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Oddjobs #4
Out of Hours
Everyone is out of time…
Morag Murry is about to give birth to the Venislarn anti-Christ and her baby is eager to be born. Very eager. With only Steve the Destroyer to help her through her labours, she knows that when this child is born, the earth will face its final day.
Rod Campbell knows that the world will end at midnight if he doesn’t rescue Morag from a secret organisation that wants to use her as a pawn in its war against the Venislarn. If only he had a clue where they are holding her…
Nina Seth is literally out of her own time. An evil sorceress is causing havoc in eighteenth century England. With only Steve the Destroyer to help Nina prevent the premature end of the world, this clueless time-traveller has to save the past and find a way back to the present.
Vivian Grey is in hell — literally — a place where there is no time at all. Caught in a political conflict between warring Venislarn gods and with many human lives at stake, Vivian (and Steve the Destroyer) must join forces if they’re both to survive.
One day and one night to save the world (again!) and no one’s getting paid overtime…
Morag Murry is about to give birth to the Venislarn anti-Christ and her baby is eager to be born. Very eager. With only Steve the Destroyer to help her through her labours, she knows that when this child is born, the earth will face its final day.
Rod Campbell knows that the world will end at midnight if he doesn’t rescue Morag from a secret organisation that wants to use her as a pawn in its war against the Venislarn. If only he had a clue where they are holding her…
Nina Seth is literally out of her own time. An evil sorceress is causing havoc in eighteenth century England. With only Steve the Destroyer to help Nina prevent the premature end of the world, this clueless time-traveller has to save the past and find a way back to the present.
Vivian Grey is in hell — literally — a place where there is no time at all. Caught in a political conflict between warring Venislarn gods and with many human lives at stake, Vivian (and Steve the Destroyer) must join forces if they’re both to survive.
One day and one night to save the world (again!) and no one’s getting paid overtime…
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2020
121 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 14, 2020
Aaargh! The worst thing about finishing this book is the knowledge that the next one is only out next year. Adn-bhul!!!! The apocalypse might have happened before then. Grrrrrr.
Once again an Oddjobs volume provides more fun than... well just about anything else really. But this time the reader gets three parallel stories: past; present; and somewhere not past nor present nor future. Hey, time isn't always linear! The authors keep all three narratives rattling along with their usual verve and skill and lashings of humour.
Anyone else hope 'Steve the Destroyer' dolls will be for sale soon? (Complete with carnation patterned legs.)
Once again an Oddjobs volume provides more fun than... well just about anything else really. But this time the reader gets three parallel stories: past; present; and somewhere not past nor present nor future. Hey, time isn't always linear! The authors keep all three narratives rattling along with their usual verve and skill and lashings of humour.
Anyone else hope 'Steve the Destroyer' dolls will be for sale soon? (Complete with carnation patterned legs.)
January 27, 2021
Oddjobs 4 picks up right where Oddjobs 3 left off, so with a break and a gnat's memory it was a stumble through the first few chapters before I righted myself with the happenings. This book is also split across 3 linking timelines/locales, making the story a bit more complicated than the previous installments.
The tension is amping up as the Soulgate oozes closer, but the splitting of timelines punctured some of that tension for me. I also noticed a number of spelling errors scattered through the book that broke the flow at times.
Oddjobs is still excellent escapism, but this book didn't amuse me like the previous 3 did - hopefully 5 will pick the baton back up when it's released.
Steve the Destroyer is currently riding point as my favourite character, pictured partly like the gingerbread man from Shrek x a cloth doll.
The tension is amping up as the Soulgate oozes closer, but the splitting of timelines punctured some of that tension for me. I also noticed a number of spelling errors scattered through the book that broke the flow at times.
Oddjobs is still excellent escapism, but this book didn't amuse me like the previous 3 did - hopefully 5 will pick the baton back up when it's released.
Steve the Destroyer is currently riding point as my favourite character, pictured partly like the gingerbread man from Shrek x a cloth doll.
February 19, 2020
Great continuation of the Oddjobs story. The characters are likeable and I look forward to the next installment. The authors have written some of the best books I have read in recent months. My favourites are the Clovenhoof stories, Oddjobs books are a close second.
November 28, 2023
This series is an overlooked gem lurking in the deep dark depths of the Kindle Unlimited library. Lovecraftian monsters verses the mighty and stubborn bureaucratic powers of the UK government (Birmingham Office)! It is all the shenanigans and complete and utter chaos you expect. Great story, wonderfully plucky characters with their murderous sidekicks, and hilarious banter. I have inhaled this series.
However, am gonna have to take a wee break before picking up the final book in this series. Now that all hell has broken loose, am expecting the final foray to be complete carnage and I need to mentally prepare myself that not all of our overworked, weary and completely exhausted squad are going to make it. Eeeek!!!
Recommended for fans of: Joe Hill, Cassandra Khaw, Chris Tullbane, Finna, And Then There Were Crows, The Rook, The Stranger Times
However, am gonna have to take a wee break before picking up the final book in this series. Now that all hell has broken loose, am expecting the final foray to be complete carnage and I need to mentally prepare myself that not all of our overworked, weary and completely exhausted squad are going to make it. Eeeek!!!
Recommended for fans of: Joe Hill, Cassandra Khaw, Chris Tullbane, Finna, And Then There Were Crows, The Rook, The Stranger Times
February 27, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest chapter in the ongoing Oddjobs series. I really enjoyed how each book has delved more deeply into particular characters, while continuing the arc of the other main cast. I particularly enjoyed the focus on Nina's and Steve's respective experiences in this latest book. If I had one complaint it was the surprising prevalence of typos in this book #4. The first three books each had two or three, but this latest seemed riddled with missed or misused conjunctions and even a few tense and gender pronoun mistakes. It was not clear whether this was unique to the Kindle version or if the authors were rushing this installment through and missed the all important final proofread. I'm inclined to think the former, as everything else I've read by these authors seems to have been thoroughly scrubbed prior to publication. So, 4 1/2 stars for the story, 3 stars for the formatting/ proofreading.
July 11, 2024
Oddjobs 4 picks up straight after Oddjobs 3. Instead of a day in the week of the Birmingham Consular to the Venislarn, this book is more of a day in the life of, but with a timeline that's more fragmented than a broken biscuit. I'll try and explain but I probably won't do it justice...
In an attempt to save Rod, Morag, and pretty much the world, Nina travels back to 1777 so that she can back to modern day at a time before she left. She only descovered a time travelling artifact while she was following what she thought was a breadcrumb trail left by Mrs Vivian Grey who ended up going to Venislarn Hell. So, Nina is in the past, but that's the story looking back because she's also in the present too. Having successfully prevented Rod from dying she's working with after coming back from the past to try and save Morag. Morag happens to be pregnant with a Venislarn version of the antichrist whose birth will signal the opening of the Soul Gate - the Apocalypse cum End of Days.
Still with me?
So, also happening is Mrs Vivian Grey's experiences in Venislarn Hell with Steve the Destroyer, the former messenger of Prein and bringer of kinky pain, doom, and masochism who happens to be trapped in a rag doll body. In the fractured timeline Steve is also in the past with Nina because when he escapes Hell he happens to end up in 1777 and Nina rescues him there.
Have I covered it all? Probably not.
So what did I think? Well having read and really enjoyed the other books I found this one a bit more if a challenge. It wasn't the fractured times lines, I can cope with that. It just felt a bit more sporadic and choppy and changy. In the broken biscuit analogy, the start of the book was like lots of small crumbs of a story. There were bigger chunks of broken biscuit towards the end, but there were loads of crumbs. Saying that I did enjoy exploring Nina's character more. Steve is my favourite character by a long way followed by Rod. The change that happens with Vivian felt felt too out of character, but then what do I know, I've never been to Venislarn Hell.
For me this wasn't the best book in the series, so far I'd actually suggest it was the weak link in the series. It still gets 3/5 from me, but I enjoyed other books in the series more. Hopefully book 5 is more like 1 to 4.
In an attempt to save Rod, Morag, and pretty much the world, Nina travels back to 1777 so that she can back to modern day at a time before she left. She only descovered a time travelling artifact while she was following what she thought was a breadcrumb trail left by Mrs Vivian Grey who ended up going to Venislarn Hell. So, Nina is in the past, but that's the story looking back because she's also in the present too. Having successfully prevented Rod from dying she's working with after coming back from the past to try and save Morag. Morag happens to be pregnant with a Venislarn version of the antichrist whose birth will signal the opening of the Soul Gate - the Apocalypse cum End of Days.
Still with me?
So, also happening is Mrs Vivian Grey's experiences in Venislarn Hell with Steve the Destroyer, the former messenger of Prein and bringer of kinky pain, doom, and masochism who happens to be trapped in a rag doll body. In the fractured timeline Steve is also in the past with Nina because when he escapes Hell he happens to end up in 1777 and Nina rescues him there.
Have I covered it all? Probably not.
So what did I think? Well having read and really enjoyed the other books I found this one a bit more if a challenge. It wasn't the fractured times lines, I can cope with that. It just felt a bit more sporadic and choppy and changy. In the broken biscuit analogy, the start of the book was like lots of small crumbs of a story. There were bigger chunks of broken biscuit towards the end, but there were loads of crumbs. Saying that I did enjoy exploring Nina's character more. Steve is my favourite character by a long way followed by Rod. The change that happens with Vivian felt felt too out of character, but then what do I know, I've never been to Venislarn Hell.
For me this wasn't the best book in the series, so far I'd actually suggest it was the weak link in the series. It still gets 3/5 from me, but I enjoyed other books in the series more. Hopefully book 5 is more like 1 to 4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
Alrighty, this book was looooong. That’s my biggest issue with it. Buried amongst the totally unnecessary waffle were little gems of moments that it took blood and sweat to unearth because there was so much going on while literally nothing was happening. This entire books takes place simultaneously over a single day, weeks and whatever the hell is happening with time in Hell. And let me tell you, that single day really felt like it lasted all those weeks.
Let’s start with Nina. She travels back in time which we know. What we don’t know (yet?) is why that journey took most of the book.
Shall we move on to Vivian? She builds an entire society. Good for her. But the sheer amount of italics in her passages made for a painful read. And also I didn’t care what she was doing. Skimmed a lot of her chapters. I may regret that in the next book but I’m sort of assuming I won’t. Relevant moments get recapped. With annoying frequency. From multiple points of view purely because of overlap.
The present. My favourite. Because this is where things are mostly happening and moving forward. Sort of. It’s also where Rod is with Nina and Pupfish.
Realistically, you don’t need most of this book to progress the plot and that really bored me. If nothing really interesting is happening then why should I care? Because there isn’t any character development in this entire book (unless you’re Steve…I guess?) and aside from rehashing things we picked up in book three (god killing bullets anyone?) were basically back where we started.
It annoys me that I’ll read the next book but at 600 pages it’s more realistic to say I’ll skim it. Ain’t nobody got the time or inclination for that much filler. And you knows it’s going to be half filler.
Let’s start with Nina. She travels back in time which we know. What we don’t know (yet?) is why that journey took most of the book.
Shall we move on to Vivian? She builds an entire society. Good for her. But the sheer amount of italics in her passages made for a painful read. And also I didn’t care what she was doing. Skimmed a lot of her chapters. I may regret that in the next book but I’m sort of assuming I won’t. Relevant moments get recapped. With annoying frequency. From multiple points of view purely because of overlap.
The present. My favourite. Because this is where things are mostly happening and moving forward. Sort of. It’s also where Rod is with Nina and Pupfish.
Realistically, you don’t need most of this book to progress the plot and that really bored me. If nothing really interesting is happening then why should I care? Because there isn’t any character development in this entire book (unless you’re Steve…I guess?) and aside from rehashing things we picked up in book three (god killing bullets anyone?) were basically back where we started.
It annoys me that I’ll read the next book but at 600 pages it’s more realistic to say I’ll skim it. Ain’t nobody got the time or inclination for that much filler. And you knows it’s going to be half filler.
April 2, 2021
ODD JOBS is an amazing series
I have read all 5 books in the series and did so one after the other and in a fairly short amount of time. I love love love these books. If you like the Harry Potter series, or the Game of Thrones series, or the men in Black movies, or if you just like bits and pieces of all those things Odd Jobs has all that and more. Magic, myth, religion, "alien beings", fantasy, goth, gore, history, and great characters with wit, comedy and depth. I really hope this series is being adapted to screen soon!
I have read all 5 books in the series and did so one after the other and in a fairly short amount of time. I love love love these books. If you like the Harry Potter series, or the Game of Thrones series, or the men in Black movies, or if you just like bits and pieces of all those things Odd Jobs has all that and more. Magic, myth, religion, "alien beings", fantasy, goth, gore, history, and great characters with wit, comedy and depth. I really hope this series is being adapted to screen soon!
January 10, 2023
A slightly longer outing for the Venislarn consulate in this book as we follow Vivian establishing herself in hell (not that one), Rod and Nina trying to find the abducted and pregnant Morag, Nina and Steve the Destroyer trying to get back to the present and Morag's pregnancy with the harbinger of the Soul Gate. Yes. There is a lot going on. It's told with the usual wit and pacing of the two authors with some lovely set pieces to force a crack of a smile on a curmudgeonly face. It ends on a bit of a cliff hanger setting up the fifth and final book nicely.
February 24, 2020
I was tempted to dock a star because this is the unannounced middle part of a story and the final (?) part will be released next February, but (1) the ending was less cliffhangery than the ending of Oddjobs 3, and (2) the three related timelines were stranded together very deftly.
(Note: the first two Oddjobs books are self-contained adventures. Numbers 3-5 are not, and are not hinted to be in their descriptions. Annoying.)
(Note: the first two Oddjobs books are self-contained adventures. Numbers 3-5 are not, and are not hinted to be in their descriptions. Annoying.)
April 20, 2021
The story progression is darker in book 4
The story does get considerably darke but Nina shows her grit and determination, I am growing to like her character immensely. The proof reading was disturbingly off in this book, something not apparent in previous novels in this series, typos and grammar mistakes interrupted the readability in places, the story however is great and the whole venslarn invasion world weaving is brilliant.
The story does get considerably darke but Nina shows her grit and determination, I am growing to like her character immensely. The proof reading was disturbingly off in this book, something not apparent in previous novels in this series, typos and grammar mistakes interrupted the readability in places, the story however is great and the whole venslarn invasion world weaving is brilliant.
April 5, 2020
Fast Paced Exciting Story
Great fun story and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. The only thing stopping me giving the book a five star review is, there were quite a few typos, which I find immensely irritating, would never stop me highly recommending this book. I love Steve the Destroyer :-)
Great fun story and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. The only thing stopping me giving the book a five star review is, there were quite a few typos, which I find immensely irritating, would never stop me highly recommending this book. I love Steve the Destroyer :-)
August 25, 2020
I’m honestly a bit baffled by this one: from unknown horror the series move to... I don’t know. A confusing mess of bad politics that reduce a monster into an annoying wannabe the king, an horrible time travel subplot, some kind of change of heart for the consulate (without any logic)...
It feels off.
I’m disappointed!
It feels off.
I’m disappointed!
September 21, 2020
Very Entertaining
I was very confused at the start of the first book in the series. I am very glad that I continued reading and that the Authors made it worth my time. Without giving anything away, these are the kind of books that I get kinda sad towards the end because they are coming to an end. Looking forward to the next book.
I was very confused at the start of the first book in the series. I am very glad that I continued reading and that the Authors made it worth my time. Without giving anything away, these are the kind of books that I get kinda sad towards the end because they are coming to an end. Looking forward to the next book.
October 11, 2021
Another cracking instalment
How has this series not been signed up for TV or big screen?
Yes the budget for cgi would be huge, but well worth it.
Having not read an oddjobs book for over a year, I am reading 4 and 5 back to back.
The characters just get batter and better and there are enough twists to keep you turning pages.
How has this series not been signed up for TV or big screen?
Yes the budget for cgi would be huge, but well worth it.
Having not read an oddjobs book for over a year, I am reading 4 and 5 back to back.
The characters just get batter and better and there are enough twists to keep you turning pages.
November 1, 2022
"Among humans, women live longer than men. Do you know why?"
"Tell me," said Steve.
"Because we're useful. Hold still."
Vivian Grey is fantastic.
Fourth book is just as enjoyable as the previous three. This one picks up where the last left off, and focuses more on Nina as she gets trapped in the past, and Vivian as she is trapped in hell.
"Tell me," said Steve.
"Because we're useful. Hold still."
Vivian Grey is fantastic.
Fourth book is just as enjoyable as the previous three. This one picks up where the last left off, and focuses more on Nina as she gets trapped in the past, and Vivian as she is trapped in hell.
March 22, 2020
Another great story
Yet another great story by two of my favorite authors. The story and characters are easy to.like and fast paced. The only thing that was not right were the numerous grammatical errors found throughout the book.
Yet another great story by two of my favorite authors. The story and characters are easy to.like and fast paced. The only thing that was not right were the numerous grammatical errors found throughout the book.
April 3, 2020
The book kept me engaged all the way through to the end. The folks at the consular mission to the Venislarn never disappoint with their antics and this time the stakes are far higher than they have been before. I will be itching to know how the story ends until the next book comes out.
May 25, 2022
The book where Nina rocks it like a ten ton heavy thing.
More seriously, it was a bit slow and bitty starting off but once it got going it was very entertaining, (with Nina's chapters being the best, obviously).
More seriously, it was a bit slow and bitty starting off but once it got going it was very entertaining, (with Nina's chapters being the best, obviously).
December 31, 2022
excellent read
The story rolls right along and keeps the reader (at least me) highly entertained. I am sure there are numerous references I miss since I am not a “Brummie” but nonetheless this is funny, exciting, poignant and fascinating.
The story rolls right along and keeps the reader (at least me) highly entertained. I am sure there are numerous references I miss since I am not a “Brummie” but nonetheless this is funny, exciting, poignant and fascinating.
October 17, 2023
Continuation of the series. A bit set in 1773, which was fine, a bit in the present day, which was fine, and a bit in Hell, which was mostly good. It's not really comic any more, more irreverent, but it's readable!
February 29, 2020
Absolutely brilliant
March 24, 2020
oops I bought both together and accidentally read 4 1st!
July 13, 2020
Love it!
This series is so fun. It has everything you could want. Funny, scary, and intense. Every book has been a treat.
This series is so fun. It has everything you could want. Funny, scary, and intense. Every book has been a treat.
August 9, 2020
Brilliant
I can't say how much I'm enjoying these books. I read a lot and many books are very similar but these are unique and highly amusing
I can't say how much I'm enjoying these books. I read a lot and many books are very similar but these are unique and highly amusing
August 17, 2020
4.2
Possibly the best in the series, probably Nina has become a main viewpoint character. Nina and Vivian make such excellent opposites that bouncing between the two is quite fun.
Possibly the best in the series, probably Nina has become a main viewpoint character. Nina and Vivian make such excellent opposites that bouncing between the two is quite fun.
January 19, 2021
Infuriatingly Messy
The story in this series isn't involving. But the characters are. Part 4 is infuriatingly messy in its construction and I'm not sure I'll bother with Part 5.
The story in this series isn't involving. But the characters are. Part 4 is infuriatingly messy in its construction and I'm not sure I'll bother with Part 5.
June 3, 2021
I love this series of sci-fi books! The fourth does not disappoint and sets up the final instalment perfectly. Steve the Destroyer is one of the worlds greatest literary characters!
February 16, 2022
did not know that georgian england had a pineapple fetish but now i do
July 8, 2022
The end of the world is triggered and chaos ensues. All of the main characters are wonderfully done but I have a special fondness for Rod, Nina and Steve.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews