Grimwood, who developed his style writing mean nasty cyberpunk thrillers, applies it to a mean nasty historical fantasy set in Venice in 1407. Assassins battle with werewolves over fleeing aristocratic brides-to-be, with the assassins coming off the worse, leaving the city of Venice defended in the secret war by a few surviving killers and a lingering reputation. Can the strange young man with silver hair taken from a hidden compartment in a Mamluk ship, with his unnatural strength, speed and hungers be the answer? He will have to be caught and trained and tamed and forced to give in to his unnatural nature. Kidnappings, murders, power plays and political intrigues come to a head with a massive armada sailing for Cyprus with only a smaller flotilla and the silver haired boy standing in the way.

Fast-moving and vivid, atmospheric and grimy and I may be a little drunk and i had this lovely savoury pie bread thing and yum and I enjoyed this book and the pie and the cider so yay! Stars all round!