The Perdition Score

July 11, 2016
Kadrey packs the eighth volume of his Sandman Slim urban fantasy series (after Killing Pretty) full of enough action and tough-guy wisecracking for several novels. James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, is one of the nephilim, half angel and half human. He is presently employed by Thomas Abbot, the leader of the Sub Rosa council, who has assigned Slim to discover connections between the council's members and his old foes of Wormwood Investments. In short order, Slim is given a vial of mysterious black liquid by a dying angel and then attacked by another angel on Hollywood Boulevard in a scene befitting the best blockbuster movies. Slim asks his immortal alchemist friend, EugÑne Vidocq, to investigate the "black milk," but Vidocq is poisoned with the stuff by an old flame who is also a Wormwood assassin. Now Slim will have to travel to hell and back to find a cure, with the help of his ancestor Wild Bill Hickok and his girlfriend, Candy. Kadrey's characters, situations, and monsters are distinct, but fans of other urban fantasy authors will find everything here that they expect from the genre. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown, Ltd.

February 1, 2016

Asked to figure out why a child has vanished, James Stark--otherwise known as Sandman Slim--must instead head back to hell with his romantic interest, female demon Candy, after a vial of swirling black liquid he's received from a dying angel poisons a friend. Hell might have a cure. With a 75,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2016

Frequent saver of the world and former holder of the title of Lucifer, James Stark (aka Sandman Slim) still struggles to earn a living in the mortal realm. He has a job on the council for the Los Angeles otherworldly community known as the sub rosa but can't stop craving the excitement of hell. His boss, Thomas Abbot, asks Stark to help find a missing boy. The evidence points to Wormwood, a group of magic users working against the council who may be trafficking in a black liquid rumored to be the key to upsetting the balance in the war being waged in heaven. VERDICT For series newcomers, last year's Killing Pretty is a better volume to start with, but for longtime fans, all the familiar faces are back, Stark has been showing some real growth, especially in the efforts he has put into his relationship with his girlfriend Candy. [See Prepub Alert, 1/4/16.]--MM

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2016
James Stark (aka Sandman Slim) is living the closest thing he can to a normal life: he works for the Sub Rosa, and he has a girlfriend and a social life (well, he's part of an underground fight club). Then a dying angel gives him a vial of mysterious black milk and another angel tries to kill him for it. The Wormwood Corporation is up to no good, a kid goes missing, and too many coincidences start to pile up. His friends are in danger, Heaven is in revolt, and everyone's soul hangs in the balance. Now Stark needs to find a way to get back to Hell . . . . The eighth entry in Kadrey's Sandman Slim series is well paced, gritty, cool, funny, and insightful. The dialogue is whip-smart, the characters remain compelling, and Stark continues to evolve in surprising ways. Not only is this a welcome return for existing fans, it's also easy for new readers to follow along. This fun and rewarding book has an ending that will leave readers eager for the next one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)