Product Description
For ages, Eddie Drood and his family have kept humanity safe from the things that go bump in the night. But now one of his own has convinced the rest of the family that Eddie’s become a menace, and that humanity needs to be protected from him. So he’s on the run, using every trick in the book, magical and otherwise, hoping he lives long enough to prove his innocence...
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 Entertaining and Engaging ( harkius )
This book is worth reading, particularly if you don't spend any money on it, or fairly little.
Others have summarized the novel, others have pointed out the similarities between this series and Nightside. Imagine that I said those things.
Now, moving on, I think that it is hilarious that the main character is named after Edwin Drood, from Charles Dicken's titular character. Similarly, there are family portraits by the incomprable Boz, along with more characters than you can shake a stick at making guest appearances.
The plot is fairly straightforward, and there is nothing surprising about it. This is not a horrible thing, as this is the best kind of book to be predictable; the goal is amusement, not surprise, and Simon Green does not fail to amuse.
The worst thing about this, as with Green's other works is his penchant for saying rather that showing. We are told, innumerable times, of the Drood clan and their proclivities: How they make their enemies suffer, how they are mean, how they are isolationist, how they protect the world, how their armor is so kewl, etc.
Rather than having the first novel involve this rebellion against the family, Simon Green ought to have made the first novel about something else, so that when the family turns on Shaman Bond, we would have a sense of forboding and concern, rather than merely his word to go on that this is a bad thing. Emotional payoffs work only after emotional investment, not after hollow repetitions of how cool the Family Drood is.
Nothing groundbreaking or overly intelligent here, but certainly it is entertaining, provided you don't want something incredibly original. Worth reading.
B
Harkius
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 Great new series ( shredordead )
I was a little worried about this one when I read the back cover -- come on, "Shaman Bond"? Terrible name. That's the one downfall of the book, though. I'm a big fan of Green's Nightside books, and this is in the same vein. The pace is absolutely unrelenting in this book, and the crazy ideas, madcap characters, and off-the-wall references just don't stop. Seriously, I would love it if Green would further develop some of these references into actual stories or books, but I think that could easily take several lifetimes to complete. I mean just the visions that "Oddly John" spoke of would be a great anthology -- very Thomas Ligotti.
Can't wait for the next one!
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Yay A New Series!! ( marissa821 )
I am always so happy to discover a new series to enjoy!! I've breezed through the Dresden Files Series and Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher and have been looking for something new. Thankfully I found this book by Simon Green. I was slightly afraid that it would be just a re-worked version of the Dresden books. How nice that that wasn't the case!! I know I have a good book when I'm willing to not sleep the whole night in order to finish it.
The beginning is a little slow (or at least the first two chapters were for me) but by the fourth chapter things really pick up. I love the urban, sci-fi, mystery that's all mixed with magic, scientific gadgets and good ole fashioned sleuthing. Edwin Drood the main character is likeable but he isn't overly sweet and perfect and this just serves to make him a more plausible character that one can actually relate to. I cannot wait to start the second book!!
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Ok, but not as good as the others
First I read the Nightside series and that was great; it was his best work and that made me a Simon R. Green fan. Then I read (what books I had) of the Deathstalker series; it was very good at parts, but tiresome at others. It was no Nightside. Now, I'm reading the man with the goden torc. It's Ok, but it seems as if the books are going downhill; Nightside is the best, Deathstalker is in second place, and now man with the golden torc. It seems as if he's trying to make another Nightside; same story, diferent people.
It would be great if he did what he's trying to do and write another Nightside, but instead of doing the exact same story with different people, the the Drood line has been going for centuries, so make an earlier version of the family. Have them have cruder versions of the high tec weapons and make them have more limitations on their stuff that they have to work out. Maybe set the whole thing set a few hundred years before they "discovered" America.
Just a thought.
Edward C. Jones III
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Truly an outstanding read in the dark fantsy genre ( f41171c )
Eddie Drood (aka Shaman Bond) is a trouble shooter for his family which protects mundnes in the world. He starts with a mission to terminate the pregnancy of a President who ha gotten himself knocked up by a not so minor demon and has checked into the Hospice of Saint Baphomet. Already you see some of the sometimes sly and other times broad humor in the book--the witness intimidation program is good too.. There is a ongoing send up of the James Bond Films as well; in particular the shoot out on M4. Then there is the watch that changes time instead of telling it--"if it breaks just use a little butter...only the best butter of course" shades of Lewis Carroll! The genre can use more humor.
The plot starts out looking pretty linear but takes a couple interesting turns and overall is excellent. The characters are very good; well drawn. Its nice to not have principal characters jump each other at every opportunity. The world building is first rate and pretty innovative. I found the description on the cover rather off putting and the cover has nothing whatsoever to do with the book. There was one annoying possible error, the use of inflammable to mean something that burns--it actually means something that doesn't burn--and hasn't been used in the old sense in North America sense the late `60s and the EU changed when the IEC standardized terminology. But compared to the often rampant editorial errors in recent books the author and editor are to be congratulated--and it could be sarcastic.
If you like dark fantasy you will love this--definitely and outstanding read.
BTW do you know who Arne Saknussemm and Cave Carson are?
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