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Gideon Sable #2
A Matter of Death and Life
Master thief, rogue and chancer Gideon Sable is back for another fast-paced supernatural heist - and this time he has the vault of a Las Vegas casino in his sights
udi Rifkin is one of the world's most successful collectors of the weird and unnatural. In a London underworld filled with criminals with very special talents, Judi is a force to be reckoned with.
And Gideon Sable - thief, rogue and chancer - owes her a very large favour.
Judi makes him an offer he can't refuse: steal her the legendary Masque of Ra, tucked up safe in a Las Vegas casino, and she'll wipe the slate clean.
This isn't Gideon's first heist by a long shot. But with old grudges threatening to cloud his judgment, an unpredictable crew who don't entirely trust each other and a formidable supernatural security team guarding his target, this job might be a gamble too far . . .
A Matter of Death and Life is the sequel to The Best Thing You Can Steal, and is the second supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable from British SFF veteran and New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green.
udi Rifkin is one of the world's most successful collectors of the weird and unnatural. In a London underworld filled with criminals with very special talents, Judi is a force to be reckoned with.
And Gideon Sable - thief, rogue and chancer - owes her a very large favour.
Judi makes him an offer he can't refuse: steal her the legendary Masque of Ra, tucked up safe in a Las Vegas casino, and she'll wipe the slate clean.
This isn't Gideon's first heist by a long shot. But with old grudges threatening to cloud his judgment, an unpredictable crew who don't entirely trust each other and a formidable supernatural security team guarding his target, this job might be a gamble too far . . .
A Matter of Death and Life is the sequel to The Best Thing You Can Steal, and is the second supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable from British SFF veteran and New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green.
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First published January 27, 2022
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About the author
Simon R. Green
312 books3,207 followersSimon Richard Green is a British science fiction and fantasy-author. He holds a degree in Modern English and American Literature from the University of Leicester. His first publication was in 1979.
His Deathstalker series is partly a parody of the usual space-opera of the 1950s, told with sovereign disregard of the rules of probability, while being at the same time extremely bloodthirsty.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
His Deathstalker series is partly a parody of the usual space-opera of the 1950s, told with sovereign disregard of the rules of probability, while being at the same time extremely bloodthirsty.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
March 10, 2022
London master thief and criminal mastermind Gideon Sable and his supernatural crew are back, preparing for another audacious heist. The crew are comprise Annie Anybody, who can literally be anyone she wants to be, Lex Talon (aka The Dammed) who wears the halos stolen from two angels as armor, Johnny ‘The Wild Card’ Wilde who is totally unpredictable and a new member, Gideon’s ex, Switch It Sally who can steal anything that she can be switched. Together they have been hired to steal the Masque of Ra, a mask that can confer immortality on the wearer, from a heavily guarded Las Vegas Casino.
After their first amazing heist in The Best Thing You Can Steal, this sequel paled somewhat in comparison and felt a little formulaic and lacking some of the complexity of the previous heist. However, it’s still a very enjoyable urban fantasy novel and there were many things I really liked about it, including the humour, the interactions between the characters, the magical devices and tricks and the amazing transport the crew caught to take them to Las Vegas. 3.5★
With thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for a copy to read
After their first amazing heist in The Best Thing You Can Steal, this sequel paled somewhat in comparison and felt a little formulaic and lacking some of the complexity of the previous heist. However, it’s still a very enjoyable urban fantasy novel and there were many things I really liked about it, including the humour, the interactions between the characters, the magical devices and tricks and the amazing transport the crew caught to take them to Las Vegas. 3.5★
With thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for a copy to read
January 17, 2022
This is the second time we meet Gideon Sable and his team of extraordinary friends. They set out again to make the impossible heist using their extraordinary abilities and unique items. This is great fun.
This time, the crew that Gideon has assembled does not include Ghost, which we met in the previous book. Instead, a new character appears – Gideon’s old friend Sally, who can cause a lot of mess whether she wants to or not. And whose distinctive feature is that she cannot be trusted ... This is another fascinating character who fits well with our well-known crew.
The plot is great. Not only do we get to know better the world in which Gideon and his friends move, but we also get to know them better. Especially Lex and Johnny Wild Card. They have always been fascinating characters, and a deeper insight into their personalities makes them even more extraordinary and at the same time more human. Their problems and dreams are, in fact, very human, despite their supernatural abilities.
This story is a roller coaster. There is always something going on. We never know what will happen or what idea will come to Gideon. And in this book, he really needs to think fast to avoid the troubles that are always around the corner. Watching them is really great fun.
The ending of this story makes me wonder. Could this be the last book in this series? Hope not, because I would love to meet this group of characters again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This time, the crew that Gideon has assembled does not include Ghost, which we met in the previous book. Instead, a new character appears – Gideon’s old friend Sally, who can cause a lot of mess whether she wants to or not. And whose distinctive feature is that she cannot be trusted ... This is another fascinating character who fits well with our well-known crew.
The plot is great. Not only do we get to know better the world in which Gideon and his friends move, but we also get to know them better. Especially Lex and Johnny Wild Card. They have always been fascinating characters, and a deeper insight into their personalities makes them even more extraordinary and at the same time more human. Their problems and dreams are, in fact, very human, despite their supernatural abilities.
This story is a roller coaster. There is always something going on. We never know what will happen or what idea will come to Gideon. And in this book, he really needs to think fast to avoid the troubles that are always around the corner. Watching them is really great fun.
The ending of this story makes me wonder. Could this be the last book in this series? Hope not, because I would love to meet this group of characters again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2022
I greatly enjoyed this second trip to the unusual and action-packed lives of "Gideon Sable," Annie Anybody, and their gang. Having met these characters before, I was ready for more dangerous, quirky, and magical adventures. This one does not disappoint, as they are constantly thrown in a new pickle right after getting out of the last one.
Most of the old gang is back, including Gideon, who may not be the actual GIdeon Sable, Annie Anybody, who changes her identity at will, Lex (The Damned), who wears the halos of angels on his wrists, and Johnny Wilde, the Wild Card who has no limits. They are joined by Gideon's ex, Switch it Sally, a master thief. As a group, they are a powerful force. Hired by Judi Rifkin to steal the Mask of Ra, they head to Vegas, with many adventures along the way.
I enjoyed the quirky first book, and this second installment is just as satisfying. The characters are fascinating and the schemes they come up with are clever and enjoyable. There were a couple of times when it seemed to go too far over the top, even for a book that is written to be over the top. The fight on the train comes to mind. But overall, this is a criminal heist adventure steeped in magical realism that will captivate the reader.
I received a free copy of this book from Severn House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
Most of the old gang is back, including Gideon, who may not be the actual GIdeon Sable, Annie Anybody, who changes her identity at will, Lex (The Damned), who wears the halos of angels on his wrists, and Johnny Wilde, the Wild Card who has no limits. They are joined by Gideon's ex, Switch it Sally, a master thief. As a group, they are a powerful force. Hired by Judi Rifkin to steal the Mask of Ra, they head to Vegas, with many adventures along the way.
I enjoyed the quirky first book, and this second installment is just as satisfying. The characters are fascinating and the schemes they come up with are clever and enjoyable. There were a couple of times when it seemed to go too far over the top, even for a book that is written to be over the top. The fight on the train comes to mind. But overall, this is a criminal heist adventure steeped in magical realism that will captivate the reader.
I received a free copy of this book from Severn House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
April 10, 2022
3.5★s
A Matter Of Death And Life is the second book in the Gideon Sable series by British science fiction and fantasy-author, Simon R. Green. With his focus on rescuing Annie Anybody from the clutches of Thief Of Time, Sebastian Hargrave, who has imprisoned her inside a photograph in his Gallery of Ghosts, Master Thief Gideon Sable is distracted and the pair are unexpectedly abducted during their escape by the minions of a former client/foe.
Judi Rifkin demands they procure for her the Masque of Ra, fabled to give the owner eternal life. That will require a trip to Las Vegas, where the masque sits on display in the Khuffu Casino, the possession of old-time mobster Saul Montressor. Judi promises five million pounds and a wiping clean of the slate, but Gideon has his own reasons for stealing Saul Montressor’s prize possession.
Gideon and Annie (in one of her many guises) set off to gather the team together. This entails more than a quick phone call or two: every lead, every piece of information costs, in future favours and promises. Tracking down the Damned (Lex Talon), the Wild Card (Johnny Wild) and a substitute for the Ghost, Switch It Sally, involves a talking mirror, a Rogue Angel, gun-toting guards at a wine-tasting, and lots of fast-talking.
Before the team comes home with the goods, the story takes a few twists and turns, and features a lot of crazy characters, many of them vengeful, Nazi werewolves, a very handy skeleton key, a time pen, a capturing camera, the Moonlight Express train, a crystal eye, a phantom phone, ghosts, large reptiles, and an Egyptian mummy. There are plenty of clever tricks as each of the team exercises their unique powers.
The books of this series are a little predictable, seeming to follow a formula where just gathering the team occupies half the novel and involves multiple challenges or fights: no encounter is benign or unremarkable. “’Tell me you’ve got a plan.’ I grinned at her. ‘I’ve always got a plan’ repeats like a chorus throughout. But there’s plenty of humour, especially in the banter between the characters, Best enjoyed by just going with the flow.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate Severn House.
A Matter Of Death And Life is the second book in the Gideon Sable series by British science fiction and fantasy-author, Simon R. Green. With his focus on rescuing Annie Anybody from the clutches of Thief Of Time, Sebastian Hargrave, who has imprisoned her inside a photograph in his Gallery of Ghosts, Master Thief Gideon Sable is distracted and the pair are unexpectedly abducted during their escape by the minions of a former client/foe.
Judi Rifkin demands they procure for her the Masque of Ra, fabled to give the owner eternal life. That will require a trip to Las Vegas, where the masque sits on display in the Khuffu Casino, the possession of old-time mobster Saul Montressor. Judi promises five million pounds and a wiping clean of the slate, but Gideon has his own reasons for stealing Saul Montressor’s prize possession.
Gideon and Annie (in one of her many guises) set off to gather the team together. This entails more than a quick phone call or two: every lead, every piece of information costs, in future favours and promises. Tracking down the Damned (Lex Talon), the Wild Card (Johnny Wild) and a substitute for the Ghost, Switch It Sally, involves a talking mirror, a Rogue Angel, gun-toting guards at a wine-tasting, and lots of fast-talking.
Before the team comes home with the goods, the story takes a few twists and turns, and features a lot of crazy characters, many of them vengeful, Nazi werewolves, a very handy skeleton key, a time pen, a capturing camera, the Moonlight Express train, a crystal eye, a phantom phone, ghosts, large reptiles, and an Egyptian mummy. There are plenty of clever tricks as each of the team exercises their unique powers.
The books of this series are a little predictable, seeming to follow a formula where just gathering the team occupies half the novel and involves multiple challenges or fights: no encounter is benign or unremarkable. “’Tell me you’ve got a plan.’ I grinned at her. ‘I’ve always got a plan’ repeats like a chorus throughout. But there’s plenty of humour, especially in the banter between the characters, Best enjoyed by just going with the flow.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate Severn House.
March 31, 2023
A Matter of Death and Life
By Simon R. Green
I love all his books and have been reading them for decades! I have marveled at Green's vivid imagination then and now! Where does he come up with these amazing concepts? I think this book was even better than the last one!
I'm not sure I can pick a favorite character. A guy with an Armor of a Heavenly angel and one from a unholy angel mixed together. He is about unstoppable with an attitude to go with it! Then a guy who's brain flips around through time and space and parallel universes constantly which makes it hard for him to stay focused on the here and now. He also can manipulate forces of space and more so he a force unto himself. That's only two of the crew! I like Johnny, the last one I described. He is known as the Wild Card!
They are on a mission to steal from a bad guy for a bad gal but they know she won't pay up in the end. Why do it? Gideon, the head of the team, he ALWAYS has a plan! Always!
It's a fun and exciting romp of supernatural and fantasy as Gideon collect the team, the reader gets to know them, and hear part of the plan. There's lot of crazy situations, humor, great dialogue, and it's a whole lot of fun to read! Immediately wanted to read it again but it's a library book and people are waiting. Can't wait for the next book!
By Simon R. Green
I love all his books and have been reading them for decades! I have marveled at Green's vivid imagination then and now! Where does he come up with these amazing concepts? I think this book was even better than the last one!
I'm not sure I can pick a favorite character. A guy with an Armor of a Heavenly angel and one from a unholy angel mixed together. He is about unstoppable with an attitude to go with it! Then a guy who's brain flips around through time and space and parallel universes constantly which makes it hard for him to stay focused on the here and now. He also can manipulate forces of space and more so he a force unto himself. That's only two of the crew! I like Johnny, the last one I described. He is known as the Wild Card!
They are on a mission to steal from a bad guy for a bad gal but they know she won't pay up in the end. Why do it? Gideon, the head of the team, he ALWAYS has a plan! Always!
It's a fun and exciting romp of supernatural and fantasy as Gideon collect the team, the reader gets to know them, and hear part of the plan. There's lot of crazy situations, humor, great dialogue, and it's a whole lot of fun to read! Immediately wanted to read it again but it's a library book and people are waiting. Can't wait for the next book!
August 4, 2022
Gideon Sable returns for a 2nd heist. This time he's been hired to steal an object that grants immortality from a casino in Vegas. He has his crew along for the ride, Annie Anybody, The Damned, The Wild Card and a new member Switch It Sally. This series is made for fans of Green's Nightside series. It's got that fun mix of the supernatural and a heist story.
January 7, 2022
I'm the first to review this on GR. So, what is the matter with this matter? Why isn't it as great as its predessesor? Let's discuss.
Gideon Sable is back. I don’t care for urban fantasy, at all. Despite that, the first book in the series was surprisingly enjoyable. Like entire-opinion-change-on-genre enjoyable. I liked Green’s writing, word building and all that business and found the book to be very entertaining. So, naturally, I checked out book two. And lo, and behold, exactly in the way the first book did its best to change my ideas on the genre, the second book did its best to galvanize them.
Weird, right? Same author, same characters, same series and yet…But then again, that’s the right way of doing things, suck the readers in with the appetizer and then feed them dregs for the main entry.
Ok, dregs is way too harsh. Sorry. Not dregs, just…lesser than. All things about the sophomore entry into Gideon Sable series are lesser than. Plus, it has that sequel thing where the thrill and the freshness of the original just isn’t there. So, what you get is a very typical genre entry with quirky characters existing in the world just outside our world, the shadow world with its own rules and regulations.
Since we already know most of the cast, no real excitement there outside of the addition of Gideon’s ex, a tediously (and unnaturally) cheery switch’em artist who uses darling way too much. But whose skills prove invaluable to Gideon’s latest height plan.
Working once again for the same disgruntled widow (since he goofed up on the deal in book one), this time Gideon sets off to steal a precious Ancient Egyptian artifact from a Vegas casino.
Yes, not very original, a Vegas casino heist. See, that’s exactly what we were talking about earlier. The characters don’t even get to Vegas until about halfway through the book, but at least they do it on a magic train with an awesome name and some interesting passengers.
So, yeah, it’s still pretty fun, quirky, quick, still has entertaining characters, especially the legendary Johnny Wild Card, but, much like Vegas itself, it’s all superficial. The awesome appeal of book one is barely to be found here. Looks like the author blew all his wad on book one and is now merely relying on the pre-established charm to carry the series forward. Which is certainly a way of doing things, just not the optimal way.
Overall, it’s an entertaining quick read and genre fans would likely delight in it, but for non-genre fans who found book one to be an unexpected delight, there might be some disappointment. It’s still quite clever at times with its magic inventions/tools/ideas, but the general casino heist thing is just such an overdone theme. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Gideon Sable is back. I don’t care for urban fantasy, at all. Despite that, the first book in the series was surprisingly enjoyable. Like entire-opinion-change-on-genre enjoyable. I liked Green’s writing, word building and all that business and found the book to be very entertaining. So, naturally, I checked out book two. And lo, and behold, exactly in the way the first book did its best to change my ideas on the genre, the second book did its best to galvanize them.
Weird, right? Same author, same characters, same series and yet…But then again, that’s the right way of doing things, suck the readers in with the appetizer and then feed them dregs for the main entry.
Ok, dregs is way too harsh. Sorry. Not dregs, just…lesser than. All things about the sophomore entry into Gideon Sable series are lesser than. Plus, it has that sequel thing where the thrill and the freshness of the original just isn’t there. So, what you get is a very typical genre entry with quirky characters existing in the world just outside our world, the shadow world with its own rules and regulations.
Since we already know most of the cast, no real excitement there outside of the addition of Gideon’s ex, a tediously (and unnaturally) cheery switch’em artist who uses darling way too much. But whose skills prove invaluable to Gideon’s latest height plan.
Working once again for the same disgruntled widow (since he goofed up on the deal in book one), this time Gideon sets off to steal a precious Ancient Egyptian artifact from a Vegas casino.
Yes, not very original, a Vegas casino heist. See, that’s exactly what we were talking about earlier. The characters don’t even get to Vegas until about halfway through the book, but at least they do it on a magic train with an awesome name and some interesting passengers.
So, yeah, it’s still pretty fun, quirky, quick, still has entertaining characters, especially the legendary Johnny Wild Card, but, much like Vegas itself, it’s all superficial. The awesome appeal of book one is barely to be found here. Looks like the author blew all his wad on book one and is now merely relying on the pre-established charm to carry the series forward. Which is certainly a way of doing things, just not the optimal way.
Overall, it’s an entertaining quick read and genre fans would likely delight in it, but for non-genre fans who found book one to be an unexpected delight, there might be some disappointment. It’s still quite clever at times with its magic inventions/tools/ideas, but the general casino heist thing is just such an overdone theme. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
April 6, 2022
A Matter of Death and Life is a return to the escapades of Gideon Sable last seen at the end of The Best Thing You Can Steal. Now it’s time for another job. Judi Rifkin requires his services again and he does owe her, like it or not. He needs to gather his crew again and prepare for a new target that will take every bit of magical skills and power they have.
In addition to using his own well developed master thief skills, aided by magic and fast talking, he calls on: Annie Anybody who can become anyone; Lex Talon also known as The Damned, with capabilities that justify the title but who is trying to only punish those who deserve it rather than kill more indiscriminately, as he as done in the past; Johnny Wilde, the Wild Card, who has many skills but isn’t the same since he returned from the dead in the last book; and a new person, Switch-it-Sally, who can steal anything that can be switched. Many personalities to be corralled for one job, in Las Vegas of all places!
The story moves at speed as did the first book. If you enjoy magic/fantasy in the modern world and a plot that is fun to follow, dialogue that is flip and sharp, and a storyline that follows through consistently, then I recommend this series to you. A Matter of Life and Death can stand alone but is better when read in combination with its predecessor. Recommended.
A copy of this book was provided by Severn House through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
In addition to using his own well developed master thief skills, aided by magic and fast talking, he calls on: Annie Anybody who can become anyone; Lex Talon also known as The Damned, with capabilities that justify the title but who is trying to only punish those who deserve it rather than kill more indiscriminately, as he as done in the past; Johnny Wilde, the Wild Card, who has many skills but isn’t the same since he returned from the dead in the last book; and a new person, Switch-it-Sally, who can steal anything that can be switched. Many personalities to be corralled for one job, in Las Vegas of all places!
The story moves at speed as did the first book. If you enjoy magic/fantasy in the modern world and a plot that is fun to follow, dialogue that is flip and sharp, and a storyline that follows through consistently, then I recommend this series to you. A Matter of Life and Death can stand alone but is better when read in combination with its predecessor. Recommended.
A copy of this book was provided by Severn House through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 1, 2022
I have been a huge Simon R. Green fan ever since I first started reading the Nightside series years ago. I was so sad when that series ended....but, I perked up when he started writing the Ishmael Jones books. And, now the Gideon Sable series. Both have a bit of that Nightside creepy-cool feel to them. Love it, love it, love it!
A Matter of Life and Death is the 2nd book in the new Gideon Sable series. Gideon is a thief....a con man....a scoundrel. But he doesn't steal the normal things like money, jewels, bonds. He's out to find supernatural, powerful, bizarre things. Items with power....dangerous things. Unusual things. Gideon has a code though -- he only steals from those who truly deserve it. This time, Gideon has to repay a favor and steal a heavily guarded item from a casino. The Masque of Ra. With immortality on the line, this job might just be the hardest one Gideon and his crew of misfits have ever tried to pull off!
Another great story in this new series. I love Simon R. Green's style. I read everything he writes. If he wrote a stereo installation manual, I would read it. :) Definitely waiting in line for the next story in this series! I wonder what Gideon is going to steal next???
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Severn House. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
A Matter of Life and Death is the 2nd book in the new Gideon Sable series. Gideon is a thief....a con man....a scoundrel. But he doesn't steal the normal things like money, jewels, bonds. He's out to find supernatural, powerful, bizarre things. Items with power....dangerous things. Unusual things. Gideon has a code though -- he only steals from those who truly deserve it. This time, Gideon has to repay a favor and steal a heavily guarded item from a casino. The Masque of Ra. With immortality on the line, this job might just be the hardest one Gideon and his crew of misfits have ever tried to pull off!
Another great story in this new series. I love Simon R. Green's style. I read everything he writes. If he wrote a stereo installation manual, I would read it. :) Definitely waiting in line for the next story in this series! I wonder what Gideon is going to steal next???
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Severn House. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
February 2, 2023
Stars: 3 out of 5
You have to put a specific lens to enjoy this series. If you are looking for an intricate story with life and death situations and complex characters, this is probably not a book for you. But if you are looking for a quick and fun romp through a seemingly impossible heist, then by all means, come right in.
I like the world this author created. It's full of weird and unusual things, places, and people. Just take the Moonlight Express, for example, what a wonderful concept. And all the weird and terrible characters we encounter in these books are simply fascinating. Some of them are even more interesting than the main crew doing the heist.
And hence lies my issue with this book. The main crew is... okay, I guess, but they don't really evolve much compared to the first book, with the exception of Lex. Annie is still anybody but herself, Johnny is still on tedious terms with reality, and Gideon... well, Gideon always has a plan. Problem is, we don't learn much more about who Gideon is, or, more importantly, who he was before he stole that identity. There is mention of the fact that he used to run with Switch it Sally before, and that the big bad in this book had two of his friends killed. But that's it, we don't get more details. We don't get any more insight into this character other than he has a few tricks in his pockets and always has a plan.
I would have loved to learn a bit more about him as the series progresses, but as it stands, he is the character that has the least personality in this crew. I see the mask he'd donned, but I don't see the real person behind it, which is disappointing.
The pacing is also a bit off in this book, even though it moves rather quickly. What I mean by that is that we spend too much time assembling the team. I mean we don't get to Las Vegas and start the con until almost 70% into the book, so this whole portion feels very rushed. It's a whirlwind of action that introduces all the villains, sets up the stakes, executes the con, etc. There is never a real sense of danger or realization that the stakes are high. Plus, Gideon always has a plan.
In fact, this book follows exactly the same blueprint as the first book did, but it worked in the first book because we were being introduced to all the characters for the first time. Here however, we already know them, so there was really no need to putter around for over half the book. I would have been more happy if they had gotten to Vegas earlier and infiltrated the casino gradually.
But all in all, this was a quick and fun read. A good palate cleanser between longer books that have more substance to them. So I think I will check out the next book in the series as well.
PS: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You have to put a specific lens to enjoy this series. If you are looking for an intricate story with life and death situations and complex characters, this is probably not a book for you. But if you are looking for a quick and fun romp through a seemingly impossible heist, then by all means, come right in.
I like the world this author created. It's full of weird and unusual things, places, and people. Just take the Moonlight Express, for example, what a wonderful concept. And all the weird and terrible characters we encounter in these books are simply fascinating. Some of them are even more interesting than the main crew doing the heist.
And hence lies my issue with this book. The main crew is... okay, I guess, but they don't really evolve much compared to the first book, with the exception of Lex. Annie is still anybody but herself, Johnny is still on tedious terms with reality, and Gideon... well, Gideon always has a plan. Problem is, we don't learn much more about who Gideon is, or, more importantly, who he was before he stole that identity. There is mention of the fact that he used to run with Switch it Sally before, and that the big bad in this book had two of his friends killed. But that's it, we don't get more details. We don't get any more insight into this character other than he has a few tricks in his pockets and always has a plan.
I would have loved to learn a bit more about him as the series progresses, but as it stands, he is the character that has the least personality in this crew. I see the mask he'd donned, but I don't see the real person behind it, which is disappointing.
The pacing is also a bit off in this book, even though it moves rather quickly. What I mean by that is that we spend too much time assembling the team. I mean we don't get to Las Vegas and start the con until almost 70% into the book, so this whole portion feels very rushed. It's a whirlwind of action that introduces all the villains, sets up the stakes, executes the con, etc. There is never a real sense of danger or realization that the stakes are high. Plus, Gideon always has a plan.
In fact, this book follows exactly the same blueprint as the first book did, but it worked in the first book because we were being introduced to all the characters for the first time. Here however, we already know them, so there was really no need to putter around for over half the book. I would have been more happy if they had gotten to Vegas earlier and infiltrated the casino gradually.
But all in all, this was a quick and fun read. A good palate cleanser between longer books that have more substance to them. So I think I will check out the next book in the series as well.
PS: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review the upcoming second book by Simon R. Green to feature "Gideon Sable" and his crew. Having read the previous book, and thoroughly enjoyed it (as I do all of Mr. Green's books and series), I was eager to jump right in and reconnect with Gideon and his crew.
Hail, hail, the gang's all (well, mostly) here: Gideon Sable, Annie Anybody, Lex Talon (The Damned) and Johnny Wilde (The Wild Card) - as rag tag a group of supernaturals as you'll ever want to avoid (especially if you get on their bad side).
Once again, Judi Rifkin has a task for the crew, in order to make up for their (sort of) previous failure; and to once again wreak vengeance on her ex-husband and fellow misanthrope (with a capital M). This time, she wants them to steal and deliver The Masque of Ra - an ancient artifact that (with the proper ritual) will render the owner young and immortal. But to do that, they must best one of the most ruthless men on the planet, Saul Tressor, and his family as well as a well-fortified and supernaturally protected casino in beautiful, treacherous Las Vegas.
To assist - in the absence of The Ghost, who is elsewhere engaged - Gideon drafts in old friend (and possibly paramour) Sally, who has the knack of switching items - real for fake - without anyone being wise to it.
Together, the crew take on Montressor and his family and guards with sometimes hilarious and sometimes sad results.
I am a huge fan of Mr. Green's work, having read many, many of his other series and this one did not disappoint, although the ending left me wondering if it was the end for this crew.
Highly recommended.
Hail, hail, the gang's all (well, mostly) here: Gideon Sable, Annie Anybody, Lex Talon (The Damned) and Johnny Wilde (The Wild Card) - as rag tag a group of supernaturals as you'll ever want to avoid (especially if you get on their bad side).
Once again, Judi Rifkin has a task for the crew, in order to make up for their (sort of) previous failure; and to once again wreak vengeance on her ex-husband and fellow misanthrope (with a capital M). This time, she wants them to steal and deliver The Masque of Ra - an ancient artifact that (with the proper ritual) will render the owner young and immortal. But to do that, they must best one of the most ruthless men on the planet, Saul Tressor, and his family as well as a well-fortified and supernaturally protected casino in beautiful, treacherous Las Vegas.
To assist - in the absence of The Ghost, who is elsewhere engaged - Gideon drafts in old friend (and possibly paramour) Sally, who has the knack of switching items - real for fake - without anyone being wise to it.
Together, the crew take on Montressor and his family and guards with sometimes hilarious and sometimes sad results.
I am a huge fan of Mr. Green's work, having read many, many of his other series and this one did not disappoint, although the ending left me wondering if it was the end for this crew.
Highly recommended.
January 9, 2022
I described the first in this series as "a quick read, pacey," and this is another quick read, but didn't work quite so well for me. It's one of those heists that relies on a large number of things going right, and the plot feels linear and too easy. The plan isn't especially sophisticated to start with, and the twists almost all consist of exactly the same thing: someone who has done bad things now wants to atone, and so transforms from an antagonist into an ally. Of the several people who might have betrayed the crew, some did not, and the one who did was the most obvious candidate. Magical artefacts occasionally develop unforeshadowed plot-convenient extra abilities at key moments.
It's Simon R. Green, so there are plenty of violent, nasty people getting their comeuppance, as well as other violent, nasty people who are trying to be better than that. In this alternate version of our world, not only is the supernatural everywhere, but it's apparently much easier to get away with killing someone, even if you don't make the body disappear.
There are a couple of odd spellings, one of them being "masque" for a mask (the usual English spelling is also used for another mask, and a "masque" in English is usually a masked ball, so I'm not sure what the point of the variant spelling is). The editing is very good, though, even in the pre-publication copy I received from Netgalley for review.
One thing I noticed was that people's weight was often mentioned, and overweight people seemed to be coded generally as villains (though there are so many villains this could almost be coincidence, and there are some thin villains too).
I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, which I thought was more clever, but I did enjoy it enough that I would read future books in the series.
It's Simon R. Green, so there are plenty of violent, nasty people getting their comeuppance, as well as other violent, nasty people who are trying to be better than that. In this alternate version of our world, not only is the supernatural everywhere, but it's apparently much easier to get away with killing someone, even if you don't make the body disappear.
There are a couple of odd spellings, one of them being "masque" for a mask (the usual English spelling is also used for another mask, and a "masque" in English is usually a masked ball, so I'm not sure what the point of the variant spelling is). The editing is very good, though, even in the pre-publication copy I received from Netgalley for review.
One thing I noticed was that people's weight was often mentioned, and overweight people seemed to be coded generally as villains (though there are so many villains this could almost be coincidence, and there are some thin villains too).
I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, which I thought was more clever, but I did enjoy it enough that I would read future books in the series.
March 8, 2022
Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Gideon Sable series. I got a copy of this book from NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: I didn't think this was quite as good as the first book in the series. We again join Gideon Sable and Annie Anything on a heist to steal something important from someone bad. In this case it is an Egyptian mask that can make people immortal.
We are joined by the Wild Card (love him) and the Damned (another great character). We also have the addition of Switch it Sally (eh, she was pretty annoying). So, like the last book the quirky characters abound and are fun to read about. This is definitely a fairly light story with quite a bit of heist action. The story is simple with a few rather predictable twists and turns.
I felt like this wasn't as well written as the last book. The language is a bit over the top and felt stiff to me. Things were always a bit too convenient as far as the plot went. The world wasn't built out much more than it was in the first book. Also the characters don't have a lot of depth to them at all; I kind of expected them to grow at least a little bit.
This series is very similar in tone and pace to the Nightside series. I think the reason I like the Nightside better than this series is that the world of the Nightside just feels more immersive and the characters there are more intriguing.
Sadly, at this point I don't plan on reading anymore of this series. These have been quick reads and they are somewhat amusing, but I would rather go back and reread the Nightside series.
My Summary (3/5): Overall I didn’t think this was quite as good as the first book in the Gideon Sable series. It is fast-paced with a lot of quirky characters and zany situations. However, the world wasn’t built out at all and the characters and plot both feel a bit thin. I was really hoping this series was going to be Green’s next Nightside-like endeavor. Unfortunately, it’s not quite up to that standard and, because of that, I don’t plan on continuing the series. There were just too many times reading this book when I just put it down mid-chapter and walked away because I just didn’t really care.
Thoughts: I didn't think this was quite as good as the first book in the series. We again join Gideon Sable and Annie Anything on a heist to steal something important from someone bad. In this case it is an Egyptian mask that can make people immortal.
We are joined by the Wild Card (love him) and the Damned (another great character). We also have the addition of Switch it Sally (eh, she was pretty annoying). So, like the last book the quirky characters abound and are fun to read about. This is definitely a fairly light story with quite a bit of heist action. The story is simple with a few rather predictable twists and turns.
I felt like this wasn't as well written as the last book. The language is a bit over the top and felt stiff to me. Things were always a bit too convenient as far as the plot went. The world wasn't built out much more than it was in the first book. Also the characters don't have a lot of depth to them at all; I kind of expected them to grow at least a little bit.
This series is very similar in tone and pace to the Nightside series. I think the reason I like the Nightside better than this series is that the world of the Nightside just feels more immersive and the characters there are more intriguing.
Sadly, at this point I don't plan on reading anymore of this series. These have been quick reads and they are somewhat amusing, but I would rather go back and reread the Nightside series.
My Summary (3/5): Overall I didn’t think this was quite as good as the first book in the Gideon Sable series. It is fast-paced with a lot of quirky characters and zany situations. However, the world wasn’t built out at all and the characters and plot both feel a bit thin. I was really hoping this series was going to be Green’s next Nightside-like endeavor. Unfortunately, it’s not quite up to that standard and, because of that, I don’t plan on continuing the series. There were just too many times reading this book when I just put it down mid-chapter and walked away because I just didn’t really care.
November 8, 2022
Master thief, rogue, and con artist extraordinaire Gideon Sable is back for another supernatural heist, this time stealing an artifact rumored to grant immortality from a Las Vegas casino. In the process, he’ll pay off a very big favor and piss off his enemies. To do this, he pulls together his old crew, including his now-girlfriend, Annie Anybody, the woman who changes her persona as easily as her clothes and who can make electronics fall in love with her; The Damned, who wears invincible armor made of the halos of angels; and Johnny the Wild Card, who has walked the edge of madness so closely he’s on nodding terms with reality at the best of times. Joining them is predictably unreliable Switch It Sally, whose special talent is exchanging objects from a distance, instantaneously and invisibly. But the casino’s owners are definitely Bad Guys, it’s guarded by supernatural goons, and in this universe, nothing is ever as it seems.
I first encountered Gideon and his crew in The Best Thing You Can Steal, and this book is a worthy sequel. Green handles character, tension, and gorgeous if dark imagery so beautifully, his work is a joy to read. Here’s a taste:
“I finally came to a quiet cul-de-sac where the street lamps were remainders of a bygone age. All black iron and ornate stylings their light was so hazy that shadows formed dark pools between the lamps, like sinkholes in the world. The buildings were just dark shapes, with no lights at any of the windows, slumped together like drowsing animals, waiting for their prey to come within reach. Ample warning that this was not an area to be entered lightly, because the phrase ‘urban jungle’ isn’t always a metaphor.
“One photo showed a city where every building had been carved from a single piece of bone, and insects the size of people, or perhaps people who moved like insects, crawled up the outsides of the buildings. Another photo showed a flock of white whales, flying over an endless desert like living dirigibles. In a New York where all the skyscrapers were wrapped in ivy, lizards in smart city suits walked briskly through the financial district. Pterodactyls flapped around a broken Eiffel Tower…”
I first encountered Gideon and his crew in The Best Thing You Can Steal, and this book is a worthy sequel. Green handles character, tension, and gorgeous if dark imagery so beautifully, his work is a joy to read. Here’s a taste:
“I finally came to a quiet cul-de-sac where the street lamps were remainders of a bygone age. All black iron and ornate stylings their light was so hazy that shadows formed dark pools between the lamps, like sinkholes in the world. The buildings were just dark shapes, with no lights at any of the windows, slumped together like drowsing animals, waiting for their prey to come within reach. Ample warning that this was not an area to be entered lightly, because the phrase ‘urban jungle’ isn’t always a metaphor.
“One photo showed a city where every building had been carved from a single piece of bone, and insects the size of people, or perhaps people who moved like insects, crawled up the outsides of the buildings. Another photo showed a flock of white whales, flying over an endless desert like living dirigibles. In a New York where all the skyscrapers were wrapped in ivy, lizards in smart city suits walked briskly through the financial district. Pterodactyls flapped around a broken Eiffel Tower…”
January 16, 2023
*I received a free DRC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I read this immediately after finishing The Best Thing You Can Steal and highly recommend this approach as, while both stories stand alone perfectly well in terms of plot, the characters and action in this one pick up where the previous book left off.
Having failed triumphantly in their last job for her, Judi Rifkin has Gideon and the gang over a barrel and intends to make sure they deliver this time. Nothing major… just a relic that grants immortality, held in a high-security Vegas casino. What could go wrong?
I love these characters so much (Gideon, Annie Anybody, The Damned, The Wild Card, and now Switch-It Sally) and the heist plots are cool – think Now You See Me but with real magic instead of illusions. The worldbuilding is good too, with its magic cameras, creepy pawn shops and general atmosphere of a seedy city underworld populated by anything from angels and demons, to fortune tellers and petty thieves.
I could quite happily read millions of these novellas – they are quick, fun, easy reads, packed with action and intrigue and memorable, interesting characters.
More please!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
I read this immediately after finishing The Best Thing You Can Steal and highly recommend this approach as, while both stories stand alone perfectly well in terms of plot, the characters and action in this one pick up where the previous book left off.
Having failed triumphantly in their last job for her, Judi Rifkin has Gideon and the gang over a barrel and intends to make sure they deliver this time. Nothing major… just a relic that grants immortality, held in a high-security Vegas casino. What could go wrong?
I love these characters so much (Gideon, Annie Anybody, The Damned, The Wild Card, and now Switch-It Sally) and the heist plots are cool – think Now You See Me but with real magic instead of illusions. The worldbuilding is good too, with its magic cameras, creepy pawn shops and general atmosphere of a seedy city underworld populated by anything from angels and demons, to fortune tellers and petty thieves.
I could quite happily read millions of these novellas – they are quick, fun, easy reads, packed with action and intrigue and memorable, interesting characters.
More please!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
March 17, 2023
I read this immediately after finishing The Best Thing You Can Steal and highly recommend this approach as, while both stories stand alone perfectly well in terms of plot, the characters and action in this one pick up where the previous book left off.
Having failed triumphantly in their last job for her, Judi Rifkin has Gideon and the gang over a barrel and intends to make sure they deliver this time. Nothing major… just a relic that grants immortality, held in a high-security Vegas casino. What could go wrong?
I love these characters so much (Gideon, Annie Anybody, The Damned, The Wild Card, and now Switch-It Sally) and the heist plots are cool – think Now You See Me but with real magic instead of illusions. The worldbuilding is good too, with its magic cameras, creepy pawn shops and general atmosphere of a seedy city underworld populated by anything from angels and demons, to fortune tellers and petty thieves.
I could quite happily read millions of these novellas – they are quick, fun, easy reads, packed with action and intrigue and memorable, interesting characters.
More please!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
Having failed triumphantly in their last job for her, Judi Rifkin has Gideon and the gang over a barrel and intends to make sure they deliver this time. Nothing major… just a relic that grants immortality, held in a high-security Vegas casino. What could go wrong?
I love these characters so much (Gideon, Annie Anybody, The Damned, The Wild Card, and now Switch-It Sally) and the heist plots are cool – think Now You See Me but with real magic instead of illusions. The worldbuilding is good too, with its magic cameras, creepy pawn shops and general atmosphere of a seedy city underworld populated by anything from angels and demons, to fortune tellers and petty thieves.
I could quite happily read millions of these novellas – they are quick, fun, easy reads, packed with action and intrigue and memorable, interesting characters.
More please!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
June 29, 2024
A Matter of Death and Life е фентъзи, което върви в духа на класиките от Дейвид Едингс – група колоритни герои използват специалните си таланти, за да открият предмет с огромна сила и преодоляват всяка заплаха по пътя си без особени проблеми. При Саймън в помощ идва откаченото му въображение, позволяващо му да създава колоритни персонажи и безумни сценарии, както и чисто писателския му талант, правещ книгата много вкусна за четене. За нещастие към края малко се поддава на политкоректната линия, която ни набиват в главата последните години, с което изпорти възможността финалът да е наистина брутален.
Цялото ми ревю може да прочетете в Цитаделата:
https://citadelata.com/a-matter-of-de...
Цялото ми ревю може да прочетете в Цитаделата:
https://citadelata.com/a-matter-of-de...
April 11, 2022
Heist. Friendship. A Vegas wedding. Over the top characters. A mummy. Fucking loved it.
May 4, 2022
Pretty fun.
I thought the first one was better, though. Gideon always has a plan, and some of the characters in this one were pretty entertaining.
I thought the first one was better, though. Gideon always has a plan, and some of the characters in this one were pretty entertaining.
January 8, 2022
I really liked the opening scene in this book and how the story continues with the gang taking a road/train trip. Less of the interesting gadgets this time, but a few new players with interesting abilities.
There is a bit of repetition both within this book and with the preceding book. How often do we need to be told Gideon always has a plan? Enough with the armor and it's description.
Still, if you enjoy Green's writing, you will enjoy this book.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
There is a bit of repetition both within this book and with the preceding book. How often do we need to be told Gideon always has a plan? Enough with the armor and it's description.
Still, if you enjoy Green's writing, you will enjoy this book.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Read
June 7, 2025Great production. Fun story.
March 15, 2022
Originally published at Reading Reality
The snark is turned up past 11 and all the way to 13 in this second book in the author’s Gideon Sable series. But don’t let the indication that this is the second book in the series fool you into thinking that all you need to read to get completely up to speed is that first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal.
Not that it isn’t a whole lot of snarky fun.
But the thing about the author of this urban fantasy series – along with several others, a couple of paranormal series and some epic space opera – is that all of his stories are told in the first person singular voice of the main character – in this case Gideon Sable.
Whether that featured antihero – because honestly, none of them are exactly heroes in any classic mold whatsoever – is John Taylor (Nightside), Eddie Drood (Secret Histories) or a whole host of others, the truth is that the voice of the protagonist reads like its the voice of the author. Because they all more or less the same voice – with just a few minor variations.
Not that that’s a bad thing, because I like my snark dial turned all the way up. This is an author who always makes me laugh out loud because his snark – and his characters – are clever in their actions and especially in their way with words. And those characters are more often archetypes than actual individuals. For readers who are familiar with the author’s previous works, they are archetypes that seem very, very familiar. Like old friends that you can’t totally trust not to either break your heart or your bank account. Or both.
Most likely both.
All of the above means that he’s an acquired taste. He just happens to be a taste I acquired a long time ago. Just like my nostalgia for Cincinnati Chili. It’s not something I’d want all the time, or even too often too close together, but when I have a taste for it, nothing else will do.
And I definitely had a taste for it – the author, not the chili – this weekend.
The story in A Matter of Death and Life is a direct followup to the events in the first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal. Gideon and his girlfriend, Annie Anybody, are roped into committing a heist for the person they cheated in the earlier book.
This time, they have to steal a supernatural and extremely creepy mask from a Las Vegas casino. The mask is supposed to grant eternal life and youth. Gideon’s, well, let’s call her his patron, wants the mask in order to get one up on her ex-husband. Gideon wants to get his own back from the current owner of the mask. His patron also wants to get one up on him – and it sure seems like someone is manipulating them both.
It’s going to be the job from hell. And it might just send them all there – and possibly back again – before it’s over. One way or another.
Escape Rating B+: This is a story where I don’t have any mixed feelings. I had a cracking good time with Gideon Sable and his more-misfit-than-usual crew as they took on Las Vegas. Calling this book a fantastic, slightly supernatural version of Ocean’s Eleven – complete with ALL the wisecracks – would be more accurate, and more fun, than anyone might have expected.
Clearly, I had fun. In fact, I had laugh out loud fun. It helps that Las Vegas as the public sees it, the casinos, the glitz and the fake glamor hiding a rapacious money machine, is a setting that is just ripe for all of the snarkitude that Gideon Sable can muster.
It’s also a wheels within wheels within wheels kind of story. As much as the setting reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven, the caper itself just screams Leverage – but with a twist. With multiple twists, some with lime and some with cyanide – or something worse, creepier and deadlier.
Under the supernatural gloss, this is a story about power, greed, paranoia and revenge all tied up in a great big ball of wrong. It’s also a cat and mouse game where each character believes they are one of the cats – only to discover that they are one of the mice after all. And that the real cat has been preparing them for dinner the entire time.
But the characters, especially Gideon and his crew, are also more than a bit of an in-joke. A joke that the reader only gets if they are familiar with at least the author’s previous urban fantasy series. Because Gideon Sable used to be someone else, before the real Gideon Sable died and our protagonist assumed his identity. The author closed out all of his previous urban fantasy series with Night Fall back in 2018. But Gideon and his crew sound an awful lot like many of his previous bands of misfits. So it’s possible that Gideon in particular used to be part of one of those other stories – until he had to find another identity.
Which means that the whole setup of Gideon Sable’s twisted version of our world could be one we’ve already seen, and Gideon himself could be someone we’ve already met. A possibility that teases me no end. But probably would not resonate with someone who had not been previously exposed to this author’s brand of Gordian Knot worlds within worlds and shadows hidden behind shadows.
But when I’m in the mood for extreme snarkitude, there’s none better. Gideon Sable, and all of this author’s characters, have refined smart-assery into a fine art – and sometimes that’s just what a reader needs to get through. So I hope Gideon Sable will be back in the not too distant future.
The snark is turned up past 11 and all the way to 13 in this second book in the author’s Gideon Sable series. But don’t let the indication that this is the second book in the series fool you into thinking that all you need to read to get completely up to speed is that first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal.
Not that it isn’t a whole lot of snarky fun.
But the thing about the author of this urban fantasy series – along with several others, a couple of paranormal series and some epic space opera – is that all of his stories are told in the first person singular voice of the main character – in this case Gideon Sable.
Whether that featured antihero – because honestly, none of them are exactly heroes in any classic mold whatsoever – is John Taylor (Nightside), Eddie Drood (Secret Histories) or a whole host of others, the truth is that the voice of the protagonist reads like its the voice of the author. Because they all more or less the same voice – with just a few minor variations.
Not that that’s a bad thing, because I like my snark dial turned all the way up. This is an author who always makes me laugh out loud because his snark – and his characters – are clever in their actions and especially in their way with words. And those characters are more often archetypes than actual individuals. For readers who are familiar with the author’s previous works, they are archetypes that seem very, very familiar. Like old friends that you can’t totally trust not to either break your heart or your bank account. Or both.
Most likely both.
All of the above means that he’s an acquired taste. He just happens to be a taste I acquired a long time ago. Just like my nostalgia for Cincinnati Chili. It’s not something I’d want all the time, or even too often too close together, but when I have a taste for it, nothing else will do.
And I definitely had a taste for it – the author, not the chili – this weekend.
The story in A Matter of Death and Life is a direct followup to the events in the first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal. Gideon and his girlfriend, Annie Anybody, are roped into committing a heist for the person they cheated in the earlier book.
This time, they have to steal a supernatural and extremely creepy mask from a Las Vegas casino. The mask is supposed to grant eternal life and youth. Gideon’s, well, let’s call her his patron, wants the mask in order to get one up on her ex-husband. Gideon wants to get his own back from the current owner of the mask. His patron also wants to get one up on him – and it sure seems like someone is manipulating them both.
It’s going to be the job from hell. And it might just send them all there – and possibly back again – before it’s over. One way or another.
Escape Rating B+: This is a story where I don’t have any mixed feelings. I had a cracking good time with Gideon Sable and his more-misfit-than-usual crew as they took on Las Vegas. Calling this book a fantastic, slightly supernatural version of Ocean’s Eleven – complete with ALL the wisecracks – would be more accurate, and more fun, than anyone might have expected.
Clearly, I had fun. In fact, I had laugh out loud fun. It helps that Las Vegas as the public sees it, the casinos, the glitz and the fake glamor hiding a rapacious money machine, is a setting that is just ripe for all of the snarkitude that Gideon Sable can muster.
It’s also a wheels within wheels within wheels kind of story. As much as the setting reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven, the caper itself just screams Leverage – but with a twist. With multiple twists, some with lime and some with cyanide – or something worse, creepier and deadlier.
Under the supernatural gloss, this is a story about power, greed, paranoia and revenge all tied up in a great big ball of wrong. It’s also a cat and mouse game where each character believes they are one of the cats – only to discover that they are one of the mice after all. And that the real cat has been preparing them for dinner the entire time.
But the characters, especially Gideon and his crew, are also more than a bit of an in-joke. A joke that the reader only gets if they are familiar with at least the author’s previous urban fantasy series. Because Gideon Sable used to be someone else, before the real Gideon Sable died and our protagonist assumed his identity. The author closed out all of his previous urban fantasy series with Night Fall back in 2018. But Gideon and his crew sound an awful lot like many of his previous bands of misfits. So it’s possible that Gideon in particular used to be part of one of those other stories – until he had to find another identity.
Which means that the whole setup of Gideon Sable’s twisted version of our world could be one we’ve already seen, and Gideon himself could be someone we’ve already met. A possibility that teases me no end. But probably would not resonate with someone who had not been previously exposed to this author’s brand of Gordian Knot worlds within worlds and shadows hidden behind shadows.
But when I’m in the mood for extreme snarkitude, there’s none better. Gideon Sable, and all of this author’s characters, have refined smart-assery into a fine art – and sometimes that’s just what a reader needs to get through. So I hope Gideon Sable will be back in the not too distant future.
October 20, 2022
Gideon Stable book 2
Keywords: supernatural, powers/gifts, magical heists, morally grey characters, urban fantasy
In Short: A good urban fantasy tale full of action and twists in a world where no one can be trusted.
Full review:
A matter of death and life is Simon R Greens second book in the Gideon Stable series and just like the first book this story is action packed, heart in your chest, roller coaster ride full of characters old and new that at the end you wont want to say goodbye to but hopefully depending where Simon goes with the big twist we are told in this installment, we will be seeing these faces again in book three, what song the sirens sang. I’m personally hoping a very special character is brought back in as I would like to know more about them but his fate is definitely up in the air.
Like before in book one, the best things you can steal, we are sent on a very dangerous magical heist where no matter who your friends are it seems there is no-one you can trust.
We follow Gideon as he gathers the crew back together along with a few new faces that does appear are likely to make more and stringer character development in further books. Despite the twists and action in this book, the general vibe felt a little flatter then book one, I feel this effect was mainly due to the characters doing unexpected actions and responses without true explanation for that sudden turn of events and this caused you to be brought out of the flow of the story and making it seem less real and lifelike, I know that the reason for this is because Simon is trying to show that the morally grey characters are trying to be more good but it felt flat, a few more explanations on their reasons for their behavior may have made this feel just as real as the first book.
Despite this flaw it is an enjoyable to see what trouble the crew gets up to and to learn of the new path sudden placed in front of Gideon and Annie anybody, I am very curious to see which direction Simon takes this plot line as there is many ways this situation can be played.
If you want a fast, fun, die hard style urban fantasy full of grey characters trying to get with their powers and the rest of the supernatural world, then this is the series for you and Id would recommend these fun urban fantasy volumes.
Keywords: supernatural, powers/gifts, magical heists, morally grey characters, urban fantasy
In Short: A good urban fantasy tale full of action and twists in a world where no one can be trusted.
Full review:
A matter of death and life is Simon R Greens second book in the Gideon Stable series and just like the first book this story is action packed, heart in your chest, roller coaster ride full of characters old and new that at the end you wont want to say goodbye to but hopefully depending where Simon goes with the big twist we are told in this installment, we will be seeing these faces again in book three, what song the sirens sang. I’m personally hoping a very special character is brought back in as I would like to know more about them but his fate is definitely up in the air.
Like before in book one, the best things you can steal, we are sent on a very dangerous magical heist where no matter who your friends are it seems there is no-one you can trust.
We follow Gideon as he gathers the crew back together along with a few new faces that does appear are likely to make more and stringer character development in further books. Despite the twists and action in this book, the general vibe felt a little flatter then book one, I feel this effect was mainly due to the characters doing unexpected actions and responses without true explanation for that sudden turn of events and this caused you to be brought out of the flow of the story and making it seem less real and lifelike, I know that the reason for this is because Simon is trying to show that the morally grey characters are trying to be more good but it felt flat, a few more explanations on their reasons for their behavior may have made this feel just as real as the first book.
Despite this flaw it is an enjoyable to see what trouble the crew gets up to and to learn of the new path sudden placed in front of Gideon and Annie anybody, I am very curious to see which direction Simon takes this plot line as there is many ways this situation can be played.
If you want a fast, fun, die hard style urban fantasy full of grey characters trying to get with their powers and the rest of the supernatural world, then this is the series for you and Id would recommend these fun urban fantasy volumes.
January 27, 2022
Goodbye John Taylor, Hello Gideon Sable........
I was sorry when Simon Green wrapped up his "Nightside" series, and as much as I now enjoy Ishmael Jones it wasn't the same; there was just something missing. Until now. This is the second Gideon Sable book, and it strikes me that while this series is a bit bumpy in places it is a reasonably worthy successor to the Nightside tales. That said, because Gideon Sable is a sort of master criminal on the prowl these books are more stand alone. While there are hints and suggestions of some hidden background story it's not clear if we're ever going to see that or if it's ever going to come to the fore. And we don't have a consistent, fully realized alternate world, though there are loads of vague references to a supernatural underworld.
But what we do have is a smart aleck hero and both a colorful repeating crew of companions and a wildly varied selection of villains and cameo characters. As with John Taylor, most problems are solved by just-in-the-nick of time secret powers and magical objects. That can be annoying, because it seems sort of lazy, but it happens so often it's almost like a signature move. It helps that the tricks and trinkets are usually clever, and it also means that there's more room for plot, snappy patter, and action because we aren't bogged down trying to come up with plausible explanations for what's happening.
As with its predecessor, this book is built around a caper. Again, though, the caper is pretty flimsy and doesn't even get into gear until the last quarter of the book. Everything up to then is prologue, (although the caper does have a few fun twists), and the real pleasure is in the interactions of the various members of Sable's crew.
Bottom line -- this is fun Simon Green, with an appealing hero, lots of sly deadpan humor, an engaging and interesting gang of accomplices, a throwaway plot, and lots of snappy patter. A fun entertainment.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
I was sorry when Simon Green wrapped up his "Nightside" series, and as much as I now enjoy Ishmael Jones it wasn't the same; there was just something missing. Until now. This is the second Gideon Sable book, and it strikes me that while this series is a bit bumpy in places it is a reasonably worthy successor to the Nightside tales. That said, because Gideon Sable is a sort of master criminal on the prowl these books are more stand alone. While there are hints and suggestions of some hidden background story it's not clear if we're ever going to see that or if it's ever going to come to the fore. And we don't have a consistent, fully realized alternate world, though there are loads of vague references to a supernatural underworld.
But what we do have is a smart aleck hero and both a colorful repeating crew of companions and a wildly varied selection of villains and cameo characters. As with John Taylor, most problems are solved by just-in-the-nick of time secret powers and magical objects. That can be annoying, because it seems sort of lazy, but it happens so often it's almost like a signature move. It helps that the tricks and trinkets are usually clever, and it also means that there's more room for plot, snappy patter, and action because we aren't bogged down trying to come up with plausible explanations for what's happening.
As with its predecessor, this book is built around a caper. Again, though, the caper is pretty flimsy and doesn't even get into gear until the last quarter of the book. Everything up to then is prologue, (although the caper does have a few fun twists), and the real pleasure is in the interactions of the various members of Sable's crew.
Bottom line -- this is fun Simon Green, with an appealing hero, lots of sly deadpan humor, an engaging and interesting gang of accomplices, a throwaway plot, and lots of snappy patter. A fun entertainment.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
November 8, 2022
Master thief, rogue, and con artist extraordinaire Gideon Sable is back for another supernatural heist, this time stealing an artifact rumored to grant immortality from a Las Vegas casino. In the process, he’ll pay off a very big favor and piss off his enemies. To do this, he pulls together his old crew, including his now-girlfriend, Annie Anybody, the woman who changes her persona as easily as her clothes and who can make electronics fall in love with her; The Damned, who wears invincible armor made of the halos of angels; and Johnny the Wild Card, who has walked the edge of madness so closely he’s on nodding terms with reality at the best of times. Joining them is predictably unreliable Switch It Sally, whose special talent is exchanging objects from a distance, instantaneously and invisibly. But the casino’s owners are definitely Bad Guys, it’s guarded by supernatural goons, and in this universe, nothing is ever as it seems.
I first encountered Gideon and his crew in The Best Thing You Can Steal, and this book is a worthy sequel. Green handles character, tension, and gorgeous if dark imagery so beautifully, his work is a joy to read. Here’s a taste:
“I finally came to a quiet cul-de-sac where the street lamps were remainders of a bygone age. All black iron and ornate stylings their light was so hazy that shadows formed dark pools between the lamps, like sinkholes in the world. The buildings were just dark shapes, with no lights at any of the windows, slumped together like drowsing animals, waiting for their prey to come within reach. Ample warning that this was not an area to be entered lightly, because the phrase ‘urban jungle’ isn’t always a metaphor.
“One photo showed a city where every building had been carved from a single piece of bone, and insects the size of people, or perhaps people who moved like insects, crawled up the outsides of the buildings. Another photo showed a flock of white whales, flying over an endless desert like living dirigibles. In a New York where all the skyscrapers were wrapped in ivy, lizards in smart city suits walked briskly through the financial district. Pterodactyls flapped around a broken Eiffel Tower…”
I first encountered Gideon and his crew in The Best Thing You Can Steal, and this book is a worthy sequel. Green handles character, tension, and gorgeous if dark imagery so beautifully, his work is a joy to read. Here’s a taste:
“I finally came to a quiet cul-de-sac where the street lamps were remainders of a bygone age. All black iron and ornate stylings their light was so hazy that shadows formed dark pools between the lamps, like sinkholes in the world. The buildings were just dark shapes, with no lights at any of the windows, slumped together like drowsing animals, waiting for their prey to come within reach. Ample warning that this was not an area to be entered lightly, because the phrase ‘urban jungle’ isn’t always a metaphor.
“One photo showed a city where every building had been carved from a single piece of bone, and insects the size of people, or perhaps people who moved like insects, crawled up the outsides of the buildings. Another photo showed a flock of white whales, flying over an endless desert like living dirigibles. In a New York where all the skyscrapers were wrapped in ivy, lizards in smart city suits walked briskly through the financial district. Pterodactyls flapped around a broken Eiffel Tower…”
April 5, 2022
While I’m sure you would better appreciate some of the references about Gideon’s previous adventure if you have had the pleasure of first picking up The Best Thing You Can Steal – it isn’t necessary to thoroughly enjoy this entertaining fantasy heist tale.
Green’s writing is always full of energy and a certain darkness that is frequently alleviated by his humour. But this series dials up the humour and his sense of the fantastic and while there is plenty of tension and action – there wasn’t the underlying grimness that I’ve come to associate with the Ishmael Jones books. Right now, this lighter approach is very welcome as I’m currently reading to escape my own year-long battle with Long Covid – and it was lovely to be able to grin – and in places laugh aloud at the madcap antics of Sable and his band of rogues.
I thoroughly enjoyed Green’s flights of imagination regarding his characters, such as The Damned, Johnny The Wild Card and Annie Anybody – and what an impressive array of magically imbued artefacts can do. Without resorting to parody, or diminishing the story, Green’s cadre of ruffians manage to create mayhem wherever they went. And of course, it’s the deeply unpleasant and viciously bad who ultimately get their just deserts. All in all, this adventure is a delightful escapist read, providing plenty of surprises along with the humour – and my only grizzle is that I wanted it to go on longer. Recommended for fantasy fans who enjoy a dash of humour with their adventure. While I obtained an arc of A Matter of Death and Life from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
Green’s writing is always full of energy and a certain darkness that is frequently alleviated by his humour. But this series dials up the humour and his sense of the fantastic and while there is plenty of tension and action – there wasn’t the underlying grimness that I’ve come to associate with the Ishmael Jones books. Right now, this lighter approach is very welcome as I’m currently reading to escape my own year-long battle with Long Covid – and it was lovely to be able to grin – and in places laugh aloud at the madcap antics of Sable and his band of rogues.
I thoroughly enjoyed Green’s flights of imagination regarding his characters, such as The Damned, Johnny The Wild Card and Annie Anybody – and what an impressive array of magically imbued artefacts can do. Without resorting to parody, or diminishing the story, Green’s cadre of ruffians manage to create mayhem wherever they went. And of course, it’s the deeply unpleasant and viciously bad who ultimately get their just deserts. All in all, this adventure is a delightful escapist read, providing plenty of surprises along with the humour – and my only grizzle is that I wanted it to go on longer. Recommended for fantasy fans who enjoy a dash of humour with their adventure. While I obtained an arc of A Matter of Death and Life from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
July 27, 2022
Hello Bookworms!
In the next installment of Gideon Sable's adventures, we have the team organizing a heist that will be the pinnacle of their careers: the swapping of a treasure called the Masque of Ra, an artifact that is supposedly guarded by the original owner of the masque: a mummified pharaoh that will kill anyone that even *dares* to try to handle the sacred object; if used correctly by the magickal formulae that is inscribed within, it confers the wearer immortality, with the added bonus of eternal youth & health. Sent by the ruthless and vindictive gangster ex-wife of the mobster Fredric Hammer, Judi Rifkin wanted the gang (comprising of the Damned Lex Talon, a monster that is half human, half Divine, and all bad; Annie Anybody, who could be anyone doing anything but being herself at any time, and the Wild Card Jonny Wilde, a man for whom time, space and matter was irrelevant but his mental state was anything *but* sane) to nab the masque from the most well defended casino from all comers, be it physical, mental or spiritual in the deadliest place ever: the Vault. Can our heroes get the masque and get their reward, or will they enter and not return?
I just LOVED this book! I hope that there will be more, but it didn't lend itself to a cliff hanger; we shall see. The characters are just really cool, and while it's a teeny bit plodding in a few spots, it picks up relatively quick until the end. It also is a short read, too (about 190 pages, give or take) so it won't take you long to go through it. Until then, please enjoy and let the games begin!
February 3, 2022
Sadly, this didn't quite live up to expectations raised by other reviewers. It wasn't too bad, a good old thriller/magic heist romp, with likeable good guys and justly served baddies, and the pacing was fast, the plot a wee bit - but not overly - complicated - basically, a bit of brain candy for those times you can't be bothered to concentrate on anything too heavy. And life often needs those kinds of books too. But for me, the writing was a bit light, rather formulaic, and full of clichés. It was like Gideon Sable was trying to outcool everything and everyone, and only managing it because the author so willed it. There were quite a few spots in the action where he deserved to have his ass handed to him on a plate, but was saved by a highly unlikely conjunction of circumstances and/or by possessing a handy magical trinket. And what was with his affected fear of a few human thugs at a couple of junctures, when he had the Damned and the Wild Card (rather the overkill in staffing there, in my opinion) on his side? Surely mere mortals would be pathetically easy to overcome? And Gideon's girlfriend was a bit irritating too. Why did she need to formally state "who" she was now, when all she really did was go and change her clothes and makeup (isn't that called being an actor?) Sorry. I take that criticism back; that's what actors do too, she's obviously method.
Still, this was an entertaining read, so my thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Still, this was an entertaining read, so my thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
April 28, 2022
A Matter of Death and Life is the second book in the capers of Gideon Sable, Master Thief. The protagonist is NOT the original (or "real") Gideon Sable. He stole the original's identity and various tools of the trade, such as the Skeleton Key (which can open anything, not just locks) and the Time Pen (which can stop the flow of time for everyone but the owner - but be careful, there's no air in frozen time!). In the first book, "Gideon" was hired to steal something from the vaults of Frederick Hammer, a collector of rare and legendary artifacts - by his ex-wife! I won't spoil that book for you, but he could not produce the item in question, so Gideon and his crew were never paid.
In the first book, we find out that. one of Frederick Hammer's artifacts gave him eternal youth. The ex-wife has discovered another artifact that does, and she wants it for herself! And Gideon and his crew are the ones to "acquire" it for her. The reward will be the original amount promised for the first job and assurance that she no longer holds a grudge.
For some reason, the majority of the action and drama of this book is in the run-up to the actual caper. The caper itself and the resolution with the employer are very much of an anti-climax. In sum, the book is an excellent read on its own, but not as good as the first.
In the first book, we find out that. one of Frederick Hammer's artifacts gave him eternal youth. The ex-wife has discovered another artifact that does, and she wants it for herself! And Gideon and his crew are the ones to "acquire" it for her. The reward will be the original amount promised for the first job and assurance that she no longer holds a grudge.
For some reason, the majority of the action and drama of this book is in the run-up to the actual caper. The caper itself and the resolution with the employer are very much of an anti-climax. In sum, the book is an excellent read on its own, but not as good as the first.
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