holed up in a swanky Las Vegas hotel, Dave is enjoying the perks of his newfound celebrity. But deep in the UnderRealms, the monsters are regrouping, and it isn't long before Dave and his splitting maul are hauled into action once more. While his agent fields offers for movies and merchandise, Dave is tasked with ending a demon siege in Omaha, protecting the skies from a dragon horde and deciphering the UnderRealms plans to take over the earth. As an ancient and legion evil threatens to destroy mankind, Dave may not be the hero humanity deserves, but he's the only one we've got.


REVIEW:

The second title in the series and one that continues to build on the war from the original where the UnderRealm have been defeated by Earth’s Hero Dave. Its definitely quirky and for me the original was a fun read yet instead of expanding the universe in this second outing, the title seemed bent on destroying the principle character into a totally deplorable and thoroughly dislikable guy rather than the hero who we had in the original who had to face the changes on the run.

It’s a bit of an upset for me and whilst I will read the final outing, currently I don’t care whether the UnderRealm enslaves Dave and mankind as opposed to routing for them like I should be. All round I was disappointed with this outing and for me, this title let me down as a reader. A huge shame.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Dave Vs the Monsters: Emergence - John Birmingham

Release Date: 28/04/15
Publisher:  Titan

SYNOPSIS:

When an oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico digs too deep, a torrent of nightmares is unleashed - the creatures of legend, always thought to be figments of our imagination, are now a very real threat to the survival of humankind. Safety worker Dave Hooper has the hangover from hell, and the last thing he needs is an explosion on his oil rig. But this is no accident, and despite the news reports, terrorists aren't to blame for the carnage. The rig is swarming with monsters. As he fights to save his co-workers from the ravenous demon horde while holding down last night's tequila, Dave is suddenly transformed from a foul-mouthed, overweight, booze-soaked slacker into something else entirely. An honest-to-goddamn monster slayer.


REVIEW:

Ah, a new type of Urban Fantasy where the weird and wonderful creatures from the dark re-emerge into the light to face mankinds hero, oil rig worker Dave. OK so its not your normal UF but when you have an author that brings a realistic hero to the fore and gives him a weapon of legend (or perhaps soon to be) readers are taken to another world as events unfurl and the current timeline changes.

Its definitely dark, has some light moments within but it’s the humanity of our hero that really strikes a chord with readers. Add to this solid prose as well as a solid supporting cast all round generates a tale that is going to be a solid start to what I feel will be a great series.