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Garrett Files #1-3
Introducing Garrett, P.I.
The first three books in a classic urban fantasy series.
Garrett is a private investigator with a diverse clientele-from damsels in distress to elves, trolls, and sorcerers. Together for the first time are the first three books in the long-running, groundbreaking
In Sweet Silver Blues , Garrett fights vampires and centaurs as he tracks down a woman with a fortune.
In Bitter Gold Hearts , Garrett is hired by a powerful sorcerer to find her kidnapped son.
In Cold Copper Tears , Garrett takes a case for a woman so gorgeous it can only spell trouble.
Garrett is a private investigator with a diverse clientele-from damsels in distress to elves, trolls, and sorcerers. Together for the first time are the first three books in the long-running, groundbreaking
In Sweet Silver Blues , Garrett fights vampires and centaurs as he tracks down a woman with a fortune.
In Bitter Gold Hearts , Garrett is hired by a powerful sorcerer to find her kidnapped son.
In Cold Copper Tears , Garrett takes a case for a woman so gorgeous it can only spell trouble.
704 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
22 people are currently reading
679 people want to read
About the author
Glen Cook
145 books3,667 followersGlen Cook was born in New York City, lived in southern Indiana as a small child, then grew up in Northern California. After high school he served in the U.S. Navy and attended the University of Missouri. He worked for General Motors for 33 years, retiring some years ago. He started writing short stories in 7th grade, had several published in a high school literary magazine. He began writing with malicious intent to publish in 1968, eventually producing 51 books and a number of short fiction pieces.
He met his wife of 43 years while attending the Clarion Writer's Workshop in 1970. He has three sons (army officer, architect, orchestral musician) and numerous grandchildren, all of whom but one are female. He is best known for his Black Company series, which has appeared in 20+ languages worldwide. His other series include Dread Empire and and the Garrett, P.I. series. His latest work is Working God’s Mischief, fourth in the Instrumentalities of the Night series.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/glencook
He met his wife of 43 years while attending the Clarion Writer's Workshop in 1970. He has three sons (army officer, architect, orchestral musician) and numerous grandchildren, all of whom but one are female. He is best known for his Black Company series, which has appeared in 20+ languages worldwide. His other series include Dread Empire and and the Garrett, P.I. series. His latest work is Working God’s Mischief, fourth in the Instrumentalities of the Night series.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/glencook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 14, 2010
4.0 to 4.5 stars. This omnibus includes the first three books in the Garrett Files series, Sweet Silver Blues,Bitter Gold HeartsandCold Copper Tears. Garrett is a "hard boiled" Private Investigator living in a world in which humans live and work alongside a LARGE variety of different fantasy races called "breeds." Garrett is a great character. He is a smart, sarcastic "ex-marine" and his quips and comments had me laughing out loud on more than one occassion. The perfect character and "voice" to carry the plot forward.
As for the plots, the first one involves Garrett hired by a gnome business man to find a mysterious woman who was named the sole beneficiary of his son's will. The second involves Garrett “recruited” to find the kidnapped children of the powerful Stormwarden and the third deals with Garrett searching for religious relics while trying to avoid becoming a sacrifice for an “end of the world” cult.
Garrett is helped (or hindered) along the way by a variety of great supporting characters including: a legendary dark elf bodyguard/assassin, a pair of HUGE "beer drinking" Grolls (described as a cross between "a human, a troll and The Beast That Talks that is never named in polite company"), an advice-giving Loghyr (described as a "living" corpse who was killed 400 years ago and possesses a genius intellect and psychic powers); and assorted other vampires, unicorns, centaurs, gnomes, witches, giants, shape-shifters and more.
All of these are terrific stories (the first one being my favorite) and I recommend them all.
As for the plots, the first one involves Garrett hired by a gnome business man to find a mysterious woman who was named the sole beneficiary of his son's will. The second involves Garrett “recruited” to find the kidnapped children of the powerful Stormwarden and the third deals with Garrett searching for religious relics while trying to avoid becoming a sacrifice for an “end of the world” cult.
