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Untouchable
Saul Imbierowicz’s life literally changed when Al Capone murdered him, and he was reborn as a vampire. Now Saul is working for Eliot Ness, trying to take down the famous gangster. But Saul’s new “life” isn’t what he expected, and an offer from Capone to answer Saul’s many questions about being one of the living dead comes at a price that Saul is unwilling to pay. Being partnered with Agent Christian Wright, who sees Saul as an abomination and an affront to God, isn’t great either, but the fledgling partnership must succeed before a vampire war engulfs Chicago.
220 pages, Paperback
Published March 2, 2020
9 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Habiger
18 books35 followersGeoff Habiger was raised in the shadow of roaring lions and peacock calls in Manhattan...Kansas, not New York. (That's the Little Apple, not the Big Apple, for those of you playing along at home. And the wild animals came from living behind the city's zoo.) Growing up Geoff loved exploring the woods around his home, sneaking into the zoo (don't tell anybody), and playing baseball and Dungeons & Dragons. He and his best friend, Coy Kissee, would spend hours reading comics, playing all sorts of role-playing games, and talking about books and movies. Geoff stayed in Manhattan for college, getting a B.S. degree in Geology at Kansas State University (Go Cats!). He then attended gradual school in Bozeman, Montana where he didn't graduate, but did meet his future wife, so that worked out well.
In 2004 Geoff began two new (though very much part-time) careers in publishing, one as a senior partner in the independent book publishing company, Artemesia Publishing, and the other in a game publishing company, Tangent Games, started with Coy. Through Tangent Games Geoff and Coy have published dozens of role-playing books and a few card games. Geoff published his first book, the Dinosaur Learning Activity Book, a children's coloring and activity book about dinosaurs, through Artemesia Publishing in 2008. His first novels, Unremarkable and Wrath of the Fury Blade, co-written with Coy, were published in 2018.
Geoff currently resides in the wilds of the Monzano mountains, east of Albuquerque, with his wife, son, and two cats.
In 2004 Geoff began two new (though very much part-time) careers in publishing, one as a senior partner in the independent book publishing company, Artemesia Publishing, and the other in a game publishing company, Tangent Games, started with Coy. Through Tangent Games Geoff and Coy have published dozens of role-playing books and a few card games. Geoff published his first book, the Dinosaur Learning Activity Book, a children's coloring and activity book about dinosaurs, through Artemesia Publishing in 2008. His first novels, Unremarkable and Wrath of the Fury Blade, co-written with Coy, were published in 2018.
Geoff currently resides in the wilds of the Monzano mountains, east of Albuquerque, with his wife, son, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 16, 2020
I have been following author team Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee ever since reading their debut effort Unremarkable, a gritty 20’s era gangster romp (with vampires). They have a certain talent for genre fusions, where they brew up refreshing takes that hook readers into new yet familiar worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, so I was already on board as an eager fan when it came time to read the sequel, entitled Untouchable.
Unremarkable had set up the world of Saul, an everyman protagonist that serves as the title’s namesake. He gets sucked into an underworld drama that ultimately sees him “killed” by Al Capone. Don’t worry, that’s not a spoiler. Hell, the reader learns this fact in the very first line of the first book. The quotation marks are also a deliberate choice, as Saul returns as a vampire. Again, hardly a spoiler, as it assumes the plot-driver role in the second book.
Untouchable sees Al Capone on the run with Eliot Ness in pursuit. Saul becomes part of the law enforcement ensemble tasked with hunting down Capone, as his vampire abilities make him an ideal tool. This is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the book, i.e. the oft-nefarious role leveraged by the other side. It’s not a unique premise, but the authors manage to revamp it by using a subject who was noble from the start. As the story progresses, Saul is beleaguered by both sides, forcing him to question the nature of his partnerships.
Speaking of partners, Saul’s detective companion embodies the love-to-hate role within the story. Christian is about as stubborn and narrow-minded as they get. He only sees Saul as an abomination, despite how many times Saul saves him from certain death. Whenever you sneer while reading this book, the vast majority will be directed at this glorious schmuck.
Habiger and Kissee also carry over the dreary noir vibe of the first book. Some of the most visceral parts of the story are when Saul is walking the streets by himself while wrangling with his predicament. I could easily taste the rust and smell the smoke that encircled him. He and the story give off a Watchmen feel, similar to Rorschach tromping the streets with a gravelly monologue accenting each step. In fact, the outfit tasked with protecting mortal realm is called the Night Watchers, so perhaps this was a deliberate homage.
The pacing is tight, the action is punchy, and the dollops of humor are well-placed. Humor can be especially mishandled in darker series, and the authors wield it with skill and finesse. Some of my favorite parts of the book are when Saul has mental conversations with his family. If I had to make a list of my favorite lines, they would all come from here.
And so, a mounting war between Al Capone and a mysterious opposition takes center stage, with Saul thrown into the mix as the proverbial monkey wrench. There’s not much more I can say that wouldn’t be a potential spoiler, but I can say that many scenes with Capone had me wincing as he channeled the darkest sides of Tony Soprano. Untouchable is a delightful sequel that I can highly recommend to fans of gritty monster tales and fast-paced detective thrillers.
As a parting thought, I can also say that the ending is a grin-inducing springboard into the next book, which I can only hope that Habiger and Kissee are working on right now.
Unremarkable had set up the world of Saul, an everyman protagonist that serves as the title’s namesake. He gets sucked into an underworld drama that ultimately sees him “killed” by Al Capone. Don’t worry, that’s not a spoiler. Hell, the reader learns this fact in the very first line of the first book. The quotation marks are also a deliberate choice, as Saul returns as a vampire. Again, hardly a spoiler, as it assumes the plot-driver role in the second book.
Untouchable sees Al Capone on the run with Eliot Ness in pursuit. Saul becomes part of the law enforcement ensemble tasked with hunting down Capone, as his vampire abilities make him an ideal tool. This is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the book, i.e. the oft-nefarious role leveraged by the other side. It’s not a unique premise, but the authors manage to revamp it by using a subject who was noble from the start. As the story progresses, Saul is beleaguered by both sides, forcing him to question the nature of his partnerships.
Speaking of partners, Saul’s detective companion embodies the love-to-hate role within the story. Christian is about as stubborn and narrow-minded as they get. He only sees Saul as an abomination, despite how many times Saul saves him from certain death. Whenever you sneer while reading this book, the vast majority will be directed at this glorious schmuck.
Habiger and Kissee also carry over the dreary noir vibe of the first book. Some of the most visceral parts of the story are when Saul is walking the streets by himself while wrangling with his predicament. I could easily taste the rust and smell the smoke that encircled him. He and the story give off a Watchmen feel, similar to Rorschach tromping the streets with a gravelly monologue accenting each step. In fact, the outfit tasked with protecting mortal realm is called the Night Watchers, so perhaps this was a deliberate homage.
The pacing is tight, the action is punchy, and the dollops of humor are well-placed. Humor can be especially mishandled in darker series, and the authors wield it with skill and finesse. Some of my favorite parts of the book are when Saul has mental conversations with his family. If I had to make a list of my favorite lines, they would all come from here.
And so, a mounting war between Al Capone and a mysterious opposition takes center stage, with Saul thrown into the mix as the proverbial monkey wrench. There’s not much more I can say that wouldn’t be a potential spoiler, but I can say that many scenes with Capone had me wincing as he channeled the darkest sides of Tony Soprano. Untouchable is a delightful sequel that I can highly recommend to fans of gritty monster tales and fast-paced detective thrillers.
As a parting thought, I can also say that the ending is a grin-inducing springboard into the next book, which I can only hope that Habiger and Kissee are working on right now.
March 28, 2020
Untouchable is a fantastic read. This book, which is the sequel to Unremarkable, is a well written fictional account of the Capone story with a bloody twist. I look forward to the next installment in this series.
January 12, 2021
The truth is out there
This could have actually been the real history, we may never know.... Another fun story in the alternate history of Ness, Capote, and vampires
This could have actually been the real history, we may never know.... Another fun story in the alternate history of Ness, Capote, and vampires
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews