Graveyard Shift
A Novel
- اطلاعات
- نقد و بررسی
- دیدگاه کاربران
نقد و بررسی
May 15, 2017
In Haspil's debut novel, two immortal cops--a mummy and a vampire--work to solve killings in a Miami where humans and vampires (as well as other supernatural creatures) have reached a tenuous peace.The buddy-cop formula gets an undead twist with Alex--also known as the pharaoh Menkaure, reanimated to carry out an eternal duty--and Marcus, his vampiric colleague, who serve as cops in a special paranormal unit. Between the two of them, they have several thousand years' worth of superpowers and martial aptitude. But when someone starts tainting the synthetic blood that allows vampires to coexist with humans, the resulting anarchy tests even Alex's and Marcus' formidable abilities. The two cops run into reminders of their pasts as they trace a trail a bodies--a lot of bodies--back to their source. (Alex and Marcus add a few bodies to that trail while they're at it.) The action is gritty, cinematic, and unrelenting...perhaps at the expense of characterization. After 350 pages, the reader knows more about Alex's and Marcus' badass abilities than their personalities, a gap exacerbated by the narrative's offhand, coy hints at their histories, which never deepen into true exploration. But the worldbuilding is intriguing (as a figure drawn from Egyptian mythos, Alex injects fresh blood into undead tropes), and the reader runs no chance of growing bored during the tense race to the finish, in which a confrontation with an old enemy lays the groundwork for a potential sequel. Fans of urban fantasy, noir, and tightly choreographed action scenes will enjoy the blood and bullets in this adrenaline-heavy ride through crime scenes and secret societies; just don't expect too much introspection.
COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
June 15, 2017
DEBUT Once a pharaoh in ancient Egypt, the man now known as Alex Romer works for the paranormal department of the Miami Police. With his vampire partner Marcus, he gets sucked into several cases that seem to be heating up tension between the city's humans and vampires. One involves the hunt for a vigilante vampire killer known as Abraham, while another hinges on someone tainting the synthetic blood supply with a substance that can drive vampires into a violent frenzy. To top it off, a new ancient vampire has moved into the Miami area, with plans cloaked in shadows. Local regional details make an interesting backdrop, and while we've seen just about everything in this subgenre, a former pharaoh is definitely new. VERDICT Those who enjoy police action mixed with urban fantasy may want to try this series launch, but the squeamish should be prepared for a hefty amount of violence, much of it against women.--MM
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 7, 2017
Haspil’s debut creates a dilemma for those charged with keeping order in a world filled with the undead. Det. Alex Romer serves and protects the citizens of a present-day Miami where vampires and werewolves have recently come into the open. He’s a onetime mummy; his partner, Marcus, is a vampire of the Roman era; and both of them are former secret agents. They’re uniquely qualified to help as the city adjusts to the presence of supernatural beings and they’re sure they’ve seen everything the unnatural world has to offer. Their confidence is shaken when they confront the monstrosity that occurs only when humans turn against their own kind. Haspil leans on earlier works of urban fantasy, relying on a genre-savvy reader who doesn’t need to have the intricacies of the world spelled out. Instead he focuses on the everyday complications of an integrated world combined with the frustrations of regular police work. Entertaining, gory, and sometimes heartbreaking, this first effort is a promising new perspective on an old tale. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary.
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