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Eric Carter #2
Broken Souls
When necromancer Eric Carter returned to Los Angeles after fifteen years on the run he knew things were bad, but he never imagined how bad they could get. Sister murdered, best friend dead, married to the patron saint of death, Santa Muerte.
And things are just getting worse.
His link to the Aztec death goddess is changing his powers, changing him, and he’s not sure how far it will go. He’s starting to question his own sanity, wonder if he’s losing his mind. No mean feat for a guy who talks to the dead on a regular basis.
While searching for a way to break Santa Muerte’s hold over him, Carter finds himself the target of a psychopath who can steal anyone’s form, powers and memories. Identity theft is one thing, but the guy does it by killing his victims and wearing their skins like a suit. He can be anyone. He can be anywhere.
Now Carter has to change the game, go from hunted to hunter. All he has for help is a Skid Row Bruja and a ghost who’s either his dead friend Alex or Carter’s own guilt-fueled psychotic break.
If things go right, he just might survive a week where everything is trying to kill him and nothing is as it seems.
And things are just getting worse.
His link to the Aztec death goddess is changing his powers, changing him, and he’s not sure how far it will go. He’s starting to question his own sanity, wonder if he’s losing his mind. No mean feat for a guy who talks to the dead on a regular basis.
While searching for a way to break Santa Muerte’s hold over him, Carter finds himself the target of a psychopath who can steal anyone’s form, powers and memories. Identity theft is one thing, but the guy does it by killing his victims and wearing their skins like a suit. He can be anyone. He can be anywhere.
Now Carter has to change the game, go from hunted to hunter. All he has for help is a Skid Row Bruja and a ghost who’s either his dead friend Alex or Carter’s own guilt-fueled psychotic break.
If things go right, he just might survive a week where everything is trying to kill him and nothing is as it seems.
264 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 5, 2014
190 people are currently reading
1545 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Blackmoore
27 books799 followersStephen Blackmoore is the author of the noir / urban fantasy Eric Carter series (DEAD THINGS, BROKEN SOULS, HUNGRY GHOSTS, and FIRE SEASON), about a necromancer in modern-day Los Angeles.
You can find him online at stephenblackmoore.com, or follow him on Twitter at @sblackmoore.
You can find him online at stephenblackmoore.com, or follow him on Twitter at @sblackmoore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
May 24, 2023
I found a new crackerjack series! I'm so pleased.
Sure, our necromantic lead, Eric Carter, has similarities to Dresden. However, Blackmoore pares down the protective instinct justifications to a few sentences scattered here and there. Carter's upbringing is shockingly normal, if somewhat magical. And while Carter has a problematic relationship with an enormously powerful female deity, Santa Muerte, he's only mildly attracted to her, unlike Dresden and the White Queen. More importantly, Blackmoore does not sexualize every woman in the story, so he's already 80% more tolerable than Butcher.
This story involves a Bruja who is known for running a vampire halfway house on skid row, and multiple attempts on Carter's life. It has fast paced action and a twisty plot, although I did see one of the twists coming back in book one (yay, me!). Blackmoore brings in Mayan and Mexican cultural influences which spices up an often homogenous mythological field. There's a little side piece with summoning the Santa Ana winds that I particularly enjoyed, as many who have been to Los Angeles will.
I finished in one day. On to the next!
Sure, our necromantic lead, Eric Carter, has similarities to Dresden. However, Blackmoore pares down the protective instinct justifications to a few sentences scattered here and there. Carter's upbringing is shockingly normal, if somewhat magical. And while Carter has a problematic relationship with an enormously powerful female deity, Santa Muerte, he's only mildly attracted to her, unlike Dresden and the White Queen. More importantly, Blackmoore does not sexualize every woman in the story, so he's already 80% more tolerable than Butcher.
This story involves a Bruja who is known for running a vampire halfway house on skid row, and multiple attempts on Carter's life. It has fast paced action and a twisty plot, although I did see one of the twists coming back in book one (yay, me!). Blackmoore brings in Mayan and Mexican cultural influences which spices up an often homogenous mythological field. There's a little side piece with summoning the Santa Ana winds that I particularly enjoyed, as many who have been to Los Angeles will.
I finished in one day. On to the next!
September 5, 2022
Broken Souls
(Eric Carter #2)
by Stephen Blackmoore
After book one, I didn't think it could get better but I was wrong! Oh my! What a wild ride! Best friend dead and avatar for a god? Check!
Married to a death god? Check!
How to deal with the death god's husband god? Ummmm...
Lots of fun!!!
(Eric Carter #2)
by Stephen Blackmoore
After book one, I didn't think it could get better but I was wrong! Oh my! What a wild ride! Best friend dead and avatar for a god? Check!
Married to a death god? Check!
How to deal with the death god's husband god? Ummmm...
Lots of fun!!!
April 15, 2023
😮 Oh Wow This One Didn't Suck Either Buddy Read (OWTODSEBR™) with the MacHalos and stuff 😮No shit. Truer words were never spoken, methinks.
My new pal Eric Carter (aka Sandman Slim's third cousin thrice removed) really knows how to have fun, if you ask me. He spends this installmentbeing chased around by a psychopath who seems to be channeling his inner Dieter Rime frolicking away in the streets of L.A. , seeing sarcastic as fish, cryptic as shrimp dead people making new friends and quite possibly having a psychotic break basically having the time of his life.
My thoughts exactly.
Add to that slightly fished-up, somewhat duplicitous, scheming Aztec deities (I have a new boyfriend, his name is Mictlāntēuctli and he isunwillingly hilarious, just so you know), cute pets with tentacles (yay!), sharpie magic (sometimes the simplest tricks really are the coolest), a body count that has Glen Cook green with envy (that’s saying something), delightfully creeptastic, fairly batshit crazy kids, magic-infused tattoos, Gabriella aka my new girlfriend aka the machete-wielding, tiny, pissed off Xena , and what do you get? Me going all…
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking squid! Now that’s a twist I wasn’t expecting! Goes to show you can be both nefarious and clueless as fish.
👋 To be continued and stuff.
· Book 1: Dead Things ★★★★
· Book 3: Hungry Ghosts ★★★★
· Book 4: Fire Season ★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Aztec shenanigans FTW!
That's not exactly the type of shenanigans I had in mind but, yeah, sure, whatever.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
When otherworldly beings hand out magical artifacts it’d be nice if every once in a while they’d include a fucking manual.
My new pal Eric Carter (aka Sandman Slim's third cousin thrice removed) really knows how to have fun, if you ask me. He spends this installment
My thoughts exactly.
Add to that slightly fished-up, somewhat duplicitous, scheming Aztec deities (I have a new boyfriend, his name is Mictlāntēuctli and he is
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking squid! Now that’s a twist I wasn’t expecting! Goes to show you can be both nefarious and clueless as fish.
👋 To be continued and stuff.
· Book 1: Dead Things ★★★★
· Book 3: Hungry Ghosts ★★★★
· Book 4: Fire Season ★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Aztec shenanigans FTW!
That's not exactly the type of shenanigans I had in mind but, yeah, sure, whatever.
➽ Review to come and stuff.
September 2, 2014
Also reviewed for Addicted2Heroines.
This is nowhere near what I would consider my normal genre, but I really liked it anyway.
Broken Souls has that Pulp Fiction feel to it that made me think of hard-boiled detectives and L.A. noirish stuff.
Or at least, this is what I assume those books are like.
*cough, cough*
I've, uh, never actually read a True Crime story. But this was what I imagine they would be like.
Take my ramblings with a grain of salt.
Eric Carter isn't the kind of guy who has a girlfriend, he's the kind of guy who sometimes spends time with some dame who works at the diner.
Again. Not really. But in my mind that's what he does.
Also, in my head, he has a gravelly voice.
What? That was an important part of my internal reading experience!
Ok, I was a little nervous going into this, because I hadn't read the first book. But I gotta say, Blackmoore did an excellent job weaving the backstory from the first book into this one. There weren't great gobs of random info-dumps, either. I was lost for a few pages, but after that, it was relatively smooth sailing.
So an Aztec goddess of death killed his sister, and fucked up his life on multiple levels.
And, one shotgun wedding later...they're married.
Why? Read the first book and find out.
His mission is to find another mage with enough mojo to help him serve her divorce papers.
And when the book starts, he thinks he's found just the guy for the job.
Right up till the dude tries to skin him alive, all in the high hopes of wearing him as a meat-coat.
Yeah. Probably not the direction he was thinking their meeting would go.
Eric's sort of an assy guy, but you end up liking him anyway.
He's not a do-gooder, per say, but he's also not do-badder, either.
Do-badder is a real word. I looked it up. And since I've already done the work for you, there's no need for you to check and see if I'm lying. Really.
Even though Eric isn't the classic Knight in Shining Armor, he's still got enough of a good-guy vibe to keep you rooting for him.
The book's story centers on finding out who this skin-wearing dude is, and why he wants Eric so badly. But it also weaves into what is going on with his wife...and her ex-husband.
The plot is good, the pacing is tight, and the ending left me wanting more.
Like I said, it's not my normal cuppa, but I wouldn't hesitate to read the next book.
This is nowhere near what I would consider my normal genre, but I really liked it anyway.
Broken Souls has that Pulp Fiction feel to it that made me think of hard-boiled detectives and L.A. noirish stuff.
Or at least, this is what I assume those books are like.
*cough, cough*
I've, uh, never actually read a True Crime story. But this was what I imagine they would be like.
Take my ramblings with a grain of salt.
Eric Carter isn't the kind of guy who has a girlfriend, he's the kind of guy who sometimes spends time with some dame who works at the diner.
Again. Not really. But in my mind that's what he does.
Also, in my head, he has a gravelly voice.
What? That was an important part of my internal reading experience!
Ok, I was a little nervous going into this, because I hadn't read the first book. But I gotta say, Blackmoore did an excellent job weaving the backstory from the first book into this one. There weren't great gobs of random info-dumps, either. I was lost for a few pages, but after that, it was relatively smooth sailing.
So an Aztec goddess of death killed his sister, and fucked up his life on multiple levels.
And, one shotgun wedding later...they're married.
Why? Read the first book and find out.
His mission is to find another mage with enough mojo to help him serve her divorce papers.
And when the book starts, he thinks he's found just the guy for the job.
Right up till the dude tries to skin him alive, all in the high hopes of wearing him as a meat-coat.
Yeah. Probably not the direction he was thinking their meeting would go.
Eric's sort of an assy guy, but you end up liking him anyway.
He's not a do-gooder, per say, but he's also not do-badder, either.
Do-badder is a real word. I looked it up. And since I've already done the work for you, there's no need for you to check and see if I'm lying. Really.
Even though Eric isn't the classic Knight in Shining Armor, he's still got enough of a good-guy vibe to keep you rooting for him.
The book's story centers on finding out who this skin-wearing dude is, and why he wants Eric so badly. But it also weaves into what is going on with his wife...and her ex-husband.
The plot is good, the pacing is tight, and the ending left me wanting more.
Like I said, it's not my normal cuppa, but I wouldn't hesitate to read the next book.
May 8, 2016
I couldn't wait to finish this book. It took its sweet time to grab my attention.
I loved the first book, but Eric acted as if he lost his mind here. To be fair, I love the main premise for the series - a necromancer dealing with Aztec gods, ghosts, serial killers and stuff. In this book his antagonist can take other person's skin and wear it. Disgusting and creepy. Should have been awesome.
The twist in the end is good. It makes the Santa Muerte storyline more interesting. Another great thing about the story is that Vivian is only in one scene. I wasn't in the mood for all the accusations and whining. And you get another great female character introduced. I hope it's not the last time we see Gabriela.
Overall, an okay story, but I expect Hungry Ghosts to be better.
I loved the first book, but Eric acted as if he lost his mind here. To be fair, I love the main premise for the series - a necromancer dealing with Aztec gods, ghosts, serial killers and stuff. In this book his antagonist can take other person's skin and wear it. Disgusting and creepy. Should have been awesome.
The twist in the end is good. It makes the Santa Muerte storyline more interesting. Another great thing about the story is that Vivian is only in one scene. I wasn't in the mood for all the accusations and whining. And you get another great female character introduced. I hope it's not the last time we see Gabriela.
Overall, an okay story, but I expect Hungry Ghosts to be better.
September 13, 2017
This is what happens when you eat other people's souls. I don't recommend it.
Another crazy and dark adventure of the not-so-fun-kind, at least not for poor Eric. This is no nonsense UF and I got quite a kick out of it. I also liked the introduction of the Bruja. Hopefully she'll stick around. I'm moving straight into the third book.
Another crazy and dark adventure of the not-so-fun-kind, at least not for poor Eric. This is no nonsense UF and I got quite a kick out of it. I also liked the introduction of the Bruja. Hopefully she'll stick around. I'm moving straight into the third book.
November 29, 2020
Break-neck pace, magic and guns galore, and a marriage made in the afterlife, this tale of LA Noir Urban Fantasy is pure popcorn.
There really isn't a lot of character building here, but the empty calories sure are tasty.
Of course, since I was looking for just this kind of furious UF, I really can't complain. :)
There really isn't a lot of character building here, but the empty calories sure are tasty.
Of course, since I was looking for just this kind of furious UF, I really can't complain. :)
October 27, 2025
Ahora Eric esta como en el limbo. Quiere mantener a Vivian y a Tabitha a salvo, pero tiene que deshacerse del trato que hizo con "La Santa Muerte". Y en medio de todo esto, hay alguien que ha adquirido un poder que le permite cambiar de piel y "succionar" los pensamientos, sentimientos y poderes de la piel que usa, y va contra él!. Ahora resulta que no sabe ni siquiera porque lo buscan pero teme que puede ser por el vacío de poder que dejo al haber matado a Griffin. Pero podrá averiguar quien lo quiere muerto y porque? Cuál es ese poder que le permite "vestir" la piel del que asesina? Como puede combatirlo? Como puede mantener a las chicas a salvo?
Este libro estuvo mucho mas lleno de acción y mucha mitología azteca y personajes nuevos interesantes. Fue una lectura que me costo soltar desde el comienzo, y que prácticamente me leí en una sola sentada. Me gusto mucho mas como vemos al prota aquí, como se ve mas humano y se expresa mucho mejor, pero todavía siento que el autor esta forzando mucho el hecho de que le cueste tanto "recordar" o "caer en cuenta" de cosas casi que hasta el final.
En fin, la serie esta interesante y quiero saber como va a hacer para deshacerse de esos dos dioses y quien mas va a ayudarlo.
Este libro estuvo mucho mas lleno de acción y mucha mitología azteca y personajes nuevos interesantes. Fue una lectura que me costo soltar desde el comienzo, y que prácticamente me leí en una sola sentada. Me gusto mucho mas como vemos al prota aquí, como se ve mas humano y se expresa mucho mejor, pero todavía siento que el autor esta forzando mucho el hecho de que le cueste tanto "recordar" o "caer en cuenta" de cosas casi que hasta el final.
En fin, la serie esta interesante y quiero saber como va a hacer para deshacerse de esos dos dioses y quien mas va a ayudarlo.
December 31, 2024
Just a fun and interesting urban fantasy about necromancy.
July 20, 2023
“A group of ghosts is a fraid. No, really. I don’t know what jackass came up with that one, but it’s a real thing. A fraid of ghosts. Clearly, they’ve never seen a group of ghosts. Otherwise it’d be a “Pants-Shitting Terror” of ghosts.”
3.5ish. Some really cool action moments.
3.5ish. Some really cool action moments.
Read
December 17, 2022I read this some time ago. I can't remember anything about it, so I won't be reviewing it.
June 23, 2023
What a ride!
July 4, 2023
Dead things, supernatural, noir, existential crisis. Totally up my alley at the moment. I keep comparing Eric to Dresden but they are not the same.
February 2, 2017
In the Second Eric Carter novel, BROKEN SOULS, by Stephen Blackmoore, six months have passed since the events that occurred in DEAD THINGS. Things are twice as hectic, and detrimental as last time!
Forced into a marriage with the Queen of the Dead, Eric is desperate to find a way to annul the binding vows. Aside from a wedding band he can't remove from his finger, Eric's eyes have become like pitch black marbles. No iris, no whites. He knows he'd made a rash decision in getting married, but there has to be a way out of the mess.
Eric Carter's life is in shambles. His sister was brutally murdered, his best friend is dead, and his ex-girlfriend hates him. He learns he is now King of the Dead, thanks to his marriage. Only adding to the shambles, the Queen's ex might not be dead.
With the death of mob boss, Jean Boudreau, there is a clawing match for power over the territory. A front runner is Russian Sergei Gusarov, and his demented sister Katya. Eric find himself hunting down the two wannabes. They have a obsidian dagger, and skin people in order to wear the pelts. Magic is afoot. The dangers are close to home. And Eric is the center of the mobster's attention. In short -- Eric is being hunted by the psychopaths!
Eric teams up with Gabriela Cortez, a Bruja (witch), who is a do-gooder, giving shelter to vampires in a self-run hotel. She knows all about the dagger. It was hers. She wants it back. And like-minded, has no love for the Queen of the Dead. The plan is simple, just three steps. 1) Get the dagger, 2) Stop the Russians, and 3) Kill the Queen of the Dead.
Warnings come from everywhere, and soon Eric has no idea who he can trust, making their simple plan becomes a whole lot more complicated. The Russians seem to know Eric and Gabriela's every move before the moves are made . . . and for this they walk into trap after trap!
Stephen Blackmoore has a gift. His gritty noir writing style is smooth, and easy to follow. The storyline is complex, and compelling. The characters are amazingly well crafted, and the world created is defined and imaginative. BROKEN SOULS is as good as DEAD THINGS. If you are a fan of Harry Dresden, you are going to love Eric Carter!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series,
and The Vaccination Trilogy
Forced into a marriage with the Queen of the Dead, Eric is desperate to find a way to annul the binding vows. Aside from a wedding band he can't remove from his finger, Eric's eyes have become like pitch black marbles. No iris, no whites. He knows he'd made a rash decision in getting married, but there has to be a way out of the mess.
Eric Carter's life is in shambles. His sister was brutally murdered, his best friend is dead, and his ex-girlfriend hates him. He learns he is now King of the Dead, thanks to his marriage. Only adding to the shambles, the Queen's ex might not be dead.
With the death of mob boss, Jean Boudreau, there is a clawing match for power over the territory. A front runner is Russian Sergei Gusarov, and his demented sister Katya. Eric find himself hunting down the two wannabes. They have a obsidian dagger, and skin people in order to wear the pelts. Magic is afoot. The dangers are close to home. And Eric is the center of the mobster's attention. In short -- Eric is being hunted by the psychopaths!
Eric teams up with Gabriela Cortez, a Bruja (witch), who is a do-gooder, giving shelter to vampires in a self-run hotel. She knows all about the dagger. It was hers. She wants it back. And like-minded, has no love for the Queen of the Dead. The plan is simple, just three steps. 1) Get the dagger, 2) Stop the Russians, and 3) Kill the Queen of the Dead.
Warnings come from everywhere, and soon Eric has no idea who he can trust, making their simple plan becomes a whole lot more complicated. The Russians seem to know Eric and Gabriela's every move before the moves are made . . . and for this they walk into trap after trap!
Stephen Blackmoore has a gift. His gritty noir writing style is smooth, and easy to follow. The storyline is complex, and compelling. The characters are amazingly well crafted, and the world created is defined and imaginative. BROKEN SOULS is as good as DEAD THINGS. If you are a fan of Harry Dresden, you are going to love Eric Carter!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series,
and The Vaccination Trilogy
June 9, 2020
I’m really annoyed by how much I’m enjoying this series so far. It’s not terribly well written (but the plots are very compelling); the characters are far from likable (but their unflinching commitment to chaos is a lot of fun); and despite all of the times I find myself rolling my eyes at what I’m reading (some of the turns-of-phrase used are...just bad) I keep reading because I’m having a lot of fun.
The world of Eric Carter is full of fucked up magic and mages and demons and a whole lotta death, and for all the things about it that are objectively Not Great, it gives me the mind of urban horror-fantasy-noir that I begrudgingly find myself craving from time to time...so I’m ordering a copy of book 3 right now.
The world of Eric Carter is full of fucked up magic and mages and demons and a whole lotta death, and for all the things about it that are objectively Not Great, it gives me the mind of urban horror-fantasy-noir that I begrudgingly find myself craving from time to time...so I’m ordering a copy of book 3 right now.
February 24, 2024
I tend to steer clear of large series, preferring to read single novels and the ability to move on to something completely new once I'm finished. Until now. I recently decided to actively seek out series I might enjoy and make an exerted effort to progress my way through all the titles in those series.
I've zeroed in on several, the second of which is the Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore. The first being The Dresden Files, of course. And what a choice for an early endeavour to get out of my comfort zone. I clicked with this world and its main character right away and am more than sure I can go the distance. At least I'd better, since I've bought all nine books currently available.
I loved the first book, 'Dead Things'. But this second offering is something a little different. Well, the same, but different - you know what I mean. It's got some characters and places we're already familiar with, alongside a handful of new introductions. Something I appreciate here is we aren't deluged with a plethora of new stuff. There's just enough to make things feel new and interesting without drowning the reading with characters and elements to remember and get to know.
Blackmoore seems to have settled into his world in Broken Souls nicely and is just enjoying himself without trying to prove his worth, as I think he did to a certain extent in book one. But isn't every author guilty of that with their first book? The pacing works better here, it's more even, allowing the reader more time to breathe. You feel comfortable keeping up with events instead of constantly running to catch up.
We pick up around six months after the events of book one. There are some new nasty bad guys, a new cool kick-ass chick, a number of stolen cars and umpteen beatings for our antihero, as you would expect. The story is tight and flowing, always keeping the reader interested. This is a relatively short book, page-count-wise, at just 264. But Blackmoore does a fantastic job filling every chapter with page-turning excitement and enticement.
Something a little different here is the main bad guy, a multitude of people within one person. Obviously, I can't give anything away without spoiling things for anyone who wants to read this book, but it's quite a unique twist and hard to properly fathom, even as elements are gradually revealed.
One new character I really enjoyed was Alex, one of Eric's best friends whom we met in book one before Eric had to shoot him in the head. He pops up and annoys Carter throughout the story and it's one of the best elements in the book. I found myself turning pages hoping to see Alex more. He was a real treat. Of course, he's not what he seems, but not much is in the strange, strange, world of Eric Carter.
I'll be honest, I was hoping the books in this series would all be stand-alone stories. I'm new to series reading so forgive me for not knowing better. I thought it might be easier to keep track if each book was self-contained. But I was quickly happy to accept this is a continuation. It felt like slipping into nice clean bed covers, it felt right and homely. Being informed just enough about proceedings, instead of starting completely fresh, made for a better experience, I think.
Everything is nicely wound up at the end, all the loose ends knotted up tight. The last page offering quite a blatant teaser as to what havoc Eric may be intending to cause in book three, Hungry
Ghosts. In case you can't tell, I'm a fan.
Blatant website plug... www.blogthatbook.co.uk
I've zeroed in on several, the second of which is the Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore. The first being The Dresden Files, of course. And what a choice for an early endeavour to get out of my comfort zone. I clicked with this world and its main character right away and am more than sure I can go the distance. At least I'd better, since I've bought all nine books currently available.
I loved the first book, 'Dead Things'. But this second offering is something a little different. Well, the same, but different - you know what I mean. It's got some characters and places we're already familiar with, alongside a handful of new introductions. Something I appreciate here is we aren't deluged with a plethora of new stuff. There's just enough to make things feel new and interesting without drowning the reading with characters and elements to remember and get to know.
Blackmoore seems to have settled into his world in Broken Souls nicely and is just enjoying himself without trying to prove his worth, as I think he did to a certain extent in book one. But isn't every author guilty of that with their first book? The pacing works better here, it's more even, allowing the reader more time to breathe. You feel comfortable keeping up with events instead of constantly running to catch up.
We pick up around six months after the events of book one. There are some new nasty bad guys, a new cool kick-ass chick, a number of stolen cars and umpteen beatings for our antihero, as you would expect. The story is tight and flowing, always keeping the reader interested. This is a relatively short book, page-count-wise, at just 264. But Blackmoore does a fantastic job filling every chapter with page-turning excitement and enticement.
Something a little different here is the main bad guy, a multitude of people within one person. Obviously, I can't give anything away without spoiling things for anyone who wants to read this book, but it's quite a unique twist and hard to properly fathom, even as elements are gradually revealed.
One new character I really enjoyed was Alex, one of Eric's best friends whom we met in book one before Eric had to shoot him in the head. He pops up and annoys Carter throughout the story and it's one of the best elements in the book. I found myself turning pages hoping to see Alex more. He was a real treat. Of course, he's not what he seems, but not much is in the strange, strange, world of Eric Carter.
I'll be honest, I was hoping the books in this series would all be stand-alone stories. I'm new to series reading so forgive me for not knowing better. I thought it might be easier to keep track if each book was self-contained. But I was quickly happy to accept this is a continuation. It felt like slipping into nice clean bed covers, it felt right and homely. Being informed just enough about proceedings, instead of starting completely fresh, made for a better experience, I think.
Everything is nicely wound up at the end, all the loose ends knotted up tight. The last page offering quite a blatant teaser as to what havoc Eric may be intending to cause in book three, Hungry
Ghosts. In case you can't tell, I'm a fan.
Blatant website plug... www.blogthatbook.co.uk
December 18, 2015
Eric Carter is one of those protagonists who takes a serious beating basically constantly, and it makes his urban fantasy world feel a lot more real as he fires off spells and sics ghosts on people. He's a bit of a magical John McClane, and his emotional damage makes him as interesting as the physical scars he picks up.
Blackmoore does a great job of putting Carter into a mysterious world he only barely understands. This story and the one before it function as action-packed dives into the strange territory of a Los Angeles that feels simultaneously familiar, thanks to Blackmoore's attention to detail with the town and great job of explaining in small bits a world he's clearly got well developed in his mind. This book is a great time, just like the last Eric Carter story.
Blackmoore does a great job of putting Carter into a mysterious world he only barely understands. This story and the one before it function as action-packed dives into the strange territory of a Los Angeles that feels simultaneously familiar, thanks to Blackmoore's attention to detail with the town and great job of explaining in small bits a world he's clearly got well developed in his mind. This book is a great time, just like the last Eric Carter story.
September 24, 2014
Wow, is this a fast read. It zooms by. Blackmoore has a twisted, wicked mind--I like it! He's completely ruthless on his not-so-noble protagonist, necromancer Eric Carter. Eric wants to break his unholy matrimony with Santa Muerte and instead finds he's even deeper in her web than he realized. There's backstabbing upon backstabbing upon backstabbing, yet everything flows and makes sense. Blackmoore's Los Angeles is beautiful and dingy and honest.
March 10, 2018
This book was alright. I expected a lot more from it after the first book. I mostly felt like Dead Things was a pretty good book with some big and some small flaws that might improve as the series goes on and the writer gets more comfortable with the characters and world. I think some of the minor things are cleaned up to an extent, but some of the major issues are still there and even some of the things I liked in the first book are lacking in this one. Ultimately, we're left with a book that is definitely an improvement in some ways, but still ends up being a step back because of other issues.
On the minor end, I think Eric and the minor characters are more interesting than in Dead Things. Eric is still mostly an asshole, but he's a BIT more likable in this book. That said, he does go on a GTA style temper tantrum and shoot a stranger's car because he didn't like them honking at him for standing in the middle of the road. But at least he admitted that he probably shouldn't have done that. Baby steps. There's also a noticeable decrease in the overuse of the f-bomb in this book, which makes his voice a touch less eye-rolly.
I enjoyed the minor characters in this book a lot more than in the first book. I think they could still use some work, but Dead Things was severely lacking in this department in my opinion and this book has at least decent minor characters. I also liked that we got an attractive female ally who wasn't just a love interest and had her own motives and alignments, though I ultimately didn't like her as much as I thought I would. The villains are better than in the first book. They aren't great, but I thought the villains in the first book were its biggest flaw as they were pretty lame and idiotic most of the time, so I'm glad Broken Souls wasn't a repeat of that at least.
Unfortunately, Eric's still not very likable. I think that's okay to an extent as he fits the story as (sort of) an antihero that fits the darker setting and plot. And despite being a dick, he's not completely a raving sociopath (other than stealing random people's cars repeatedly with no real moral qualm). But without more, he's left not being as interesting as I would like. I find myself mainly only rooting for him because I want to see things develop, not because I particularly want to see him succeed.
Another major qualm for me is that I was hoping the magic would be explored in a bit more depth with more clarity than in the first book, but it wasn't really.
I expected the Santa Muerte storyline to develop a lot following the last book. I was a bit disappointed that Eric's first choice was to try and be rid of the bond before he really has much idea what all it entails. I don't think it's an irrational decision as they didn't exactly get together on the best terms. But still, the book is clear that Eric's bond gives him significantly more power. Being the egotist he is, I would've liked to see him indulge in and enjoy that power a bit instead of immediately trying to get out of the whole arrangement. As I said, the terms and conditions of the arrangement's coming to be were pretty shitty though, so I can't say it was an unreasonable decision.
I won't say too much on how the Santa Muerte storyline develops since that deals with some of the bigger spoilers of this book, but I do think some of it's fairly interesting and alarming. Plus, it develops more of the whole Aztec mythos that I think makes Eric Carter as a series stand out a little better instead of just dealing with cut and paste werewolves and vampires.
The main plot of this book felt a bit flimsy to me, which was my biggest disappointment coming off the first book, which I think, despite its flaws, had a strong and fast-moving plot throughout. Even now, I'm having a hard time even remembering it since there wasn't much to it. Eric's up against some kind of shapeshifter with a magic knife and he and his sidekick are bad. He has to team up with some new allies (who seemed to just pop up in the world since he's burned so many bridges in the last book) to do this. So they face off. I feel like a lot of the plot was very reactionary on Eric's part. That doesn't always bother me, but it felt excessive enough to be annoying to me here. I also just feel like the plot didn't really develop at a steady pace, perhaps because there was much less of a mystery element to the plot than in the first book.
Overall, this isn't a bad book, but I did feel that while there were some improvements, it was a step back from the first book. I'm still willing to read the next book and I wouldn't say I regretted reading this one, but I do wish it had been better.
On the minor end, I think Eric and the minor characters are more interesting than in Dead Things. Eric is still mostly an asshole, but he's a BIT more likable in this book. That said, he does go on a GTA style temper tantrum and shoot a stranger's car because he didn't like them honking at him for standing in the middle of the road. But at least he admitted that he probably shouldn't have done that. Baby steps. There's also a noticeable decrease in the overuse of the f-bomb in this book, which makes his voice a touch less eye-rolly.
I enjoyed the minor characters in this book a lot more than in the first book. I think they could still use some work, but Dead Things was severely lacking in this department in my opinion and this book has at least decent minor characters. I also liked that we got an attractive female ally who wasn't just a love interest and had her own motives and alignments, though I ultimately didn't like her as much as I thought I would. The villains are better than in the first book. They aren't great, but I thought the villains in the first book were its biggest flaw as they were pretty lame and idiotic most of the time, so I'm glad Broken Souls wasn't a repeat of that at least.
Unfortunately, Eric's still not very likable. I think that's okay to an extent as he fits the story as (sort of) an antihero that fits the darker setting and plot. And despite being a dick, he's not completely a raving sociopath (other than stealing random people's cars repeatedly with no real moral qualm). But without more, he's left not being as interesting as I would like. I find myself mainly only rooting for him because I want to see things develop, not because I particularly want to see him succeed.
Another major qualm for me is that I was hoping the magic would be explored in a bit more depth with more clarity than in the first book, but it wasn't really.
I expected the Santa Muerte storyline to develop a lot following the last book. I was a bit disappointed that Eric's first choice was to try and be rid of the bond before he really has much idea what all it entails. I don't think it's an irrational decision as they didn't exactly get together on the best terms. But still, the book is clear that Eric's bond gives him significantly more power. Being the egotist he is, I would've liked to see him indulge in and enjoy that power a bit instead of immediately trying to get out of the whole arrangement. As I said, the terms and conditions of the arrangement's coming to be were pretty shitty though, so I can't say it was an unreasonable decision.
I won't say too much on how the Santa Muerte storyline develops since that deals with some of the bigger spoilers of this book, but I do think some of it's fairly interesting and alarming. Plus, it develops more of the whole Aztec mythos that I think makes Eric Carter as a series stand out a little better instead of just dealing with cut and paste werewolves and vampires.
The main plot of this book felt a bit flimsy to me, which was my biggest disappointment coming off the first book, which I think, despite its flaws, had a strong and fast-moving plot throughout. Even now, I'm having a hard time even remembering it since there wasn't much to it. Eric's up against some kind of shapeshifter with a magic knife and he and his sidekick are bad. He has to team up with some new allies (who seemed to just pop up in the world since he's burned so many bridges in the last book) to do this. So they face off. I feel like a lot of the plot was very reactionary on Eric's part. That doesn't always bother me, but it felt excessive enough to be annoying to me here. I also just feel like the plot didn't really develop at a steady pace, perhaps because there was much less of a mystery element to the plot than in the first book.
Overall, this isn't a bad book, but I did feel that while there were some improvements, it was a step back from the first book. I'm still willing to read the next book and I wouldn't say I regretted reading this one, but I do wish it had been better.
September 30, 2024
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading
; skaitom nakties rezimu
Onwards with the Series September, picked up next book in Eric Carter series, Broken Souls by Stephen Blackmoore. This is getting wildly curious, ngl.
My Opinion: It’s interesting how simple the story was, and yet how proportionally complex was its plot, leaving reader in doubt and wonder. I really like it when authors manage to keep that intrigue, and not turn the clues one way or another. Eric is a well written character, even if people around him aren’t fully fleshed out. And the story is captivating. Best way I can describe this, is imagine the DMC Dante, the one with brown hair, but less sword-y, and more spell-y, with vengeance directed at forces of nature so great that to us those are just outright gods. And you just know he’s not fooling around when he’s threatening them either. Looking forwards to reading the next one.
A very solid 4 out of 5.
Onwards with the Series September, picked up next book in Eric Carter series, Broken Souls by Stephen Blackmoore. This is getting wildly curious, ngl.
My Opinion: It’s interesting how simple the story was, and yet how proportionally complex was its plot, leaving reader in doubt and wonder. I really like it when authors manage to keep that intrigue, and not turn the clues one way or another. Eric is a well written character, even if people around him aren’t fully fleshed out. And the story is captivating. Best way I can describe this, is imagine the DMC Dante, the one with brown hair, but less sword-y, and more spell-y, with vengeance directed at forces of nature so great that to us those are just outright gods. And you just know he’s not fooling around when he’s threatening them either. Looking forwards to reading the next one.
A very solid 4 out of 5.
May 6, 2021
It's been ages since Dead Things, the first book in the Eric Carter series, but it was quite easy to jump right back into this urban fantasy world from Stephen Blackmoore. I almost forgot how much I enjoyed it actually. It's a great mix of urban fantasy, horror, and mystery and it doesn't pull any punches. It's definitely a tough ride for Eric, that's for sure. As for Eric, I'd somehow forgotten that he's a morally gray character - and I really appreciate those types of characters. I'm so happy I can jump right in to the third book in the series, Hungry Ghosts.
July 3, 2018
3.5 stars.
August 21, 2024
Nicht ganz so gut wie der erste Teil, und endet mit einem - wie ich finde - fiesen Cliffhanger. Dumm, da der 3. Teil nicht übersetzt wurde... 3,5 Sterne
March 17, 2025
Dvojka nadväzuje tam, kde jednotka začala. Náš nekromant si líže mentálne rany, ktoré utŕžil v deji prvej knižky a snaží sa nájsť spôsob, ako sa vyviazať zo zväzku s istým aztéckym božstvom, do ktorého ho okolnosti donútili vstúpiť.
Miesto pomoci však natrafí len na ďalšieho nepriateľa so starobylým rituálnym nožom, s ktorým ho chce až príliš dôverne zoznámiť. A opäť sa spustí kolotoč hustej akcie, v ktorom je Erik viac bitý ako sýty (vážne, už dlho som nečítal knihu, kde hlavná postava schytáva také náklady. Je to vlastne magická verzia Rockyho).
Na konci sa opäť dočkáme prekvapivého odhalenia - pozadie udalostí je oveľa zložitejšie, než sa na začiatku zdalo. A to je dobre! Erika zdá sa čaká ešte veľa práce.
Miesto pomoci však natrafí len na ďalšieho nepriateľa so starobylým rituálnym nožom, s ktorým ho chce až príliš dôverne zoznámiť. A opäť sa spustí kolotoč hustej akcie, v ktorom je Erik viac bitý ako sýty (vážne, už dlho som nečítal knihu, kde hlavná postava schytáva také náklady. Je to vlastne magická verzia Rockyho).
Na konci sa opäť dočkáme prekvapivého odhalenia - pozadie udalostí je oveľa zložitejšie, než sa na začiatku zdalo. A to je dobre! Erika zdá sa čaká ešte veľa práce.
August 5, 2014
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/08/...
Oh, man, have I missed Eric Carter. Shame on Stephen Blackmoore for not writing faster for my enjoyment! Just kidding, I’m willing to wait, because I know it’ll be worth it, and Broken Souls proves that. To catch you up a bit, Eric isn’t exactly the luckiest guy. His sister was murdered not too long ago. His best friend, Alex, is dead, and his ex-girlfriend Vivian (who was hooked up with Alex), blames him and won’t speak to him (he doesn’t blame her), and he’s married to Santa Muerte (he made a deal, long story), whose grinning skull does nothing to put a man in the mood. No, seriously, she’s claimed Eric as her own, which comes with a few magical perks, but Eric will gladly trade those perks for his freedom. Anyway, his priority, at the beginning of Broken Souls, is finding a way out of the deal he made with Santa Muerte, and calls on a mage he knows to help him out. Except, someone his squatting in the mage’s skin and wielding an obsidian blade, and he (it?) is out to skin Eric. Nothing our hero can’t handle, right?
Luckily, Eric does have a little help in the form of the Bruja, who runs a half-way house for vamps and other “others”, and he’s getting advice from something that looks and sounds like Alex, but he’s not sure it actually is Alex. He does know it’s not a ghost, but other than that, he’s at a loss. But, Eric will take what he can get. What exactly is driving this killer, and why is he after Eric? The answer may be more than Eric and his new friends bargain for, but they have no choice but to try to stop it. And what exactly does Santa Muerte want from Eric? She’s being coy, but right now, it’s really the least of his problems.
This is a fantastic series. Eric talks tough and acts like he doesn’t need anyone, but under all that bluster is a core of loneliness-keep an eye out for a scene where the Bruja calls him out on exactly this. Speaking of the Bruja…she’s awesome, and she’s my favorite new character. She’s funny too, so bonus points. She and Eric play off each other perfectly. So, yeah, there are some funny lines in this book, but things get really dark, as they usually do, and gawd…my jaw dropped in a few places. See, I’m kind of a pain in the ass reader. It’s hard to surprise me. Blackmoore surprised me. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s a great thing, but damn…
Anyway, Broken Souls is chock full of great and gory fight scenes, ghosts, gods, double crosses out the wazoo, and, like I said, plenty of surprises. I love Blackmoore’s noir-tinged supernatural L.A., and the city is almost a character unto itself. I love the little historical tidbits that Eric throws out-it really adds some atmosphere to an already very atmospheric story. I’ve become really, really picky when it comes to urban fantasy lately, and there’s a group of authors that are writing consistently excellent stuff: Chuck Wendig, Chris F. Holm, ML Brennan (and a few more)…and Stephen Blackmoore. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. This one will keep you up late. Promise. I would like one of those calaveras etched rings though…
Oh, man, have I missed Eric Carter. Shame on Stephen Blackmoore for not writing faster for my enjoyment! Just kidding, I’m willing to wait, because I know it’ll be worth it, and Broken Souls proves that. To catch you up a bit, Eric isn’t exactly the luckiest guy. His sister was murdered not too long ago. His best friend, Alex, is dead, and his ex-girlfriend Vivian (who was hooked up with Alex), blames him and won’t speak to him (he doesn’t blame her), and he’s married to Santa Muerte (he made a deal, long story), whose grinning skull does nothing to put a man in the mood. No, seriously, she’s claimed Eric as her own, which comes with a few magical perks, but Eric will gladly trade those perks for his freedom. Anyway, his priority, at the beginning of Broken Souls, is finding a way out of the deal he made with Santa Muerte, and calls on a mage he knows to help him out. Except, someone his squatting in the mage’s skin and wielding an obsidian blade, and he (it?) is out to skin Eric. Nothing our hero can’t handle, right?
Luckily, Eric does have a little help in the form of the Bruja, who runs a half-way house for vamps and other “others”, and he’s getting advice from something that looks and sounds like Alex, but he’s not sure it actually is Alex. He does know it’s not a ghost, but other than that, he’s at a loss. But, Eric will take what he can get. What exactly is driving this killer, and why is he after Eric? The answer may be more than Eric and his new friends bargain for, but they have no choice but to try to stop it. And what exactly does Santa Muerte want from Eric? She’s being coy, but right now, it’s really the least of his problems.
This is a fantastic series. Eric talks tough and acts like he doesn’t need anyone, but under all that bluster is a core of loneliness-keep an eye out for a scene where the Bruja calls him out on exactly this. Speaking of the Bruja…she’s awesome, and she’s my favorite new character. She’s funny too, so bonus points. She and Eric play off each other perfectly. So, yeah, there are some funny lines in this book, but things get really dark, as they usually do, and gawd…my jaw dropped in a few places. See, I’m kind of a pain in the ass reader. It’s hard to surprise me. Blackmoore surprised me. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s a great thing, but damn…
Anyway, Broken Souls is chock full of great and gory fight scenes, ghosts, gods, double crosses out the wazoo, and, like I said, plenty of surprises. I love Blackmoore’s noir-tinged supernatural L.A., and the city is almost a character unto itself. I love the little historical tidbits that Eric throws out-it really adds some atmosphere to an already very atmospheric story. I’ve become really, really picky when it comes to urban fantasy lately, and there’s a group of authors that are writing consistently excellent stuff: Chuck Wendig, Chris F. Holm, ML Brennan (and a few more)…and Stephen Blackmoore. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. This one will keep you up late. Promise. I would like one of those calaveras etched rings though…
December 20, 2017
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
Encore une réussite pour cette série, j'ai bien aimé ce tome. On est toujours sur une histoire relativement courte mais très intense et la mythologie est vraiment originale.
Ce tome est la suite directe du précédent, ici pas d'intrigue indépendante comme dans pas mal de séries d'urban fantasy mais bien une vrai suite qui ne peut pas se lire dans le désordre.
Eric cherche à trouver du soutiens et des conseils sur comment se sortir de la situation dans laquelle il est concernant la Santa Muerte. Il arrive à contacter une des personnes les plus qualifiée pour l'aider, un ancien ami. Mais sur les lieux du rendez vous il s'aperçoit que ce n'est pas la personne en question qui l'a rejoint mais un voleur de corps, une personne qui a pris l’apparence et le corps de son ami pour le piéger et l'assassiner ...
En fait la vrai histoire commence ici. Le premier tome était un tome de découverte du monde et de l'intrigue et ici tout commence vraiment à se mettre bien en place. Nous en apprenons donc bien plus sur le monde, les tenants et aboutissant du pacte qu'Eric a fait, et nous continuons de découvrir certains pans de la mythologie. En parlant de mythologie, la ou précédemment nous avions plein de dieux et autres créatures de tout les genres de folklore, ici on est bien plus centré sur la partie Aztèque. On en apprends plus sur les différents dieux, etc ...
L'arrangement avec la Santa Muerte, qu'Eric aimerais bien se débarrasser, n'est pas non plus si négatif que ça pour lui car il est aussi assorti de pas mal de boost de ses pouvoirs et autres nouveautés qu'il commence à peine à découvrir et qui l'aident grandement lorsqu'on cherche à l'assassiner - ce qui arrive tout au long du tome en fait. Assorti du fait d'être hanté par une personne qui est morte dans le tome précédent et qui l'aide régulièrement en le renseignant ce qui lui sauve la vie à plusieurs reprises.
Un autre point que j'adore dans cette série pour l'instant c'est qu'il n'y a pas de page perdues. On a un livre court mais chaque ligne est à sa place, nécessaire. Le résultat est une intrigue vraiment intense du début à la fin, et pas dans le sens ou tout est bardé d'action, non, mais plus que tout est dynamique, connecté ou important et rien ne semble avoir été rajouté juste pour faire du chiffre ou délayer l'intrigue.
Le tout dans une ambiance toujours aussi cru et sombre, à la limite du trash à certains moment.
Un condensé en quelque sorte, qui se dévore et qui nous laisse en vouloir bien plus.
J'avoue que quand j'ai terminé ce tome je pensais que l'intrigue pouvait se terminer rapidement vu la structure des deux premiers tomes, mais sachant que justement l'intrigue est totalement basé à chaque fois sur les choses qu'on ne sait pas encore et qui sont surement à l'agenda de Santa Muerte ou d'un autre dieu, il y a surement de quoi faire bien plus, ce qui n'est vraiment pas pour me déplaire.
Du coup j'ai été joie quand j'ai appris que l'auteur avait prévu 6 tomes au total. Je lirais la suite avec plaisir.
17/20
Encore une réussite pour cette série, j'ai bien aimé ce tome. On est toujours sur une histoire relativement courte mais très intense et la mythologie est vraiment originale.
Ce tome est la suite directe du précédent, ici pas d'intrigue indépendante comme dans pas mal de séries d'urban fantasy mais bien une vrai suite qui ne peut pas se lire dans le désordre.
Eric cherche à trouver du soutiens et des conseils sur comment se sortir de la situation dans laquelle il est concernant la Santa Muerte. Il arrive à contacter une des personnes les plus qualifiée pour l'aider, un ancien ami. Mais sur les lieux du rendez vous il s'aperçoit que ce n'est pas la personne en question qui l'a rejoint mais un voleur de corps, une personne qui a pris l’apparence et le corps de son ami pour le piéger et l'assassiner ...
En fait la vrai histoire commence ici. Le premier tome était un tome de découverte du monde et de l'intrigue et ici tout commence vraiment à se mettre bien en place. Nous en apprenons donc bien plus sur le monde, les tenants et aboutissant du pacte qu'Eric a fait, et nous continuons de découvrir certains pans de la mythologie. En parlant de mythologie, la ou précédemment nous avions plein de dieux et autres créatures de tout les genres de folklore, ici on est bien plus centré sur la partie Aztèque. On en apprends plus sur les différents dieux, etc ...
L'arrangement avec la Santa Muerte, qu'Eric aimerais bien se débarrasser, n'est pas non plus si négatif que ça pour lui car il est aussi assorti de pas mal de boost de ses pouvoirs et autres nouveautés qu'il commence à peine à découvrir et qui l'aident grandement lorsqu'on cherche à l'assassiner - ce qui arrive tout au long du tome en fait. Assorti du fait d'être hanté par une personne qui est morte dans le tome précédent et qui l'aide régulièrement en le renseignant ce qui lui sauve la vie à plusieurs reprises.
Un autre point que j'adore dans cette série pour l'instant c'est qu'il n'y a pas de page perdues. On a un livre court mais chaque ligne est à sa place, nécessaire. Le résultat est une intrigue vraiment intense du début à la fin, et pas dans le sens ou tout est bardé d'action, non, mais plus que tout est dynamique, connecté ou important et rien ne semble avoir été rajouté juste pour faire du chiffre ou délayer l'intrigue.
Le tout dans une ambiance toujours aussi cru et sombre, à la limite du trash à certains moment.
Un condensé en quelque sorte, qui se dévore et qui nous laisse en vouloir bien plus.
J'avoue que quand j'ai terminé ce tome je pensais que l'intrigue pouvait se terminer rapidement vu la structure des deux premiers tomes, mais sachant que justement l'intrigue est totalement basé à chaque fois sur les choses qu'on ne sait pas encore et qui sont surement à l'agenda de Santa Muerte ou d'un autre dieu, il y a surement de quoi faire bien plus, ce qui n'est vraiment pas pour me déplaire.
Du coup j'ai été joie quand j'ai appris que l'auteur avait prévu 6 tomes au total. Je lirais la suite avec plaisir.
17/20
November 14, 2022
Quit at 56%. I am just not getting on well with this series. On paper I should like it, but it's tedious, lifeless and just can't hold my attention.
Also, the model on the cover is a completely different person from the book 1 guy. I prefer book 1 Eric and that's it.
UPDATE:
I read this, finally. Still bothered by the fact the covers all have a different guy.
Eric realises that someone can murder people and steal their appearances when he gets attacked by the person doing it. But why would someone do that and what can be done about it? Meanwhile, someone assumed dead starts talking to him again. Even for a necromancer, it's slightly weird.
The big issue with this series is that we have big reveals that are supposed to be emotional, but they have zero emotional punch, because we don't know these characters that much. The payoff doesn't really do anything when the characters barely even did anything and half of that was freaking annoying anyway.
The mysteries are competent, the action is pretty good. Hell, Eric is fine as a character, I am okay with him. But something is missing. Sure, the books are pretty short and we are two books in, but what will be left for book 10 to do that has emotion if we blow everything on the first few, when it all doesn't matter that much either? That is my biggest question. At this point people are all just dead around Eric. So we will have new, throwaway, random people forever, because nobody is allowed any development. Plus, we are back to square one with the new ones not liking or trusting Eric.
I would love to see more of the big power players behind the story. So far it all just leads back to the same people, so I don't know if that will stay the same. This is less of a problem, we have more than enough time for developing the world.
Also, the model on the cover is a completely different person from the book 1 guy. I prefer book 1 Eric and that's it.
UPDATE:
I read this, finally. Still bothered by the fact the covers all have a different guy.
Eric realises that someone can murder people and steal their appearances when he gets attacked by the person doing it. But why would someone do that and what can be done about it? Meanwhile, someone assumed dead starts talking to him again. Even for a necromancer, it's slightly weird.
The big issue with this series is that we have big reveals that are supposed to be emotional, but they have zero emotional punch, because we don't know these characters that much. The payoff doesn't really do anything when the characters barely even did anything and half of that was freaking annoying anyway.
The mysteries are competent, the action is pretty good. Hell, Eric is fine as a character, I am okay with him. But something is missing. Sure, the books are pretty short and we are two books in, but what will be left for book 10 to do that has emotion if we blow everything on the first few, when it all doesn't matter that much either? That is my biggest question. At this point people are all just dead around Eric. So we will have new, throwaway, random people forever, because nobody is allowed any development. Plus, we are back to square one with the new ones not liking or trusting Eric.
I would love to see more of the big power players behind the story. So far it all just leads back to the same people, so I don't know if that will stay the same. This is less of a problem, we have more than enough time for developing the world.
February 28, 2024
You may recall that I discovered the Eric Carter sequence in a Daw Books Facebook post last fall. Somehow, up until that point I had never heard of Stephen Blackmoore. Long story short, the kind folks at Daw hooked me up with a copy of Dead Things and I immediately knew that I'd be reading the rest of the series.
If you're like me, with any new urban fantasy series featuring a male lead, I'm always worried that it will end up being a Dresden clone. So I'm pleased to report that three books into this series, although there are similarities between Butcher's Dresden Files and this one, such as a powerful mostly self-taught young magic-user with ex-girlfriend issues, with few friends and plenty of enemies, and with untapped power levels that he is unaware of, who has come to the attention of higher beings who may seek to recruit or kill him, Eric Carter is no Harry Dresden. Like its predecessor, Broken Souls may read like the episodic early Dresden Files installments, yet Blackmoore's novels continue to read more like paranormal and gritty noir murder mystery works than anything else. Again, expect more blood and gore and a somewhat engaging protagonist, but not as endearing as Harry Dresden. Not yet at least. Eric Carter is slowly growing on the audience, but he remains a good-hearthed asshole with a knack for turning every bad situation into a worse one.
Here's the blurb:
Stephen Blackmoore’s dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.
Sister murdered, best friend dead, married to the patron saint of death, Santa Muerte. Necromancer Eric Carter’s return to Los Angeles hasn’t gone well, and it’s about to get even worse.
His link to the Aztec death goddess is changing his powers, changing him, and he’s not sure how far it will go. He’s starting to question his own sanity, wonder if he’s losing his mind. No mean feat for a guy who talks to the dead on a regular basis.
While searching for a way to break Santa Muerte’s hold over him, Carter finds himself the target of a psychopath who can steal anyone’s form, powers, and memories. Identity theft is one thing, but this guy does it by killing his victims and wearing their skins like a suit. He can be anyone. He can be anywhere.
Now Carter has to change the game — go from hunted to hunter. All he has for help is a Skid Row bruja and a ghost who’s either his dead friend Alex or the manifestation of Carter’s own guilt-fueled psychotic break.
Everything is trying to kill him. Nothing is as it seems. If all his plans go perfectly, he might survive the week.
He’s hoping that’s a good thing.
As mentioned in my previous review, what I probably hate the most about urban fantasy works is that the market demands that they be short and relatively fast-paced reads. Which means that the first few volumes of any series in this subgenre are always stingy on the worldbuilding front. That facet is usually built upon with each subsequent novel, sometimes reaching amazing and unanticipated heights. It's too early to tell whether or not this aspect of the Eric Carter series will echo with the sort of depth that has come to characterize urban fantasy series by authors such as Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green, but it looks good thus far. In Dead Things, Blackmoore did a good job explaining how necromancy works and how Carter can use his powers. The same could be said for his surprisingly powerful magical toys. Trouble is, and that was to be expected, very little was said about how the magical world at large and the theology underpinning it actually work. Making the death goddess Santa Muerte, patron saint of the Narcos, part of the story would likely have important repercussions down the line. The author is more generous with his revelations this time around and it's obvious that having Mayan and Mexican cultural influences add new dimensions to the series mythology and might give the Eric Carter books a somewhat unique flavor if Blackmoore keeps at it. Time will tell.
As I said before, as a do-gooder at heart but with a knack to see most of what he touches turn to shit, Eric Carter is an easy protagonist to root for. Once again, he's a foul-mouthed smartass who gets beaten to a pulp way too many times in the span of such a short novel, but there is still something about him that makes you care for the poor fool. In my review of Dead Things, I envisioned him as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad, but imagine Jesse as a badass necromancer. Given its pace, the first volume didn't allow for much character development and Carter was an idiot for the most part because he's trying to protect those he loves without realizing that he's alienating them in the process. He has been running from his past for a long time and now it's catching up to him. The ending of the first installment forced Carter to lay low for a while, but now new problems find a way to put him and those he loves in the line of fire. Finding himself in the middle of marital problems between two deities just might be the death of him. On the characterization front, Gabriella makes a nice addition to the supporting cast, and fleshing out Tabitha was also an improvement.
Once more in Broken Souls, Blackmoore captures the LA noir setting quite well and he keeps the tale moving at a good clip. So much so that you reach the end in no time. This is a problem endemic to most urban fantasy series, so it's not the author's fault. But as I'm about to finish reading the third volume, Hungry Ghosts, I can't help but feel that these two works could have been a single novel and would have been better for that. Indeed, I'm fortunate enough to be able to jump into the next one as soon as I finish the other. But would I manage to maintain the same level of interest had I been forced to wait a year or two between books given how quickly I go through them? Hard to say.
If you are looking for a gritty urban fantasy series featuring a deeply flawed male lead, the Eric Carter books are for you. There is definitely potential for bigger and better things to come, and it looks as though Stephen Blackmoore has a few tricks up his sleeve. Almost three novels into this sequence and I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. It remains to be seen whether or not Stephen Blackmoore can up his game and elevate this series to another level, but so far it's been an entertaining read. Urban fantasy fans should definitely give these books a shot.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
If you're like me, with any new urban fantasy series featuring a male lead, I'm always worried that it will end up being a Dresden clone. So I'm pleased to report that three books into this series, although there are similarities between Butcher's Dresden Files and this one, such as a powerful mostly self-taught young magic-user with ex-girlfriend issues, with few friends and plenty of enemies, and with untapped power levels that he is unaware of, who has come to the attention of higher beings who may seek to recruit or kill him, Eric Carter is no Harry Dresden. Like its predecessor, Broken Souls may read like the episodic early Dresden Files installments, yet Blackmoore's novels continue to read more like paranormal and gritty noir murder mystery works than anything else. Again, expect more blood and gore and a somewhat engaging protagonist, but not as endearing as Harry Dresden. Not yet at least. Eric Carter is slowly growing on the audience, but he remains a good-hearthed asshole with a knack for turning every bad situation into a worse one.
Here's the blurb:
Stephen Blackmoore’s dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.
Sister murdered, best friend dead, married to the patron saint of death, Santa Muerte. Necromancer Eric Carter’s return to Los Angeles hasn’t gone well, and it’s about to get even worse.
His link to the Aztec death goddess is changing his powers, changing him, and he’s not sure how far it will go. He’s starting to question his own sanity, wonder if he’s losing his mind. No mean feat for a guy who talks to the dead on a regular basis.
While searching for a way to break Santa Muerte’s hold over him, Carter finds himself the target of a psychopath who can steal anyone’s form, powers, and memories. Identity theft is one thing, but this guy does it by killing his victims and wearing their skins like a suit. He can be anyone. He can be anywhere.
Now Carter has to change the game — go from hunted to hunter. All he has for help is a Skid Row bruja and a ghost who’s either his dead friend Alex or the manifestation of Carter’s own guilt-fueled psychotic break.
Everything is trying to kill him. Nothing is as it seems. If all his plans go perfectly, he might survive the week.
He’s hoping that’s a good thing.
As mentioned in my previous review, what I probably hate the most about urban fantasy works is that the market demands that they be short and relatively fast-paced reads. Which means that the first few volumes of any series in this subgenre are always stingy on the worldbuilding front. That facet is usually built upon with each subsequent novel, sometimes reaching amazing and unanticipated heights. It's too early to tell whether or not this aspect of the Eric Carter series will echo with the sort of depth that has come to characterize urban fantasy series by authors such as Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green, but it looks good thus far. In Dead Things, Blackmoore did a good job explaining how necromancy works and how Carter can use his powers. The same could be said for his surprisingly powerful magical toys. Trouble is, and that was to be expected, very little was said about how the magical world at large and the theology underpinning it actually work. Making the death goddess Santa Muerte, patron saint of the Narcos, part of the story would likely have important repercussions down the line. The author is more generous with his revelations this time around and it's obvious that having Mayan and Mexican cultural influences add new dimensions to the series mythology and might give the Eric Carter books a somewhat unique flavor if Blackmoore keeps at it. Time will tell.
As I said before, as a do-gooder at heart but with a knack to see most of what he touches turn to shit, Eric Carter is an easy protagonist to root for. Once again, he's a foul-mouthed smartass who gets beaten to a pulp way too many times in the span of such a short novel, but there is still something about him that makes you care for the poor fool. In my review of Dead Things, I envisioned him as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad, but imagine Jesse as a badass necromancer. Given its pace, the first volume didn't allow for much character development and Carter was an idiot for the most part because he's trying to protect those he loves without realizing that he's alienating them in the process. He has been running from his past for a long time and now it's catching up to him. The ending of the first installment forced Carter to lay low for a while, but now new problems find a way to put him and those he loves in the line of fire. Finding himself in the middle of marital problems between two deities just might be the death of him. On the characterization front, Gabriella makes a nice addition to the supporting cast, and fleshing out Tabitha was also an improvement.
Once more in Broken Souls, Blackmoore captures the LA noir setting quite well and he keeps the tale moving at a good clip. So much so that you reach the end in no time. This is a problem endemic to most urban fantasy series, so it's not the author's fault. But as I'm about to finish reading the third volume, Hungry Ghosts, I can't help but feel that these two works could have been a single novel and would have been better for that. Indeed, I'm fortunate enough to be able to jump into the next one as soon as I finish the other. But would I manage to maintain the same level of interest had I been forced to wait a year or two between books given how quickly I go through them? Hard to say.
If you are looking for a gritty urban fantasy series featuring a deeply flawed male lead, the Eric Carter books are for you. There is definitely potential for bigger and better things to come, and it looks as though Stephen Blackmoore has a few tricks up his sleeve. Almost three novels into this sequence and I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. It remains to be seen whether or not Stephen Blackmoore can up his game and elevate this series to another level, but so far it's been an entertaining read. Urban fantasy fans should definitely give these books a shot.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
February 19, 2019
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I really had a good time with the first volume and as soon as finished, I ordered the second volume (do you believe me if I tell you that I did the same for the third one?) To discover the rest of the adventures of Eric Carter. It must be said that the novel did not finish very well for him!
Since the death of his best friend, Eric tries to distance himself from all his knowledge. Yet he is still more than determined to discover how to break his tie to Santa Muerte. But his research causes death and it seems that a psychotic man has the sole purpose of killing him to wear his skin and get his powers. Aligning with the Bruja, a woman he did not know about, he will have to choose how much he can trust her. And when his friends are in danger, our hero will have to find out exactly what is happening.
I really liked the novel. The author’s ideas are really interesting and I loved the mythology he mixed with his story. As for the first volume, it is a dark novel that we find and I found it very pleasant and different to read. The general plot is moving forward and the complexity is changing too, which is why I am really very curious to read more. The revelations are surprising and I can not wait to discover what will happen in the third volume!
It’s a UF series that I recommend if you want something a little darker than what is usually found.
My English review
I really had a good time with the first volume and as soon as finished, I ordered the second volume (do you believe me if I tell you that I did the same for the third one?) To discover the rest of the adventures of Eric Carter. It must be said that the novel did not finish very well for him!
Since the death of his best friend, Eric tries to distance himself from all his knowledge. Yet he is still more than determined to discover how to break his tie to Santa Muerte. But his research causes death and it seems that a psychotic man has the sole purpose of killing him to wear his skin and get his powers. Aligning with the Bruja, a woman he did not know about, he will have to choose how much he can trust her. And when his friends are in danger, our hero will have to find out exactly what is happening.
I really liked the novel. The author’s ideas are really interesting and I loved the mythology he mixed with his story. As for the first volume, it is a dark novel that we find and I found it very pleasant and different to read. The general plot is moving forward and the complexity is changing too, which is why I am really very curious to read more. The revelations are surprising and I can not wait to discover what will happen in the third volume!
It’s a UF series that I recommend if you want something a little darker than what is usually found.
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