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Alexander Southerland, P.I. #1
A Troll Walks into a Bar
When a troll speaks--listen up!Hardboiled P.I. Alexander Southerland just wants to enjoy a quiet drink when a 500-pound troll walks into the bar. Next thing he knows, Southerland is navigating his way through rogue cops, a gang war, beautiful nymphs from the ocean depths, a were-rat, the mayor's corrupt fixer, the sleaziest (and cleverest) gnome in Yerba City, and creatures right out of legend. At the center of it all is a mysterious locked box. Can Southerland discover its explosive secret--and survive long enough to pay his rent on time?
306 pages, ebook
Published November 16, 2019
237 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Lumsden
13 books182 followersMy parents raised me right. Any mistakes I made were my own. Hopefully, I learned from them.
I earned a doctorate in medieval European history at the University of California Santa Barbara. Go Gauchos! I taught world history at a couple of colleges before settling into a private college prep high school in Monterey. After I retired, I began to write an urban fantasy series featuring hardboiled private eye Alexander Southerland as he cruises through the mean streets of Yerba City and interacts with trolls, femme fatales, shape-shifters, witches, and corrupt city officials.
I am happily married to my wife, Rita. The two of us can be found most days pounding the pavement in our running shoes. Rita listens to all of my ideas and reads all of my work. Her advice is beyond value. In return, I make her tea. It's a pretty sweet deal. We have two cats named Cinderella and Prince who are happy to stay indoors. They demand that we tell them how pretty they are.
See my blog at https://douglaslumsden.blogspot.com/
Visit my website at https://douglaslumsdenauthor.com
I earned a doctorate in medieval European history at the University of California Santa Barbara. Go Gauchos! I taught world history at a couple of colleges before settling into a private college prep high school in Monterey. After I retired, I began to write an urban fantasy series featuring hardboiled private eye Alexander Southerland as he cruises through the mean streets of Yerba City and interacts with trolls, femme fatales, shape-shifters, witches, and corrupt city officials.
I am happily married to my wife, Rita. The two of us can be found most days pounding the pavement in our running shoes. Rita listens to all of my ideas and reads all of my work. Her advice is beyond value. In return, I make her tea. It's a pretty sweet deal. We have two cats named Cinderella and Prince who are happy to stay indoors. They demand that we tell them how pretty they are.
See my blog at https://douglaslumsden.blogspot.com/
Visit my website at https://douglaslumsdenauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
August 9, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/08...
I’m not a person who goes out of my way to read noir. I don’t mind the genre, but it’s just not my go to. A really good detective story can be entertaining, but it’s pretty far down on my list of things I eagerly look to read. So, when I started hearing whispers about this series, my first thought was, “That sounds interesting, maybe I’ll read it someday.” Recently, however, I found myself in the mood to read something a bit different, maybe not quite as intense as what I normally read, a bit of a detour from the usual.
Insert A Troll Walks into a Bar.
Set in a secondary world steeped in magic, there was an instant feel of “same but different” than our own world. While this place does have its own geography and history, there were a few times while I was reading when I wondered if this wasn’t a really cleverly reimagined version of our own world. However, the magic and the different races (trolls, gnomes, etc.) of creatures make it its own thing through and through. This world does have its own history, which is drawn upon and truly makes the world Lumsden created feel real and well-realized. Furthermore, it was steeped in atmosphere. I could almost smell some of the rooms Lumsden took me to, and saw the city, the alleyways, the dingy places as well. I loved how well-realized so much of this book was.
The magic was interesting, involving elements and/or summoning elementals. While it’s always part of the story, it never overwhelmed the plot itself, and rather felt like it was a nice addition to the book rather than something that overpowered it. I how our P.I., Alex Southerland, used it to help him get out of some sticky situations and the like. More, the addition of other races, from were-creatures to trolls, to witches and etc. fill the book with a sense of magic and wonder that I really wasn’t expecting to find in a story like this.
Recently, I edited a fantasy noir book that had a very similar tone to this one. When I talked to the author, he said he loved Raymond Chandler books and really wanted to write something sort of in homage to Chandler. I have to say, without ever having read a Raymond Chandler book, A Troll Walked into a Bar reminded me a whole lot of that book I edited. I’m not saying the two are overly similar but I am saying there were a few things with tone and prose that had a similar perfume in both books. For example, there isn’t a high emotional punch in this book. There are emotions, but the story is told almost one step removed, and after talking to the person I edited for, I learned that’s the style in books like these. You’re sort of being told what’s happening from one step back, and you have the room to infer emotions, personality quirks and the like on your own. At first, I’ll admit, this style sort of threw me. It absolutely is unique to the genre and something that grew on me, though it took time to do so.
I will say, however, this particular point might be the one that people struggle the most with as they read. It really is its own unique style.
As with most noir books, the plot starts out small and then gets bigger and bigger as things keep moving along. Alex Southerland gets hired by the obligatory beautiful woman. On the surface things look like they’ll be pretty open and shut, but as soon as Alex starts poking around, that ball starts rolling, getting larger and larger as it goes. Basically, Alex soon learns he’s in over his head. He’s mired in a mystery he doesn’t quite understand, and it’s far larger than he ever anticipated. Soon, he’s being threatened, and framed for murder, and right when you think there’s no way this is going to end well for anyone involved, there’s a delightful twist. Like most noir books, I often found myself wondering when this guy managed to take a break, but that again seems to be a bit of the style with these books. The ball gets rolling, and it just does not stop until the very last page, with a very satisfying ending.
One thing I loved about this book was the early 1900s vibe, which felt so true to the story being told. Small details added in here or there gave the novel a very vintage feel mixed with modern details. It was truly unique and something that really stuck out as I read. Alex is a bit more modern in this setting, and some of the issues he deals with have been likewise smoothed out and modernized. But the feel is there, and it’s strong. From occasional slang, to how people dress, and various other aspects of the book, I just truly loved this balance of vintage and modern that Lumsden struck.
So, where does this leave us?
Breakneck and packed with unexpected twists, A Troll Walked into a Bar grew on me. A true fantasy noir in every sense of the word, this book is sure to appeal to fans of hardboiled detective stories.
I’m not a person who goes out of my way to read noir. I don’t mind the genre, but it’s just not my go to. A really good detective story can be entertaining, but it’s pretty far down on my list of things I eagerly look to read. So, when I started hearing whispers about this series, my first thought was, “That sounds interesting, maybe I’ll read it someday.” Recently, however, I found myself in the mood to read something a bit different, maybe not quite as intense as what I normally read, a bit of a detour from the usual.
Insert A Troll Walks into a Bar.
Set in a secondary world steeped in magic, there was an instant feel of “same but different” than our own world. While this place does have its own geography and history, there were a few times while I was reading when I wondered if this wasn’t a really cleverly reimagined version of our own world. However, the magic and the different races (trolls, gnomes, etc.) of creatures make it its own thing through and through. This world does have its own history, which is drawn upon and truly makes the world Lumsden created feel real and well-realized. Furthermore, it was steeped in atmosphere. I could almost smell some of the rooms Lumsden took me to, and saw the city, the alleyways, the dingy places as well. I loved how well-realized so much of this book was.
The magic was interesting, involving elements and/or summoning elementals. While it’s always part of the story, it never overwhelmed the plot itself, and rather felt like it was a nice addition to the book rather than something that overpowered it. I how our P.I., Alex Southerland, used it to help him get out of some sticky situations and the like. More, the addition of other races, from were-creatures to trolls, to witches and etc. fill the book with a sense of magic and wonder that I really wasn’t expecting to find in a story like this.
Recently, I edited a fantasy noir book that had a very similar tone to this one. When I talked to the author, he said he loved Raymond Chandler books and really wanted to write something sort of in homage to Chandler. I have to say, without ever having read a Raymond Chandler book, A Troll Walked into a Bar reminded me a whole lot of that book I edited. I’m not saying the two are overly similar but I am saying there were a few things with tone and prose that had a similar perfume in both books. For example, there isn’t a high emotional punch in this book. There are emotions, but the story is told almost one step removed, and after talking to the person I edited for, I learned that’s the style in books like these. You’re sort of being told what’s happening from one step back, and you have the room to infer emotions, personality quirks and the like on your own. At first, I’ll admit, this style sort of threw me. It absolutely is unique to the genre and something that grew on me, though it took time to do so.
I will say, however, this particular point might be the one that people struggle the most with as they read. It really is its own unique style.
As with most noir books, the plot starts out small and then gets bigger and bigger as things keep moving along. Alex Southerland gets hired by the obligatory beautiful woman. On the surface things look like they’ll be pretty open and shut, but as soon as Alex starts poking around, that ball starts rolling, getting larger and larger as it goes. Basically, Alex soon learns he’s in over his head. He’s mired in a mystery he doesn’t quite understand, and it’s far larger than he ever anticipated. Soon, he’s being threatened, and framed for murder, and right when you think there’s no way this is going to end well for anyone involved, there’s a delightful twist. Like most noir books, I often found myself wondering when this guy managed to take a break, but that again seems to be a bit of the style with these books. The ball gets rolling, and it just does not stop until the very last page, with a very satisfying ending.
One thing I loved about this book was the early 1900s vibe, which felt so true to the story being told. Small details added in here or there gave the novel a very vintage feel mixed with modern details. It was truly unique and something that really stuck out as I read. Alex is a bit more modern in this setting, and some of the issues he deals with have been likewise smoothed out and modernized. But the feel is there, and it’s strong. From occasional slang, to how people dress, and various other aspects of the book, I just truly loved this balance of vintage and modern that Lumsden struck.
So, where does this leave us?
Breakneck and packed with unexpected twists, A Troll Walked into a Bar grew on me. A true fantasy noir in every sense of the word, this book is sure to appeal to fans of hardboiled detective stories.
February 13, 2022
A Troll/A Hard-boiled Detective/and Magical Realism. Whats not to like, baby?! HARD-BOILED is a dying art that Douglas Lumsden pumps blood into. Its Hip Noir done riteously. A 500 lbs TROLL kicks the game off while a cat named Alexander Southerland is sitting in A BAR (thus the title). Frum there we gits PIMPS and Mythological creatures. I totally digg how LUMSDEN has built this world into a series (read the other three including A WITCH STEPS INTO MY OFFICE & a HAG RISES FROM THE ABYSS and a NIGHT SLIPS INTO A DINER. Clearly BROTHA LUMSDEN is having fun. And proves. I look at this series as both a Commentary on the tired genre of Hard-Boiled Fiction as well as kick in the ass of what the genre COULD BE if only writers started opening up their imagination. Pssst!! Remember the MANTICORE. Lumsden is late to the game of writing fiction butt came out the Gate swinging like MIKE TYSON--and altho he mite not BITE Ya EAR I urge U to LEND Him Yo EARS for these unusual Private Eye joints.
February 22, 2023
A Troll Walks Into A Bar is a fantasy private detective story with the main protagonist being Alex Southerland, a human in Yerba City, a world full of trolls, gnomes, adaro, were rats and the occasional elf.
The fantastical creatures of this world are unusual and interesting. I had not come across the mythological adaro before. Able to mesmerize and manipulate humans in their company, Southerland had to keep his wits about him around them. He has the ability to summon and control wind elementals which appear at his command, ready to do his bidding. He names the two we meet in this story Smokey, a tiny cute whirlwind and the larger, scarier bodyguard elemental, Badass. Smokey was a great little character. He immediately recognized that Southerland was different to most summoners in that he actually cared for the elementals he summoned. Crawford the were-rat was also an interesting species. He could transform into 117 rats and needed a minimum of 100 to be back together again in order to communicate with them. I found the mechanics of this intriguing and it was cute the way the rats would stop and wave at Southerland before disappearing off to do their jobs.
Southerland finds himself mixed up in a case with murder, corrupt police and gang violence, all centered around the smuggling of a mysterious refrigerated box, the contents of which remain a mystery right up until the latter part of the story. The pacing was fairly steady throughout the book and kept my attention. I particularly enjoyed the wry humour which was infused throughout.
The majority of the female characters were not painted too well - all of them are attractive caricatures, relying on their sex appeal and not a lot of depth. This is often an unfortunate feature of the private detective genre, but I feel it is getting a little ‘old’ these days and could have perhaps been handled a little better.
The history of this world is often mentioned in passing - a war between Dragon Lords and Elves occurred in the distant past. This is not given much page time until the Epilogue where we learn more of this history. It felt a little out of place here and I wondered if it might have worked better in a conversation earlier on in the book.
I found this book to be an entertaining mystery and a quick read which kept my attention. The addition of fantasy elements made it even more compelling in my opinion.
The fantastical creatures of this world are unusual and interesting. I had not come across the mythological adaro before. Able to mesmerize and manipulate humans in their company, Southerland had to keep his wits about him around them. He has the ability to summon and control wind elementals which appear at his command, ready to do his bidding. He names the two we meet in this story Smokey, a tiny cute whirlwind and the larger, scarier bodyguard elemental, Badass. Smokey was a great little character. He immediately recognized that Southerland was different to most summoners in that he actually cared for the elementals he summoned. Crawford the were-rat was also an interesting species. He could transform into 117 rats and needed a minimum of 100 to be back together again in order to communicate with them. I found the mechanics of this intriguing and it was cute the way the rats would stop and wave at Southerland before disappearing off to do their jobs.
Southerland finds himself mixed up in a case with murder, corrupt police and gang violence, all centered around the smuggling of a mysterious refrigerated box, the contents of which remain a mystery right up until the latter part of the story. The pacing was fairly steady throughout the book and kept my attention. I particularly enjoyed the wry humour which was infused throughout.
The majority of the female characters were not painted too well - all of them are attractive caricatures, relying on their sex appeal and not a lot of depth. This is often an unfortunate feature of the private detective genre, but I feel it is getting a little ‘old’ these days and could have perhaps been handled a little better.
The history of this world is often mentioned in passing - a war between Dragon Lords and Elves occurred in the distant past. This is not given much page time until the Epilogue where we learn more of this history. It felt a little out of place here and I wondered if it might have worked better in a conversation earlier on in the book.
I found this book to be an entertaining mystery and a quick read which kept my attention. The addition of fantasy elements made it even more compelling in my opinion.
April 16, 2022
A Hard boiled P.I. is confronted by a troll setting off a wild noir crime fantasy. Non stop twists and shady mythological beings in this rollicking mystery. This one is LOTS of fun. Wonderful throwback to the pulp genre.
January 14, 2025
A slick, hardboiled detective fantasy fiction, not unlike a story by Dashiell Hammett.
Southerland is a bruiser of a detective who comes up against Detective Stonehammer, the titular troll of the book. This story is the written equivalent of a neat glass of bourbon and a cigarette.
I tip my detective's fedora to Lumsden on this gripping book.
Southerland is a bruiser of a detective who comes up against Detective Stonehammer, the titular troll of the book. This story is the written equivalent of a neat glass of bourbon and a cigarette.
I tip my detective's fedora to Lumsden on this gripping book.
June 28, 2022
If I tell you that two of my favourite authors are Raymond Chandler and Terry Pratchett, respectively the undisputed masters of detective noir and urban fantasy, then you’ll understand that when I discovered A Troll Walks Into a Bar by indie author Douglas Lumsden – which declares on its (beautifully minimalistic) front cover to be an “noir urban fantasy” – my expectations were set so high that several egotistical billionaires set up space companies in an attempt to colonise them.
Thankfully Lumsden clearly has a few penis-shaped rockets up his sleeve because boy, did he match and exceed those lofty hopes of mine.
The plot, as befits classic private eye noir, starts off simple and soon spirals out. Private Investigator Alexander Southerland, pleasingly down on his luck and his finances like all good PIs, resides in Yerba city, a place where humans mix with creatures of legend. He’s having a nice quiet drink in a bar when a 500-pound troll joins him, and demands that if a water nymph and damsel in distress should come to him for help, he refuses to have anything to do with her. I don’t think you’ll be shocked to hear that the troll doesn’t get his wish, and things quickly spiral out of control from here on in, taking in crime gangs, sea monsters, wererats, corruption, dragon lords, elves, gnomes, gang fights, water elementals and much more in a hectic conspiracy that never once pauses for breath.
Now for a genre mash-up to work, especially noir urban fantasy, an author has two tricky tasks: they have to nail the worldbuilding for the urban fantasy element, and they also have to do a passable job of recreating the classic noirs of old. Lumsden excels at the first one; every weird creature of legend we meet in this pleasingly sleazy and corrupt fantasy city is memorable and he weaves in his worldbuilding subtly but memorably. Along with the denizens of the city, there’s a background to this world that is absolutely fascinating – I won’t give it away but it involves centuries-old wars and betrayals between ancient races – and it’s clear that he has an overall agenda here that will be hopefully weaved throughout the books to come. The way he mixes the more mundane city life (grumpy gnome lawyers, corrupt troll police offices) with this epic fantasy backstory was one of the most impressive and fun things about this book.
Another great fantasy element was giving our PI a magic ability that he slowly gets better at; again I won’t give it away but I found it fascinating and Lumsden has cleary considered the mechanics of this, so those magic system fantasy junkies out there (you know who you are) will find this plot thread very satisfying.
And, like Pratchett, Lumsden understands that urban fantasy has an important role to play in depicting the ills of society through mythical races. Thus we get some brilliant ideas here, such as the sub-par refugee treatment given to the Adaros (Lumsden’s version of merpeople) after their aquatic ecosystems have been invaded by humans.
But thankfully, Lumsden doesn’t fail the noir aspect too. Any fans of noir know that a good noir plot has to be ludicrously complicated in an entertaining breathless way – the PI staggering from one shootout or blackmail to the next, encountering red herrings and complications ¬¬– while also making perfect sense in a slow jigsaw kind of way, and Lumsden doesn’t disappoint on this front. He has the cynical but ultimately good aspect of the PI down well, along with his penchant for getting roughed up every other scene. But it never feels hackneyed like so many noir knock offs; partly due to the continuing creativity of this fantasy world we’re enmeshed in.
He’s also adept at fight scenes. There’s one in particular towards the end which goes on and on in brutal fashion; it’s brilliantly staged and I felt every hit. The last time I read a fight scene this good was in Fonda Lee’s masterpiece Jade Legacy, and if you’ve read that then you know what kind of compliment we’re talking about here. I don’t know if Lumsden has Fond Lee’s martial arts background, but he sure can write a fight.
Perhaps the best thing I can say about A Troll Walks Into a Bar is that it did exactly what you want from the first book in a series – made me excited to read the others and find out more about this fun and addictive world. Is it perfect? No. Some plot-explaining scenes drag on and it drags a little in the middle. But no first book is perfect, and part of the joy of a standalone-but-connected series is seeing the author go from strength to strength as their command of their world and its characters evolves, and I’ve rarely been so sure that my investment in a series is going to pay off big time as I am with this one.
If you’re a noir fan or fantasy fan, give this a try. If you’re a fan of both, then what the hell are you doing still reading this? A Troll has just Walked Into a Bar, and believe me, it’s no joke.
Thankfully Lumsden clearly has a few penis-shaped rockets up his sleeve because boy, did he match and exceed those lofty hopes of mine.
The plot, as befits classic private eye noir, starts off simple and soon spirals out. Private Investigator Alexander Southerland, pleasingly down on his luck and his finances like all good PIs, resides in Yerba city, a place where humans mix with creatures of legend. He’s having a nice quiet drink in a bar when a 500-pound troll joins him, and demands that if a water nymph and damsel in distress should come to him for help, he refuses to have anything to do with her. I don’t think you’ll be shocked to hear that the troll doesn’t get his wish, and things quickly spiral out of control from here on in, taking in crime gangs, sea monsters, wererats, corruption, dragon lords, elves, gnomes, gang fights, water elementals and much more in a hectic conspiracy that never once pauses for breath.
Now for a genre mash-up to work, especially noir urban fantasy, an author has two tricky tasks: they have to nail the worldbuilding for the urban fantasy element, and they also have to do a passable job of recreating the classic noirs of old. Lumsden excels at the first one; every weird creature of legend we meet in this pleasingly sleazy and corrupt fantasy city is memorable and he weaves in his worldbuilding subtly but memorably. Along with the denizens of the city, there’s a background to this world that is absolutely fascinating – I won’t give it away but it involves centuries-old wars and betrayals between ancient races – and it’s clear that he has an overall agenda here that will be hopefully weaved throughout the books to come. The way he mixes the more mundane city life (grumpy gnome lawyers, corrupt troll police offices) with this epic fantasy backstory was one of the most impressive and fun things about this book.
Another great fantasy element was giving our PI a magic ability that he slowly gets better at; again I won’t give it away but I found it fascinating and Lumsden has cleary considered the mechanics of this, so those magic system fantasy junkies out there (you know who you are) will find this plot thread very satisfying.
And, like Pratchett, Lumsden understands that urban fantasy has an important role to play in depicting the ills of society through mythical races. Thus we get some brilliant ideas here, such as the sub-par refugee treatment given to the Adaros (Lumsden’s version of merpeople) after their aquatic ecosystems have been invaded by humans.
But thankfully, Lumsden doesn’t fail the noir aspect too. Any fans of noir know that a good noir plot has to be ludicrously complicated in an entertaining breathless way – the PI staggering from one shootout or blackmail to the next, encountering red herrings and complications ¬¬– while also making perfect sense in a slow jigsaw kind of way, and Lumsden doesn’t disappoint on this front. He has the cynical but ultimately good aspect of the PI down well, along with his penchant for getting roughed up every other scene. But it never feels hackneyed like so many noir knock offs; partly due to the continuing creativity of this fantasy world we’re enmeshed in.
He’s also adept at fight scenes. There’s one in particular towards the end which goes on and on in brutal fashion; it’s brilliantly staged and I felt every hit. The last time I read a fight scene this good was in Fonda Lee’s masterpiece Jade Legacy, and if you’ve read that then you know what kind of compliment we’re talking about here. I don’t know if Lumsden has Fond Lee’s martial arts background, but he sure can write a fight.
Perhaps the best thing I can say about A Troll Walks Into a Bar is that it did exactly what you want from the first book in a series – made me excited to read the others and find out more about this fun and addictive world. Is it perfect? No. Some plot-explaining scenes drag on and it drags a little in the middle. But no first book is perfect, and part of the joy of a standalone-but-connected series is seeing the author go from strength to strength as their command of their world and its characters evolves, and I’ve rarely been so sure that my investment in a series is going to pay off big time as I am with this one.
If you’re a noir fan or fantasy fan, give this a try. If you’re a fan of both, then what the hell are you doing still reading this? A Troll has just Walked Into a Bar, and believe me, it’s no joke.
January 29, 2022
'Hardboiled P.I. Alexander Southerland just wants to enjoy a quiet drink when a 500-pound troll walks into the bar.'
If this opening line from the blurb doesn't give you an indication of the madness to come, then I don't know what will!
A Troll Walks into a Bar: A Noir Urban Fantasy Novel is at once a tribute to the crime noir genre, and a cocktail of fantasy and mythological tropes. As with many detective stories, there is a build-up here that requires the reader to remain engaged and attentive, with the promise of serious pay-off in later chapters. Where this could prove a stumbling block for some, Douglas's clever mixing of genres adds a whole other layer of intrigue and entertainment which helps add to a truly compelling tale.
Is this our world filled with crazy stuff, or a crazy world filled with our stuff? Essentially, both. Think of the world Douglas has created as a riff on the mundanities of life - a captivating element of the crime noir genre, when done right - as well as an ode to the gnomes, dwarves, and (of course) trolls of mythology. As with so many of the finest literary creations, this is both a weaving of styles and an entirely original beast in its own right. Get lost in the magical, mad, crime-riddled world of Douglas Lumsden today!
If this opening line from the blurb doesn't give you an indication of the madness to come, then I don't know what will!
A Troll Walks into a Bar: A Noir Urban Fantasy Novel is at once a tribute to the crime noir genre, and a cocktail of fantasy and mythological tropes. As with many detective stories, there is a build-up here that requires the reader to remain engaged and attentive, with the promise of serious pay-off in later chapters. Where this could prove a stumbling block for some, Douglas's clever mixing of genres adds a whole other layer of intrigue and entertainment which helps add to a truly compelling tale.
Is this our world filled with crazy stuff, or a crazy world filled with our stuff? Essentially, both. Think of the world Douglas has created as a riff on the mundanities of life - a captivating element of the crime noir genre, when done right - as well as an ode to the gnomes, dwarves, and (of course) trolls of mythology. As with so many of the finest literary creations, this is both a weaving of styles and an entirely original beast in its own right. Get lost in the magical, mad, crime-riddled world of Douglas Lumsden today!
March 12, 2022
A TROLL WALKS INTO A BAR has all the classic trimmings of noir detective stories wrapped up in a unique urban fantasy. The world building is an added literary delight - introduced seamlessly into a tight first-person POV, it provides depth to the setting, culture, and characters. (Mac is a brilliant minor character!). Lumsden pulls a whole set of rich and unique creatures out of his writing hat, along with fantastical backstories and histories that give the plot a rich, layered historical flavor. There’s a great hook at the start that keeps building as you go. Add to that the creative (and at times provocative and thought-provoking) dialog and banter and A TROLL WALKS INTO A BAR is a well-rounded book checking all the boxes for the subgenre. Thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next in the series.
October 20, 2025
I started reading this story at 10pm and the very first page made me laugh. As did the rest of the book. Alex Southerland is a local PI just trying to make his rent in grotty Yerba city. However the sensual water nymph and the massive troll who both want different things from him are making that pretty hard to do. The story was fantastic and I loved all the nonchalantly added fantasy elements (were-rat??) in an otherwise regular city. The mystery was engaging and I felt as if I were running back and forth with Alex.
I will admit that there is more emphasis on the objectification of women and on the graphics of getting beaten up than I usually go for, but it fit right in in this style of noir novel.
Thanks to voracious readers and Douglas Lumsden for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I will admit that there is more emphasis on the objectification of women and on the graphics of getting beaten up than I usually go for, but it fit right in in this style of noir novel.
Thanks to voracious readers and Douglas Lumsden for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2021
Lumsden can spin a yarn!
This isn't even my normal reading genre, so I was pleasantly surprised by how the story pulled me into a novel spin on the "urban fantasy" genre.
In an alternate timeline, the modern world has been subjugated by the Dragon Lords, and humans now share space with gnomes, dwarves, and other magical creatures in the present day (Internet and smart phones included). The world is complex and genuinely interesting, from the shadows of geopolitics between the godlike Dragon Lords who have split the Earth's surface into domains to the nitty-gritty of gang life and back room dirty politics in an urban metropolis. While delivering a complex, living world, Douglas Lumsden does not overly burden the readers with complexities, doling out small tastes of worldbuilding rather than a colossal info-dump at the start (there were only a couple of tiny info-dumpy parts early on, but that's to be expected in any debut work; these quickly dissolved as the narrative found its own pace).
What sells the story from the front to the back is the wonderful characters, starting with the protagonist Alexander Southerland, a combat veteran and P.I. armed with a sardonic wit and heart of gold worthy of Humphrey Bogart. He really does have some fantastic dead-pan one-liners, by the way, and I found myself chuckling out loud throughout the story. "If I survived the night, I was going to have to seriously consider finding a therapist. Or go on a bender. Maybe I would go on a bender with a therapist." And despite the truly seedy people he must deal with, Alex truly does have a good heart under his scarred, tough-guy exterior; my favorite line of character development comes at the end, where Alex closes his tale with some downright Confucian wisdom:
"I can't solve the big stuff, the kind of shit that involves Dragon Lords, and underground networks of seven-thousand-year old elves, and grand schemes carried out by mad scientists in mysterious secret compounds. Maybe those problems can't be solved. But knowing that any small problems I have a hand in dealing with might turn some gears and have an impact on the world's bigger headaches, well, that gives me some hope. As purposes in life go, it's not much, but it will have to do."
There is a large cast of colorful characters which I hope will return in sequels; my hands-down favorite dynamic, by far, is Alex's frenemy relationship with fell0w Borderlands veteran Ten-Inch, a formidable former combat veteran who rules one of the biggest local gangs with an iron fist and a strangely respectable code of personal honor. Despite his truly psychotic energy in a fight (or when dealing with snitches and traitors), you can't help but like and respect this guy, and during an important interaction late in the book, the reader gets a masterclass in character development and Show-not-Tell. I won't spoil it for you, but the showdown was my favorite scene in the book.
Honorable mention of course for the mad chemist Kintay (the vials! I laughed out loud!), the impeccably dressed (and utterly terrifying) Stonehammer, the sophisticatedly evil Fulton (whom I hope we see more of later), the mysterious Fisherman (no spoilers), and many more. Honorable mention for the delightful dynamic between Alex, his cantankerous lawyer, and the lawyer's kindly and endlessly-flirtatious wife. One hopes to see more of this odd ersatz family in future! Early on, there were very occasionally relatively minor issues for me with dialogue where a character didn't sound "in voice," but no more than any other promising series as it "gets up to steam" with such a marvelous, complex cast of characters.
And get up to steam this story most assuredly does, setting up a web of such deliciously Mycroftian complexities, plots, sub-plots, and double-crosses that it feels rather as if Raymond Chandler had a secret love child with Isaac Asimov, which verbose tyke is whipping up stuff in the kitchen that leaves even intelligent readers with their heads spinning as Lumsden serves up a masterpiece of a finish, which ties up innumerable loose ends into a Gordian Knot that he deftly slices with wit, verve, and some excellent one-liners. The reader is left feeling deeply satisfied, with that rare ending that feels "earned". I particularly enjoyed the lore of the disappeared Elves and harbor great hopes of what I think is being set up for a great many excellent sequels.
Oh, and a word on the action scenes, which writers rightly bemoan as being among the most difficult parts of the game. They read excellently well, and I was left with the conviction that the author has spent plenty of his own time in a ring, octagon, or dangerous back alley at some point (the fight with Ten-Inch was particularly well-executed and I felt myself ducking and pivoting along with Alex in the mighty struggle).
I wasn't sure what I was getting into reading a book so far from my usual genres, and I was richly rewarded for the gamble. As an Indie author, I know how hard it is even to finish a project; but Douglas Lumsden's debut honestly felt like any top-billed volume I'd grab on the front table at a bookstore. His style may still be evolving, but I frequently felt myself thinking of great writing in Dresden Files and of Odd Thomas. Five stars, and I will be back for more of Alex's adventures! Do yourself a favor, and read this book.
This isn't even my normal reading genre, so I was pleasantly surprised by how the story pulled me into a novel spin on the "urban fantasy" genre.
In an alternate timeline, the modern world has been subjugated by the Dragon Lords, and humans now share space with gnomes, dwarves, and other magical creatures in the present day (Internet and smart phones included). The world is complex and genuinely interesting, from the shadows of geopolitics between the godlike Dragon Lords who have split the Earth's surface into domains to the nitty-gritty of gang life and back room dirty politics in an urban metropolis. While delivering a complex, living world, Douglas Lumsden does not overly burden the readers with complexities, doling out small tastes of worldbuilding rather than a colossal info-dump at the start (there were only a couple of tiny info-dumpy parts early on, but that's to be expected in any debut work; these quickly dissolved as the narrative found its own pace).
What sells the story from the front to the back is the wonderful characters, starting with the protagonist Alexander Southerland, a combat veteran and P.I. armed with a sardonic wit and heart of gold worthy of Humphrey Bogart. He really does have some fantastic dead-pan one-liners, by the way, and I found myself chuckling out loud throughout the story. "If I survived the night, I was going to have to seriously consider finding a therapist. Or go on a bender. Maybe I would go on a bender with a therapist." And despite the truly seedy people he must deal with, Alex truly does have a good heart under his scarred, tough-guy exterior; my favorite line of character development comes at the end, where Alex closes his tale with some downright Confucian wisdom:
"I can't solve the big stuff, the kind of shit that involves Dragon Lords, and underground networks of seven-thousand-year old elves, and grand schemes carried out by mad scientists in mysterious secret compounds. Maybe those problems can't be solved. But knowing that any small problems I have a hand in dealing with might turn some gears and have an impact on the world's bigger headaches, well, that gives me some hope. As purposes in life go, it's not much, but it will have to do."
There is a large cast of colorful characters which I hope will return in sequels; my hands-down favorite dynamic, by far, is Alex's frenemy relationship with fell0w Borderlands veteran Ten-Inch, a formidable former combat veteran who rules one of the biggest local gangs with an iron fist and a strangely respectable code of personal honor. Despite his truly psychotic energy in a fight (or when dealing with snitches and traitors), you can't help but like and respect this guy, and during an important interaction late in the book, the reader gets a masterclass in character development and Show-not-Tell. I won't spoil it for you, but the showdown was my favorite scene in the book.
Honorable mention of course for the mad chemist Kintay (the vials! I laughed out loud!), the impeccably dressed (and utterly terrifying) Stonehammer, the sophisticatedly evil Fulton (whom I hope we see more of later), the mysterious Fisherman (no spoilers), and many more. Honorable mention for the delightful dynamic between Alex, his cantankerous lawyer, and the lawyer's kindly and endlessly-flirtatious wife. One hopes to see more of this odd ersatz family in future! Early on, there were very occasionally relatively minor issues for me with dialogue where a character didn't sound "in voice," but no more than any other promising series as it "gets up to steam" with such a marvelous, complex cast of characters.
And get up to steam this story most assuredly does, setting up a web of such deliciously Mycroftian complexities, plots, sub-plots, and double-crosses that it feels rather as if Raymond Chandler had a secret love child with Isaac Asimov, which verbose tyke is whipping up stuff in the kitchen that leaves even intelligent readers with their heads spinning as Lumsden serves up a masterpiece of a finish, which ties up innumerable loose ends into a Gordian Knot that he deftly slices with wit, verve, and some excellent one-liners. The reader is left feeling deeply satisfied, with that rare ending that feels "earned". I particularly enjoyed the lore of the disappeared Elves and harbor great hopes of what I think is being set up for a great many excellent sequels.
Oh, and a word on the action scenes, which writers rightly bemoan as being among the most difficult parts of the game. They read excellently well, and I was left with the conviction that the author has spent plenty of his own time in a ring, octagon, or dangerous back alley at some point (the fight with Ten-Inch was particularly well-executed and I felt myself ducking and pivoting along with Alex in the mighty struggle).
I wasn't sure what I was getting into reading a book so far from my usual genres, and I was richly rewarded for the gamble. As an Indie author, I know how hard it is even to finish a project; but Douglas Lumsden's debut honestly felt like any top-billed volume I'd grab on the front table at a bookstore. His style may still be evolving, but I frequently felt myself thinking of great writing in Dresden Files and of Odd Thomas. Five stars, and I will be back for more of Alex's adventures! Do yourself a favor, and read this book.
June 14, 2022
4+ stars. A very strong introduction to a new series!
I certainly wish to cause no offense, but "A Troll Walks Into A Bar" (please let me stop here in terms of the full title, ok?) was surprisingly a heck of a lot of fun! You have to understand that although I've read a number of so-labelled "P.I. Noir" mysteries - with a more exact count possible if I used my hands and removed both pairs of shoes to help with the tallying - the number of these that I've actually enjoyed to any degree would be possible to enumerate, well, with only one hand. And that would still leave me with at least one finger extra for obscene gesturing if need be … and no, I don't include the reviews I left behind for some of those books as the same thing. Obscene, yes, but still...
I should point out in fairness that that initial count of past P.I.N. reads includes as well the rare but not unheard of combinations with urban fantasy, which I can only surmise adds greatly to the challenge of the writer. But yes, I have done my best to get through examples of mutant P.I.s, zombie P.I.s, alien P.I.s and if memory serves even a robot P.I. that for whatever reason existed in some kind of alternate version of Hell. Come to think of it, that was one of the better examples… anyway. So yes, not an easy kind of plot device or easily out-lineable (is that a word?) focus at all. After all, when a dame walks into your office like a tall drink of cool water, it only compounds the mystery if you have to explain both her species and that of the detective in question as well.
Still, Lumsden manages to keep this wild mix going along at a brisk and highly entertaining pace. I'll admit there are parts of this very alternate vision of Earth that were almost too bizarre to digest, but in the end, it proved to be very much worth my time and the well-spent Kindle Unlimited credit. I would also point out that the author's prose is absolutely devine, which for a word-junkie like myself, is sheer magic(k)! There's also quite a bit left open - no, maybe not from this 'case' (but possibly for a few of the main players sure) - that peaks my curiousity about what comes next. Finding out more about this world and its denizens both great and small is going to be a LOT of fun! Oh and the fact that I've already read the provided first chapter of the next book shouldn't be held against me because that's kind of cheating … but in all sincerity, I don't really care! I've already downloaded it and that's that!
Having said all (waves vaguely), there is still some inherent fuzziness involved with this sub-genre, particularly when there's just too much "stuff" going on to explain it all in one book. Sure, I can accept that a limited but not insignificant number of Dragon Lords have taken over Earth and that mankind now exists with a number of species that either existed here before us, alongside us, or were even summoned from the pits of Hell because/for/or despite us. But again, when you're reading a mystery like this, there's a certain tone that invades the dialogue or perhaps even your own mind as you find memories of old Sam Spade made-for-TV reels invading your subconscious. And these aspects are perhaps then a bit in conflict with each other.
Just to provide a couple of "for examples" (as I'm probably not making a lot of sense), I can accept that there are mentions of things like Ebola or even comic book villains. Natural evolution, right (or as "Star Trek TOS" called it parallel evolution!)? And sure, we've got TV, videocording (the "re" is left out) and even all manner of cars zipping about, no worries. But it strikes me as weird that a speedboat is called a "go-fast boat" and that there are even planes, which are apparently only called planes and not "go-faster tubes of metal with wings". I mean, in the latter case, I was surprised these even came up at all! If it were me, I wouldn't feel comfortable zipping around knowing that (a) the world was at the whim of flying dragons and (b) that elementals including ones that could whip up tornadoes if asked existed! So yeah, it does leave the brain fuzzy and I didn't have the advantage of elf technology helping me out on that.
Along the way, we also get gang wars, bar-room brawls and enough double-double-crossing (quadruple-crossing?) to keep any would-be outcome guessers on their toes until the end! But hey: it works! Bottom-line is this was a fun book that was very well-written and -plotted … and very importantly for the first book in a series, it has indeed convinced me to continue on with the next chapter! I would only hope that mugs like you know what's good for 'em and would do likewise, capice? No, sorry, can't pull that off at all… though my Angela Lansbury imitation isn't bad! Anyone?
I certainly wish to cause no offense, but "A Troll Walks Into A Bar" (please let me stop here in terms of the full title, ok?) was surprisingly a heck of a lot of fun! You have to understand that although I've read a number of so-labelled "P.I. Noir" mysteries - with a more exact count possible if I used my hands and removed both pairs of shoes to help with the tallying - the number of these that I've actually enjoyed to any degree would be possible to enumerate, well, with only one hand. And that would still leave me with at least one finger extra for obscene gesturing if need be … and no, I don't include the reviews I left behind for some of those books as the same thing. Obscene, yes, but still...
I should point out in fairness that that initial count of past P.I.N. reads includes as well the rare but not unheard of combinations with urban fantasy, which I can only surmise adds greatly to the challenge of the writer. But yes, I have done my best to get through examples of mutant P.I.s, zombie P.I.s, alien P.I.s and if memory serves even a robot P.I. that for whatever reason existed in some kind of alternate version of Hell. Come to think of it, that was one of the better examples… anyway. So yes, not an easy kind of plot device or easily out-lineable (is that a word?) focus at all. After all, when a dame walks into your office like a tall drink of cool water, it only compounds the mystery if you have to explain both her species and that of the detective in question as well.
Still, Lumsden manages to keep this wild mix going along at a brisk and highly entertaining pace. I'll admit there are parts of this very alternate vision of Earth that were almost too bizarre to digest, but in the end, it proved to be very much worth my time and the well-spent Kindle Unlimited credit. I would also point out that the author's prose is absolutely devine, which for a word-junkie like myself, is sheer magic(k)! There's also quite a bit left open - no, maybe not from this 'case' (but possibly for a few of the main players sure) - that peaks my curiousity about what comes next. Finding out more about this world and its denizens both great and small is going to be a LOT of fun! Oh and the fact that I've already read the provided first chapter of the next book shouldn't be held against me because that's kind of cheating … but in all sincerity, I don't really care! I've already downloaded it and that's that!
Having said all (waves vaguely), there is still some inherent fuzziness involved with this sub-genre, particularly when there's just too much "stuff" going on to explain it all in one book. Sure, I can accept that a limited but not insignificant number of Dragon Lords have taken over Earth and that mankind now exists with a number of species that either existed here before us, alongside us, or were even summoned from the pits of Hell because/for/or despite us. But again, when you're reading a mystery like this, there's a certain tone that invades the dialogue or perhaps even your own mind as you find memories of old Sam Spade made-for-TV reels invading your subconscious. And these aspects are perhaps then a bit in conflict with each other.
Just to provide a couple of "for examples" (as I'm probably not making a lot of sense), I can accept that there are mentions of things like Ebola or even comic book villains. Natural evolution, right (or as "Star Trek TOS" called it parallel evolution!)? And sure, we've got TV, videocording (the "re" is left out) and even all manner of cars zipping about, no worries. But it strikes me as weird that a speedboat is called a "go-fast boat" and that there are even planes, which are apparently only called planes and not "go-faster tubes of metal with wings". I mean, in the latter case, I was surprised these even came up at all! If it were me, I wouldn't feel comfortable zipping around knowing that (a) the world was at the whim of flying dragons and (b) that elementals including ones that could whip up tornadoes if asked existed! So yeah, it does leave the brain fuzzy and I didn't have the advantage of elf technology helping me out on that.
Along the way, we also get gang wars, bar-room brawls and enough double-double-crossing (quadruple-crossing?) to keep any would-be outcome guessers on their toes until the end! But hey: it works! Bottom-line is this was a fun book that was very well-written and -plotted … and very importantly for the first book in a series, it has indeed convinced me to continue on with the next chapter! I would only hope that mugs like you know what's good for 'em and would do likewise, capice? No, sorry, can't pull that off at all… though my Angela Lansbury imitation isn't bad! Anyone?
February 3, 2022
The human detective in a fantasy world has become a very popular trope since Glen Cook published Sweet Silver Blues back in 1990. This novel looked like more of the same, but proved to be a richer experience than I first expected. The fantasy world is more of an urban fantasy world in that it appears technology-wise to be twenty-first century Earth with all the bureaucracy that goes with it. Where Cook's Garrett is based on Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin (with the Deadman playing Nero Wolfe), Lumsden's Alexander Southerland is more in line with Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe, going from one beating to the next until he finally figures out who committed the crime.
The mystery—which ends up being who committed a murder—revolves around a mysterious box that must be kept cold and is boobytrapped so the wrong party can't open it. What is in that box proves to be both very interesting and a credible motivator for everything that happens in the story. It also depends heavily on some excellent worldbuilding that forms the foundation of this novel and presumably the series.
If you're a fan of the detective-in-a-fantasy-world style of story, you will definitely want to check this one out.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The mystery—which ends up being who committed a murder—revolves around a mysterious box that must be kept cold and is boobytrapped so the wrong party can't open it. What is in that box proves to be both very interesting and a credible motivator for everything that happens in the story. It also depends heavily on some excellent worldbuilding that forms the foundation of this novel and presumably the series.
If you're a fan of the detective-in-a-fantasy-world style of story, you will definitely want to check this one out.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
October 29, 2021
I just started reading Doug Lumsden’s Alex Southerland P.I trilogy and I’ve got to say – it has really caught me by surprise. Not usually a fan of P.I. novels, as I find them the most unoriginal of the crime genre. If you’ve read one, hell, you’ve pretty much read them all. What else can be said that hasn’t already been said exceedingly well by Chandler, Spillane et al. Right? Wrong. Lumsden has twisted and woven the noir P.I. genre into the fantasy realms and he does it all while using the hard, bullet sentence structure and punctuations to rival the aforementioned greats. We’ve got trolls brushing shoulders with mob bosses, pimps mixing it up with were-rats, gnomes, elves and mythological monsters of the deep. And its all set in a bastardized, seedy fantasy version of our own downtown areas. If ever there were a trilogy of novels made for Netflix, it’s got to be Lumsden’s. I found his prose a pleasure to read and was envious as hell of his flowing sentence structures and talent for creating bright visuals of the world he creates.
If you want to read a fantasy crime novel, I can’t recommend Lumsden more highly.
If you want to read a fantasy crime novel, I can’t recommend Lumsden more highly.
October 8, 2021
Fantastic urban fantasy
I haven't read much urban fantasy, but as an epic fantasy reader, this book was easy to pick up because the worldbuilding is so rich and magnificent. The city setting is brought to life with a variety of fleshed out fantasy races, each with their own place in society and history. Everything, from the automobiles to the summoning magic is just so colorful and thoroughly imagined.
The characters jump off the page while also feeling authentic. Each is capable of surprising you, even the main character. The dialog is both stylish and filled with conflict, and you can tell who is speaking without any need for dialog tags.
Also, several scenes are just hilarious. This story is a wonderful mix of tension, mystery, fantasy, and humor.
The ending hinted at an even deeper world and larger story beyond this novel, which I always love!
I haven't read much urban fantasy, but as an epic fantasy reader, this book was easy to pick up because the worldbuilding is so rich and magnificent. The city setting is brought to life with a variety of fleshed out fantasy races, each with their own place in society and history. Everything, from the automobiles to the summoning magic is just so colorful and thoroughly imagined.
The characters jump off the page while also feeling authentic. Each is capable of surprising you, even the main character. The dialog is both stylish and filled with conflict, and you can tell who is speaking without any need for dialog tags.
Also, several scenes are just hilarious. This story is a wonderful mix of tension, mystery, fantasy, and humor.
The ending hinted at an even deeper world and larger story beyond this novel, which I always love!
February 26, 2022
I will admit, I was hesitant to read a self-published book. As readers we tend to place a great deal of importance on the reviews of others, and sometimes the review we care about the most is the approval of a book publisher that declares a story good enough to be published. Douglas Lumsden backhanded me across the face and slapped me free of naïveté.
I can easily say A Troll Walks Into A Bar was the best book I’ve read so far in 2022. It’s funny, unique, and surprisingly hard to put down. I also follow Douglas Lumsden on Twitter and he seems like an all-around great dude. So, if you want to try an original story while supporting a good person, then this is the book for you.
I can easily say A Troll Walks Into A Bar was the best book I’ve read so far in 2022. It’s funny, unique, and surprisingly hard to put down. I also follow Douglas Lumsden on Twitter and he seems like an all-around great dude. So, if you want to try an original story while supporting a good person, then this is the book for you.
January 24, 2022
I loved this! Alex Southerland gets involved in a case that can have world-changing consequences. Unfortunately, he is pretty much clueless at the start. He keeps getting threatened, beaten up and lied to. He is one tiny little cog in a scheme where other, bigger cogs, also don't know the full picture. Not only is he hard-boiled, but also has a large dose of bloody-mindedness. Pride hurt, he doesn't give up. He meets an Elf, a supposedly extinct species, and gets a bit of help. I would recommend this to any fantasy fan.
December 15, 2022
This is a fun read. Alex Southerland PI and his colorful cohort of friends and foes would make a great graphic novel. Part "Sin City" (this story can only be rendered in black and white!), part Star Wars' Cantina if the customers had spilled out of the joint and decided to star in a classic noir. The femmes fatales are nymphs/sirens and as lethal as they are impossible to resist, the heavies are sharp-toothed trolls, and there are mere-rats ... surprising and hilarious. Pretty cute too! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The first in a series. More to look forward to...
June 9, 2021
Loved it
I am accustomed to being disappointed. This was fun and smart and satisfying. Great twist on for an old genre.
I am accustomed to being disappointed. This was fun and smart and satisfying. Great twist on for an old genre.
March 24, 2022
Good plot and intriguing characters
I was delighted by this book and LOVE the characters. The plot is fresh and smoothly works the various characters to make a fun read!
I was delighted by this book and LOVE the characters. The plot is fresh and smoothly works the various characters to make a fun read!
November 16, 2023
Good start!
Alex Southerland seems a nice standard noir PI. The world he’s in is interesting and I want to continue to explore. The City he’s in seems like a hybrid of Chicago, San Francisco, and New York…so that’s pretty interesting. The war background reminds me a bit of the Garrett, PI series…and that’s a good thing!
Alex Southerland seems a nice standard noir PI. The world he’s in is interesting and I want to continue to explore. The City he’s in seems like a hybrid of Chicago, San Francisco, and New York…so that’s pretty interesting. The war background reminds me a bit of the Garrett, PI series…and that’s a good thing!
July 24, 2024
Pretty cool proposition, with this modern world but with all these Dnd races dynamics at play. It's really a "roman noir" with all the private-detective-corrupt-police-undercity-gangs tropes, and it works well in my opinion. I will be reading the next books in the series :)
November 9, 2023
Troll-offic!!! :)
Douglas has given us a fantastic world filled with fanciful creatures, some quirky and kind and others strategic and brutal. I encourage anyone with interest after reading the title to jump right in for this adventure. It’s really worth the journey.
Douglas has given us a fantastic world filled with fanciful creatures, some quirky and kind and others strategic and brutal. I encourage anyone with interest after reading the title to jump right in for this adventure. It’s really worth the journey.
January 13, 2024
an interesting hard boiled fantasy
If this were a movie it would have to be black and white. I enjoyed it and will continue the series.
This was a Kindle Unlimited read.
If this were a movie it would have to be black and white. I enjoyed it and will continue the series.
This was a Kindle Unlimited read.
January 23, 2024
I love a good old fashioned, hard-boiled, 1940's style private dick story. Adding in mythical creatures and magic powers upped the ante.
Great plot, very memorable characters and some great dialog made this a joy to read. I can't wait for the sequel.
Great plot, very memorable characters and some great dialog made this a joy to read. I can't wait for the sequel.
September 24, 2024
I finished A Troll Walks Into A Bar by Douglas Lumsden last night. It was fun. So many twists and turns! Definitely worth getting.
The language was rough, but I know the author was building characters and setting the atmosphere. There were many characters and they were well blended to lead the reader to the end.
The language was rough, but I know the author was building characters and setting the atmosphere. There were many characters and they were well blended to lead the reader to the end.
February 26, 2024
Regular readers will know that urban fantasy-mystery is one of my favourite sub-genres, along with comedic detective-noir, so this ticked all my boxes immediately, and I absolutely loved it!
The worldbuilding is believable and interesting, with trolls, elves, adaros (similar to sirens), gnomes and elemental spirits all present but with new mythologies and presentations, keeping things fresh and unique.
Main character Alexander Southerland, PI, can do a little bit of minor summoning of air elementals to help his cases along, but when a police troll walks into his local for a bit of light threatening disguised as advice, shortly followed by a dame in distress in his office, things suddenly get very personal for him – and quite painful at times – forcing him to speedily up his game in order to find the girl, unlock the box and not be killed in numerous exciting ways.
I often find noir takes itself too seriously (in fact, that’s a standard aspect of the genre!) but Douglas Lumsden has perfectly balanced his writing between the gritty noir tone and lighter fantasy set-up, where a man can be were-rats and a spirit, Badass… again, I loved it.
In addition to all that, the mystery plot made sense, hung together well, was perfectly paced and kept me guessing to the end. I have already wish-listed the rest of this series for my personal reading pleasure and if you enjoy urban fantasy-mystery comedic detective-noir as much as I do, then I highly recommend you do the same!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
The worldbuilding is believable and interesting, with trolls, elves, adaros (similar to sirens), gnomes and elemental spirits all present but with new mythologies and presentations, keeping things fresh and unique.
Main character Alexander Southerland, PI, can do a little bit of minor summoning of air elementals to help his cases along, but when a police troll walks into his local for a bit of light threatening disguised as advice, shortly followed by a dame in distress in his office, things suddenly get very personal for him – and quite painful at times – forcing him to speedily up his game in order to find the girl, unlock the box and not be killed in numerous exciting ways.
I often find noir takes itself too seriously (in fact, that’s a standard aspect of the genre!) but Douglas Lumsden has perfectly balanced his writing between the gritty noir tone and lighter fantasy set-up, where a man can be were-rats and a spirit, Badass… again, I loved it.
In addition to all that, the mystery plot made sense, hung together well, was perfectly paced and kept me guessing to the end. I have already wish-listed the rest of this series for my personal reading pleasure and if you enjoy urban fantasy-mystery comedic detective-noir as much as I do, then I highly recommend you do the same!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
May 14, 2022
Fun Noir Fantasy! An Inventive Debut!
Corrupt police, street gangs, magical non-humans, and a down-on-his-luck PI with a bit of magic up his sleeve clash in a world run by dragons.
Despite the warnings of a troll from Yerba City Police, magically adept P.I. Alex Southerland takes on the case of a well-dressed adaro woman - a preternaturally alluring “protected species." She might seem to be living a life of luxury, but with the government identifier tattooed on her arm, she was a second-class citizen whose ancestral ocean homelands have been systematically destroyed by humans, and her sister was missing, or so she said…
Shootouts and troll fights punctuate a slowly unfolding mystery that keeps twisting and turning through a technologically modern 50s era city one colorful character at a time. You never know what’s going to come around the corner at Alex Southerland next, or if they’re going to be particularly friendly. Luckily there's no fix he can’t get himself out of with a little fast thinking and quick talking, and if all else fails, he has a new mysterious magical blessing to fall back on, even if he is still trying to get the feel for it.
Through it all, as much as I enjoyed the fantastical noir aesthetic, the light-hearted, foul-mouthed repartee, what kept me reading was Southerland himself. There's just something endearing about a jaded tough guy who can't help but do the right thing because it would get on his nerves too much to let the strong and the ruthless get their way. And what's more relatable than a man with a troll-sized headache who would love nothing more than a decent night's sleep but has to settle for noisy motels, couches, and expansive back-seats?
Douglas Lumsden definitely got my attention with this promising debut, well, a lot like a troll walking into a bar. I look forward to reading more. In fact, I expect the next book in the series to be in my library soon.
Corrupt police, street gangs, magical non-humans, and a down-on-his-luck PI with a bit of magic up his sleeve clash in a world run by dragons.
Despite the warnings of a troll from Yerba City Police, magically adept P.I. Alex Southerland takes on the case of a well-dressed adaro woman - a preternaturally alluring “protected species." She might seem to be living a life of luxury, but with the government identifier tattooed on her arm, she was a second-class citizen whose ancestral ocean homelands have been systematically destroyed by humans, and her sister was missing, or so she said…
Shootouts and troll fights punctuate a slowly unfolding mystery that keeps twisting and turning through a technologically modern 50s era city one colorful character at a time. You never know what’s going to come around the corner at Alex Southerland next, or if they’re going to be particularly friendly. Luckily there's no fix he can’t get himself out of with a little fast thinking and quick talking, and if all else fails, he has a new mysterious magical blessing to fall back on, even if he is still trying to get the feel for it.
Through it all, as much as I enjoyed the fantastical noir aesthetic, the light-hearted, foul-mouthed repartee, what kept me reading was Southerland himself. There's just something endearing about a jaded tough guy who can't help but do the right thing because it would get on his nerves too much to let the strong and the ruthless get their way. And what's more relatable than a man with a troll-sized headache who would love nothing more than a decent night's sleep but has to settle for noisy motels, couches, and expansive back-seats?
Douglas Lumsden definitely got my attention with this promising debut, well, a lot like a troll walking into a bar. I look forward to reading more. In fact, I expect the next book in the series to be in my library soon.
November 27, 2022
*I received a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only*
Alexander Southerland is enjoying a cold beer in a Yerba City bar when a troll walks in. The troll is police detective Octavian Stonehammer and he wants Southerland to turn down a case that Southerland is yet to receive.
The adaro water nymph Cora Seafoam wants Alex to get her sister away from the gang she is embroiled with, a job Southerland rejects. Despite doing so, Alex finds himself getting beaten up multiple times and gets deeper and deeper into the city's vice and murky politics, encountering corrupt cops, the mayor's fixer, a shady lawyer, a mysterious elf, a were-rat, air and water elementals and various gnomes and dwarves.
This is an excellent blend of magical realism and detective noir, '30s slang with modern tech, sort of Phillip Marlowe with a cellphone. The use of magic is subtle and limited; most fighting is done with fists, guns and knives, and the non-human characters are well-rounded and written despite the vulgarity with a degree of sensitivity. The bad guys are foul-mouthed and callous and the good guys are, well, there aren't really any good guys as everybody has a shady past and even Southerland isn't above being a bit less than honest.
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Yerba City and look forward to meeting Alex Southerland again.
Alexander Southerland is enjoying a cold beer in a Yerba City bar when a troll walks in. The troll is police detective Octavian Stonehammer and he wants Southerland to turn down a case that Southerland is yet to receive.
The adaro water nymph Cora Seafoam wants Alex to get her sister away from the gang she is embroiled with, a job Southerland rejects. Despite doing so, Alex finds himself getting beaten up multiple times and gets deeper and deeper into the city's vice and murky politics, encountering corrupt cops, the mayor's fixer, a shady lawyer, a mysterious elf, a were-rat, air and water elementals and various gnomes and dwarves.
This is an excellent blend of magical realism and detective noir, '30s slang with modern tech, sort of Phillip Marlowe with a cellphone. The use of magic is subtle and limited; most fighting is done with fists, guns and knives, and the non-human characters are well-rounded and written despite the vulgarity with a degree of sensitivity. The bad guys are foul-mouthed and callous and the good guys are, well, there aren't really any good guys as everybody has a shady past and even Southerland isn't above being a bit less than honest.
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Yerba City and look forward to meeting Alex Southerland again.
June 8, 2022
I loved this book - I've just finished and I can't wait to start the next one in the series. It's been a while since I've really enjoyed a novel that I picked up on a try-it-and-see basis, but this really ticked all the boxes. The characters are fun, interesting and credible (yes, even the fantasy, non-human ones). The plot was intriguing enough to keep me guessing, action-packed enough to keep me interested and funny enough to keep me amused. The best recommendation that I can give any book is that I want to download the rest of the series - I was thrilled when I finished and found out there were other Alex Southerland books.
September 26, 2021
This book was a nice surprise. The main character, alex, is thoroughly likeable and I enjoyed every moment I spent with him. I loved his ethical approach, his cleverness, and his cool aplomb. I enjoyed the world he lives in, a film noir setting but with supernaturals living alongside humans. I became so absorbed that I ended up finishing it late in the night. Lately I've been blessed to come across several five star books and I'm adding this one to that list. The other thing I enjoyed was the writing itself, good vocabulary and spelling, and flawless punctuation.
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