What do you think?
Rate this book
Simon Canderous #3
Dead Matter
Shaking up the spirits of Manhattan The spirit populace of Manhattan doesn't appreciate its well-deserved RIP being disturbed, and Department of Extraordinary Affairs Agent Simon Canderous is sent in to do damage control. Meanwhile, his vacationing partner, Connor Christos, is in a sorry state, and he tells Simon that each night he's being haunted by visions of his long-lost brother at his window. Simon is worried that his partner may be going crazy-or worse, maybe he's not...
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2010
18 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
Anton Strout
33 books314 followersWhen not plotting against his mortal enemy Patrick Rothfuss, Anton Strout is the author of the Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for Ace Books including
Dead To Me, Deader Still, Dead Matter and Dead Waters.
His new series with Ace Books is entitled The Spellmason Chronicles. Alchemystic is first in the series, followed by Stonecast and the upcoming Incarnate .
He is also the host and curator of content for The Once & Future Podcast, a weekly show that focuses on discussions with other working writers.
His other writing has appeared in a variety of anthologies—some of which include Simon Canderous tie-in stories—including: Boondocks Fantasy, The Dimension Next Door, A Girl’s Guide to Guns & Monsters, Pandora’s Closet, Spells of the City, and Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies, Spells of the City, Boondocks Fantasy, After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar, and the upcoming Human For A Day .
He currently lives outside New York City in the haunted corn maze that is New Jersey (where nothing paranormal ever really happens, he assures you). In his scant spare time, he is an always writer, sometimes actor, sometimes musician, occasional RPGer, and the world’s most casual and controller-smashing video gamer. He also works in the exciting world of publishing, and yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds.
He can be found lurking the darkened hallways of www.antonstrout.com.
His new series with Ace Books is entitled The Spellmason Chronicles. Alchemystic is first in the series, followed by Stonecast and the upcoming Incarnate .
He is also the host and curator of content for The Once & Future Podcast, a weekly show that focuses on discussions with other working writers.
His other writing has appeared in a variety of anthologies—some of which include Simon Canderous tie-in stories—including: Boondocks Fantasy, The Dimension Next Door, A Girl’s Guide to Guns & Monsters, Pandora’s Closet, Spells of the City, and Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies, Spells of the City, Boondocks Fantasy, After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar, and the upcoming Human For A Day .
He currently lives outside New York City in the haunted corn maze that is New Jersey (where nothing paranormal ever really happens, he assures you). In his scant spare time, he is an always writer, sometimes actor, sometimes musician, occasional RPGer, and the world’s most casual and controller-smashing video gamer. He also works in the exciting world of publishing, and yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds.
He can be found lurking the darkened hallways of www.antonstrout.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 27, 2011
I finished Dead Matter the other night and I have to say that Anton Strout is definitely improving as a writer as this series progresses. With the first book, I thought there were some "debut book/new writer" issues (of which I suffered from myself with my books). Mostly these were things like a little bouncing around and looseness in the plot and a few odd emotional reactions from the characters. Things like an extreme mood swing that wasn't properly motivated, etc. In the second book, the plot issues smoothed out tremendously (although there were a few bumps in the road), and the character things weren't so extreme although I did think Simon Canderous, the main character, got angry too often for extremely minor issues.
The third book is much more solid. The plot (involving vampires, but not the expected way for an urban fantasy) was very straight forward without any odd twists and turns. There were twists and turns, of course, but they didn't feel thrown in. Everything happened for a reason and for a purpose and the actions of the characters were dictated by the plot, so there was no random "Simon goes here for no apparent reason" kinds of things. (OK, there was ONE spot where I felt that three scenes could have been accomplished in just two, but this is minor.) As I said, the plot was tighter in the second, but it was MUCH tighter and fluid in Dead Matter.
But what really impressed me most about this third book was the advancement in the characterizations. The beginning of the book focuses in on Simon and his relationship with his partner Connor. This is what drives the plot forward at first. We also deal with Simon and Jane's relationship. These relationships aren't necessarily complex, but the plot depends on them, whereas in the past two novels the plot didn't. Simon gets angry here, again, but not as extreme and his reasons for getting angry make sense (again, there are one or two places where this slips, but those are rare). This improvement in characterization doesn't just apply to Simon, Connor, and Jane either. The main conflict comes down to one of the Enchancellers named Allorah, and her back story and emotional state are integral to the plot.
In addition, this book has some significant connections to what happened in the second book. So overall, the characters and the plots are getting much more complex, and the writing itself is improving dramatically in each book. I'm looking forward to the fourth novel, Dead Waters, coming at the end of February.
The third book is much more solid. The plot (involving vampires, but not the expected way for an urban fantasy) was very straight forward without any odd twists and turns. There were twists and turns, of course, but they didn't feel thrown in. Everything happened for a reason and for a purpose and the actions of the characters were dictated by the plot, so there was no random "Simon goes here for no apparent reason" kinds of things. (OK, there was ONE spot where I felt that three scenes could have been accomplished in just two, but this is minor.) As I said, the plot was tighter in the second, but it was MUCH tighter and fluid in Dead Matter.
But what really impressed me most about this third book was the advancement in the characterizations. The beginning of the book focuses in on Simon and his relationship with his partner Connor. This is what drives the plot forward at first. We also deal with Simon and Jane's relationship. These relationships aren't necessarily complex, but the plot depends on them, whereas in the past two novels the plot didn't. Simon gets angry here, again, but not as extreme and his reasons for getting angry make sense (again, there are one or two places where this slips, but those are rare). This improvement in characterization doesn't just apply to Simon, Connor, and Jane either. The main conflict comes down to one of the Enchancellers named Allorah, and her back story and emotional state are integral to the plot.
In addition, this book has some significant connections to what happened in the second book. So overall, the characters and the plots are getting much more complex, and the writing itself is improving dramatically in each book. I'm looking forward to the fourth novel, Dead Waters, coming at the end of February.
May 15, 2012
Dead Matter is the third book in Anton Strout’s light urban fantasy series, in which Department of Extraordinary Affairs agent Simon Canderous uses psychometry and a big bat to fight the nasties of New York.
Our story begins with Simon’s partner Connor taking a sabbatical to look for his missing brother, leaving poor Simon to cover twice the workload. Simon eventually manages to slip away for some personal time with his girlfriend (ex-cultist and technomancer Jane). Naturally, given Simon’s luck, Taco Night is interrupted by an angry, lumbering monster with lots of pointy bits.
Pointy monster is just the beginning. Simon, Jane, and Connor slowly uncover a bigger problem — one which puts Simon in the crosshairs of just about everyone, monster and human alike.
I like this series. I like the sense of fun, and there’s much less angst than in your average urban fantasy. (Though sometimes it feels like Strout is trying a little too hard for the funny.) Like the previous two books, this one is a quick read. My only complaint is that the beginning meandered a bit. Taco Night monster seemed like a random encounter, and it took a few chapters to start to get a sense of a larger story.
Dead Matter stands alone pretty well, but you’ll get more out of it if you’ve read the first two books in the series.
Our story begins with Simon’s partner Connor taking a sabbatical to look for his missing brother, leaving poor Simon to cover twice the workload. Simon eventually manages to slip away for some personal time with his girlfriend (ex-cultist and technomancer Jane). Naturally, given Simon’s luck, Taco Night is interrupted by an angry, lumbering monster with lots of pointy bits.
Pointy monster is just the beginning. Simon, Jane, and Connor slowly uncover a bigger problem — one which puts Simon in the crosshairs of just about everyone, monster and human alike.
I like this series. I like the sense of fun, and there’s much less angst than in your average urban fantasy. (Though sometimes it feels like Strout is trying a little too hard for the funny.) Like the previous two books, this one is a quick read. My only complaint is that the beginning meandered a bit. Taco Night monster seemed like a random encounter, and it took a few chapters to start to get a sense of a larger story.
Dead Matter stands alone pretty well, but you’ll get more out of it if you’ve read the first two books in the series.
July 23, 2017
WOW just WOW. The DEA VS the VAMPIRES There will be Blood in the streets of New York the war to end all wars. OH Wait the DEA (well actually just Simon) befriends a group peacenik Vampires. OH WAIT there is a group of Vampires and Humans that don't want to make peace. Can Simon and the peaceniks convince them love is better than war.If you find this blurb kind of lame then you get the picture of the book. No real tension no real excitement no real suspense. The weakest of the three books
February 22, 2021
This Simon Canderous series is what I called tongue-in-cheek and by that I mean a similar roller coaster ride to the Indiana Jones movies or Star Wars. Simon is a wise cracker humorist in dark situations, which he has in common with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is the first time we have encountered vampires in the series, and I do like quirky vampires. I've been enjoying these books and will buy more.
June 12, 2017
Decent addition to the series with a lot of growth with the characters. The book does give descriptions, and background so if you had not read the ones before this one, you would not be lost. Will be reading the next in the series.
January 12, 2019
An interesting, fun story to read. I love how bureaucracy exists in any organization, even magical ones. And the throwback to television shows of my youth was a nice surprise. There's a little bit of everything in this story line. Worth a read.
March 21, 2017
Men In Black style humorous mystery involves werewolves and vampires etc work by the Dept of Extraordinary Affairs
July 19, 2018
audio
Read
November 6, 2019Another great entry in the series. Looking forward to the 4th and final book, though a little sad that the series is coming to an end.
February 19, 2010
Anton Strout's books continue to get better me with each new release. Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series is a fast paced and exciting urban fantasy read. While it is #3 in a series, I think it stands on its own just fine if you absolutely can't read books 1 and 2.
Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, a super secret branch of the government dealing with paranormal activities. The backstory of the agency gives the series a humorous twist as the characters have to face big bad evil guys as well as red tape, paperwork, and stereotypical government shenanigans. Simon was recruited to the D.E.A because of his unique power to see the history and events around objects with the touch of his hand, aka psychometry.
In book 3 Simon's partner, Connor, is on extended vacation leave, forcing Simon to pick up the extra work. A late night call to check out some unusual ghost activity leads Simon to a disturbing discovery, Connor on the edge of madness as he tries to find out what happened to his brother 20 years ago. Dead Matter has Simon reaching out to help his partner only to find himself in the middle of outlandish circumstances and trying to prevent an all out war.
Simon continues to grow as an agent and person in this third installment of the series. We find him questioning the black and white of Good and Bad, looking closer into the shades of gray. It makes him and his story interesting. Connor's subplot surrounding his missing brother gives the storyline a touching boost and made me keep reading even when I thought I would need toothpicks to prop my eyelids up.
Dead Matter introduces us to a creative take on vampires and I really enjoyed their addition to the story. The conflict resolution around their existence in the end seemed a bit too easy for me, but it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story. Actually, it may have piqued my curiousity a bit because now I am curious to see where Mr. Strout takes this new group of characters and how they will fit in later.
Lastly, on a purely selfish note, I was relieved to have less Jane in this book. I am not fond of her and she is one of those characters I love to dislike for completely unfounded reasons. She is otherwise occupied throughout the story and I can't say I missed her.
Overall, Dead Matter starts off with a bang and keeps a fast pace all the way to the end. It is filled with funny lines, dangerous situations, and high action suspense all of which combined to keep me up far past my bed time.
Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, a super secret branch of the government dealing with paranormal activities. The backstory of the agency gives the series a humorous twist as the characters have to face big bad evil guys as well as red tape, paperwork, and stereotypical government shenanigans. Simon was recruited to the D.E.A because of his unique power to see the history and events around objects with the touch of his hand, aka psychometry.
In book 3 Simon's partner, Connor, is on extended vacation leave, forcing Simon to pick up the extra work. A late night call to check out some unusual ghost activity leads Simon to a disturbing discovery, Connor on the edge of madness as he tries to find out what happened to his brother 20 years ago. Dead Matter has Simon reaching out to help his partner only to find himself in the middle of outlandish circumstances and trying to prevent an all out war.
Simon continues to grow as an agent and person in this third installment of the series. We find him questioning the black and white of Good and Bad, looking closer into the shades of gray. It makes him and his story interesting. Connor's subplot surrounding his missing brother gives the storyline a touching boost and made me keep reading even when I thought I would need toothpicks to prop my eyelids up.
Dead Matter introduces us to a creative take on vampires and I really enjoyed their addition to the story. The conflict resolution around their existence in the end seemed a bit too easy for me, but it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story. Actually, it may have piqued my curiousity a bit because now I am curious to see where Mr. Strout takes this new group of characters and how they will fit in later.
Lastly, on a purely selfish note, I was relieved to have less Jane in this book. I am not fond of her and she is one of those characters I love to dislike for completely unfounded reasons. She is otherwise occupied throughout the story and I can't say I missed her.
Overall, Dead Matter starts off with a bang and keeps a fast pace all the way to the end. It is filled with funny lines, dangerous situations, and high action suspense all of which combined to keep me up far past my bed time.
April 10, 2010
I happened upon Simon rather accidentally. A huge fan of Jim Butcher, I was in between Dresden books when I decided to search out similar books. I found Anton Strout's first Simon book and instantly became a huge fan. Because of that, I couldn't wait to read Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout...and I wasn't disappointed.
This time, Simon, an agent with New York's super-secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, has had the training wheels removed. His partner and mentor, Conner Christos, is on an extended leave of absence...making Simon fight all the major baddies in the city, and even worse, forcing him to tackle the monster-load of paperwork all by his lonesome. He's overworked. Exhausted. And just looking forward to spending Taco Night with his hot little girlfriend and ex-cultist Jane. But he just can't seem to get a break. While shopping at his local grocery store (trying to figure out the perfect kind of cheese...loved that), he's attacked by a strange, nearly impervious (but with a distinct allergy to garlic) creature who tears the place apart. Leaving Simon and his superiors wondering what in the world is going on.
To make matters worse, his partner is stirring up a hornets nest in his search for his long lost brother. The ghostly population of New York are peeved that Conner, now nearly insane with obsession, has been knocking down local haunts trying to get answers. As Simon tries to help his friend, he stumbles on an even greater mystery that ties the two events together in a major way.
While Dead Matter doesn't seem as epic as the other two books in the series, this is the first one where I really felt like Simon's character had finally matured to a full three dimensional character. When he finds his power blocked at every turn during his investigation, he is required to do some quick thinking that shows a greater depth to his character. And don't get me started about his sense of humor! I can't tell you the number of times I laughed out loud as I read through this fantastic fantasy in a breeze! It truly is a very witty, humorous book.
In addition, Strout outdoes himself with creatively designed vampires, bringing back to their non-sparkly selves, as well as just a great all around mystery to try to solve yourself. If you haven't read a Simon Canderous novel, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. I envy you actually...you are about to embark on a wonderful new adventure.
This time, Simon, an agent with New York's super-secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, has had the training wheels removed. His partner and mentor, Conner Christos, is on an extended leave of absence...making Simon fight all the major baddies in the city, and even worse, forcing him to tackle the monster-load of paperwork all by his lonesome. He's overworked. Exhausted. And just looking forward to spending Taco Night with his hot little girlfriend and ex-cultist Jane. But he just can't seem to get a break. While shopping at his local grocery store (trying to figure out the perfect kind of cheese...loved that), he's attacked by a strange, nearly impervious (but with a distinct allergy to garlic) creature who tears the place apart. Leaving Simon and his superiors wondering what in the world is going on.
To make matters worse, his partner is stirring up a hornets nest in his search for his long lost brother. The ghostly population of New York are peeved that Conner, now nearly insane with obsession, has been knocking down local haunts trying to get answers. As Simon tries to help his friend, he stumbles on an even greater mystery that ties the two events together in a major way.
While Dead Matter doesn't seem as epic as the other two books in the series, this is the first one where I really felt like Simon's character had finally matured to a full three dimensional character. When he finds his power blocked at every turn during his investigation, he is required to do some quick thinking that shows a greater depth to his character. And don't get me started about his sense of humor! I can't tell you the number of times I laughed out loud as I read through this fantastic fantasy in a breeze! It truly is a very witty, humorous book.
In addition, Strout outdoes himself with creatively designed vampires, bringing back to their non-sparkly selves, as well as just a great all around mystery to try to solve yourself. If you haven't read a Simon Canderous novel, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. I envy you actually...you are about to embark on a wonderful new adventure.
February 19, 2010
When an outbreak of ghost sightings happen in NYC, Simon is left to deal with it on his own because Connor has taken all his vacation time and disappeared. Simon finally catches up with Connor and realizes he’s close to loosing his sanity due to nightmares plaguing him. On top of the ghosts, there have been sightings of a new type of monster, one that almost threatens Jane & Simon’s Taco Night. Well, they come across this monster while grocery shopping for Taco Night. In the third installment of the Simon Canderous series, we finally get to find out what happened to Connor’s older brother. At age 14, Aidan disappeared during a beach trip with his family, Connor was only 12. At the end of the last book, the hopes of Connor ever finding Aidan were pretty slim. It’s also been 777 days since the D of EA’s last vampire sighting, but that doesn’t mean Enchancellor Allorah Daniel’s is giving up on hunting them into extinction.
This is Anton Strout’s BEST Simon novel yet.
I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want it to end, knowing that Anton’s releases are once a year (every February) kept me from staying up all night to devour Dead Matter. There are all sorts of new characters, that I am dying to know more about in upcoming novels from Brandon to Nicolas. The movies playing in the LoveCraft Cafe, brilliantly played! (hint hint) And the laughs keep coming with references to 90210. There was one particular line that had me actually laughing out loud, which is rare in UF:
“David Matthews,” he said.
I raised one eyebrow.
“Please don’t tell me me the Dave Matthews Band is immortal or something…although that would explain why they play so well together.”
Not only does Anton provide the perfect amount of snark in Simon but the action in this book is non-stop, so much so Simon is at risk of loosing his job with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. Of course Simon’s trusty bat makes a few appearances, especially when Jane gets it upgraded as a gift. Speaking of Jane, she has her own issues to deal with in Dead Matter so we don’t see much of her but enough of her to know that Simon does love her and she’s around for the long haul.
If you haven’t read a Simon Canderous novel yet, you are seriously missing out on one of the greatest series around. I’m just sayin’.
This is Anton Strout’s BEST Simon novel yet.
I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want it to end, knowing that Anton’s releases are once a year (every February) kept me from staying up all night to devour Dead Matter. There are all sorts of new characters, that I am dying to know more about in upcoming novels from Brandon to Nicolas. The movies playing in the LoveCraft Cafe, brilliantly played! (hint hint) And the laughs keep coming with references to 90210. There was one particular line that had me actually laughing out loud, which is rare in UF:
“David Matthews,” he said.
I raised one eyebrow.
“Please don’t tell me me the Dave Matthews Band is immortal or something…although that would explain why they play so well together.”
Not only does Anton provide the perfect amount of snark in Simon but the action in this book is non-stop, so much so Simon is at risk of loosing his job with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. Of course Simon’s trusty bat makes a few appearances, especially when Jane gets it upgraded as a gift. Speaking of Jane, she has her own issues to deal with in Dead Matter so we don’t see much of her but enough of her to know that Simon does love her and she’s around for the long haul.
If you haven’t read a Simon Canderous novel yet, you are seriously missing out on one of the greatest series around. I’m just sayin’.
February 24, 2010
After being surprised by some unknown creature while grocery shopping for Taco Night with Jane, Simon realizes there is something fishy going up in town [again.:] And with Connor having certain visions at night and being in such a deplorable state, Simon begins to worry. Thinking that his partner is loosing his marbles, he decides to go and do some researching [and spying:] on his own. From that moment on, action ensues and all sorts of surprises come to light. What happened to Connor and his brother all those years ago finally is explained; and after quite some time of not seeing vampires in New York City, our dear Simon is up for a shocker that will turn his life around.
With a beginning that deludes us into thinking that things might get easier for our lovely hero, Simon Canderous, but Anton Strout is quick to erase that notion. Starting with a “BANG,’ the book keeps going that way with good pace, and never disappoints. We can see how much better Mr. Strout’s writing has gotten, making Dead Matter his best book by far!
Here we get into Simon’s head more than before, knowing more about him, and how he has grown to be such a responsible man. This, without getting rid of the wittiness and snark that characterizes him, and keeping up the humor at all times. We also get to meet a lot of new characters that make the story even more enthralling. Furthermore, Connor's weakness comes to light, and due to some mishaps, Jane does not appear much in the story. Though the fact that their love is enough to conquer it all shines through with no cheesiness.
I can safely say that flirting with the guy in Costumer Service at B&N, to get Dead Matter the day before it came out, was totally worth it. I kept reading all night even when my PM medicine was knocking me out, and sneaked the book into my Italian class to finish it. This book exceeded all my expectations and, like I said, it is the best one so far. It kept me laughing most of the time, and if not, it was because I kept biting my nails wondering what was going to happen. Loved the book, and love Simon even more now! *grin*
With a beginning that deludes us into thinking that things might get easier for our lovely hero, Simon Canderous, but Anton Strout is quick to erase that notion. Starting with a “BANG,’ the book keeps going that way with good pace, and never disappoints. We can see how much better Mr. Strout’s writing has gotten, making Dead Matter his best book by far!
Here we get into Simon’s head more than before, knowing more about him, and how he has grown to be such a responsible man. This, without getting rid of the wittiness and snark that characterizes him, and keeping up the humor at all times. We also get to meet a lot of new characters that make the story even more enthralling. Furthermore, Connor's weakness comes to light, and due to some mishaps, Jane does not appear much in the story. Though the fact that their love is enough to conquer it all shines through with no cheesiness.
I can safely say that flirting with the guy in Costumer Service at B&N, to get Dead Matter the day before it came out, was totally worth it. I kept reading all night even when my PM medicine was knocking me out, and sneaked the book into my Italian class to finish it. This book exceeded all my expectations and, like I said, it is the best one so far. It kept me laughing most of the time, and if not, it was because I kept biting my nails wondering what was going to happen. Loved the book, and love Simon even more now! *grin*
May 23, 2011
This paranormal series has been called "Harry Dresden in a government job." Simon Canderous is employed by the Department of Extraordinary Affairs as a 'psychometrist' who can tell the history of this object by touching it. The initial scene shows Strout's humor.
...I'm facing the "the hardest decision of my life.
"Choose, Simon," my ex-cultist-turned-girlfriend Jane said in a stern tone.
"I..I can't."
"For God's sake" she said, giving me a gentle swat to my arm. It's cheese.. how hard can it be to pick a cheese?"
But even their believed Taco Night gets spoiled by a monster who's strangely allergic to garlic. And writing the report is even worse than facing the monster.
Simon is covering for his partner, Connor Christos, who's taken vacation, and is buried in mounds of paperwork. But Connor is not relaxing--he's searching for his long-lost brother by disturbing ghosts. Simon settles down the ghosts, but Connor is still far from well,almost unhinged as he talks about an nightly apparition at his window who looks like his brother.
Tracking down the apparition leads Simon and Jane to a building which isn't on New York maps. I loved the way the building's owners and purpose had been buried in red tape forever.
I liked it that the themes of the book came together, although
the supernatural violence scenes felt repetitive. Jane disappears and helps with her own rescue, making her not the helpless girlfriend type.
At the climax of the book Simon's powers are earthshaking, grown far beyond what he needed for simple thievery. He's a hero that I will enjoy seeing much more of.
...I'm facing the "the hardest decision of my life.
"Choose, Simon," my ex-cultist-turned-girlfriend Jane said in a stern tone.
"I..I can't."
"For God's sake" she said, giving me a gentle swat to my arm. It's cheese.. how hard can it be to pick a cheese?"
But even their believed Taco Night gets spoiled by a monster who's strangely allergic to garlic. And writing the report is even worse than facing the monster.
Simon is covering for his partner, Connor Christos, who's taken vacation, and is buried in mounds of paperwork. But Connor is not relaxing--he's searching for his long-lost brother by disturbing ghosts. Simon settles down the ghosts, but Connor is still far from well,almost unhinged as he talks about an nightly apparition at his window who looks like his brother.
Tracking down the apparition leads Simon and Jane to a building which isn't on New York maps. I loved the way the building's owners and purpose had been buried in red tape forever.
I liked it that the themes of the book came together, although
the supernatural violence scenes felt repetitive. Jane disappears and helps with her own rescue, making her not the helpless girlfriend type.
At the climax of the book Simon's powers are earthshaking, grown far beyond what he needed for simple thievery. He's a hero that I will enjoy seeing much more of.
March 5, 2010
Any Simon Canderous novel is always a fun read. The detective has a wonderful balance of snark, pop culture and hero to not only keep me interested, but keep me laughing. Not to mention he is like the Timex of Urban Fantasy – he takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Speaking from experience with the amount of head trauma the poor man has suffered, it is amazing he remembers his own name! Although he might just be using his psychometry to fill in the blank spots.
His main strengths are his ability to read the history of objects (aforementioned psychometry), his extendable bat, his pop culture knowledge and – in a pinch – using his ability on living people to knock them out. Of course this usually means he is knocking himself out, but all in a days work for the Department of Extraordinary Affairs.
This book tackles not only the undead but also the history of the Department. This time it is not Simon’s past coming back to bite him in the ass, it is the Department’s. Literally. Did I mention undead?
Like Simon, I too miss the glory days of Buffy and Angel, and this book definitely has the feel of that sort of story. The feel and tone of the Whedonverse was something that I was finding at every turn. If you are a Whedon zombie, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. If you have not read the first to, start with Dead to Me and Deader Still first. You will not be disappointed. You will likely do what I have done and pick up several anthologies where Anton has included short stories relating to this series. All are fun filled reads.
His main strengths are his ability to read the history of objects (aforementioned psychometry), his extendable bat, his pop culture knowledge and – in a pinch – using his ability on living people to knock them out. Of course this usually means he is knocking himself out, but all in a days work for the Department of Extraordinary Affairs.
This book tackles not only the undead but also the history of the Department. This time it is not Simon’s past coming back to bite him in the ass, it is the Department’s. Literally. Did I mention undead?
Like Simon, I too miss the glory days of Buffy and Angel, and this book definitely has the feel of that sort of story. The feel and tone of the Whedonverse was something that I was finding at every turn. If you are a Whedon zombie, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. If you have not read the first to, start with Dead to Me and Deader Still first. You will not be disappointed. You will likely do what I have done and pick up several anthologies where Anton has included short stories relating to this series. All are fun filled reads.
April 28, 2010
Out of the three current Simon Canderous novels, I have to say this is the strongest and most entertaining. They're all solidly fun books, of course, but this one had the best balance of crazy shenanigans with interesting and serious themes involving humans co-existing with the supernatural.
The story picks up a few months after the events of the previous novel, when Connor is on extended vacation to follow leads to try and find his missing brother. Not only does Simon gets mixed up in the ongoing mystery of Aidan, but there's a new monster that pops up while he's grocery shopping with Jane to also contend with (plus all the paperwork). There was a great balance between the different plots, and it was nice to see some of the ongoing questions of the series get answered along the way.
It felt like the goofy humor that was so dominant in the first book has been toned down by this point. The book was still very full of humor, but it felt a little less full of gags, giving room for some more serious tones. I really enjoyed this, and it's been neat to watch this series evolve. Looking forward to more!
The story picks up a few months after the events of the previous novel, when Connor is on extended vacation to follow leads to try and find his missing brother. Not only does Simon gets mixed up in the ongoing mystery of Aidan, but there's a new monster that pops up while he's grocery shopping with Jane to also contend with (plus all the paperwork). There was a great balance between the different plots, and it was nice to see some of the ongoing questions of the series get answered along the way.
It felt like the goofy humor that was so dominant in the first book has been toned down by this point. The book was still very full of humor, but it felt a little less full of gags, giving room for some more serious tones. I really enjoyed this, and it's been neat to watch this series evolve. Looking forward to more!
December 29, 2014
Deader Still by Anton Strout is the third book in the Simon Canderous series. Based in New York City, the series revolves around reformed thief Simon, trying to use his power of psychometry (the ability to learn about an object's past via touch) for good by joining the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. The DEA has been set up to protect NY citizens from the supernatural, and to hide the supernatural from ordinary beings. Simon finds his power a mixed blessing, as touching objects and people often leads to debilitating and unwanted visions. He is mentored by Connor, his supervisor at the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, and his girl friend Jane, a previous cultist. Anton Strout has really hit his stride in Dead Matter. The writing is witty, the plot moves along briskly, and the supporting characters show more depth and personality. The plot of Dead Matter revolves around the search for Connor's brother, who disappeared as a child. Simon & Jane try to help Connor , while battling some strange monsters and lots of red tape. As usual, laugh-out-loud moments abound. Simon's world is intriguing and beautifully described. Great fun.
August 17, 2010
[Full disclosure: I know Mr. Strout.]
Dead Matter is Anton Strout's third book in the Simon Canderous series, and they simply keep getting better. This time, Simon must face an ancient, terrible threat... but without the support of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs.
The story is fast-paced and fun. The jokes feel natural, the humor a part of the character's everyday lives. The problems that Simon faces are organic to the plot - and he can't always count on his powers (or his friend's abilities) to save the day. This definitely gives this book a more tense feel, which works very well. Mr. Strout also twists existing myths and monsters very well, both tying up loose threads introduced in the earlier novels and creating a new, fresh take on an otherwise overused Big Bad.
From an aborted Taco Night to a touching conclusion, I can definitely recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy (or a host of TV shows like Buffy, Paranormal, or the X-Files that fall in the same genre).
Dead Matter is Anton Strout's third book in the Simon Canderous series, and they simply keep getting better. This time, Simon must face an ancient, terrible threat... but without the support of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs.
The story is fast-paced and fun. The jokes feel natural, the humor a part of the character's everyday lives. The problems that Simon faces are organic to the plot - and he can't always count on his powers (or his friend's abilities) to save the day. This definitely gives this book a more tense feel, which works very well. Mr. Strout also twists existing myths and monsters very well, both tying up loose threads introduced in the earlier novels and creating a new, fresh take on an otherwise overused Big Bad.
From an aborted Taco Night to a touching conclusion, I can definitely recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy (or a host of TV shows like Buffy, Paranormal, or the X-Files that fall in the same genre).
February 5, 2017
Terrific read!
This story was a fun ride from beginning to end! I will have to see if I missed the first book or two, as there were many references to things and people before this story.
The characters, dialogue, and plot were all well thought out and executed.
I found many of the interesting enough, I hope they will be included in future stories.
My only criticism is the cavalier attitude the main character took toward, what was immediately obvious to the reader, a serious threat.
Both his sarcasm, and his consistent denial seemed both silly and juvenile. I also found his lack of interest, and failure to ask questions about a former, (maybe), adversary odd. He had an opportunity few, if any had ever had before, and failed to take advantage of it.
These are fairly minor issues though, and took little from the enjoyment of the story.
I am off now to see if I missed any previous books.
I recommend this book, and will update if I find there is another book that was first in the series.
Happy reading!
This story was a fun ride from beginning to end! I will have to see if I missed the first book or two, as there were many references to things and people before this story.
The characters, dialogue, and plot were all well thought out and executed.
I found many of the interesting enough, I hope they will be included in future stories.
My only criticism is the cavalier attitude the main character took toward, what was immediately obvious to the reader, a serious threat.
Both his sarcasm, and his consistent denial seemed both silly and juvenile. I also found his lack of interest, and failure to ask questions about a former, (maybe), adversary odd. He had an opportunity few, if any had ever had before, and failed to take advantage of it.
These are fairly minor issues though, and took little from the enjoyment of the story.
I am off now to see if I missed any previous books.
I recommend this book, and will update if I find there is another book that was first in the series.
Happy reading!
April 8, 2011
Another fun ride. Lots of funny pop culture references without being too kitchy (ok, maybe a tiny bit, Mr. Brandon Walsh, but I chuckled). Even though Simon and Jane sometimes seem painfully young to me, that's more about me than them and in fact reflect a bit of the realistm of their portrayal. And despite the sometimes silly nature of the story and the constant banter, there's always something going on that I relate to, whether dealing with their first serious relationship, work pressures, or trying to figure out which cheese to choose for taco night. That's clearly the tone the author is going for, that genuine human connection told through the fantastic adventure and humor, as in Buffy or Angel (frequently referred to in the books). He doesn't reach the depths of emotion of the best of the Buffys, but neither did Joss every week. Nevertheless, these books are always fun for me, a very worthwhile achievement in and of itself.
April 11, 2010
Has it been that long since I updated my books? Oops!
Simon Canderous seems to have a handle on his psychometry (the ability to read the history of an object through touch) but then a fancy new mall electronically eats his girlfriend. The attack was an effort to keep hidden a centuries old secret. The bad news is the Simon doesn't like secrets, especially ones that suck Jane into their electrodes. Things get a lot more complicated when Simon's mentor is slowly going crazy, thinking he keeps seeing the ghost of his older brother, who disappeared as a teenager. Turns out, the brother isn't a ghost. He's a vampire.
I really like this series. Why? Because I like urban fantasy that doesn't stoop to gratuitous sex scenes. Yes, there's language but no nudity is a big plus in my book.
Simon Canderous seems to have a handle on his psychometry (the ability to read the history of an object through touch) but then a fancy new mall electronically eats his girlfriend. The attack was an effort to keep hidden a centuries old secret. The bad news is the Simon doesn't like secrets, especially ones that suck Jane into their electrodes. Things get a lot more complicated when Simon's mentor is slowly going crazy, thinking he keeps seeing the ghost of his older brother, who disappeared as a teenager. Turns out, the brother isn't a ghost. He's a vampire.
I really like this series. Why? Because I like urban fantasy that doesn't stoop to gratuitous sex scenes. Yes, there's language but no nudity is a big plus in my book.
June 12, 2013
Dead Matter is the third book in the Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout. Overall, it was entertaining, worth reading, and just missed being exceptional. One unexpected strength of Dead Matter is the plot, including the mystery. Too often, in fantasy billed as comedic, the plot or mystery suffers. Not so here. Anton Strout is an excellent story crafter, and his talent shines throughout. The setting is also strong: imagine Ghostbusters meets Dilbert. In this case, Simon works as a psychometrist (reading object histories) for the New York City Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, an organization so wrapped up in red tape it’s amazing anyone can ever get out in the field to fight the Forces of Darkness. The main characters, too, especially Simon Canderous and his girlfriend Jane, are interesting enough to carry the ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
April 6, 2010
This is the third book in the series following Simon Canderous, psychometrist and investigator for NYC's Dept of Extraordinary Affairs. The writing is stronger and the pace less frenetic than previous installments but it's still a light, quick read.
This time Simon, Connor, and Jane have to deal with vampires who have been living in a specially-created haven in the middle of NYC. Now it's up to the team of 3 to hold back a vampire-hating Exchancellor and a human-hating vampire from starting a war. Throw in some prophecy and technomancy and you have this fun little read. I'm glad to see the characters and writing getting better (though the dialogue is still kinda cheesy).
This time Simon, Connor, and Jane have to deal with vampires who have been living in a specially-created haven in the middle of NYC. Now it's up to the team of 3 to hold back a vampire-hating Exchancellor and a human-hating vampire from starting a war. Throw in some prophecy and technomancy and you have this fun little read. I'm glad to see the characters and writing getting better (though the dialogue is still kinda cheesy).
December 2, 2015
Well, in spite of my misgivings about the earlier books in the series I have stuck with it.Basically my problem has alwaysbeen with the writing style- I struggled to immerse myself in the world of Simon Cabderous because I felt the writing got in the way and the odd clumsy phrase dumped eback into reality. The actual ideas and story have always been interesting
With this book I have to admit that Anton Strout's writing has taken a leap forward - much more immersivve and natural as a narrator. I genuinely enjoyed thisand can see why a lot of people like the series. To be honest, and I would rarely say this, I'd be tempted to recommend new readers to start with this one.
With this book I have to admit that Anton Strout's writing has taken a leap forward - much more immersivve and natural as a narrator. I genuinely enjoyed thisand can see why a lot of people like the series. To be honest, and I would rarely say this, I'd be tempted to recommend new readers to start with this one.
March 15, 2012
I wound up liking this, despite my earlier snit about romantic relationships getting in the way.
I think it was the pissy, snarky vampires that swayed me. I'm mean, a vampire basically throwing a huge, destructive hissy-fit over salad bits on his Armani make it a win for me. I basically have a crush on Vampire Nicholas now. He and Godfrey should be introduced; they could take over the world together if they looked up from their pet projects long enough.
I do so love a story with good secondary characters.
I think it was the pissy, snarky vampires that swayed me. I'm mean, a vampire basically throwing a huge, destructive hissy-fit over salad bits on his Armani make it a win for me. I basically have a crush on Vampire Nicholas now. He and Godfrey should be introduced; they could take over the world together if they looked up from their pet projects long enough.
I do so love a story with good secondary characters.
March 5, 2010
this is the third book in the simon canderous series by anton strout and the action just keeps continuing at the torrid pace he set with the first two novels. simon and his group come up again the possibility that vampires may not be in hiding, but rather just biding their time. simon's partner continues his search for his missing brother while simon's girlfriend goes missing. all the while they come against a group of vampires that have been living under their noses for years. all in all another great read from strout.
February 12, 2010
This would have been a fabulous book if the author had not overloaded it with nonsensical claptrap like naming a paranormal investigation department "The Department of Things That Go Bump In The Night," and giving his British Department head a ridiculously ethnic name like "Argyle." And can someone explain to me why Simon's girlfriend Jane, who can communicate with technology, suddenly can't "handle" a card reader that's blocking their entrance into a building?? Sloppy story-telling man, plain and simple.
September 30, 2011
I'm realling enjoying this series, with Simon Canderous being a not so macho crime fighter. It is funny without being a try hard and in this installment there were vampires. Creepy ones, ones that are supposedly friendly and they all look to Simon as their saviour. A lot of fun and I have the next one ready to go as well so straight on with that. Yippee!!
September 7, 2012
Poor Jane. Okay, poor Simon, too. At least they get to save New York City even if Simon took a side trip to prison. Lots of action and lots of fun snark although Simon should put a sock in it more often, especially when dealing with bad guys who are about to hurt him fifty ways to Sunday.
April 20, 2015
I really liked the idea of the arcology. I would have liked to have seen more of Simin's training with his psychometric skills though; he kept referring to past training and indicating there was more to learn, but instead, whenever he used it, it seemed to be at a static level.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews