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Samuel Johnson #2
Hell's Bells - Pasukan Neraka
Samuel Johnson kena masalah. Pertama, dia jatuh cinta pada gadis yang salah. Kedua, sang iblis Mrs. Abernathy hendak membalas dendam padanya karena dulu Samuel mengacaukan rencana pasukan neraka untuk menguasai bumi. Mrs. Abernathy ingin menancapkan cakar-cakarnya pada Samuel. Ketika Samuel dan anjing kecilnya yang setia, Boswell, ditarik masuk melalui sebuah portal ke dunia bawah, Mrs. Abernathy mendapat kesempatan untuk mewujudkan rencananya.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
165 people are currently reading
3306 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
220 books7,901 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews
July 12, 2016
Think The Phantom Tollbooth crossed with Johannes Cabal The Necromancer. Literate, dark humor, a straightforward plot interrupted with sidebars, friendship and the kind of world where the very worse thing is the absence of anything.
This time when the Hadron Collider is turned on, “the scientists had done a great deal of work to ensure that the whole portal to Hell business would never, ever happen again. Promise. Pinkie promise. Pinkie promise with sugar on top.” Mrs. Abernathy intends to use the power to drag a certain boy and his dog into Hell and redeem herself in the eyes of the Great Malevolence.
Without doubt, one of the most enjoyable aspects for me were the footnotes done in the narrator voice. I can easily imagine my uncle (and now myself) in that role, the kind of innocent-sounding advice that suggests one try a little experiment on their parents–because they are sure to enjoy it. “Go on! Try being a Greek chorus at home!” There’s the musing on collective animal nouns, such as a ‘smack’ of jellyfish, a parliament of owls, a scold of jays and a sleuth of bears–with exceptions of the Three Bears, obviously, “because they took ages to work out who had burgled their house.” Then there are asides on tragedy versus comedy, the function of chancellors, and scientists who came to bad ends.
“Professor Hilbert smiled in that mad way scientists have of smiling just before the lightning strikes and the monster made up of bits of dead people comes to life and starts looking for someone to blame for plugging him into the mains and lighting him up like a Christmas tree.”
The cast of characters broadens, bringing back some players from the last book and enlarging their roles. Of course, earnest Samuel and faithful Boswell return, this time along with Constable Peel, who harbors a guilty secret from when he was four, and Sergeant Rowan who almost caught Nurd on his Mr. Toad adventures. I found it a pleasure to have police officers who weren’t bumbling, and who were able to tactfully apply the law. The optimistic ice-cream man and the equally optimistic ball of ooze Crudford (with top hat) had me laughing, mostly because, wow, do I ever not think like that (“when you’re made of jelly, and only have a hat to your name, it can only get better, can’t it?”). Nurd and his sidekick Wormwood are on the run in Hell in the Aston Martin, cleverly disguised as a rock. Then there were the uproariously, unapologetic, hygenically challenged quartet of dwarves, Jolly, Mumbles, Dozy and Angry. “Dozy was the kind of bloke who could take a nap while he was already taking another nap.“
“The sergeant had found some unexpected common ground with Jolly, who had explained to him that the dwarfs’ criminal behavior was all society’s fault. Sergeant Rowan also believed this was true, mainly because society hadn’t found a way to lock them up and throw away the key.”
I’d bet this book is most likely to be enjoyed by very literate kids to adults. Not because of subject matter, but because other narrative digressions including the nature of an object àla Magritte, the crafting of beer and the nature of crime and punishment. However, if one ignores the footnotes, there’s a lot less to confuse–a clever way to appeal to more than one age group. I won’t claim this is high literature, but it is entertaining, with laugh-out-loud moments and a heart in the right place. Besides, I learned more than a thing or two and remembered some others from a very long ago physics class–even if I could have happily lived the rest of my life without knowing “to lant.” (1)
(1) to flavor ale with aged urine. And you thought describing some beer as 'tasting like piss' was hyperbole.
This time when the Hadron Collider is turned on, “the scientists had done a great deal of work to ensure that the whole portal to Hell business would never, ever happen again. Promise. Pinkie promise. Pinkie promise with sugar on top.” Mrs. Abernathy intends to use the power to drag a certain boy and his dog into Hell and redeem herself in the eyes of the Great Malevolence.
Without doubt, one of the most enjoyable aspects for me were the footnotes done in the narrator voice. I can easily imagine my uncle (and now myself) in that role, the kind of innocent-sounding advice that suggests one try a little experiment on their parents–because they are sure to enjoy it. “Go on! Try being a Greek chorus at home!” There’s the musing on collective animal nouns, such as a ‘smack’ of jellyfish, a parliament of owls, a scold of jays and a sleuth of bears–with exceptions of the Three Bears, obviously, “because they took ages to work out who had burgled their house.” Then there are asides on tragedy versus comedy, the function of chancellors, and scientists who came to bad ends.
“Professor Hilbert smiled in that mad way scientists have of smiling just before the lightning strikes and the monster made up of bits of dead people comes to life and starts looking for someone to blame for plugging him into the mains and lighting him up like a Christmas tree.”
The cast of characters broadens, bringing back some players from the last book and enlarging their roles. Of course, earnest Samuel and faithful Boswell return, this time along with Constable Peel, who harbors a guilty secret from when he was four, and Sergeant Rowan who almost caught Nurd on his Mr. Toad adventures. I found it a pleasure to have police officers who weren’t bumbling, and who were able to tactfully apply the law. The optimistic ice-cream man and the equally optimistic ball of ooze Crudford (with top hat) had me laughing, mostly because, wow, do I ever not think like that (“when you’re made of jelly, and only have a hat to your name, it can only get better, can’t it?”). Nurd and his sidekick Wormwood are on the run in Hell in the Aston Martin, cleverly disguised as a rock. Then there were the uproariously, unapologetic, hygenically challenged quartet of dwarves, Jolly, Mumbles, Dozy and Angry. “Dozy was the kind of bloke who could take a nap while he was already taking another nap.“
“The sergeant had found some unexpected common ground with Jolly, who had explained to him that the dwarfs’ criminal behavior was all society’s fault. Sergeant Rowan also believed this was true, mainly because society hadn’t found a way to lock them up and throw away the key.”
I’d bet this book is most likely to be enjoyed by very literate kids to adults. Not because of subject matter, but because other narrative digressions including the nature of an object àla Magritte, the crafting of beer and the nature of crime and punishment. However, if one ignores the footnotes, there’s a lot less to confuse–a clever way to appeal to more than one age group. I won’t claim this is high literature, but it is entertaining, with laugh-out-loud moments and a heart in the right place. Besides, I learned more than a thing or two and remembered some others from a very long ago physics class–even if I could have happily lived the rest of my life without knowing “to lant.” (1)
(1) to flavor ale with aged urine. And you thought describing some beer as 'tasting like piss' was hyperbole.
October 19, 2016
Good but not as good as the first book in the series. There was a lot of explanation in this one, a lot of scene setting, and not as much action. Still there was a great deal of humour which may or may not appeal to the target demographic of children! I think much of it was very adult humour and I enjoyed it a lot:)
Very light, very readable and generally just good fun. Be aware though that I am a long time John Connolly fan and would probably give his shopping lists good ratings:)
Very light, very readable and generally just good fun. Be aware though that I am a long time John Connolly fan and would probably give his shopping lists good ratings:)
January 12, 2020
I’m kind of right in the middle with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed some parts while others straight up made me cringe. I also mistakenly picked this up thinking it was the first in a series but it’s the second book in a series so that may have affected my enjoyment of it as well. The footnotes were a huge pain in my ass as well, I really hate footnotes when I’m reading! Some bits were really funny and actually made me laugh out loud which is quite rare for me when I’m reading so it got major points for that. All in all, I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either!
October 20, 2021
I know these are considered YA but I really have reservations about giving these to a very young person. As I often do I suggest that parents read this first. Then they can decide if the8ir "youth" is mature enough for the book.
Okay that said, this is a humorous book. I don't think I appreciated as much as I should have as I was a bit depressed. There are some very funny sections here. (As in the first book, the footnotes are among the funniest parts).
So, follow up to the attempted invasion of earth from Hell when a Gate to hell was opened and only a little boy and his dog could save the world.
See the demon he foiled is a bit, put out at him for ruining "her" plans and has decided to drag him ("and his little dog to") to Hell.
Of course she manages to snag a few other victims also.
So, enjoyable, funny...pretty good book.
Okay that said, this is a humorous book. I don't think I appreciated as much as I should have as I was a bit depressed. There are some very funny sections here. (As in the first book, the footnotes are among the funniest parts).
So, follow up to the attempted invasion of earth from Hell when a Gate to hell was opened and only a little boy and his dog could save the world.
See the demon he foiled is a bit, put out at him for ruining "her" plans and has decided to drag him ("and his little dog to") to Hell.
Of course she manages to snag a few other victims also.
So, enjoyable, funny...pretty good book.
December 14, 2012
In the preceding novel, The Gates, Samuel Johnson and his beloved dog, Boswell, managed to stop the invasion of Earth from the mighty forces of Hell. The defeated leader of Satan's army, Mrs. Abernathy (a sexless demon with a fondness for women's clothing), is desperately trying to get back into the good graces of The Great Malevolence while also planning her eventual revenge on the young boy and his meddling dog.
Despite Connolly leaving the ending of the first book pretty open ended for a potential sequel, I was still shocked when he announced he was in the process of writing a follow-up. I honestly thought there wasn't a whole lot left for him to say this time around. But, whatever, he clearly enjoys writing a totally different style than his usual bread & butter, Charlie Parker, and if he needs to shake things up a bit, I'm all for it.
Connolly really knows how to approach a dry, satiric style while also appealing to a completely different genre in YA. While he does inject a certain level of wit into his ongoing Parker series, he really dives deep into humor with these books. I found myself laughing out loud on more than a few occasions and that's always a plus.
Oh, and the footnotes return! Easily my favorite part of this series as I feel they're an integral part to this style of writing making it stand out and feel unique. It really brings out his comedic side while also throwing out the odd tidbit of information and trivia. While they're heavily showcased in the first 100-150 pages, they more or less disappear during the remainder of the novel. If anything, it definitely hindered my overall enjoyment.
I need to point out that while I certainly enjoyed this, it's really nothing memorable. The Infernals is a fun and quick read that I can see appealing to a younger audience while still entertaining your casual adult reader.
Despite Connolly leaving the ending of the first book pretty open ended for a potential sequel, I was still shocked when he announced he was in the process of writing a follow-up. I honestly thought there wasn't a whole lot left for him to say this time around. But, whatever, he clearly enjoys writing a totally different style than his usual bread & butter, Charlie Parker, and if he needs to shake things up a bit, I'm all for it.
Connolly really knows how to approach a dry, satiric style while also appealing to a completely different genre in YA. While he does inject a certain level of wit into his ongoing Parker series, he really dives deep into humor with these books. I found myself laughing out loud on more than a few occasions and that's always a plus.
Oh, and the footnotes return! Easily my favorite part of this series as I feel they're an integral part to this style of writing making it stand out and feel unique. It really brings out his comedic side while also throwing out the odd tidbit of information and trivia. While they're heavily showcased in the first 100-150 pages, they more or less disappear during the remainder of the novel. If anything, it definitely hindered my overall enjoyment.
I need to point out that while I certainly enjoyed this, it's really nothing memorable. The Infernals is a fun and quick read that I can see appealing to a younger audience while still entertaining your casual adult reader.
October 27, 2015
Samuel's success at closing the gate to Hell didn't leave him quite in the position one would hope for. Instead of being hailed a conquering hero for sussing out the plot and rallying people to the cause, they quietly believe he bears some responsibility. They have done all they can to forget that demons descended on Biddlecombe. When they see Samuel, however, they remember. This makes him partially to blame in their thoughts. If you have not read 'The Gates' it's the wonderful start to the tale of Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil series. Everything started because Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, went trick-or-treating on October 28 when he was eleven. He was maximizing his candy gathering potential when he interrupted a party of bored adults playing with the occult. It all went downhill from there.
Samuel is thirteen now, and infatuated with the girl every little boy falls in love with. He's not spoken to her yet. He's still working up the courage. Aside from regular teenage worries he keeps seeing Mrs. Abernathy in the reflections of a puddle or mirror. He just catches her out of the corner of his eye. He has no doubt being the focus of an extremely powerful demon with a grudge is not a good thing. During this book he is transported through a portal to Hell. Luckily, he has company. In trying to obtain Samuel a few others were brought to Hell by mistake. England has its own devilishly mischievous creatures. Mr. Merrywether's dwarves, an acting troupe of four little men, are pleasantly troublesome. The badly behaved crew is always in conflict with the law and once in Hell they give the demons just as much hassle.
We get to be reunited with "Nurd - The Scourge of Five Deities, Wormwood, and some of our other endearing demonic friends. John Connolly did not disappoint with this sequel. He includes the footnotes I loved in the first book. There is a lot of scientific information in this and the last book. The footnotes allow for some humorous/clever explanation. It has been likened to Douglas Adam's humor in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' I don't disagree, but Connolly has his own voice and style. I saved this for Halloween because I believed part of it was set on October 31st, like 'The Gates,' but that was a misguided notion. The third book, however, is set during Christmas time. I will be putting 'The Creeps' in the queue at the end of November.
'The Infernals,' like 'The Gates' audio version is narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds and he does an amazing job. Do not read this book even if you only occasionally dabble in audio books. He is paired perfectly with the material and, in my opinion, adds to the experience of the book. I'm sure reading it will not disappoint, but I highly encourage you to listen to this book not only for, but also specifically for, his interpretation of Mr. Merrywether's Elves/Dwarves.
It is a middle grade book, however, most of the people I know who have read and enjoyed it are adults. There is much discussion regarding Hell and demons. This may have you questioning whether eleven and thirteen year olds should be reading it. The UK title is 'Hell's Bells' and was changed for the US publication in part because of this concern. It is not frightening or inappropriate. There is no profanity included in it unless you count 'Hell' as profanity. It does not comment upon religion in a negative or positive light. I, personally, would not have a problem with nine year olds reading it, but I am not offended by Hell or demons. I include this so you have some context in determining how family friendly it is.
Samuel is thirteen now, and infatuated with the girl every little boy falls in love with. He's not spoken to her yet. He's still working up the courage. Aside from regular teenage worries he keeps seeing Mrs. Abernathy in the reflections of a puddle or mirror. He just catches her out of the corner of his eye. He has no doubt being the focus of an extremely powerful demon with a grudge is not a good thing. During this book he is transported through a portal to Hell. Luckily, he has company. In trying to obtain Samuel a few others were brought to Hell by mistake. England has its own devilishly mischievous creatures. Mr. Merrywether's dwarves, an acting troupe of four little men, are pleasantly troublesome. The badly behaved crew is always in conflict with the law and once in Hell they give the demons just as much hassle.
We get to be reunited with "Nurd - The Scourge of Five Deities, Wormwood, and some of our other endearing demonic friends. John Connolly did not disappoint with this sequel. He includes the footnotes I loved in the first book. There is a lot of scientific information in this and the last book. The footnotes allow for some humorous/clever explanation. It has been likened to Douglas Adam's humor in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' I don't disagree, but Connolly has his own voice and style. I saved this for Halloween because I believed part of it was set on October 31st, like 'The Gates,' but that was a misguided notion. The third book, however, is set during Christmas time. I will be putting 'The Creeps' in the queue at the end of November.
'The Infernals,' like 'The Gates' audio version is narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds and he does an amazing job. Do not read this book even if you only occasionally dabble in audio books. He is paired perfectly with the material and, in my opinion, adds to the experience of the book. I'm sure reading it will not disappoint, but I highly encourage you to listen to this book not only for, but also specifically for, his interpretation of Mr. Merrywether's Elves/Dwarves.
It is a middle grade book, however, most of the people I know who have read and enjoyed it are adults. There is much discussion regarding Hell and demons. This may have you questioning whether eleven and thirteen year olds should be reading it. The UK title is 'Hell's Bells' and was changed for the US publication in part because of this concern. It is not frightening or inappropriate. There is no profanity included in it unless you count 'Hell' as profanity. It does not comment upon religion in a negative or positive light. I, personally, would not have a problem with nine year olds reading it, but I am not offended by Hell or demons. I include this so you have some context in determining how family friendly it is.
December 30, 2011
The following message is brought to you by Spiggit's Old Peculiar. Now proven to cause only TEMPORARY blindness. Ask for Spiggit's - The Beer with the Biohazard Symbol!
Yay! Mrs. Abernathy is back! Her teeth are still sharp and pointy, her tentacles still drip with slime, and she burns with a passion to destroy the one who kept her from taking over the earth for her master, The Great Malevolence.
After a failed attempt to open a doorway from Hell using that Large Hadron Collider thingy, the crew of The Gates is back. This time, the lovely and talented Mrs. Abernathy has managed to yank young Samuel Johnson, and his little dog Boswell too, into the bowels of the underworld. Some innocent (and not so innocent) bystanders have been dragged along as well. Samuel must join forces with two unflappable policemen, Dan Dan, the Ice Cream Man, and four miscreant dwarfs to find Nurd,(formerly known as Nurd, the Scourge of Five Deities), and get the hell out of Hell.
Connolly has a sassy, Douglas Adamsy/Terry Pratchettine/Christopher Moorish style that I admire. I don't recommend reading in public, as there are laugh-out-loud moments on almost every page. (Meaning - the guy in the dentist's office who was trying to read Field & Stream kept glaring at me.)
Yay! Mrs. Abernathy is back! Her teeth are still sharp and pointy, her tentacles still drip with slime, and she burns with a passion to destroy the one who kept her from taking over the earth for her master, The Great Malevolence.
After a failed attempt to open a doorway from Hell using that Large Hadron Collider thingy, the crew of The Gates is back. This time, the lovely and talented Mrs. Abernathy has managed to yank young Samuel Johnson, and his little dog Boswell too, into the bowels of the underworld. Some innocent (and not so innocent) bystanders have been dragged along as well. Samuel must join forces with two unflappable policemen, Dan Dan, the Ice Cream Man, and four miscreant dwarfs to find Nurd,(formerly known as Nurd, the Scourge of Five Deities), and get the hell out of Hell.
Connolly has a sassy, Douglas Adamsy/Terry Pratchettine/Christopher Moorish style that I admire. I don't recommend reading in public, as there are laugh-out-loud moments on almost every page. (Meaning - the guy in the dentist's office who was trying to read Field & Stream kept glaring at me.)
December 27, 2018
I know these are considered YA but I really have reservations about giving these to a very young person. As I often do I suggest that parents read this first. Then they can decide if their "youth" is mature enough for the book.
Okay that said, this is a humorous book. I don't think I appreciated as much as I should have as I was a bit depressed. There are some very funny sections here. (As in the first book, the footnotes are among the funniest parts).
So, follow up to the attempted invasion of earth from Hell when a Gate to hell was opened and only a little boy and his dog could save the world.
See the demon he foiled is a bit, put out at him for ruining "her" plans and has decided to drag him ("and his little dog to") to Hell.
Of course she manages to snag a few other victims also.
So, enjoyable, funny...pretty good book.
Okay that said, this is a humorous book. I don't think I appreciated as much as I should have as I was a bit depressed. There are some very funny sections here. (As in the first book, the footnotes are among the funniest parts).
So, follow up to the attempted invasion of earth from Hell when a Gate to hell was opened and only a little boy and his dog could save the world.
See the demon he foiled is a bit, put out at him for ruining "her" plans and has decided to drag him ("and his little dog to") to Hell.
Of course she manages to snag a few other victims also.
So, enjoyable, funny...pretty good book.
April 22, 2021
Отзивът ми за Портите спокойно може да бъде копи/пейстнат тук. Камбаните на ада се оказа почти идентичен като структура (воглаве с пространно-досадните авторови бележки под линия) на предишния Y/A-роман. Е, появиха се и нови герои, като джуджетата Смешко, Сърдитко, Мърморко и Сънливко, които искрено ме израдваха - яки лудаци. Остана само да намеря къде се продава Спигит - изпитвам силни подозрения, че ако не умра след първата глътка, ще се влюбя в това токсично пиво, хах.
October 9, 2012
Samuel Johnson, they young boy who was the hero of The Gates, returns in this follow-up story. The arch-demon from Hell, Mrs. Abernathy, is nursing a grudge and wants revenge against Samuel and his dog Boswell. Naturally things get out-of-hand and four truculent dwarves also get involved. This is fun, funny stuff complete with footnotes and can be read very quickly. Still, The Gates is much better. Still again, I'd read a third installment in a heartbeat.
March 12, 2015
Excellent follow up from The Gates. Sam & Boswell still have it to survive Hell and to get out of the clutches of death sort of speak. Loved this and looking forward to the last book in this trilogy.
July 25, 2025
The Pilgrim's Progress through Hell
I am sorry to say that I was a little disappointed by the second installment of John Connolly's Samuel Johnson series, The Infernals. I got into the series by reading the short story The Monks of Appalling Dreadfulness, which was delightful. The first novel, The Gates, was equally delightful, at greater length.
The Infernals is less delightful. It spends too much time wandering around, not getting anywhere. In fact, it reminded me of one of the most tedious novels of all time (IMHO), John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. In The Pilgrim's Progress the hero, Christian, wanders through a landscape peopled by personified abstractions, trying to find his way to Heaven. In a similar way, Samuel and Nurd and Mr. Merryweather’s Elves wander around Hell having difficulties with various personfications of evil. Connolly's Hell doesn't make a lot of sense. Fair enough -- Hell is not SUIPPOSED to make sense. But this gets boring.
Connolly is still a very funny writer. The footnotes alone make the book worth the read. But The Infernals definitely felt like a step down from The Gates.
Blog review.
I am sorry to say that I was a little disappointed by the second installment of John Connolly's Samuel Johnson series, The Infernals. I got into the series by reading the short story The Monks of Appalling Dreadfulness, which was delightful. The first novel, The Gates, was equally delightful, at greater length.
The Infernals is less delightful. It spends too much time wandering around, not getting anywhere. In fact, it reminded me of one of the most tedious novels of all time (IMHO), John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. In The Pilgrim's Progress the hero, Christian, wanders through a landscape peopled by personified abstractions, trying to find his way to Heaven. In a similar way, Samuel and Nurd and Mr. Merryweather’s Elves wander around Hell having difficulties with various personfications of evil. Connolly's Hell doesn't make a lot of sense. Fair enough -- Hell is not SUIPPOSED to make sense. But this gets boring.
Connolly is still a very funny writer. The footnotes alone make the book worth the read. But The Infernals definitely felt like a step down from The Gates.
Blog review.
October 6, 2021
Volume two of the travails of Samuel Johnson, his dachshund Boswell, and the unfortunate citizens of sleepy little Biddlecombe town who are faced with the impending invasion of the Great Malevolence – Old Nick himself and all his hellish myrmidons.
Judging humour written for the young is best left to the young. Anyway, I'll have a go. The comic characters are funny in a slapstick, clownish way. The villains, if it is proper to describe Satan and Baal as being merely villainous, are as threatening as Captain Hook, though admittedly there are tentacles, claws and spewing hellfire with which young Samuel has to contend. There is also the far more ominous Void, the absence of all things, which very nearly consumes Samuel and Boswell in a gentle suffocation of nothingness. Even describing it makes it sound a little more adult than the rest of the book. Also on the edge of adultness are Old Ram and the Blacksmith. Old Ram sits there as a figure from ancient folklore tormenting the living trees that are already the tormented souls of evil sinners only to find that he is not without sin and suffers torture himself. The Blacksmith on the other hand, a despicable arms dealer when he was living, finds the value of repentance through helping Samuel escape capture. The dwarfs – swilling Spiggitt's Old Peculiar - the police officers, Dan Dan the Ice Cream Man – a character who barely comes to life – Mrs Abernathy and Nurd provide most of the laughs and a lot of the jokes work.
As I began reading the footnotes, something that Jonathan Stroud used to greater effect in the Bartimaeus books, I was thrown back to the adolescent literature of an earlier time when authors padded out their tales, usually either historical or military, with long explanatory paragraphs taken from encyclopedias. Our hero, sweat stained and scarred after many trials, reaches the walls of Byzantium and stands amazed. Now, I'll just stop the story there for a while and give you a short history of the city and its place in the ancient world. And then on with the adventure after the tiresome lesson is done. So many of Mr Connolly's footnotes seemed to serve a similar annoying purpose.
All told the book was OK. However, it was never written for an old Fool with a memory littered with witty one-liners, end of the pier smut, Goon Show and Monty Python surrealism, Christmas cracker banality, pantomime, farce, Carry On films, sarcasm and satire. No, it was written for a person young enough to find slipping on a banana skin outrageously hilarious and unexpected, a person young enough to be surprised by a well travelled punch line. For me it was ordinary. For the chosen market it is probably replete with rib-tickling belly laughs. Three stars from me, I would guess five from the average 12 year old.
Judging humour written for the young is best left to the young. Anyway, I'll have a go. The comic characters are funny in a slapstick, clownish way. The villains, if it is proper to describe Satan and Baal as being merely villainous, are as threatening as Captain Hook, though admittedly there are tentacles, claws and spewing hellfire with which young Samuel has to contend. There is also the far more ominous Void, the absence of all things, which very nearly consumes Samuel and Boswell in a gentle suffocation of nothingness. Even describing it makes it sound a little more adult than the rest of the book. Also on the edge of adultness are Old Ram and the Blacksmith. Old Ram sits there as a figure from ancient folklore tormenting the living trees that are already the tormented souls of evil sinners only to find that he is not without sin and suffers torture himself. The Blacksmith on the other hand, a despicable arms dealer when he was living, finds the value of repentance through helping Samuel escape capture. The dwarfs – swilling Spiggitt's Old Peculiar - the police officers, Dan Dan the Ice Cream Man – a character who barely comes to life – Mrs Abernathy and Nurd provide most of the laughs and a lot of the jokes work.
As I began reading the footnotes, something that Jonathan Stroud used to greater effect in the Bartimaeus books, I was thrown back to the adolescent literature of an earlier time when authors padded out their tales, usually either historical or military, with long explanatory paragraphs taken from encyclopedias. Our hero, sweat stained and scarred after many trials, reaches the walls of Byzantium and stands amazed. Now, I'll just stop the story there for a while and give you a short history of the city and its place in the ancient world. And then on with the adventure after the tiresome lesson is done. So many of Mr Connolly's footnotes seemed to serve a similar annoying purpose.
All told the book was OK. However, it was never written for an old Fool with a memory littered with witty one-liners, end of the pier smut, Goon Show and Monty Python surrealism, Christmas cracker banality, pantomime, farce, Carry On films, sarcasm and satire. No, it was written for a person young enough to find slipping on a banana skin outrageously hilarious and unexpected, a person young enough to be surprised by a well travelled punch line. For me it was ordinary. For the chosen market it is probably replete with rib-tickling belly laughs. Three stars from me, I would guess five from the average 12 year old.
November 29, 2013
Well, I really struggled with this book. I think it is safe to say I am not a John Connolly fan. The hapter notes were fun but I just could not get into this book. This book is the second in a series butg I think it could stand alone on it's own had you not read the first in the series (I have not read the first book in the series) There were some funny parts but for the most part, I was just not interested in this book. The story did not appeal to me.
December 1, 2016
A second and equally terrific entry in this series. Frankly I like the British title better:
Hell's Bells.
(Apparently the publishing world doesn't think the fragile American reading audience can handle a book with 'hell' in the title ...)
Helluva read! yeah, couldn't stop myself from that one ...
Helluva read! yeah, couldn't stop myself from that one ...
September 22, 2017
3.5 round up to 4 stars
July 5, 2012
The Infernals: A Samuel Johnson Tale is the second in a series of tales aimed at what I guess is the Young Adult audience. Well, I'm an old adult [64 years young] and I enjoyed the Hell out of this book. It probably would help if you read the first volume - The Gates - because, thankfully, many of the characters are back. In this outing Samuel and his dachshund Boswell are pulled into Hell by Mrs. Abernathy, who also manages to snag two police officers, an ice cream man and his truck and four antisocial dwarves. If you do the math this adds up to seven - a not-quite-so-magnificent seven.
There are elements of Time Bandits, Lord of the Rings and Dante's Inferno in this. Samuel takes a trip across Hell in his efforts to return to his own dimension and it's quite a trip. He meets all sorts of demons and souls damned to Hell on his journey. Nurd, Wormwood and the Aston-Martin are also along for the trip.
In The Gates I learned a lot about quantum physics, the Higgs Bosun and the Large Hadron Collider - all quite painlessly and with a lot of humor. This time we get some time travel theory and the Hilbert Hotel [you've got to read the footnotes].
This a book that will amuse, entertain and educate you all in one sitting. I'm looking forward to the third installment. I think I'll have a couple of Spiggitt's Old Peculiars on tap for the next one.
There are elements of Time Bandits, Lord of the Rings and Dante's Inferno in this. Samuel takes a trip across Hell in his efforts to return to his own dimension and it's quite a trip. He meets all sorts of demons and souls damned to Hell on his journey. Nurd, Wormwood and the Aston-Martin are also along for the trip.
In The Gates I learned a lot about quantum physics, the Higgs Bosun and the Large Hadron Collider - all quite painlessly and with a lot of humor. This time we get some time travel theory and the Hilbert Hotel [you've got to read the footnotes].
This a book that will amuse, entertain and educate you all in one sitting. I'm looking forward to the third installment. I think I'll have a couple of Spiggitt's Old Peculiars on tap for the next one.
February 3, 2014
3 Stars
The Infernals, book number two in the Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil series is a great continuation to started in The Gates. A young boy named Samuel and his faithful Dachshund Boswell must once again fight to keep the horde of Hell from invading our home.
This book is different from the first in many regards. It takes place almost exclusively in Hell. There is very little character development. The cast is much smaller. The world a bit bleaker. It is also filled with some cool demons. Scary creatures. And The Devil himself. Both of these books are wonderfully light hearted and filled with humor and wit. Connolly has created a series that would find itself among good company in The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. The best thing that I can say about these books is that they are quite similar to Pratchett novels….
Some great passages:
““Because you’re three foot eight inches tall, that’s why. You can’t play Hamlet. Piglet, maybe, but not Hamlet.””
“Had Boswell not been present, Samuel would already have ceased to exist, leaving nothing more than the shell of a boy seated on the edge of a dark sea; and if Samuel had not been present, Boswell would have been little more than a stuffed animal withering away. But if a child loves an animal, and is loved in turn, there will always be a connection between them: they are spirits intertwined.”
Highly recommended YA fun!!!
The Infernals, book number two in the Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil series is a great continuation to started in The Gates. A young boy named Samuel and his faithful Dachshund Boswell must once again fight to keep the horde of Hell from invading our home.
This book is different from the first in many regards. It takes place almost exclusively in Hell. There is very little character development. The cast is much smaller. The world a bit bleaker. It is also filled with some cool demons. Scary creatures. And The Devil himself. Both of these books are wonderfully light hearted and filled with humor and wit. Connolly has created a series that would find itself among good company in The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. The best thing that I can say about these books is that they are quite similar to Pratchett novels….
Some great passages:
““Because you’re three foot eight inches tall, that’s why. You can’t play Hamlet. Piglet, maybe, but not Hamlet.””
“Had Boswell not been present, Samuel would already have ceased to exist, leaving nothing more than the shell of a boy seated on the edge of a dark sea; and if Samuel had not been present, Boswell would have been little more than a stuffed animal withering away. But if a child loves an animal, and is loved in turn, there will always be a connection between them: they are spirits intertwined.”
Highly recommended YA fun!!!
January 7, 2014
2.5 - I enjoyed The Gates and was hoping for improvement in the sequel but was disappointed. Connolly is a highly imaginative and skilled author but this book was just okay - it wandered around too much. I did appreciate the idea of revamping Dante's journey through Hell for a young boy - and I still love the main character Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell.
I listened to the audio edition of The Gates and The Infernals and would recommend both for a fun and quick distraction type read. The narration enhances the text.
The book ended with the opportunity for a third novel which I'll likely read if written.
I listened to the audio edition of The Gates and The Infernals and would recommend both for a fun and quick distraction type read. The narration enhances the text.
The book ended with the opportunity for a third novel which I'll likely read if written.
May 29, 2012
Brilliant sequel to The Gates, this time following Samuel Johnson as he gets sucked into Hell by the evil Mrs. Abernathy along with four elves, two policemen and an ice-cream truck driver. Very funny and plenty of intense moments, with the usual pitch-perfect writing of Connolly. Looking forward to the next one. Highly recommended.
February 2, 2018
Suka.
Cerita dan tokohnya benar-benar ditulis dengan jenius nih.
Tokoh utama manusiawi dan setani (bahasa apa ini) banget. Bahkan sifat-sifatnya juga.
Samuel memang anak kecil, bukan anak yang dipaksa dewasa dan punya kemampuan super.
Tokoh yang aku kira nggak penting di buku satu, ternyata berguna di buku dua.
Suka deh pokoknya.
Cerita dan tokohnya benar-benar ditulis dengan jenius nih.
Tokoh utama manusiawi dan setani (bahasa apa ini) banget. Bahkan sifat-sifatnya juga.
Samuel memang anak kecil, bukan anak yang dipaksa dewasa dan punya kemampuan super.
Tokoh yang aku kira nggak penting di buku satu, ternyata berguna di buku dua.
Suka deh pokoknya.
December 6, 2011
I think we can thank JK Rowling for making the youth literature market a viable option for authors by proving that kids will buy books, especially ones that tell a compelling story that doesn’t stoop to the lowest commoner denominator for laughs. Following the path of great mystery writers like John Grisham and Carl Hiassen, John Connolly has entered the market with the intrepid Samuel Johnson and his ever faithful dachshund Boswell as they battle the forces of evil embodied in cranky Mrs. Abernathy from down the road.
In book one, The Gates, The forces of evil have been stuck in their dimension (hell) for a very long time, but luckily for them modern science has unintentionally provided them with a way to earth. Specifically to 666 Crowley street. All that stands between them and world destruction is our hero Samuel. Through various battles with the help of his friends, and a helpful demon named Nurd, the scourge of five deities, the forces of evil our held at bay.
In book two, The Infernals, poor Sam and Boswell, as well as several other local residents are transported to hell wherein Mrs. Abernathy can seek her revenge and re-establish herself as demon number one. Of course everything doesn’t go to plan as Samuel and company do their best to hold her at bay and make it back home again.
Right from the start Connolly dismisses the concept of universal evil and shows his hell to be a mixture of the truly bad and the harmless lost. They may be a demon, but it wasn’t their choice, and if they get a vote they just soon keep quietly to themselves. My favorite parts of the books are the footnotes; and both books are riddled with them. There is a surprising amount of science packed into these stories, and each principle that is laid out (concisely, simply) usually has a corresponding footnote telling an interesting, and quite amusing side story. I expected to have fun reading these books, but I did not expect the education that I got with them as well.
This series is fun enough to entertain both adults and children, and as an added bonus you will gain a little scientific education too (unless, of course, you are already up on basic physics and Haldron colliders). Well worth the read while you await the next Heroes of Olympus book. Plus they would make an excellent children’s gift for this Christmas season (mine are off to my nieces as part of their gift).
In book one, The Gates, The forces of evil have been stuck in their dimension (hell) for a very long time, but luckily for them modern science has unintentionally provided them with a way to earth. Specifically to 666 Crowley street. All that stands between them and world destruction is our hero Samuel. Through various battles with the help of his friends, and a helpful demon named Nurd, the scourge of five deities, the forces of evil our held at bay.
In book two, The Infernals, poor Sam and Boswell, as well as several other local residents are transported to hell wherein Mrs. Abernathy can seek her revenge and re-establish herself as demon number one. Of course everything doesn’t go to plan as Samuel and company do their best to hold her at bay and make it back home again.
Right from the start Connolly dismisses the concept of universal evil and shows his hell to be a mixture of the truly bad and the harmless lost. They may be a demon, but it wasn’t their choice, and if they get a vote they just soon keep quietly to themselves. My favorite parts of the books are the footnotes; and both books are riddled with them. There is a surprising amount of science packed into these stories, and each principle that is laid out (concisely, simply) usually has a corresponding footnote telling an interesting, and quite amusing side story. I expected to have fun reading these books, but I did not expect the education that I got with them as well.
This series is fun enough to entertain both adults and children, and as an added bonus you will gain a little scientific education too (unless, of course, you are already up on basic physics and Haldron colliders). Well worth the read while you await the next Heroes of Olympus book. Plus they would make an excellent children’s gift for this Christmas season (mine are off to my nieces as part of their gift).
October 18, 2011
The Hell warming story of a boy named Samuel and his Dachshund Boswell. Both are trapped in purgatory located in another dimension which happens to be Hell. Samuel ends up in a rather hilarious segment of perdition entitled The Mountain Of Despair which happens to be ruled by the one and only The Great Malevolence. In recent history Samuel and Boswell foiled plans that were constructed by the evil Mrs. Abernathy and her cohorts of demons. Now she has learned to require an enormous amount of energy to move between universes, including to pull a human being from one world to hers, and she knows just the right little boy. Unfortunately she also pulls in an Ice Cream Truck and driver, along with Mr. Merryweathers Elves - Jolly, Dozy, Angry, and Mumbles. When all the amusing characters form to complete a final mission to save Samuel it becomes a gut-busting journey.
John Connollys writing style is a perfect balance of Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore. His comedic style of writing is a bit genius. Stuffed full of humorous footnotes throughout the book as well as memorable characters and situations, this story will be a favorite of the year for young and old.
This happens to be a sequel but Connolly holds hands with the reader and helps them along to understand what has happened so far...and then reprimands them for not reading the first one. Comedy is the key word in this review and every page is wonderfully full of it.
John Connollys writing style is a perfect balance of Douglas Adams and Christopher Moore. His comedic style of writing is a bit genius. Stuffed full of humorous footnotes throughout the book as well as memorable characters and situations, this story will be a favorite of the year for young and old.
This happens to be a sequel but Connolly holds hands with the reader and helps them along to understand what has happened so far...and then reprimands them for not reading the first one. Comedy is the key word in this review and every page is wonderfully full of it.
December 21, 2011
“The Infernals” by John Connolly, published by Atria Books.
Category – Fantasy/Science Fiction
This book is an excellent change of pace for the adult reader and is definitely a great read for those who like Young Adult books.
I would suggest that you read John Connolly’s “The Book of Lost Things”, and the first in this series, “The Gates” before you read “The Infernals”.
If you have read “The Gates” you will remember that young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, became involved in opening the portal to hell. They became involved with demons and other unsavory characters, and some good guys. One of the good guys, Nurd, The Scourge of Five Dieties, helps Samuel to overcome the demons of hell and return to his home.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Abernathy, who is really Ba’al a despicable demon out to release The Great Malevolence (THE DEVIL) on the human’s world.
Samuel is thrown back into hell and must again fight the evil doers off, close the portal to the human world, and return safely. He is helped by two unsuspecting English Bobbies, Dan, Dan the Ice Cream Man, and four of the most unruly and troublesome dwarfs (elves) one will ever come across.
These books are full of fantasy and fun, but do have an underlying message of right and wrong, with a little bit of goodness thrown in.
Again, fun and enjoyable reads that provide a nice change of pace for most readers and should definitely be a hit with those who enjoy fantasy and young adult books.
Category – Fantasy/Science Fiction
This book is an excellent change of pace for the adult reader and is definitely a great read for those who like Young Adult books.
I would suggest that you read John Connolly’s “The Book of Lost Things”, and the first in this series, “The Gates” before you read “The Infernals”.
If you have read “The Gates” you will remember that young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, became involved in opening the portal to hell. They became involved with demons and other unsavory characters, and some good guys. One of the good guys, Nurd, The Scourge of Five Dieties, helps Samuel to overcome the demons of hell and return to his home.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Abernathy, who is really Ba’al a despicable demon out to release The Great Malevolence (THE DEVIL) on the human’s world.
Samuel is thrown back into hell and must again fight the evil doers off, close the portal to the human world, and return safely. He is helped by two unsuspecting English Bobbies, Dan, Dan the Ice Cream Man, and four of the most unruly and troublesome dwarfs (elves) one will ever come across.
These books are full of fantasy and fun, but do have an underlying message of right and wrong, with a little bit of goodness thrown in.
Again, fun and enjoyable reads that provide a nice change of pace for most readers and should definitely be a hit with those who enjoy fantasy and young adult books.
June 28, 2012
What a fun follow-up to The Gates! I really enjoyed reading this book! Who would have expected that a trip to Hell could be so entertaining? It really made for an exciting, even at times nerve-wracking, read. Connolly, an author who is so gifted in balancing his books, alleviates the anxiety he causes with a solid dash of humour and his wonderfully (and in the cases of the demons, surprisingly) real characters.
This book falls in the Young Adult market, and Connolly does a wonderful job of not only making the book appropriate for the genre, but with rich vocabulary and excellent writing style, it is engaging for adult audiences as well. With the “chatty” narrative style, this book quickly draws in readers and has left me wishing for a third installment!
This book falls in the Young Adult market, and Connolly does a wonderful job of not only making the book appropriate for the genre, but with rich vocabulary and excellent writing style, it is engaging for adult audiences as well. With the “chatty” narrative style, this book quickly draws in readers and has left me wishing for a third installment!
February 4, 2017
I'd given the first book in this series (The Gates) three stars and concluded that it was a fun, fluffy diversion from Connolly's Charlie Parker books. I'd picked this sequel up at the library not being entirely committed to it, but now I'm glad that I read it. It was a lot of fun and very clever, and I enjoyed that all of the footnotes were science-y (in keeping with the theme of the Large Hadron Collider being responsible for Samuel Johnson's misadventures, I suppose). Overall, The Infernals was a better book than The Gates, and I'm looking forward to the inevitable next one.
November 23, 2014
It was a bit difficult to stay on board with the sheer stupidity of this. I read The Gates a number of years ago but didn't remember much of it and didn't realize this was a sequel to it when I bought it. The book is definitely on the kiddie side of young adult fantasy, which means it's a bit of an eye-roller and simplistic. Still, Connolly has a fantastic sense of humor, and while I was bored by much of the plot, I laughed out loud at the jokes pretty often.
October 24, 2016
GREAT fun. If possible, better than the first book. Highly recommended.
February 27, 2020
Ini kisah tentang seorang anak bernama Samuel Johnson yang di buku sebelumnya berhasil menggagalkan invasi iblis ke Bumi.
Tentu saja, si iblis yang juga adalah mantan tetangga Samuel yang bernama Mrs Abernathy, ingin membalas dendam.
Tidak tanggung-tanggung, Mrs. Abernathy ingin menyeret Samuel ke neraka dan "menghidangkannya" langsung ke hadapan bos setan nomor wahid, sang Maha Dengki.
Bagaimana cara Mrs. Abernathy menyeret Samuel ke neraka menghubungkan kita kembali ke para ilmuwan Swiss yang malah makin bersemangat alih-alih kapok dengan percobaan tabrakan partikelnya yang nyaris membuat Bumi dihancurkan oleh sekawanan setan.
Di buku kedua dari trilogi The Gates ini, kita diajak untuk berjalan-jalan di Neraka dengan diiringi kisah-kisah bagaimana orang-orang jahat berakhir dengan menyedihkan di sana berdasarkan apa yang mereka perbuat di bumi.
Kisah-kisah yang cukup membuat saya sadar diri sedikit. Yes! Nah, siapa yang bilang membaca novel itu tak ada manfaatnya 🤭, *uhuk*.
Buku kedua ini semakin seru dan semakin lucu kalau menurut saya. Pesan moralnya juga lebih banyak disebutkan secara gamblang. Catatan-catatan kaki nan panjang dan kocak itu masih ada. Sangat informatif juga. Tak rugi sama sekali baca itu catatan kaki 🤭. Meskipun kadang membuat saya sedikit kesal karena harus mengalihkan perhatian sebentar dari cerita petualangan Samuel yang lagi seru-serunya 🤣
At last, menyenangkan sekali bertemu Samuel, Boswell, Nurd dan Wormwood kembali di buku ini. Saya beri 4 dari 5 bintang deh. I really liked it
Tentu saja, si iblis yang juga adalah mantan tetangga Samuel yang bernama Mrs Abernathy, ingin membalas dendam.
Tidak tanggung-tanggung, Mrs. Abernathy ingin menyeret Samuel ke neraka dan "menghidangkannya" langsung ke hadapan bos setan nomor wahid, sang Maha Dengki.
Bagaimana cara Mrs. Abernathy menyeret Samuel ke neraka menghubungkan kita kembali ke para ilmuwan Swiss yang malah makin bersemangat alih-alih kapok dengan percobaan tabrakan partikelnya yang nyaris membuat Bumi dihancurkan oleh sekawanan setan.
Di buku kedua dari trilogi The Gates ini, kita diajak untuk berjalan-jalan di Neraka dengan diiringi kisah-kisah bagaimana orang-orang jahat berakhir dengan menyedihkan di sana berdasarkan apa yang mereka perbuat di bumi.
Kisah-kisah yang cukup membuat saya sadar diri sedikit. Yes! Nah, siapa yang bilang membaca novel itu tak ada manfaatnya 🤭, *uhuk*.
Buku kedua ini semakin seru dan semakin lucu kalau menurut saya. Pesan moralnya juga lebih banyak disebutkan secara gamblang. Catatan-catatan kaki nan panjang dan kocak itu masih ada. Sangat informatif juga. Tak rugi sama sekali baca itu catatan kaki 🤭. Meskipun kadang membuat saya sedikit kesal karena harus mengalihkan perhatian sebentar dari cerita petualangan Samuel yang lagi seru-serunya 🤣
At last, menyenangkan sekali bertemu Samuel, Boswell, Nurd dan Wormwood kembali di buku ini. Saya beri 4 dari 5 bintang deh. I really liked it
March 10, 2023
"The Infernals" by John Connolly is the sequel to "The Gates" a book I read back in January of this year. The story follows a boy named Samuel Johnson, who after managing to thwart a being known as The Great Malevolence (aka SATAN) from entering earth and taking over, has found himself DRAGGED TO HELL with his loyal dog by a demon dressed as a dead woman so that she can earn back her master's favor for bungling up the first invasion.
Oh, and Samuel also has a demon friend named Nurd who's driving Samuel's Dad's Aston Martin around Hell with his demon buddy Wormwood. Oh, AND some other humans get dragged to hell too by accident; two cops, one ice cream man, and four drunken dwarves who can't help but cause chaos wherever they go. It's a pretty wild book.
I called "The Gates" a Douglas Adams novel punched up by Monty Python, and I still think that description applies. Connolly has a wicked sense of humor that he blends well with his imaginative world building, but also knows when to lighten up on the comedy gas and let some serious moments breath. Frankly, I like this book more than the first one. The addition of the drunken dwarves who are obsessed with a beer that's so bad it could turn a person blind was a welcome one, was well as the many fascinating characters that inhabit Hell.
There are themes of hopefulness in the face of helplessness, determination, friendship, and love. There's also a cool power struggle in Hell that is playing out like an episode of Game of Thrones, but way cooler because it has demons that read like Tim Curry and Miranda Richardson spitting fire at each other. It's a really, really fun book, and I can't wait to finish out the trilogy.
Oh, and Samuel also has a demon friend named Nurd who's driving Samuel's Dad's Aston Martin around Hell with his demon buddy Wormwood. Oh, AND some other humans get dragged to hell too by accident; two cops, one ice cream man, and four drunken dwarves who can't help but cause chaos wherever they go. It's a pretty wild book.
I called "The Gates" a Douglas Adams novel punched up by Monty Python, and I still think that description applies. Connolly has a wicked sense of humor that he blends well with his imaginative world building, but also knows when to lighten up on the comedy gas and let some serious moments breath. Frankly, I like this book more than the first one. The addition of the drunken dwarves who are obsessed with a beer that's so bad it could turn a person blind was a welcome one, was well as the many fascinating characters that inhabit Hell.
There are themes of hopefulness in the face of helplessness, determination, friendship, and love. There's also a cool power struggle in Hell that is playing out like an episode of Game of Thrones, but way cooler because it has demons that read like Tim Curry and Miranda Richardson spitting fire at each other. It's a really, really fun book, and I can't wait to finish out the trilogy.
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