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Bludd Brothers - Judge, Durie and the Executioners
362 pages, Paperback
Published November 14, 2017
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August 19, 2019
I read across the spectrum of crime novels, from the cosiest mysteries to the darkest thrillers. Samael Eldritch's book definitely falls into the latter category, featuring characters who are about as depraved as they come. I don't have a problem reading stories which focus on the darkest recesses of society but do feel it's only fair if I warn readers that the author doesn't hold back in revealing just how sick these people are. The very first chapter of the book clearly sets the scene when it comes to the twisted evil perpetrated by perverts who target the youngest and most vulnerable among us.
Sebastian Bludd has an unusual gift; Advanced Eidetic Memory which allows him to recall information from all his senses - and to retain the memories in the long-term. It means he takes a snapshot of the world every time he blinks - obviously an asset for his job as a private detective but I couldn't help feeling it could be a curse as much as a gift at times. This suspicion was certainly borne out as the novel progresses and it transpires that Bludd's traumatic adolescence has meant he is a rather lonely man who struggles to form intimate relationships. I found him a fascinating character - understandably damaged by his past but with a clear moral code, a desire to protect the innocent and a ruthless streak when it comes to seeing justice is served. He has a difficult relationship with his family, particularly his brother, Max who is a high ranking police officer. As Seb is a rather closed-off individual, he isn't perhaps the easiest character to warm to and later in the story there are a couple of incidences where he comes across as a little homophobic but as these scenes take place when emotions are high, and considering his past, I would hope that it was his anger talking and the conclusion to this book suggests that.
It is the sadists whom Bludd finds himself investigating who are the real villains here, of course. Although it is obvious early on that this is a case dealing with the very worst of humanity and there are little hints throughout as to what these people are capable of, the shocking truth about what they have been doing isn't revealed until later in the book. Bludd's response is entirely understandable and an interesting counterpoint to the protagonists in other books who perhaps don't always give in to what their hearts tell them they should do. Whether or not he makes the right decision will depend very much on each reader's own sensibilities.
I enjoyed Bludd Brothers - Judge, Durie and the Executioners but the descriptions are very detailed and in my opinion needlessly so at times. I always appreciate a novel which conjures up a sense of place but not at the expense of pace which personally I think suffered a little here, especially in the first part of the book. This is my own opinion, of course and I'm sure there are other readers who will thoroughly enjoy the meticulous descriptions. If I found the settings overly descriptive, the opposite is true when it comes to characterisation. The visual appearances of the various characters can't be faulted - although I couldn't help noting that what people look like on the outside matches their personalities, so the good characters are beautiful and the evil are ugly - I did feel that with the exception of Bludd, the rest of the cast were not as fully rounded. I can understand why this was the case as this is presumably the first book in a series and therefore it was particularly vital that readers are given a good sense of Bludd's history and what motivates him to behaves as he does. Ultimately, however, this is a plot-driven thriller and it definitely delivers the goods when it comes to action, shocks and tension.
I hope there will be further books in the Bludd Brothers series, the ending certainly suggests there is more to come and I'd welcome seeing where Seb's next case takes him, particularly given the tempting teaser at the end of this story...
Sebastian Bludd has an unusual gift; Advanced Eidetic Memory which allows him to recall information from all his senses - and to retain the memories in the long-term. It means he takes a snapshot of the world every time he blinks - obviously an asset for his job as a private detective but I couldn't help feeling it could be a curse as much as a gift at times. This suspicion was certainly borne out as the novel progresses and it transpires that Bludd's traumatic adolescence has meant he is a rather lonely man who struggles to form intimate relationships. I found him a fascinating character - understandably damaged by his past but with a clear moral code, a desire to protect the innocent and a ruthless streak when it comes to seeing justice is served. He has a difficult relationship with his family, particularly his brother, Max who is a high ranking police officer. As Seb is a rather closed-off individual, he isn't perhaps the easiest character to warm to and later in the story there are a couple of incidences where he comes across as a little homophobic but as these scenes take place when emotions are high, and considering his past, I would hope that it was his anger talking and the conclusion to this book suggests that.
It is the sadists whom Bludd finds himself investigating who are the real villains here, of course. Although it is obvious early on that this is a case dealing with the very worst of humanity and there are little hints throughout as to what these people are capable of, the shocking truth about what they have been doing isn't revealed until later in the book. Bludd's response is entirely understandable and an interesting counterpoint to the protagonists in other books who perhaps don't always give in to what their hearts tell them they should do. Whether or not he makes the right decision will depend very much on each reader's own sensibilities.
I enjoyed Bludd Brothers - Judge, Durie and the Executioners but the descriptions are very detailed and in my opinion needlessly so at times. I always appreciate a novel which conjures up a sense of place but not at the expense of pace which personally I think suffered a little here, especially in the first part of the book. This is my own opinion, of course and I'm sure there are other readers who will thoroughly enjoy the meticulous descriptions. If I found the settings overly descriptive, the opposite is true when it comes to characterisation. The visual appearances of the various characters can't be faulted - although I couldn't help noting that what people look like on the outside matches their personalities, so the good characters are beautiful and the evil are ugly - I did feel that with the exception of Bludd, the rest of the cast were not as fully rounded. I can understand why this was the case as this is presumably the first book in a series and therefore it was particularly vital that readers are given a good sense of Bludd's history and what motivates him to behaves as he does. Ultimately, however, this is a plot-driven thriller and it definitely delivers the goods when it comes to action, shocks and tension.
I hope there will be further books in the Bludd Brothers series, the ending certainly suggests there is more to come and I'd welcome seeing where Seb's next case takes him, particularly given the tempting teaser at the end of this story...
Displaying 1 of 1 review