What do you think?
Rate this book
Daniel Faust #5
The Killing Floor Blues
Nobody has ever escaped from the Iceberg. It's a privately-owned prison deep in the Mojave Desert, staffed by brutal guards and surrounded by desolate wasteland. Inside the walls, gangs and predators are constant threats; outside the walls, there's nothing but a sniper's bullet or a slow death in the desert heat.
Framed for murder and snared in a deadly curse, Daniel Faust lands behind bars with a target on his back. Worse, with Faust out of the picture, the Chicago mob is making its bid for control of Las Vegas. If he can't engineer his escape in time to stop them, none of his friends are safe. Then there's the matter of the warden's dark secret, the one that's filling up the prison morgue with body bags.
Faust has been caged, buried, cut off from his allies and his magic. His enemies think they've won. They're about to learn, the hard way, that this is one sorcerer who always has a trick up his sleeve.
Nobody has ever escaped from the Iceberg. But the Iceberg has never had a prisoner like Daniel Faust.
Framed for murder and snared in a deadly curse, Daniel Faust lands behind bars with a target on his back. Worse, with Faust out of the picture, the Chicago mob is making its bid for control of Las Vegas. If he can't engineer his escape in time to stop them, none of his friends are safe. Then there's the matter of the warden's dark secret, the one that's filling up the prison morgue with body bags.
Faust has been caged, buried, cut off from his allies and his magic. His enemies think they've won. They're about to learn, the hard way, that this is one sorcerer who always has a trick up his sleeve.
Nobody has ever escaped from the Iceberg. But the Iceberg has never had a prisoner like Daniel Faust.
Audible Audio
First published November 10, 2014
297 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Craig Schaefer
43 books1,332 followersCraig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).
Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.
Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 14, 2024
Daniel, my darling, what a mess of a situation we have here. My favourite wizard (it's not Dresden) got himself in jail, surprisingly, without being guilty of the crimes he is accused of. While enjoying the new accommodation facilities, he realises that there are some nasty things happening inside the prison and that he needs to get out of there while he is still breathing.
I thought I would not like this book because of the prison setting but it was as good as any of the other volumes in Daniel Faust series. On to the next one. There is a world to be saved.
I thought I would not like this book because of the prison setting but it was as good as any of the other volumes in Daniel Faust series. On to the next one. There is a world to be saved.
March 16, 2017
Hot damn, that was fun!
I don't mean 'fun' in the hanging with the bestie sense, eating dinner while we dish over the latest at work. No, I mean 'fun' in the Hollywood blockbuster, Six Flags roller coaster kind of meaning. I started this on the exercise bike, and kept my nose in the book until I finished. The last book that did that to me was... well, it was Night Fall, only that was more 'edge-of-my-seat, nail-biting' kind of engaged. But neither of the recent Connelly 'thrillers' had me riveted, so there you go. Make no mistake, this is bloodier and more 'hands-on' in violence than prior Faust books. One of the many reasons I prefer books over visual media.
Did I just say I prefer books over visual media?
It begins as Faust regains consciousness on a prison bus with his last memories of a detention cell after arrest. It's a great device; it allows a few minutes of orientation for the reader as Faust tries to reconcile his last memories from book four, A Plain-Dealing Villain, to now. Aside from that, there is little backstory, presuming the reader knows Faust, people who are important to him and general events. I appreciate that in a multi-book series; it's tiresome as a reader to have the author re-explain everybody for those who are starting at the current book (grumbling about catering to mass-market ensues). Although Faust is terribly out of his element in this book, away from both his friends and his city, so those jumping in should be able to catch up.
Characterization is one of the enjoyable aspects of this series. In the first scene, we meet the man with the Smile, "a man built of shadow and fog, a living negative scratched onto the film of the world," a perfect, inscrutable and ominous antagonist. Faust does less soul-searching here about morality, appropriately accepting who he is and is becoming. There's a wide variety of bit characters in the jail setting. Perhaps some are stereotypical, but we gain more insight as Faust comes to know them better--just like real life. I've had trouble at other points with Caitlin's general niceness, but she's all passion here, meaning loving her opportunities for violence. It's actually quite fun in an ass-kicking kind of way.
Tone again shines, with Schaefer walking the delicate balance between the awfulness of Faust's situation and trademark humor/cynicism. Faust's voice remains so dry, it snaps and crackles like dry ice. At one point he explains events in book four by saying, "we did our best. We didn't figure he had a warehouse filled with living mummies in crates. In retrospect, probably should have seen that coming."
Then, as he walks into the prison yard, he notes, "The set-up wasn't too shabby...I could imagine I was on a college campus, if it weren't for the fences, the gun towers, and the razor wire."
Just like college. In hell.
As a female reader, I have to appreciate a couple of choice incidents. One, is that Faust has no trouble owning up to being 'a damsel in distress' to his quite powerful girlfriend, Caitlin. Two, there's some leftover emotional business from book four with his friend, Pixie. It was resolved completely appropriately. There's a lovely line where he says, "I just listened."
Plotting might be the most debated aspect of the story. Certainly much about the prison might have seemed Hollywood stereotypical, except--and this is a big one--it was interesting. Plot is balanced between the human threat of the prison and the magical threat of the mysterious Smile. I know Schaefer is creating an overarching plot for the series but in this book, the meta is left dangling. Everything else feels resolved reasonably well, however, so take that for what you will. No cliff-hangers--it's like when the aforementioned bestie tells you a story that basically boils down to a jerk manager being a jerk. Why? Who really knows? Sometimes you just have to figure out how to play the hand, right?
In short, loads of fun, and I had to restrain myself from immediately going on to the next book. I did download it, and a '1.5' novella. I'm calling it inspiration to get back to the gym sooner rather than later. Maybe even today.
I don't mean 'fun' in the hanging with the bestie sense, eating dinner while we dish over the latest at work. No, I mean 'fun' in the Hollywood blockbuster, Six Flags roller coaster kind of meaning. I started this on the exercise bike, and kept my nose in the book until I finished. The last book that did that to me was... well, it was Night Fall, only that was more 'edge-of-my-seat, nail-biting' kind of engaged. But neither of the recent Connelly 'thrillers' had me riveted, so there you go. Make no mistake, this is bloodier and more 'hands-on' in violence than prior Faust books. One of the many reasons I prefer books over visual media.
Did I just say I prefer books over visual media?
It begins as Faust regains consciousness on a prison bus with his last memories of a detention cell after arrest. It's a great device; it allows a few minutes of orientation for the reader as Faust tries to reconcile his last memories from book four, A Plain-Dealing Villain, to now. Aside from that, there is little backstory, presuming the reader knows Faust, people who are important to him and general events. I appreciate that in a multi-book series; it's tiresome as a reader to have the author re-explain everybody for those who are starting at the current book (grumbling about catering to mass-market ensues). Although Faust is terribly out of his element in this book, away from both his friends and his city, so those jumping in should be able to catch up.
Characterization is one of the enjoyable aspects of this series. In the first scene, we meet the man with the Smile, "a man built of shadow and fog, a living negative scratched onto the film of the world," a perfect, inscrutable and ominous antagonist. Faust does less soul-searching here about morality, appropriately accepting who he is and is becoming. There's a wide variety of bit characters in the jail setting. Perhaps some are stereotypical, but we gain more insight as Faust comes to know them better--just like real life. I've had trouble at other points with Caitlin's general niceness, but she's all passion here, meaning loving her opportunities for violence. It's actually quite fun in an ass-kicking kind of way.
Tone again shines, with Schaefer walking the delicate balance between the awfulness of Faust's situation and trademark humor/cynicism. Faust's voice remains so dry, it snaps and crackles like dry ice. At one point he explains events in book four by saying, "we did our best. We didn't figure he had a warehouse filled with living mummies in crates. In retrospect, probably should have seen that coming."
Then, as he walks into the prison yard, he notes, "The set-up wasn't too shabby...I could imagine I was on a college campus, if it weren't for the fences, the gun towers, and the razor wire."
Just like college. In hell.
As a female reader, I have to appreciate a couple of choice incidents. One, is that Faust has no trouble owning up to being 'a damsel in distress' to his quite powerful girlfriend, Caitlin. Two, there's some leftover emotional business from book four with his friend, Pixie. It was resolved completely appropriately. There's a lovely line where he says, "I just listened."
Plotting might be the most debated aspect of the story. Certainly much about the prison might have seemed Hollywood stereotypical, except--and this is a big one--it was interesting. Plot is balanced between the human threat of the prison and the magical threat of the mysterious Smile. I know Schaefer is creating an overarching plot for the series but in this book, the meta is left dangling. Everything else feels resolved reasonably well, however, so take that for what you will. No cliff-hangers--it's like when the aforementioned bestie tells you a story that basically boils down to a jerk manager being a jerk. Why? Who really knows? Sometimes you just have to figure out how to play the hand, right?
In short, loads of fun, and I had to restrain myself from immediately going on to the next book. I did download it, and a '1.5' novella. I'm calling it inspiration to get back to the gym sooner rather than later. Maybe even today.
September 22, 2025
➽
And the moral of this rereread is
: "It's raining Men," the Weather Girls said. "That's very nice, but I'd rather it rained severed body parts," Caitlin replied.
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[April 2020]
🃏 Get Those Magic Decks Of Cards Out of Storage We're Doing the Danny-Boy-IS-MINE Thingie Again Buddy Reread (GTMDoCOoSWDtDBIMTABR™) with the MacHalos and Stuff 🃏
➽ And the moral of this rereread is: my Danny Boy + Invisibility Cloak, Grown Ups of the Fished Up Morals Edition (ICGUotFUME™) =
[May 2018]
☢ Daniel Faust and Cait are Mine Mine Mine Buddy Reread with my MacHalo Wives and Daughters and Stuff (DFaCaMMMBRwmMWaSaS™) ☢
Actual rating: 8 stars. Damn right.
➽ And the moral of this reread is : one daygirls Caitlin will rule the world, that is all. She is the bloodthirsty demon damsel in no bloody fishing distress whatsoever to Danny Boy's deliciously ruthless knight in tarnished (if black magic and Jack Daniel's-infused) armor. Or, in short, the She-Ra to his He-Man.
No offense, Danny Boy, but Cait kinda sorta kicks wayyyyy more ass than you do. But hey, worry not Boyfriend Mine, for I still lurves you todeath Eisenberg Correctional and back and stuff!
[Original review]
In case you missed the previous episodes: I kind of like this series. Not much, mind you. Just a little bit.
How do you go from Best UF Series with a Male Lead Status (BUFSwaMLS™) straight to Top 5 Favourite UF Series Ever Grade (T5UFSEG™)? Here's how:
① You create a delicious male lead worthy of my High Security Harem (HSH™). Not one of those wimps who worry about being good, saving humanity and all that crap. Hell no. One of those hot dudes with highly bendable morals and slightly dubious motives. Good enough to eat and stuff.
② You add a badass, ruthless, cool as a cucumber female demon side-kick who slightly enjoys bloodshedding. And inflicting pain. Delightfully tasty.
③ You throw in glorious gender role reversal. Whereby the helpless knight in his not-so-shining armour gets rescued by the damsel in no distress whatsoever. And more. Hell yeah.
④ You inject a brilliant (if weirdly assorted) Scooby Gang of characters who all happen to think anything legal is greatly overrated. And who love nothing more than to pull on devious schemes with Danny Boy. But hey, they're not all bad. Oh no. They'd gladlytorture kill anyone or break any law that gets in the way of their somewhat dysfunctional family. And if that doesn't scream love, dedication and loyalty, I don't know what would. Chopping someone to tiny little pieces and then eating their internal organs, maybe? Hmmm. Could be.
⑤ You manage to make a boring prison setting exciting, cool, and generally awesome. Wow. Now that really is unheard of in Decapod Land.
And in Kirky Land, too, it seems. Damn. I think I've just given poor James Tiberius a heart attack, my Little Barnacles.
⑥ You write a dark, gritty, riveting, intriguing and slightly captivating oh-so-delicious story. And you somehow manage to sprinkle it with a generous dose of humour, too.
⑦ Your name is Craig Schaefer. You are therefore slightly talented and cool and stuff.
» And the moral of this Crappy Non-Review is: I think I'm just about to kidnap Craig S. and lock him up until he writes the next instalment. Kidnapping with a justifiable cause isn't illegal, is it now? Especially when the victim is your future husband's daddy, right? Right. That's what I thought. Sending Fleet Admiral DaShrimp and his crustacean goons on a Search and Slightly Abduct Mission (SaSAM™) as we speak.
Quick reminder for the Alzheimer prone: Danny Boy is mine. He is MINE, I tell you! Get it? Good.
· Book 1: The Long Way Down ★★★★★
· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★★
· Book 6: The Castle Doctrine ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.1: A Drive in the Country ★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Locust Job ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★
👋 Until next time and stuff.
[April 2020]
🃏 Get Those Magic Decks Of Cards Out of Storage We're Doing the Danny-Boy-IS-MINE Thingie Again Buddy Reread (GTMDoCOoSWDtDBIMTABR™) with the MacHalos and Stuff 🃏
➽ And the moral of this rereread is: my Danny Boy + Invisibility Cloak, Grown Ups of the Fished Up Morals Edition (ICGUotFUME™) =
[May 2018]
☢ Daniel Faust and Cait are Mine Mine Mine Buddy Reread with my MacHalo Wives and Daughters and Stuff (DFaCaMMMBRwmMWaSaS™) ☢
Actual rating: 8 stars. Damn right.
➽ And the moral of this reread is : one day
No offense, Danny Boy, but Cait kinda sorta kicks wayyyyy more ass than you do. But hey, worry not Boyfriend Mine, for I still lurves you to
[Original review]
In case you missed the previous episodes: I kind of like this series. Not much, mind you. Just a little bit.
How do you go from Best UF Series with a Male Lead Status (BUFSwaMLS™) straight to Top 5 Favourite UF Series Ever Grade (T5UFSEG™)? Here's how:
① You create a delicious male lead worthy of my High Security Harem (HSH™). Not one of those wimps who worry about being good, saving humanity and all that crap. Hell no. One of those hot dudes with highly bendable morals and slightly dubious motives. Good enough to eat and stuff.
② You add a badass, ruthless, cool as a cucumber female demon side-kick who slightly enjoys bloodshedding. And inflicting pain. Delightfully tasty.
③ You throw in glorious gender role reversal. Whereby the helpless knight in his not-so-shining armour gets rescued by the damsel in no distress whatsoever. And more. Hell yeah.
④ You inject a brilliant (if weirdly assorted) Scooby Gang of characters who all happen to think anything legal is greatly overrated. And who love nothing more than to pull on devious schemes with Danny Boy. But hey, they're not all bad. Oh no. They'd gladly
⑤ You manage to make a boring prison setting exciting, cool, and generally awesome. Wow. Now that really is unheard of in Decapod Land.
And in Kirky Land, too, it seems. Damn. I think I've just given poor James Tiberius a heart attack, my Little Barnacles.
⑥ You write a dark, gritty, riveting, intriguing and slightly captivating oh-so-delicious story. And you somehow manage to sprinkle it with a generous dose of humour, too.
⑦ Your name is Craig Schaefer. You are therefore slightly talented and cool and stuff.
» And the moral of this Crappy Non-Review is: I think I'm just about to kidnap Craig S. and lock him up until he writes the next instalment. Kidnapping with a justifiable cause isn't illegal, is it now? Especially when the victim is your future husband's daddy, right? Right. That's what I thought. Sending Fleet Admiral DaShrimp and his crustacean goons on a Search and Slightly Abduct Mission (SaSAM™) as we speak.
Quick reminder for the Alzheimer prone: Danny Boy is mine. He is MINE, I tell you! Get it? Good.
· Book 1: The Long Way Down ★★★★★
· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★★
· Book 6: The Castle Doctrine ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.1: A Drive in the Country ★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Locust Job ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★
April 16, 2020
So very, very good! 😈😈😈😈😈
January 19, 2018
4.5 Stars
Probably my favorite Daniel Faust book so far, just edging the first in my opinion. Killing Floor Blues switches up the usual formula we’ve seen in the first four books and delivers exciting action that makes me very curious to read the sixth book.
At the end of the last book, Faust had just been (successfully) framed for murder and arrested. Killing Floor Blues picks up with Faust on his way to a privately run prison out in the desert. Even as far as prison’s go, this is a bad one, with sadistic guards, racial conflict simmering, and mysterious disappearances.
A good chunk of the book takes place with Faust behind bars, a location shift that I thought worked very well. Despite a static location for much of the book, things stayed interesting as Faust navigated a number of threats and even managed to learn a bit more about the broader conflict taking place as he plotted how to escape. I found the glimpse into prison life fascinating and sadly all too realistic (at least in some aspects-there is a plot twist later on that I sure hope isn’t realistic).
Honestly, after reading five Daniel Faust books now I’m not really sure they fit into the stereotypical urban fantasy area. There are elements of different genres all combined into one package, with some urban fantasy, a little bit of horror, and some thriller mixed in. Whatever you call it, it works very well and gives this series a very distinctive feel that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
The last 20-25% of the book really flew by as things came to a head. I almost wish the pace had slowed down a touch right at the end so that certain things could be fleshed out a bit more. Still, this was a very fun book, with more of what has become Faust’s trademark plans of how to do what seemingly can’t be done.
Probably my favorite Daniel Faust book so far, just edging the first in my opinion. Killing Floor Blues switches up the usual formula we’ve seen in the first four books and delivers exciting action that makes me very curious to read the sixth book.
At the end of the last book, Faust had just been (successfully) framed for murder and arrested. Killing Floor Blues picks up with Faust on his way to a privately run prison out in the desert. Even as far as prison’s go, this is a bad one, with sadistic guards, racial conflict simmering, and mysterious disappearances.
A good chunk of the book takes place with Faust behind bars, a location shift that I thought worked very well. Despite a static location for much of the book, things stayed interesting as Faust navigated a number of threats and even managed to learn a bit more about the broader conflict taking place as he plotted how to escape. I found the glimpse into prison life fascinating and sadly all too realistic (at least in some aspects-there is a plot twist later on that I sure hope isn’t realistic).
Honestly, after reading five Daniel Faust books now I’m not really sure they fit into the stereotypical urban fantasy area. There are elements of different genres all combined into one package, with some urban fantasy, a little bit of horror, and some thriller mixed in. Whatever you call it, it works very well and gives this series a very distinctive feel that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
The last 20-25% of the book really flew by as things came to a head. I almost wish the pace had slowed down a touch right at the end so that certain things could be fleshed out a bit more. Still, this was a very fun book, with more of what has become Faust’s trademark plans of how to do what seemingly can’t be done.
May 16, 2016
This was another fast paced and extremely fun instalment in the Daniel Faust Series. As always there was a perfect balance between the humour and the dark and gritty moments. Faust is a great character. He and his friends are easy to like despite the fact that they are no saints.
The story in this one picked up in the aftermath of the shock happenings at the end of the last book. Faust, framed for murder, now finds himself in the maximum security prison Iceberg. To make matters worse, the Smile, and his agents want him to die there, and the sooner the better. The guards themselves are a corrupt lot and every prisoner in Iceberg fears being dragged away to Hive B. A wing of the prison that has been on lock down for over a year. As if that was not enough Nicky has disappeared and that leaves the Vegas criminal underworld in disarray just when the Chicago Mob are looking to make their move.
The prison break story was pretty fun. As was the usual cool magical stuff Faust and his team indulge in. Some of the happenings in this one promise interesting future happenings for Faust. I'm already eager for the next instalment!
A very enjoyable read.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Audio Note: Adam Verner does a great job with this series. I'm still not keen on his voice for Caitlin, but apart from that he is almost perfect.
The story in this one picked up in the aftermath of the shock happenings at the end of the last book. Faust, framed for murder, now finds himself in the maximum security prison Iceberg. To make matters worse, the Smile, and his agents want him to die there, and the sooner the better. The guards themselves are a corrupt lot and every prisoner in Iceberg fears being dragged away to Hive B. A wing of the prison that has been on lock down for over a year. As if that was not enough Nicky has disappeared and that leaves the Vegas criminal underworld in disarray just when the Chicago Mob are looking to make their move.
The prison break story was pretty fun. As was the usual cool magical stuff Faust and his team indulge in. Some of the happenings in this one promise interesting future happenings for Faust. I'm already eager for the next instalment!
A very enjoyable read.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Audio Note: Adam Verner does a great job with this series. I'm still not keen on his voice for Caitlin, but apart from that he is almost perfect.
March 2, 2017
Another awesome book in Daniel Faust series.
They are like candy. I can't stop myself.
I'm sure I 'll finish... once I run out of published books.
They are like candy. I can't stop myself.
I'm sure I 'll finish... once I run out of published books.
April 10, 2018
In this episode Daniel wakes up disoriented in a prison bus !
He tries to figure out what's going on but there is a chunk of his memory missing , he is welcomed to said prison with a hardcore committee that does not give a flying F*** about anybody or anything...
And so it begins: another chapter of Faust's journey : a scary one but definitely very exciting....
The author upped the ante in this novel, our anti-hero is forced between two unbelievable choices : kill or be killed and his need to survive proved to be too strong ...
In order to break out he needed to perform some very cool and horrifying spells such as the hand of glory, the king of worms and a demon summoning , and let me tell you it was a bloodbath .
He tries to figure out what's going on but there is a chunk of his memory missing , he is welcomed to said prison with a hardcore committee that does not give a flying F*** about anybody or anything...
And so it begins: another chapter of Faust's journey : a scary one but definitely very exciting....
The author upped the ante in this novel, our anti-hero is forced between two unbelievable choices : kill or be killed and his need to survive proved to be too strong ...
In order to break out he needed to perform some very cool and horrifying spells such as the hand of glory, the king of worms and a demon summoning , and let me tell you it was a bloodbath .
April 5, 2019
The Killing Floor Blues by Craig Schaefer and narrated by the great Adam Verner is book five in the series! I thought this was the best book so far. Most of the book takes place in a prison where Daniel is held on bogus charges. Lots of action and craziness ensues as usual for these books! Great unpredictability, fantasy, action, and exciting characters!
Adam Verner is a magic man himself when it comes to narration! Totally awesome!
Adam Verner is a magic man himself when it comes to narration! Totally awesome!
August 20, 2015
The Killing Floor Blues picks up where the last book left off. Faust wakes up to find himself in a maximum security prison for a murder he did not commit. Someone using some pretty powerful magic set him up. That's the first problem. And it's a big one. Here's the thing. His second problem is a pretty big one too. He doesn't remember the trial. It was only a day ago that he was arrested and now he's being sent away for life. A powerful hex is convincing everyone that he knows and meets that he did, in fact, go through six months of investigation and trial. Faust needs to solve both problems to get out of prison.
Inside the prison, Faust is forced to deal with the tensions of the prison politics - both among the prisoners and with the guards. Worse yet, something weird is going on. Prisoners in this max security prison are disappearing - specifically prisoners with no family or real social connections - people exactly like Faust. He just keeps getting dealt bum cards.
On the whole the book was good, but a bit of a let down based on the other Faust books. The mysteries are unraveled. Faust being Faust, he uses his wits and magic to save his neck and bust out of prison. (In a particularly cool scene he actually crafts and uses the Hand of Glory as part of his escape plan.) The rub was the actual 'danger' in the prison. The author would have his readers believe that an unscrupulous Warden has corrupted his entire staff and is running for profit death matches on a weekly basis. I'm not buying it. Too far fetched.
Three stars out of five.
Inside the prison, Faust is forced to deal with the tensions of the prison politics - both among the prisoners and with the guards. Worse yet, something weird is going on. Prisoners in this max security prison are disappearing - specifically prisoners with no family or real social connections - people exactly like Faust. He just keeps getting dealt bum cards.
On the whole the book was good, but a bit of a let down based on the other Faust books. The mysteries are unraveled. Faust being Faust, he uses his wits and magic to save his neck and bust out of prison. (In a particularly cool scene he actually crafts and uses the Hand of Glory as part of his escape plan.) The rub was the actual 'danger' in the prison. The author would have his readers believe that an unscrupulous Warden has corrupted his entire staff and is running for profit death matches on a weekly basis. I'm not buying it. Too far fetched.
Three stars out of five.
September 12, 2019
Truly a strong start. The opening plunges you in the heart of Daniel’s bleak predicament, and it was insta-engagement, it kept me on the edge of my seat. I wasn’t expecting such immersive experience even if I liked the previous books.
“And you are not the chosen one, Daniel Faust. You’re merely a man. Here by the grace of cosmic accident and bad luck. Your best hope is to scurry out of the way, like an ant dodging the footfalls of elephants.”
As usual, pacing and writing are spot-on, I couldn’t put the novel down and last night, after a day of work martyrdom, I convinced myself at 2am.
The focus here is completely on Daniel, who is facing more and more hard choices, and by the end there are a few more clues about the bigger conflict in the making.
I’m eager for more.
When you don’t adhere to many principles in life, you guard the ones you do have. They’re the only things that let you look yourself in the mirror in the morning, that let you pretend, every once in a while, that you’re a good person deep down inside.
“And you are not the chosen one, Daniel Faust. You’re merely a man. Here by the grace of cosmic accident and bad luck. Your best hope is to scurry out of the way, like an ant dodging the footfalls of elephants.”
As usual, pacing and writing are spot-on, I couldn’t put the novel down and last night, after a day of work martyrdom, I convinced myself at 2am.
The focus here is completely on Daniel, who is facing more and more hard choices, and by the end there are a few more clues about the bigger conflict in the making.
I’m eager for more.
When you don’t adhere to many principles in life, you guard the ones you do have. They’re the only things that let you look yourself in the mirror in the morning, that let you pretend, every once in a while, that you’re a good person deep down inside.
November 20, 2022
Big change in scenery and space in this book, and also the pace of storytelling. The whole story lasts just for a few in-book days, but then again they are pretty much maxed out. Overall, this change (especially scenery) had been a very apt way to refresh the series at around the middle without unnecessary risks or sacrifices. Still fun, still a page-turner, though. 4*
July 13, 2017
5 Stars
"You know all those movies where the bad guy gets captured, but it turns out that was the key to his master plan all along? Not gonna lie. I’d always wanted to do that."
The Killing Floor Blues by Craig Schaefer is a terrific book and fifth in the Daniel Faust series. Many people draw comparisons of this book to that of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, but this one leans more to the 'R' Rated side than does the really 'PG' Dresden Files. I confess that the whole urban fantasy series has become my guilty pleasure reads. My love for the genre elevates everything I read. I only know that right now, I cannot seem to get enough from a genre filled with everything from ghosts and spirits, to Wolves and vamps, Gods and Demons, and sorcerers and cops. I love it.
Our main protagonist Daniel Faust is a sorcerer, a Thief, and pretty much not a good guy. He is however perfect for our lead role. Faust is not 'PG'. I loved the pacing, the world building, and the magic. I only wish that there was more. Caitlyn is a fantastic character and she pretty much steals all the pages that she is on.
These are not good people.
The Killing Floor Blues works by bringing us a fresh story, an intimate plot, and by making our hero Faust use his roots and not his magic to overcome the situations. The setting was awesome and Faust fit right in. I loved the way that his fearless and loose lipped attitude literally colored the pages.
The writing was great as usual and made for an easy page Turner. A real guilty pleasure of mine. I love the characters, the magic, and the dark grit. I am a fanboy of the urban fantasy genre.
Highly recommended!
"You know all those movies where the bad guy gets captured, but it turns out that was the key to his master plan all along? Not gonna lie. I’d always wanted to do that."
The Killing Floor Blues by Craig Schaefer is a terrific book and fifth in the Daniel Faust series. Many people draw comparisons of this book to that of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, but this one leans more to the 'R' Rated side than does the really 'PG' Dresden Files. I confess that the whole urban fantasy series has become my guilty pleasure reads. My love for the genre elevates everything I read. I only know that right now, I cannot seem to get enough from a genre filled with everything from ghosts and spirits, to Wolves and vamps, Gods and Demons, and sorcerers and cops. I love it.
Our main protagonist Daniel Faust is a sorcerer, a Thief, and pretty much not a good guy. He is however perfect for our lead role. Faust is not 'PG'. I loved the pacing, the world building, and the magic. I only wish that there was more. Caitlyn is a fantastic character and she pretty much steals all the pages that she is on.
These are not good people.
The Killing Floor Blues works by bringing us a fresh story, an intimate plot, and by making our hero Faust use his roots and not his magic to overcome the situations. The setting was awesome and Faust fit right in. I loved the way that his fearless and loose lipped attitude literally colored the pages.
The writing was great as usual and made for an easy page Turner. A real guilty pleasure of mine. I love the characters, the magic, and the dark grit. I am a fanboy of the urban fantasy genre.
Highly recommended!
June 2, 2016
Another solid entry in the Daniel Faust series, although this one is less focused on Faust's magic and his backup team than on his brains and abilities to break out of prison. Yes, prison.
The one drawback with this one is the focus on the prison: how/why he was there (unanswered), who had the power to cast a spell over EVERYONE (unanswered), and the prison break itself.
From that last point alone, it was a plot like every other prison break book/movie/TV show: protagonist is taken to prison, makes a couple of friends, makes more enemies, tries to break out, one of the friends dies in the attempt, decides to break-out again by taking on the warden himself. It's a good thing Mr. Schaefer is such a good writer. This plot in the hands of a lesser author would have failed miserably.
The final third of the book was good, but it was too contrived: everything, and I mean everything, went Faust's way, and there was really no challenge for him and the others. Kind of a let down, really.
Okay, with this volume, I'm done with Daniel Faust until the next book is published (is it on the radar anywhere yet?). I am now starting into the spin-off series, Harmony Black.
The one drawback with this one is the focus on the prison: how/why he was there (unanswered), who had the power to cast a spell over EVERYONE (unanswered), and the prison break itself.
From that last point alone, it was a plot like every other prison break book/movie/TV show: protagonist is taken to prison, makes a couple of friends, makes more enemies, tries to break out, one of the friends dies in the attempt, decides to break-out again by taking on the warden himself. It's a good thing Mr. Schaefer is such a good writer. This plot in the hands of a lesser author would have failed miserably.
The final third of the book was good, but it was too contrived: everything, and I mean everything, went Faust's way, and there was really no challenge for him and the others. Kind of a let down, really.
Okay, with this volume, I'm done with Daniel Faust until the next book is published (is it on the radar anywhere yet?). I am now starting into the spin-off series, Harmony Black.
January 2, 2017
These books keep getting better and better! Since Daniel was locked up for most of the book, he wasn’t around his friends. The story was just as fascinating. He knows how to bargain and how to manipulate when he needs to. Trouble seems to find him wherever he goes, and jail is no exception.
For once it finally seemed like he came on top, well, somewhat anyway. Usually he achieves his goal but with a considerable debt. He didn’t walk away debt free but isn’t completely fucked either. This one was dark. The title of this book is there for a reason. Lots of death is all I’m going to say about it.
Nothing further was revealed about Caitlin. I’m suspicious of everything now. She said she wants him alive, but is that because she loves him or because she’s using him for something? I want to read the next one. There aren’t anymore books in the series after that. I’m not sure if it’s the final book or not. If it is, I’m not ready for this series to be over.
For once it finally seemed like he came on top, well, somewhat anyway. Usually he achieves his goal but with a considerable debt. He didn’t walk away debt free but isn’t completely fucked either. This one was dark. The title of this book is there for a reason. Lots of death is all I’m going to say about it.
Nothing further was revealed about Caitlin. I’m suspicious of everything now. She said she wants him alive, but is that because she loves him or because she’s using him for something? I want to read the next one. There aren’t anymore books in the series after that. I’m not sure if it’s the final book or not. If it is, I’m not ready for this series to be over.
August 11, 2022
Good gravy, this series stays interesting. I never did watch Prison Break, but now I'm thinking I definitely want to check it out. I know it won't have Caitlin, but I'll just have to suffer without her.
I really appreciated the chance to let Dan shine on (mostly) his own terms as far as thinking outside the box; I remember the flashback to learning sleight-of-hand tricks fondly, and it was put to good use in forcing him to MacGyver his way out of things here. Of course magic is still in play, but not nearly as much as it has been in previous installments.
And I'm fairly certain Cait let the Balrog borrow her whip, because that's definitely how these things work, right?
I really appreciated the chance to let Dan shine on (mostly) his own terms as far as thinking outside the box; I remember the flashback to learning sleight-of-hand tricks fondly, and it was put to good use in forcing him to MacGyver his way out of things here. Of course magic is still in play, but not nearly as much as it has been in previous installments.
And I'm fairly certain Cait let the Balrog borrow her whip, because that's definitely how these things work, right?
May 22, 2018
🔥 Time for us MacHalos to bake a cake for lovely Danny boy! ;P 🔥
W O W. F U C K I N G W O W. W O W
Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick!
Can you spell "Brutal"?
Cause I can: Daniel Fucking Faust bitches!
~ Pre-Read Review type thingy ~
W O W. F U C K I N G W O W. W O W
Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick!
Can you spell "Brutal"?
Cause I can: Daniel Fucking Faust bitches!
~ Pre-Read Review type thingy ~
August 27, 2015
Still loving Daniel Faust. This has less magic at the beginning as Daniel finds himself trapped inside an inescapable prison with a dark secret at its centre. But soon, his magical friends get involved ... Lots of fun! Great series.
August 30, 2023
Stars: 5 out of 5.
This is the best book of the series so far, at least in my opinion!
It starts off strong with Daniel Faust waking up on a prison bus in transfer to a prison, when last time we left him at the end of book 4, he'd just been framed for a murder and arrested... Only it seems that four months have passed, he'd already been put on trial (and lost), and he is being transferred to a maximum security prison to serve a life sentence. Confused yet? Add to that the fact that Daniel doesn't remember anything about those four months. To him, he was arrested, and next time he woke up, he was on this bus.
I loved that the reader gets to experience that state of confusion and disbelief with the character. I even went back to the end of book 4 and re-read the ending just to make sure I didn't miss anything. This confusion helps empathize with the character. Makes the reader root for him even more than before.
And Daniel will need all the support he can get in this book, because for once, he doesn't have his friends and family to help him. He doesn't even have access to his magic tricks. He is utterly alone in a hostile environment where people get shanked for just looking at the wrong person at the wrong time. Oh, and somebody really wants him dead to boot. And not only dead, but he needs to suffer horribly before he dies.
This was a very fast-paced story with constant tension, because not only is Daniel like a fish out of water here (although he does the best he can with the cards he is given), but also because so many different things are wrong with this prison. And the more wrong you discover, the more worried you become about the protagonist.
I also loved that when he finally manages to get help, the issuing fight is awesome and spectacular. And I'm not even a little bit irritated with Caitlyn in this book, which is rare. I think her almost total absence from the story is what made this book so great.
All in all, I love the direction in which this series is progressing. I want to know who the man with the Cheshire smile is and what his end game is. Something tells me Daniel and team are going to mess his plans so bad, he won't realize what hit him. And I will be happily along for the ride.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
This is the best book of the series so far, at least in my opinion!
It starts off strong with Daniel Faust waking up on a prison bus in transfer to a prison, when last time we left him at the end of book 4, he'd just been framed for a murder and arrested... Only it seems that four months have passed, he'd already been put on trial (and lost), and he is being transferred to a maximum security prison to serve a life sentence. Confused yet? Add to that the fact that Daniel doesn't remember anything about those four months. To him, he was arrested, and next time he woke up, he was on this bus.
I loved that the reader gets to experience that state of confusion and disbelief with the character. I even went back to the end of book 4 and re-read the ending just to make sure I didn't miss anything. This confusion helps empathize with the character. Makes the reader root for him even more than before.
And Daniel will need all the support he can get in this book, because for once, he doesn't have his friends and family to help him. He doesn't even have access to his magic tricks. He is utterly alone in a hostile environment where people get shanked for just looking at the wrong person at the wrong time. Oh, and somebody really wants him dead to boot. And not only dead, but he needs to suffer horribly before he dies.
This was a very fast-paced story with constant tension, because not only is Daniel like a fish out of water here (although he does the best he can with the cards he is given), but also because so many different things are wrong with this prison. And the more wrong you discover, the more worried you become about the protagonist.
I also loved that when he finally manages to get help, the issuing fight is awesome and spectacular. And I'm not even a little bit irritated with Caitlyn in this book, which is rare. I think her almost total absence from the story is what made this book so great.
All in all, I love the direction in which this series is progressing. I want to know who the man with the Cheshire smile is and what his end game is. Something tells me Daniel and team are going to mess his plans so bad, he won't realize what hit him. And I will be happily along for the ride.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
April 17, 2020
This is the best Craig Schaefer book I have read. Daniel Faust has had some really bad days in the previous book, but the days in this book may be the worst ever.
So many interesting concepts in the worldbuilding, and I did not forecast what would happen at all. Except I figured DF would get out of most problems (after all, there are at least 4 more books following this one, it's not like he's going to die or anything.)
Highly recommend. Even though some of the DF books I read before I wasn't THAT crazy about, this one made reading all of them worthwhile.
So many interesting concepts in the worldbuilding, and I did not forecast what would happen at all. Except I figured DF would get out of most problems (after all, there are at least 4 more books following this one, it's not like he's going to die or anything.)
Highly recommend. Even though some of the DF books I read before I wasn't THAT crazy about, this one made reading all of them worthwhile.
January 16, 2018
That was something.
Daniel swears off his criminal ways for good and quietly does his time behind bars. He thinks about his life and starts to see where things went wrong. He becomes a better man who realizes he must pay his debt to society.
The book follow his heart-breaking transformation into a law-abiding citizen.
In a parallel world that is.
Because in our world Craig Schaefer has different plans for Daniel. As a cruel man he torments Daniel without mercy.
The Killing Floor Blues picks up where the last book left off. Faust wakes up to find himself in a maximum security prison for a murder he did not commit. He doesn't remember the trial. Some powerful magic was involved.
Inside the prison, things aren’t merry and joyful – prison politics and tension between races are pretty tense. Guards are sadistic psychos who won’t hesitate to kill prisoner for fun. Some weird stuff is happening in Hive B - prisoners are disappearing.
Faust uses his wits and magic to save his neck and bust out of prison. While the book was pretty good and easy to read it didn’t charm me as much as previous entries.
Plotting wasn’t bad but felt a bit weaker than in previous books. Some twists and parts of the story were strong and creative. Others felt a bit forced. Plot is balanced between the human threat of the prison and the magical threat of the mysterious Guy with a Cheshire Smile. Everything is resolved reasonably well. I would, however, like to know why Warden Lancaster does what he does . Bad guys motivations were very shallow and they mostly fell flat.
In short, good fun, perfectly readable and enjoyable. To me, though, weaker that previous three books.
Daniel swears off his criminal ways for good and quietly does his time behind bars. He thinks about his life and starts to see where things went wrong. He becomes a better man who realizes he must pay his debt to society.
The book follow his heart-breaking transformation into a law-abiding citizen.
In a parallel world that is.
Because in our world Craig Schaefer has different plans for Daniel. As a cruel man he torments Daniel without mercy.
The Killing Floor Blues picks up where the last book left off. Faust wakes up to find himself in a maximum security prison for a murder he did not commit. He doesn't remember the trial. Some powerful magic was involved.
Inside the prison, things aren’t merry and joyful – prison politics and tension between races are pretty tense. Guards are sadistic psychos who won’t hesitate to kill prisoner for fun. Some weird stuff is happening in Hive B - prisoners are disappearing.
Faust uses his wits and magic to save his neck and bust out of prison. While the book was pretty good and easy to read it didn’t charm me as much as previous entries.
Plotting wasn’t bad but felt a bit weaker than in previous books. Some twists and parts of the story were strong and creative. Others felt a bit forced. Plot is balanced between the human threat of the prison and the magical threat of the mysterious Guy with a Cheshire Smile. Everything is resolved reasonably well. I would, however, like to know why Warden Lancaster does what he does . Bad guys motivations were very shallow and they mostly fell flat.
In short, good fun, perfectly readable and enjoyable. To me, though, weaker that previous three books.
September 29, 2023
Have you ever noticed that when you eat too many Cheetos in a sitting that your fingers turn orange? And if you read too many Daniel Fausts in a row...?
September 4, 2017
***Actual rating: 4,25***
January 7, 2016
HOLY!
This is going to be tough to write a review for but what I can say is that Craig Schaefer is up to his usual tricks. Loved this!
Full review coming soon.
Received by author, through audiobookreviewer.com, in exchange for an honest review.
THIS!
I don’t even know how to write the review for this. There are so many feels! First of all being that I do not want Daniel Faust’s story to end. Coming to the end of a good book is like a tragedy. Being involved in this series though, it just pulls you in and does not let go! Instead of that suffocating feeling, I got all the feels of being comforted and safe. Maybe I just won’t stand so close to Faust since he is CONSTANTLY in trouble!
If you have read the others, and I highly suggest you do, then you know book four ended on a massive cliff hanger. We are awaiting Daniel’s fate and then book five starts and Daniel is not where I expected him to be. Like he did not have enough problems with everything that is about to happen in Las Vegas, oh no… apparently someone felt that he needed a vacation, in the form of prison.
I think this is my favorite of the series. There just something about Faust that lets everyone around him know that he will not bow down, no matter what is happening. Everyone around him seems to be in power and yet he can waltz in with a smile on his face. He doesn’t even have any real cards to play but he finds them in mysterious places that only Faust would be able to find.
With no wizarding tricks up his sleeve, literally and figuratively, Faust is left to deal with his problems within the prison, on his wits. He’s a quick thinker even when it looks like he cannot come up with anything else.
Somehow Adam Verner was able to keep up with this. There are so many different action points and so much going on that I was worried, but I did not even have time to worry because Faust kept going, and so did Adam! This was exceptionally narrated and by now I expect that from Adam Verner. This voices are just as shrewd as the characters, dripping with poison and menace. Even with so much going on, Adam never misses a beat! Either that or the production team is fan freaking tastic because there are no hiccups at all, and with all this action I would think someone would skip somewhere. Incredibly well done and this book deserves it. Adam Verner and Daniel Faust go hand in hand. I’m really hoping that Adam will narrate the Harmony Black books if they go to audible as well.
In short: If you like Urban Fantasy, this is a must read. I loved all five book and I am hoping for more!
This is going to be tough to write a review for but what I can say is that Craig Schaefer is up to his usual tricks. Loved this!
Full review coming soon.
Received by author, through audiobookreviewer.com, in exchange for an honest review.
THIS!
I don’t even know how to write the review for this. There are so many feels! First of all being that I do not want Daniel Faust’s story to end. Coming to the end of a good book is like a tragedy. Being involved in this series though, it just pulls you in and does not let go! Instead of that suffocating feeling, I got all the feels of being comforted and safe. Maybe I just won’t stand so close to Faust since he is CONSTANTLY in trouble!
If you have read the others, and I highly suggest you do, then you know book four ended on a massive cliff hanger. We are awaiting Daniel’s fate and then book five starts and Daniel is not where I expected him to be. Like he did not have enough problems with everything that is about to happen in Las Vegas, oh no… apparently someone felt that he needed a vacation, in the form of prison.
I think this is my favorite of the series. There just something about Faust that lets everyone around him know that he will not bow down, no matter what is happening. Everyone around him seems to be in power and yet he can waltz in with a smile on his face. He doesn’t even have any real cards to play but he finds them in mysterious places that only Faust would be able to find.
With no wizarding tricks up his sleeve, literally and figuratively, Faust is left to deal with his problems within the prison, on his wits. He’s a quick thinker even when it looks like he cannot come up with anything else.
Somehow Adam Verner was able to keep up with this. There are so many different action points and so much going on that I was worried, but I did not even have time to worry because Faust kept going, and so did Adam! This was exceptionally narrated and by now I expect that from Adam Verner. This voices are just as shrewd as the characters, dripping with poison and menace. Even with so much going on, Adam never misses a beat! Either that or the production team is fan freaking tastic because there are no hiccups at all, and with all this action I would think someone would skip somewhere. Incredibly well done and this book deserves it. Adam Verner and Daniel Faust go hand in hand. I’m really hoping that Adam will narrate the Harmony Black books if they go to audible as well.
In short: If you like Urban Fantasy, this is a must read. I loved all five book and I am hoping for more!
September 2, 2016
I'm not going to review this because, frankly, it's #5, and any review this far into a series is sorta moot anyway - nope, no review. It's an awesome series. Buy it. There, now onto the big issue...
I'm going to ask a question about the elephant in the room.
The elephant wears a white coat and kicks-ass, and if she knew I'd called her an elephant she'd promptly kick my ass seven ways to Sunday.
Let's talk about Caitlin.
I'm going to ask a question about the elephant in the room.
The elephant wears a white coat and kicks-ass, and if she knew I'd called her an elephant she'd promptly kick my ass seven ways to Sunday.
Let's talk about Caitlin.
January 5, 2016
So, I started out this book yawning, and finished it still yawning. Perhaps this time it was purely a matter of personal taste. I cannot abide books about wrongful imprisonment/coping in jail or prison. God, that is so dull to me that I can't even express it. I think one, maybe two books ever have handled it in a way that didn't have me bored, but it certainly wasn't this book. This was like Prison Break, the lame show that I got bored of after a season. Except, I got bored of this almost right away.
Then the ending was just a mess, in my opinion, thrown together far too quickly after the drawn out prison plot. The only thin I'm glad of is that there isn't another book out there that I would be compelled to read since I'm already so far into the series. When it comes out, I dearly hope it at least reaches the readability of the previous books in the series.
Then the ending was just a mess, in my opinion, thrown together far too quickly after the drawn out prison plot. The only thin I'm glad of is that there isn't another book out there that I would be compelled to read since I'm already so far into the series. When it comes out, I dearly hope it at least reaches the readability of the previous books in the series.
August 28, 2021
This was definitely one of my favorite books in the series. This guys just seems to stumble into one catastrophe after another. My absolute favorite part had to be the part where he and Caitlin break out of prison together, murdering everyone around them and throwing back some karma. Plus, the part where he summoned her was absolutely adorable. That one moment where he thinks he might be about to die, but it's actually the demon he is in love with. Overall, this book was definitely amazing and I cannot wait to read the next one in the series. This is one series that I can go back and read time after time without getting bored. Even though I know what happens, it will still be funny.
June 15, 2018
re-read in preparation for Neon Boneyard.
I think this is my favourite book in the series so far - and Adam Verner does a fantastic job. The King of Worms...
I think this is my favourite book in the series so far - and Adam Verner does a fantastic job. The King of Worms...
February 12, 2022
This review was originally posted on Queen's Book Asylum with my choice of song!
Actual rating: 4.5*
Since we are talking about the 5th book in a series, I think it’s safe to say this review for The Killing Floor Blues will contain mild (or not so mild) spoilers for previous books. So, if you haven’t read the series yet, or want to at one point, I will have to ask you to proceed with caution. I will do my best not to spoil the events in The Killing Floor Blues, nor in the previous books, but it might happen.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about our boy, Danny. (I’m pretty sure I would be flayed alive if I called him Danny boy to his face, but here we go.) Things aren’t looking up for him, that’s for sure. By the end of book 4, Daniel Faust got himself into a pretty tight spot, and it’s going to take him a bit more than his charming personality to get out of it. Preferably alive. The odds aren’t in his favor, but then again, when were they? Still, prison life does not suit him, and so he does his best to find a way out. Making friends and enemies left and right as he adjusts to the hierarchy within the walls. Business as usual. And the Chicago mob is just all too happy to use this opportunity to create some more mayhem. Because that’s Vegas needs, obviously.
I think this is the first book in the series, where a good portion of the plot is contained to only one place, in this case, the Iceberg (or officially known as Eisenberg Correctional). In a less skilled hand, this could have gone wrong pretty quickly. Sure, predictably, Daniel does try to break out using any and every trick up his sleeve. And yes, he makes allies to make it happen. There is a hierarchy and you either have to pay up and be protected or be alone against this small, closed world. A tale as old as time.
What makes it entertaining in this case is the plot twists I should have seen coming and didn’t, the characters – Daniel especially, but also the well-crafted side ones -, and the occasional use of magic. I think what I like about Faust, and in this series in general is that magic is not a solution, but a tool. It’s fun to see how Daniel deals with a situation where he can’t rely on his usual sources. Where he needs to use his wit more than anything else. And Schaefer does not make it easy for him. There are hard decisions to make and near impossible situations to get away from. Maybe a tiny bit predictable, but still fun as hell.
I’m sure I mentioned this before, but I just love how Schaefer links his books together. They are all set in the same universe, and sometimes characters from different series cross each others’ paths. Like Harmony Black and Daniel Faust who both have their own series. But later they also cross paths with Nessa and Marie from The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy (I reviewed Sworn to the Night, Detonation Boulevard, and Bring the Fire on the blog previously), which also ties to the Ravenche Cycle. Why I’m bringing this up is because both in A Plain-Dealing Villain and The Killing Floor Blues a mysterious figure called The Smile pulls the strings from the background who goes on about a Story. In The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy the central mystery is set around the same Story. And I’m ashamed to admit that this didn’t click for me until Daniel meets Buddy. I’m not sure if this will be significant to the Daniel Faust series as a whole from here on, but personally, I could have kicked myself why I didn’t see that coming. It’s an interesting tidbit nonetheless if you are familiar with Schaefer‘s universe.
My only complaint – and this is a teeny tiny one – is that events in the last 20% or so go down really quickly. I felt like there could have been a bit more build-up maybe. But I’m really just nitpicking here because I can’t always write 100% glowing reviews for this series.
I always go into a Craig Schaefer novel with high expectations, and so far he never failed to deliver. But I also never know what to expect and I guess that’s what makes this series so damn addictive. I wouldn’t say The Killing Floor Blues was my favorite so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s not up to par with the rest. I can’t wait to find out who wins the war over Vegas.
Actual rating: 4.5*
Since we are talking about the 5th book in a series, I think it’s safe to say this review for The Killing Floor Blues will contain mild (or not so mild) spoilers for previous books. So, if you haven’t read the series yet, or want to at one point, I will have to ask you to proceed with caution. I will do my best not to spoil the events in The Killing Floor Blues, nor in the previous books, but it might happen.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about our boy, Danny. (I’m pretty sure I would be flayed alive if I called him Danny boy to his face, but here we go.) Things aren’t looking up for him, that’s for sure. By the end of book 4, Daniel Faust got himself into a pretty tight spot, and it’s going to take him a bit more than his charming personality to get out of it. Preferably alive. The odds aren’t in his favor, but then again, when were they? Still, prison life does not suit him, and so he does his best to find a way out. Making friends and enemies left and right as he adjusts to the hierarchy within the walls. Business as usual. And the Chicago mob is just all too happy to use this opportunity to create some more mayhem. Because that’s Vegas needs, obviously.
I think this is the first book in the series, where a good portion of the plot is contained to only one place, in this case, the Iceberg (or officially known as Eisenberg Correctional). In a less skilled hand, this could have gone wrong pretty quickly. Sure, predictably, Daniel does try to break out using any and every trick up his sleeve. And yes, he makes allies to make it happen. There is a hierarchy and you either have to pay up and be protected or be alone against this small, closed world. A tale as old as time.
What makes it entertaining in this case is the plot twists I should have seen coming and didn’t, the characters – Daniel especially, but also the well-crafted side ones -, and the occasional use of magic. I think what I like about Faust, and in this series in general is that magic is not a solution, but a tool. It’s fun to see how Daniel deals with a situation where he can’t rely on his usual sources. Where he needs to use his wit more than anything else. And Schaefer does not make it easy for him. There are hard decisions to make and near impossible situations to get away from. Maybe a tiny bit predictable, but still fun as hell.
I’m sure I mentioned this before, but I just love how Schaefer links his books together. They are all set in the same universe, and sometimes characters from different series cross each others’ paths. Like Harmony Black and Daniel Faust who both have their own series. But later they also cross paths with Nessa and Marie from The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy (I reviewed Sworn to the Night, Detonation Boulevard, and Bring the Fire on the blog previously), which also ties to the Ravenche Cycle. Why I’m bringing this up is because both in A Plain-Dealing Villain and The Killing Floor Blues a mysterious figure called The Smile pulls the strings from the background who goes on about a Story. In The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy the central mystery is set around the same Story. And I’m ashamed to admit that this didn’t click for me until Daniel meets Buddy. I’m not sure if this will be significant to the Daniel Faust series as a whole from here on, but personally, I could have kicked myself why I didn’t see that coming. It’s an interesting tidbit nonetheless if you are familiar with Schaefer‘s universe.
My only complaint – and this is a teeny tiny one – is that events in the last 20% or so go down really quickly. I felt like there could have been a bit more build-up maybe. But I’m really just nitpicking here because I can’t always write 100% glowing reviews for this series.
I always go into a Craig Schaefer novel with high expectations, and so far he never failed to deliver. But I also never know what to expect and I guess that’s what makes this series so damn addictive. I wouldn’t say The Killing Floor Blues was my favorite so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s not up to par with the rest. I can’t wait to find out who wins the war over Vegas.
February 15, 2017
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
CLASSIFICATION: Featuring a cast of anti-heroes and with a magician con-man as the protagonist, the Daniel Faust series is Richard Stark's Parker crossed with The Dresden Files and set in Las Vegas.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Killing Floor Blues was my favorite book of 2016 and possibly the best book in the Daniel Faust series (of the six I've read so far). This book while being such an awesome read, cannot be read as a standalone unfortunately. There will be mild spoilers as I cannot discus much of its blurb without mentioning certain events from A Plain Dealing Villain. On a side note, I believe the events of Killing Floor Blues are set a little before the events showcased in Harmony Black (book 1 of the Harmony Black series).
The prologue affords us another look at the Smile and his lackey Ms. Fleiss, most readers will recognize Fleiss from the events of the previous book wherein she hired Daniel Faust to steal an artifact in Chicago. The Smile & Fleiss talk about their efforts and this is the first inkling we get of the grand plan that the author has only hinted at so far. In our world, Daniel wakes up disoriented and finds himself on way to the Eisenberg correctional facility (also called Iceberg) in the Mojave desert. Confused as to why he's on way to prison without having a trial, Daniel finds out that he's already been tried and found guilty. Thoroughly befuddled by this rapid turn, Faust soon learns that a grand sinister plan is underway and he's been targeted for reasons unknown.
While in prison, he has to figure out the way of life in prison and also keep himself from being a target of a drug gang that has a branch in Las Vegas (as retribution for his alleged murder of one of their own). There's also bikers from a club to whom he owes money and lastly he will have to contend the inhumane conditions & odious guards in the private prison. Faust learns soon that things are truly f***ed for him as he finds out more about the strange on-goings in prison, the way of life inside as well as he tries to figure out how he landed in prison. The author then gives us a breakneck storyline that's full of action, plot twists and some superb revelations that had me fall in love with this book.
Going on to the positives, this book is one hell of an amalgamation of urban fantasy and a crime thriller. Think Prison Break mixed with a tad bit of Spartacus as well as Taken and you will get an inkling of what a crazy mix of a story this is. The story opens on a somber note but then quickly explodes as we get a fascinating look at private prisons and especially what a scenario might entail when a magician like Daniel Faust is thrown into the mix. The author isn't writing a polemic here so folks who want a detailed look at prisons and all the socio-economic factors that go into the prison populace won't find it here. What the readers will find is a story that will keep you excited, make you cringe and of course try to outguess the author. This is a perfect thriller if you ask me and one of the main reasons why this book was my top choice last year.
Next up is the characterization, with the story having a sole narrative voice, it all depends on the character and Daniel Faust doesn't disappoint. With this being the fifth book in the series, the author has had plenty of time to perfect the character and his voice. Faust is a fascinating rascal of a character who doesn't shy away from the occasional violence but uses his brains, skills and talent to get what he wants. This story has him utilizing all three to survive in an environment which reminds him when he was helpless as a child. He swore never to have to experience those feelings but due to the actions of certain people, he finds himself a liar. The narrative never gets too bogged down with the character feeling dismayed as Faust is a fighter and he's already thinking on an escape plan.
The beauty of the plot twists is that while it might seem that this book is about a prison break, it's not that entirely. The story takes a lot of turns and in hands of another author might have been a simple story focussing on a singular plot thread. Craig Schaefer refuses to take the simple route as has been evidenced by his writing career so far. He combines at least three different plots into this storyline and makes them all coherent and flow smoothly. I loved how this book while sticking to the prison escape tropes, yet managed to make the story interesting by adding in newer twists. The author also explores the idea of magic existing but doesn't give the character a simple-get-out-of-jail trick/card. While there is one scene that simply exists to set up something about the character and for future story set-up, I doubt readers will find fault with it and like me, most will enjoy its creepy, oozy factor (I'm using oozy for a very particular reason and you will understand when you read it).
The story just zooms with all of its twists and then ends on a fascinating climax and then we find that there's more to the book. There's a coda plot twist that might upset a few readers but I enjoyed it as it was another way to upend reader expectations. Overall this story was one where I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Going on to the drawbacks, this was one book where I honestly found none. After finishing my primary read I've re-read a few more times and the excitement held up each time. For me that's a sign of an excellent read.
CONCLUSION: The Killing Floor Blues is a book that mixes various genre plots and leaves the readers bemused. For me this book was one of the best fictional reads that I've ever read in a long time. I would recommend most readers on this series just so they can enjoy this volume as much as I did. Do not miss this book and this series, as by the time it will be finished this will be considered a classic one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews