Kill City Blues

Sandman Slim #5

by Richard Kadrey

James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, has managed to get out of Hell, renounce his title as the new Lucifer, and settle back into life in LA. But he's not out of trouble yet. Somewhere along the way he misplaced the Qomrama Om Ya, a weapon from the banished older gods who are also searching for their lost power.

The hunt leads Stark to an abandoned shopping mall-a multi-story copy of LA-infested with Lurkers and wretched bottomfeeding Sub Rosa families, squatters who have formed tight tribes to guard their tiny patches of this fake LA. Somewhere in the kill zone of the former mall is a dead man with the answers Stark needs. All Stark has to do is find the dead man, get back out alive, and outrun some angry old gods-and a few killers-on his tail.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Paranormal, Audiobook, Supernatural

383 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2013

About the author

Richard Kadrey is a writer and freelance musician living in Pittsburgh, best known for his Sandman Slim novels. His work has been nominated for the Locus and BSFA awards. Kadrey's newest books are The Secrets of Insects, released in August 2023; The Dead Take the A Train (with Cassandra Khaw), released in September 2023; The Pale House Devil, released in September 2023.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars. Such a pathetically low rating. I should be ashamed of myself and stuff.

Okay. I can do this. Of course I can. This is the weakest instalment in the series so far and most certainly my leastest favoritest and I would have given it 3 stars if it wasn't for my boyfriend Jimmy Stark and my being slightly full of fish but let's pretend that I never said this and that you didn't read it and that all is well is the world so yay and stuff.



Just a little something to distract you from that first paragraph that I didn't write and you didn't read. You are quite welcome.

So. Let's be disgustingly honest here. This isn't the best instalment in this most wondrous series so far. I mean, it's most lusciously glorious compared to 98% of the crap stuff I usually read but it's not that overwhelmingly stupendous on the Sandman Slim Scale of Delicious Yumminess (SSSoDY™).

[Okay, I'm going to have to whisper for the rest of the review (I wouldn't want my boyfriend to retaliate feel offended and hurt after hearing all the positive things I have to say about him) so get your hearing aids out of storage, my Little Barnacles!]

The abhorrent truth is that this instalment feels kinda sorta *whispers a bit louder just in case* decaf. Okay, so the world is still as amazing and exquisitely dark as ever, the dialogues are most droll indeed, people die horribly, there is grit and violence and blood and gore galore yay! , ergo all is pretty much hunky dory. BUT. I'm afraid we've now officially entered Been There Done That and All that Crap Land (BTDTaAtCL™). It just feels like more of the same. Actually no, it feels like *murmurs inaudibly* less of the same and this instalment was a little, you know, boring and stuff just doesn't live up to the previous ones. The characters seem to have become diluted versions of themselves, the arc is progressing at an anemic snail's pace, the plot is frail as a sickly shrimp in terminal arthropodic care and there are way too many repetitions. It's not that bad, bad, BAAAAAAAAAD, just a bit too Sandman Slim Lite for my impeccable book taste.



You can't? Really? That's so sad. There must be a problem with your shrimpy hearing aid or something. No matter, what I just whispered is of no importance whatsoever, so you didn't miss anything. All you need to know is that no matter what happens, Sandman Slim is MINE MINE MINE ← this just in case you'd forgotten.

Now about my boyfriend I just sent him on a last-minute homicidal errand in the Mariana's Trench so I could talk freely behind his appetizingly succulent behind back. Cunning little me is so cunning and stuff . I think I really need to change his daily drugs vitamins or something. I mean, the guy is becoming reasonable! And he manages to be almost nearly nice sometimes EW EW EW, YUCK YUCK YUCK ! He is no longer maniacally slaughterous and delectably irreverent and disrespectful and blunt and sarcastic and offensive 24 fishing 7! He occasionally thinks before acting, instead of going in all guns and black knife and na'at blazing for shrimp's sake! Worse, he seems to think my favorite whisky is crap! *gasps* Come ON! How apocalyptically loathsome can you get?! This really is outrageously vile behavior, coming from one of the top sex slaves guests in my harem! It cannot be! It will not do! Jimmy Stark, you have been officially summoned to Fleet Admiral DaShrimp's office. Reformed you shall be. Back to your fully-functional, formerly stupendous self you shall be returned, whether you want to or not!



But let's not get alarmed unnecessarily, my Lovely Decapods. My Jimmy Stark isn't yet as worthless as most some of you. I mean, he still says stuff like:

"Hammering people up just makes them angry. If you want to permanently modify someone's attitude, the thing to do is go full-tilt diabolical."

See? Hope springs eternal and stuff.

[Oops, Jimmy seems to be back from that killing-spree errand I sent him on already. Damn he is efficient. I guess that's what fighting monsters in an arena in Hell for 11 years will do to you. Anyway, I better stop whispering otherwise he might think something fishy is going on (he's the weirdly suspicious kind, my boyfriend). Let's see if I can find some nice stuff to say about this *mutters incomprehensibly* slightly not fabulously fabulous instalment.]

This book is so full of awesome, you wouldn't believe it! It's filled to the brim/jam-packed/crammed/whatever with it! It's so stuffed with the stuff it's literally exploding! Almost.

First of all, my boyfriend now has his very own Wikipedia entry. Now if that isn't utterly cool, I don't know what is. Okay, so some assholes moderately annoying people keep adding crap to it, but People-Guzzling Candy of the Beautifully Serrated Claws (PGCotBSC™) is on it, so I'm not worried. Talking about my girlfriend, it turns out she's a total Lucifer Samael fangirl, which only makes me lurve her more (I have a thing for slightly hysterical groupies, strangely enough). Kasabian is still the most deliciously and obnoxiously aggravating disembodied head ever. Also, I ♥ tentacles tee shirts. And Texas Chainsaw Psychobillies. And bra clasps IQ tests. And Psycho-fuck pint-sized ninjas. And furniture breaking as a bedroom contact sport, always.


So all in all, this one was pretty shrimping good and stuff *smiles deviously bedazzlingly at her boyfriend who just entered the room in the most fortuitous way* And there is perhaps a slight chance I might probably read the next instalment in the series. Possibly. But my Jimmy better get his act together, or else…

» And the moral of this I Would Never Write A Single Negative Word about this Series Don't Be Ridiculous Now and by the Way Go Home You're Obviously Drunk Crappy Non Review (IWNWaSNWatSDBRNabtWGHYODCNR™) is: please Mr Kadrey, don't screw the next one up! I promise to be good and sacrifice more puny humans and their exquisitely innocent infants than usual and stuff!

· Book 1: Sandman Slim ★★★★★
· Book 2: Kill the Dead ★★★★★
· Book 3: Aloha from Hell ★★★★
· Book 3.5: Devil in the Dollhouse ★★★★
· Book 4: Devil Said Bang ★★★★
· Book 6: The Getaway God ★★★★★
· Book 7: Killing Pretty ★★★★
· Book 8: The Perdition Score ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Kill Society ★★★★★
· Book 10: Hollywood Dead ★★★★★
· Book 11: Ballistic Kiss ★★★★
· Book 12: King Bullet ★★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

I am absolutely NOT disappointed that my boyfriend's latest adventures lack the insane gloriousness of his early ones. Nope nope nope. Nuh-huh. Not me. Certainly not.



➽ Full Jimmy Stark You Better Get Reacquainted with your Former Wondrous Self Post Haste Or I Might Move Your Delicious Ass Bottom to the Low Security Wing of the Harem Crappy Non Review (JSYBGRwyFWSPHOIMYDABttLSWotHCNR™) to come.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I will be the first to admit this is the weakest book of the series (so far), it is STILL a very fun novel.

Why? We've got a de-powered Stark having to solve his own f**k-ups after having been an idiot. This is NOT a dealbreaker. After all, such amazingly messed up choices should come with massive consequences, and here we go...

So why aren't I giving this a full five stars? Because, compared to the full ramp-up OTT OMG how the hell did we get HERE from THERE books, it's ONLY, MERELY a MacGuffin quest.

For those not in the know, a MacGuffin quest is just finding some dumb object. In this case, the object is Stark's Mystical Eight-Ball, but it does come with some Existence-Shattering consequences. But for the rest of the novel? Well... it IS funny. And weird. And a very creative ride. I only dock a star for the fact that it isn't as good as the prior novels. If I were truly fair, I'd give it a five star because it's still a lot better than so many other similar-themed novels. :) So call it a 4.5 star.

I can't wait to see what happens next!

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this well enough - mostly a quest through a huge, abandoned shopping mall in Santa Monica to find an ancient, immensely powerful weapon that Stark misplaced.

[AH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that was awesome! A book full of eccentric characters with attitude - Badass attitude. Speaking of Badass, Christal and I do a joint review of this book on Badass Book Reviews. Check it out!

I must admit that I had a goofy smile on my face while reading Kill City Blues, the fifth book in Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series. Kadrey’s wit and dark sense of humor makes this series a favorite of mine. No one writes dark urban fantasy like Richard Kadrey.

The world of Sandman Slim is so intricately constructed. No detail is spared, yet you never feel any sort of information overload. The bulk of the story takes place in a dark and gritty Los Angeles. Hell is the convergent version of L.A. and is referred to as “Downtown.”

A lot of research went into this world and it shows. There’s Lucifer, or rather the man in the Lucifer suit, angels, demons, vampires, good guys, bad guys. You never really know who is going to mess with whom in this series. The lore is fascinating and the author’s take on God, Heaven, and Hell equally so.

The characters are probably the highlight of this series. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but it’s worth it in the end. Stark, or Sandman Slim, is irreverent. He’s probably one of THE most badass characters I’ve encountered in urban fantasy. The characters that surround Stark are always interesting. I love that all the characters have attitude – it makes it really hard to pick a favorite from the gang.

In this book, Stark and his gang are on the hunt for the Qomrama Om Ya or as Stark called it, The Magic 8 Ball. This is a powerful artifact and has been kept well hidden. The gang embarks on an Indiana Jones-style adventure to Kill City, a huge shopping mall and entertainment complex left abandoned after a building collapse. As they travel the various mall levels, they are greeted by the denizens of the mall. Holy booby traps and scary critters! This is edge of your seat and action packed adventure!

I love how the author’s quirky observations of real life become part of the story. Samael (who used to be Lucifer) waxes poetic about donuts:

”Charming. Did I invent these? They taste like something designed to destroy mortals from the inside out.”

If you are a fan of dark urban fantasy, give this series a try. What are you waiting for?

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Voyager for a review copy of this book.

[Иван Величков · Rating 3 out of 5]

Петата книга в серията се явява по-скоро стъпка встрани от основната линия на арката. Сякаш Кадни малко не е искал да прибързва със затварянето ѝ. Основната идея се развива чак във втората половина. Първите около двеста страници могат да се определят като скучни, ако не се наблюдаваше нещо, което може би е интересно само на писателя в мен. Именно как изграждането на сложна и пълнокръвна вселена се изплаща на автора. Всички шантави герои, които се появяват в предишните четири и половина книги се появяват тук, за да дадат рамо на автора. Докато Сандма Слим си каже здрасти с повечето от тях, интригата вече се е завързала, а верния читател е удовлетворен, защото знае какво се случва в трите свята из които нашето момче Джимбо броди.
Втората част си е класическо приключение, където се събира група професионалисти и преминават през редица опасности, за да достигнат до определена цел. Полето на действие е изоставен мол, обитаван от нисши фамилии на Суб Роза, паранормални същества и ужасии. Атмосферата е нещо като вертикална версия на Лудия Макс и доста ми допадна.

Но за сюжета:
След като успя да спаси света от полудялата Аелита и психото, което беше домъкнала в нашите селения и набута г-н Мунин (едно от парченцата на които се е разпаднал Създателя след нервен срив) в ролята на Луцифер, Джими Старк е обратно в Лос Анджелис заедно с Кенди и живота сякаш започва да се нормализира. Само дето трябва да открие къде Аелита е успяла да скрие Богоядеца – единственото оръжие способно да унищожи света, защото някой си мисли, че е в него и упорито се опитва да го затрие. Старк няма идея от къде да започне търсенето, за това решава да натисне подземния свят в ролята си на Сандман Слим и да види от коя шапка ще изскочи заек. Усилията му се оправдават до някъде, когато получава информация, че полудял призрак знае нещо. Проблема е, че се намира под изоставен мол, пълен с още по-откачени обитатели. Джими събира няколко стари приятели – Видок, Бриджит, Кенди и Отец Тревън, и се засилва към прокълнатото място. Тук вече нещата идват на фокус, преживяванията им в мола са нон стоп клане, мъчения, древни проклятия, подивели, самонараняващи се групи адепти и прочие и прочие забавления. Джими супява да бъде полуизкормен, изгорен, прострелян и почти разчленен.

Новота амплоа на Старк, макар да показва развитие на героя, не ми хареса. Започва да мисли и не се оставя да го водят така лесно за носа, а бруталността му е под контрол. Честно казано, предпочитам си го тъп и палещ бързо убиец.
Цялото нещо е като почивка преди големия финал на арката. Да видим.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I love Sandman Slim and Richard Kadrey. These books are a very guilty pleasure of mine that makes me a very biased reviewer. James Stark aka Sandman Slim, as well as many other names is one of my all-time favorite monsters… I mean hero!

Kill City Blues is unfortunately the weakest book in the whole series. Not only is the story thin, the plot line weak, our heroes also feel washed out and grey. That being said, I still loved every minute of this book and ate up every word. I cannot spend enough time in the world of Sandman Slim. This was a fun summer read for me.

As for the weakness and flaws, this series is at a crux that it may not be able to overcome. It is a victim of its own success. Sandman Slim has had so much in the past on the line and met all the challenges head on, resulting in a point in the series that there seems to be nowhere else to go. Of course, Kadrey could do like so many other authors and simply apply the rinse and repeat technique to cash in on its past success. I really hope that this is not the case for this series.

In a nutshell, not much really happens of any real merit until one of the final conversations of this book. I hope for our sake and for the future of Sandman Slim that Kadrey steers this series quickly into the realm broached by that end scene. I really cannot see any other end of the world scenario that would add anything new to this story.

If you have not read the past books than the following quote does a nice job at describing our protagonist, our anti-hero, our Sandman Slim:



““But in a way, Mason won. He wanted to destroy me, and the one who went to Hell sure isn’t who came out. I was James Stark going down but Sandman Slim when I left. Eleven years of torture and fighting in the arena to entertain monsters will alter your perspective on life.
Most nights I still dream about Hell. I can feel it inside me. It’s in the stink of my sweat. Flashing on the place even for a second makes me furious and sometimes afraid and sometimes ashamed of both those things.
On the plus side, I got up close and personal with the killer inside me. I learned I was good at taking lives. Doc Kinski called me a natural-born killer, so now it’s what I do. But I don’t always like it, and when I do, I don’t always like myself for liking it. That’s what Hell is. It’s the shithole bottom of the universe, but it’s a place where you’ll learn more about yourself than you ever wanted to know.”


Sandman Slim is among my favorite series and one that I easily give my highest recommendations. These books are the perfect cross between main stream action movies and a horror filled world where the hero is one of the scariest monsters of all.

[Kaustubh Dudhane · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Being afraid is one of the realities of existence."




Some of my favorite monsters heroes are Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath from Prince of Thorns and Darrow from Red Rising. These guys have some serious competition from Sandman Slim.
I am accepting the fact that I am aspiring to be Sandman Slim and possessing his colorful vocabulary. Read this -

"The Beverly Wilshere Hotel is so posh it gives the Taj Mahal a hard-on."

As usual, no need to comment on plot and characters. In this book, Sandman Slim is very keen on protecting the world from the old gods who want to wipe out the universe and start fresh. And he is not filled with regret.

"And don't tell me regret is all about having a soul. Everybody has regrets, but most people use their souls about as often as they floss, which is usually two days before they go to the dentist."

Additionally, he has an interesting take on hope -
"Funny thing about hope. It seldom works out. That’s why they gave it a stupid name like “hope.”"

However, the madness continuous and the author is able to maintain till book 5.
"Hammering people up just makes them angry. If you want to permanently modify someone's attitude, the thing to do is go full-tilt diabolical."

Finally, in order to keep the tradition alive, I would like to thank Milda Page Runner for the sensational recommendation.

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note:
I finished this last night before crashing. I was not a happy camper when I realized the book was over. I'm going to let the story sit and write my review later.

It started out so promising and then it backpedaled sideways. Grrr. Worst transition piece and perhaps my least favorite of the series.

[Christal · Rating 5 out of 5]

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

Christal and AH's Review - 5 Skulls - A+

Kill City Blues was a definite high point in a consistently entertaining and slightly disturbing series. AH and I both loved this book and gave it 5 stars!

James "Sandman Slim" Stark:

AH: I think Stark has got to be one of the most badass characters I've encountered in urban fantasy. I love his "devil-may-care" attitude (pun definitely intended).

Christal: Lol, nice one! I agree, Stark is hardcore and doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. I think he really grew in this novel and it was the first time we have seen him willingly depend on others.

The Supporting Characters:

Christal: Wow, almost everyone was back in Kill City Blues. It was like a reunion and I kind of loved it. I like the Stark is starting to build a "Scooby Gang" and relying on others to watch his back. I still think Candy is a stand out but I really enjoyed seeing Stark and Kasabian's relationship evolve.

AH: I loved that you referred to them as the Scooby gang. That was hilarious and I could seriously see one of them going Ru-roh - sharp-toothed demons on your right or something like that. I loved Candy too - so fierce! Kasabian made me laugh. I'm hoping the next book has his head on a Trevor Mosely body. Speaking of Trevor Mosely, what did you think of the Tick Tock Man's creations?

Christal: I totally want to see Kasabian's head on a Mosley body; that makes more sense than the hellhound. The Trevor Mosley clones were a bit creepy... especially the one that thought he was a real boy. The animals now, those had definite possibilities. I might fight Candy for a Tick Tock Pikachu. ;-)

The World Building:

AH: The world building is so intricately constructed. No details are spared, yet as a reader, you never feel like there is an information overload. The writer did all of his research. I love Kadrey's version of Hell - "Downtown" LA. It's a dirty, gritty world.

Christal:I agree, I love how real this series is -- you can just picture every place that Stark visits. I liked that Mr. Kadrey combined the typical rings of hell with his own version of a mirrored L.A. Very unique!

AH: The research into the series is just amazing - did you know that the names of God's "brothers" are from Kabbalistic teachings? The names of God are the levels of the soul. Kind of odd how God is depicted in almost schizophrenic terms, but it makes sense in this world.

Christal: I didn't know that but now it makes so much sense. I am interested to meet the other "brothers" and see what they are like compared to the "brothers" we've already met. I'm especially looking forward to a meeting between Stark and Ruarch.

The Plot:

AH: This book has got to be one of the best reads so far this year. Richard Kadrey writes amazing urban fantasy. One of my favorite scenes had to be at the beginning where Samael, Stark, and Candy are enjoying donuts. Samael ponders the donut and wonders if he invented them to "destroy mortals from the inside out."

Christal: Ha, I liked that scene too; I also like how Mr. Kadrey carried the joke later into the book with Samael only staying for dinner if there are no donuts. I think my favorite scene was probably the group adventure through Kill City mall. Instinctually, I knew that Stark would probably be okay but that someone else probably wouldn't make it, but I was not prepared for the emotional impact of the ending. Man, that was intense!

AH: The rescue scene from Hell near the end when Stark "rescues" Father Traven and leaves him in "limbo" I thought to myself that Stark really is a nice guy, or as nice as Stark could be.

Christal: Completely agree, he really does have a heart of gold deep deep down. The rescue and eventual compromise with Mr. Muninn were a nice resolution for everything that happened in Kill City.

AH: For some reason during the Kill City scenes, I felt like we were in the middle of an Indiana Jones adventure, complete with booby traps, scary critters, and even a treasure. Speaking of treasure, the Qomrama Om Ya, aka the Magic 8 Ball, aka Stark's holy grail - what do you think will happen with it? Will the Angra come and destroy everything?

Christal: I don't even want to guess. Mr. Kadrey always takes what I think will happen and then twists it into something completely unexpected. I have faith in Stark though, I think he and Candy will both go down fighting in the end no matter what they are up against. I can't wait to see what adventures are in store for Sandman Slim in the next book and to see how he continues to grow and adapt!

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Voyager for providing an ARC copy of this book!

[Otherwyrld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst I enjoyed the book I would say it's more like a high 3 stars and that 4 stars is a bit generous. The reason for this was this book was just not as good as the other books in this series. The story just took too long to get to the meat - it meandered around for about half the page count. Once we get to the actual story - a trip through a hellish abandoned shopping mall (is there any other kind?)to find a weapon that is supposed to be able to kill gods , things really picked up. There are some genuinely spooky and nasty bits to this part of the story, and the end where one of the old gods almost makes it through into our universe while the shopping mall is being swallowed up by the ocean quite spectacular. The problem is that this part finishes about a hundred pages before the end of the book, so there's a bit more waffling about with Sandman Slim having to take a quick trip to Hell to rescue the soul of one of his team who got killed in the shopping mall. For all the running about and shooting and killing, we feel that by the end of the story all that has happened is that the status quo has been retained and that much nothing has really changed. The older gods are still waiting to break through, and Sandman Slim and his scooby gang are the only thing between them and our universe.

Having said all that, to a certain extent the plot in this kind of story is rather irrelevant as we come here to read about the characters. They all get a good workout in this story and you really get the feeling that they will all work together to save our universe when the time comes. And that time is coming, as I really got the feeling for the first time that this is a finite story and that end is not that far off. I can't wait to read it.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series, to date, has been fabulous. Can't wait to read the next one. I like how the author sneaks in previous events in case you've forgotten how Sandman Slim's adventures all started and how far they have progressed in his current effort to save a dysfunctional world with dysfunctional deities.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Kill City Blues” is the fifth book in Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series, and it continues to deliver the same fast-paced, action-packed, and darkly humorous story that fans have come to expect. The audiobook version, narrated by MacLeod Andrews, brings the characters and world to life with his engaging and dynamic performance.

In this installment, James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, is on a mission to recover the Qomrama Om Ya, an all-powerful weapon from the banished older gods who are returning and searching for their lost power. His search leads him to an abandoned shopping mall infested with tribes of squatters, where he must navigate a dangerous kill zone to find a dead man with the answers he needs.

Kadrey does an excellent job of balancing the main plot with subplots and character development. The usual cast of characters is back, including Candy, Allegra, Vidocq, Brigitte, Father Traven, and Kasabian. Each character gets their moment to shine, and their interactions with Stark add depth and complexity to the story.

One of the highlights of the audiobook is the tense action sequence in Kill City, where Stark’s usual strengths begin to fail him. Andrews’ narration captures the tension and excitement of this scene perfectly, making it a standout moment in the book.

Overall, “Kill City Blues” is another excellent addition to the Sandman Slim series. Kadrey’s writing is sharp and witty, and Andrews’ narration brings the story to life in a way that is both engaging and entertaining. Fans of urban fantasy and dark comedy will not be disappointed.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Either I'm getting tired of Sandman Slim and his attics, or this book wasn't as entertaining as the previous instalments, but it felt like it took forever to get going. For the first 150 pages or so it was downright boring, probably why it took me almost to mid-June to finish it even though I had started it back in February.

Once we get to the Kill City part, the action is fun and non-stop and the whole idea of an abandoned supermall turned into a shelter/horror show for the lowest of the low of the magic community - that was interesting to read about. Too bad Start destroys the place in the end in a very Sandman Slim fashion - everything he touches breaks eventually. I mean, who needs Angras? Just let the man do what he does every day and he will destroy the world eventually, just being his usual wrecking ball self.


And I think that's part of the problem I have with this series. Stark doesn't really evolve as a character, at least not as much as I would like him to. And every time I think he did, he reverts to his book one self and goes to crack skulls and break arms. And the author rewards him for that. Notice that the story doesn't get going in this book until Stark goes Sandman Slim on the magical community. This was fun to watch in the first few books, but it is getting kind of old by now.

Also, I am not happy with Father Traven's death. It looked to me that the author simply fridged the character to get Stark to do something stupid and rash again. Traven had so much potential as a character and could have played a major role in the fight against the ancient gods, to see him killed off like that was a disappointment.


I think I might take a break from the series before I continue with the next book just to give Sandman Slim a little bit of space for now.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

The last 180 pages of Kill City Blues were excellent. The sort of gritty, violent fun I've come to expect from Kadrey.

I almost didn't make it to those last 180 pages, though, because the first 200 were SOOOOOOOO BOORRRINNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.


So boring.

[Wortmagie · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Sandman Slim“ soll verfilmt werden. Mein Kumpel Stark auf der Leinwand. Eine seltsame Vorstellung. Die Pläne für eine Verfilmung reichen weit zurück. In einem Interview von 2012 sprach der Autor Richard Kadrey bereits konkret darüber. Diese Realisierung kam offenbar nicht zustande, denn laut aktuelleren Berichten kaufte Studio 8 die Rechte an der Reihe 2016. 2018 wurde öffentlich, dass Chad Stahelski Regie führen und Kerry Williamson die Drehbuchadaption schreiben soll. Über Schauspieler_innen ist noch nichts bekannt. Kadrey selbst weigert sich, Ideen vorzuschlagen. Er habe die äußerliche Erscheinung seines Helden bewusst vage gehalten, damit seine Leser_innen sich ihr eigenes Bild machen können. Einen Schauspieler zu nennen, würde diesen Effekt ruinieren. Aus demselben Grund kommt es für mich nicht in Frage, mir eine Verfilmung anzusehen. Ich bleibe lieber bei den Büchern. Mittlerweile bin ich beim fünften Band „Kill City Blues“ angekommen.

Ruhestand – hach, was wäre das schön. Leider ist das für James Stark aka Sandman Slim – Ex-Höllengladiator, Ex-Himmelssöldner und Ex-Luzifer – einfach nicht drin. Er rettete die Welt, doch die Gerüchte über die Macht des Qomrama Om Ya verbreiteten sich in Windeseile und jetzt ist jeder dahergelaufene Möchtegernschurke scharf auf das Ding. Diese Leute meinen es ernst. Wieder einmal wird Stark zur Zielscheibe und beschließt, zu verhindern, dass das Qomrama Om Ya in falsche Hände gerät. Er beginnt, eigene Nachforschungen anzustellen. Nach einigen Wochen ohne Ergebnis hat er die Nase gestrichen voll und tut, was er am besten kann: kräftig auf den Busch klopfen und schauen, was hervorkriecht. Während einer seiner… Erkundungsmissionen fällt ein Name. Kill City. Ausgerechnet. Die verlassene Mall voller primitiver, feindlicher Sub-Rosa-Clans und Monster ist nicht gerade ein Ausflugsziel, das Stark freiwillig gewählt hätte. Aber nun ja, was tut man nicht alles, um die Welt zu schützen?

„Kill City Blues“ braucht eine Weile, um in Fahrt zu kommen. Deshalb teile ich diesen fünften Band der „Sandman Slim“-Reihe in zwei Hälften unterschiedlicher Qualität. Die erste Hälfte gestaltete sich ziemlich verwirrend und chaotisch. Ich stieg nicht dahinter, welche Parteien das Qomrama Om Ya aus welchen Gründen besitzen wollen und Stark deshalb bedrohen. Ich fand die Situation unübersichtlich. Meine visuelle Assoziation war eine – zugegeben sehr brutale – Kabbelei unter Hühnern. Ich glaube, hätte nicht irgendwer angefangen, auf Stark zu schießen, hätte er sich mit Freuden zurückgelehnt und die Show genossen. Da er Kugeln aber nun mal ziemlich persönlich nimmt, mischt er sich in die Suche ein. Es schockierte mich, wie zahm und zivilisiert er dabei zuerst vorgeht. Meine Befürchtung, Kadrey könne seinen Biss verloren haben, die ich aus dem letzten Band Devil Said Bang mitbrachte, potenzierten sich. Stark fragt herum. Er fragt! Er ist beinahe nett! Niemand stirbt! Ich kramte bereits mental ein schwarzes Kleid heraus, um angemessen um meinen Kumpel zu trauern, der einfach nicht mehr derselbe war. Die Mühe hätte ich mir sparen können, denn in der zweiten Hälfte von „Kill City Blues“ dreht Kadrey auf und legt eine Kehrtwende hin, die mir einen erleichterten Seufzer entlockte. Plötzlich war Stark wieder Stark. Es fühlte sich an, als hätte sich der Autor endlich auf den Kern der Reihe und das Wesen seines Protagonisten besonnen. Halleluja! Stark ist zwar wesentlich intelligenter, als er auf den ersten Blick erscheint, was mich immer wieder überrascht, aber weder ist er ein Stratege noch ein netter Kerl. Er ist unvernünftig und impulsiv. Er ist jemand, der so lange mit einem Knüppel auf den sprichwörtlichen Busch einprügelt, bis alles, was herausfällt, um Gnade winselt. Genau das macht er in der zweiten Hälfte von „Kill City Blues“. Er findet zu seiner alten Form zurück. Trotzdem gibt es Hinweise auf eine charakterliche Weiterentwicklung, die ich sehr begrüße. Stark arbeitet in Kill City erstmals in einem größeren Team. Das war interessant, obwohl ich ihn dennoch für einen Einzelgänger halte, der die Vorteile einer Gruppe nicht nutzt und handelt, als wäre er allein. In diesem Zusammenhang muss ich zähneknirschend zugeben, dass mir Candy in diesem Band besser gefiel. Sie benimmt sich weniger waghalsig und ich glaubte ihr, dass sie sich ernsthafte Sorgen um Stark macht. Eventuell erlaube ich ihr, die Frau in seinem Leben zu bleiben. Außerdem habe ich den Eindruck, dass Stark langsam zu einer inneren Balance zwischen den beiden Seiten seiner Persönlichkeit findet. Ich gönne ihm das sehr, denn er braucht diesen Frieden. Er muss beide Seiten akzeptieren lernen; gegen eine anzukämpfen, macht ihn nur unglücklich. Beide sind ein Teil von ihm, er wird niemals ein ruhiges oder gewaltfreies Leben führen, was er Stück für Stück einzusehen scheint. Sein verändertes Verhältnis zu Kasbian ist meiner Meinung nach Ausdruck dessen. Nach all der Zeit, in der sie widerwillige Mitbewohner waren, stecken sie in „Kill City Blues“ zum ersten Mal vorsichtig die Grenzen ihrer Beziehung ab. Werden sie am Ende vielleicht doch noch Freunde?

„Kill City Blues“ stimmt mich optimistisch. Der fünfte Band der „Sandman Slim“-Reihe knüpft insgesamt zwar noch nicht an die Qualität der ersten drei Bände an, aber ich denke, Richard Kadrey ist auf dem Weg dahin. In der zweiten Hälfte des Buches lockert er die Zügel für Stark, sodass dieser endlich wieder der unbequeme Bastard sein darf, den ich liebe. Er erlaubt ihm sogar einen abenteuerlichen Kurztrip in die Hölle, den ich atemlos verfolgte. Ich hoffe, dass der Autor nun nicht länger versucht, aus Stark etwas zu machen, was er nicht. Die Handlung von „Kill City Blues“ deutet an, dass er auf einen inhaltlichen Abschluss und die nächste Stufe im Leben seines Protagonisten zusteuert. Wenn es nach mir geht, kann dieser Übergang gar nicht schnell genug stattfinden. Schluss mit alten Göttern und der Frage, wer die Hölle regiert – auf zu Neuem!

[Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry, Jimmy...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I had to rate one of your books only 3 stars. If I'm being completely honest, more like 2.5 stars, but don't worry, I'm not breaking up with you. I still love you and your snarky, devilish, nefarious ways.

But.

This book was a disappointment. The last one, Devil Said Bang, wasn't exactly a favorite of mine, either, but this one was even worse.

In this story, Stark is searching for the Magic 8-Ball--which he lost in Devil Said Bang--in order to save the world. Unfortunately, I don't feel that his motivation was exactly believable, which was one of the key reasons I wasn't sold on this book. However, while the writing wasn't quite as sharp and witty as in previous installments, there were some things that stood out and saved this from a two star review:

--Kill City. I'm not sure if this is entirely made up, and from my quick internet search it looks like it is, but the abandoned/wrecked mall that is the namesake of this book was the absolute highlight. As usual, Kadrey's descriptions of LA and it's inhabitants is hilarious, and Kill City just took that to another level. It's incredibly imaginative, and realistic in a "Yeah, that could totally happen" sort of way. I loved it.

--Jimmy and Candy's relationship is finally progressing a bit beyond the "we're both monsters so we belong together" way that it has been since the beginning, which is refreshing. It can still use a little more development, but it is definitely not as flat and his feelings for her seem to have progressed beyond just the weird obsession that it seemed in the last book.

