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Good Guys
Donovan was shot by a cop. For jaywalking, supposedly. Actually, for arguing with a cop while black. Four of the nine shots were lethal--or would have been, if their target had been anybody else. The Foundation picked him up, brought him back, and trained him further. "Lethal" turns out to be a relative term when magic is involved.
When Marci was fifteen, she levitated a paperweight and threw it at a guy she didn't like. The Foundation scooped her up for training too.
"Hippie chick" Susan got well into her Foundation training before they told her about the magic, but she's as powerful as Donovan and Marci now.
They can teleport themselves thousands of miles, conjure shields that will stop bullets, and read information from the remnants of spells cast by others days before.
They all work for the secretive Foundation...for minimum wage.
Which is okay, because the Foundation are the good guys. Aren't they?
When Marci was fifteen, she levitated a paperweight and threw it at a guy she didn't like. The Foundation scooped her up for training too.
"Hippie chick" Susan got well into her Foundation training before they told her about the magic, but she's as powerful as Donovan and Marci now.
They can teleport themselves thousands of miles, conjure shields that will stop bullets, and read information from the remnants of spells cast by others days before.
They all work for the secretive Foundation...for minimum wage.
Which is okay, because the Foundation are the good guys. Aren't they?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
129 people are currently reading
1764 people want to read
About the author
Steven Brust
99 books2,303 followersSteven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede, and also belongs to the Pre-Joycean Fellowship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
http://us.macmillan.com/author/steven...
(Photo by David Dyer-Bennet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
February 17, 2018
Fairly light UF superhero fiction with traditional powers, relics, and mystery.
Of course, it's fueled by quasi-governmental agencies and assassinations that may or may not be justified, but the real joy in the novel comes from the mystery.
Murder.
Increasingly interesting and gory effects murder.
But to whom? And why?
The guilty. :) You know all those bank people who busted the economy, or the a-holes who focused on all their specialty pet projects but completely ignored the plights of the common man? Yeah. Deaders.
Feeling conflicted? Me, too.
But that's the joy we can gleam from this superhero novel. Magic, relics, and the common man. Minimum wage superheroes???? Come on. You KNOW this has to be a gimmick. A fun one, too. :)
I've been a big fan of Brust for a long time now and this modern rendition of the comic tradition is fun as hell. Just bring the beer. Please. The good stuff. Don't get all pansy ass on me.
Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!
Of course, it's fueled by quasi-governmental agencies and assassinations that may or may not be justified, but the real joy in the novel comes from the mystery.
Murder.
Increasingly interesting and gory effects murder.
But to whom? And why?
The guilty. :) You know all those bank people who busted the economy, or the a-holes who focused on all their specialty pet projects but completely ignored the plights of the common man? Yeah. Deaders.
Feeling conflicted? Me, too.
But that's the joy we can gleam from this superhero novel. Magic, relics, and the common man. Minimum wage superheroes???? Come on. You KNOW this has to be a gimmick. A fun one, too. :)
I've been a big fan of Brust for a long time now and this modern rendition of the comic tradition is fun as hell. Just bring the beer. Please. The good stuff. Don't get all pansy ass on me.
Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!
April 13, 2021
The hard work was done.
Donovan had had his share of crap jobs, and one thing he'd learned was that when someone told him the hard work was done it usually meant there was a lot of boring, grinding bullshit left.
Well, spoiler alert, Donovan's not wrong.
This was a really pleasant surprise - I'll admit I'm entirely biased in this review, but there's just something that absolutely does it for me when the supernatural meets the bureaucratic - and when it includes a small team doing their best to deal with both? That's what we call the sweet spot.
The dialogue in this is just *chef's kiss* - so good. Banter that doesn't quite tip over into snark, but plays with the line, and people who actually sound like people. It's just as well it's good, too, because Good Guys is actually pretty heavy on the dialogue - it's a good way to get all that world-building across without info-dumping, though.
I do wish we'd had just a little more build-up before jumping right in, but it's a minor quibble. There's a few perspective changes near the beginning that would have been a little easier with just a touch more context, and also - I just kind of want more of this book. If you're struggling with those early chapters though, just know that the information is coming - hang in there.
Unfortunately, it looks like this is a standalone, at least for now. But hey - that's what rereads were made for.
Donovan had had his share of crap jobs, and one thing he'd learned was that when someone told him the hard work was done it usually meant there was a lot of boring, grinding bullshit left.
Well, spoiler alert, Donovan's not wrong.
This was a really pleasant surprise - I'll admit I'm entirely biased in this review, but there's just something that absolutely does it for me when the supernatural meets the bureaucratic - and when it includes a small team doing their best to deal with both? That's what we call the sweet spot.
The dialogue in this is just *chef's kiss* - so good. Banter that doesn't quite tip over into snark, but plays with the line, and people who actually sound like people. It's just as well it's good, too, because Good Guys is actually pretty heavy on the dialogue - it's a good way to get all that world-building across without info-dumping, though.
I do wish we'd had just a little more build-up before jumping right in, but it's a minor quibble. There's a few perspective changes near the beginning that would have been a little easier with just a touch more context, and also - I just kind of want more of this book. If you're struggling with those early chapters though, just know that the information is coming - hang in there.
Unfortunately, it looks like this is a standalone, at least for now. But hey - that's what rereads were made for.
April 19, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Good Guys is an urban fantasy take by Steven Brust, author of the Vlad Taltos fantasy series; it is light, fast-paced, and readable in the vein of other detective focused UF out there. Unfortunately, I didn’t find this Brust novel as interesting as his fantasy offerings, so much so, in fact, that I kept finding reasons to put off writing a review. But, at the end of the day, I decided to put my views on the screen since everyone who wants to deserves an opportunity to read my thoughts – even if you don’t agree with them.
The focus of the story here is a secret group of people from a mysterious and magical Foundation: their job to police the world and keep rogue magic users under control, as well as keep normal people from realizing magic is very real and very dangerous. Naturally our heroes are underpaid and under appreciated, but they are still out there risking their lives, attempting to track down a serial killer who is committing magical murders across the globe. The bureaucratic red tape of their organization nearly as unnerving as the actions of their shadowy adversaries.
Like most UF, this novel is very detective/mystery oriented, but it also has a strong dose of cold war spy themes and a good number of deaths. Grizzly ones. Murders where forensics play a key role in deciphering the clues. All of the killing wrapped up in shadowy conspiracies. And what makes it worse is our heroes begin to doubt themselves, their purpose. Are they really even the good guys? Or, are they merely ignorant pawns being shuffled across the board by people in power who are, in reality, the bad guys!
If you love urban fantasy, I’m sure all that sounds decent enough. And, overall, I have to admit Good Guys is a readable story; it had more than a few twists and turns, even provided some interesting tweaks on the standard magical investigations so familiar by this point. As I said earlier though, I was a bit underwhelming by it.
First off, there are a lot of point of view characters and a lot of viewpoint shifts. The author jumping from Donovan, our team leader, to our criminal to other recruits to other bosses to . . . Lots of people. You get the point. And it was annoying as hell. At least, for me. Mainly because I never got to spend enough time with anyone to actually care at all about them. And when I don’t care about characters I lose interest in the story.
Second, the time Brust spent showing the motives of the criminal really added nothing to the plot for me personally. Okay, maybe it helped me understand this person’s thoughts and feelings, but I didn’t need to be in the bad guys head for me to understand these things. Honestly, Donovan and the investigation could have shown me the villain’s true motives just as easily and probably better.
Lastly, I grew tired of the bureaucratic conspiracies. I know that bureaucracy can be bad. Evil people can hide in bureaucratic systems. Politics – especially office politics – sucks. But I live those things every day, so a story focused around them wasn’t terribly exciting for me.
Ultimately, your decision to read Good Guys will hinge on whether you love detective/mystery type urban fantasy. If your answer is a resounding “Yes” then this one is a book you will probably enjoy. If your answer is “No” then skip this and give Brust’s Vlad Taltos a go.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
Good Guys is an urban fantasy take by Steven Brust, author of the Vlad Taltos fantasy series; it is light, fast-paced, and readable in the vein of other detective focused UF out there. Unfortunately, I didn’t find this Brust novel as interesting as his fantasy offerings, so much so, in fact, that I kept finding reasons to put off writing a review. But, at the end of the day, I decided to put my views on the screen since everyone who wants to deserves an opportunity to read my thoughts – even if you don’t agree with them.
The focus of the story here is a secret group of people from a mysterious and magical Foundation: their job to police the world and keep rogue magic users under control, as well as keep normal people from realizing magic is very real and very dangerous. Naturally our heroes are underpaid and under appreciated, but they are still out there risking their lives, attempting to track down a serial killer who is committing magical murders across the globe. The bureaucratic red tape of their organization nearly as unnerving as the actions of their shadowy adversaries.
Like most UF, this novel is very detective/mystery oriented, but it also has a strong dose of cold war spy themes and a good number of deaths. Grizzly ones. Murders where forensics play a key role in deciphering the clues. All of the killing wrapped up in shadowy conspiracies. And what makes it worse is our heroes begin to doubt themselves, their purpose. Are they really even the good guys? Or, are they merely ignorant pawns being shuffled across the board by people in power who are, in reality, the bad guys!
If you love urban fantasy, I’m sure all that sounds decent enough. And, overall, I have to admit Good Guys is a readable story; it had more than a few twists and turns, even provided some interesting tweaks on the standard magical investigations so familiar by this point. As I said earlier though, I was a bit underwhelming by it.
First off, there are a lot of point of view characters and a lot of viewpoint shifts. The author jumping from Donovan, our team leader, to our criminal to other recruits to other bosses to . . . Lots of people. You get the point. And it was annoying as hell. At least, for me. Mainly because I never got to spend enough time with anyone to actually care at all about them. And when I don’t care about characters I lose interest in the story.
Second, the time Brust spent showing the motives of the criminal really added nothing to the plot for me personally. Okay, maybe it helped me understand this person’s thoughts and feelings, but I didn’t need to be in the bad guys head for me to understand these things. Honestly, Donovan and the investigation could have shown me the villain’s true motives just as easily and probably better.
Lastly, I grew tired of the bureaucratic conspiracies. I know that bureaucracy can be bad. Evil people can hide in bureaucratic systems. Politics – especially office politics – sucks. But I live those things every day, so a story focused around them wasn’t terribly exciting for me.
Ultimately, your decision to read Good Guys will hinge on whether you love detective/mystery type urban fantasy. If your answer is a resounding “Yes” then this one is a book you will probably enjoy. If your answer is “No” then skip this and give Brust’s Vlad Taltos a go.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
January 9, 2019
Steven Brust's "Good Guys" is a mashup of the private investigation fantasy subgenre, a subgenre that is right in my wheelhouse. Brust is an old pro, the author of the famous "Vlad Taltos" novels, who has published 30 novels. He knows how to write. This book has a cool sort of vibe, kind of an old style detective story. Its stripped down of a lot of unnecessary chatter. Kind of a spare Dashiel Hammett style but with all kinds of Brustian flourishes, including a group doing the investigation, a female Schwartznegger and no female love interest. So while it's grounded in classic detective mode, Brust dots the prose and story with his own style. It works very well as a detective novel, but at the same time, Brust has a monologue with the readers, do we think the investigators are really working for the right side? Keep that in the back of your mind as you read it.
We first meet the team, Donovan Longfellow, aka Laughing Boy, Marci, the mage, and Susan, aka Hippie Girl, the muscle as they investigate how a man was has been killed in broad daylight in a restaurant and no one saw a thing. They all work for the "Foundation". Donovan reports to Becker, his handler in the Foundation that Marci thinks a magical stop motion spell of some kind was used to kill the victim. The Foundation, seems to be run like a business. Donovan works for a field unit that investigates the use of magic in the field.
Brust does not use big information drops to explains things. Rather as part of the story little dollops of information are revealed merely as part of the story. So when Becker suspects that there might have been a magical device used, he goes to the Foundation's Artifacts department to have someone do research. It seems Donovan's job, in part is to stop the leaking of knowledge of magic to the public.
But now a man has died of a mysterious heart attack, and when the team investigates, they are ambushed by a gunman. Hippie Chick disables the gunman. So the killer seems to be trying to stop any investigation. But Donovan just lets the man go after questioning him, as he is merely a hired gun.
It seems the killing is tied to the Mystici, another magical organization. Donovan knows of the Mystici, who also have magical employees, but they are not nice people. Donovan owes the Foundation his life so he works for them, and he likes to think they are the good guys. As Hippie Chick explains, they pay us so little money we must be the good guys.
As the case progresses, Donovan's group discovers that the people getting killed are all associated with the Mystici, whose magicians, sometimes help out bad people. And that the people killed are all dying via magical means in worse and worse ways.
And Donovan and his team are also being confronted by the killer or his associates.
So the good guys are both trying to stop the killers and at the same time trying to survive the killers themselves. But the killers are not killing good people. And Donovan works for the Foundation, that knows the Mystici sometimes lines it pockets by helping bad people. But the Foundation is also employed by the Mystici to protect them.
So who really are the bad guys here. Its a gray world out there.
It's a conundrum that Brust leaves for us to figure out. But I like Donovan's style, and when the real bad guys hurt the good guys, an eye for an eye still is justice.
We first meet the team, Donovan Longfellow, aka Laughing Boy, Marci, the mage, and Susan, aka Hippie Girl, the muscle as they investigate how a man was has been killed in broad daylight in a restaurant and no one saw a thing. They all work for the "Foundation". Donovan reports to Becker, his handler in the Foundation that Marci thinks a magical stop motion spell of some kind was used to kill the victim. The Foundation, seems to be run like a business. Donovan works for a field unit that investigates the use of magic in the field.
Brust does not use big information drops to explains things. Rather as part of the story little dollops of information are revealed merely as part of the story. So when Becker suspects that there might have been a magical device used, he goes to the Foundation's Artifacts department to have someone do research. It seems Donovan's job, in part is to stop the leaking of knowledge of magic to the public.
But now a man has died of a mysterious heart attack, and when the team investigates, they are ambushed by a gunman. Hippie Chick disables the gunman. So the killer seems to be trying to stop any investigation. But Donovan just lets the man go after questioning him, as he is merely a hired gun.
It seems the killing is tied to the Mystici, another magical organization. Donovan knows of the Mystici, who also have magical employees, but they are not nice people. Donovan owes the Foundation his life so he works for them, and he likes to think they are the good guys. As Hippie Chick explains, they pay us so little money we must be the good guys.
As the case progresses, Donovan's group discovers that the people getting killed are all associated with the Mystici, whose magicians, sometimes help out bad people. And that the people killed are all dying via magical means in worse and worse ways.
And Donovan and his team are also being confronted by the killer or his associates.
So the good guys are both trying to stop the killers and at the same time trying to survive the killers themselves. But the killers are not killing good people. And Donovan works for the Foundation, that knows the Mystici sometimes lines it pockets by helping bad people. But the Foundation is also employed by the Mystici to protect them.
So who really are the bad guys here. Its a gray world out there.
It's a conundrum that Brust leaves for us to figure out. But I like Donovan's style, and when the real bad guys hurt the good guys, an eye for an eye still is justice.
August 24, 2022
This started off rather slow for me, but I really liked it by the end. Well narrated with a good mystery to solve by people & organizations that are as morally ambiguous as their means all leavened with just the right amount of low-key humor. There is magic in this world, but it isn't explained to death & yet well enough to be understandable & have proper limits. Good characters, too. Many started off flat & became full blown as the story progressed.
February 16, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for the galley.
Definitely 4.5 stars.
Okay, this was so very, very good! I've been trying to figure out how to begin reading some of the Steven Brust books but there are so many my head would just spin around whenever I tried to decide on a jumping off point. So this book, a new series, proved to be just the right place. I was definitely impressed with the writing, plotting and just general storytelling ability of Brust. I want this crew back entertaining me as soon as possible.
There are two organizations which work to keep the existence of magic from becoming general knowledge. The Foundation and the Roma Vindices Mystici were once a single organization until they had a disagreement about what Franco was doing in Spain. They still work together in a way, both still wanting the same things but the old scars keep the two organizations separate. The crew we are concerned with each have specific abilities that allow them to handle magic-gone-rogue. Somebody is killing and using magic to help. Our team has to use all their magical abilities and the resources of the Foundation to stop this rampage without knowing who the assassin is or how he chooses his victims. The answers will cause a whole lot of shake-ups in the world of magic.
These were characters I came to like in a very short time. They aren't perfect, they aren't even admirable in some instances, in fact they are pretty rough all over, not just around the edges, but I just couldn't help but want everybody to come out of the magic fights in good shape. This story is a rock-um-sock-um magic street fight and I would have liked to have a little more explanation from the author of what forces/actions had happened during the fight scenes. Most of that wasn't spelled out and I needed some explanation. Maybe in the next story? I hope so because I want to know more than just who died or was maimed or injured in the fight. Other than that observation, I just enjoyed the heck out of this book!
Definitely 4.5 stars.
Okay, this was so very, very good! I've been trying to figure out how to begin reading some of the Steven Brust books but there are so many my head would just spin around whenever I tried to decide on a jumping off point. So this book, a new series, proved to be just the right place. I was definitely impressed with the writing, plotting and just general storytelling ability of Brust. I want this crew back entertaining me as soon as possible.
There are two organizations which work to keep the existence of magic from becoming general knowledge. The Foundation and the Roma Vindices Mystici were once a single organization until they had a disagreement about what Franco was doing in Spain. They still work together in a way, both still wanting the same things but the old scars keep the two organizations separate. The crew we are concerned with each have specific abilities that allow them to handle magic-gone-rogue. Somebody is killing and using magic to help. Our team has to use all their magical abilities and the resources of the Foundation to stop this rampage without knowing who the assassin is or how he chooses his victims. The answers will cause a whole lot of shake-ups in the world of magic.
These were characters I came to like in a very short time. They aren't perfect, they aren't even admirable in some instances, in fact they are pretty rough all over, not just around the edges, but I just couldn't help but want everybody to come out of the magic fights in good shape. This story is a rock-um-sock-um magic street fight and I would have liked to have a little more explanation from the author of what forces/actions had happened during the fight scenes. Most of that wasn't spelled out and I needed some explanation. Maybe in the next story? I hope so because I want to know more than just who died or was maimed or injured in the fight. Other than that observation, I just enjoyed the heck out of this book!
June 7, 2018
Meh. A decent read, but I expect more from Brust.
This one felt as if it could have used more work in the planning stage.
I agree with the many people who said "too many points of view."
Also too many convenient links between the characters.
I did like the idea of the two sides not being so much opposed as just not in agreement.
We got a big setup about the characters being paid minimum wage for a rare skill, but in the end it turned out not to matter much, other than establishing a relationship between Donovan and the Finance guy that mattered later.
Finally, I wondered about the magic. These folks can do BIG things. OK, we're told more than once that "we're trying not to get noticed." There are brief mentions of healing and small good works, but mostly it's about murder and stopping murder. Hey folks, if you were the CEO of a magic group, would you not spend a bit more time on "how should we use this?"
The above is always a challenge in urban fantasy, because you can't just say "hey, that's how it is in Fairyland."
Also, perhaps over-reliance on the artifacts, and despite a careful explanation of how they are found, there's nothing about how they are created and activated (and what the death rate was among the experimenters). In fact, there's probably a book in that, called something like "The Discovery of Magic." (authors, I'll take two percent of gross, OK?)
This one felt as if it could have used more work in the planning stage.
I agree with the many people who said "too many points of view."
Also too many convenient links between the characters.
I did like the idea of the two sides not being so much opposed as just not in agreement.
We got a big setup about the characters being paid minimum wage for a rare skill, but in the end it turned out not to matter much, other than establishing a relationship between Donovan and the Finance guy that mattered later.
Finally, I wondered about the magic. These folks can do BIG things. OK, we're told more than once that "we're trying not to get noticed." There are brief mentions of healing and small good works, but mostly it's about murder and stopping murder. Hey folks, if you were the CEO of a magic group, would you not spend a bit more time on "how should we use this?"
The above is always a challenge in urban fantasy, because you can't just say "hey, that's how it is in Fairyland."
Also, perhaps over-reliance on the artifacts, and despite a careful explanation of how they are found, there's nothing about how they are created and activated (and what the death rate was among the experimenters). In fact, there's probably a book in that, called something like "The Discovery of Magic." (authors, I'll take two percent of gross, OK?)
October 21, 2021
This book follows minimum wage magical investigators who are investigating a series of murders done by magical means.
This book has a lot of problems (or at least things that bother me specifically). It has WAY too many prospectives. Every side character is this book has at least one chapter from their prospective. There isn't enough difference between character personalities to make all the prospectives useful. The book is very big on telling and not showing. Actions scenes were fade to black and the characters would talk about the events afterwards. The biggest problem I had with the book was the micro aggressions. The author is white and his main character is a black man. You can tell the author wanted to be inclusive but hes never lived the black experience and tend to lean a bit too much into stereotypes. The main character annoyingly says "PO-lice" every time he talks about the police (which is weirdly a lot), just to remind the reader that hes black.
Outside of all those problems, the story itself isn't to my taste. This is supposed to be YA but I don't feel like this is particularly targeted to a YA audience except for the juvenile writing style.
This book has a lot of problems (or at least things that bother me specifically). It has WAY too many prospectives. Every side character is this book has at least one chapter from their prospective. There isn't enough difference between character personalities to make all the prospectives useful. The book is very big on telling and not showing. Actions scenes were fade to black and the characters would talk about the events afterwards. The biggest problem I had with the book was the micro aggressions. The author is white and his main character is a black man. You can tell the author wanted to be inclusive but hes never lived the black experience and tend to lean a bit too much into stereotypes. The main character annoyingly says "PO-lice" every time he talks about the police (which is weirdly a lot), just to remind the reader that hes black.
Outside of all those problems, the story itself isn't to my taste. This is supposed to be YA but I don't feel like this is particularly targeted to a YA audience except for the juvenile writing style.
March 17, 2018
3.75 stars. A very quick read, somewhat reminiscent of Brust’s early Vlad Taltos books - slightly hard boiled. Also dialogue, rather than description, heavy - like Gregory McDonald’s Fletch (but decidedly less constant humor). Enjoyable enough, but I don’t think anything that’s going to stick with me.
December 25, 2018
This book is possibly the third book on magicians I read in the last month. It was entertaining but I didn’t love it like I love many of Brust’s other works.
June 23, 2021
A stand-alone urban fantasy book.
Publication year: 2018
Format: Audio
Running time: 9 hours 21 minutes
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
I’m a huge fan of Brust’s Vlad Taltos books so I guess I was expecting something similar. The Good Guys isn’t a Taltos book.
Donovan Longfellow, Marci, and Susan are a field team for the Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to keeping the existence of magic a secret from the regular people. They also train magic users and hire them for minimum wage. The trio considers themselves the good guys.
Donovan is told about a new murder possibly done with magic because it was done in bright daylight in a restaurant and nobody saw a thing. When the trio gets to the site, Marci finds out that very powerful magic has been used to murder the victim. A time-stopping spell from an artifact. Donovan and the team must find out who the killer is and where do they get their magical artifacts. However, when the team realizes that the killer is after quite bad men, they start to wonder if they are, indeed, the good guys.
This was an entertaining read. The characters are quite distinct but for some reason, I just didn’t connect with any of them. Donovan has some FBI training so he’s very good at police work. He’s also black. Marci is a new sorceress but unlike the other two, she has a personal life. Susan is an experienced sorceress and quite formidable with both her magical talents and physical skills. I wanted to like them more.
However, I don’t think the format of the book was best for audio. The story has many, many POV characters. One of them is in the first person and the rest in the third person. The scenes are quick and the POV character changes often. It was a bit difficult to follow in the audiobook for me.
The world was interesting and I feel there could be more stories in it. Brust plays around with quite a few tropes. For example, Donovan knows that torture isn’t an effective way to get reliable information, so the team simply talks with people, even those who try to kill them. Also, Susan is the team’s muscle.
Publication year: 2018
Format: Audio
Running time: 9 hours 21 minutes
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
I’m a huge fan of Brust’s Vlad Taltos books so I guess I was expecting something similar. The Good Guys isn’t a Taltos book.
Donovan Longfellow, Marci, and Susan are a field team for the Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to keeping the existence of magic a secret from the regular people. They also train magic users and hire them for minimum wage. The trio considers themselves the good guys.
Donovan is told about a new murder possibly done with magic because it was done in bright daylight in a restaurant and nobody saw a thing. When the trio gets to the site, Marci finds out that very powerful magic has been used to murder the victim. A time-stopping spell from an artifact. Donovan and the team must find out who the killer is and where do they get their magical artifacts. However, when the team realizes that the killer is after quite bad men, they start to wonder if they are, indeed, the good guys.
This was an entertaining read. The characters are quite distinct but for some reason, I just didn’t connect with any of them. Donovan has some FBI training so he’s very good at police work. He’s also black. Marci is a new sorceress but unlike the other two, she has a personal life. Susan is an experienced sorceress and quite formidable with both her magical talents and physical skills. I wanted to like them more.
However, I don’t think the format of the book was best for audio. The story has many, many POV characters. One of them is in the first person and the rest in the third person. The scenes are quick and the POV character changes often. It was a bit difficult to follow in the audiobook for me.
