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Hidden Things
A phone call from a soon-to-be-deceased ex-boyfriend launches a young woman on a bizarre road trip to a dark supernatural world hidden beneath America’s heartland in this remarkably imaginative debut novel from an electrifying new voice in contemporary fantasy. With Hidden Things , author Doyce Testerman immediately takes his place alongside Neil Gaiman, Kim Harrison, and Melissa Marr by viewing modern-day America through a glass darkly and transforming our mundane world into a place where unseen monsters and paranormal beings have long inhabited the shadows. Among the Hidden Things in Testerman’s exceptional first novel are goblins, dragons, a road-weary clown, and creatures that have never been categorized, joining a smart, tough, courageous female protagonist on a wild cross-country thrill ride that readers will never forget.
323 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
122 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Doyce Testerman
1 book29 followersDoyce Testerman was born and raised in the wilds of South Dakota, where he developed an early and lifelong love affair with the written word, especially stories that included a bit more magic, mayhem, or mystery than one typically finds around a large Midwestern farm. He moved to Denver in 1995, where he has steadily ceded control of his weekends to two dogs, his brilliant wife, and two astounding children. He has been a professional writer for over a decade, and his work has appeared in a number of online magazines related to pen-and-paper roleplaying games (his other great love), computer games and MMOs (his other-other great love and shadowy shameful mistress, respectively), and fiction.
Yes, that’s his real name.
Yes, that’s his real name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
January 16, 2013
Hidden Things shows us that highway rest stops and roadside diners are every bit as rich in magic and mystery as the lands described by Tolkien or the alleys of Sam Spade's San Francisco.
This is a noir fantasy, a story about letting go, and a complex adventure that veers wildly between the deeply personal and the grandly universal. I'll recommend this book to my friends because they'll love it, and I'll recommend it to my enemies because it'll make them into better people.
I could go on and on about skid marks and motel keys, but what really stands out in Hidden Things is how well Testerman has mastered the craft of writing. There are very few books -- in any genre -- that accomplish the feat of using language in such a lyrical and conversational way. Reading Hidden Things, you're just as likely to be drawn in by the ordinary as the extraordinary, because Testerman gives each element the attention it deserves. The coffee Tom makes for Calliope is brought to life as vividly as the memory of the (maybe) late Joshua White, and even when you know that something isn't a vital clue to the central mystery, you want to know more about it. To me, that's the real magic of this book.
Fans of Neil Gaiman will find a lot to love here, but don't be tempted to think of this as another Neverwhere. Testerman makes his own world with his own voice, and both are fantastic.
This is a noir fantasy, a story about letting go, and a complex adventure that veers wildly between the deeply personal and the grandly universal. I'll recommend this book to my friends because they'll love it, and I'll recommend it to my enemies because it'll make them into better people.
I could go on and on about skid marks and motel keys, but what really stands out in Hidden Things is how well Testerman has mastered the craft of writing. There are very few books -- in any genre -- that accomplish the feat of using language in such a lyrical and conversational way. Reading Hidden Things, you're just as likely to be drawn in by the ordinary as the extraordinary, because Testerman gives each element the attention it deserves. The coffee Tom makes for Calliope is brought to life as vividly as the memory of the (maybe) late Joshua White, and even when you know that something isn't a vital clue to the central mystery, you want to know more about it. To me, that's the real magic of this book.
Fans of Neil Gaiman will find a lot to love here, but don't be tempted to think of this as another Neverwhere. Testerman makes his own world with his own voice, and both are fantastic.
September 22, 2012
This debut contemporary fantasy by Testerman is a slice of mythmaking and myth-breaking with a dash of urban fantasy and horror. Calliope Jenkins runs a tiny private investigations firm with her best friend and ex-lover Josh White. When Josh is killed in the middle of a bizarre case, he leaves her a message from beyond the grave, "beware the hidden places." Those hidden places include pockets of weird creatures in the midst of the city, strange borderlands back in the midwest they both left behind, and in their own past.
Calliope embarks on an adventure into myth. Her guide appears to be a homeless man who knows more than he should. But Vikous is hiding his nature as a mythical being. And as he guides her on her journey, Calliope finds there is more magic hidden than this technological age could have ever believed.
VERDICT: This debut is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and/or Simon R. Green's Nightside, only with a female protagonist and a much less satisfactory conclusion. Too many important plot points are left unexplained. Not recommended.
Calliope embarks on an adventure into myth. Her guide appears to be a homeless man who knows more than he should. But Vikous is hiding his nature as a mythical being. And as he guides her on her journey, Calliope finds there is more magic hidden than this technological age could have ever believed.
VERDICT: This debut is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and/or Simon R. Green's Nightside, only with a female protagonist and a much less satisfactory conclusion. Too many important plot points are left unexplained. Not recommended.
August 18, 2012
I find this book difficult to assess, in truth, as it's not exactly a consistently three-star book. About half the book is a four-star book, while the other half is a two-star book; thus the three stars. It drew me in because from the beginning it reminded me of my favorite book, American Gods. Not in the mythology sense, but in the "strange people coming to find you when something has happened to an important person in your life" sense. While the book is fairly well-written, and the plot is quite intriguing, some critical aspects of the book remain, well, for lack of a better term, hidden things. Perhaps that is the point, however, I like my questions to be answered. There are flashbacks which in themselves are enlightening, yet they create more questions; sometimes those questions are answered, other times they are not. Overall, I liked the book, but there are many things I expected to find out, but did not. Is a sequel in the future?
January 24, 2013
I really wanted to like this book, especially given the enthusiastic cover blurbs by some of my favorite authors. The premise is interesting and I like urban fantasy in many of its iterations. Unfortunately, for me this book didn't gel until literally the last 20 pages or so. For most of the book, I felt as if I couldn't sink into the story. The main character was a bit too strident and angry, to the point where conversational exchanges were simply blurts of partially finished sentences, with the other characters getting the gist of the exchange while I was left wanting. Relationships went from hostile to friendly with too little explanation; character motivations felt unclear (and yes, I understand this was to maintain the mystery of the plot, but it was just TOO mysterious for me). In general, while reading this book I felt as if I were standing on a grating looking down into the story, able to see everything but not able to interact with anything. Finally, with the last 20 pages or so, the characters and plot allowed me to get down into the story and really enjoy the ending.
This is not a bad book, it's well-written and there were no jarring moments when I felt expelled from the story, it just wasn't a good read for me. It's possible I missed something vital that would have allowed me to more fully participate in the reading experience. I will definitely consider reading Mr. Testerman's next novel, but I'll approach it with both hope and caution. The potential is there, it just wasn't met, for me, this time around.
This is not a bad book, it's well-written and there were no jarring moments when I felt expelled from the story, it just wasn't a good read for me. It's possible I missed something vital that would have allowed me to more fully participate in the reading experience. I will definitely consider reading Mr. Testerman's next novel, but I'll approach it with both hope and caution. The potential is there, it just wasn't met, for me, this time around.
January 8, 2013
Sometimes one reads a book, and the author seems to be talking only to that reader, describing the reader's thoughts and life in the metaphor of driving down the road and taking a wrong turn around a twisty corner where everything is so familiar, yet so awesomely, horribly not right. Hidden Things is one of those books. It sat so innocently on the library shelf with its deceptive cover and simple title, hiding a tale of loss, and love, and guilt, and acceptance.... and magic, such believable, wonderful, horrifying magic. I hope Calliope will find other tales and more magic; even if she does not, Hidden Things has earned a place in my favorites...
And I bought myself a copy for Christmas.
And I bought myself a copy for Christmas.
August 18, 2012
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/08/...
When Calliope Jenkins gets a call very early in the morning from her ex and work partner, Josh, she’s not sure what to think. He’s obviously following a lead, but what? And why did he tell her to watch out for the hidden things right before hanging up the phone? These are certainly the questions that are on Calliope’s mind when she gets the news the next day that Josh has been found dead, and she’s the last known person to have talked to him. Dealing with the aftermath of Josh’s death is enough to handle, not to mention his wife’s grief and bitterness, but there’s also the mysterious figure (with rather big feet) that keeps showing up at the most inopportune times. As Calli sets out to find the truth about what really happened to Josh, she quickly realizes that reality seems to be slipping, and things are never quite what they seem.
What a gem of a debut! At the start of the novel, Calli’s pain where Josh is concerned isn’t entirely evident, but as the story unfolds, it becomes clearer and clearer just how much she cares for him, and her grief is a tangible thing, interspersed in interludes that complement, but never interrupt, the action. Twists and turns don’t even begin to describe this one. Calli’s journey back to Iowa is fraught with danger, so good thing she has a guide in the form of Vikous. He would be the one with the big feet, that looks suspiciously like a clown. He’s grumpy as hell, but there’s a certain charm to him. A certain odd, creepy charm. Calli is snarky and confrontational, and I adored her. Strangely enough, she and Vikous made a pretty great team. Lest you think that this book is about finding Josh’s killer, it sort of is, but really, it’s about Calli’s journey back to the hometown, and family, that she thought didn’t want her anymore. And what a journey! It turns out that you can go home again, but to tell you more would be to reveal much of the awesome that this book is made of. The cover will give you a hint, and I dare you to get through this lovely, soaring book without at least tearing up a little (I may have teared up a lot.) You also may find yourself with a huge, silly grin on your face at the end. Testerman writes with a fluid, sure hand, and your brain will rebel at the thought that this book is a first novel. Can you tell I loved it? I did, and I can’t wait for more from this author!
When Calliope Jenkins gets a call very early in the morning from her ex and work partner, Josh, she’s not sure what to think. He’s obviously following a lead, but what? And why did he tell her to watch out for the hidden things right before hanging up the phone? These are certainly the questions that are on Calliope’s mind when she gets the news the next day that Josh has been found dead, and she’s the last known person to have talked to him. Dealing with the aftermath of Josh’s death is enough to handle, not to mention his wife’s grief and bitterness, but there’s also the mysterious figure (with rather big feet) that keeps showing up at the most inopportune times. As Calli sets out to find the truth about what really happened to Josh, she quickly realizes that reality seems to be slipping, and things are never quite what they seem.
What a gem of a debut! At the start of the novel, Calli’s pain where Josh is concerned isn’t entirely evident, but as the story unfolds, it becomes clearer and clearer just how much she cares for him, and her grief is a tangible thing, interspersed in interludes that complement, but never interrupt, the action. Twists and turns don’t even begin to describe this one. Calli’s journey back to Iowa is fraught with danger, so good thing she has a guide in the form of Vikous. He would be the one with the big feet, that looks suspiciously like a clown. He’s grumpy as hell, but there’s a certain charm to him. A certain odd, creepy charm. Calli is snarky and confrontational, and I adored her. Strangely enough, she and Vikous made a pretty great team. Lest you think that this book is about finding Josh’s killer, it sort of is, but really, it’s about Calli’s journey back to the hometown, and family, that she thought didn’t want her anymore. And what a journey! It turns out that you can go home again, but to tell you more would be to reveal much of the awesome that this book is made of. The cover will give you a hint, and I dare you to get through this lovely, soaring book without at least tearing up a little (I may have teared up a lot.) You also may find yourself with a huge, silly grin on your face at the end. Testerman writes with a fluid, sure hand, and your brain will rebel at the thought that this book is a first novel. Can you tell I loved it? I did, and I can’t wait for more from this author!
April 22, 2013
Hidden Things by Doyce Testerman
Calliope Jenkins has a serious chip on her shoulder. She takes no crap, no how, no way from nobody. When her best friend and former lover “disappears” she is forced to ally herself with unlikely allies some of whom may not exist.
This is either a psycho thriller or a fantasy horror or maybe both. Testerman does an excellent job in crafting the unlikeable character of Calliope Jenkins. Calliope makes a porcupine seem warm a cuddly. She does her best to keep anyone from getting close. Is she a wounded bird or a pterodactyl? She keeps company with a clown or is Viktor really a clown.
What things are hidden? Do we all have hidden things? Testerman develops both his characters and his story as psychodramas. There is a wealth of pondering as well as a good adventure in this book. I really liked Mahkah for reasons that will be self evident if you have followed any of my recommendations.
I highly recommend it.
I enjoyed the book.
Calliope Jenkins has a serious chip on her shoulder. She takes no crap, no how, no way from nobody. When her best friend and former lover “disappears” she is forced to ally herself with unlikely allies some of whom may not exist.
This is either a psycho thriller or a fantasy horror or maybe both. Testerman does an excellent job in crafting the unlikeable character of Calliope Jenkins. Calliope makes a porcupine seem warm a cuddly. She does her best to keep anyone from getting close. Is she a wounded bird or a pterodactyl? She keeps company with a clown or is Viktor really a clown.
What things are hidden? Do we all have hidden things? Testerman develops both his characters and his story as psychodramas. There is a wealth of pondering as well as a good adventure in this book. I really liked Mahkah for reasons that will be self evident if you have followed any of my recommendations.
I highly recommend it.
I enjoyed the book.
September 14, 2012
I read this in a single sitting, staying up until 4am to do so. I was utterly absorbed in the book. The characters are rare, if not unique, and fit perfectly with the story. HIDDEN THINGS is a refreshing kick to urban fantasy. It is in a new setting, and doesn't have vampires, or even vampyres, which was a pleasant surprise considering they seem to be everywhere.
The story is engaging, seriously engaging. I read it for 8 straight hours, and then some more. Its dark, creepy and absolutely wonderful, a fairytale for the modern day. It made me happy and sad and angry at different points, often within the same chapter. Its about life, love, family and choices, the last most of all.
In short, HIDDEN THINGS is an amazing, engaging read absolutely worth buying. If you like urban fantasy or mystery novels, or even any fantasy at all, you'll like this.
The story is engaging, seriously engaging. I read it for 8 straight hours, and then some more. Its dark, creepy and absolutely wonderful, a fairytale for the modern day. It made me happy and sad and angry at different points, often within the same chapter. Its about life, love, family and choices, the last most of all.
In short, HIDDEN THINGS is an amazing, engaging read absolutely worth buying. If you like urban fantasy or mystery novels, or even any fantasy at all, you'll like this.
September 23, 2012
I'm still not sure what to say about this book. It felt like American Gods swirled together with early Anita Blake. Spunky female detective gets tangled up in supernatural weirdness. I liked our protagonist though. While she fit the urban fantasy heroine roll, she felt human. A strong woman, who makes mistakes but isn't stupid. I particularly enjoyed it when she would do those things we wish characters would do more often (ie. mace the creepy guy following you around rather than talk to him). While I liked the ideas and the protagonist this book was still missing something for me though. Perhaps it was that it felt like it wandered for too long in the middle, then rushed at the end to come together very neatly. That said I would recommend it. Also: Doyce Testerman is a super cool guy.
October 12, 2020
Brilliant book. What a great find!
November 24, 2012
"What's in there?"
"Answers." Vikous watched the front door. "Monsters."
—p.314
Charles de Lint led me to Hidden Things through his strongly positive review in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (a print magazine, in this electronic era? Yep—worth paying for, too). And de Lint was right; it really is that good.
From its title forward, this book has that whiff of the occult that I like, the notion that things are going on beneath the surface that most people don't know and wouldn't want to know if they could. The hidden things. And the improbably-named Doyce Testerman manages to come up with a fresh twist on the way these things stay hidden, to boot.
Calliope Jenkins is a private detective in Los Angeles. Joshua White—her ex-boyfriend, ex-bandmate and current business partner—is murdered out in Iowa. And then... a couple of hours later, she gets a message on her answering machine. From Josh. Events get slowly but inexorably weirder from there. One of the many things Testerman gets right here is pacing, the way he sneaks in elements of the fantastic a few at a time. The book's divided into Stages—in this case, they're the stages of a rocket, constantly escalating the otherness.
Everybody here comes from somewhereCharacterization turns out to be another of Testerman's strengths—Calliope is a likeable protagonist, though she has plenty of rough edges to keep her interesting. The way she lives in Los Angeles but isn't from there; the way the place she's from affects her, deeply but not very happily.
That they would just as soon forget and disguise
—R.E.M., "Supernatural Superserious," from Accelerate
Testerman's good at writing dialogue, too. There's plenty of snappy patter (and Joshua's case notes on p.17 are mini comic masterpieces) but it never gets too manic to be believable—these are people who speak the way we wish we could.
Testerman also creates rich settings through the observation of telling details, like the dusty-looking orange fiberglass seats at an out-of-the-way bowling alley, or the customs of a karaoke bar. Wisely, however, Testerman always talks around Calliope's music, rather than trying to describe it directly. His prose is usually straightforward, not given to complex metaphors or convoluted sentence structures. Even so, Hidden Things does not feel like a minimalist work. Sometimes less is more.
It's a short novel, but that's okay. A more drawn-out work would have worn out its welcome. As it is, Hidden Things is a near-perfect little gem.
June 18, 2015
I'm not always a fantasy fan, but I got excited when I read some of the great reviews on the back cover. And I really wanted to like the book. Especially because it's a new author. The author's intentions were good, I think. I enjoyed the mythical creatures and the hidden-in-plain-sight idea, but it wasn't enough to make up for what the book lacked.
FINAL VERDICT: not recommended.
The plot was shaky at best and undeveloped at its worse. Again, the premise was good: missing (dead?) person, quest to save loved one, journey through mythical lands, meeting mythical creatures, and all of that while traveling through half of the United States. But the story left me with more questions than answers. Not "wow, I wonder what will happen next" type questions. But more "wait, why'd that happen, what just happened, who was that" type questions. There were too many holes that I couldn't fill in with the given information. Sometimes a character would stop speaking midway through a sentence because another character was assumed to understand the rest of it, all the while I, the reader, am left scratching my head and hoping that whatever invisible exchange just happened was not critical to my understanding of the plot (which of course it always was).
The characters were undeveloped and unrelatable. When I finish a book, I want to remember the characters and wish to see them or be them. I want to love or hate the characters. That didn't happen with any of these characters. I didn't feel any empathy, sympathy, or even pity towards Calliope, the protagonist. I couldn't even understand why her role was necessary in the story. At the end, I may have even been put off by her especially from her interactions with her estranged family. She was vulgar and impulsive. The author tried too hard to make her a "strong" leading lady and it didn't work. Her dialogue seemed forced and unnatural. A female character doesn't have to swear in every other sentence to be considered a strong, competent individual. I never quite understood what happened to Joshua White and why it happened. I don't understand the motivation behind Walker's relentless chasing of Calliope. I felt the most sympathetic towards Tom, the ex-boyfriend, then any other character and he only appears on a few pages.
Overall, not really worth the time it took to painfully reach the end. Plot had too many loose ends. Ending was not satisfying.
FINAL VERDICT: not recommended.
The plot was shaky at best and undeveloped at its worse. Again, the premise was good: missing (dead?) person, quest to save loved one, journey through mythical lands, meeting mythical creatures, and all of that while traveling through half of the United States. But the story left me with more questions than answers. Not "wow, I wonder what will happen next" type questions. But more "wait, why'd that happen, what just happened, who was that" type questions. There were too many holes that I couldn't fill in with the given information. Sometimes a character would stop speaking midway through a sentence because another character was assumed to understand the rest of it, all the while I, the reader, am left scratching my head and hoping that whatever invisible exchange just happened was not critical to my understanding of the plot (which of course it always was).
The characters were undeveloped and unrelatable. When I finish a book, I want to remember the characters and wish to see them or be them. I want to love or hate the characters. That didn't happen with any of these characters. I didn't feel any empathy, sympathy, or even pity towards Calliope, the protagonist. I couldn't even understand why her role was necessary in the story. At the end, I may have even been put off by her especially from her interactions with her estranged family. She was vulgar and impulsive. The author tried too hard to make her a "strong" leading lady and it didn't work. Her dialogue seemed forced and unnatural. A female character doesn't have to swear in every other sentence to be considered a strong, competent individual. I never quite understood what happened to Joshua White and why it happened. I don't understand the motivation behind Walker's relentless chasing of Calliope. I felt the most sympathetic towards Tom, the ex-boyfriend, then any other character and he only appears on a few pages.
Overall, not really worth the time it took to painfully reach the end. Plot had too many loose ends. Ending was not satisfying.
Read
January 11, 2013In Doyce Testerman’s first novel, he takes the reader on a journey to the shadowy edges of our reality, where the beings of myth and legend still reside. A middle of the night phone call awakens Calliope Jenkins. It’s Josh White on the line, her boss and partner in their two-person detective agency, telling her that he’s in Iowa following up on a new case. Early the next morning, the police inform Calli that Josh’s body was discovered outside a small Iowa town four hours after he talked to her. But then how does he leave a message on her answering machine, time-stamped after his body was discovered?
Clearly, the case Josh was pursuing was not a simple runaway teenager or a deadbeat dad like their usual cases. Soon she’s approached by a stranger who says he can guide her to Josh. His death isn’t yet carved in stone; Calli might yet save him. There are, however, other forces working against her, ancient forces that have learned to hide in plain sight among humans.
Calli sets out with her guide on a quest to save Josh. It’s a trip that will take her “behind the grave” and into the realm of the Hidden Lands, where Calli’s talents make her uniquely qualified for this job. As she journeys on, though, she finds that not all hidden things belong to other realities. She must face the darkness that resides in her own soul, as well as Josh’s tarnished history. And unless Calli is very careful, she will never return from this quest.
Testerman has created a fascinating character in Calliope Jenkins—fierce yet fragile, with a sarcastic streak that gets her both into and out of trouble. The novel mixes the flavor of a hard-boiled mystery with fantasy, creating a story that will keep you reading until its surprising and satisfying denouement.
Reviewed by David Ingram for Suspense Magazine
Clearly, the case Josh was pursuing was not a simple runaway teenager or a deadbeat dad like their usual cases. Soon she’s approached by a stranger who says he can guide her to Josh. His death isn’t yet carved in stone; Calli might yet save him. There are, however, other forces working against her, ancient forces that have learned to hide in plain sight among humans.
Calli sets out with her guide on a quest to save Josh. It’s a trip that will take her “behind the grave” and into the realm of the Hidden Lands, where Calli’s talents make her uniquely qualified for this job. As she journeys on, though, she finds that not all hidden things belong to other realities. She must face the darkness that resides in her own soul, as well as Josh’s tarnished history. And unless Calli is very careful, she will never return from this quest.
Testerman has created a fascinating character in Calliope Jenkins—fierce yet fragile, with a sarcastic streak that gets her both into and out of trouble. The novel mixes the flavor of a hard-boiled mystery with fantasy, creating a story that will keep you reading until its surprising and satisfying denouement.
Reviewed by David Ingram for Suspense Magazine
August 30, 2012
I don't write book reviews, so I don't know what you should expect in reading this.
It is only fair to say that I read an early, early draft of this, and in some ways, because of the "draft" nature, the story-as-published has lost a bit of its magic. In a draft you can evoke things that a final needs explained, answer questions that should not have been asked, and time and memory fades to make what came before perhaps a little more poignant, more mysterious. The magician has gained in skill and you see the strings and levers. There is a mixed blessing in that.
That said, this is a book about, of all things, patience. The protagonist lost pieces of herself in the events that uprooted her from her past, in the places where patience grows at its steady but yes, plodding pace. It is about the choice of freedom, even when rules and expectations are always willing to bind you in their chains. It asks what your price tag is, because we all have them, but will you be surprised when you get the bill? It skips through the places between, just long enough to remind you that there are monsters hiding in the cracks.
The book has a gentility to it, never relying on thrusting the crude or grisly to challenge you. It is mannered, but it acknowledges the shadows. What changes lie along the bleak roads? What does truth hide, and what are the hidden truths? It doesn't break open these questions, but the story goads you to ask. Asking questions sets you on the path, and it offers you a place right back at the beginning: what Hidden Things will you find along the way?
It is only fair to say that I read an early, early draft of this, and in some ways, because of the "draft" nature, the story-as-published has lost a bit of its magic. In a draft you can evoke things that a final needs explained, answer questions that should not have been asked, and time and memory fades to make what came before perhaps a little more poignant, more mysterious. The magician has gained in skill and you see the strings and levers. There is a mixed blessing in that.
That said, this is a book about, of all things, patience. The protagonist lost pieces of herself in the events that uprooted her from her past, in the places where patience grows at its steady but yes, plodding pace. It is about the choice of freedom, even when rules and expectations are always willing to bind you in their chains. It asks what your price tag is, because we all have them, but will you be surprised when you get the bill? It skips through the places between, just long enough to remind you that there are monsters hiding in the cracks.
The book has a gentility to it, never relying on thrusting the crude or grisly to challenge you. It is mannered, but it acknowledges the shadows. What changes lie along the bleak roads? What does truth hide, and what are the hidden truths? It doesn't break open these questions, but the story goads you to ask. Asking questions sets you on the path, and it offers you a place right back at the beginning: what Hidden Things will you find along the way?
August 28, 2013
This book looked at fantasy from a different angle. It was a unique perspective. I admire the way the author gave fantastical creatures a new dimension and connected them believably with our modern world.
The main character was a fallible human but I wanted her to succeed. In the end, I still didn't understand the monsters that motivated her. She remained mysterious and I wonder I that was intentional or if the author didn't truly know the protagonist either.
The disappointing aspect of the book was that the resolution seemed too easy. I mean this gal has faced certain death a dozen times and then the bad guy is just going to walk away? I think the fact that there were many villains but no clear antagonist made this a weaker story. Or that could just be me applying my writing craft classes to what I'm reading.
The main character was a fallible human but I wanted her to succeed. In the end, I still didn't understand the monsters that motivated her. She remained mysterious and I wonder I that was intentional or if the author didn't truly know the protagonist either.
The disappointing aspect of the book was that the resolution seemed too easy. I mean this gal has faced certain death a dozen times and then the bad guy is just going to walk away? I think the fact that there were many villains but no clear antagonist made this a weaker story. Or that could just be me applying my writing craft classes to what I'm reading.
March 16, 2015
This is a remarkable book. And, beyond remarkable, it's a good book.
I had a big review all written up full of glowing praise for marvelous world-building, and of admiration of the twisty-turny plotting and intricate scene-setting, and of deep satisfaction with the sheer, frustrating humanity of the protagonist -- but as I know the author, it seemed more than a bit over the top, even if all of it was sincerely felt.
So all I can say is that this is a deeply-crafted urban (or perhaps rural) fantasy that will carry you, like its protagonist, on a white water ride of discovery and drama and horror and hope. It was well worth reading, and will be well worth rereading multiple times in the future.
I had a big review all written up full of glowing praise for marvelous world-building, and of admiration of the twisty-turny plotting and intricate scene-setting, and of deep satisfaction with the sheer, frustrating humanity of the protagonist -- but as I know the author, it seemed more than a bit over the top, even if all of it was sincerely felt.
So all I can say is that this is a deeply-crafted urban (or perhaps rural) fantasy that will carry you, like its protagonist, on a white water ride of discovery and drama and horror and hope. It was well worth reading, and will be well worth rereading multiple times in the future.
November 18, 2012
Sometimes I read a book by jumping in and out of it as I feel the urge. For other special books I become absorbed by the characters and world that they reside in and I am compelled to see what is around the next bend. This is one of those stories. It weaves normality and oddity into a unique blend that requires your imagination to pry loose an understanding rather than laying it out on a plate. I so love it when this is done well and this book is an excellent example of this.
If your feet are firmly rooted in your own reality then this book is not for you. However if your imagination needs feeding then I recommend this as a good read and to devour it as quickly as possible as I have done and, like any other glutton, then looking around for another like it.
If your feet are firmly rooted in your own reality then this book is not for you. However if your imagination needs feeding then I recommend this as a good read and to devour it as quickly as possible as I have done and, like any other glutton, then looking around for another like it.
September 13, 2012
Amazing dialogue. Modern middle America highway fantasy. And Calliope is a character that I could understand, even while she acted in ways I would not. A fully realized character in many ways, although sometimes the landscape of setting blurred and became anywhere as opposed to a specific place.
June 16, 2012
A wonderful midwestern heartland fairy tale, reminded me of my favorite Neil Gaiman books.
September 16, 2012
Wonderful urban fantasy. Shades of DeLint. Happily, there are no vampires or werewolves. Yay! I read this in one sitting. It grabbed me from the get-go. Very enjoyable.
February 2, 2015
I liked it! At first Calliope is a bit difficult to take, and you may even find her annoying. But give her time, you will find yourself rooting for her.
September 18, 2021
Calliope used to sing in a band with her sweetie, Josh. Then they and the band split up, he started a private investigator business, and she later became his working partner. She obviously has problems with relationships; at the beginning she kicks out her boyfriend Tom for no good reason.
Then Josh, on the road for a case, is apparently killed. He contacts Calliope for help, both before and after his death. As she tries to figure out what's happened, she starts encountering creatures that are not human. And it seems like there may be a possibility of bringing Josh back. She ends up on a cross-country quest, guided by a spooky clown type, chased by not-exactly-police, and slipping in and out of lands populated by nonhumans. The quest is apparently a recurring one; she is only the most recent protagonist. In the process, she matures; she comes into her kind-of-magical power and makes progress on some personal issues.
This is prime urban fantasy. The writing is excellent, and I very much enjoyed reading it. My only problem was that the end, while it resolves the main plot lines, doesn't quite pull everything together. I didn't understand Josh's killer's motivation, and would have liked to know more about the world; how all the entities fit together, and why it matters that this quest was archetypal/mythic. I liked Calliope a lot; maybe a sequel?
Then Josh, on the road for a case, is apparently killed. He contacts Calliope for help, both before and after his death. As she tries to figure out what's happened, she starts encountering creatures that are not human. And it seems like there may be a possibility of bringing Josh back. She ends up on a cross-country quest, guided by a spooky clown type, chased by not-exactly-police, and slipping in and out of lands populated by nonhumans. The quest is apparently a recurring one; she is only the most recent protagonist. In the process, she matures; she comes into her kind-of-magical power and makes progress on some personal issues.
This is prime urban fantasy. The writing is excellent, and I very much enjoyed reading it. My only problem was that the end, while it resolves the main plot lines, doesn't quite pull everything together. I didn't understand Josh's killer's motivation, and would have liked to know more about the world; how all the entities fit together, and why it matters that this quest was archetypal/mythic. I liked Calliope a lot; maybe a sequel?
March 24, 2020
Very well written fantasy mystery. Liked the main character Calliope a lot. I'd love to read more about her.
November 27, 2012
Calliope Jenkins is the sort of private detective who prefers to kick you in the chest first and ask why you've stopped by her office later. Her partner/ex-boyfriend has just been reported murdered while thousands of miles away on a case he told her nothing about, and a mysterious guy called Vikous appears who promises to lead her to answers. After assaulting and pepper spraying the poor funny-looking fellow, our marvelously short-fused protagonist agrees to be lead on a dangerous and magical journey involving several varieties of familiar and unfamiliar mythical beings, who it turns out have hidden and sometimes merged into human society.
It's a largely fun and entertaining read, but overall the story lacks a comprehensible motive for the whole thing. It's a confusing wet noodle of an ending, and the apparent crux of Calliope's adventure here seems contradicted by some key facts in the set up.
It's a largely fun and entertaining read, but overall the story lacks a comprehensible motive for the whole thing. It's a confusing wet noodle of an ending, and the apparent crux of Calliope's adventure here seems contradicted by some key facts in the set up.
April 16, 2013
This is a difficult book to review. In some regard it was a 5-star books that kept me fully engaged for the two days I ripped through it. In other respects it was a 2-star book that left me with more questions than answers. I liked the main character, she complicated, thoughtful and witty. I did not care much for any of the monsters in the book, although their unique natures did make for fantastic reading. The dialogue was amusing and the plot kept moving along. My complaints are with too many loose ends, too many half-imagined connections and way too many scenes that I could not determine if they were reality or dreams. I'm OK with some ambiguity in fantasy literature, but there were too many broken ends in this story for me to feel that the author had control over all the pieces. I must also say that I was terribly disappointed with the final outcome between Calli and family. So much potential for cleverly thought-out connections yet so much left undone. There is a lot of potential here.
December 18, 2014
I tend to enjoy first novels, and there’s a lot to like about this crime story with magical overtones: it’s pure escapist reading. Our protagonist, Calliope Jenkins, is kind of an asskicker. Independent and sexy (not in a girly way), she’s a private investigator in the VI Warshawsky mold. When her former boyfriend and current business partner is found dead, she’s superdriven to find out why. In doing so, she winds up needing the help of a bizarre dude who looks like a cross between a homeless man and a clown. "Reality is like a carpet," he explains. "In some places it stays nice and fresh and solid and sometimes [t]he carpet wears down to paper thin. It’s on those thin spots this story depends."
Good: The plot moves a little too quickly, like a whirlwind.
Good: Readers don’t know where it’s going or where it’s going to wind up.
Good: Descriptions, as when she depicts a fat man: His torso was a broad, fat teardrop that extended to his knees; his arms, also quivering, were flat wide sacks that swung ineffectually at his sides.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
Good: The plot moves a little too quickly, like a whirlwind.
Good: Readers don’t know where it’s going or where it’s going to wind up.
Good: Descriptions, as when she depicts a fat man: His torso was a broad, fat teardrop that extended to his knees; his arms, also quivering, were flat wide sacks that swung ineffectually at his sides.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.
June 8, 2013
This is an extremely well-written book. The characters are raw and authentic, extreme and yet completely believable. Woven into this great writing is a low-key fantasy quest with high-impact elements, like a helpful demon clown, a highway-cruising dragon, and a satyr who runs a karaoke bar. Together, they create a persuasive portrait of small town America as a mythical place.
The title refers both to the inhuman entities who hide among humans and the personal baggage of the main character, a failed singer who is at least as terrified of facing her parents again as she is of the supernatural creatures now chasing her. (In fact, she's arguably more scared of her parents, given she's a bit of a hyper-reactive shit-kicker with the bad guys.)
The protagonist's internal journey is definitely the main attraction and the spine of this novel. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, but also craves sophisticated writing and an emotionally-driven plot.
The title refers both to the inhuman entities who hide among humans and the personal baggage of the main character, a failed singer who is at least as terrified of facing her parents again as she is of the supernatural creatures now chasing her. (In fact, she's arguably more scared of her parents, given she's a bit of a hyper-reactive shit-kicker with the bad guys.)
The protagonist's internal journey is definitely the main attraction and the spine of this novel. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, but also craves sophisticated writing and an emotionally-driven plot.
July 10, 2016
This was an interesting book. I'm not sure it quite accomplished everything it set out to.
It's your basic noirish urban fantasy story, with an intrepid female investigator looking for her partner who may or may not be dead. She ends up with a guide who initially appears to be a homeless man, but turns out to be something much stranger. Vikous, who looks something like a clown, reminded me a little of John Leguizamo's sinister clown in Spawn (see: nothing new under the sun).
The whole plot is a little sketchy, but apparently this is the first volume in a series. So maybe more info will be forthcoming.
Dragons, like elves, are another thing that I'm EXTREMELY picky about. I'll give the author one thing: he did a pretty good dragon here. However, the dragon went from extremely imperious to practically cozy with the heroine in record time. O.o But still, it was a pretty good dragon.
It was ok, not great. But I didn't hate it, and might read more of the series.
It's your basic noirish urban fantasy story, with an intrepid female investigator looking for her partner who may or may not be dead. She ends up with a guide who initially appears to be a homeless man, but turns out to be something much stranger. Vikous, who looks something like a clown, reminded me a little of John Leguizamo's sinister clown in Spawn (see: nothing new under the sun).
The whole plot is a little sketchy, but apparently this is the first volume in a series. So maybe more info will be forthcoming.
Dragons, like elves, are another thing that I'm EXTREMELY picky about. I'll give the author one thing: he did a pretty good dragon here. However, the dragon went from extremely imperious to practically cozy with the heroine in record time. O.o But still, it was a pretty good dragon.
It was ok, not great. But I didn't hate it, and might read more of the series.
January 7, 2013
Book #39 for 2012
Let me just first say that I'm thoroughly chuffed to see a fellow Colorado WriMo get his NaNo novel professionally published. It gives me hope. But first I will have to produce a manuscript this good. It's not perfect, by any means, but there is so much of the freshly quirky in Testerman's tale of dragons in Iowa that I can forgive a lot. For instance, the pacing seemed a bit off in spots, and some of the flashbacks were more confusing to me than anything. It will be interesting to see if I feel the same way when I do a closer re-read in a few months. (I'm leading a discussion at the Council Tree library's book club in May.)
I'm also torn on how to react to all the borrowing from the geekiverse. (Caritas, anyone?) For now, I'm just enjoying being in on the jokes, which really did make for a fun reading experience.
Let me just first say that I'm thoroughly chuffed to see a fellow Colorado WriMo get his NaNo novel professionally published. It gives me hope. But first I will have to produce a manuscript this good. It's not perfect, by any means, but there is so much of the freshly quirky in Testerman's tale of dragons in Iowa that I can forgive a lot. For instance, the pacing seemed a bit off in spots, and some of the flashbacks were more confusing to me than anything. It will be interesting to see if I feel the same way when I do a closer re-read in a few months. (I'm leading a discussion at the Council Tree library's book club in May.)
I'm also torn on how to react to all the borrowing from the geekiverse. (Caritas, anyone?) For now, I'm just enjoying being in on the jokes, which really did make for a fun reading experience.
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