--The banter between Kasabian and Jimmy still is the best part of this series. I swear I think I read this just to listen to those two boys tear each other down...it's witty and awful and hilarious. I want more of it. I'm looking forward to Old Yeller getting his legs finally!

--The conversation at the end is the best part of the book, and makes the whole journey worthwhile.
"Ok. Sorry. Smite me with a lightning bolt."
"It's God that does lightning bolts. There's just us Little Devils here."
"Then stick me with a pitchfork."

--And also, it's a small thing, but for some reason I love that he still calls his lighter "Mason's lighter" when he uses it. I smile every time.

But despite these few highlights, for the most part it was disappointing:

--At the very top of my list of WTF?, is how the women in the series are either paired off or evil. It's like Stark can't have platonic relationships with single women, so Kadrey feels the need to pair them off in the most unlikely relationships ever. They're actually sort of gross, in my opinion. First we have Allegra, who was initially described in book 1 as maybe old enough to drink. Maybe not., hooking up with 150-year-old father-figure Vidocq. And now Brigitte is shacking up with Father Traven? Ugh.

--The plot was a mess, which is becoming such a theme in this series that I'm wondering if it's purposeful. Jimmy's life is sort of a mess, so the book is also? There were so many crazy things going on, and loose ends that never really got tied up. I wasn't even sure what the plot was for a lot of the book, and then I would remember, "oh, yeah...he's looking for the Magic 8-ball," but I wasn't exactly sold on why...

--...which leads me to the other thing that bothered me: Stark's motivation. I don't really get it. Well, I get it...he said that he was "saving the world," but why? His character development is progressing at a snail's pace, and at this point I don't see him really much caring that the world might end. He and Candy could just hole up in The Room and let it happen, then kickstart it again with the nifty little gadget from Muninn (is that still in his possession, or did he give it back? I can't remember. If not, he can just go on another quest and steal it back). And maybe his motivation is because of the Boy Scout in his head, who would totally want to save the world, but Angel Stark was barely mentioned in this book. He no longer chimes in with Beaver Cleaver-style advice, even though they reunited in the last book...instead Jimmy just references things that happened during their separation a few times.

--I miss Carlos...we don't get enough of him.

--And finally, big spoiler for book: Aelita is dead??!! That was too easy! She was the worst antagonist ever...evil and nefarious and awful...and she's just killed almost instantaneously by another antagonist (yet another "evil woman," ahem.)! WTF? That was such a letdown. And since she's an angel, that's it...he won't be able to go to heaven or hell and kill her again. It's over for good. Womp, womp.

SO...I'm really hoping the next book redeems itself for this series. Sandman Slim was one of the best books I read last year, and Kill the Dead was fantastic as well. I really hope Kadrey's fantastic writing makes a comeback in the next installment, because I was really looking forward to the whole series being that witty and imaginative.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaaaaand we're BACK! Five star material again.

Which is interesting, considering we go back "downtown" once again...but this time, Hell was...well, HELL instead of mouldy LA.

I loved the stakes in this one. I loved the bargaining. I loved certain loose ends tied up, others ongoing, and new ones opening up. I love how the mythology of Stark's world just widens with each installment.

It's very much an in-between novel, but the story was still great.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, enjoyable romp

[Gef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Stark might be back from Hell--again--but he just can't help doing the Devil's work. Since getting out of his job as the new Lucifer, and passing it off to one of five pieces of God himself, Mr. Munnin, Stark is trying to settle back into life in Los Angeles. He's rejoined with his angel half, has the key to the Thirteen Doors once again, he's back with his main squeeze Candy, and he still has the run of Lucifer's penthouse. Compared to board meetings and other forms of infernal bureaucracy, life is pretty sweet for Sandman Slim. And then the mechanical men show up and ruin everything.

Turns out that the "Magic 8-Ball" he found during his exploits in the last novel, Devil Said Bang, is a weapon of biblical proportions. And everyone with an ax to grind against him wants it. Too bad he doesn't have it anymore. Aelita, the renegade angel with a hate-on for all of human existence has hidden it away, and Stark needs to find it before the divine psychopath figures out how to use it.

Okay, first off: if you haven't read any of the Sandman Slim novels, then nothing in this novel is going to make sense beyond "bad guys have something that good guys want back." There's four novels worth of back story playing out here, and while the fourth novel was a bit of a letdown for me, Kill City Blues brings the series back to its full FTW glory. If you've been a faithful follower of the series, maybe your opinion differs a little. But I felt Kill City Blues got into the nitty-gritty of the story much sooner than Devil Said Bang, and it really did a lot to push the characters in new directions. Heck, this is probably the first novel where Stark has been in full-on boyfriend mode, as his entanglements with Candy has turned into a long-term relationship. And that relationship is strained when Stark starts falling into his old habits of going all Sandman Slim on his enemies, while Candy is repeatedly discouraged from going Jade on goons. Ah, the mating habits of abominations.

Stark's Scooby-Doo gang of friends finally get to band together on his latest mission, though Kasabian is still stuck on the bench. At least the decapitated sidekick has that nifty, albeit slightly beat-up, robotic hellhound body to get around in now. As for the gods imprisoned in another dimension, the ones bent on bringing all of creation to and end, it turns out the ghostly girl with the butcher knife in Devil Said Bang was just a whisper of what they're capable of should they get loose, and they're gaining allies both in Heaven and Hell. How Kadrey keeps track of all these allegiances and betrayals in his series is beyond me. His concordance of characters and storylines must make the King James Bible look like a pamphlet by now.

Kadrey's writing style offers so many quotable lines, he doesn't so much have a handle on the language as he does a stranglehold. If the plot doesn't have you turning pages, just seeing what string of eloquent expletives he'll use next will. It's a return to form in my opinion, and the same great level of quality in the eyes of others, I'm sure.

[Eivind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandman Slim is pretty badass and I think series like this are contributing quite a bit to the genre. But after having read Kill City Blues last night I couldn't help feel that the author is running out of ideas. Sandman Slim is still kicking ass, make no mistake, but he isn't going anywhere. Upon completing this book I felt like had seen an episode of Sandman Slim The Series, everything is back to normal and now hurry up and wait for the next episode. Nothing happened (other than drinking, kicking ass and threatening to kick ass) that couldn’t have been explained in 20 pages or less.
This isn’t a novel, it’s a comic book without the pictures. I am sorry that’s harsh, I did enjoy myself the time I spent reading it, but ahhh well.

[Jennifer Bernardini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Sandman Slim series, I don't care what anyone says. I'll fight them all! Okay, okay. Enough of that. So, here we are in the fifth in the series. Kill City. Stark is trying to find the 8 ball, or at least keep it away from the bad guys. He ends up having to search Kill City, which is an old mall that has become something of an enchanted wasteland of sorts.
Kill City is full of the razor sharp wit and pointed banter that we've come to expect with Stark and Company. One of the reasons I love this series is because there is usually minimal recapping of previous books. I have to say, this is not the case in this book. Recaps galore. Through out the entire thing we are rehashing the previous four books. At points, it did seem more like filler than plot. Ah well, can't win them all. I believe this book is mainly set up for the BIG BAD BATTLE with the first gods. And you better believe I'll be there for that.

[David H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plotwise, it's a relatively limited book, as the main focus is finding the 8 Ball (I never remember the real name of the object), and the first half of the book drags until we get to the much more interesting dungeon crawl in a dead mall. In a way, it's really more of an in-between book as the end of this volume indicates a bit more of where Kadrey presumably wants this series to go. Stark is an asshole, but he's an entertaining asshole to read.

[TheHomesteadReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

*********************************************
Title: Kill City Blues
Author: Richard Kadrey
Series: Sandman Slim Book 5
Pages: 383
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating Out Of 5 Stars: 4.5

*********************************************

“He gave me a lopsided grin. Not a nice grin. The kind a headsman gives you when he doesn’t like you and know his axe is good and dull today."
Goodreads/General Synopsis:
Stark renounce his title as the new Lucifer and settles back into life in LA. But he's not out of trouble yet. Somewhere along the way he misplaces a weapon with the ability to kill a God. The hunt to find it leads Stark to an abandoned shopping mall-a multi-story copy of LA-infested with Lurkers and wretched bottom feeding Sub Rosa families, squatters who have formed tight tribes to guard their tiny patches of this fake LA. Somewhere in the kill zone of the former mall is a dead man with the answers Stark needs. All Stark has to do is find the dead man, get back out alive, and outrun some angry old gods-and a few killers-on his tail.

*****My Thoughts*****
I loved Kill City Blues! After the last couple of books this was such a breath of fresh air. The whole concept of Kill City was highly entertaining. Think Mad Max in an abandoned shopping mall. I wish more of the story had taken place in this location and was quite sad when the book was over. The pacing was great. The new characters we meet are positively diabolical and we see Stark really start to get in over his head and needing to rely on his friends instead of just going cowboy on every situation.

[UnlocktheMagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a really good book, just felt a bit slower than the ones before it.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the place to start reading Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim books. (The earlier four, in order for your convenience, are Sandman Slim; Kill the Dead; Aloha from Hell and the one I just read, Devil Said Bang—go thou and do likewise, then come back.)

Kill City Blues downshifts significantly from the reckless momentum of its predecessors. Some fans of the series may even feel a bit betrayed by how long this book takes to get rolling—we're more than 150 pages in before we find out what Kill City really is, for example, and while Sandman Slim does get in a few zingers, his unstoppable stream of wisecracks in the face of death has slowed to a trickle.

This is a gentler, more introspective Jim Stark, with a steady girlfriend, living high for at least awhile on the Devil's unlimited tab at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles—the real one, not the imitation down in Hell. He almost seems... happy.

Of course, that can't last. For some reason, everyone seems to think Stark has possession of the Magic 8-Ball (well, that's just his nickname for it... the doodad in question is more formally called the Qomrama Om Ya), a shapeshifting weapon from before the beginning of the universe that has the power to kill angels, demons and maybe even gods. He had it for awhile, but Stark doesn't even know where the thing is right now, unless this is some "Antiques Roadshow" scenario where that obscure objet d'art collecting dust on his mantelpiece for decades turns out to be a priceless artifact. And he doesn't have the powers of Lucifer anymore, either—those went to his replacement in Hell at the end of the last book.

So when the shooting starts, Stark has to fall back on older techniques, things he learned while fighting in the arenas of Hell. It's a hard journey for him—I think it's pretty clear by now that he's suffering from incredible post-traumatic stress, and he quite logically does not want to return to the mindset that kept him alive and relatively sane while he was being tortured by Hellions unless it's absolutely necessary. Too bad the universe doesn't care what Jim wants.

We also find out a little more about Jim's history as one of the nephilim, half-human and half-angelic creatures who don't properly belong in any world, and about the origin of his issues with the Sub Rosa who rule Los Angeles' darker side.

The action in the novel does eventually get a lot faster, almost as if Stark is trying to distract himself from all those disturbingly warm emotions he's starting to have. And, of course, we mustn't forget that the fate of the entire universe may well be in Stark's hands... one of which isn't even human anymore. So, yeah, some fans may not be quite as happy with this book... but I was.

(Update 1/1/2014)
What I thought was the sixth installment (Dead Set) is already on bookstore shelves... but it turns out that I was wrong—that one's actually a standalone YA novel. Charles de Lint, in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, says it's pretty good, too. Either way, I haven't got my hands on it yet, but I will. Oh, I will...

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the Sandman Slim series and it was an excellent one. I love these characters, the strange cultural references, the gritty surroundings, the crazy action scenes, and of course the hilarious banter between characters. I got a copy of this to review through Edelweiss; thanks to Harper Voyager and Edelweiss for the chance to read this book.

Stark (Sandman Slim) has finally gotten rid of his job as Lucifer and he is trying set up a life for him and Candy in LA. Of course somewhere along the way he misplaced the Qomrama Om Ya, and this kind of was the weapon that is preventing the old gods (you know the ones that want to destroy the earth and humanity) from escaping their prison. So of course he needs to find it, and to find it he will have to venture into the incredibly creepy and dangerous Kill City.

Excellent continuation of this series! I just love these books so much, they are so much fun. I read them and chuckle and laugh out loud the whole time. The violence is hilariously over the top and Stark just has so much attitude. I love watching him trash all the rules and knock heads together...because of course you know he’s doing it all for the good of mankind...and maybe a little bit for his own chuckles.

All of our favorites are back in this story. Candy, Brigette, the Father, Kasiban, and of course all the pieces of God. They all interact so well together and are so crazy they are just a pleasure to read about.

Stark, with Candy and his friends at his side, is different than before. Now he has backup and people he cares about. Really it’s made him a better person, now he has a reason for all the violence that goes beyond survival.

The action scenes are awesome and gory and hilarious, the settings are creative and dank and creepy, the banter between characters in hilarious, and the obscure cultural references make you feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside when you understand them. This series just keeps getting better and better. It is wrong to laugh and chuckle at the murder of people? Nah, not if they are really bad people...right?

The book is lots of fun to read and incredibly entertaining...it was also very hard to put down. Parts are disturbing and parts are hilarious and all of it is downright wonderful. I love that each book wraps up a portion of the story nicely but is part of a broader story as well.

Overall a perfect addition to this series. I love these books so much. This book is gritty, funny, has great interesting characters, wonderfully creative settings, and is spectacularly entertaining to read. Definitely an adults only read, duh. I also love that these are complete stories but are part of a broader story as well. HIghly recommended to those who love gritty urban fantasy. Seriously this is one of my favorite urban fantasy series out there. I can’t wait to see what this series brings next.

[Stephanie Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a penchant for loving books that are impossible to assign to a genre.
This one, for instance.

Is it horror? Well, sort of. Some horrible things happen. There's plenty of fear and terror and monsters and devils (three of them, actually--or, technically, two ex-Lucifers and the current one). But it's not built on the urge to scare like horror really is. Is it fantasy? Kind of/ not really? There's ghosts and spiritual items and a quest, but it's not in the epic fantasy wheelhouse. A mystery? Yeah, but not just that.

Picking one genre seems so diminishing to lovely, complicated works like this one.

Which is exactly the kind of novel I love.

And all in all, if I had to ascribe it to one genre, I'd totally stick it in comedy--because it's very, very funny, due mostly to Stark's wry sense of gallows humor that has populated the series throughout. Some terrible things happen, and Stark actually grieves them, but he never backs off his hilariously dry wit.

Can't help it. I love this guy.

And I loved the book, a fine showing in a series I already totally love. This time around, Stark is finally out from under the bureaucracy of being Lucifer, and the story is better paced as a result. He's back in LA where he belongs, alongside Candy, Kasabian, Vidocq, Allegra, Brigitte, and Father Traven. He also has time for donuts with Samael and coffee with Mr. Munninn, the part of God that he finagled into taking over the Lucifer gig.

It's a good story, too, without giving too much away--Stark's on the hunt for the Qomrama so he can fight the Angra Om Ya when they break through and try to take back the world. If you've read the series, that makes sense. If not, stop reading this and go pick up Sandman Slim, the first in the series. Now.

Basically, it all boils down to the fact that I adore Richard Kadrey's writing, and more than that, I LOVE the character of James Stark. I like my men with a large dose of attitude, an appreciation for good film, and a supernatural swagger, what can I say? I'd probably read a collection about him doing his laundry.

Not that he would. Because in this installment, we learn that laundry is one of the few things that actually strikes fear into the heart of Sandman Slim.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before this, my favorite book in the Sandman Slim series was definitely Kill the Dead, in terms of pacing, characterization, and overall plot. But Kill City Blues has kind of blown it out of the water. This is going to be a pretty short review simply because I have absolutely nothing negative to say.

I've loved watching Stark grow and change - in small, subtle but still clear ways - throughout the series, and I think having recently reread Sandman Slim and Kill the Dead, Kill City Blues just made those changes much clearer to me. There is a trauma in Stark that will never fully leave him, but he's more and more able to make tactically smart decisions that are less likely to put his friends and loved ones in danger. This book showed him more capable of feeling his own grief, although not wallowing in it or even necessarily coping with it well. It also provided some good insight into how he's handling moving on from Alice (not well! but better than previously).

Another thing I really enjoyed about Kill City Blues is that it was a slight change of pace from the other books in that it was less of an action feel and more like a thriller. Which is not to say that it wasn't packed full of action, because haha no, it's Kadrey and it's Stark, that's just not possible, but there was more palpable interpersonal tension and I really enjoyed that.

But I think my favorite thing about this book, honestly, was Candy. She got so much more space to stretch out in this book than she has in previous installments, and I love her more and more the more I see of her. She proved to be increasingly complex and autonomous from Stark while still caring very deeply about him. That's a really hard balance to strike, and I'm so happy that she didn't turn into just a romantic sidekick because I always worry about that.

Overall I can't recommend this book highly enough. Definitely the best Sandman Slim novel thus far, and it makes me even more excited for #6!

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great opening chapter has Stark, Candy and Samael in Donut Universe while Candy updates Stark and Samael’s Wikipedia pages. Stark and his angel half have reunited, he is back to being a nephilim and again has the Key to the Room of Thirteen Doors.

Stark is in a race to find the Qomrama Om Ya, a weapon greater than any other, before the old gods, namely the Angra Om Ya who existed before anything else, can take back and destroy the universe. Aleita has hidden it somewhere and Stark needs to find it before she can do her worst. Which requires a trip to Kill City, a creepy, abandoned shopping mall.

The world building is described in intricate detail and the dialogue and banter between the characters is superb. The violent action is way over the top and there’s a serious eww factor as Stark acquires more scars. Some surprise plot developments too.

I love the growth of Stark’s character and how he gets a little introspective in this story.

'Most nights I still dream about Hell. I can feel it inside me. It’s in the stink of my sweat. Flashing on the place even for a second makes me furious and sometimes afraid and sometimes ashamed of both those things.
On the plus side, I got up close and personal with the killer inside me. I learned I was good at taking lives. Doc Kinski called me a natural-born killer, so now it’s what I do. But I don’t always like it, and when I do, I don’t always like myself for liking it. That’s what Hell is. It’s the shithole bottom of the universe, but it’s a place where you’ll learn more about yourself than you ever wanted to know.'

This is gritty urban fantasy at it’s darkest. Richard Kadrey’s off the wall sense of humour and amazingly imaginative writing, not to mention the unique take on Heaven and Hell and their residents, make this series one of my favourites. The cast of characters, some new and others returning from previous books, is as bizarre and outlandish as ever.

[Eden Royce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kill City Blues is a tough, in your face thrill ride through crime-ridden L.A. and Hell. Wait… did I repeat myself?

Not really.

Kadrey manages to create in Slim the kind of character I love to read about: edgy, full of snide quips, protective of his loved ones, and willing to destroy anyone that endangers them. It’s apparent in Kill City that Slim has been through his own literal and figurative Hell already. And during the read I was given just enough information won what occurred in the previous books to stay with the current story, but not so much that I didn’t want top go back and read the other novels.

Slim is powerful, but he has his limits, which is the mark of a believable hero. There are a few times where he’s just out of juice and can’t magic his way out of a tight spot. Good thing he’s got some talented friends and frenemies.

Kill City doesn’t get too bogged down in description. It’s there, but interspersed with action that keeps the plot moving. There’s an initial quest that starts the book, then subplots are woven in with such skill that you almost can’t tell where they began. One thing I didn’t like was that the book isn’t separated into chapters. With the action that occurred, I would have liked to have that hard scene break.

I liked that Kadrey doesn’t have a problem with hurting his characters and putting them through it. Some authors tend to create nursery rhyme problems for their characters the deal with and the reader doesn’t get the sense that the character is ever really in danger. Not so with Slim or he members of his crew. They are thrown into some entanglements where you wonder how they will escape. And no one makes it to the end of the novel unscathed.

Which made me enjoy it all the more. When you have a tightly knit crew, as in this novel, if something happens to one member, it affects all. Kadrey isn’t afraid to show this in his novel.