The world was interesting and I feel there could be more stories in it. Brust plays around with quite a few tropes. For example, Donovan knows that torture isn’t an effective way to get reliable information, so the team simply talks with people, even those who try to kill them. Also, Susan is the team’s muscle.
February 1, 2018
So I feel it necessary to emphasize that I got an early copy via NetGalley. I think that perhaps the publisher should’ve waited until after another edit before making ARCs available. I must assume that the edited version to come out in March 2018 will have fixed many of the issues I encountered. And issues there were many. Including editing notations within the body of the text. Indies are universally panned for the slightest faux pas, and there is this feeling by both readers and publishers that indie publishers are somehow not good enough to get a traditional publishing contract. There are a lot of people who see self-publishing as garbage. While I’ve read some really wonderful indie books over the years, I’ve run into some real clunkers. Stories full of clichéd storytelling, bad formatting, and an overall inferior product. Those books don’t usually end up on this blog. For every 100 books I do read and review, there are probable 25 or so that I don’t finish.
The Good Guys may have well been one of those poorly published indie works that so many people poo-poo. The story premise wasn’t bad: A team of secret underpaid people track down rogue magic practitioners in modern America (and Europe) and give the smack-down to those that don’t come quietly. Yep, read that story time and again – and by better authors. I’ve been told that the author of The Good Guys, Steven Brust, is quite popular. I’ve never read any of his other works before. But The Good Guys was terrible. Not terrible enough to DNF, but it was a grind to finish reading. Many of my complaints were likely the result of some very poor formatting and/or editing. The POV seemed all over the place. I’m not sure if there was just some missing scene break art or what, but I found myself having to re-read to figure out whose POV I was reading. On top of that, of the many character POVs, one was in first person, while the rest were in third-person perspective. The singular first-person perspective makes sense at the very end of the book, but while reading it, it’s just annoying. I’d rather read the exact same story from Clara Coulson. A much more polished manuscript, and frankly, a better story – one not full of dated clichés, and views better left in the 1950s.
My suggestion is to skip the overpriced TOR ebook (I just looked, $13? What the fucking fuck, TOR?), and get all four City of Crows books by Clara Coulson. Coulson’s stories are better, and for only a dollar more, you get a much longer and more satisfying read. I would probably check out another book by Brust, but if it’s a stinking turd like this one, I’m out. I’m not just disappointed by this book; I’m offended that anyone would put it out there. Two stars is my rating, and unless the rest of this review is unclear about how I feel, don’t waste your money on The Good Guys.
The Good Guys may have well been one of those poorly published indie works that so many people poo-poo. The story premise wasn’t bad: A team of secret underpaid people track down rogue magic practitioners in modern America (and Europe) and give the smack-down to those that don’t come quietly. Yep, read that story time and again – and by better authors. I’ve been told that the author of The Good Guys, Steven Brust, is quite popular. I’ve never read any of his other works before. But The Good Guys was terrible. Not terrible enough to DNF, but it was a grind to finish reading. Many of my complaints were likely the result of some very poor formatting and/or editing. The POV seemed all over the place. I’m not sure if there was just some missing scene break art or what, but I found myself having to re-read to figure out whose POV I was reading. On top of that, of the many character POVs, one was in first person, while the rest were in third-person perspective. The singular first-person perspective makes sense at the very end of the book, but while reading it, it’s just annoying. I’d rather read the exact same story from Clara Coulson. A much more polished manuscript, and frankly, a better story – one not full of dated clichés, and views better left in the 1950s.
My suggestion is to skip the overpriced TOR ebook (I just looked, $13? What the fucking fuck, TOR?), and get all four City of Crows books by Clara Coulson. Coulson’s stories are better, and for only a dollar more, you get a much longer and more satisfying read. I would probably check out another book by Brust, but if it’s a stinking turd like this one, I’m out. I’m not just disappointed by this book; I’m offended that anyone would put it out there. Two stars is my rating, and unless the rest of this review is unclear about how I feel, don’t waste your money on The Good Guys.
May 14, 2018
It’s hard to separate multiple kinds of impressions of this book into a coherent review. Maybe from another author I’d think this was a promising four-star start with some rough edges, but from Brust it’s merely interesting with significant flaws.
The context for the story was certainly intriguing, with yet another take on our world where magic exists and is hidden from most people’s awareness. It’s not a simplistic fantasy or alternate take on a Dresden-files like world, but something more subtle and full of potential. If this is the start of a setting shared with future works I’m definitely intrigued enough to read the next one when it comes along.
Part of my problem was that I didn’t really connect enough with the characters here for the story to have the kind of emotional impact it probably deserved. Perhaps because there were too many key players without enough pages to fully connect with them? The otherwise intriguing perspective (more below) likely played a role here, muddying things enough to get in the way of a deeper connection.
The viewpoint doubtless made for an interesting challenge while writing the book and I’d be tempted to say it wasn’t entirely successful. The character you’d be tempted to think of as the protagonist is written primarily in third person, while initially only brief glimpses from another character whose purpose intersects with our “protagonist” are written in first person. As the novel proceeds it gets a little too chopped up in brief sections written to carry this disjoint narrative, and when we eventually get into muddying some second-person aspects of the writing it just feels like it was all a little too contrived. Your mileage may vary.
I’ve always appreciated Brust’s willingness to try something new. It’s something every artist should indulge in, but it won’t always produce something that is universally praised for its efforts. I’m sorry to weigh in on the critical side here, but I’ve usually enjoyed the result more.
The context for the story was certainly intriguing, with yet another take on our world where magic exists and is hidden from most people’s awareness. It’s not a simplistic fantasy or alternate take on a Dresden-files like world, but something more subtle and full of potential. If this is the start of a setting shared with future works I’m definitely intrigued enough to read the next one when it comes along.
Part of my problem was that I didn’t really connect enough with the characters here for the story to have the kind of emotional impact it probably deserved. Perhaps because there were too many key players without enough pages to fully connect with them? The otherwise intriguing perspective (more below) likely played a role here, muddying things enough to get in the way of a deeper connection.
The viewpoint doubtless made for an interesting challenge while writing the book and I’d be tempted to say it wasn’t entirely successful. The character you’d be tempted to think of as the protagonist is written primarily in third person, while initially only brief glimpses from another character whose purpose intersects with our “protagonist” are written in first person. As the novel proceeds it gets a little too chopped up in brief sections written to carry this disjoint narrative, and when we eventually get into muddying some second-person aspects of the writing it just feels like it was all a little too contrived. Your mileage may vary.
I’ve always appreciated Brust’s willingness to try something new. It’s something every artist should indulge in, but it won’t always produce something that is universally praised for its efforts. I’m sorry to weigh in on the critical side here, but I’ve usually enjoyed the result more.
March 18, 2018
If you want an author to carefully explain to you who his characters are and how they relate to each other, this is probably not the book for you. Donovan Longfellow and his team of two are North American investigators for the Foundation, a secretive group that split off from an even more secretive group called the Mystici, their rivals and, in ways that Donovan doesn't yet know, their colleagues. The main thrust of the Foundation is to keep the existence of magic a secret, so when an assassin starts targeting individuals connected to the Mystici and using magical means to kill them, Donovan must find out who is doing it and why. We're also privy to the purposes of the assassin, who is being manipulated in his turn by a mysterious man named Charlie. Donovan fears that there are those within the Mystici, and even within the Foundation, who are in league with, or manipulating, Charlie. Wonderfully funny, with enough action to keep everyone on their toes.
June 17, 2018
Not bad, but not great. I can't help but comparing this book to the Vlad Tatos books and having this fail spectacularly. The author has proven how well he can write fantasy and I urge him to go back to it.
I enjoyed that the Foundation and the Mystics were pretty much the same with differing philosophy. I liked how the MC and his crew had strengths that complimented one another. There was way too many POV and I feel something vital was taken from the story because of this.
One of the things that I enjoyed best was Matt's turnaround after being caught by the team. He decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" anymore and started making changes to become a hero, or one of the good guys. Mildly entertaining but I am not interested in reading a sequel if there is one. 3.5 stars.
I enjoyed that the Foundation and the Mystics were pretty much the same with differing philosophy. I liked how the MC and his crew had strengths that complimented one another. There was way too many POV and I feel something vital was taken from the story because of this.
One of the things that I enjoyed best was Matt's turnaround after being caught by the team. He decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" anymore and started making changes to become a hero, or one of the good guys. Mildly entertaining but I am not interested in reading a sequel if there is one. 3.5 stars.
January 30, 2018
I've had people enthuse to me about Steven Brust more than once, but his main series is large and sprawling and not exactly my thing, and I've never found a point of entry to his work. When I saw this on Netgalley, a new series starter in a new genre for Brust, I thought I'd give it a try and see if he was actually as good as I'd heard.
He is. Not only is this written with assurance and strong craft, not only does it have highly entertaining banter among the diverse, distinct, and non-generic characters, but it also pulls off the difficult feat of having both moral complexity and a clear moral stance. The characters are imperfect and troubled, the reality they're dealing with is imperfect and complicated, and ultimately there isn't a "side" that is unambiguously and definitely the "good guys"; and yet most of the key characters, in their different ways, are striving to be "good guys" in their own terms, and some are even succeeding. It's noblebright, not grimdark, but it's noblebright with a lot of nuance and some extensive grey areas - yet ultimately hopeful.
I found the author's choice to write first-person sections from the perspective of the antagonist, and mix them with omniscient narration about the protagonists, an interesting one. I'm not sure exactly what it does; perhaps its function is to humanise the antagonist, so that we can see how he, too, in his distorted way, thinks he's a good guy, or at least a justified one.
The plot - agents of a secret cabal of sorcerers hunt down an assassin - is well paced, with good tension. Overall, excellent, and I would definitely read a sequel.
He is. Not only is this written with assurance and strong craft, not only does it have highly entertaining banter among the diverse, distinct, and non-generic characters, but it also pulls off the difficult feat of having both moral complexity and a clear moral stance. The characters are imperfect and troubled, the reality they're dealing with is imperfect and complicated, and ultimately there isn't a "side" that is unambiguously and definitely the "good guys"; and yet most of the key characters, in their different ways, are striving to be "good guys" in their own terms, and some are even succeeding. It's noblebright, not grimdark, but it's noblebright with a lot of nuance and some extensive grey areas - yet ultimately hopeful.
I found the author's choice to write first-person sections from the perspective of the antagonist, and mix them with omniscient narration about the protagonists, an interesting one. I'm not sure exactly what it does; perhaps its function is to humanise the antagonist, so that we can see how he, too, in his distorted way, thinks he's a good guy, or at least a justified one.
The plot - agents of a secret cabal of sorcerers hunt down an assassin - is well paced, with good tension. Overall, excellent, and I would definitely read a sequel.
December 17, 2024
Brust is always at least solid, and often spectacular, but this was more toward the former. There are plenty of interesting bits, and this was particular true for the pure happenstance that I read this so soon after the assassination of Brian Thompson, as this novel, with its magical trappings, centers around a vigilante assassinating a number of morally dubious individuals.
Brust isn’t out here offering answers to the moral question, but he does offer a sufficiently ambiguous world in which there aren’t easy answers, even if (or maybe because) most everyone sees themselves as “good guys.”
Brust isn’t out here offering answers to the moral question, but he does offer a sufficiently ambiguous world in which there aren’t easy answers, even if (or maybe because) most everyone sees themselves as “good guys.”
June 26, 2018
This book was really good and definitely had me thinking throughout the entire story. I want to see what happens next with these characters as I don't feel that this is really finished. There were parts of the book that were confusing, but as the book went on, they didn't necessarily make complete sense, but didn't affect the story line in any way.
Overall a good mystery book with a fun scifi twist that I could see branching out into more books and a whole series.
Overall a good mystery book with a fun scifi twist that I could see branching out into more books and a whole series.
September 22, 2018
It wasn't bad but it wasn't exactly great either. The tone felt like it missed its mark and there were some shifts in perspective that were messy, typically at the start of chapters. The mystery aspect of the book ended up being wondering for a paragraph or two which perspective we have changed to. The resolution felt hastily dealt with in the end and did not leave me satisfied. It is also difficult to be engaged in the plot when a good percentage of it results from superiors, involved in the case and pushing for answers, withholding information which was vital to the investigation.
October 20, 2018
Starts pretty strong but as you get deeper in the story flags. I find the "Noir" elements to be well executed but the characters meander about with too little to do. Could have been a lot better if the characters had more diverse personalities and stronger backstories maybe? What do I know? It's better than some stuff I have read to the end, but not by a lot.
September 10, 2025
A fun read. Too many POVs, but I didn't mind that TOO much. What made it interesting was that it was not real clear who, if anyone, were the good guys. The conflict between The Foundation and the Roma Vindices Mystici was well executed. The magic system and the politics were a slow reveal. I liked the team: Donovan Longfellow, aka Laughing Boy, Marci, the mage, and Susan, aka Hippie Girl, the muscle. Having a reasonable ending is always good, I didn't like everything about it (Steven: )
August 16, 2023
On the surface, I enjoyed this book. But I didn't love it. I think the characters had all the ingredients to get me really invested, but I felt the reader was kept at a distance, so I couldn't quite love anyone.
May 2, 2018
Awesome
Very good book. A little over the top about how the protagonist views being black in the US, but otherwise a very good novel.
Very good book. A little over the top about how the protagonist views being black in the US, but otherwise a very good novel.
August 15, 2018
Short enjoyable book about a small group of investigators looking into a murder. Good characterisation and character development with a great story.
Read this.
Read this.
April 26, 2019
Read _Good Guys_ by Steven Brust last night. Enjoyed it ferociously. If you like Daniel O'Malley's The Rook, you'll like this. If you like urban fantasy/supernatural noir, you'll dig it. If you like adventure and a great, nonstop pace, you'll dig it. If you like great writing, you'll dig it. If you like a ripping tale that grabs you and makes you read it in one sitting, you'll dig it. Steven, this is a corker!
December 21, 2023
Brust got himself a bit of Whedon-itis but it's still fun.
May 25, 2018
I have been a fan of Brust's writing since High School. He is one of the few contemporary fiction authors that I read 30-35 years ago that I still read today. I have read nearly all his novels, and many of them more than once. But this one has a very different feel. This book is classified as Urban Fantasy. And in some ways, it feels like a Vlad novel set in a different world and environment. It is an intriguing read and adds nicely into the canon of Brust's works. This book is dedicated to his coauthor of the Incrementalists series, Skyler White. And Brust shares with us where the idea came from for this work he states:
"I never know where an idea is going to come from-what combination of reading, life, research, and random events is going to make me go, "Oh, hey, I know what'd be fun." But sometimes I can identify the final piece of it. The idea for this book came from a conversation with my friend and poker teacher Chris "Pokerfox" Wallace. We were discussing a writing project of his, and he mentioned some things that he was doing that made me go, "Oh, wow, I gotta try that." So I stole it.
How much of what I grabbed and ran through my own process would be recognizable from the idea he gave me? I don't know. But if his work makes its way into the world, and you read it, and something strikes you as familiar, I want you to know that he didn't get it from me, I got it from him. Thanks, Fox."
It would be interesting to read Chris Wallac's book if it is every published and compare it to this volume. It would an academic undertaking much like comparing C.S. Lewis's Science fiction trilogy with the works of Olaf Stapledon's. But back to the Good Guys.
This book was a really fun read. It has a fast pace, and once you are hooked you will not want to put it down. The main premise is that there is magic in the world, but most people are not aware of it. It follows a small crew who work for the Foundation, who try and cover up or prevent public notice of the use of magic. And track down those who are using it outside the approved guidelines. Each member of the crew has special abilities and are certified for this type of field work. The Foundation has a mixed history and is the off shoot of an organization called the Roma Vindices Mystici. Apparently the split took place during the reign of Franco in Spain.
In this adventure the bodies start piling up and as each is killed in a more gruesome way than the previous. But as the team investigates they are noticing a pattern and a trend. To some extent the victims seem to warrant it in some ways. Our lead is Donovan, sort of a magic detective cross between Mike hammer and Spencer for Hire. He is backed up by Marci who has some very serious magic skills, both for protecting the team, and tracing magic that has been used, and how it was used, even days after the events. And then there is Hippy Chick aka Susan. In a world with magic that most are unaware of it. But something about this investigation is off, and the team find themselves targets. Can they solve the mystery, end the killings and protect themselves? You will need to read to find out.
The characters in this book are wonderful. And I hope we get to encounter them again. The pace is excellent and the story at times whimsical and extremely entertaining. Another great read by a master with the pen!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Steven Brust.
"I never know where an idea is going to come from-what combination of reading, life, research, and random events is going to make me go, "Oh, hey, I know what'd be fun." But sometimes I can identify the final piece of it. The idea for this book came from a conversation with my friend and poker teacher Chris "Pokerfox" Wallace. We were discussing a writing project of his, and he mentioned some things that he was doing that made me go, "Oh, wow, I gotta try that." So I stole it.
How much of what I grabbed and ran through my own process would be recognizable from the idea he gave me? I don't know. But if his work makes its way into the world, and you read it, and something strikes you as familiar, I want you to know that he didn't get it from me, I got it from him. Thanks, Fox."
It would be interesting to read Chris Wallac's book if it is every published and compare it to this volume. It would an academic undertaking much like comparing C.S. Lewis's Science fiction trilogy with the works of Olaf Stapledon's. But back to the Good Guys.
This book was a really fun read. It has a fast pace, and once you are hooked you will not want to put it down. The main premise is that there is magic in the world, but most people are not aware of it. It follows a small crew who work for the Foundation, who try and cover up or prevent public notice of the use of magic. And track down those who are using it outside the approved guidelines. Each member of the crew has special abilities and are certified for this type of field work. The Foundation has a mixed history and is the off shoot of an organization called the Roma Vindices Mystici. Apparently the split took place during the reign of Franco in Spain.
In this adventure the bodies start piling up and as each is killed in a more gruesome way than the previous. But as the team investigates they are noticing a pattern and a trend. To some extent the victims seem to warrant it in some ways. Our lead is Donovan, sort of a magic detective cross between Mike hammer and Spencer for Hire. He is backed up by Marci who has some very serious magic skills, both for protecting the team, and tracing magic that has been used, and how it was used, even days after the events. And then there is Hippy Chick aka Susan. In a world with magic that most are unaware of it. But something about this investigation is off, and the team find themselves targets. Can they solve the mystery, end the killings and protect themselves? You will need to read to find out.
The characters in this book are wonderful. And I hope we get to encounter them again. The pace is excellent and the story at times whimsical and extremely entertaining. Another great read by a master with the pen!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Steven Brust.
July 28, 2018
What it's about: Magic exists, and it's up to the "good guys" to keep the world from finding out. But one of the operative groups is wondering if they're actually working for the right side. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there's more going on than meets the eye.
What I thought: As I read this book, I found myself thinking about another series; this had the same "flavor" as that one I'd read before (the Incrementalists series). Later, when I looked it up, I realized it was co-authored by Brust, which solved that mystery. Brust has a way of combining magic, modernity, and a sense of realism that is gently feathered into something more than reality.
This book seems like it's going to at least have a sequel, based on how it ends and how Brust clearly is a series writer, based on The Incrementalists and the long list of titles on the flyleaf. I will probably check out later books, should they come to be. I enjoyed the characters of this book, though, as with The Incrementalists, the characterization is oddly flat in some ways, and oddly deep in others. Also like that other series, there are parts of this book that feel a bit lacking in how they are explained; there are times when characters explain conclusions they have drawn, to which other characters nod and agree, but at which I found myself saying, "Wait a minute..."
Still, it was an enjoyable story, though it does have some dark moments along the way. I'm curious to see where Brust is going, as he seems to be setting up the next phase of the story throughout this one.
Why I rated it like I did: As I mentioned before, there are oddly flat moments in both the logic and the characterization; but in general, it's an engaging story, enough so to make me curious about the book that will probably follow this one.
What I thought: As I read this book, I found myself thinking about another series; this had the same "flavor" as that one I'd read before (the Incrementalists series). Later, when I looked it up, I realized it was co-authored by Brust, which solved that mystery. Brust has a way of combining magic, modernity, and a sense of realism that is gently feathered into something more than reality.
This book seems like it's going to at least have a sequel, based on how it ends and how Brust clearly is a series writer, based on The Incrementalists and the long list of titles on the flyleaf. I will probably check out later books, should they come to be. I enjoyed the characters of this book, though, as with The Incrementalists, the characterization is oddly flat in some ways, and oddly deep in others. Also like that other series, there are parts of this book that feel a bit lacking in how they are explained; there are times when characters explain conclusions they have drawn, to which other characters nod and agree, but at which I found myself saying, "Wait a minute..."
Still, it was an enjoyable story, though it does have some dark moments along the way. I'm curious to see where Brust is going, as he seems to be setting up the next phase of the story throughout this one.
Why I rated it like I did: As I mentioned before, there are oddly flat moments in both the logic and the characterization; but in general, it's an engaging story, enough so to make me curious about the book that will probably follow this one.
October 29, 2018
Imaginative. Magic policemen who have to abide by budget constraints so sometimes have to take domestic flights rather than teleportation.
The plot moved along thanks to magical coincidence, but the entertainment factor softened the shortfalls.
The plot moved along thanks to magical coincidence, but the entertainment factor softened the shortfalls.
August 26, 2018
Steven Brust is one of the authors whose books I never miss, even though they so often frustrate me, because I'm always hoping for something to rival the best of his Vlad Taltos books. Here, he launches a new setting — a modern-day cop procedural where magic works, sorcerers are divided into a couple of prominent factions, and the protagonists work for the more stringent and less lucrative one, the Foundation, which keeps the general populace from learning about magic. When an unknown killer starts using magic to murder people, the Foundation team starts investigating, and it turns into a magical police procedural.
I like that setup and the overall premise, but I struggled with this book because I wound up feeling like I knew so little about the characters, apart from very broad characteristics — the main POV character, Donovan, is black and frequently aware that he's being judged by his skin color. Susan is a badass and Marci, who he mostly calls Hippie Chick, is kinda granola-y and has a boyfriend who doesn't know about magic, but seems nice. Probably the character I ended up feeling I knew best was Matt, a non-magical dishonorably discharged vet who stumbles across the conspiracy, because his POV goes deeper into what he wants, why he wants it, and what his internal conflicts are than anyone else's — which is weird, because he's a comparatively minor character who completely misses the most important action of the book, and spends most of the novel banging around on his own, learning things the readers already know. A great deal of this book is just information atop information, but I never felt much connected to the people gathering or processing it all.
Still, I was enjoying the mystery unfolding, and the setting, until the big confrontation, which just completely lost me. We see the action from different points of view that don't fit together in any sensible way, like an antagonist doing something definitive, but then when we see the same moments from a different POV, he doesn't do that at all. And it's all just a blur of impressions that leave a major character dead… who knows how, or doing what, which makes the death pretty meaningless. I went back and re-read it several times because I was so lost in what happens, and what's important. And then there are some abrupt deductions, and a rushed ending where everyone involved is concealing their intentions from the reader to make events more unpredictable… but then we don't actually see the events. Also there's a promise of a philosophical conversation that might explain why it all happened in the first place, but we never actually get that conversation.
For the life of me, I don't know what happens at the end of this book, whether the last thing we see (a report of a prisoner escape) is literal, or a cover-up for something else Brust hinted was going to happen. And either way, I don't know WHY it happened. Spoilers ahead. But to sum up, I found this book intriguing but not satisfying, and ultimately needlessly coy with the audience about how the situation resolves, at a point where we should have finally been getting some answers.
I like that setup and the overall premise, but I struggled with this book because I wound up feeling like I knew so little about the characters, apart from very broad characteristics — the main POV character, Donovan, is black and frequently aware that he's being judged by his skin color. Susan is a badass and Marci, who he mostly calls Hippie Chick, is kinda granola-y and has a boyfriend who doesn't know about magic, but seems nice. Probably the character I ended up feeling I knew best was Matt, a non-magical dishonorably discharged vet who stumbles across the conspiracy, because his POV goes deeper into what he wants, why he wants it, and what his internal conflicts are than anyone else's — which is weird, because he's a comparatively minor character who completely misses the most important action of the book, and spends most of the novel banging around on his own, learning things the readers already know. A great deal of this book is just information atop information, but I never felt much connected to the people gathering or processing it all.
Still, I was enjoying the mystery unfolding, and the setting, until the big confrontation, which just completely lost me. We see the action from different points of view that don't fit together in any sensible way, like an antagonist doing something definitive, but then when we see the same moments from a different POV, he doesn't do that at all. And it's all just a blur of impressions that leave a major character dead… who knows how, or doing what, which makes the death pretty meaningless. I went back and re-read it several times because I was so lost in what happens, and what's important. And then there are some abrupt deductions, and a rushed ending where everyone involved is concealing their intentions from the reader to make events more unpredictable… but then we don't actually see the events. Also there's a promise of a philosophical conversation that might explain why it all happened in the first place, but we never actually get that conversation.
For the life of me, I don't know what happens at the end of this book, whether the last thing we see (a report of a prisoner escape) is literal, or a cover-up for something else Brust hinted was going to happen. And either way, I don't know WHY it happened. Spoilers ahead. But to sum up, I found this book intriguing but not satisfying, and ultimately needlessly coy with the audience about how the situation resolves, at a point where we should have finally been getting some answers.
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