Garrett is helped (or hindered) along the way by a variety of great supporting characters including: a legendary dark elf bodyguard/assassin, a pair of HUGE "beer drinking" Grolls (described as a cross between "a human, a troll and The Beast That Talks that is never named in polite company"), an advice-giving Loghyr (described as a "living" corpse who was killed 400 years ago and possesses a genius intellect and psychic powers); and assorted other vampires, unicorns, centaurs, gnomes, witches, giants, shape-shifters and more.
All of these are terrific stories (the first one being my favorite) and I recommend them all.
June 22, 2008
I was looking for some literary methadone to hold me over until my next Dresden Files heroin fix and decided to give Garrett a try.
Sweet Silver Blues was okay. It was a missing person story that ended up getting complicated. I found it choppy in places and felt like I turned over two pages at once a few times. It really picked up at the end. 3 out of 5.
Bitter Gold Hearts was better. A kidnapping and ransom that turned out to be much more. The writing was better and the story was more engaging than the first book. It held my interest and kept me up late. 4 out of 5.
Cold Copper Tears, the final story in this volume, convinced me I'd track down more Garrett books after this one. Missing holy relics and a murderous cult. I finished this one a few minutes ago and it engaged me right off the bat. 5 out of 5.
How do the Garrett Files stack up against the Dresden Files? I'll just say I like the Garrett books better thus far for the following two reasons:
1. Things actually get resolved. One thing that bugs me about the Dresden Files is that it seems like while stuff occurs, nothing actually happens. Not so with Garrett.
2. Not as formulaic as the Dresden Files. I haven't read enough of the Garrett files to determine how formulaic they get down the line but I've gotten to the point where I grit my teeth every time Harry Dresden goes a few nights without sleep to stop the lastest menace. Garrett, on the other hand, appreciates a good four or five hours in the sack.
Sweet Silver Blues was okay. It was a missing person story that ended up getting complicated. I found it choppy in places and felt like I turned over two pages at once a few times. It really picked up at the end. 3 out of 5.
Bitter Gold Hearts was better. A kidnapping and ransom that turned out to be much more. The writing was better and the story was more engaging than the first book. It held my interest and kept me up late. 4 out of 5.
Cold Copper Tears, the final story in this volume, convinced me I'd track down more Garrett books after this one. Missing holy relics and a murderous cult. I finished this one a few minutes ago and it engaged me right off the bat. 5 out of 5.
How do the Garrett Files stack up against the Dresden Files? I'll just say I like the Garrett books better thus far for the following two reasons:
1. Things actually get resolved. One thing that bugs me about the Dresden Files is that it seems like while stuff occurs, nothing actually happens. Not so with Garrett.
2. Not as formulaic as the Dresden Files. I haven't read enough of the Garrett files to determine how formulaic they get down the line but I've gotten to the point where I grit my teeth every time Harry Dresden goes a few nights without sleep to stop the lastest menace. Garrett, on the other hand, appreciates a good four or five hours in the sack.
April 2, 2019
Three enjoyable stories all under one cover. You can't go wrong with this line up if you enjoy fantasy or noir mystery.
May 16, 2012
At first I thought, "These are pretty good stories. The weird characters don't add much--what's the point?." I couldn't really picture 'Dead Man' or the trolls, grolls, elfen breeds, but as I got deeper into the realm it all started to come together. By the time I finished Book 3 I had formed mental images of all the non-humans & the world in which they live, TunFaire, and I don't think the next book I read will be quite the same.
I highly recommend this to most any reader. The characters, Garrett, his off & on love interest from Book 2, Tinnie, the 'Dead Man, Garrett's friends are all good, the setting, once you get into it, is fascinating. These stories were published over 20 years ago, well before similar stories became the rage. Garrett is not a kid and the stories have a 'grown-up' feel, but if you like any of the current YA stuff or you like anything with human-ish monsters, super-natural stuff, wizards, fighting, I think you'll like Garrett.
Oh,did I mention there are vampires, too?
I highly recommend this to most any reader. The characters, Garrett, his off & on love interest from Book 2, Tinnie, the 'Dead Man, Garrett's friends are all good, the setting, once you get into it, is fascinating. These stories were published over 20 years ago, well before similar stories became the rage. Garrett is not a kid and the stories have a 'grown-up' feel, but if you like any of the current YA stuff or you like anything with human-ish monsters, super-natural stuff, wizards, fighting, I think you'll like Garrett.
Oh,did I mention there are vampires, too?
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February 2, 2021(Review written March 2000)
In its day, the Science Fiction Book Club published some great omnibus editions of authors' series. I loaned one out to a friend, who never seemed to find the time to read it, and when I got it back, I figured it was time for a re-read, anyway. The Garrett Files is one of those omnibi, containing Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears by Glen Cook.
Well, I like a good detective yarn, and when it's a fantasy detective yarn it just gets better. Cook has provided a series of six or seven novels about the cynical PI, Garrett, which I've really enjoyed over the years. Each one of the novels works as a stand-alone, though it does help to read them from the beginning, just to get a feel for all of the supporting players and "what has gone before." Each of the novels has the name of a metal or alloy in its title, so they're pretty easy to pick out from the rest of his books.
In Sweet Silver Blues, Garrett is hired by the father of a deceased army buddy to find the woman whom his friend has named heir to a rather sizable fortune in silver. Of course, other members of the family who stand to inherit if she's not found try to interfere, and he meets resistance from a group of ex-soldiers who helped his old buddy acquire the silver by somewhat dubious means. His search takes him back to the scene of his war experiences, where things get really interesting.
In Bitter Gold Hearts, Garrett must unravel the twisted schemes surrounding the kidnapping of a sorceress' heir. His usual style is to just keep bulling his way through all obstacles, falling for a woman or two and quaffing a few beers along the way. His tenacity is about all that saves him in the midst of treachery by conspirators in the kidnapping plot.
In Cold Copper Tears, a long forgotten acquaintance retains Garrett to find out who's been stalking her. She's gotten herself in the middle of a religious dispute over church relics, and it rapidly turns deadly. Garrett must solve the mystery, battle natural and supernatural enemies, and rescue a few damsels along the way to get to the end of this one.
There's nothing deep or meaningful about these stories, aside from a minor bit of social satire and hardnosed philosophy along the way. They're just good for a couple hours amusement on a cold steel night.
In its day, the Science Fiction Book Club published some great omnibus editions of authors' series. I loaned one out to a friend, who never seemed to find the time to read it, and when I got it back, I figured it was time for a re-read, anyway. The Garrett Files is one of those omnibi, containing Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears by Glen Cook.
Well, I like a good detective yarn, and when it's a fantasy detective yarn it just gets better. Cook has provided a series of six or seven novels about the cynical PI, Garrett, which I've really enjoyed over the years. Each one of the novels works as a stand-alone, though it does help to read them from the beginning, just to get a feel for all of the supporting players and "what has gone before." Each of the novels has the name of a metal or alloy in its title, so they're pretty easy to pick out from the rest of his books.
In Sweet Silver Blues, Garrett is hired by the father of a deceased army buddy to find the woman whom his friend has named heir to a rather sizable fortune in silver. Of course, other members of the family who stand to inherit if she's not found try to interfere, and he meets resistance from a group of ex-soldiers who helped his old buddy acquire the silver by somewhat dubious means. His search takes him back to the scene of his war experiences, where things get really interesting.
In Bitter Gold Hearts, Garrett must unravel the twisted schemes surrounding the kidnapping of a sorceress' heir. His usual style is to just keep bulling his way through all obstacles, falling for a woman or two and quaffing a few beers along the way. His tenacity is about all that saves him in the midst of treachery by conspirators in the kidnapping plot.
In Cold Copper Tears, a long forgotten acquaintance retains Garrett to find out who's been stalking her. She's gotten herself in the middle of a religious dispute over church relics, and it rapidly turns deadly. Garrett must solve the mystery, battle natural and supernatural enemies, and rescue a few damsels along the way to get to the end of this one.
There's nothing deep or meaningful about these stories, aside from a minor bit of social satire and hardnosed philosophy along the way. They're just good for a couple hours amusement on a cold steel night.
December 24, 2017
I was first introduced to Glen Cook through The Black Company, which seems to be what he's best known for. I stumbled across this while attempting to locate The Shadows Linger and picked up being I enjoy noir and fantasy and sometimes they mix well. I also like Cook's fast paced and minimalist writing style.
In contrast to the crapsack world of The Black Company, the world of Garret, P.I. is full of life, if also full of turmoil. Garret comes off as the noir P.I. is expected to, no-nonsense, alcoholic, world weary, and brimming with snark. The city of TunFaire is a vibrant melting pot of cultures, crimes, racism, and general debauchery that Garret navigates when required much to his continual annoyance. These are detective stories, and stick to many of the conventions of such. As expected the narrator, Garret, puts his own sardonic slant of events, and nothing is ever as it seems. The three books contained in this collection do, for the most part, do a decent job of keeping the twists and developments interesting and surprising in a retrospectively inevitable way. It does sometimes slip into the all too common detective story trap of not providing the reader with all of the information until the end, so that they can't figure out what's going on before Garret, but pleasingly infrequently.
They're not heavy reading by any means, but they're funny and good fun. They're each a quick read, I tend to sit down and spend entire days reading, so when I say I read each book in a little over a day, I'm not sure how that translates to your reading schedule. A great palette cleanser if you've just come off something heavy and emotionally or intellectually draining.
In contrast to the crapsack world of The Black Company, the world of Garret, P.I. is full of life, if also full of turmoil. Garret comes off as the noir P.I. is expected to, no-nonsense, alcoholic, world weary, and brimming with snark. The city of TunFaire is a vibrant melting pot of cultures, crimes, racism, and general debauchery that Garret navigates when required much to his continual annoyance. These are detective stories, and stick to many of the conventions of such. As expected the narrator, Garret, puts his own sardonic slant of events, and nothing is ever as it seems. The three books contained in this collection do, for the most part, do a decent job of keeping the twists and developments interesting and surprising in a retrospectively inevitable way. It does sometimes slip into the all too common detective story trap of not providing the reader with all of the information until the end, so that they can't figure out what's going on before Garret, but pleasingly infrequently.
They're not heavy reading by any means, but they're funny and good fun. They're each a quick read, I tend to sit down and spend entire days reading, so when I say I read each book in a little over a day, I'm not sure how that translates to your reading schedule. A great palette cleanser if you've just come off something heavy and emotionally or intellectually draining.
February 16, 2024
I did approached it with caution, as usually I am not a wholehearted fan of detectives' stories.
But mixing such histories with fantasy and the plain and gritty way that the setting is depicted (Cook's unmistakable signature) is extremely successful.
Also, Garret the hardened detective with a tiny soft spot in his heart is really likeable and a great character. Or perhaps he just wants to do the right thing as he sees it.
Also, Cook does not shy away on depicting the brutality and miseries of life (in a fantasy setting that is but a reflection of our own), which is welcome if you are tired of many of the sanitized stories out there.
Really recomendable. Almost a five star.
But mixing such histories with fantasy and the plain and gritty way that the setting is depicted (Cook's unmistakable signature) is extremely successful.
Also, Garret the hardened detective with a tiny soft spot in his heart is really likeable and a great character. Or perhaps he just wants to do the right thing as he sees it.
Also, Cook does not shy away on depicting the brutality and miseries of life (in a fantasy setting that is but a reflection of our own), which is welcome if you are tired of many of the sanitized stories out there.
Really recomendable. Almost a five star.
February 7, 2018
I picked this up because I like detective mysteries and the idea of a fantasy twist to that sounded intriguing. I was disappointed because while the story is about a detective and there was a mystery it was barely fleshed out and there was very little intrigue or plot twists that are in a classic whodunit.
The main character has possibilities and possibly later stories (there are three in the omnibus) are better but I have so many other books I want to read that I may not come back to this.
The main character has possibilities and possibly later stories (there are three in the omnibus) are better but I have so many other books I want to read that I may not come back to this.
