Tuesday 29 December 2009

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Deadtown - Nancy Holzner

BOOK BLURB:

They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders - but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human.


REVIEW:

Urban Fantasy is perhaps the genre that’s grown most over the last few years. With a bumper year set for releases from many UK publishers next year, its been booming in the US for slightly longer. What is perhaps worth noting is that it also feels like the genre that is increasingly giving the readers more new names who currently fight it out amongst themselves for shelf space. But how do you find a goodie from the baddies that are out there?

Well it’s always difficult but if you can find a book that has an opener that just grabs you by the eyeballs and run’s you’ve got a great start there. A prime example being this offering from Nancy Holzner who not only grabs the reader by the unmentionables but also tops it off with a Zombie in a Pink Miniskirt in the first couple of paragraphs.

That’s a seller right there and with that as an opener you know that you’re in for a serious treat with this book. Its engaging, the characters are fascinating and above all whilst many authors are having virtually unkillable protagonists leading the way, the vulnerability of this tough cookie makes it even more gripping. Yep she’s a smart ass, yep she’s got a tough outer shell but in the centre of her being is much gooeyness that the reader can’t help but like. It’s a good opener, it’s a cracker of a story arc but perhaps most of all it’s a story that will lead the reader by the hand into a series that will capture the imagination as the author interweaves myth’s, legends and prophecies into a web of intrigue. Great stuff.

1 comment:

D Swizzle said...

Glad to know you enjoyed it! This one does look pretty badass, and I love the premise.