The Dirty Streets of Heaven

Starred review from July 23, 2012
Epic fantasist Williams (A Stark and Wormy Knight) launches a noir fantasy series with a dark and thrilling story of Heaven and Hell battling for human souls. Bad-ass smart-mouth Bobby Dollar, an Earth-bound angel advocate for newly departed souls caught between Heaven and Hell, is appalled when a soul goes missing on his watch. Bobby quickly realizes this is “an actual, honest-to-front-office crisis,” and he sets out to fix it, sparking a chain of hellish events. A gruesome murder, cryptic messages from Heaven, a stolen object, a villainous grand duke of Hell, an elusive secret society, an irresistible succubus, and a dreadful primordial spirit provide the ingredients for a tightly woven, action-packed adventure. Bobby is a scene-stealer from the first page; his gutsiness, determination, and offbeat sense of humor add zest to the pandemonium that erupts around him. Exhilarating action, fascinating characters, and high stakes will leave the reader both satisfied and eager for the next installment. Agent: Matt Bialer, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

Starred review from September 15, 2012

As an advocate for souls awaiting the judgment that will determine where they spend the afterlife, an earthbound angel known as Bobby Dollar walks a thin line between his commitment to absolute good and his sympathy for imperfect humanity. But when someone begins stealing the souls of the newly dead before they can face judgment, Bobby must investigate. The celebrated author of such epic fantasies as the "Shadowland" series now tries his hand at urban fantasy with a tough, likeable hero and a multidimensional plot. VERDICT The author's many fans as well as urban fantasy enthusiasts will enjoy Williams's take on Heaven's less desirable places as well as his wry humor and keen insights. [Previewed in Kristi Chadwick's Genre Spotlight feature "Hungry for SF," LJ 8/12.--Ed.]

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.