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.
Source: the library
Daemons are Forever
by
Simon R. Green
urban fantasy in Hardcover edition that was published by ROC Hardcover on June 3, 2008 and has 406 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, The Spy Who Haunted Me, From Hell with Love, 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
Second in the Secret Histories urban fantasy series revolving around the über-powerful Drood family and Eddie Drood in particular.
I’d’ve given it a “3”, but, really, there is just such a lot of thought and energy gone into this, that I just didn’t have the heart.
My Take
Oh, yeah, I loved the army and the other snoops sitting outside Eddie’s front door in the middle of London. And then when he took ’em out…LMAO. Eddie hugs a missile to his chest to absorb the impact then jumps up to the helicopter and tells the pilots to get out after which he rides the chopper down and along the street. I mean, how can you not get a kick out of this?
Nobody does really good villainous threats anymore. In the old days, a real villain could make your blood run cold with just a simile.
I think Eddie has a very practical idea about how to choose the best advisors for his Inner Circle, although I think he’s wrong about the torcs. He shouldn’t wait to give them out! His plan for the Nazca Plain was stupid, too. I suspect it was just too easy a disaster for Green to use.
I do enjoy Eddie’s snarking:
“You killed his father,” said the Armourer.
“Yes,” I said. “That’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life, isn’t it?”
It’s the usual round of crazy characters and outrageous action with lots of childishness. Betrayals and conspiracies abound and no end of action.
The Story
Surrendering to the reality of having to move home, Eddie has no intention of surrendering to the fifty-some militia types outside his front door. They’re simply a bit of fun. Before he and his Enya CDs head back to Drood Hall.
It’s tricky out there. Word is out. The Droods have lost their golden armor and are in disarray and the world’s governments are trying to figure out how to seize the moment.
The Characters
Shaman Bond, a.k.a., Eddie Drood, now rules the Drood family. He used to be a field agent until he discovered the truth about the family. Molly Metcalf is a witch. She’s not even a Drood. Horrors. But she and Eddie are in love and since Eddie is the head dictator, she stays. For now.
The Matriarch, Martha Drood, a.k.a., Grandmother, is still in mourning for Alistair. She’s being courted by the Zero Tolerance faction of the family (the one that supported the family’s enemy, Manifest Destiny, behind the scenes) and refuses to help or hinder Eddie. She just doesn’t care about the family.
The Inner Circle whom Eddie assembles to advise him includes…
…Penny (Eddie’s official contact in the family when he was a field agent), Molly (is not a Drood!!!), Uncle Jack is the family Armourer, the ghost of Jacob Drood (he thought he was only supposed to stick around to help get rid of the Heart and most everybody hates or is terrified of him), Cyril the Serjeant-at-Arms (supposed to pay attention to who is coming and going, know where everyone is), and Harry.
Howard is the new head of Drood Operations and not one of Eddie’s supporters. Harry Drood is James’ only legitimate son and becomes the Matriarch’s eyes and ears; Roger Morningstar is a half-breed demon and an illegitimate son as well as an old flame of Molly’s. Seems they have other secrets as well! Strange matter, just call me “Ethel”, helped defeat the Heart. Callan Drood is one of the very few agents still out in the field. He’s young, rude, and rather good. Rafe Drood is back to being the assistant librarian now that William is back. Tony Drood is the engineer for the Time Train, Ivor. Well, it’s an inherited position. All ya gotta do is love him.
Drood rogues invited home include:
William Drood, formerly known as Oddly John, is back at the Hall, fresh from the nuthouse. Eddie wants him back taking care of the library — including the old library. The thieving Sebastian Drood shows up with his own set of deadly secrets. Freddie Drood was just too flamboyant. Now he makes a good beard.
Outsiders invited to Drood Hall!!
Janissary Jane is the Suzie Shooter of this bunch. A mercenary who loves to fight, usually on other planes of existence. A psychopath. Eddie hopes she can train the Drood brood how to fight without their armour. Blue Fairy (he’s only half-elf, ya know) has had a run of better luck until the mafiosi holding his markers run him down. Seems it’s enough to entice Blue Fairy into signing on. Subway Sue used to be a luck vampire and she tried to tap the wrong person. Now Eddie wants her to tutor the Droods in how to survive. Mr. Stab earned his immortality when he stabbed all those prostitutes back in 1888. Now, he can’t make love; he can only stab.
Jacob “Jay” Drood — the live one — is brought back to the Hall to teach fighting while Giles Deathstalker comes back to the past to provide a warrior’s guidance.
Phil MacAlpine, a.k.a., Alpha, (MI5) is stuck trying to take Eddie and Molly in. Sucker. Truman is the leader of Manifest Destiny. Loathly Ones are a group of demons, soul-eaters. They received an invitation to invade earth from a most unexpected source.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black, green, and blue. A nightlit city street all a’tilt as Eddie faces down a Grim Reaper in true Western gunfight fashion.
I suspect it’s a metaphor for evil. Just as evil is always there, so Daemons are Forever.