July 24, 2017
3 complete novels: Sweet Silver Blues in which Garrett searches for an heir in war country, Bitter Gold Hearts he gets involved with the Hill people and a family suffering the deaths of children, and Cold Copper Tears where he is hired by an "actress" to protect her from an undisclosed danger. Recurring characters are the Dead Mann, his butler-housekeeper-cook, Morley Dotes & Tennie.
June 23, 2019
All three of these novels were enjoyable. They are the type of quick and entertaining reads. Garrett is a great character and the writing is witty. I will try to pick up the next collection of Garrett PI stories later this summer to continue the series.
April 13, 2024
If Rex Stout stories took place in D&D world this would be it. Garrett definitely is Archie with harder edges. From gang land type orcs to hit men elves. If you love a little magic with your noir mysteries this is it.
March 10, 2018
Satisfying adventures told in an amusing voice.
July 2, 2018
Elves can never be boiled too hard. (sidenote: I am amazed at how long this series has been around, as it was never on my radar in any meaningful way.)
October 9, 2021
Garrett was a very believable hardboiled P.I. in a fantasy setting. The world felt very believable. The mysteries were intricate, with satisfying solutions.
February 18, 2022
Uwielbiam Garretta
December 9, 2024
Primer libro que leo en inglés y resulta ser una recopilación de 3 libros de casi 700 páginas, muy bueno, su mundo y personajes son un 10, me encantó, seguiré con la saga.
August 10, 2015
I'm a Dresden fan (Dresdenite? Dresdenard? Dresdener?) at heart, so naturally all urban fantasy novels I read are going to be compared to Jim Butcher's wizardly work. For some time, I've been looking for another male-led UF series that can really stand alongside the Dresden Files for emotional investment and all-around awesomeness. This is not that work, but it's a solidly entertaining read with a charm all its own.
The Good:
The writing. Above everything else, Glen Cook is a master of subtlety. He doesn't just hand you your humor on a platter -- you have to follow along with the double-speak and use what you know about the characters to really get it. This isn't slapstick, and it doesn't rely on pop-culture. It's just deucedly good.
The Bad:
Much as I liked the titular character's commitment to his clients and his moral choosiness, Garrett is really a "boy's boy." He likes his women, and there are plenty of them to choose from -- most in need of rescuing, too. And for some reason, the majority of them really want to get it on with Garrett, a man who is described as an aging geek with merely average looks. Sorry, but it's hard to see the draw. The first book is especially bad in this regard. We have to wait until the third book before we see any woman of competence (though of course, Maya still wants to sleep with Garrett).
The Ugly:
So far, this series seems to have a problem with endings. Don't get me wrong -- they do an effective job of tying up all the loose ends of the case -- but they always seem a bit anticlimactic. The action resolves too quickly for my tastes.
The Verdict:
I have mixed feelings. I really like the author's writing style, and I think the world is a fun place to spend some quality reading time. But the author's treatment of women in this series, combined with a dearth of truly likable characters (aside from Garrett and maybe the other two people in his household) means that this isn't a Dresden substitute. However, it's a pretty good read in its own right, and I believe I'll be picking up the fourth book at some point.
Score: 3.95
The Good:
The writing. Above everything else, Glen Cook is a master of subtlety. He doesn't just hand you your humor on a platter -- you have to follow along with the double-speak and use what you know about the characters to really get it. This isn't slapstick, and it doesn't rely on pop-culture. It's just deucedly good.
The Bad:
Much as I liked the titular character's commitment to his clients and his moral choosiness, Garrett is really a "boy's boy." He likes his women, and there are plenty of them to choose from -- most in need of rescuing, too. And for some reason, the majority of them really want to get it on with Garrett, a man who is described as an aging geek with merely average looks. Sorry, but it's hard to see the draw. The first book is especially bad in this regard. We have to wait until the third book before we see any woman of competence (though of course, Maya still wants to sleep with Garrett).
The Ugly:
So far, this series seems to have a problem with endings. Don't get me wrong -- they do an effective job of tying up all the loose ends of the case -- but they always seem a bit anticlimactic. The action resolves too quickly for my tastes.
The Verdict:
I have mixed feelings. I really like the author's writing style, and I think the world is a fun place to spend some quality reading time. But the author's treatment of women in this series, combined with a dearth of truly likable characters (aside from Garrett and maybe the other two people in his household) means that this isn't a Dresden substitute. However, it's a pretty good read in its own right, and I believe I'll be picking up the fourth book at some point.
Score: 3.95
October 19, 2011
Garrett, P.I. is a hard-nosed detective with flat feet and a soft spot for dames. He likes his beer plentiful, his wine replaced with beer, and shacks up with a dead guy who helps him on his cases. He's bitter, cynical, quick with a wisecrack, hard-headed, and still can't help but turn into a white knight when a pretty face gets in trouble. He also has to tangle with brutal ogres, big trolls, a centaur or two, and the occasional vampire nest. All in a day's work (plus expenses) for the world's first fantasy gumshoe.
"Introducing Garrett, P.I." is a compendium of Glen Cook's first three Garrett novels, a fantasy noir detective series. (Yes, I am a huge fan of Glen Cook's, and I'm sure his influence is why I like to blend genres with fantasy) The stories are quick paced and difficult to put down. The characters are often caricatures of the typical noir stereotypes, but they're fun and comfortable for that reason. Each story sets up a different case for the detective and each mystery is complex and layered and more than Garrett wants to deal with. That's where the fun lies.
If you like a blend of fantasy, humor, sarcasm, and noir, you will absolutely love this series. Fans of Steven Brust's Taltos series should enjoy this one as well. It's very well done, and there are a ton of Garrett stories available beyond these three.
"Introducing Garrett, P.I." is a compendium of Glen Cook's first three Garrett novels, a fantasy noir detective series. (Yes, I am a huge fan of Glen Cook's, and I'm sure his influence is why I like to blend genres with fantasy) The stories are quick paced and difficult to put down. The characters are often caricatures of the typical noir stereotypes, but they're fun and comfortable for that reason. Each story sets up a different case for the detective and each mystery is complex and layered and more than Garrett wants to deal with. That's where the fun lies.
If you like a blend of fantasy, humor, sarcasm, and noir, you will absolutely love this series. Fans of Steven Brust's Taltos series should enjoy this one as well. It's very well done, and there are a ton of Garrett stories available beyond these three.
December 28, 2016
Glen Cook's wisecracking private investigator fits right in with Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, and the rest of the hardboiled detective crowd from the Dime Detective and Black Mask era. The only difference is that he lives in a world inhabited by elves, trolls, sorcerers, vampires, and such. Before I got this book for my birthday I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but thought that it might be something in the satirical farce family (something along the lines of Discworld).
It turns out that Cook plays the story pretty straight. The humor comes mostly from Garrett's smart mouth and quirky associates as it does in most decent detective fiction. The world is well-constructed with its own politics, religions, etc. that (mostly) do not ape the real world in a ham-fisted satire kind of way. The plots are fairly messy with the occasional loose end, but mostly in the way that characterizes pulp detective stories rather than being due to poor writing.
Garrett's womanizing and cynicism toward faith made me cringe occasionally, but overall I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
It turns out that Cook plays the story pretty straight. The humor comes mostly from Garrett's smart mouth and quirky associates as it does in most decent detective fiction. The world is well-constructed with its own politics, religions, etc. that (mostly) do not ape the real world in a ham-fisted satire kind of way. The plots are fairly messy with the occasional loose end, but mostly in the way that characterizes pulp detective stories rather than being due to poor writing.
Garrett's womanizing and cynicism toward faith made me cringe occasionally, but overall I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
November 9, 2012
Cook's tongue-in-cheek style goes a long way in setting the atmosphere of these books. This compilation finishes book #6 in the series for me, and while I think his style is a bit too over-the-top (in the way M*A*S*H became a caricature of itself in later years), as if he's counting how many self-effacing witticisms Garrett can wink to the reader with, the stories are still solid mysteries set in a uniquely fantastical landscape. As usual with the best of these kinds of books (or TV shows), it's the character interactions that keep the reader engaged, and Garrett's evolving relationships with the Dead Man, Dean, Morley, Saucerhead Tharpe, and (not least) his plethora of almost-girlfriends keeps Garrett himself interesting. The latest supernatural-involved mystery (peppered with secondary characters from trolls to vampires to dark wizards) is almost a background to watch the always-lazy, smarter-than-he-pretends-to-be Garrett interact with his fellows. All in all, fun stuff, easy reads, and great places to get lost in for an afternoon.
March 14, 2011
Anthology of the first three novels in the Garrett, P.I. series.
This is a great fantasy/mystery series following the adventures of Garrett, a man who has a habit of finding himself over his head.
In Novel #1, Garrett finds himself in the last place he swore he'd return, the battlefields of his youth when he was a marine.
In Novel #2, the Stormwarden's children have been kidnapped, and Garrett is on the case, but what's the cost of two lives in gold?
In Novel #3, a tall, blonde offers Garrett an irresistible fee to take a case that seemed open and shut, but things are rarely as they seem in Tunfaire.
This is a great fantasy/mystery series following the adventures of Garrett, a man who has a habit of finding himself over his head.
In Novel #1, Garrett finds himself in the last place he swore he'd return, the battlefields of his youth when he was a marine.
In Novel #2, the Stormwarden's children have been kidnapped, and Garrett is on the case, but what's the cost of two lives in gold?
In Novel #3, a tall, blonde offers Garrett an irresistible fee to take a case that seemed open and shut, but things are rarely as they seem in Tunfaire.
June 15, 2012
If you like your fantasy literature on the fun side, this is a pretty good bet. Think Jim Rockford scraping by as a P.I. in a world of vampires, elves, and mob crime. Cook (of the Black Company books) is an excellent writer, really getting behind the eyes of his first person narrators. Highly recommended if you'd like to try a Mike Hammer Meets Frodo recipe. This is actually a very reasonably priced compilation of the first 3 Garrett novels. My mid-40s eyes appreciated the large paperback format. Available at Amazon for about $12.
September 1, 2011
So far so good. I like his mixture of military/Micky Spilane style PI/and magic/"other worldly creatures". Reads fast enough, Cook keeps a steady pace. It will be interesting to see how both the author and his characters have developed, as I progress through this and other series of his. If you like "The Dresden Files", and or Simon Green's "Nightside" series, this should be on your short list of titles to follow up on.
June 5, 2007
Combine fantasy (my first love) and noir-ish mystery (a recently acquired taste) and you have the Garrett Files, some of the snarkiest, funniest, and most enjoyable detective stories I've ever read. I was actually lucky enough to find this book secondhand at an SF/fantasy bookstore, and I have to say it's very handy having three books there in one volume.
August 24, 2012
These books were quite entertaining. The main character has a good heart but he does have a tendency to use shady tactics to get the job done. Garrett works as a personal investigator and each case he takes requires his brusque approach and willingness to get his hands dirty. It was refreshing to have a hero that would be classified as chaotic good.
April 11, 2009
The typical "noir" private eye, except: no guns, and with magic, elves, dwarves, pixies, dinosaurs(yes dinosaurs), centaurs, ogres, etc; and the dead man. A SF book club collection of the first three Garrett stories.
October 24, 2014
I have read half way through this series. If you like mystery meets sci-fy and fantasy then this is a good series. Glen Cook has a very different sense of humor and I enjoy the sense of humor he puts into his books.
June 6, 2015
A mash-up of 1930s, 1940s detective novels with a grim fantasy world similar to the Malazan books or the Black Company. Entertaining, well-written, and ones that certainly laid the foundation for future novels such as Harry Dresden and other paranormal mystery novels.
July 12, 2007
A most excellent series for fun, noir meets fantasy. Think Sam Spade in a world with ogres, elves, dwarves, and everything else you can imagine.
decided-not-to-read
January 20, 2012Was recommended by an Internet buddy, but just isn't working for me, sadly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews