Ballistic Kiss: The Eleventh Sandman Slim Dark Fantasy – Angels, Demons, and Revenge from Hell

Sandman Slim #11

by Richard Kadrey

"I loved where Kadrey started with this series, but I love where he's going even more."-- NYT Bestselling author Cory Doctorow

Sandman Slim is back in Los Angeles and kicking more supernatural ass in this inventive, high-octane page-turner—the next to last volume in the popular and acclaimed fantasy adventure series from New York Times bestselling author Richard Kadrey.

As the battle between warring angels continues, James Stark is focused on seemingly simpler matters now that he’s resurfaced on earth: an invasion of ghosts. L.A.’s Little Cairo neighborhood has suddenly been overrun by violent spirits, and Thomas Abbott knows if anyone can figure out why they’ve appeared—and how to get rid of them—it’s Stark. 

Armed with the Room of Thirteen Doors, Stark quickly learns that the answer may reach back to the 1970s and the unsolved murder of small-time actor, Chris Stein. As he begins to dig into the cold case, another area of Stark’s life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes entangled with Janet, a woman he saved during the High Plains Drifter zombie attack. 

Janet’s brush with the living dead hasn’t quenched her thirst for danger. She’s an adrenaline junkie and a member of The Zero Lodge—a club that promises “there’s zero chance you’ll get out alive.” The Lodge attracts thrill seekers who flock to perilous events such as night walks through the LA Zoo—with its deadliest animals uncaged. Joining the lodge to be with Janet, Stark makes a pair of crucial discoveries that could decide the fate of LA and Heaven itself.

To prevent the Little Cairo haunting from consuming the city, Stark must piece together the connections between the Lodge and a missing angel last seen in a Hollywood porn palace. But while he may dispatch the ghosts, Stark knows that without his help, the bloody war in Heaven could rage forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Paranormal

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2020

About the author

Richard Kadrey is a writer and freelance musician living in Pittsburgh, best known for his Sandman Slim novels. His work has been nominated for the Locus and BSFA awards. Kadrey's newest books are The Secrets of Insects, released in August 2023; The Dead Take the A Train (with Cassandra Khaw), released in September 2023; The Pale House Devil, released in September 2023.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.65896589547 stars.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: I hate to admit that I was wrong (because I never am), but I might have judged Janet too harshly the first time I read this book. I wasn't her biggest fan back then, you see. But things have changed and it seems finally seen the light I hath! Because I have gone from not liking Janet very much at all to wanting her to die a slightly horrible, possibly excruciating death! See, I too am capable of harboring kindhearted, charitable feelings towards people I somewhat loathe!



P.S. This is probably my least favorite book in this series after Kill City Blues. But don't tell Richard Kadrey anyone I said so.
P.S. Hey, it looks like I completely more or less forgot to write a full review for this one when I read it for the first time! Go me and stuff! 💪💪



[September 2020]

Jimmy Stark, aka Little Lamb Lost. I never thought I'd live to see the day.



Shocking as fish, isn't it? Don't let it worry you too much, though. Jimmy's still as much of a homicidal maniac as he ever was, so things are not as bad as they seem. Hahahaha, just kidding. Of course they are. I mean, this is Sandman Slim, after all😬.

➽ Full review to come and stuff.

· Book 1: Sandman Slim ★★★★★
· Book 2: Kill the Dead ★★★★★
· Book 3: Aloha from Hell ★★★★
· Book 3.5: Devil in the Dollhouse ★★★★★
· Book 4: Devil Said Bang ★★★★
· Book 5: Kill City Blues ★★★★
· Book 6: The Getaway God ★★★★★
· Book 7: Killing Pretty ★★★★
· Book 8: The Perdition Score ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Kill Society ★★★★★
· Book 10: Hollywood Dead ★★★★★
· Book 12: King Bullet ★★★★★



[November 2019]

My #1 boyfriend, The Utmostly Yummilicious Jimmy Stark (TUYJS™) is finally back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He'd been locked up holidaying in my High Security Harem, recovering from his Hollywood Dead adventures (and enjoying my, um, tender ministrations), but suddenly decided it was maybe perhaps time to visit you puny humans for a little while. (I wonder why, since he's been having such a grand subaquatic time with my nefarious little self and stuff.)

He'll be coming to a book store near you on August 25, 2020. So you better be there and stuff. (But don't you go gettin' silly little ideas in your silly little heads. My Jimmy will be in the custody under the loving care of Fleet Admiral DaShrimp and 100,000 murderous crustaceans at all times. Thou hast been warned and stuff.)

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know and stuff. And now, if you'll excuse, I have some Hardcore Heavy Panting (H²P™) to do. And stuff.





Oh, and also:

[Kitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not great, not typical of the series. One sure fire way of knowing when an author has spent a bit too long in a world is when they introduce current political and social issues into their story. It reeks of having run out of creativity. Such a cop-out. So lame. I read these to escape this world and enjoy a new one. That didn’t happen. This book felt more like a long lesson in genders and their pronouns than a good ole James Stark adventure. I’m not saying it’s not an important issue,but Just having Janet correct his usage a time or two would have been fine and probably more effective in getting across how normal being different is rather than having to make a huge old thing out of it. That was just painful. Over and over again painful. A sandman slim book just isn’t the forum to hop on that kind of soapbox. There’s one more book coming out. I hope he ends better than this. Sandman Slim deserves to go out with a bang.

[kartik narayanan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is underwhelming.

Maybe it's me and I have forgotten the structure of the earliest Sandman Slim novels. Or maybe its the fact that Sandman Slim might have outstayed his welcome. Or that there is yet another setup for a universe-shattering calamity.

It just feels like the charm is no longer there. Sandman Slim and his coterie of friends seem like paper-thin characters, the plot seems insipid and the resolution boring.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ballistic Kiss is the eleventh book in Kadrey's Sandman Slim gritty urban fantasy series set in parts of Hollywood and parts of Hell (as if there were much difference). Magic, ghosts, and massive slobbering beasts are the order of the day as are long stretches about hipster gatherings and the world's last video store.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ballistic Kiss
(Sandman Slim #11)
by Richard Kadrey

I have read ever book up to this one and loved every one! The way Sandman Slim/Stark is a total crazy tough guy and takes no lip at all is what I love the most! But in this one, Stark is popping pills for his PTSD, having probs with his hoodoo, and just not his self. He finally gets it together near the end.

I do like the special ending! Poor Kas! He has had it rough! Other players are in here from previous books and one I just hated in here! I was hoping Stark would let her die! We also loose a favorite character :(

I enjoyed this book but not like the earlier books. I am glad I read it for sure! This is a book I won from Goodreads Giveaway!

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did not get very good reviews, but I liked it. James Stark/Sandman Slim is hiding out in a house owned by the Sub Rosa Augur, for services rendered in the last book. He is asked to exorcise the ghosts ravaging LA's Little Cairo before they escape and wreak havoc on the rest of the city. And, Samael wants Stark to find Zadkiel, an AWOL angel, to help to end the ongoing war in Heaven.

Stark is coaxed out of his shell by his old friends, perhaps with some chemical assistance, and it was great to see him spending time with his old flame, Candy. They both feel guilty since they each have a primary girlfriend -- in Stark's case, a gender-fluid, thrill-seeking, donut shop employee named Janet. While facing the ghosts in Little Cairo, Stark happens on a murder victim from the 1970's and has to solve the weird circumstances surrounding his death in order to stop the madness, endangering a number of his closest allies. Meanwhile, Janet is involved with a group of crazy people called the Zero Lodge, which of course, requires Stark's awesome ability to wield violence and vengeance to save her life. I agree with most other reviewers that: (1) Janet is a weak character, but I cut her some slack for saving Brigitte Bardot, and (2) Fuck Hollywood may have a bright future working in the House of Dolls for Carlos. Flicker's assistance with the Stay Belows was another highlight for me.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stark's new life -- which happens to be quite similar to his old-new life shortly after coming back from his stint in hell, is finally slowing down. He can spend a little time freaking out about doing normal things. Maybe inviting that cute doughnut girl out for a movie night with all his friends.

It's sweet.

Of course, knowing this universe, it is SO not going to last.

Even so, we do get an oddly normal noir mystery with a splash of ghosts, human sacrifices, and murderous thrill-seeking that eventually brings things back to our bloody center-line.

It's weird tho. Stark isn't CAUSING most of the hell, this time. Fortunately, he will end it.

Highly amusing. I truly love how it can still incorporate the WILD number of changes from the rest of the series and still pull off a hint of home. :)

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been one of my favorite all-time series, with each book typically better than its predecessors. But this was a strange, subdued outing this time.
-0.5 stars for Stark on anti-anxiety/PTSD drugs
-0.5 stars for the absurd Zero Lodge that Stark just rolls with.
-0.5 stars for coincidences (e.g. Allegra asks to go the zoo where there just so happens to be a Zero Lodge outing at that exact same moment).
-0.5 stars for the frustrating, irritatingly stupid Janet character. Kadrey is great at writing strong, intelligent characters. This is not one of them.

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recommend stopping reading the series at book 10, and not bothering with the last 2 books.

At first I was thinking, "I don't understand why everyone hates Janet so much. They're great." Then I got to know Janet better and realized how manipulative and stupid they are. It was one of those rare characters that are so annoying that they drag down the entire book with them.

My full video review with detailed thoughts is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2XeH...

[Bibliophile · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't care for pronoun gymnastics being forced into stories that don't require them, for the sake of hollow virtue signaling. It cheapens all of us and detracts from the whole.

[Soo · Rating 4 out of 5]

08/25/2020 Notes:

- 4.5 Stars for Narration by MacLeod Andrews - I think this is my fav one by him for Sandman Slim.
- 4 Stars for Plot
Classic Sandman. Though, I wasn't ready for how upset he was in the story. I should have been because of the last book, but I wasn't.
- I can see this book becoming a 5 Star on a re-read. It's full of sharp edges, crazy people, couple of great events for the overall plot arc, warm fuzzies of friendship and Stark's very odd idea of relationship. He needs to work on that. =P

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh. 2.5 rating.

I hate Janet. There. I said it.

In the last book I was curious about where the character was going and happy Stark made a new friend. But now I know what she/them is all about, I would like her/them to go away. Is it because she has a problem with gender and pronouns, maybe, but mostly it's how she/them follows a cult, blindly and stupidly. (Also, the pronoun thing was super confusing. Them is a group of people.) The Zero Lodge was the worst. I can't even wrap my brain around how stupid it all was. THEN the kicker is having a beloved character die to save her/them sorry ass? No. No. I just can't... Why? WHY?

Why is Stark so smitten with this uh, person? I do not get it. He needs to dump her/them and find a new donut shop.

The plot was weak and conflict too easily resolved. There were a few aspects I enjoyed, but mostly, I was frustrated with this book. I'm not looking forward to being pissed off in the last book, but I'll read it, I think, because I've gotten this far in the series, might as well finish it.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sandman Slim series is one of the few urban fantasy series that I continue to follow. Its been at least 13-years now that I’ve been reading it. Kadrey continues to amuse me with his mashup of a: hardboiled, horror and fantasy narrative. This one was OK.


Example of Stark’s Flying Saucer House

My audiobook was nine hours long. It had a US copyright of 2020. A dead tree version would be about 370-pages. MacLeod Andrews was the narrator. Andrews is a good narrator that can ably change his voice with the characters internal and external narrative. Although his female voices sound too similar. However, he’s been narrating the series for a long time. He’s become the voice of Sandman Slim in my head, for when I actually have eye-read a book in the series.

Richard Kadrey is an American novelist, freelance writer, and photographer. He has about 20 novels published including this one. This is the eleventh book in the author's Sandman Slim Series, of which there are now thirteen books. This is the 13th or 14th book I’ve read by this author. The last being The Kill Society (Sandman Slim, #9) (my review).

I’ve been off my feed urban fantasy-wise. I read this book, having forgotten I did not read the previous book in the series Hollywood Dead Sandman Slim #10. In addition, this book will be unintelligible, if you’ve not been following the series. Long-term plot lines make-up the bones of this story and the author does not provide a lot of backstory. Having written that, I did not notice any serious discontinuity by skipping the previous book.


Writing was good and on a par with the rest of the series. I get true enjoyment over Kadrey’s modern impersonation of Raymond Chandler . In particular, I treasure his pithy metaphors and bizarre descriptive prose. You can also recognize the strong ’70s influence of Charles Bukowski and Hunter S. Thompson in his stories. The action scenes were well handled. However, the typically hardboiled dialog was better than the descriptive prose. In particular, Stark’s inner narrative, off-color aphorisms, and disdainful badinage have always been endearing to me. When I grow-up, I want to be like Sandman Slim, but human and not a scarred, Nephilim.

As per the series, there is always sex, drugs, rock ’n roll and mega-violence. (Stark (AKA Sandman Slim) is a killer.)

The books in the series always have at least one heterosexual sex scene of the fade-to-black type. Stark drinks a prodigious amount of alcohol. Currently he’s been drinking the hipper bourbon. At the beginning of the series, he was drinking Jack. When the series isn’t set in Hell, its in Hollywood. Kadrey depicts this as a hellish landscape in its own right. Soft and hardcore drug usage is portrayed as endemic. Although, Stark's poison is alcohol. However, Stark has a very cavalier approach toward consuming his black market, pharma, antidepressants that would make a pharmacist blanch. The antidepressants are part of the PTSD he acquired while doing time in Hell. There were numerous musical references. Most of them were dated Punk. None of them were memorable. Although, this book contained some good skewering of Metal fans. In addition, there were the usual amount of film school critique and film references. (Its Hollywood.) This book encouraged me to watch a mid-career Nick Cage film.

Violence was not particularly graphic, but it was pervasive. In includes: physical, edged-weapons, firearms and Hoo-doo (magic) related. In this book, Sandman Slim continues his preference for burning his opponents alive. This mode has only appeared in the last few books. He used to be an edged-weapons kinda guy. In addition, Stark takes an extraordinary amount of punishment. However, he keeps on ticking, after taking a licking-- after stuffing his entrails back into his body cavity. Body count was high. This was in line with the, Kill Them All and Let God Sort It Out theme of the series. Since Sandman Slim was on good terms with both God (Mr. Muninn) and the Devil (Samael), the reader should not have been surprised.

There was only a small amount character development. This series continues to recycle its previously introduced Cast of Thousands. The series continues with its single POV. James "Sandman Slim" Stark being the protagonist. Stark spends a lot of pages lamenting his personal situation. This breaks down into his ambivalence in being a supernatural being and the boy gets girl, boy loses girl, and boy attempts to get girl back theme that has run through the series, only with different women. In this book, he’s still wanting to get back to his demon GF Candy. Although, he now has a thoroughly human GF, Jennifer, who is gender binary as well as running with the wrong magic-using crowd. Many old standby characters appear. Significantly, both Vidocq and Kasabian go through major changes. A new female, character “Fuck Hollywood” is introduced as a barback at The Bamboo House of Dolls, but except for some ironic narrative remains undeveloped. I would set an Angel on fire to have a bar like the Bamboo House within walking distance of my flat.

My fave elements of the series have always been the: LA geography lesson, music and film references. The Edut-tainment helps make the books work for me. I typically come away from the books with an album and film 'shopping list'. This book didn’t contain much of that. Except for the Zoo and the Hollywood Hills, there was not much of an L.A. geography lesson. BTW, none of my LA friends have ever heard of a "Little Cairo" neighborhood in LA, the locale of several scenes. There were a few music references. I was unimpressed with them all. Video references were a supernatural provision for describing classic films with alternate actors and directors—movies that never were. Although, I did come away with the previously mentioned Two Lines, No Waiting with both of Stark’s ‘sponsors’ (?) ,Thomas Abbot, the Augur of the Sub Rosa and Samael having a job for him. The A & B plots converge on the ghost of a hustler, B-movie star, of the 70's and a group of wealthy, magic dilettantes in the Hollywood Hills. However, Stark satisfies both and puts a dent in the long-term “War In Heaven” series plotline, without substantially improving his personal situation.

This book was OK. However, it was very much a series ‘placeholder’. It slightly advanced the War In Heaven story arc and shook-up a couple of the series' stalwart characters. However, Stark spent too much time whinging about being a Nephilim vs. human and longing for Candy. I didn't get the impression Kadrey knew where he was going when he wrote this particular episode. In summary, Ballistic Kiss was a readable addition to the series, but not a memorable one. Of note, is that after 14-years of Sandman Slimming, Kadrey will be ending the series with book 12, King Bullet . I’m very curious how he’s going to end about 4000-pages and 14-years of series in only about 350-pages?

At the moment, I’m trying to decide, if I ‘go back’ and read the Hollywood Dead or go forward for King Bullet, the series finale, of which I already have in my TBR.

[Dawn Schiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandman Slim is back! And he's...a ghosthunter? The Augur has Stark trying to exorcise Little Cairo before the ghosts can escape and destroy the city of L.A. On top of that, Samael has him looking for an AWOL angel in the hope she can help to end the war in Heaven.

All of Stark's Sub Rosa and mundane friends are back, with the addition of Janet, a gender-fluid donut shop worker whose life Stark had saved during the invasion of the High Plains Drifters. Between Janet and his old girlfriend Candy, Samael, the Augur, and ghosts, Stark nearly has more than he can handle. AND there's The Zero Lodge, a questionable group that play tag on the freeway, among other fun activities. Oh, and there's a murder from the 1970s to be solved as well...

This is the eleventh book in the Sandman Slim series, and I hope Mr Kadrey writes more. I was hooked on the third page of the first book, when James Stark crawls back to Earth from Hell through a grave in Hollywood Forever cemetery; he's looking for revenge on the coven that sent him Downtown ten years ago.

The series is written in first person from Stark's point of view, and I just can't help but see and hear Bruce Campbell in his Evil Dead days (only with more scars) when I read and re-read this series.

Stark lives in L.A., and if one is familiar with area, it's easy to picture exactly where the action is taking place. The characters are very well written and believable, and encounter plenty of monsters and deities in impossible situations and wild locations.

Start from book one and read through Ballistic Kiss — or read Ballistic Kiss, then start with book one and read Ballistic Kiss again! I'm sure the series will become one of your favorite reads.

#Ballistic Kiss #NetGalley

[Bakertyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series keeps getting weirder in the best possible way.
Even if I don't like it as much as previous books in the series.
The plot follows the tried and true pattern for Sandman Slim... people don't survive long. But I like the shift in the story: Slim becomes more and more human, leaving the stress and pacing of previous books to become a person I can imagine existing. From PTSD to respecting office politics, I really like how this book shifts the story.
But... Janet. Why? I understand why he needs a new love interest, to play on the idea of his past conflicting with his future, and that part of the story is well done. But why the big deal about non-binary? Its half a damn chapter explaining something like a step-mother explaining a controversial subject to a teenager... just, why? You've got non-binary angels and a lesbian couple, I guess we just needed a sitdown to talk about pronouns?
I infinitely prefer how Sarah Gailey handled this in River of Teeth, one person is pan and we're just gonna roll with it. No explanation, they're a human living their life and don't owe anyone an explanation.
Or The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore, homosexuality is such a non-issue its not even discussed; if two people with dicks want to fall in love they just do.
Kadre just introduced this issue in the most afterschool-special way possible.
Besides the most awkward conversation about pronouns in the history of ever, I like where the book leads the overall story. A hard ending with foreshadowing to the next book that seems obvious (?) but I'll guess we'll see soon enough.

**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[the_frat_nanny_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think I can adequately convey how badly my heart hurts giving this book 3 stars. Lots of issues here. First of all the whole pronoun thing. Don't even come for me. I have a gay kid with transgender friends, but this whole non binary thing was so awkward and cringey. I don't think a hell best fighting nephilim would be finding this issue high on the list.
Starks PTSD problems also are very clumsily worked into this book.
Don't get me freaking started on Janet, the entitled, whiny brat. They are a hole reason not to ever pick this series up again. For all I care Kadrey could have killed them off. Fuck Hollywood holds a lot of promise, but I'm not sure she can combat my utter hatred for Janet.

[Schwejd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh

Love this series, but this installment simply didn't measure up. Between Janet's gender issues and the Lodges absurdity, this book felt more like a social or political statement, than dark supernatural fun. Thus far I feel Kadrey's writings have included depth, where this felt shallow, and rushed. One more to go, I hope the next one is better.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 2 out of 5]

As average as ever, but with the extra-special addition of Janet, a new love interest that makes no sense whatsoever for Stark.

Stark rebounds from Candy with Janet from the local Donut shop. Janet starts out uninteresting, then states they're non-binary in a super awkward outing to Stark. They later confess they've suffered from mental conditions since childhood, and boom! Kadrey has served a soup sandwich. To continue us down Nonsensical Avenue, Stark keeps saying he's not sure what he's doing with Janet, he didn't want to get involved with someone else, etc. etc. ... but then he's super protective of Janet and drops everything to run to their rescue.

wt everloving f?

What's the rest of the book about? Stark gets mixed up with a(nother) weird death cult, and the whole thing is just meh. And we lose another beloved character - one of the few remaining likeable ones. Boo x 1M.

Why do authors turn a cool character and concept into a waste of pages? Oh well. There's only the series finale left, King Bullet.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Stark aka Sandman Slim is back in Ballistic Kiss, the eleventh installment in the Sandman Sim paranormal noir detective series by Richard Kadrey and it’s all kinds of fun. Stark is trying to readjust to life in LA when he is recruited to clear out a ghost infestation in Little Cairo. It seems like an easy job but these ghosts are not only destructive, normal magic doesn’t work on them. Instead, he must find what’s keeping them here which may take some time - time he doesn’t have much of - the ghosts are being contained for now but, if they manage to break out, all hell could break loose...literally.

But it’s not all bad for Stark. He’s started a new relationship with Janet, the gender-fluid waitress at his favourite coffee shop. Trouble is, she’s a member of The Zero Lodge, an extreme death cult. Despite Stark’s warnings, she refuses to quit so he’s forced to join to protect her, a move that could be even more dangerous than those rampaging ghosts.

Sandman Slim is the kind of series that always manages to keep the reader entertained and wanting more and Ballistic Kiss is no exception. It’s peopled with unique characters, both old and new, a storyline that sucks the reader in quickly, and plenty of action to keep the pages turning furiously. Definitely a high recommendation for both fans of the series and for people who have never read it before but enjoy paranormal noir, you’re in for a real treat.

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Keroro · Rating 2 out of 5]

"When You're trying to hold off a hellbeast you better have something bigger than a meadball sub. Especially if it happens to be Your only weapon.
I mean, this isn't even a good sandwich. A good meatball sub should be hard to hold"

Bought that masterpiece yesterday for $29 at B&N three days before it's official release, read half of it yesterday night. Very slow beginning, not very well connected to previous part, the same characters Candy, Alesse, Janet, Allegra ... all women characters ... lol Anyway, not going to spoil it here, three points ...

Update: reduced score to two points ... lol ...

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, the plot felt a touch thinner that I'm used to with Kadrey in this series, but hot damn, the way he juggles all the characters and the interrelationships? Masterful.

And the end, that I listened to this morning walking the dog, had me tearing up and put a lump in my throat.

Damn you, Kadrey.

Damn you.

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't write reviews very often. I was incredibly disappointed with this book. I've enjoyed basically all the past sandman slim books, but the non-binary thing in this one just broke my brain. By the end of it, i was replacing every "they" or "them" in reference to Janet with "she" or "her" just so that i could actually make sense of what was happening. It was incredibly jarring, and continually pulled me out of the story. I'd get the actions of characters mixed up and confused on a regular basis when janet was involved and have to go back and re-read to figure out what was actually happening, replacing pronouns so i could actually parse what was happening to one person vs a potential group of people in the scene at the time. I have no issues with someone who's non-binary, but when the implementation of such a character is A: so goddamn unlikable (seriously, she's such a whiny shitty person with no real regard for anyone other than herself), and B: so clunky as to make reading the rest of the story actually more difficult, it's bad writing straight-up. It felt like Kadrey trying to push his political agenda, but doing it with so little nuance that it just hurts to read. The way meds were handled in this book also bothered me. Allegra "prescribes" stark a benzodiazepine drug known to be incredibly addictive, and literally a line later says "You're an addict, you need the help". Right, so prescribing an addict with another substance known to be incredibly addictive (without even mentioning to said addict that the substance in question is incredibly addictive) because he doesn't need more "magic" in his life makes perfect sense. The book in general just felt poorly researched and very ham-fisted. Don't know if i'll be picking up the last one when it comes out, which is a shame, considering how much i enjoyed the ones before.

[Sonia Almeida Dias (Peixinho de Prata) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I start with a disclaimer, saying I am a big fan of this series. And maybe because of this, and being used to a certain pattern, I did not enjoy this book as much as the previous ones.

James Stark is the monster that kills monsters. He is fast, he is impulsive and he does not overthink his every actions. Which was what happened in this book. His inner dialogue was boring, his second guessing himself about everything was boring, and his relationship with Janet was boring.

The first chapters of the book were difficult to go through, but then the story picked up and I was able to enjoy it. I am anxious to see what the future holds for Sandman Slim, but a bit afraid that the good days are over.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover blurb mentions that this is the penultimate book in the Sandman Slim series. This is sad both because it's such a great series and because this is one of the beat books in the series. Sandman Slim is still working on his relationship with Candy, still recovering his humanity, and rediscovering his empathy as he struggles to overcome his years in Hell. He has become a mythic hero over the course of the books. The secondary characters are all present, with a couple of surprises along the way. All in all, one of the best mysteries of the series, and a great outing for James Stark. I both dread and can't wait for the final book

[David Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was torn between a 3 and a 4 rating on this one.

Stark seems to be gaining a conscience. I liked him better as a complete hard-ass (with an emphasis on the word ASS), but I guess he's evolving...and the story amused me. So 4 it is!

[Fábio Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's one of the best Fantasy series ever. I can't get tired of James Stark.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid addition to the series. Was Stark more socially awkward in this than usual?!

[Htb2050 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ruined the series lately it seems like this is not the same author who wrote all those previous books at all.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

6.5 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...

The monster that kills monsters has returned to L.A. And he’s never felt more alive—nor more human.

As the war in heaven stretches into its second eternity, Stark is done with angels and devils both—that is until a particular one of each shows up in his living room requesting assistance on behalf of Mr. Muninn. There’s a fallen angel hiding out somewhere in town, and she’s the key to opening heaven to both angels and mortals alike.

Stark gives him a noncommittal nod, then moves on to other business. Namely, that the Augur wants him to deal with a ghost problem. Now, Jimmy has killed angels and humans and everything in between—but it’s been a while since he’s done anything with ghosts. So, he offers his landlord another noncommittal nod, before turning to far more important matters. His love life.

Stark’s love life is fucked. Not only has Candy mostly moved on, but James has gotten involved with his local donut shoppe girl—Janet, the woman he saved from the Hollywood Dead zombie massacre. Stark has high hopes for Janet (assuming he can ever get their pronouns right), if for no other reason than the donut shoppe being the only real constant in his life. Lovers come and go, but donuts—donuts are sacred.

But between the angel, the ghosts, his friends, and what might just be his last chance at love, Stark is overloaded, and feeling his mortality more than ever. He’s even beginning to wish he stayed in Hell.

—

The big guy takes a breath.
“Look, man. I’m just doing my job. Don’t be a dick.”
…
“Come on. We JUST talked about this.”
…
“This is you being a dick again, isn’t it?”

—

Let’s start with the good, shall we? The plot is a good one, with a mystery, a hunt, and an unending supply of things to kill—including, but not limited to: zombies, angels, spirits, assholes, LOTS of assholes. I even liked that Stark actually seemed to make an effort to avoid killing all of them, showing his humanity for possibly the first time in his life. The interactions between Jimmy and his friends were also mostly strong. Although we see less of all of them than I’d’ve liked—and more of Janet.

Not a fan of Janet—and unlike a number of readers, it has nothing to do with their pronouns. Janet is a red flag, one that Stark is quite taken with. This is no surprise, really, as he’s essentially on the rebound, but you’d think his friends might chip in to point out just how toxic their relationship has become. But, as I said, his friends just aren’t around as much. It’s easy to see what Stark sees in Janet. And it can be really hard to see past the surface of someone when they’ve got a body made for sin and a compulsion for removing their clothes and straddling you. Stark is only human, after all, even if it’s sometimes difficult to remember this.

Just to wrap it all up—the ending is okaaaaay, with a good resolution to all events, albeit some interesting and unlikely occurrences that we shan’t get into because of spoilers.

Star showing his humanity is interesting, but I’d say a good turn for the series. Stark obsessing about his love life and throwing parties… well, feel free to try and convince me it’s good as well. I mean, you’re welcome to try, but… it’s unlikely to work. Fortunately, we’re back in L.A., because (a) I hate Richard Kadrey’s imagining of Hell, and (b) there’s nothing the author knows quite like L.A. (which he demonstrates throughout, by writing such colorful and vivid descriptions of the city, and by not really understanding how animals or nature works). And in L.A. we shall remain. For one more book.

Oh, there’s a MAJOR inconsistency found in this book as it pertains to the overarching series. I can’t really get into it (because spoilers), but it involves the use of immortality.

One more book.

TL;DR

The penultimate Sandman Slim novel is… okaaay. Not the strongest, nor the weakest in the set. Some will hate it for Kadrey adopting non-gendered pronouns, others will love it for the same reason. Some will hate it for Stark going shopping and obsessing over his love life, others will enjoy it for Stark showing his humanity. Some will hate Janet for the walking red flag they are, others will love them for… I have no idea, actually. Janet is irredeemable. But Candy’s back. And Vidoq. And Allegra. And Jameson Stark himself. And that should be all you really need. For if you’ve come this far already…—gotta know how it ends, right? I’ve had my own share of issues with the series, but I already have a copy of King Bullet on my bookshelf that I can’t wait to dig into.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

You ever read a book, especially as part of a series, and have the feeling the author is setting you up for a further story, an ending? It's done in movie series all the time. That is how this felt, even with the sad knowledge that this much-enjoyed series is in fact coming to an end. I didn't love the first half of the book, possibly because it got tiresome with the reflections on his love life and a new somewhat predictable relationship, but it picked up steam, and like some fantasy knitter Kadrey starts tying off loose ends, arranging things to set us up for some grand finale. A few times you could predict certain events, but I won't say what to avoid spoilers. Even some of the fights seemed lamer than Kadrey's usual fare. Still, I love Sandman Slim and don't relish the thought of this crazy ride screeching to a halt, no doubt a bloody violent one at that, but another part of me is screaming to "Bring it on!"