The Getaway God

Sandman Slim #6

by Richard Kadrey

End times are here again.

A half-human, half-angel with a bad rep and a worse attitude—we are talking abuout the former Lucifer here—James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, has made a few enemies. None, though, are as fearsome as the vindictive Angra Om Ya—the insatiable, destructive old gods. But their imminent invasion is just one of Stark's problems, as L.A. descends into chaos, and a new evil stalks the city.

No ordinary killer, the man known as St. Nick takes Stark deep into a conspiracy that stretches from Earth to Heaven and Hell. Further complicating matters is that he may be the only person alive who knows how to keep the world from going extinct. He's also Stark's worst enemy—the only man in existence Stark would enjoy killing twice—and one with a direct line to the voracious, ancient gods.

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

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2014

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 5 out of 5]

💥 July 8, 2024: only $1.99 today!





Actual rating: 8 stars. Because this is kinda sorta the best installment in this series so far and stuff.

Okay, people, we need to talk. Why the bloody fish are you still NOT reading this series shame on you shame on you shame on you shame on you ? I know this is only the best UF series with a male lead ever (along with my boyfriend Daniel Faust's, of course), but still. I do not give a flying shrimp if you have too many books to read as it is, if your pet barnacle ate your homework, or if you have a ridiculous crush on silly Harry Happy Dresden (the wimp wouldn't last one quarter of a millisecond in my boyfriend Sandman Slim's world, just so you know)! I've had it with your preposterous excuses! So either you start reading this series by the end of the year month week day, or I'm unleashing the murderous crustaceans on you! Oops, looks like you're all dead. How frightfully regrettable for you stuff. Yay for me, though. Because it means that I can now wantonly smooch my boyfriend 24/7 without having to worry about one of you People of Despicable Book Taste (PoDBT™) trying to snatch him away from me and stuff.



Such a hot threesome we make, my Jimmy Stark, his beloved Maledictions what now? You don't know what Maledictions are? Seriously? *smh and stuff* They're Jimmy's Hell-made cigarettes, you Clueless Barnacled Bunch! "Tastes like a tire fire in a candy factory next door to a strip club?" Rings a bell? No? Okay, I give up. and my super sexy orangey self. It's beautiful. But I ever so slightly digress.

Since you're still NOT reading this series shame on you shame on you shame on you shame on you despite my relentless fangirling enthusiasm, I think a little rehashing refresher course is in order here. So. This series is gloriously dark, this series is beautifully fished up. This series is overpopulated with deliciously shrimped-up characters who are most splendidly lacking in the moral compass department. Also, this series is violence, blood, horror, gore, spilled innards, severed limbs, the works, YUM. Also, also, this series is brilliant literary and cinema references heaven. Also, also, also this series is HA HA bloody HA. Damn, there's so much scrumptious stuff here, someone should try and make a series of this or something. Oh, wait, I think someone already did. Bloody shrimping hell, what a glorious idea!



Rehashing Recap Express Summarization Time (RRESCT™): this series is slightly orgasmic. Despite being written in First Person Present Tense of Doom (FPPToD™). So QED and stuff read this now or die dead via serrated pincers and stuff. You are quite welcome.

Moving on.

Okay, so my boyfriend was kinda sorta feeling under the weather in the last instalment. He was getting all reasonable and almost nice and stuff, which was pretty disgusting and made my exoskeleton shudder more than once as I was reading the book. Extreme measures were in order, so I had Jimmy summoned to Fleet Admiral DaShrimp's office. Speedy chastening ensued, and tada! We're back in Jimmy's an Irreverently Ruthless Smartass with a Bad Attitude Land (JaIRSwaBAL™)! Pure bliss and stuff. Not to mention that Jimmy got his groove back just in time to save the world from a bunch of ancient, pissed off, scrumptiously vengeful, slightly deranged gods.

“Wisdom comes from knowledge. Knowledge begins with theories.” “I don’t want wisdom. I want a bazooka.”

That's my boy! 🤩🤩

A good thing the Admiral's tender loving care got Jimmy back in tip-top shape, too. Because what with Heaven and Hell Downtown being spoiler spoiler spoiler, a meat Notre Dame (don't ask), a slightly aggravating, sanctimonious 400-hundred years old Japanese mummy who keeps calling my boyfriend "fatty" (the nerve! Admiral, unleash the shrimps!), human chop shops, one big happy (if slightly dysfunctional) godly family, a somewhat psychotic serial killer, blood torrential rain, the spoiler spoiler spoiler predicament, suicidal hellions, a 747 having rough sex with a skyscraper on a pile of exploding transformers (don't ask) and getting successively crushed, tossed around, beaten and shot at, my Jimmy is going to need all his gloriously blasphemous, shameless stamina (yes, that is a thing) if he wants to survive this installment and then enjoy a well-deserved subaquatic holiday in my most delectable company.



Yes, I think a relaxing, restful stay at the Murderous Crab Inn is definitely in order here. For both Jimmy and me. Because the book kinda sorta ended like…oh bloody hell shocker! Oh bloody hell plot twist! Oh bloody hell bloody hell bloody hell bloody hell!!!!!! HALP!

» And the moral of this Bloody Shrimping Hell My Little Barnacles I know My Reviews Are Super Crappy and Stuff but do your Little Arthropodic Selves a Favor and Bloody Shrimping Read this Series Already Crappy Non Review (BSHMLBIKMRASCaSbDYLASaFaBSRtSACNR™) is: Jimmy Baby, when you're done saving the undeserving puny humans for the umpteenth time, please feel free to come and save me and stuff. Thank thee kindly.

P.S. Sandman Slim, you are slightly hot.
P.P.S. Sandman Slim, you are slightly MINE.

· 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 5: Kill City Blues ★★★★
· 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]

There's a slight chance this might be the best bloody shrimping installment in my boyfriend Jimmy Stark's deliciously dark and twisted adventures. Maybe. I mean, what with pissed-off ancient gods, spoiler spoiler spoiler, an aggravatingly self-righteous Japanese mummy, spoiler spoiler spoiler, human chop shops and spoiler spoiler spoiler, I do think this one could be NOT the crappiest book in this series. Possibly. Also, my boyfriend is slightly hot.



Super sexy, super badass, and super mine. That's my Sandman Slim alright!

➽ Full I am So in Lurve with this Beautifully Fished-Up World and the Bastard Who Keeps Saving It that I Might Sacrifice a Few Puny Humans to Celebrate and Stuff Crappy Non Review (IaSiLwtBFUWatBWKSitIMSaFPHtCaSCNR™) to come.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

The Getaway God, book 6 in the Sandman Slim series is still fresh and exciting to me. This series is tailor made for me. It has an amazing, bad ass, natural born killer, that is loyal down to his core for a hero. It has Gods, Demons, Ghosts, Vamps, Zombies, and much more. It is extremely violent, with no holds back, heads a rolling on the floor writing. Kadrey uses clever dialog, sarcastic humor, and relevant references to make things fun and fresh.

In this book we are treated to an ever darkening setting with even more end of the world doom at stake. James travels back to Hell on several occasions and that rocks. This book is a page turner that never lets up. Once again, I love the clever references that make me like Sandman Slim and Richard Kadrey more and more.

“…Samael is the prick who stuck me with the job of playing Lucifer. But we kissed and made up. We have similar tastes in Dario Argento and Takashi Miike flicks.”

—-my favorites as well.

Humor and wit…

““How’s this? I’ve saved this world more than once already. I have friends here and I’ll kill anything that walks, crawls, flies, or oozes out of the ground if it hurts one of them. I know God and the Devil and their worst secrets. I know how to pull the plug on this whole rotten world and I don’t do it. You know why?”

“So, to sum up. Tonight I had my throat crushed. I was tossed around like a beanbag. I was beaten with a gun butt. I was shot. And now another God hates me. I want a smoke, but when I cough I taste blood. Maybe some bullet fragments in a lung. I put the Maledictions back in my pocket.”

The only thing that I do not like about this Urban Fantasy series is the wait for the next book. I love this series, the writing, and the whole biblical horror genre. I cannot recommend this series enough to fans of Urban Fantasy and Horror alike. It is not to be missed.

Freaking bad ass fun….

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite Sandman Slim novel yet. I'm not sure what was different to make it fully click for me this time, but it did.

Stark's day job puts him on the trail of cultists who worship the original gods - the ones who ruled the universe before God took over. Turns out Stark's main nemesis may have something to do with these wackadoos. Crazy shit happens, including the introduction of a Buddhist priest-turned-mummy who was hilarious.

Can Stark once again save the world, God, Hell, and his girlfriend Candy before date night? Seeing as how there's six more novels, I'm betting he can!

Next up is Killing Pretty.

[Kaustubh Dudhane · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Death, like birth, is a secret of nature."
Only with birth you get a blanket and a bottle. You get a blanket with death too, but they call it a shroud and everyone else gets the bottle. How am I supposed to be okay with that?

What an experience it was! By far, it is the best book in the series with Sandman Slim running a close second. The book is a like a galvanizing baithak with a bottle of Aqua Regia and a pack of Maledictions. The one-fifth of the book builds up serenely to the last titillating eight-odd pages. How the book can go wrong if it starts with -

You'd think the end of the world would be exciting, but this apocalypse is about as much fun as dental surgery.

The book is full of dark humor and dank jokes. E.g.
It’s like a joke the Irish used to tell.
“What do you call a dead Englishman?”
“What?"
"A good start.”

I always was in awe of the way Richard Kadrey has portrayed his magical world with the framework (shit! I do sound like an Ivy League prick!) of our Christian own world. The truth that everybody some of the people feel miserable is perfectly articulated. E.g.

"No matter which God is in charge, we’re bugs on his windshield. Always were. Always will be. Amen."

And then there is the usual dose of philosophy -
"Only a man with a guilty conscience keeps reminding you of how innocent he is."

Strangely, one sui generis (Power-to-you! It is the word of day at theasaurus.com) appears with the Golden Vigil, a four hundred-fucking years old Japanese monk. I had enjoyed his literary jabs with Stark. Moreover, I am starting to like Samael more and more.




Read this, Wino!
"I heard one about someone using your skull as a bedpan."

Seventh book! Hear I come to break your spine!

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think we've settled into a nice, humorous, extremely bloody routine. Not all routines are bad, of course. Some just grab you by the throat, spill all your secrets upon the ground, and then dance in a river of entrails while they laugh about gods, devils, and outsiders.

This happens to be one of those routines.

I do note one little detail, however. Our favorite Nephilim seems to be losing all his most powerful toys. Pretty soon he's going to be one DE-powered freak.

Well, to be fair, it seems like every supernatural baddie in LA and the cosmos is headed in the same direction. Call it an economic downturn.

Am I still having a ton of fun?

Yep. Popcorn UF all the way, baby.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: 4 out of 5.

I had been disappointed with the previous book in the series. I had found it meandering, and all character progression Stark had been through in the series had been pretty much negated. So I was rather apprehensive to continue with this series and I took a long break. Fortunately, my friends on Goodreads had only good things to say about book 6, so I decided to give it another go. I'm glad I did.

This is Sandman Slim at its best. The stakes are high for the world, but are also deeply personal to our characters and Stark in particular. And those personal stories are usually the ones that I like the most, because they have the most heart to them.

Yes, the world may end if Stark doesn't save the day, but what is more important to him is that Candy isn't acting like herself, and there is nothing he can do about that. Stark is still his usual impulsive self, but it's nice to see him try and temper his destructive tendencies and think with his brain, not his fists for a change. He understands that this is not a problem he can simply pound into the ground until it stops moving. He needs to think outside the box and cooperate with other people if he wants to save the world and those he cares about. Ironically, his solution is actually inside a box, well, inside a room, but I won't spoil any more of that.

I was happy to follow along with Stark as he tackles this latest problem and finds an acceptable solution, even if it leaves him with rather diminished abilities and the necessity to find a job. Now that will be interesting to see in the next books.

I admit that I wasn't a fan of Mason's return. He seems like this jack in the box character that keeps popping up at the most inconvenient times no matter how many times you defeat him. By book 6 that grew kind of old. I think the author milked everything he could out of that character, because he was starting to look like a over the top villain by this book. All crazy and moustache twirling and no substance beyond evilness. Hopefully, this is the last we see of him, and even that is one time too many, in my opinion.

All in all though, I really enjoyed this installment in the series. It was a fast-moving romp with surprisingly a lot of heart, which you wouldn't really expect from Sandman Slim. I am in love with this series again and looking forward to the next book in the series. I want to see how this private detective gig will work out for our Nephilim. 

If you liked this review, check out my blog.

[Stephanie Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital advance copy of this book for personal blogging and review.

Once again I had a nice four hour long chat over drinks with my favorite anti-hero, James Stark. Oh my god, this book! AMAZING. Kadrey does it again (no surprises there) with more exploits of the hero we all love to hate, and hate to love. Stark deals with the less than appreciative Golden Vigil bossing him around about a serial killer investigation, all while facing the looming threat of the Angra Om Ya in the latest installment of the Sandman Slim series. Old friends, and some old enemies, find their way back into Stark's life as the world is about to end. Yes, again. It's always a frolic through a field of daisies when you're with Sandman Slim. Who's side are Stark's allies really on? Will they find a way to stop the Angra Om Ya in time, or will Heaven, Earth, and Hell all be destroyed from internal, and external forces? Read this book. Find out. You won't be disappointed!!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I've been a big fan of this series since book one but this definitely fell short for me. Stark spends a lot of his time running from place to place, worrying about the destruction of earth. While that's a huge thing to worry about, I miss the books where Stark was tearing stuff up all of the time. He does get back to his nature around 80% through the book when he brings back some hellhounds to assist him. The rest of the book goes on the be a bit anti-climatic with how easy some problems were solved.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, legalese: I received this eARC as part of the Harper Voyager Super Reader program in return for an honest review. (i know, it sucks but someone has to do it...) ;)

Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers (and coarse language)....



No, really, if you haven't read the series you should stop now.






Okay, don't say I didn't warn you!





So I'm still mixed about this series. Sandman Slim started off rocking and rolling hardcore. I would tell people that Stark was a no-holds-barred Harry Dresden, while being nothing like Harry Dresden. (i know, confusing but if you've read the books you understand.) That being said, Butcher just gets better with each novel and Kadrey has (again, just my opinion so don't crucify me folks) seemed to stumble from book to book. Stark has mary-janed his way out of plenty of situations, and with the last couple of books the Big Bosses (Angra Om Nomnomnom) just seem contrived. Of course, once you've beaten God and the Devil, you have to figure out something bigger. :/

This entire novel seemed too gloomy, with too much navel gazing. I don't read about Slim for the angsty sick-of-it-all introspection. I read about the Monster that kills Monsters because Fuck You. (if you don't understand that but aren't offended, you obviously haven't read the series and should do so. if you don't understand that and -are- offended, you obviously aren't the target market and should go find another book to read, possibly something by Nicolas Sparks.) At least with the ending of this book, it seems that Kadrey is poised to return to Stark's beginning, but I just don't know if I can handle him as a gumshoe. Killer for hire, yes, PI no.

So, other than that one glaring issue (and whether or not it's even the direction Kadrey is going), I'm still highly interested to see what's in store for this series.

3 stars for the book, 4 stars for the potential future of the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

STOP. If you have not read any of the other books why are you reading this review? In all fairness I never offered a review for Sandman Slim, But I did give it 5 stars. I suggest that a person start by looking at the first book in this awesome series. This is book #6. And Yes I own them all. In hardback. I suppose one can loosely compare them to the "Harry Dresden" series. Only in that there is magic, and each book is a stand alone story. Beginning, middle, end. But that is all. I assure you Sandman Slim is no Harry Dresden. He likes to kill people and is all out for vengeance. Don't fuck with his friends. Oh and if your this far in, we know he isn't all human.

As with the other books, this picks up close to where the story ended in the previous book. The last book fell a little flat for me, but this one did not. This one is a game changer. And I am looking forward to see how the game changes.

I haven't told you anything about the story? Seriously if you have read all the previous books you already know the story. It good, its fun. I love all the "playful banter". There was a new character, a monk. Curious thing about that monk, I read an article online (we know everything on the internet is true) about a monk, that was mummified and "still alive". He had been stolen and was returned to his rightful place. (the monks share similar backgrounds) Yes I know the monk in the book was not real...But I really liked him. And who am I to decide what is real and what is not.

All I can really say is that I love this series. And I quote Mr.Slim:

"We're living in an open air aquarium.Everyone and everything is wet inside and out. Soon we'll grow gills and fins. We'll swim out into the California current and let it carry us down to Baja, where we'll live off cheap cerveza and krill. Until someone decides our bones make good soup. Then we'll head out to sea, into the deep,deep water where transparent creatures, so long in the dark they're born blind,skulk along the ocean floor waiting for us to tire out or die or just give up. We'll drift down to the bottom of the world,food for things that have never dreamed of land or humans or the Angra. Will we be happy then? Primordial shit in a volcanic trench older that God's jodhpurs? I doubt it. We'll just get absorbed by something else and fed up the food chain again until we're back on land, food for the God or Gods that marooned us here in the first place. And we'll start the whole thing again, Our only consolation is that maybe in the new world, the studios will have more sense and no one will green light Battlefield Earth. That would be worth coming back for."

[Tim Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed feelings here.

You have to like, "I don't want wisdom. I want a bazooka" or "we could have been playing badminton with a baked ham for all he cared."

You have to admire the constantly increasing scope of Stark's adventures, and that despite being almost a cartoon character he is still showing a tiny bit of emotional development.

You have to recognize the challenge for Kadrey to bring the series to a major turning point, if not an end. There are a lot of things to wrap up, a lot of characters to account for.

I will, however, be glad to see the end of the motorcycle, the Aqua Regia and the Maledictions. Couldn't help thinking they were just there to pad out the word count.

The ending, as others have noted, felt like the kind you get when the author realizes that he's only got a thousand words left and has to wrap it up.

Kadrey tells and shows us at great length what a powerful badass (Saint Nick) is, and at the end he is taken out by an ordinary pistol. . OK, we have been shown that Stark himself is technically vulnerable that way too - but still.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't think we are ever told who was poisoning Candy or who possessed Wells in the big end scene.

Still a worthy part of the series.

At the very end, Stark has a new career. I wondered briefly ... Stark, as in Richard Stark, pen name under which Donald Westlake wrote the great "Parker" series ... and James Stark is more or less Parker with magic weapons. He could have a worse future.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical Sandman Slim story, but lacking a bit in innovation and with more shallowly drawn characters. Also, the last third of the book, and in particular the final big climax, were lacking in detail and were perfunctory at best, leaving the novel unsatisfying overall.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars Audio Version

I don't know exactly what it was but this one just didn't hold my attention. Not bad but I didn't enjoy it as much as I usually do. It picked up towards the end and I'm looking forward to the next one.

As usual with this series the narrator was fantastic.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book. Extremely happy that 98% of the loose ends were finally tied up allowing for a new arc of Jimmy Stark.

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

И ако предишната книга от поредицата беше пример защо отлагах продължаването на четенети ѝ, то тази е точно защо се запалих по Сандман Слим.
Затварянето на арката в този том е бомбастично. Психопатско, кърваво, апокалиптично, самоубийствено и каквото още ви дойде на ум. Кадни завързва изоставени още преди четири книги сюжетни линии и създава нови връзки между наглед приключили такива. Джими успява да спаси света от нашествието на Древните богове и най-накрая осъзнава, че е бил манипулиран още преди изпращането си в ада.
Книгата започва със самоубийството на секта към един от Тринадесетте с електрически ножове за транжиране на крави, пред пагода издигната от нарязани човешки трупове, а от там нататък нещата стават още по-откачени.
Джими Старк отново работи за Златното Руно и разследва откачен сериен убиец с прозвището Свети Николас. Скоро става ясно, че убийствата и по-точно липсващите части от жертвите са за окултни цели, а постоянното му натъкване на новоизлюпени култове към някой от Древните не оставя място за съмнение каква е целта на въпросните хектакомби. А в Лос Анджелис не спира да вали и хората бавно се изнасят от града. В ада положението е същото, само дето вали ангелска кръв, защото в рая има пореден бунт, който управляващата там част от Твореца не може да овладее. Макар да държи Куара ом Ра или Богоядеца на сигурно място и Древните няма как да се промъкнат в нашата реалност без него, парченца от тях се процеждат и правят поразии. На Слимарата ще му се наложи да вземе много тежки решения, докато приятелите му, колкото малко ги има, един по един биват нападани от всички страни, най-стария му противник се е измъкнал от Тартар и го манипулира да отвори път за Древните, Сънуващите се опитват да абдикират от задълженията си, а светът се разпада стремглаво.
Естествено, нашето момче няма да е Сандман Слим, ако не заложи всичко на една не особено печалившо изглеждаща карта и не се хвърли с главата напред, майчкайки всичко по пътя си – ангели, демони, богове и обикновени бюрократи.

[Farhad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion and a good wrap up of the cosmic stories of Sandman slim so far.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an eGalley of this book from Edelweiss for review. I have been a huge fan of all of the Sandman Slim books, although I will say the last couple had slowed down a bit in pace. This book did not disappoint, it picked up pace and resolved a major storyline that had been dragging on for some time.

This book mainly deals with Stark aka Sandman Slim as he works to prevent the Angra Om Ya (the Old Gods) from entering this realm and destroying Earth. In addition to that there is a new serial killer in town who likes to reduce people to their separate parts and Stark is trying to help the Golden Vigil track down that killer as well. There is also a side story about Candy getting very sick and we learn a lot more about her Jade nature.

As with all the books in this series this is a very very adult book. There is a lot of over-the-top violence and gore and swearing and any other thing you can think of that might be offensive.

Stark is still as snarky and offensive as ever. He is the pin-up boy for anti-heroes. Despite all his rough edges he is doing his best for mankind and the world he lives in...he just does it his way. He has actually obtained some balance and happiness in his life and it was fun to see that. That’s not to say that Stark as mellowed, he just seems a bit happier with things.

As with previous books this book has a very dark somewhat noir vibe to it and is darkly humorous. There are lots of one-liners and references to obscure movies (some of which I got, some of which I didn’t).

The Golden Vigil features throughout the book. Stark works with them quite a bit. We also run into a lot of different Angra Om Ya gods and their rather crazy worshippers.

Overall I loved this book, it ties up the Angra Om Ya storyline nicely and leads into the next chapter of Stark's life. I always really enjoy these books and hope that the series continues. I would recommend this whole series to fans of gritty and violent urban fantasy. It’s been a very creative, action packed, and well done series that I enjoy reading a lot.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Stark has had it tough. He is thrown into Hell, not as a damned soul, but while he is still alive-some people have enemies. Stark survives and eleven years later he manages to claw his way back from the underworld seeking revenge. And then things start to get interesting. None of the preceding are spoilers this is the set up to the first book in the Sandman Slim series-you could read most of that on the book's back cover. The Getaway God is the sixth novel in the series, and as always these books are a lot of fun. There is action-extreme violence both physical and metaphysical-plus wisecracking, heroics, and some mind bending plot twists. Under no circumstances should these books be read out of order so go find the first one you won't be sorry.

[Shelley]

*Recvd 04/29/2014 via Edelweiss* Expected publication: August 26th 2014 by Harper Voyager

[RG]

Not rating this. Got 64 pages in and not going to finish it..just wasnt doing anything. Stark was really getting on my nerves.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six books in, and I'm still enjoying the hell (pardon the pun) out of this series.

This one felt a bit more convoluted, plotwise, and weirdly, it also felt like it could have served as the ending to the entire series. Kadrey really has no problems messing with Stark and powering him up or down as required, but it would be interesting to watch him run out the rest of this series as he is now.

I suspect that's not going to happen. Either way, I'm in this for the long haul now. This series is endlessly entertaining.

[Brainycat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brainycat's 5 "B"s:
blood: 5
boobs: 1
bombs: 5
bondage: 0
blasphemy: 5
Bechdel Test: FAIL
Deggan's Rule: FAIL
Gay Bechdel Test: FAIL

Please note: I don't review to provide synopses, I review to share a purely visceral reaction to books and perhaps answer some of the questions I ask when I'm contemplating investing time and money into a book.

I'm going to share an uncomfortable truth with you here. This is not the best book in the series, and in fact it's not even a very good final episode. One of the things I've always liked about this series is the frenetic pace; "no rest for the wicked" and all that. This book, however, doesn't really start to take off until around the 50% mark. Once it picks up a lot of long lingering plot lines are resurrected and thrown into the mix, the tension builds until the last 20% of the book, and then SPLAT! The apocalypse blows it's load into a climax that's - we're friends, I'll be honest - is disappointing.

The casual cynicism, saucy word play and nonstop pop culture references are still in abundance, and once the violence gets started it's a good as any of the other books. All the things we love about Sandman Slim aka Jim Stark are here, and the weird little circle of friends he's accumulated are just as weird and fun as ever. Reading this book felt a lot like getting in touch with some old friends.

This book shows a deeper interior life for Stark, and I think Kadrey worked very hard to develop the character and round him out. Unfortunately, this happens at the expense of a lot of action and intrigue. I don't believe in an either/or dichotomy between actioning and adventuring OR feeling and relating. I think what happened was the author tried too hard to grow the character and lost track of his cadence, and let the interior development drive too much of the plot.

We're told many times that the apocalypse is upon creation, and several details are repeated to this effect: nonstop rain and flooding in LA and Hell for example. But I never felt any impending doom. Maybe because Stark and Candy are too busy lovingly quipping at each other? Maybe because there's not enough time spent with the supporting cast to get a feel of how the world is falling apart, because are protagonists are too wrapped up in themselves and their relationship with each other? All I know for sure is that any sense of impending doom was told rather than shown and this really didn't help me to get to the final conflict.

The final conflict was... I've already used the word "disappointing" once in this review, so let's say it was "unsatisfying". Unlike the final conflicts in the other books, I knew what he was working on ahead of time. I love to see a plan come together in unexpected ways. But I wasn't surprised. In fact, the whole battle felt like it was phoned in. The oldest of the old gods is invading creation to take it back from god, and the best we can do is tear up a few blocks of LA across a couple of pages? It just felt like it was too little too late and didn't engage me. I didn't feel afraid, I didn't feel cosmic forces wreaking havoc on all the physics I've ever known, I didn't feel like these characters that I've known for 5 or more books were ever in any real danger. It just felt like I needed to consume the words to get through the pages to reach the conclusion.

A whole host of lingering plot lines were brought up in this book, but most of them did not end satisfactorily - see "phoning it in", above. I suppose the ends are loose enough to squeeze a few more novels out of some of them, but at some point I think epic characters in long series' need to find a new set of Major Antagonists to up the stakes and move the whole arc of the world into new territories. I feel an opportunity to do just that was lost here.

If this had been the first book in the series, I don't think I would have read any of the others. I feel really bad writing such damning words. Maybe this book is just mediocre, but the rest of the series is so much fun and so well written that it feels like The Getaway God is worse than it really is. I do know that I hope this review doesn't put anyone off of starting the series; up until this installment, they've been top notch rollicking good times and a total hoot to read. It's entirely possible I brought too much expectation into this book, and my disappointment has nothing to do with Kadrey and everything to do with what I wish I had read.

Is this the last Sandman Slim novel? My halfhearted attempts at googlefu don't turn up any interviews saying so, but the book ends on a note that's suitable to end the series. On the other hand, it also ends on a note that leaves room for a nearly infinite stream of sequels. I guess it's a matter of what Kadrey wants to do with the series. Personally, I'd like to see him baby the thing into a Netflix miniseries a'la GRRM and GoT.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good as usual

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved the Sandman Slim series from the first. Outrageously violent and enormously clever and thoughtful in mythology and world-building -- a rare combination. This most recent entry feels like the end of an era for the series, and while Stark has undergone transformation before (for instance, he served in place of Lucifer), he's left in the employ of private detective and has been stripped of his most extreme power - the ability to Shadow-walk. Increasingly, as the story has gone on over the series, Stark has become humanized and the novel ends with him considering his place in the world as well as learning to use a coffee maker and worrying about money. While I'm certain some may find this reassuring, I'm actually a bit disappointed; the contemporary tendency to explain and and understand our monsters is an ugly tendency in my opinion that removes mystery from the world. I don't want him to be like me (although we all know I'm expert with a number of coffee makers), I want him to be more. On a final, totally personal whine, since the Greywalker series (by Kat Richardson) just ended in a book released last month and this feels like an ending, I'm feeling kind of bereft and wondering where I'm going to find anything this good again.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, I love me some Sandman Slim. These stories flow like a shot of Aqua Regia on a humid summer night in hell.

[Emmalita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review without tons of spoilers. Things that have been building since the first book come to a head and are (mostly) resolved. I’m going to be coy and talk around things because I want you people (yes, I said “you people” and you know who you are) to have the joy of discovery. And People, you should be discovering Sandman Slim. If you are thinking about investing in a series of audiobooks this year, I highly recommend the Sandman Slim audiobooks. McLeod Andrews is a wonderful narrator, and his voice performance is perfect for Sandman Slim.

The apocalypse has arrived and it’s going slowly. Stark has to do more thinking that head bashing, and that’s not his strong suit. Stark is working for the re-formed Golden Vigil, and it’s going about as well as it had before. He and Candy have settled back in to Max Overdrive with Kasabian and have settled into a domesticity that terrifies Stark. As with previous books, Stark can’t seem to get away from the dead. Stark is growing up and becoming more contemplative. He is starting to consider that there are consequences to his past actions. In addition to averting the impending apocalypse, he’s also trying to clean up some of the messes he has made.

Kadrey’s language is beautiful. Not in a sweeping prose sort of way, but in a profane and hard driving way. The descriptive passages are evocative and the dialogue is fast and biting.

I’m used to Aqua Regia’s kick, but down enough at once and it’s going to turn anyone’s cerebral cortex into chocolate pudding. I let it and the tea do their work. They fight it out in my stomach. The Hellion hoodoo wrestling whatever kind of magic Mr. Bones uses. My stomach cramps and for a few seconds I want to throw up. But I hold on and the feeling passes. The room gets thin, like it’s made of black gauze. I put the crow feather between my teeth just as I fall out of myself.

***

“Okay, Cassandra, there’s something else. Did it rain much when you were down there?”

“No. I don’t remember it raining at all.”

“Well, it is now. Raining cats and dogs and little imps with pitchforks. I mean, there’s doomed. There’s screwed. And there’s monsoons-in-Hell fucked. And we’re at fucked o’clock.”

More than before, Stark has a metaphysical point of view. He’s evolved from “it’s not fair.” to “it’s better to be somewhere that is terrible than to be nowhere at all.” When we first met Stark crawling out of Hell, he would have as soon burned the Universe down as looked at it. Cars, clothes and people were disposable. Since then, Stark has possessed devices that would allow him to end this Universe and start a new one. He has chosen not to use them. He has allowed himself to become a little bit domesticated. He’s not just Sandman Slim, the monster who kills monsters anymore. Even at the very end he ends the apocalypse with as much of a possibility for a new beginning as a possibility for annihilation.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Getaway God” is the 6th installment in the Sandman Slim series, a dark urban fantasy saga that follows the adventures of James Stark, a half-human, half-angel nephilim who has a knack for getting into trouble with gods, demons, and other supernatural beings. In this book, Stark faces his biggest challenge yet: the imminent invasion of the Angra Om Ya, the old gods who want to wipe out humanity and reclaim the Earth. To make matters worse, Stark also has to deal with a new serial killer, a resurrected enemy, and a conspiracy that spans from Heaven to Hell. The fate of the world rests on his shoulders, but he's not sure he can save it, or if he even wants to.

“The Getaway God” is a fast-paced, action-packed, and witty book that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Richard Kadrey's writing is sharp, clever, and full of humor and sarcasm. He creates a vivid and gritty world where magic, violence, and horror coexist with pop culture references, snarky remarks, and hilarious situations. The plot is complex and unpredictable, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing and surprised. The characters are well-developed and memorable, each with their own personality, backstory, and motivation. Stark is a flawed but likable anti-hero, who is sarcastic, badass, and loyal to his friends. He is also vulnerable, conflicted, and haunted by his past. His voice is distinctive and engaging, and you can't help but root for him, even when he makes questionable decisions.

The audiobook is narrated by MacLeod Andrews, who does an excellent job of bringing the story and the characters to life. He has a versatile and expressive voice that suits the tone and mood of the book. He captures the emotions, attitudes, and accents of the characters, and gives them each a unique and recognizable voice. He also conveys the humor, suspense, and action of the book, and keeps you immersed and entertained throughout. He is a talented and award-winning narrator, who has narrated other books in the series, as well as other genres and titles.

“The Getaway God” is a thrilling and entertaining book that will appeal to fans of urban fantasy, horror, and humor. It is a satisfying and enjoyable addition to the Sandman Slim series, but it can also be read as a standalone. If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh, gasp, and cheer, then you should give this audiobook a try.

[Soo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mini-Review:

I'm a total fan of Sandman Slim. However the last few books felt like filler books with very little plot progression or changes in Stark. Sure there were loads of cool things revealed about some of the characters, world and new elements but the overall input did not do a ton to make the main plot move. The first half of this book made me feel disgruntled because I thought Stark had come to terms with certain things in his life and here he goes into the same junk again.

One step forward, 9 steps back or sideways? =P

I lost count of how many times I put the book down to read something else. That doesn't mean the other option was a better book. Current setup makes it easier for me to get stories in via audio format. Due to my (hilarious) narration speed experiments, I finished this book. Yay!

Glad to have listened to it. The last 12% of the story almost made up for the insanely annoying start. Then the book finished when I felt totally engaged with current events. *shakes fist*

It's ok. I already have my hands on the next audiobook.

What made this book not awful? There is a great feeling of satisfaction to see story elements and characters fall into place in a way that you may not entirely expect. I really like the way Kadrey would set up bits and pieces and pull them together in multiple settings throughout the series. That part is really good!

The climax was like an afterthought to me. I'm way more interested in what will happen next.

[TheHomesteadReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

*********************************************
Title: The Getaway God
Author: Richard Kadrey
Series: Sandman Slim Book 6
Pages: 386
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating Out Of 5 Stars: 5

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

“To the dead. Let’s think of them always, but not join them too soon"

Goodreads/General Synopsis:

In this installment of the Sandman Slim Series Stark aka Sandman Slim finally faces off against the fearsome Angra Om Ya. But their imminent invasion is only one of Stark's problems right now. LA is descending into chaos, and a new evil-the Wildfire Ripper-is stalking the city.
No ordinary killer, The Ripper takes Stark deep into a conspiracy that stretches from Earth to Heaven and Hell. He's also the only person alive who may know how to keep the world from going extinct. The trouble is, he's also Stark's worst enemy . . . the only man in existence Stark would enjoy killing twice.

*****My Thoughts*****
I could not put this installment down. Where I thought Kill City was going to be my favorite this solidly takes its places.
The quips felt fresh while staying in the same sarcastic vein we’ve come to love and expect. I notice the fight scenes and lead up feel a lot more refined in this one. They’re still explosive and off the wall but cleaner executed. Thus, making for a much smoother read then we’ve seen up to this point.
Our main cast of characters continue to grow and evolve in development which is nice to see this far into the series.
There’s a couple points while reading it that made me question previous events but it wasn’t enough to draw away from the current context. Other then that I really enjoyed the book.
If Kadrey were to end the series with The Getaway God it would be a perfect place. The story lines are wrapped up rather nicely. From what I understand this is to be a twelve book series. I cant possibly imagine where he could go from here. Stark has made a lot of enemies that are still floating around. It’s quite possible we could go back and revisit those characters. We’ll have to see in the next installment Killing Pretty.

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

(maybe more like 3.5 stars)

there's a lot going on in this book, a lot of little subplots and characters coming and going, but most of what we get as the reader is Stark's thoughts about this and that, his little witticisms and cynical musings. some of the characters are starting to feel a bit tired, doing nothing more than showing up in the same places they always are with nothing new going on. I think the end of this book is meant to shake some of that up a bit, stripping Stark of some of his abilities and items. Candy remains a manic pixie (ha) dream girl, so she's easily my least favorite.

I've been reading these since I lived in LA, and it's still fun to hear about the Egyptian Theater and this and that location - maybe more fun for me since I have a real solid visual of some of these places.