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roadtripreader 's review for:
The Pale House Devil
by Richard Kadrey
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
One of those "The Cover got me good" choices that did not disappoint
I did not expect Ghouls and Vengeance to go so well together. But to be fair, I didn't know what to expect. The cover was a renaissance house with tentacles emerging and two humanoid silhouettes bathed in white light. Haunted house with a cosmic Lovecraftian feel was probably somewhere in my considerations. The story took me by pleasant surprise.
Also, I bet I'm actually a Marcheur myself. Let's see: a dreamless fugue state once every couple of days - sounds suspiciously like my insomnia.
Worldbuilding Plot/Storyline/Themes:
Two contract killers - one Human and one a ghoul. They hightail it out of New York and head for LA after reneging on a hit (with good reason) and double tapping Garrick their client who ordered the hit. They may not say it but there is a comfortable fraternal brotherly love between them and their whole vibe somehow reminds me of the best of Sam and Dean Winchester so essentially not all the whiny variations after season 4.
Character Development/Favorite Character:
Ford and Neuland summed up in one interaction:
●"Oh no. Are we fathers now?”
“Uncles at best. And don’t ever say that to her or me again.” (Neuland and Ford on Tilda)
In a word, loveable, fiercely loyal, weirdly chivalrous and exist in an easy understanding of each other. In short - they're my kind of morally gray antiheroes.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene::
The tender nature in which they interacted with sweet innocent naive Tilda Rosenbaum when they first meet. So, the beach sounds like a great idea right about now. Ford and Neuland are darkly relatable.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
●This isn’t killing money, ” he said. “This is stern-talking-to money. ” (Neuland on the cost of a Hit )
●“Like you’re magic?”
Neuland thought about it.
“I’m not sure I’m magic. ”
“What would you call a walking, talking dead man?”
.....“Neuland.” (Tilda on Magic )
●"Strong emotions were for the living, like Ford. He could fly into a rage at a moment’s notice and it accomplished nothing. The undead were supposed to be above such things" (Neuland on the curse of feeling)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
●Southern Voudo/Neuland's rebirth
●Goofer Juice
● Set-Taq Jihanuut, the All-Consuming Eye
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy books by 2025
I did not expect Ghouls and Vengeance to go so well together. But to be fair, I didn't know what to expect. The cover was a renaissance house with tentacles emerging and two humanoid silhouettes bathed in white light. Haunted house with a cosmic Lovecraftian feel was probably somewhere in my considerations. The story took me by pleasant surprise.
Also, I bet I'm actually a Marcheur myself. Let's see: a dreamless fugue state once every couple of days - sounds suspiciously like my insomnia.
Worldbuilding Plot/Storyline/Themes:
Two contract killers - one Human and one a ghoul. They hightail it out of New York and head for LA after reneging on a hit (with good reason) and double tapping Garrick their client who ordered the hit. They may not say it but there is a comfortable fraternal brotherly love between them and their whole vibe somehow reminds me of the best of Sam and Dean Winchester so essentially not all the whiny variations after season 4.
Character Development/Favorite Character:
Ford and Neuland summed up in one interaction:
●"Oh no. Are we fathers now?”
“Uncles at best. And don’t ever say that to her or me again.” (Neuland and Ford on Tilda)
In a word, loveable, fiercely loyal, weirdly chivalrous and exist in an easy understanding of each other. In short - they're my kind of morally gray antiheroes.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Scene::
The tender nature in which they interacted with sweet innocent naive Tilda Rosenbaum when they first meet. So, the beach sounds like a great idea right about now. Ford and Neuland are darkly relatable.
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Quotes:
●This isn’t killing money, ” he said. “This is stern-talking-to money. ” (Neuland on the cost of a Hit )
●“Like you’re magic?”
Neuland thought about it.
“I’m not sure I’m magic. ”
“What would you call a walking, talking dead man?”
.....“Neuland.” (Tilda on Magic )
●"Strong emotions were for the living, like Ford. He could fly into a rage at a moment’s notice and it accomplished nothing. The undead were supposed to be above such things" (Neuland on the curse of feeling)
Favorite/Curious/Ludicrous/Unique Concepts:
●Southern Voudo/Neuland's rebirth
●Goofer Juice
● Set-Taq Jihanuut, the All-Consuming Eye
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy books by 2025