I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
From Hell with Love
by
Simon R. Green
urban fantasy in Hardcover edition that was published by ROC on June 1, 2010 and has 368 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Something From the Nightside, Mean Streets, Agents of Light and Darkness, Nightingale's Lament, Paths Not Taken, Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth, Hell to Pay, Just Another Judgement Day, The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny, A Hard Day's Knight, Hex and the City, The Unnatural Inquirer, The Bride Wore Black Leather, Home Improvement: Undead Edition, Hex Appeal, Man with the Golden Torc, Daemons are Forever, The Spy Who Haunted Me, Live and Let Drood, Casino Infernale, Blue Moon Rising, Tales of the Hidden World, Blood and Honor, From a Drood to a Kill, The Dark Side of the Road, Dead Man Walking, Very Important Corpses, Moonbreaker, Dr. DOA, Property of a Lady Faire, The House on Widows Hill
Fourth in the Secret Histories urban fantasy spy series revolving around Eddie Drood and the Drood brood.
This story takes place shortly after the Griffins die in the Nightside in Hell to Pay.
My Take
Think James Bond and an assortment of Spectres, just with a supernatural bent with a slight crossover with characters from the Nightside. The Droods have the best toys!
The Droods are the ultimate power, they think, in the world with their own private landing areas at all major airports around the world. “Major governments, organizations, and significant individuals the world over” let them do what they want and the Droods promise to leave them alone.
We do find out who some traitors are within the family along with some of what they’re responsible for.
Oh, that Molly: “I’m starting to feel like she’s the only sensible one here, and I’m not used to that.”
I’d be worrying about Ethel having to think about how deceitful humans are…
The Story
There’s a major artifact auction being put on by the Really Old Curiosity Shoppe at the about-to-open Magnificat Hotel and Eddie Drood has arrived to “pick up” a few things and prevent Doctor Delirium from getting the Apocalypse Door. Worse, the Family doesn’t know that the Door is a true entry into Hell that could let loose Hell’s inhabitants. Neither Eddie nor Luther think it will be a problem, with the Drood armor, of penetrating the many layers of security enwrapping the hotel. The problem could be the two opposing sets of mercenaries who suddenly pop in through dimensional doors!
Three events set the Drood Family and Eddie on this particular warpath: a sneering remark from a captured, dying enemy; a link Molly has discovered between the Droods and the death of her parents; and, an assassination inside Drood Hall.
One or more traitors are hidden within the Drood family, and it’s time to find out who before they take down the family.
The Characters
Eddie Drood, a.k.a., Shaman Bond, is a field agent for the Drood family based in London. Molly Metcalf is his witchy girlfriend and her goal in life is to find out who killed her parents. Isabella is her sister, “a supernatural terrorist, twilight avenger, and so hardcore in her convictions she could scare the wings off an angel”. Louisa is the youngest sister. She’s been dead seven years now and it hasn’t held her back.
Martha Drood is the Matriarch of the Droods, Eddie’s grandmother. She rules the family with an Advisory Council consisting of Uncle Jack, the Armourer who has way too much fun in his workshop (think James Bond’s Q); William is the whacko Librarian with Rafe as his assistant (and nanny); Cousin Harry is still plotting for his own gain with his partner, Roger Morningstar, the half-demon, his half-brother, AND his lover; there’s still a Cedric as Serjeant-at-Arms, but he’s sneakier than his predecessor; and, you just can’t keep Ethel out of anything. Other significant Droods include Callan, who is the Head of the War Room and adjusting to his new torc; Howard is in charge of Operations; and, there’s something in the Old Library that watches over William. Alistair is the Matriarch’s second husband and he’s been in a coma forever. Iorith is a new assistant to help William. Luther Drood is their Los Angeles agent and Eddie is worried that he’s gone native.
The Bride is attending a Spawn of Frankenstein reunion at the Castle Hotel near Castle Frankenstein in Germany along with her boyfriend Springheel Jack. Baron Frankenstein, an Immortal, tries to infiltrate the reunion, but the Spawn aren’t having it.
Doctor Delirium is a smalltime mad scientist with his own army who occasionally pops up to threaten the world with some plague or another. Timothy Drood, a.k.a., Tiger Tim, is Uncle James’ son and he went rogue years ago, psychotic. The Lampton Wyrm is a seriously powerful dragon. Dom Langford is a mercenary who chose the wrong side.
Methuselah is the Leader of the Immortals. And he’s bored.
The Droods sprang from a Druid back at the beginning, almost, of time who made a deal with the Heart, an alien entity, that had a horrific requirement. Eddie destroyed the Heart and has a new, more benign deal with Ethel, another alien entity. The Droods have since watched over the world, ensuring that nothing too horrible occurs and they are feared by all—”aliens, elves, mad scientists and their monsters, secret organizations, and ancient inhuman enemies”. The Anti-Droods are the Immortals. A human reached the Heart first and made his own deal. Since then, the Immortals have manipulated history and the Droods for their own profit.
The Cover and Title
The cover is cold and snowy with Molly and Eddie prepared to close the beautifully carved Apocalypse door and its doorframe as it begins to open.
The title plays off the James Bond movie, From Russia with Love, as well as a nickname for Los Angeles, Hell A, so hullo, it’s From Hell with Love where our adventure begins.
