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The Hole Behind Midnight
Royden Poole is having a very bad day. Follow the Hole Behind Midnight into a world of oracles and monsters, kings and usurpers ... follow it into the 25th Hour. A darkly comic postmodern urban fantasy crime/mystery noir/pulp tale-of-suspense-and-magic-and-cursing, this is a story of the 25th Hour for mature audiences only
448 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Clinton Boomer
26 books21 followersClinton J. Boomer, known to his friends as ‘Booms,’ resides in the quaint, leafy, idyllic paradise of Macomb, Illinois, where he attended 4th grade through college. He began writing before the time of his own recollection, predominantly dictating stories to his ever-patient mother about fire-monsters and ice-monsters throwing children into garbage cans.
He began gaming with the 1993 release of Planescape, which shaped his Jr. High years, and he was first published professionally in the Ennie Award-winning Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting from Paizo Publishing after placing in the Final Four of Paizo’s inaugural RPG Superstar! Competition. He currently devotes a full 99.9% of his waking hours to thinking about fantasy-adventure in general or ninjas, more specifically.
Boomer is a writer, filmmaker, gamer and bartender; his short comedic films, the “D&D PHB PSAs,” have over 3600 subscribers on YouTube and and have been viewed more than a million & a half times. A member of the WereCabbages creative guild, a frequent freelance contributor to Rite Publishing, Sean K. Reynolds Games, Paizo Publishing, Reality Deviants Press, Zombie Sky Press and the Hellcrashers setting, his debut novel The Hole Behind Midnight was released in 2011. Daniel O’Brien, columnist for Cracked.com and contributor to the New York Times bestseller You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News called it “ … Raymond Chandler meets Douglas Adams by way of a fantasy nerd’s fever dream. And it’s AWESOME.”
Boomer is currently the happiest he has ever been in his whole life.
He began gaming with the 1993 release of Planescape, which shaped his Jr. High years, and he was first published professionally in the Ennie Award-winning Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting from Paizo Publishing after placing in the Final Four of Paizo’s inaugural RPG Superstar! Competition. He currently devotes a full 99.9% of his waking hours to thinking about fantasy-adventure in general or ninjas, more specifically.
Boomer is a writer, filmmaker, gamer and bartender; his short comedic films, the “D&D PHB PSAs,” have over 3600 subscribers on YouTube and and have been viewed more than a million & a half times. A member of the WereCabbages creative guild, a frequent freelance contributor to Rite Publishing, Sean K. Reynolds Games, Paizo Publishing, Reality Deviants Press, Zombie Sky Press and the Hellcrashers setting, his debut novel The Hole Behind Midnight was released in 2011. Daniel O’Brien, columnist for Cracked.com and contributor to the New York Times bestseller You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News called it “ … Raymond Chandler meets Douglas Adams by way of a fantasy nerd’s fever dream. And it’s AWESOME.”
Boomer is currently the happiest he has ever been in his whole life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 12, 2013
The Hole Behind Midnight is relentlessly, kinetically, amorally creative. It's like Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, and an issue of Nintendo Power all met in an alleway and did unspeakable things to each other.
January 12, 2012
The Hole behind Midnight
Spoiler Free!
I'll start by saying thank you to Scott Gable for a review copy, because let's face it, my hatred of anything that has the faintest scent of time travel/alteration would have turned me away from this book, much to my loss. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one.
The idea of an extra hour (or more) hidden away behind midnight is a fascinating one. To think of all the things you could accomplish, if you felt like it. Maybe even cure cancer! Most people don't use this time in a way that is beneficial to others though, and that is the harsh reality that keeps dragging our narrator into very messy situations, often literally. Being party to the secrets of the 25th hour can grant quite a deal of power to abuse.
The prologue gives a really strong glimpse into the main character, and the first chapter drops you right into the action. If it weren't for Bad Things happening around the narrator, he seems like the kind of guy I would want to hang out with. He's an asshole, no one argues with that, but it's for the right reasons. As the story is written in first person, we ate privy to these reasons more than any other characters.
The chapters are quite short and it's easy to say "I've got time for one more chapter" until an hour or two later the search party stumbles across you huddled in the corner with just the pale light of the screen for company. The action moves fast and you just want to see what happens next. While we know the narrator makes it out alive, we have no idea if he'll be in one piece til the very end.
The Hole Behind Midnight is available on iTunes and Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/The-Hole-behind-Mi...) published by Broken Eye Books ( http://www.brokeneyebooks.com/).
I'll leave off with my favourite lines that don't give anything away:
"It looked like [he] had been involved with a busy, shitty day.
Well, at least it had ended with getting murdered. If you're gonna do bad day, I mean, you might as well do it right."
(posted at http://lemorn.phispace.net/asylos/?p=15 )
Spoiler Free!
I'll start by saying thank you to Scott Gable for a review copy, because let's face it, my hatred of anything that has the faintest scent of time travel/alteration would have turned me away from this book, much to my loss. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one.
The idea of an extra hour (or more) hidden away behind midnight is a fascinating one. To think of all the things you could accomplish, if you felt like it. Maybe even cure cancer! Most people don't use this time in a way that is beneficial to others though, and that is the harsh reality that keeps dragging our narrator into very messy situations, often literally. Being party to the secrets of the 25th hour can grant quite a deal of power to abuse.
The prologue gives a really strong glimpse into the main character, and the first chapter drops you right into the action. If it weren't for Bad Things happening around the narrator, he seems like the kind of guy I would want to hang out with. He's an asshole, no one argues with that, but it's for the right reasons. As the story is written in first person, we ate privy to these reasons more than any other characters.
The chapters are quite short and it's easy to say "I've got time for one more chapter" until an hour or two later the search party stumbles across you huddled in the corner with just the pale light of the screen for company. The action moves fast and you just want to see what happens next. While we know the narrator makes it out alive, we have no idea if he'll be in one piece til the very end.
The Hole Behind Midnight is available on iTunes and Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/The-Hole-behind-Mi...) published by Broken Eye Books ( http://www.brokeneyebooks.com/).
I'll leave off with my favourite lines that don't give anything away:
"It looked like [he] had been involved with a busy, shitty day.
Well, at least it had ended with getting murdered. If you're gonna do bad day, I mean, you might as well do it right."
(posted at http://lemorn.phispace.net/asylos/?p=15 )
October 15, 2014
This book took me back to when I was 12 years old reading Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" because I laughed so much reading this book. This book is not suitable for kids other than adult teens so be sure you understand that. Of course, that is truly up to the parents. The world Clinton created was a fantastic adventure unto itself. I loved the crazy world created from the magic to the inhabitants who come from stuff of legend to the fickle royalty with their constant shenanigan's for power. Yes, I laughed a lot reading this book but the material is not comedy. It is a serious business to wrest control of the Forgotten Lands with vast volumes of violence thrown into the fray. There are plenty of fantastical creatures with appetites to challenge Bacchus to boot. Enjoy. I sure did.
August 27, 2022
I find myself of two minds when it comes to The Hole Behind Midnight. On the one hand, this novel creates a very interesting and unique internal mythology that I found highly engaging. On the other hand, it is incredibly vulgar, offensive, and unnecessary almost continually throughout the narrative. Mr. Boomer has definitely accomplished something in his creation of the world that this book takes place in, as well as his protagonist, but the style of the writing, and how it relates to that world, push this book into a realm where it is going to be incredibly difficult to recommend.
The Hole Behind Midnight follows Royden Poole, a man who is capable of gaining access to a world that is like a funhouse mirror of our own, one where magic and mythos are real and where anyone can become royalty. However, in order to get there, you have to know how to cross over, and you can only do it at midnight. Royden is called in by the local police to interrogate a subject, but when that suspect dies in his custody, shortly after crossing over, he not only needs to clear his own name but he also has to put down a coup for power that could have vastly calamitous effects in the real world.
Let me start with what’s good about this novel. Firstly, the internal magic and mythology of the world are vastly original and highly entertaining. There were several points in the book where Mr. Boomer introduced ideas like a Betamax exorcism, toy weapons that work like real weapons, people who eat magic, sentient vehicles, and using sidewalk chalk to draw a door that actually works: That stands out as being the work of a genuine creative. You can tell that he’s spent an incredibly large amount of time thinking about this world, what is in it, and how it works. It’s genuinely some of the best, and most unique, world-building that I’ve come across in a while.
Royden Poole also works. He’s a well-realized character, he feels like a real person, and Mr. Boomer devotes a strong amount of characterization to him. In particular, the way he understands himself and his flaws, and how he wants to get better but also wants to continue using his flaws for his own advantage, is among the best writing devoted to a protagonist that I’ve come across in a long time. Despite the fact that we are dropped into Royden’s story after he’s been traversing the 25th hour for years is no problem, his place in that world is clearly understandable and the reader never has to stop and wonder what his relationship with another character might be, or how it ended up that way. We understand him, and how he is, so well that it lends stability to everything else that Mr. Boomer is doing around him.
Now, we get to the bad. Royden is an incredibly vulgar person, which mostly works for his characterization, but it often reaches into territory where it is genuinely offensive. There is a lengthy scene in which he and a friend go to a strip club that seems to be staffed entirely by trans women, the language that both Mr. Boomer and his character use to describe these women, what they look like and what they do, is nothing short of transphobic, degrading, and just plain disgusting. These women are characterized as being nothing but sex-crazed lunatics who sleep with, if not rape, and kill anyone that they get the chance to, and the way they are described and characterized made me extremely uncomfortable. This is an extended scene as well, it isn’t one conversation between the two characters and then they leave, Royden gets trapped there and has to actually avoid being assaulted.
All of that is made worse by the fact that these women being transgender, or even present in the narrative, have no impact. There is no particular reason why the characters had to go to this club, there’s no reason why the club is staffed by trans women, and the women themselves aren’t even characters. Mr. Boomer gives them no characterization beyond the incredibly disgusting aspects that I mentioned in my paragraph above. I could potentially forgive some of this if it was clear that Royden himself viewed the characters this way because of some sort of bias or hate he has, but the characterization and degradation of these women also come from the writing and description that exists outside of the mind of the character, and that comes solely from the author. Not to mention the erroneous decision to have this happen in the narrative, to begin with.
As a whole, a lot of the vulgarity in this book comes across as an attempt at style, sort of like the kid at your elementary school who started using swear words in every sentence as soon as they learned them. I say this because nearly every character in the narrative is outrageously vulgar, and the regularity with which this particular character trait crops up actually makes the writing seem lazy rather than funny or clever. There were several moments where I had to stop reading and ask why something was included: Why is this character surrounded by televisions playing porn? Why is this character threatening sexual violence? Why are there so many N-words being thrown around? Why does this character collect so many sex tapes? It's almost constant, especially sexual vulgarity. There is no reason at all why every character needs to be like this, having one especially vulgar character works in a narrative, but having a world stocked with them reflects more on who the author of that narrative is.
It’s so hard to evaluate this book because I want to like it. Mr. Boomer’s writing can be funny, it can be fast-paced, and it can be genuinely great. He clearly has an eye for world-building and mythos construction, he clearly knows how to write a detective story, and he can also write the hell out of a fight sequence. There is a battle between Royden and one of the main antagonists outside of the strip club that was genuinely riveting, and Royden’s solution to beating the antagonist, or at least getting away from him, was clever and exciting. It’s moments like that where I know that this book, and its world, can be something better than it is. There is a multitude of different stories and interesting characters contained in the 25th hour that are just waiting to be explored, but this particular one is covered in too much filth to make the excavation worthwhile.
The Hole Behind Midnight follows Royden Poole, a man who is capable of gaining access to a world that is like a funhouse mirror of our own, one where magic and mythos are real and where anyone can become royalty. However, in order to get there, you have to know how to cross over, and you can only do it at midnight. Royden is called in by the local police to interrogate a subject, but when that suspect dies in his custody, shortly after crossing over, he not only needs to clear his own name but he also has to put down a coup for power that could have vastly calamitous effects in the real world.
Let me start with what’s good about this novel. Firstly, the internal magic and mythology of the world are vastly original and highly entertaining. There were several points in the book where Mr. Boomer introduced ideas like a Betamax exorcism, toy weapons that work like real weapons, people who eat magic, sentient vehicles, and using sidewalk chalk to draw a door that actually works: That stands out as being the work of a genuine creative. You can tell that he’s spent an incredibly large amount of time thinking about this world, what is in it, and how it works. It’s genuinely some of the best, and most unique, world-building that I’ve come across in a while.
Royden Poole also works. He’s a well-realized character, he feels like a real person, and Mr. Boomer devotes a strong amount of characterization to him. In particular, the way he understands himself and his flaws, and how he wants to get better but also wants to continue using his flaws for his own advantage, is among the best writing devoted to a protagonist that I’ve come across in a long time. Despite the fact that we are dropped into Royden’s story after he’s been traversing the 25th hour for years is no problem, his place in that world is clearly understandable and the reader never has to stop and wonder what his relationship with another character might be, or how it ended up that way. We understand him, and how he is, so well that it lends stability to everything else that Mr. Boomer is doing around him.
Now, we get to the bad. Royden is an incredibly vulgar person, which mostly works for his characterization, but it often reaches into territory where it is genuinely offensive. There is a lengthy scene in which he and a friend go to a strip club that seems to be staffed entirely by trans women, the language that both Mr. Boomer and his character use to describe these women, what they look like and what they do, is nothing short of transphobic, degrading, and just plain disgusting. These women are characterized as being nothing but sex-crazed lunatics who sleep with, if not rape, and kill anyone that they get the chance to, and the way they are described and characterized made me extremely uncomfortable. This is an extended scene as well, it isn’t one conversation between the two characters and then they leave, Royden gets trapped there and has to actually avoid being assaulted.
All of that is made worse by the fact that these women being transgender, or even present in the narrative, have no impact. There is no particular reason why the characters had to go to this club, there’s no reason why the club is staffed by trans women, and the women themselves aren’t even characters. Mr. Boomer gives them no characterization beyond the incredibly disgusting aspects that I mentioned in my paragraph above. I could potentially forgive some of this if it was clear that Royden himself viewed the characters this way because of some sort of bias or hate he has, but the characterization and degradation of these women also come from the writing and description that exists outside of the mind of the character, and that comes solely from the author. Not to mention the erroneous decision to have this happen in the narrative, to begin with.
As a whole, a lot of the vulgarity in this book comes across as an attempt at style, sort of like the kid at your elementary school who started using swear words in every sentence as soon as they learned them. I say this because nearly every character in the narrative is outrageously vulgar, and the regularity with which this particular character trait crops up actually makes the writing seem lazy rather than funny or clever. There were several moments where I had to stop reading and ask why something was included: Why is this character surrounded by televisions playing porn? Why is this character threatening sexual violence? Why are there so many N-words being thrown around? Why does this character collect so many sex tapes? It's almost constant, especially sexual vulgarity. There is no reason at all why every character needs to be like this, having one especially vulgar character works in a narrative, but having a world stocked with them reflects more on who the author of that narrative is.
It’s so hard to evaluate this book because I want to like it. Mr. Boomer’s writing can be funny, it can be fast-paced, and it can be genuinely great. He clearly has an eye for world-building and mythos construction, he clearly knows how to write a detective story, and he can also write the hell out of a fight sequence. There is a battle between Royden and one of the main antagonists outside of the strip club that was genuinely riveting, and Royden’s solution to beating the antagonist, or at least getting away from him, was clever and exciting. It’s moments like that where I know that this book, and its world, can be something better than it is. There is a multitude of different stories and interesting characters contained in the 25th hour that are just waiting to be explored, but this particular one is covered in too much filth to make the excavation worthwhile.
April 7, 2019
I came across this book as part of the 19 Nocturne Boulevard podcast. The story is based around the intriguing notion that at the hour of midnight there is, for certain people, a way into an extra hour of the day where magic and supernatural events occur.
The audio adaptation I listened to is not complete so I am perhaps not doing the book justice, but I found that, though it started well, the story seemed to get more and more convoluted and less and less easy to credit as it went on.
The audio adaptation I listened to is not complete so I am perhaps not doing the book justice, but I found that, though it started well, the story seemed to get more and more convoluted and less and less easy to credit as it went on.
November 16, 2019
This was originally a set of tweets:
Man, it's weird as shit. I'm about halfway through.
I also kinda hate Royden. In a good way.
I mean, I'm rooting for him to win, but he can be SUCH an asshole.
Poor Cleon. And Tama.
I want him to win.
And then, once he's healed up, slap the stupid out of him.
And finished.
Clever bit, near the end there.
That's not going to bite Royden in the ass, at all.
I feel sorry for his... friends seems like a strong word... positive acquaintances.
Man, it's weird as shit. I'm about halfway through.
I also kinda hate Royden. In a good way.
I mean, I'm rooting for him to win, but he can be SUCH an asshole.
Poor Cleon. And Tama.
I want him to win.
And then, once he's healed up, slap the stupid out of him.
And finished.
Clever bit, near the end there.
That's not going to bite Royden in the ass, at all.
I feel sorry for his... friends seems like a strong word... positive acquaintances.
November 27, 2023
Fun, foul-mouthed, hard-boiled, gritty, noir urban fantasy. Granted,it does have some issues w/ transphobia regarding a major character and their cohorts/minions, so please be aware going in. Other than that, is a quite funny noir tale mixed with some really cool urban fantasy world building. Plus, Henry the Formerly Feral Cat enjoyed me reading it to him while he is confined to the bathroom until he learns to properly use the litter box. We both agreed that it was a fun read.
August 12, 2024
I think I liked it. I'm kinda confused. It's a more profane less Chicago centric Dresden files with a very different magic system.
March 21, 2017
Disc World style book involving alternate reality and supernatural happenings
February 8, 2019
For Mature Audiences only!
If Hunter S. Thompson took acid, browsed 4Chan, and wrote an arcane mystery novel, this would be the book to read.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It's a foul-mouthed, high-octane, streetpunk Noir mystery story set in the modern day but with a unique magic system that you've never even imagined before. It's incredibly well-written with relatable characters and a compelling detective story.
Back in the day I was in a bar in Seattle when I overheard the author Clinton J. Boomer discussing the book he'd written. I wandered over and asked if I could read a few pages. It made my eyes bulge and I laughed out loud. I bought the book on the spot and he autographed it for me.
I literally stayed up all night to read it. I was absolutely enthralled. I'd never read anything as bold, audacious, and bizarrely witty as "The Hole Behind Midnight."
If Hunter S. Thompson took acid, browsed 4Chan, and wrote an arcane mystery novel, this would be the book to read.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It's a foul-mouthed, high-octane, streetpunk Noir mystery story set in the modern day but with a unique magic system that you've never even imagined before. It's incredibly well-written with relatable characters and a compelling detective story.
Back in the day I was in a bar in Seattle when I overheard the author Clinton J. Boomer discussing the book he'd written. I wandered over and asked if I could read a few pages. It made my eyes bulge and I laughed out loud. I bought the book on the spot and he autographed it for me.
I literally stayed up all night to read it. I was absolutely enthralled. I'd never read anything as bold, audacious, and bizarrely witty as "The Hole Behind Midnight."
June 14, 2014
Clinton Boomer is a consummate story teller, does a fantastic job in his debut novel telling a story that you simply don't want to end. Royden Poole is a memorable protagonist, and a completely annoying bastard...but he's the kind of bastard you really want to be on your side, cause he's dangerous to those who are on his bad side...and he swears a lot. By a lot I mean he makes Samuel Jackson seem like an innocent schoolboy. Royden is likely the only Indian (the kind from India) midget character in all of literature...and in case he's not, he's certainly the only Indian midget who's also the mystical King of the forgotten kingdom of Jangladesh.
Royden for the most part uses his mystical abilities to indulge in a life of idle depravity sleeping in late, watching porn, etc., but when he's brought in as a consultant to a strange robbery by the local police, he quickly becomes entangled in a plot to steal secret ancient power by other, far less loveable, Kings of forgotten empires. Fortunately, Royden knows how to enter the land between the seconds of Midnight, every night being able to enter a bizzare reflection of the real world and spend nearly infinite amounts of time there each night before re-entering the real world a fraction of a second after leaving. Along the way he will need to deal with others claiming the power of various forgotten kingdoms, demons, Ukranian mobsters, deities, sentient vending machines (which mainly mock him), double crosses, triple crosses, oracles, assassins, and a small army of demon worshipers armed with magical guns and swords.
Since Royden is an annoying bastard, he doesn't have many allies as he gets deeper and deeper into the twisted and convoluted plot taking place in an often nightmarish world the defies conventional logic. Fortunately, Boomer shares just enough information at a time to the reader to make this understandable, while keeping a rollicking pace of story and action and not having the exposition drag things down. Since the entire book is narrated by Royden, even the "boring exposition" parts of the book are wilding amusing (and laced with profanity - I'm pretty sure Royden can't not swear if his life depended on it.)
The often arcane references liberally strewn throughout the book delve deep into real world trivia and obscure myths and legends, as well as lots of twisted depraved villainy. Be warned that the swearing is the least of the adult subject matter in the book, with the villains being truly and casually reprehensible. Warning aside, this is a constantly entertaining book, and I can't wait for the next one from Boomer.
Royden for the most part uses his mystical abilities to indulge in a life of idle depravity sleeping in late, watching porn, etc., but when he's brought in as a consultant to a strange robbery by the local police, he quickly becomes entangled in a plot to steal secret ancient power by other, far less loveable, Kings of forgotten empires. Fortunately, Royden knows how to enter the land between the seconds of Midnight, every night being able to enter a bizzare reflection of the real world and spend nearly infinite amounts of time there each night before re-entering the real world a fraction of a second after leaving. Along the way he will need to deal with others claiming the power of various forgotten kingdoms, demons, Ukranian mobsters, deities, sentient vending machines (which mainly mock him), double crosses, triple crosses, oracles, assassins, and a small army of demon worshipers armed with magical guns and swords.
Since Royden is an annoying bastard, he doesn't have many allies as he gets deeper and deeper into the twisted and convoluted plot taking place in an often nightmarish world the defies conventional logic. Fortunately, Boomer shares just enough information at a time to the reader to make this understandable, while keeping a rollicking pace of story and action and not having the exposition drag things down. Since the entire book is narrated by Royden, even the "boring exposition" parts of the book are wilding amusing (and laced with profanity - I'm pretty sure Royden can't not swear if his life depended on it.)
The often arcane references liberally strewn throughout the book delve deep into real world trivia and obscure myths and legends, as well as lots of twisted depraved villainy. Be warned that the swearing is the least of the adult subject matter in the book, with the villains being truly and casually reprehensible. Warning aside, this is a constantly entertaining book, and I can't wait for the next one from Boomer.
April 17, 2012
To see this review and more like it, check out my site Urban Fantasy Reviews at www.ufreviews.com
First and foremost this book has a really cool concept. The 25th hour is something I think all of us have wished for at one time in our life, so that's a really interesting elements alone. And while having a good concept is half the battle sometimes, a good concept doesn't matter much if it isn't executed well; Boomer executed this book amazingly well.
First and foremost I have to say the book works for me on a lot of different levels. I love the humor in the book. I'm one of those people who enjoys all kinds of humor, but I also enjoy the sarcastic or dark humor above all else. I have to say that this book was deliciously humorous for me.
The main character is a bit of an jerk but because the book is written from his point of view, you as the reader understand him and his actions. And I feel like I have know a lot of this "type" of guy in my life, and I love 'em all. So it was easy for me to like the him, and pull for him. I also have to say, that most of the books I review are urban fantasy books told from a woman's point of view, so this was a refreshing change of pace for me, and I was equally impressed at how much I like the character compared to the "norm" of character I am used to.
I thought the world building in the book was fantastic, well thought out, and actually quite complex. When you have a complex world to present to a reader it can get tricky with not confusing them. But Boomer did a great job, I think the overall tone of the novel helps the reader along, you are so already along for the ride and so immersed in the book that nothing ever felt inorganic or too confusing.
The pace of the book is spot on, it moves at the perfect pace for the reader. And more than that it encompasses so many different topics, that just about anyone who picks up this book can find something in it that they can identify with, or a topic they would like to see in a book.
I myself know a lot of people who would love this book. The sense of humor alone I think would have a lot of my friends enjoying this book. But more than that I think people, even people who don't necessarily know a lot about the genre or even like the genre could find something in this book they enjoy. I do have to say if you are not a person who enjoys certain explicit language or that type of language offends you, then this isn't your book. But as long as you don't fall into that category, if you are looking for a book to read, then I without a doubt recommend this book to anyone.
First and foremost this book has a really cool concept. The 25th hour is something I think all of us have wished for at one time in our life, so that's a really interesting elements alone. And while having a good concept is half the battle sometimes, a good concept doesn't matter much if it isn't executed well; Boomer executed this book amazingly well.
First and foremost I have to say the book works for me on a lot of different levels. I love the humor in the book. I'm one of those people who enjoys all kinds of humor, but I also enjoy the sarcastic or dark humor above all else. I have to say that this book was deliciously humorous for me.
The main character is a bit of an jerk but because the book is written from his point of view, you as the reader understand him and his actions. And I feel like I have know a lot of this "type" of guy in my life, and I love 'em all. So it was easy for me to like the him, and pull for him. I also have to say, that most of the books I review are urban fantasy books told from a woman's point of view, so this was a refreshing change of pace for me, and I was equally impressed at how much I like the character compared to the "norm" of character I am used to.
I thought the world building in the book was fantastic, well thought out, and actually quite complex. When you have a complex world to present to a reader it can get tricky with not confusing them. But Boomer did a great job, I think the overall tone of the novel helps the reader along, you are so already along for the ride and so immersed in the book that nothing ever felt inorganic or too confusing.
The pace of the book is spot on, it moves at the perfect pace for the reader. And more than that it encompasses so many different topics, that just about anyone who picks up this book can find something in it that they can identify with, or a topic they would like to see in a book.
I myself know a lot of people who would love this book. The sense of humor alone I think would have a lot of my friends enjoying this book. But more than that I think people, even people who don't necessarily know a lot about the genre or even like the genre could find something in this book they enjoy. I do have to say if you are not a person who enjoys certain explicit language or that type of language offends you, then this isn't your book. But as long as you don't fall into that category, if you are looking for a book to read, then I without a doubt recommend this book to anyone.
October 26, 2012
The Hole Behind Midnight
Roden Poole, is in hiding. He is dead. At least to the world and with the exception of one cop. His cop "friend" calls him up and asks him to question a man in custody. He knows everyone thinks he is dead so he is reluctant but the cop is not giving him the option. Roden belongs to a group of people who not only believe in magic, spells, curses, and lost kingdoms but is part of it. In this world he looks average or at least human. But In the hole behind midnight, at the minute of 12:00 am, you can find a whole new world of endless monsters, magic, mayhem and power for those who are strong enough to take it. So there are lots of people all searching and scheming for more power. Just like in the normal world, there are good and bad. Roden falls somewhere n the middle, he will screw over someone if it benefits but is loyal to his friends. So he goes to see who his cop friend has. He know it has something to do with magic, it is just before midnight. So when the guy he is interrogating starts to spill what he saw, all hell breaks lose in the form of a killer zombie clown (shudder). The clown busts through the door, stabs the guy being interrogating several times and walks away. Roden, shocked and knows he is in deep crap, follows the clown. Roden knows when the cops see their suspect, they are going to assume he did it. I mean who is going to believe a zombie clown? So now he has to find out, why was he just framed for a murder? Follow Roden though a strange new world with endless possibilities.
This is a paranormal murder mystery. You find a world of magic and monsters and some strange characters. If you want a non-stop action book, this is one for you. My only real complaint is I wish I had kept a notebook at my side. It has a lot of twists and turns and rules to a world that is totally strange. But the characters are different, like a killer zombie clown (my new worst fear!lol), goat boys, people who can walk through walls. Roden is a guy who has been out for himself but realises the value of friendship in a world of chaos! Good read but not an easy one, and action packed!
complimentary book given for a free review. come see this book and more on juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
Roden Poole, is in hiding. He is dead. At least to the world and with the exception of one cop. His cop "friend" calls him up and asks him to question a man in custody. He knows everyone thinks he is dead so he is reluctant but the cop is not giving him the option. Roden belongs to a group of people who not only believe in magic, spells, curses, and lost kingdoms but is part of it. In this world he looks average or at least human. But In the hole behind midnight, at the minute of 12:00 am, you can find a whole new world of endless monsters, magic, mayhem and power for those who are strong enough to take it. So there are lots of people all searching and scheming for more power. Just like in the normal world, there are good and bad. Roden falls somewhere n the middle, he will screw over someone if it benefits but is loyal to his friends. So he goes to see who his cop friend has. He know it has something to do with magic, it is just before midnight. So when the guy he is interrogating starts to spill what he saw, all hell breaks lose in the form of a killer zombie clown (shudder). The clown busts through the door, stabs the guy being interrogating several times and walks away. Roden, shocked and knows he is in deep crap, follows the clown. Roden knows when the cops see their suspect, they are going to assume he did it. I mean who is going to believe a zombie clown? So now he has to find out, why was he just framed for a murder? Follow Roden though a strange new world with endless possibilities.
This is a paranormal murder mystery. You find a world of magic and monsters and some strange characters. If you want a non-stop action book, this is one for you. My only real complaint is I wish I had kept a notebook at my side. It has a lot of twists and turns and rules to a world that is totally strange. But the characters are different, like a killer zombie clown (my new worst fear!lol), goat boys, people who can walk through walls. Roden is a guy who has been out for himself but realises the value of friendship in a world of chaos! Good read but not an easy one, and action packed!
complimentary book given for a free review. come see this book and more on juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
February 7, 2012
What the heck is The Hole Behind Midnight? On one level it’s an urban fantasy along the lines of Neil Gaiman‘s American Gods or China Mieville‘s Kraken. But then there’s the other 665 levels of swearing, sex, violence, and swearing. Did I mention swearing? If not, I should mention the swearing again. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the F-word used this colorfully.
Royden Poole is the main character: a short, feisty, contrary, and tiny man who is not only amazingly intelligent and intuitive, but able to do a bit of magic. Poole can visit the weird space of the 25th hour – the Witching Hour that can happen between 11:59 pm and midnight. Do you have any idea what lives in that minute? Gods of imaginary places. Horrific, twisted things who want to feed on your flesh as much as your soul. Goat-men. Magical transvestites. And hell knows what else. Poole starts the book out pretending to be dead and spends the rest of the book wishing he was.
When I started reading this book, the language was a bit shocking. I read a ton of urban fantasy (including The Thirteen Hallows, which ranks as the most bloody and violent of the genre I’ve read so far), but The Hole Behind Midnight entered a whole different realm of perversion. And I’m not ashamed to say that I liked it. It’s definitely not for everybody, so if you think The War for the Oaks is the pinnacle of UF so far, I’d recommend you not give this one a read. But if you like your heroes a bit on the unlikeable side with a potty mouth and more than a few issues to resolve, Royden Poole is your dwarf man.
Under all the language, sex, and violence however is one of the most richly constructed worlds I’ve ever read...
For the rest of this review, check it out at Game Knight Reviews
Royden Poole is the main character: a short, feisty, contrary, and tiny man who is not only amazingly intelligent and intuitive, but able to do a bit of magic. Poole can visit the weird space of the 25th hour – the Witching Hour that can happen between 11:59 pm and midnight. Do you have any idea what lives in that minute? Gods of imaginary places. Horrific, twisted things who want to feed on your flesh as much as your soul. Goat-men. Magical transvestites. And hell knows what else. Poole starts the book out pretending to be dead and spends the rest of the book wishing he was.
When I started reading this book, the language was a bit shocking. I read a ton of urban fantasy (including The Thirteen Hallows, which ranks as the most bloody and violent of the genre I’ve read so far), but The Hole Behind Midnight entered a whole different realm of perversion. And I’m not ashamed to say that I liked it. It’s definitely not for everybody, so if you think The War for the Oaks is the pinnacle of UF so far, I’d recommend you not give this one a read. But if you like your heroes a bit on the unlikeable side with a potty mouth and more than a few issues to resolve, Royden Poole is your dwarf man.
Under all the language, sex, and violence however is one of the most richly constructed worlds I’ve ever read...
For the rest of this review, check it out at Game Knight Reviews
January 11, 2015
The Hole Behind Midnight is a wild and wooly romp from its roll-out-of-a-hangover start to its reality-rending climax, plunging into the unhinged otherworld that lurks behind the final tick of the witching hour.
Blitzing past the boundaries of contemporary urban fantasy, THBM is something new and exciting. The magic and mystery of "the 25th hour" is brilliant, fresh, and intricately developed, providing a truly new mythology that simultaneously reaches back into the most ancient roots of civilization and flowers with wonder in the modern day. The hopelessly flawed yet completely relatable protagonist, outcast/street sorcerer/detective Royden Poole, wields cigarettes like talismans against the dark arts, binding demons into VHS tapes and pontificating at length about the mystical significance of interdimensional travel in strip clubs. Story aside, the magic mojo of this book would be enough to pick it up and commit it to memory.
Edgy, irreverent, and more than a little naughty (like, really naughty), THBM is packed full of oh-my-goodness moments which simultaneously shock and delight. It's not for the faint of heart, but effortlessly and unapologetically embraces its NC17 trajectory, riding the carpet-bombing of F-nukes all the way down. Clinton Boomer sows delicious profanity across the auditory landscape like he's Johnny F**king Appleseed, creating rich characters and thoroughly engaging dialogue which remind you fondly of modern monologue-masters like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith.
The Hole Behind Midnight is wicked cool.
Blitzing past the boundaries of contemporary urban fantasy, THBM is something new and exciting. The magic and mystery of "the 25th hour" is brilliant, fresh, and intricately developed, providing a truly new mythology that simultaneously reaches back into the most ancient roots of civilization and flowers with wonder in the modern day. The hopelessly flawed yet completely relatable protagonist, outcast/street sorcerer/detective Royden Poole, wields cigarettes like talismans against the dark arts, binding demons into VHS tapes and pontificating at length about the mystical significance of interdimensional travel in strip clubs. Story aside, the magic mojo of this book would be enough to pick it up and commit it to memory.
Edgy, irreverent, and more than a little naughty (like, really naughty), THBM is packed full of oh-my-goodness moments which simultaneously shock and delight. It's not for the faint of heart, but effortlessly and unapologetically embraces its NC17 trajectory, riding the carpet-bombing of F-nukes all the way down. Clinton Boomer sows delicious profanity across the auditory landscape like he's Johnny F**king Appleseed, creating rich characters and thoroughly engaging dialogue which remind you fondly of modern monologue-masters like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith.
The Hole Behind Midnight is wicked cool.
January 10, 2015
The Hole Behind Midnight is a wild and wooly romp from its roll-out-of-a-hangover start to its reality-rending climax, plunging into the unhinged otherworld that lurks behind the final tick of the witching hour.
Blitzing past the boundaries of contemporary urban fantasy, THBM is something new and exciting. The magic and mystery of "the 25th hour" is brilliant, fresh, and intricately developed, providing a truly new mythology that simultaneously reaches back into the most ancient roots of civilization and flowers with wonder in the modern day. The hopelessly flawed yet completely relatable protagonist, outcast/street sorcerer/detective Royden Poole, wields cigarettes like talismans against the dark arts, binding demons into VHS tapes and pontificating at length about the mystical significance of interdimensional travel in strip clubs. Story aside, the magic mojo of this book would be enough to pick it up and commit it to memory.
Edgy, irreverent, and more than a little naughty (like, really naughty), THBM is packed full of oh-my-goodness moments which simultaneously shock and delight. It's not for the faint of heart, but effortlessly and unapologetically embraces its NC17 trajectory, riding the carpet-bombing of F-nukes all the way down. Clinton Boomer sows delicious profanity across the auditory landscape like he's Johnny F**king Appleseed, creating rich characters and thoroughly engaging dialogue which remind you fondly of modern monologue-masters like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith.
The Hole Behind Midnight is wicked cool.
Blitzing past the boundaries of contemporary urban fantasy, THBM is something new and exciting. The magic and mystery of "the 25th hour" is brilliant, fresh, and intricately developed, providing a truly new mythology that simultaneously reaches back into the most ancient roots of civilization and flowers with wonder in the modern day. The hopelessly flawed yet completely relatable protagonist, outcast/street sorcerer/detective Royden Poole, wields cigarettes like talismans against the dark arts, binding demons into VHS tapes and pontificating at length about the mystical significance of interdimensional travel in strip clubs. Story aside, the magic mojo of this book would be enough to pick it up and commit it to memory.
Edgy, irreverent, and more than a little naughty (like, really naughty), THBM is packed full of oh-my-goodness moments which simultaneously shock and delight. It's not for the faint of heart, but effortlessly and unapologetically embraces its NC17 trajectory, riding the carpet-bombing of F-nukes all the way down. Clinton Boomer sows delicious profanity across the auditory landscape like he's Johnny F**king Appleseed, creating rich characters and thoroughly engaging dialogue which remind you fondly of modern monologue-masters like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith.
The Hole Behind Midnight is wicked cool.
April 4, 2013
This is a very interesting noir mystery fantasy. The (Anti)Hero, Royden would be what you expect from a pulp noir detective, if he wasn't a Hindu midget king (god?) with a love hate relationship with... well... everyone. As you would expect, he has to solve the mystery without getting himself killed. Along the way he has a lot of problems to solve and obstacles to overcome.
This is a very interesting read, but being a self-published novel, it has some problems. The pacing is a little off, and the narrative tends to run heavy on exposition making it seem to drag. I would also have liked to see a little more character development. The characters at the end of the book seem unchanged. There is a lot of worldbuilding information that comes from the main character, talking to the reader. I would have liked to see this integrated more into the story, giving me the information I need to know, without making it feel like I'm being lectured on the world by the main character. At times I felt like I should have been taking notes.
I only really got a good feel for 2 of the characters, Royden, and his friend Cleon. I would have liked to see a few more characters with more personality.
I am not offended my the use of profanity in books. If you are, you might want to stay away from this. It is liberally used in the books, perhaps even a little too much. I'll let you make your own decision on this one.
That being said, It was fun to read and very imaginative. Worth a shot if you're willing to work past the exposition and language.
This is a very interesting read, but being a self-published novel, it has some problems. The pacing is a little off, and the narrative tends to run heavy on exposition making it seem to drag. I would also have liked to see a little more character development. The characters at the end of the book seem unchanged. There is a lot of worldbuilding information that comes from the main character, talking to the reader. I would have liked to see this integrated more into the story, giving me the information I need to know, without making it feel like I'm being lectured on the world by the main character. At times I felt like I should have been taking notes.
I only really got a good feel for 2 of the characters, Royden, and his friend Cleon. I would have liked to see a few more characters with more personality.
I am not offended my the use of profanity in books. If you are, you might want to stay away from this. It is liberally used in the books, perhaps even a little too much. I'll let you make your own decision on this one.
That being said, It was fun to read and very imaginative. Worth a shot if you're willing to work past the exposition and language.
January 12, 2016
Give me the short version: Royden is the worst Hindu, the worst magical detective, and without a doubt the worst magical Hindu midget detective in the history of ever.
I have never in all my days felt so profoundly devastated to come to the end of a book and be unable to get more. It was like Mr Boomer personally hurt me. If I were one of those rich folk who used to patronize the arts, I would pay Clinton J Boomer to quit his day job and spend all his time writing sequels to this book.
Sadly however, I'm not.
Especially in this day and age it is very difficult to write about magic and secret worlds without sounding naff, but The Hole Behind Midnight encompasses its ludicrousy and horror with flippant ease. However the crown of the story goes to the creation of Royden, possibly the most fun character I’ve come across since John Dies at the End. Once again, yet another D&D wunderkind pulls out the good stuff.
I have never in all my days felt so profoundly devastated to come to the end of a book and be unable to get more. It was like Mr Boomer personally hurt me. If I were one of those rich folk who used to patronize the arts, I would pay Clinton J Boomer to quit his day job and spend all his time writing sequels to this book.
Sadly however, I'm not.
Especially in this day and age it is very difficult to write about magic and secret worlds without sounding naff, but The Hole Behind Midnight encompasses its ludicrousy and horror with flippant ease. However the crown of the story goes to the creation of Royden, possibly the most fun character I’ve come across since John Dies at the End. Once again, yet another D&D wunderkind pulls out the good stuff.
January 23, 2017
3.5 stars
Fairly amusing fantasy about people with the ability to live in the 25th hour. That is the introduction to a world that appears to be infinite in extent both in space and in time (if you have enough magic to subdivide the time for nearly forever). The main character is a cynical sarcastic black Hindu dwarf. Main magical players become the Kings of lost kingdoms. Our main character is not very likable and finds himself embroiled in power politics stretching all the way from his two bit kingdom to the major power players. The story moves well and is quite entertaining at certain points. There is a fair amount of exposition intertwined, but the world is unconventional enough that it is called for.
So, it sounds pretty good, why only 3.5 stars? While the premise is interesting and the plot is pretty good, I got tired of the continuous cynicism. This is a pretty good novel, but will likely be turned into a series, not of interest to me.
Fairly amusing fantasy about people with the ability to live in the 25th hour. That is the introduction to a world that appears to be infinite in extent both in space and in time (if you have enough magic to subdivide the time for nearly forever). The main character is a cynical sarcastic black Hindu dwarf. Main magical players become the Kings of lost kingdoms. Our main character is not very likable and finds himself embroiled in power politics stretching all the way from his two bit kingdom to the major power players. The story moves well and is quite entertaining at certain points. There is a fair amount of exposition intertwined, but the world is unconventional enough that it is called for.
So, it sounds pretty good, why only 3.5 stars? While the premise is interesting and the plot is pretty good, I got tired of the continuous cynicism. This is a pretty good novel, but will likely be turned into a series, not of interest to me.
February 6, 2021
When I started reading this, my first thought what , “I’m not going to like this” and I was at a few times proven wrong and got really into the action. However, the plot was so hard to follow, the backstories very complex and off putting for a first novel, and as much as I appreciated an asshole main character he was very limited. Though witty and able to create complex plans in a moments notice, just no growth and was very much tiring in his melancholia.
I loved the American Gods Vibe of this book and that it featured so much history but for me the Action spin was just too much and something I’m not personally into. A lot of the story jumped all over the place and it was hard to keep up with what was happening plot wise.
If you like action, comedic writing and history/legends this is an amazing book. If any of those things are your thing you’ll probably be in the same boat as me, and enjoy it but not love it.
I loved the American Gods Vibe of this book and that it featured so much history but for me the Action spin was just too much and something I’m not personally into. A lot of the story jumped all over the place and it was hard to keep up with what was happening plot wise.
If you like action, comedic writing and history/legends this is an amazing book. If any of those things are your thing you’ll probably be in the same boat as me, and enjoy it but not love it.
January 25, 2017
If the Dresden Books had a midget love child with Pilo Family circus. Dark, funny, clever.
I really enjoyed a reading a protagonist who isn't perfect make his way through a world has tipped to the edgy side of real. Parts of this book are filthy, I was really glad to be reading rather than watching my imagination edits out the gunk for my delicate sensibilities.
That being said I actually lol'd multiple time leading my partner to pick this up as soon as I was done. I cry at books, sometimes I get mad and yell at the characters but I never laugh. While The Hole Behind Midnight did not make me cry I did get a chance to yell a little bit.
I really enjoyed a reading a protagonist who isn't perfect make his way through a world has tipped to the edgy side of real. Parts of this book are filthy, I was really glad to be reading rather than watching my imagination edits out the gunk for my delicate sensibilities.
That being said I actually lol'd multiple time leading my partner to pick this up as soon as I was done. I cry at books, sometimes I get mad and yell at the characters but I never laugh. While The Hole Behind Midnight did not make me cry I did get a chance to yell a little bit.
September 11, 2012
Absolutely excellent romp through a wierd and wild world that exists just beyond ours! The break-neck pace that Boomer uses when galloping through his world is almost dizzying sometimes, but it's balanced amazingly well with his authority of knowing his character's voices and the world they inhabit (even if they don't have as firm a grasp)! I absolutely loved it and am looking forward to returning for the next adventure!
February 12, 2012
Clinton Boomer does a masterful job weaving a fantastical story with gritty style of a old fashioned private eye noir with a generous amount of humor and a great attention to detail. Funny, witty, dark, and nerdy...this book hooks you from the very beginning and with an interesting twist on mythology, keeps you through to the very end.
December 3, 2013
Bello. Una volta passato l'inizio, quando si inizia a capirci qualcosa, diventa facile lasciarsi trasportare dalla stranamente coerente follia dell'autore.
Un personaggio originale, e una storia nuova, e interessante.
Dimostrando che è possibile scrivere un libro di fantasy moderno che parla di un mago senza avere debiti con Harry Potter.
E c'è pedobear. Voglio dire.
Un personaggio originale, e una storia nuova, e interessante.
Dimostrando che è possibile scrivere un libro di fantasy moderno che parla di un mago senza avere debiti con Harry Potter.
E c'è pedobear. Voglio dire.
December 22, 2013
Boomer takes us on a roller coaster ride of pure awesome in this non-stop hell for leather race against all the time in the world...
So good I had to read it twice just to make sure my brain could process that much supermaryfuckinpoppinscalifrajilism!
So good I had to read it twice just to make sure my brain could process that much supermaryfuckinpoppinscalifrajilism!
August 13, 2016
A hardboiled, slightly insane romp through this universe, and those adjacent. The mystery gets weirder and deeper in a way that reminded me of Richard Kadrey, but Boomer's worlds are far more stacked and intertwined.
May 14, 2012
Good worldbuilding, but rather heavy on the expository dumps. I'll look forward to the inevitable sequel.
May 11, 2014
Great urban fantasy setting with a detective storyline that has elements of noir, adventure, mythology
October 14, 2014
really 2.5
May 3, 2016
The whole time I read this, I was reminded of the tones of books like The Dresden Files and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Really fun, very crude, totally crazy. I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews