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Lucifer Box #2
The Devil in Amber
Lucifer Box - the gorgeous butterfly of King Bertie's reign, portraitist, dandy and terribly good secret agent - is feeling his age. Assigned to observe the activities of fascist leader Olympus Mons and his fanatical Amber Shirts in a snow-bound 1920s New York, Box finds himself framed for a vicious murder. Using all his native cunning, Box escapes aboard a vessel bound for England armed only with a Broadway midget's suitcase and a string of unanswered questions. What lies hidden in the bleak Norfolk convent of St Bede? What is 'the lamb' that Olympus Mons searches for in his bid for world domination? And what has all this to do with a medieval prayer intended to summon the Devil himself? From the glittering sophistication of Art Deco Manhattan to the eerie Norfolk coast and the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland The Devil in Amber takes us on a thrilling ride that pits Lucifer Box against the most lethal adversary of his career : the Prince of Darkness himself.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
56 people are currently reading
1300 people want to read
About the author
Mark Gatiss
144 books783 followersMark Gatiss (born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock.
Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Gatiss has written three episodes for the 2005-revived BBC television series Doctor Who. His first, "The Unquiet Dead", aired on 9 April 2005; the second, "The Idiot's Lantern", aired on 27 May 2006 as part of the second series. In addition, Gatiss was the narrator for the 2006 season of documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, additionally appearing as an on-screen presenter in the edition devoted to his episode. Gatiss did not contribute a script to the third series, but appeared in the episode "The Lazarus Experiment", as Professor Lazarus. After his submitted script for the fourth series, involving Nazis and the British Museum, was replaced at the last minute with "The Fires of Pompeii", he eventually returned to the programme in 2010, writing the (also World War II-themed) episode "Victory of the Daleks" for the fifth series, in which he also appears uncredited as the voice of "Danny Boy". It has also been confirmed that Gatiss will be writing an episode for the 2011 season of Doctor Who, although details about the story are yet to be revealed.[19]
Gatiss wrote an episode of Sherlock, a modern day Sherlock Holmes series co-produced by him and Steven Moffat. The unaired pilot was shot in January 2009 and a full series was commissioned. This was aired in August 2010 and consisted of 3 episodes. Gatiss also starred in these as Holmes' older brother Mycroft. A second series has been confirmed, but dates have yet to be decided, since both Gatiss and Moffatt have additional commitments.[20]
Gatiss also wrote and performed the comedy sketches The Web of Caves, The Kidnappers and The Pitch of Fear for the BBC's "Doctor Who Night" in 1999 with Little Britain's David Walliams, and played the Master in the Doctor Who Unbound play Sympathy for the Devil under the name "Sam Kisgart", a pseudonym he later used for a column in Doctor Who Magazine. (The pseudonym is an anagram of "Mark Gatiss", a nod to Anthony Ainley, who was sometimes credited under an anagram to conceal the Master's identity from the viewers.) The pseudonym was used again in television listings magazines when he appeared in episode four of Psychoville, so as not to spoil his surprise appearance in advance.
In mainstream print, Gatiss is responsible for an acclaimed biography of the film director James Whale. His first non-Doctor Who novel, The Vesuvius Club, was published in 2004, for which he was nominated in the category of Best Newcomer in the 2006 British Book Awards. A follow up, The Devil in Amber, was released on 6 November 2006. It transports the main character, Lucifer Box, from the Edwardian era in the first book to the roaring Twenties/Thirties. A third and final Lucifer Box novel, Black Butterfly, was published on 3 November 2008 by Simon & Schuster.[21] In this the protagonist finds himself serving Queen Elizabeth II, in the Cold War era.
Gatiss also wrote, co-produced and appeared in Crooked House, a ghost story that was broadcast on BBC Four during Christmas 2008.
Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Gatiss has written three episodes for the 2005-revived BBC television series Doctor Who. His first, "The Unquiet Dead", aired on 9 April 2005; the second, "The Idiot's Lantern", aired on 27 May 2006 as part of the second series. In addition, Gatiss was the narrator for the 2006 season of documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, additionally appearing as an on-screen presenter in the edition devoted to his episode. Gatiss did not contribute a script to the third series, but appeared in the episode "The Lazarus Experiment", as Professor Lazarus. After his submitted script for the fourth series, involving Nazis and the British Museum, was replaced at the last minute with "The Fires of Pompeii", he eventually returned to the programme in 2010, writing the (also World War II-themed) episode "Victory of the Daleks" for the fifth series, in which he also appears uncredited as the voice of "Danny Boy". It has also been confirmed that Gatiss will be writing an episode for the 2011 season of Doctor Who, although details about the story are yet to be revealed.[19]
Gatiss wrote an episode of Sherlock, a modern day Sherlock Holmes series co-produced by him and Steven Moffat. The unaired pilot was shot in January 2009 and a full series was commissioned. This was aired in August 2010 and consisted of 3 episodes. Gatiss also starred in these as Holmes' older brother Mycroft. A second series has been confirmed, but dates have yet to be decided, since both Gatiss and Moffatt have additional commitments.[20]
Gatiss also wrote and performed the comedy sketches The Web of Caves, The Kidnappers and The Pitch of Fear for the BBC's "Doctor Who Night" in 1999 with Little Britain's David Walliams, and played the Master in the Doctor Who Unbound play Sympathy for the Devil under the name "Sam Kisgart", a pseudonym he later used for a column in Doctor Who Magazine. (The pseudonym is an anagram of "Mark Gatiss", a nod to Anthony Ainley, who was sometimes credited under an anagram to conceal the Master's identity from the viewers.) The pseudonym was used again in television listings magazines when he appeared in episode four of Psychoville, so as not to spoil his surprise appearance in advance.
In mainstream print, Gatiss is responsible for an acclaimed biography of the film director James Whale. His first non-Doctor Who novel, The Vesuvius Club, was published in 2004, for which he was nominated in the category of Best Newcomer in the 2006 British Book Awards. A follow up, The Devil in Amber, was released on 6 November 2006. It transports the main character, Lucifer Box, from the Edwardian era in the first book to the roaring Twenties/Thirties. A third and final Lucifer Box novel, Black Butterfly, was published on 3 November 2008 by Simon & Schuster.[21] In this the protagonist finds himself serving Queen Elizabeth II, in the Cold War era.
Gatiss also wrote, co-produced and appeared in Crooked House, a ghost story that was broadcast on BBC Four during Christmas 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
April 9, 2018
BEWARE THE DEVIOUS BISEXUAL!
Oh dear, Lucifer Box has found himself in quite a spot of trouble all over again. Although murder and mayhem are surely de rigueur for a modish secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, and bisexual Lothario who still manages to maintain a youthfully svelte figure in his late 40s... one would still never expect to have to face off against the actual Lucifer, Prince of Darkness. That's not in the job description! I certainly felt quite a bit of empathy for poor Lucifer Box, as we share distinct similarities. Minus the secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, Lothario, and maintaining a youthfully svelte figure parts, of course... we are practically brothers from another mother!
I must say, to this day I have found scant evidence that male bisexuals even exist, except in books like this one, and perhaps pornography - if I were to ever view such an uncouth genre. Never! It is as if all the bisexuals of the world were women. Where are my brother comrades-in-arms? All of my once bisexual friends have long since married the opposite sex and have named their prior exploits "experimentation" - alas, and I say Fie on Experimenters! The true male bisexual is a rare breed indeed: a precious, precious thing. Much like a unicorn. Or griffin! Or perhaps a hippogriff.
Why just the other day, while strolling the urine-soaked and garbage-strewn streets of the Tenderloin, my dear friend K__ inquired whether or not I "was still bisexual". I could have smacked him smartly across his cheeky, chubby face, save for the fact that he is also my boss, so instead I settled for making a demeaning comment about how wonderfully predictable his life in the suburbs must be, and how he must feel scads of happiness when seeing the same wife and child day-in and day-out, 365 days a year. Such ignoble inquiries are par for the course for unicorns such as myself and dear Lucifer Box, and must be dealt with rigorously.
Why just the other week, my charming sister alluded to her ongoing delusion that I "must have so many options". I could have wrung her neck, except for the fact that she made this comment over a trunk call and also I could never actually wring her neck, as she is far too strong and my lovely, long-fingered hands - "a pianist's hands", as my dear mother once said - are far too delicate. Instead I sighed heavily and reminded her that for me, being bisexual only means that I view both genders with equal disdain.
Well at least she's nothing like poor Lucifer Box's sister, who turned out to be a trashy murderous Satan-worshiper. My sister would certainly never worship Satan - that would be far too louche for a dedicated wife, mother of two, licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine, and Los Angelene fashion plate. As my dear father is wont to say, "Worshiping Satan is so last millennium, and for losers". The acclaimed Monday lineage only engages in self-worship!
To sum up, this novel was fair to middling. It passed the time. It was what one calls a "bus book" - which means I read it in 15 minute increments whenever I found myself on a bus to and from what I suppose I call "work". Buses are surely the most plebeian of transports, and books are never welcome there, but I do enjoy mingling with the masses on occasion. Perhaps I shall discover a fellow bisexual busing one day? If so, I shall promptly ignore him, as bisexuality should never be encouraged. I would be appalled to see too many of my dangerous type running around rampant! We would rule the world, and that would be very bad news indeed for all of you sadly limited non-bisexual types.
Oh dear, Lucifer Box has found himself in quite a spot of trouble all over again. Although murder and mayhem are surely de rigueur for a modish secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, and bisexual Lothario who still manages to maintain a youthfully svelte figure in his late 40s... one would still never expect to have to face off against the actual Lucifer, Prince of Darkness. That's not in the job description! I certainly felt quite a bit of empathy for poor Lucifer Box, as we share distinct similarities. Minus the secret agent, assassin, internationally celebrated painter, Lothario, and maintaining a youthfully svelte figure parts, of course... we are practically brothers from another mother!
I must say, to this day I have found scant evidence that male bisexuals even exist, except in books like this one, and perhaps pornography - if I were to ever view such an uncouth genre. Never! It is as if all the bisexuals of the world were women. Where are my brother comrades-in-arms? All of my once bisexual friends have long since married the opposite sex and have named their prior exploits "experimentation" - alas, and I say Fie on Experimenters! The true male bisexual is a rare breed indeed: a precious, precious thing. Much like a unicorn. Or griffin! Or perhaps a hippogriff.
Why just the other day, while strolling the urine-soaked and garbage-strewn streets of the Tenderloin, my dear friend K__ inquired whether or not I "was still bisexual". I could have smacked him smartly across his cheeky, chubby face, save for the fact that he is also my boss, so instead I settled for making a demeaning comment about how wonderfully predictable his life in the suburbs must be, and how he must feel scads of happiness when seeing the same wife and child day-in and day-out, 365 days a year. Such ignoble inquiries are par for the course for unicorns such as myself and dear Lucifer Box, and must be dealt with rigorously.
Why just the other week, my charming sister alluded to her ongoing delusion that I "must have so many options". I could have wrung her neck, except for the fact that she made this comment over a trunk call and also I could never actually wring her neck, as she is far too strong and my lovely, long-fingered hands - "a pianist's hands", as my dear mother once said - are far too delicate. Instead I sighed heavily and reminded her that for me, being bisexual only means that I view both genders with equal disdain.
Well at least she's nothing like poor Lucifer Box's sister, who turned out to be a trashy murderous Satan-worshiper. My sister would certainly never worship Satan - that would be far too louche for a dedicated wife, mother of two, licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine, and Los Angelene fashion plate. As my dear father is wont to say, "Worshiping Satan is so last millennium, and for losers". The acclaimed Monday lineage only engages in self-worship!
To sum up, this novel was fair to middling. It passed the time. It was what one calls a "bus book" - which means I read it in 15 minute increments whenever I found myself on a bus to and from what I suppose I call "work". Buses are surely the most plebeian of transports, and books are never welcome there, but I do enjoy mingling with the masses on occasion. Perhaps I shall discover a fellow bisexual busing one day? If so, I shall promptly ignore him, as bisexuality should never be encouraged. I would be appalled to see too many of my dangerous type running around rampant! We would rule the world, and that would be very bad news indeed for all of you sadly limited non-bisexual types.
July 21, 2010
I was hugely disappointed with this book. I enjoyed its predecessor 'The Vesuvius Club' so much that I raced through it in a day and went straight onto the second in the series. Unfortunately it suffers by comparison. A lot.
What made the first book such a good read was the dry humour of the narrative style and the characterisation of the delightfully bad Lucifer Box, but both of these key features were decidedly patchy in 'The Devil in Amber'. It has moments of brilliance (who could fail to be drawn in by the fantastic opening line, 'He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him'?) but these are well-hidden among standard dross. Mark Gatiss seems to do a lot more telling the reader what was happening than letting us see it coloured through Lucifer's disdainful perspective. It was like reading a book written to be made into a film rather than read and appreciated as a novel. It remains a fun read, but I sincerely hope that the third installment lives up to the standards of the first book and not the second.
What made the first book such a good read was the dry humour of the narrative style and the characterisation of the delightfully bad Lucifer Box, but both of these key features were decidedly patchy in 'The Devil in Amber'. It has moments of brilliance (who could fail to be drawn in by the fantastic opening line, 'He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him'?) but these are well-hidden among standard dross. Mark Gatiss seems to do a lot more telling the reader what was happening than letting us see it coloured through Lucifer's disdainful perspective. It was like reading a book written to be made into a film rather than read and appreciated as a novel. It remains a fun read, but I sincerely hope that the third installment lives up to the standards of the first book and not the second.
November 3, 2014
Ah, Lucifer Box. Here, the Edwardian anti-hero who seemed so at home in the first decade of the 20th century is forced to contend with the far harsher world of the 1930s, as well as the more pressing concerns of the rise of pan-global fascism and being accused of a murder which – for once – he did not commit.
I don’t think it’s really a spoiler to say he acquits himself very well, and proves more than a match for the genuine villains of the piece. Nor should it surprise people to realise that Gatiss brilliantly captures the spirit of the age he writes about. Well, he captures everyone’s perceptions about the 1930s anyway, which may not be the same thing.
Never less than thoroughly entertaining, with just the right balance between sending up spy thrillers and telling a proper story in its own right. Box isn’t the most likeable hero, but then he isn’t meant to be – I think he’s Gatiss’ darker side writ large, since I couldn’t help but hear the author’s voice very clearly throughout the first-person narrative. And I laughed out loud when Box, irritated by the villains’ slowness of thought in realising a key plot point, deliberately blurts it out so that events can progress properly.
This is a long way from being to everyone’s tastes. It is to mine, after a fashion. I wouldn’t want every book I read to be like this but that’s the point in me trying to read books from as many different genres as possible. And let’s face it, the title works on so many levels that one can’t help but conclude there’s far more to this than meets the eye…
I don’t think it’s really a spoiler to say he acquits himself very well, and proves more than a match for the genuine villains of the piece. Nor should it surprise people to realise that Gatiss brilliantly captures the spirit of the age he writes about. Well, he captures everyone’s perceptions about the 1930s anyway, which may not be the same thing.
Never less than thoroughly entertaining, with just the right balance between sending up spy thrillers and telling a proper story in its own right. Box isn’t the most likeable hero, but then he isn’t meant to be – I think he’s Gatiss’ darker side writ large, since I couldn’t help but hear the author’s voice very clearly throughout the first-person narrative. And I laughed out loud when Box, irritated by the villains’ slowness of thought in realising a key plot point, deliberately blurts it out so that events can progress properly.
This is a long way from being to everyone’s tastes. It is to mine, after a fashion. I wouldn’t want every book I read to be like this but that’s the point in me trying to read books from as many different genres as possible. And let’s face it, the title works on so many levels that one can’t help but conclude there’s far more to this than meets the eye…
August 27, 2011
The second book was a long wait for me, and when we got it, I had to wait to read it! Wait through long days of my husband's exclaimations of 'You bastard!', his gasps, his laughter...and then, finally, he woke me up one afternoon and BEHOLD! It was my turn! I curled up and devoured it in a matter of days, and did the same thing.
I adore writers that can make me audibly react to their writing--Mark Gatiss joins Plum in the very short list of authors that have achieved this honour. He writes the perfect yellow-backed novel. There is everything, including a feeling that boysex is completely normal (in fact, Husband pointed out, Lucifer treats boysex as more normal than sex with the ladysex)!
I adore writers that can make me audibly react to their writing--Mark Gatiss joins Plum in the very short list of authors that have achieved this honour. He writes the perfect yellow-backed novel. There is everything, including a feeling that boysex is completely normal (in fact, Husband pointed out, Lucifer treats boysex as more normal than sex with the ladysex)!
February 28, 2018
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
J'ai passé un bon moment dans cette lecture, mais l'intrigue est moins extravagante que dans le précédent et sur un thème vraiment hyper classique. On retrouve tout de même avec plaisir Lucifer qui est toujours aussi excellent comme personnage.
L'histoire se passe une 20ène d'années après le tome précédent. Lucifer Box est toujours un espion au service de sa majesté, mais il est vieillissant et commence à le sentir. Il réussi ses missions in-extremis ou il se fait sauver par ses concurrents, bref, ce n'est pas vraiment la joie pour lui.
Depuis le tome précédent la première guerre mondiale à eu lieu et on est donc entre les deux guerres. La monté de l’extrémisme blanc se fait sentir de partout et Lucifer est en mission à New York, chargé de surveiller un groupe fasciste qui monte en puissance et qui se reconnaissent car ils s'habillent avec des chemises de couleur ambre ...
Je n'en dit pas plus pour ménager le suspense et vous laisser découvrir vous même l'intrigue.
Ces livres sont un parfait divertissement. Ils sont drôle, fun, et font passer un excellent moment. Après il ne faut pas non plus en attendre beaucoup plus. C'est du pulp dans toute sa splendeur, plein d'action avec une intrigue qui va a 100 à l'heure. Si c'est ce que vous recherchez ce tome ne pourra que vous plaire, mais si vous attendez un sens plus profond ou une intrigue complexe et intelligente avec de multiples retournements de situations vous serez un peu déçus. (Non pas qu'il n'y en ai pas du tout mais ce n'est pas non plus vraiment le but ici.)
L'atout ici est vraiment le personnage de Lucifer. Je remet la description du personnage que j'avais mis dans ma chronique du premier tome parce qu'elle est toujours d'actualité : Libertin, dandy, peintre frustré, frivole par excellence. Lucifer Box est l’archétype même du playboy espion, flambant audacieusement, séduisant tout le monde, assassinant des traitres et faisant excessivement attention à avoir une garde robe parfaite pour chaque et en toute occasion.
J'ai trouvé que le fait d'avoir fait vieillir le personnage était une bonne idée. En fait, mélanger son égocentrisme avec l’échec du fait qu'il a du mal à suivre le rythme donne un mélange qui lui réussi vraiment. Cela rend le personnage bien plus agréable à suivre et lui donne, en plus de l'extravagance, un coté comique.
Pour ce qui est du cadre on change aussi pas mal du premier tome, ici on est dans un New York art déco, on s'éloigne donc pas mal du coté steampunk. En fait je dirais même que ce tome ci est bien plus fantastique. En fait l'intrigue tourne autour de thèmes ésotériques.
Bon c'est vrai que nazis + ésotérisme est vraiment vu et revu et si j'ai trouvé un point négatif à ce tome c'était bien celui ci. C'est tellement classique que ça en devient affreusement cliché. Le livre en joue aussi, c'est évident, j'en suis consciente, mais il n’empêche que j'ai eu du mal a me rentrer dedans ici, avec un petit coté lassitude qui est très vite arrivé.
Au final j'ai bien apprécié retrouver ce Lucifer vieillissant, c'était vraiment fun, mais je regrette que l'intrigue soit aussi classique et n'ai pas su m’apporter ce coté différent que j'avais eu en lisant le premier tome. Ça j'en reste pas moins un livre très divertissant que je ne regrette pas d'avoir lu.
15/20
J'ai passé un bon moment dans cette lecture, mais l'intrigue est moins extravagante que dans le précédent et sur un thème vraiment hyper classique. On retrouve tout de même avec plaisir Lucifer qui est toujours aussi excellent comme personnage.
L'histoire se passe une 20ène d'années après le tome précédent. Lucifer Box est toujours un espion au service de sa majesté, mais il est vieillissant et commence à le sentir. Il réussi ses missions in-extremis ou il se fait sauver par ses concurrents, bref, ce n'est pas vraiment la joie pour lui.
Depuis le tome précédent la première guerre mondiale à eu lieu et on est donc entre les deux guerres. La monté de l’extrémisme blanc se fait sentir de partout et Lucifer est en mission à New York, chargé de surveiller un groupe fasciste qui monte en puissance et qui se reconnaissent car ils s'habillent avec des chemises de couleur ambre ...
Je n'en dit pas plus pour ménager le suspense et vous laisser découvrir vous même l'intrigue.
Ces livres sont un parfait divertissement. Ils sont drôle, fun, et font passer un excellent moment. Après il ne faut pas non plus en attendre beaucoup plus. C'est du pulp dans toute sa splendeur, plein d'action avec une intrigue qui va a 100 à l'heure. Si c'est ce que vous recherchez ce tome ne pourra que vous plaire, mais si vous attendez un sens plus profond ou une intrigue complexe et intelligente avec de multiples retournements de situations vous serez un peu déçus. (Non pas qu'il n'y en ai pas du tout mais ce n'est pas non plus vraiment le but ici.)
L'atout ici est vraiment le personnage de Lucifer. Je remet la description du personnage que j'avais mis dans ma chronique du premier tome parce qu'elle est toujours d'actualité : Libertin, dandy, peintre frustré, frivole par excellence. Lucifer Box est l’archétype même du playboy espion, flambant audacieusement, séduisant tout le monde, assassinant des traitres et faisant excessivement attention à avoir une garde robe parfaite pour chaque et en toute occasion.
J'ai trouvé que le fait d'avoir fait vieillir le personnage était une bonne idée. En fait, mélanger son égocentrisme avec l’échec du fait qu'il a du mal à suivre le rythme donne un mélange qui lui réussi vraiment. Cela rend le personnage bien plus agréable à suivre et lui donne, en plus de l'extravagance, un coté comique.
Pour ce qui est du cadre on change aussi pas mal du premier tome, ici on est dans un New York art déco, on s'éloigne donc pas mal du coté steampunk. En fait je dirais même que ce tome ci est bien plus fantastique. En fait l'intrigue tourne autour de thèmes ésotériques.
Bon c'est vrai que nazis + ésotérisme est vraiment vu et revu et si j'ai trouvé un point négatif à ce tome c'était bien celui ci. C'est tellement classique que ça en devient affreusement cliché. Le livre en joue aussi, c'est évident, j'en suis consciente, mais il n’empêche que j'ai eu du mal a me rentrer dedans ici, avec un petit coté lassitude qui est très vite arrivé.
Au final j'ai bien apprécié retrouver ce Lucifer vieillissant, c'était vraiment fun, mais je regrette que l'intrigue soit aussi classique et n'ai pas su m’apporter ce coté différent que j'avais eu en lisant le premier tome. Ça j'en reste pas moins un livre très divertissant que je ne regrette pas d'avoir lu.
15/20
October 26, 2011
Mark Gatiss' second go at the Lucifer Box character isn't as entertaining as the first, but provides an amusing distraction nonetheless.
Abandoning the dawn of the 20th century Edwardian trappings of Empire from The Vesuvius Club, this book finds Box in a post Great War funk. Down on his luck, art has moved on, beginning to feel his age, and challenged by a younger rival, Box is tasked by his superiors to investigate the fascist agitator Olympus Mons. But Mons has greater ambitions than the standard purity shtick.
Full of Gatiss' rich reclamation of period appropriate language, the initial foray is disorienting and it takes time for the reader to pick up the rhythm. Once settled, this narrative takes on a life of its own and provides additional benefit.
In retrospect, it's hard not to view Box as a representation of Great Britain herself. In this volume, Box is past his prime and humbled by the events of World War I. Yet he's still got the fighting spirit and can keep up his end in things.
The plot, on the other hand, doesn't hold up as well in this volume. Without revealing spoilers, the twist breaks with the conventions of the form so much as to be suspender snapping. It just doesn't jive as a whole. There may be reasons for it, related to works of the era, but I'm not familiar with the period enough to know what Gatiss might be getting at.
Still, Gatiss' dialogue and narration provide light passing entertainment, despite its flaws.
Abandoning the dawn of the 20th century Edwardian trappings of Empire from The Vesuvius Club, this book finds Box in a post Great War funk. Down on his luck, art has moved on, beginning to feel his age, and challenged by a younger rival, Box is tasked by his superiors to investigate the fascist agitator Olympus Mons. But Mons has greater ambitions than the standard purity shtick.
Full of Gatiss' rich reclamation of period appropriate language, the initial foray is disorienting and it takes time for the reader to pick up the rhythm. Once settled, this narrative takes on a life of its own and provides additional benefit.
In retrospect, it's hard not to view Box as a representation of Great Britain herself. In this volume, Box is past his prime and humbled by the events of World War I. Yet he's still got the fighting spirit and can keep up his end in things.
The plot, on the other hand, doesn't hold up as well in this volume. Without revealing spoilers, the twist breaks with the conventions of the form so much as to be suspender snapping. It just doesn't jive as a whole. There may be reasons for it, related to works of the era, but I'm not familiar with the period enough to know what Gatiss might be getting at.
Still, Gatiss' dialogue and narration provide light passing entertainment, despite its flaws.
March 20, 2011
Oops, didn't review this one. Perhaps because I'm still a little traumatised. Why does every side character I like end up dead??
That's not as much a spoiler as it sounds, I swear.
The second of the Lucifer Box novels is set post-Great War, making for a rather large shift in mental imagery from the last book. Lucifer, while still a marvelous dandy about town, has aged and survived a war that left many scars on him and those around him. He's also now in the US, away from his home soil of London, and the good old RA have changed somewhat too.
While this book has just as many twists, turns and red herrings as the previous, it didn't quite hit the mark like the first book did. Something wasn't quite right for me. Of course, that could just be the bitterness talking. The language was still as flowery and ridiculously tongue-in-cheek, and poked at the fourth wall a bit in a way I always enjoy. I found the time jump quite disconcerting, as I'd rather hoped for a continuation from the first, rather than a whole new cast and setting.
That said, a lot of the supporting characters were great, and utterly hilarious in some instances. Box has lost none of his daring, his cheek, or his ego, and he still appeals greatly as one of those main characters you're not sure whether to love or hate.
I'm still looking forward to reading the third and final book, but my admiration has dropped a little. Damn you, Mr Gatiss, for ruining my happy little fangirl dream.
That's not as much a spoiler as it sounds, I swear.
The second of the Lucifer Box novels is set post-Great War, making for a rather large shift in mental imagery from the last book. Lucifer, while still a marvelous dandy about town, has aged and survived a war that left many scars on him and those around him. He's also now in the US, away from his home soil of London, and the good old RA have changed somewhat too.
While this book has just as many twists, turns and red herrings as the previous, it didn't quite hit the mark like the first book did. Something wasn't quite right for me. Of course, that could just be the bitterness talking. The language was still as flowery and ridiculously tongue-in-cheek, and poked at the fourth wall a bit in a way I always enjoy. I found the time jump quite disconcerting, as I'd rather hoped for a continuation from the first, rather than a whole new cast and setting.
That said, a lot of the supporting characters were great, and utterly hilarious in some instances. Box has lost none of his daring, his cheek, or his ego, and he still appeals greatly as one of those main characters you're not sure whether to love or hate.
I'm still looking forward to reading the third and final book, but my admiration has dropped a little. Damn you, Mr Gatiss, for ruining my happy little fangirl dream.
August 27, 2024
Deuxième tome de la série Lucifer Box, encore publié dans cette sublime collection du Mois du cuivre avec des dorures et une mise en page soignée. A l'instar du premier, ce tome-ci est un superbe objet-livre.
Vingt ans après les événement du Club Vesuvius, Lucifer Box est en mission à New York. Là-bas, un homme puissant, Desmond Olympe, contrôle une espèce de secte à l'orientation fasciste. Le détective britannique s'embarque alors dans de folles aventures, parfois malgré lui !
Je dois l'avouer d'emblée, j'ai été franchement déçue par ce deuxième opus. Autant j'ai aimé retrouver l'écriture jubilatoire de Mark Gatiss et le personnage sulfureux de Lucifer Box, autant le contenu même de l'histoire m'a laissée sur ma faim. Pourtant le récit est drôle, le ton mordant, l'action assez présente et l'ensemble plutôt rythmé. Hélas, tout cela n'a pas suffi à mon goût et j'ai trouvé l'intrigue trop creuse pour vraiment me passionner pour l'histoire. A certains moments, je me suis ennuyée et je n'ai pas retrouvé le plaisir de lecture éprouvé avec le premier tome.
Une suite qui ne m'a pas semblé à la hauteur et ne m'a pas donné envie de poursuivre la série malgré des qualités indéniables.
Vingt ans après les événement du Club Vesuvius, Lucifer Box est en mission à New York. Là-bas, un homme puissant, Desmond Olympe, contrôle une espèce de secte à l'orientation fasciste. Le détective britannique s'embarque alors dans de folles aventures, parfois malgré lui !
Je dois l'avouer d'emblée, j'ai été franchement déçue par ce deuxième opus. Autant j'ai aimé retrouver l'écriture jubilatoire de Mark Gatiss et le personnage sulfureux de Lucifer Box, autant le contenu même de l'histoire m'a laissée sur ma faim. Pourtant le récit est drôle, le ton mordant, l'action assez présente et l'ensemble plutôt rythmé. Hélas, tout cela n'a pas suffi à mon goût et j'ai trouvé l'intrigue trop creuse pour vraiment me passionner pour l'histoire. A certains moments, je me suis ennuyée et je n'ai pas retrouvé le plaisir de lecture éprouvé avec le premier tome.
Une suite qui ne m'a pas semblé à la hauteur et ne m'a pas donné envie de poursuivre la série malgré des qualités indéniables.
June 2, 2017
I love Mark Gatiss' work and enjoyed the first Box novel so picked up this sequel.
Time has passed and Lucifer Box is feeling his age with his art career over and the likes of ambitious young Percy Flarge being the new norm of his secret agent work. Here Box is sent to investigate fascist leader Olympus Mons in 1920s New York, where he finds himself framed for murder. Box is forced to flee for England and try and work out what exactly Mons' quest for world domination consists off.
I thought this fixed a lot of the issues with the first book. Box is older and more insecure here, which makes him a more likable character. I don't mind a charming egotistical lead but they are more interesting if they have a vulnerability. Box rarely feels on top here which is a nice change.
I also liked the plot. Obviously these books intentionally have outlandish plots but I think it works better with a hint of the supernatural. And Gatiss certainly knows his supernatural, really putting the horror into the dark scenes of this book.
It takes a different direction from the last book and I can see why some were put off by that. Personally I really enjoyed it.
Time has passed and Lucifer Box is feeling his age with his art career over and the likes of ambitious young Percy Flarge being the new norm of his secret agent work. Here Box is sent to investigate fascist leader Olympus Mons in 1920s New York, where he finds himself framed for murder. Box is forced to flee for England and try and work out what exactly Mons' quest for world domination consists off.
I thought this fixed a lot of the issues with the first book. Box is older and more insecure here, which makes him a more likable character. I don't mind a charming egotistical lead but they are more interesting if they have a vulnerability. Box rarely feels on top here which is a nice change.
I also liked the plot. Obviously these books intentionally have outlandish plots but I think it works better with a hint of the supernatural. And Gatiss certainly knows his supernatural, really putting the horror into the dark scenes of this book.
It takes a different direction from the last book and I can see why some were put off by that. Personally I really enjoyed it.
September 27, 2025
If you don't know Mark Gatiss, you should probably check out the British TV show A League of Gentlemen first, just to get into the right frame of mind for this romper. You don't have to read The Vesuvius Club first, although it is set about 20 years prior to this one. It might add to the amusement.
First sentence of the book:
"He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him."
And the 5th sentence of page 23 (I'm pretty sure you've done that before, too....):
"Vetting recruits for evidence of transvestism?"
So be prepared for a very silly, gay and entertaining crime novel delving into the supernatural just a wee bit. Good fun! Next one is on my wishlist already.
First sentence of the book:
"He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him."
And the 5th sentence of page 23 (I'm pretty sure you've done that before, too....):
"Vetting recruits for evidence of transvestism?"
So be prepared for a very silly, gay and entertaining crime novel delving into the supernatural just a wee bit. Good fun! Next one is on my wishlist already.
December 30, 2013
I came across this while looking for titles by Mark Gatiss on the library catalogue. I'd never heard of it before but I thought it sounded quite fun. It was totally Amazing! Imagine if instead of being a bit of a stuffy misogynist Dennis Wheatley had actually been a fabulous homosexual and you begin to imagine what this book is like. It is charming 20s style of pulp fighting fascists who are really occultists who want to summon the devil. The main protagonist is perfectly naturally queer, fancying both men and women without a second thought. It is just wonderful. I shall have to hunt down the other Lucifer Box novel. I wish Mark would write more!
April 14, 2013
Oh Lor'. The second book in the trilogy of Lucifer Box is mind-bogglingly fabulous. It is a perfect successor to the introductory "Vesuvius Club" and lures the reader further into the world of depraved sophisticality and superiority while making it impossible not to adore old Lucy and his sassiness.
Mark Gatiss is an incredibly talented writer and once you open the book, consider yourself a prisoner, because Lucifer will never let you go. Especially not if your behind looks fantastic in a pair of tight-fitting trousers.
Mark Gatiss is an incredibly talented writer and once you open the book, consider yourself a prisoner, because Lucifer will never let you go. Especially not if your behind looks fantastic in a pair of tight-fitting trousers.
October 21, 2014
I've been a fan of Mark Gatiss since The League of Gentlemen and more recently writing/starring in Sherlock, so when I saw a book by him in a charity shop I knew I should read it. It was a good book, full of his usual witty/humurous style. Kind of like a James Bond escapade with even more double entendre (if you can imagine such a thing). It all got a bit crazy plot wise near the end which I enjoyed less but it was a good read nevertheless.
November 12, 2015
Perhaps my favorite thing about the Lucifer Box series is finding Gatiss-isms, turns of phrase like 'strawberry jam on the pavement' and 'all the nice girls like a solider', which have turned up in Sherlock.
That apart, all the bisexuality is yet another reason I strongly feel John will be bi and Johnlock will be canon. Gatiss hasn't been shy about writing his Holmes-Bond character as bi, there's no reason he'd be shy about doing it on the big screen.
That apart, all the bisexuality is yet another reason I strongly feel John will be bi and Johnlock will be canon. Gatiss hasn't been shy about writing his Holmes-Bond character as bi, there's no reason he'd be shy about doing it on the big screen.
February 12, 2014
Mi ero divertita tanto con " Il club Vesuvio" che questo mi ha un po' deluso.
L'ho trovato in alcuni tratti lento, nel complesso piuttosto banale.
Considerando la scrittura di Gatiss, non certo uno dei momenti più felici.
L'ho trovato in alcuni tratti lento, nel complesso piuttosto banale.
Considerando la scrittura di Gatiss, non certo uno dei momenti più felici.
March 16, 2016
Another brilliant book from Mark Gatiss. Very enjoyable. It seemed to go on and lacked the finesse of his first Lucifer Box novel, but was still a damned good laugh!
May 24, 2020
This is a book that has been in my possession for a while now, but I have only just got round to reading it for some reason. I really like Mark Gatiss’s work, from The League Of Gentlemen to his History of Horror documentary series and revival of the Ghost Story For Christmas for the BBC. This novel is the second in a series he wrote featuring a character called Lucifer Box, a secret agent of the British government. It manages to send up espionage thrillers whilst forging ahead with its own agenda, and Gatiss’s influences and personal taste shines through. The main character is not all that likeable for a hero, but then I don’t think he is supposed to be. This is a story full of unlikeable characters all out to do nasty things to one another in one shape or another, it starts in 1930’s New York, full of Art Deco splendour, and follows a murky path involving rising Fascist organisations to a Satanic (literally) conclusion in the Swiss Alps that kind of reminded me of the conclusion to The Raiders Of The Lost Arc. It’s a book that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but is very entertaining for those open to Mark Gatiss’s tastes and influences.
March 7, 2019
Quite exciting espionage adventure with supernatural elements.
May 6, 2009
A great man once said, “Modesty is for amateurs.” Clinging to the back of car with the wind whipping through his hair, Lucifer Box returns with relish in The Devil in Amber, the second Lucifer Box novel by British writer and producer Mark Gatiss. Never one to downplay his best features or feats of wonder and derring-do, Lucifer lunges into his latest tale years, a continent away, and an entire war after his last adventure. Things at the Royal Academy of Arts have changed--head of office Joshua Reynolds is long retired and expired, his nomenclature a title of position as much as a cover for his real identity; a new Joshua Reynolds has replaced the role of a much beloved boss and bathroom-stall-occupier. Gone are the quaint quirks of the pre-war RA, taken over by starcher standards and the fresh, young blood of Percy--Perce--Flarge. Everything is rubbing Lucifer the wrong way and for a man quite accustomed to his carnal and material luxuries, this simply cannot continue.
The newest incarnation of Joshua Reynolds is a no-nonsense type of man with little to no sense of humor, a penchant for the fast-paced post-war society and lifestyle, and an intense dislike for all things archaic and out-dated--Lucifer Box included. With this roadblock to navigate around, Lucifer finds himself faced with what could be--if JR has his way--his last (most secret) mission under His Majesty’s Government. Fresh off his latest kill, Lucifer is sitting on what he believes to be a vital piece of evidence his young, upstart rival missed upon searching the body. With no intentions to make this public (i.e. tell JR and risk losing his trump card), Lucifer keeps the scrap to himself and listens as Joshua explains his latest job: an organization called F.A.U.S.T (Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune) spear-headed by Olympus Mons is rumored to be stirring up Fascist sympathizers on both sides of the pond. The RA needs an extra pair of eyes to investigate matters; JR grudgingly extends the position to Lucifer and passes on the scheduled meeting place of a disillusioned deserter willing to talk and share all information F.A.U.S.T.
Like The Vesuvius Club, Gatiss’ second installment of the Lucifer Box trilogy is witty, elegant, mysterious, dark, and above all, entertaining like you wouldn’t believe. It follows a formula similar to its predecessor with all roads inevitably leading to the thunderous and frightening climax rife with drugs, sex, cult followers, the supernatural, evil beyond measure, and communion wafers. The plot unfolds marvelously to reveal a lot of wicked double-crossings, unexpected encounters, surprising revelations, and an astounding array of puns. As we follow Lucifer, hot on the trail of an American drug cartel, there is yet another mysterious and irresistible damsel to pursue, a mountain to climb (mountain, volcano--same thing), and a bit more heart as Lucifer has more than just his reputation on the line. His sister, Pandora, plays a leading role opposite her brother and with this stroll into his past, the evasive Lucifer gains a bit more dimension.
I enjoyed The Devil in Amber more than The Vesuvius Club for a couple of reasons. Lucifer, in his middle age, has developed a bit of an emotional attachment to several people. The superficial (albeit lovable) rogue invites the reader into his psyche for some memorable (but brief), touching, and very human moments. Some of which are when we learn (through Lucifer) the fate of fellows like Christopher Miracle, the former Joshua Reynolds, and Charlie Jackpot. The added drama of Lucifer’s threatened standing within the RA made me root for him and all his silliness against the roaring upstarts of Percy and the new JR.
This second installment seems to prepare us for what will be the third and last (unfortunately) Lucifer Box novel. The Devil in Amber is our warning shot with cautionary dramatic interludes that must inevitably prepare us to say goodbye to our well-dressed and well-groomed portraitist. Even portraiture is in danger of disappearing! But before I dissolve into a puddle of despair I need to remind myself that this isn’t the end just yet. The Black Butterfly is still on my shelf and next in line to read. Lucifer is a constant performer, a lethal and handsome combination that I’m sure will make for an explosive finale--or at least, a devilishly good-looking one. I whole-heartedly recommend this one!!
The newest incarnation of Joshua Reynolds is a no-nonsense type of man with little to no sense of humor, a penchant for the fast-paced post-war society and lifestyle, and an intense dislike for all things archaic and out-dated--Lucifer Box included. With this roadblock to navigate around, Lucifer finds himself faced with what could be--if JR has his way--his last (most secret) mission under His Majesty’s Government. Fresh off his latest kill, Lucifer is sitting on what he believes to be a vital piece of evidence his young, upstart rival missed upon searching the body. With no intentions to make this public (i.e. tell JR and risk losing his trump card), Lucifer keeps the scrap to himself and listens as Joshua explains his latest job: an organization called F.A.U.S.T (Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune) spear-headed by Olympus Mons is rumored to be stirring up Fascist sympathizers on both sides of the pond. The RA needs an extra pair of eyes to investigate matters; JR grudgingly extends the position to Lucifer and passes on the scheduled meeting place of a disillusioned deserter willing to talk and share all information F.A.U.S.T.
Like The Vesuvius Club, Gatiss’ second installment of the Lucifer Box trilogy is witty, elegant, mysterious, dark, and above all, entertaining like you wouldn’t believe. It follows a formula similar to its predecessor with all roads inevitably leading to the thunderous and frightening climax rife with drugs, sex, cult followers, the supernatural, evil beyond measure, and communion wafers. The plot unfolds marvelously to reveal a lot of wicked double-crossings, unexpected encounters, surprising revelations, and an astounding array of puns. As we follow Lucifer, hot on the trail of an American drug cartel, there is yet another mysterious and irresistible damsel to pursue, a mountain to climb (mountain, volcano--same thing), and a bit more heart as Lucifer has more than just his reputation on the line. His sister, Pandora, plays a leading role opposite her brother and with this stroll into his past, the evasive Lucifer gains a bit more dimension.
I enjoyed The Devil in Amber more than The Vesuvius Club for a couple of reasons. Lucifer, in his middle age, has developed a bit of an emotional attachment to several people. The superficial (albeit lovable) rogue invites the reader into his psyche for some memorable (but brief), touching, and very human moments. Some of which are when we learn (through Lucifer) the fate of fellows like Christopher Miracle, the former Joshua Reynolds, and Charlie Jackpot. The added drama of Lucifer’s threatened standing within the RA made me root for him and all his silliness against the roaring upstarts of Percy and the new JR.
This second installment seems to prepare us for what will be the third and last (unfortunately) Lucifer Box novel. The Devil in Amber is our warning shot with cautionary dramatic interludes that must inevitably prepare us to say goodbye to our well-dressed and well-groomed portraitist. Even portraiture is in danger of disappearing! But before I dissolve into a puddle of despair I need to remind myself that this isn’t the end just yet. The Black Butterfly is still on my shelf and next in line to read. Lucifer is a constant performer, a lethal and handsome combination that I’m sure will make for an explosive finale--or at least, a devilishly good-looking one. I whole-heartedly recommend this one!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2018
The second in the series of Lucifer Box novels and arguably the best of the trilogy. This time, the setting has moved forward some 15-20 years to the 1920's, but Lucifer is as charming as ever.
My biggest criticism of the first Box novel was that the plot tended to lag at times with scenes that felt overly cartoonish. Happily, I find The Devil in Amber to be much more soundly constructed plot-wise. It sees Lucifer Box going up against a Fascist organization bent on world domination through the use of satanic magic, which is arguably just as cartoonish as the plot of the first novel, but the plot is, in my opinion, executed much more masterfully this time. The feel is a lot more sinister and tense, which I find fits much better with the setting, and the rushed feeling of the first novel has been substantially reduced.
Still, I imagine few people read Lucifer Box for the plot. Most read it for the complete allure of the main character and the extravagance of the setting and I am one of those people. Lucifer Box is just as charming as in The Vesuvius Club, albeit more grown up now and with just a few more heartbreaks to his name. The supporting characters also feel more fleshed out in this installment than in its predecessor, that being true for both the recurring and the new characters. The setting is just as dramatic, lusciously described and intriguing as in The Vesuvius Club and the 20 year time interval between the first and second novel prevent it from being just a reiteration of something we're already seen before. Once again, Mark Gatiss pays homage to the classic-era James Bond movies, but not without adding a few fresh twists into the mix, which prevents the book from coming off as just another layer of paint over the same kind of story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil in Amber and consider it the best of the trilogy. As for recommendations, I would say that anyone who enjoyed the first book, extravagant storytelling, dark humour, witty characters and lavish conspiracy theories/spy stories can't go wrong with The Devil in Amber.
My biggest criticism of the first Box novel was that the plot tended to lag at times with scenes that felt overly cartoonish. Happily, I find The Devil in Amber to be much more soundly constructed plot-wise. It sees Lucifer Box going up against a Fascist organization bent on world domination through the use of satanic magic, which is arguably just as cartoonish as the plot of the first novel, but the plot is, in my opinion, executed much more masterfully this time. The feel is a lot more sinister and tense, which I find fits much better with the setting, and the rushed feeling of the first novel has been substantially reduced.
Still, I imagine few people read Lucifer Box for the plot. Most read it for the complete allure of the main character and the extravagance of the setting and I am one of those people. Lucifer Box is just as charming as in The Vesuvius Club, albeit more grown up now and with just a few more heartbreaks to his name. The supporting characters also feel more fleshed out in this installment than in its predecessor, that being true for both the recurring and the new characters. The setting is just as dramatic, lusciously described and intriguing as in The Vesuvius Club and the 20 year time interval between the first and second novel prevent it from being just a reiteration of something we're already seen before. Once again, Mark Gatiss pays homage to the classic-era James Bond movies, but not without adding a few fresh twists into the mix, which prevents the book from coming off as just another layer of paint over the same kind of story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil in Amber and consider it the best of the trilogy. As for recommendations, I would say that anyone who enjoyed the first book, extravagant storytelling, dark humour, witty characters and lavish conspiracy theories/spy stories can't go wrong with The Devil in Amber.
December 30, 2017
A superb follow up to the Vesuvius Club sees a slightly older Lucifer Box once again foiling diabolical schemes.
March 29, 2016
You'd have to call this a "romp", I think. It's pure entertainment - by which I mean there's nothing highbrow or intellectual about it, it simply is what it is; an adventure story, think Raiders of the Lost Ark meets James Bond, except James Bond is a slightly camp bisexual and Indiana Jones is the same slightly camp bisexual.
It has everything the above implies: spies, nazis, the devil, guns, kidnapping, sex, crossings and double-crossings, giant henchmen, framings, multiple escapes... even cable cars and Swiss chateaus. In fact, the only thing missing is a casino. Sort it out, Gatiss.
There is an inconsistency that I wondered about; this character of Box is unashamedly homosexual in the first half of the book, but to fit in with this "Lamb of God" storyline he has to become romantically interested in a female character, and all the campness that seemed to be the novel's USP in the beginning goes out of the window. It's almost like Gatiss came up with a great idea for a plot for this pre-existing Box character, but to really make it work he needed a character called Agnes Daye (agnus dei), and... well, we're just going to have to plough ahead with it.
It's also a bit disappointing when it turns out that everything that happens has been manipulated by the malevolent forces in the story, so essentially your hero has achieved and affected nothing at all, and doesn't do so until right at the end. He's merely a pawn in someone else's dangerous game of power, which would be fine, but how many times have you seen stories that are like, "a-ha! I've got you now!"
"No, you haven't! I in fact arranged for you to be here! And I arranged everything else that happened, including all your escapes, trysts and escapades, just because you are the most important part, and you didn't even know it!"
Yeah, bit lame.
So... it's nothing you haven't read anywhere before so I think you just need to ask yourself: do you want to spend a few hours reading this kind of story? I only ended up with it because I was interested in a book in a charity shop, and they told me it was four books for a pound. Being a League of Gentlemen fan, this was one of the ones I picked to make up the numbers. And I'm quite heavily into reading at the moment, so I'm apt to try anything.
I wouldn't say it was particularly funny. There were some jokes in there that were vaguely amusing, but - and I'm not sure whether this is my fault or the fault of the writing - there were times when I was halfway through the next sentence before I realised I'd just read a joke, and I thought, "if I'd been going slower, would I have found that funny?" Was I reading too fast, or did the writing fail to plant the joke in my mind before I'd moved on? I rarely find true humour in the written word (outside of satirical, political writing), so perhaps it is me.
Anyway, I don't think I'll bother trying the first book in this series, or any future ones because I would probably have rather been reading something else, though it didn't take too much of my time.
Make of that what you will.
It has everything the above implies: spies, nazis, the devil, guns, kidnapping, sex, crossings and double-crossings, giant henchmen, framings, multiple escapes... even cable cars and Swiss chateaus. In fact, the only thing missing is a casino. Sort it out, Gatiss.
There is an inconsistency that I wondered about; this character of Box is unashamedly homosexual in the first half of the book, but to fit in with this "Lamb of God" storyline he has to become romantically interested in a female character, and all the campness that seemed to be the novel's USP in the beginning goes out of the window. It's almost like Gatiss came up with a great idea for a plot for this pre-existing Box character, but to really make it work he needed a character called Agnes Daye (agnus dei), and... well, we're just going to have to plough ahead with it.
It's also a bit disappointing when it turns out that everything that happens has been manipulated by the malevolent forces in the story, so essentially your hero has achieved and affected nothing at all, and doesn't do so until right at the end. He's merely a pawn in someone else's dangerous game of power, which would be fine, but how many times have you seen stories that are like, "a-ha! I've got you now!"
"No, you haven't! I in fact arranged for you to be here! And I arranged everything else that happened, including all your escapes, trysts and escapades, just because you are the most important part, and you didn't even know it!"
Yeah, bit lame.
So... it's nothing you haven't read anywhere before so I think you just need to ask yourself: do you want to spend a few hours reading this kind of story? I only ended up with it because I was interested in a book in a charity shop, and they told me it was four books for a pound. Being a League of Gentlemen fan, this was one of the ones I picked to make up the numbers. And I'm quite heavily into reading at the moment, so I'm apt to try anything.
I wouldn't say it was particularly funny. There were some jokes in there that were vaguely amusing, but - and I'm not sure whether this is my fault or the fault of the writing - there were times when I was halfway through the next sentence before I realised I'd just read a joke, and I thought, "if I'd been going slower, would I have found that funny?" Was I reading too fast, or did the writing fail to plant the joke in my mind before I'd moved on? I rarely find true humour in the written word (outside of satirical, political writing), so perhaps it is me.
Anyway, I don't think I'll bother trying the first book in this series, or any future ones because I would probably have rather been reading something else, though it didn't take too much of my time.
Make of that what you will.
June 2, 2015
The Devil in Amber by Mark Gatiss (writer and or star/co-star of “On the Town with the League of Gentlemen”, “Doctor Who”, “Psychoville”, “A History of Horror”, “Horror Europa”, “Sherlock”, “The Crimson Petal and the White”, and “Wolfhall”) is a terrific novel that continues the adventures of the decadent Edwardian dandy, artist, raconteur, wit, bon vivant and spy Lucifer Box, resident and owner of No. 9 Downing Street, who first appeared in The Vesuvius Club.
The book begins in the 1920s with a mission in New York were Lucifer Box is tasked with “ending” the career of an enemy agent and has one of the most memorable first lines I have ever read “He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him.” followed by “I’d already winged the beggar once, somewhere in the region of his flabby calves and was now in hot pursuit…” these opening lines give you a flavour of what is to come.
This flamboyant and amoral hero is an agent of His Majesty’s British Secret Service, under its guise of the Royal Academy (in reality the R.A. is a privately funded art institute with a long and distinguished history led by eminent artists and architects, and is based in London), the head of it (in this ripping yarn) being Joshua Reynolds (16th July 1723 – 23rd February 1792). This is in fact not his real name but merely his title in the same way that “M” appears as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service in the James Bond films.
After being given information on and investigating the FAUST (Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune) organization in America and then being framed for murder whilst in a very compromising predicament, Lucifer Box makes his way from New York on a dilapidated steamer back to Great Britain with a corrupt captain who is a fan of Lucifer’s art work, a somewhat feminine cabin boy who turns out to be an escaped convent girl with an interesting past and a tongue-less giant of a sailor (it was forcibly removed after he bad mouthed the ship’s captain) for company. This is all in a days’ work for Lucifer Box, however.
There is a deep and ancient secret at the resides in the convent of St. Beads in England, a ghostly apparition that may or may not be a guardian angel, a momentarily resurrected murdered Mother Superior, a super villain called Olympus Mons, and Lucifer’s own sister, Pandora. Can our somewhat depraved anti-hero survive and save the day? All I’ll say is read the book and see… because I'm not telling you.
The book begins in the 1920s with a mission in New York were Lucifer Box is tasked with “ending” the career of an enemy agent and has one of the most memorable first lines I have ever read “He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him.” followed by “I’d already winged the beggar once, somewhere in the region of his flabby calves and was now in hot pursuit…” these opening lines give you a flavour of what is to come.
This flamboyant and amoral hero is an agent of His Majesty’s British Secret Service, under its guise of the Royal Academy (in reality the R.A. is a privately funded art institute with a long and distinguished history led by eminent artists and architects, and is based in London), the head of it (in this ripping yarn) being Joshua Reynolds (16th July 1723 – 23rd February 1792). This is in fact not his real name but merely his title in the same way that “M” appears as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service in the James Bond films.
After being given information on and investigating the FAUST (Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune) organization in America and then being framed for murder whilst in a very compromising predicament, Lucifer Box makes his way from New York on a dilapidated steamer back to Great Britain with a corrupt captain who is a fan of Lucifer’s art work, a somewhat feminine cabin boy who turns out to be an escaped convent girl with an interesting past and a tongue-less giant of a sailor (it was forcibly removed after he bad mouthed the ship’s captain) for company. This is all in a days’ work for Lucifer Box, however.
There is a deep and ancient secret at the resides in the convent of St. Beads in England, a ghostly apparition that may or may not be a guardian angel, a momentarily resurrected murdered Mother Superior, a super villain called Olympus Mons, and Lucifer’s own sister, Pandora. Can our somewhat depraved anti-hero survive and save the day? All I’ll say is read the book and see… because I'm not telling you.
February 19, 2011
This is actually the second book in Gatiss' Lucifer Box series. I picked it up on the sale shelf at a Borders Express the night I saw "Stardust" and started reading it over dinner, then put it aside long enough to finish the Woolrich book reviewed above. Thankfully, like a James Bond or Dirk Pitt book, you can read the Box stories out of order (considerably easier since there are only two Box books at the moment).
Lucifer Box, "portraitist, dandy, and terribly good secret agent," narrates this story from somewhat later in his career than the earlier novel, and right from the start of the book you know he's not as spry in action as he used to be. How? He tells you so early on, and repeatedly throughout the book in grand self-effacing humor style. Box's arm of His Majesty's Secret Service is so secret that it masquerades as The Royal Academy of Arts. All of the agents seem also to be talented artists, sculptors and the like. Not all of them seem quite so relaxed in their skin as Box. Box is far from modest and far from shy -- he'll bed anyone who attracts his attention no matter their gender (so instead of "Bond Girls" we have "Box Boys and Girls," but please don't misconstrue that to mean underage partners -- both of Box's "conquests" in this book are of legal age).
The story starts with Box bungling a mission and being rescued by his former protegee turned competitor, Percy Flarge. A meeting with the new head of the department (not one with a one letter codename, thankfully) gives Box a supposedly less-strenuous assignment: investigate a growing organization called FAUST (the Fascist Anglo-United States Trinity) and its leader Olympus Mons. It only gets more interesting from there, with chases, double crosses, twists and turns all narrated by Box in a voice that is pure Oscar Wilde, if Wilde were also a secret agent.
Seriously, how can you not like a book with a first line like "He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him."
Do yourself a favor and find The Devil In Amber ... it's a quick breezy read with a very fun main character.
Lucifer Box, "portraitist, dandy, and terribly good secret agent," narrates this story from somewhat later in his career than the earlier novel, and right from the start of the book you know he's not as spry in action as he used to be. How? He tells you so early on, and repeatedly throughout the book in grand self-effacing humor style. Box's arm of His Majesty's Secret Service is so secret that it masquerades as The Royal Academy of Arts. All of the agents seem also to be talented artists, sculptors and the like. Not all of them seem quite so relaxed in their skin as Box. Box is far from modest and far from shy -- he'll bed anyone who attracts his attention no matter their gender (so instead of "Bond Girls" we have "Box Boys and Girls," but please don't misconstrue that to mean underage partners -- both of Box's "conquests" in this book are of legal age).
The story starts with Box bungling a mission and being rescued by his former protegee turned competitor, Percy Flarge. A meeting with the new head of the department (not one with a one letter codename, thankfully) gives Box a supposedly less-strenuous assignment: investigate a growing organization called FAUST (the Fascist Anglo-United States Trinity) and its leader Olympus Mons. It only gets more interesting from there, with chases, double crosses, twists and turns all narrated by Box in a voice that is pure Oscar Wilde, if Wilde were also a secret agent.
Seriously, how can you not like a book with a first line like "He was an American, so it seemed only fair to shoot him."
Do yourself a favor and find The Devil In Amber ... it's a quick breezy read with a very fun main character.
August 22, 2013
Having read 'The Vesuvius Club' I couldn't wait to get my teeth into the second installment of Lucifer Box and his thrilling adventures. Having been busy this book took me an embarrassingly long time to read, but it kept me coming back for more as any good book should. As the previous book was set in the Edwardian era (Mark was never very clear it could have been anything from 1901-1910) a different time period was an interesting change that gave way to new parts of history. 1920's New York city. I liked the change in era and found the time difference was an enjoyable if not clever move. (Mark could always write others filling in the 20 year gap after all. *begs any and all deities he does*). So good ol' Lucy is 20 years older but from his insistent inner monologue he is still as strapping and gorgeous as first envisioned if not slightly aged. (I think someone needs to inform Mr. Box that men like fine wine get better with age... Or at least that's what I seem to find.) As always Lucifer is daring, heroic and an amazingly written character. As before I found myself sucked right in and dashing along side the man eager to find out what was happening. I adored the new characters and the way each one mattered. The way Mark never wastes even a word astounds me. No matter how small each character served something to the plot and what a plot it was. In my opinion The Vesuvius Club left Mark a tall order in which he brilliantly filled. Whilst the books are completely different in plot they are still both astounding, everything matters, there aren't lose ends left behind. The man is an artist, his craft is beautiful and I am in love with every page. To me Mark doesn't provide just a story it's an experience, a lesson. So as always a thank you to Mark Gatiss I am indebted to you yet again, you've given me yet another beautiful literary experience.
May 17, 2007
Inconsequential fluff, but fun nevertheless.
Mark Gatiss really does wear his influences on his sleeve in this one, moreso than 'the Vesuvius Club', to the point where it definitely sits more comfortably as pastiche than novel. The breathless 'man on the run' segments are lifted straight from 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' (along with the incredible volume of coincidences that power it along) and the evil cult and their ceremonies come courtesy of Dennis Wheatley. Add to that the slightly (but enderaingly) unconvincing 'noir' elements set in the US and you have a bucket of literary debts rather audaciously strung together.
What really makes it all work is Gatiss's obvious love of the period and his sources. If anything, it is the self-conciously 'modern' elements that I found rather clunky-- Lucifer's repeated and rather drawn-out sexual (mis)adventures rather brought me out of the novel, far moreseo than some of the more preposterous plot turns. The points where it did work were when he was clearly playing Lucifer's or the other characters' sexual preferences for laughs, but some of the scenes simply felt out of place in an otherwise fast-paced adventure novel.
I have a fondness for pulp novels of the 20s and 30s (I'm gradually piecing together a Doc Savage collection) so I may be somewhat biased, but I thought bringing the series forward 30 years and aging Lucifer accordingly for the sequel was an inspired decision. I heard an interview suggesting the next title would be set in the 60s, with a somewhat deranged and decrepit lead character-- I certainly hope so.
Like I said at the top of the review, it's undoubtedly a bit of pure escapism and not going to change anyone's world, but I would recommend it nevertheless.
Mark Gatiss really does wear his influences on his sleeve in this one, moreso than 'the Vesuvius Club', to the point where it definitely sits more comfortably as pastiche than novel. The breathless 'man on the run' segments are lifted straight from 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' (along with the incredible volume of coincidences that power it along) and the evil cult and their ceremonies come courtesy of Dennis Wheatley. Add to that the slightly (but enderaingly) unconvincing 'noir' elements set in the US and you have a bucket of literary debts rather audaciously strung together.
What really makes it all work is Gatiss's obvious love of the period and his sources. If anything, it is the self-conciously 'modern' elements that I found rather clunky-- Lucifer's repeated and rather drawn-out sexual (mis)adventures rather brought me out of the novel, far moreseo than some of the more preposterous plot turns. The points where it did work were when he was clearly playing Lucifer's or the other characters' sexual preferences for laughs, but some of the scenes simply felt out of place in an otherwise fast-paced adventure novel.
I have a fondness for pulp novels of the 20s and 30s (I'm gradually piecing together a Doc Savage collection) so I may be somewhat biased, but I thought bringing the series forward 30 years and aging Lucifer accordingly for the sequel was an inspired decision. I heard an interview suggesting the next title would be set in the 60s, with a somewhat deranged and decrepit lead character-- I certainly hope so.
Like I said at the top of the review, it's undoubtedly a bit of pure escapism and not going to change anyone's world, but I would recommend it nevertheless.
October 30, 2011
Copied from my blog:
The Devil in Amber is the second book in the "Lucifer Box" series, but author Gatiss is deft enough with description that there's no need at all to have read the first book (it will certainly deepen the experience, though). The setting is the 1920s in New York City and the English countryside, and the plot is pure adventure spy novel with tongue very, very firmly in cheek. The main character, Lucifer Box (all the characters have similarly fantastic names) is a secret agent and a portrait painter, and he's starting to have to admit that's he's hit middle age and is slowing down. That doesn't affect his high opinion of himself, though, nor does it seem to interfere with his love life (readers who are offended by homoeroticism be warned--though the sex is mostly offstage or only described in very general terms, it's definitely present in both hetero and homo forms).
The adventure this time involves more than one improbable group of secret agents (one is hidden as the Royal Art Academy and another is based at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while the bad guys are called F.A.U.S.T.), and a plot to release the very devil from captivity using an invocation written on a scrap of very old silk and the sacrifice of the perfect "lamb"--a woman who happens to be Lucifer Box's love interest. It could all degenerate into a silly-but-fun slapstick comedic adventure, but Gatiss's sheer skill with language somehow makes the whole ridiculous mess into a lush, exciting, readable tale that transcends its genre. Track down this series and read them all.
April 28, 2013
It is often the problem with sequels that they are not as good as their predecessors. And this is also the case with this book. Well, it’s not easy to top the evil scheme of the first part, but I doubt that it was really necessary to bring the devil into this. Also, why do sequels always have to be bigger and better and faster and louder?
Having said that, the book was also a rather good sequel, because it didn’t repeat jokes or characters or plotlines from the first part, but was completely different. Whereas book 1 was set, to a large part, in London, we didn’t get to read about London at all this time round. There were also many new characters (just one other, apart from Lucifer Box, made also an appearance in The Vesuvius Club). I will never forgive Mark Gatiss for killing off my favourite character, though. My favourite character from book 1, that is.
This part was also much darker and less funnier than the first one, which is to a large part due to the topic it deals with. But it was still entertaining and thrilling and it used interesting imagery. My favourite game was to spot exact phrases or sentences from the episodes of “Sherlock” Gatiss has written. For example, in my edition, there’s one on page 208. “I saw things. Terrible things.”
Having said that, the book was also a rather good sequel, because it didn’t repeat jokes or characters or plotlines from the first part, but was completely different. Whereas book 1 was set, to a large part, in London, we didn’t get to read about London at all this time round. There were also many new characters (just one other, apart from Lucifer Box, made also an appearance in The Vesuvius Club). I will never forgive Mark Gatiss for killing off my favourite character, though. My favourite character from book 1, that is.
This part was also much darker and less funnier than the first one, which is to a large part due to the topic it deals with. But it was still entertaining and thrilling and it used interesting imagery. My favourite game was to spot exact phrases or sentences from the episodes of “Sherlock” Gatiss has written. For example, in my edition, there’s one on page 208. “I saw things. Terrible things.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2011
Fast, cheeky, engrossing, and just as amusing as the original. Lucifer Box does it again, tangled up in another supernatural mystery that requires him to save the world, with the help of some very stalwart companions.
If you're looking for a deep, complicated mystery that keeps you guessing until the last moment, the Lucifer Box novels aren't for you. If you're looking for a cheeky, witty, fast-paced thriller set between the world wars and incorporating a whole lot of British wit and wisdom (along with some supernatural elements), then you may just find a new favourite.
Glib, slick, and utterly unrestrained in his sexual tastes, Lucifer Box makes James Bond look like a bumbling fool. He's self-absorbed, a bit clueless at points, and utterly unconcerned with the greater ramifications of his work as a secret agent for the Crown - except when he is, and when he is, he's in the thick of things and quite skilled at what he does.
Told in the first person, this book is a fluffy little delight to read, mostly because Lucifer's voice is so nonchalant and smooth.
A delight, from start to finish, even if you do figure out the plot well before Lucifer does...
If you're looking for a deep, complicated mystery that keeps you guessing until the last moment, the Lucifer Box novels aren't for you. If you're looking for a cheeky, witty, fast-paced thriller set between the world wars and incorporating a whole lot of British wit and wisdom (along with some supernatural elements), then you may just find a new favourite.
Glib, slick, and utterly unrestrained in his sexual tastes, Lucifer Box makes James Bond look like a bumbling fool. He's self-absorbed, a bit clueless at points, and utterly unconcerned with the greater ramifications of his work as a secret agent for the Crown - except when he is, and when he is, he's in the thick of things and quite skilled at what he does.
Told in the first person, this book is a fluffy little delight to read, mostly because Lucifer's voice is so nonchalant and smooth.
A delight, from start to finish, even if you do figure out the plot well before Lucifer does...
May 11, 2015
I quite enjoyed the first installment in the Lucifer Box series, but I could not warm up to this. Maybe the novelty has worn off, maybe I was just not in the right mood.
The language was once more very engaging, but there was little to enamor me to the protagonist. He's self-absorbed (nothing new there) and incompetent, strutting through the world fancying himself a super-spy (er, THE super-spy) without, however, ever bothering to come up with a strategy or (dare I be so bold as to suggest?) paying attention to his surroundings to make sure his secret meetings are not watched/violently disrupted. Lucifer Box in all his dandy arrogance worked so well because despite his flaws, I trusted him to guide me through an interesting story. Here, he does not guide but stumble and follow blindly, and the antagonist left me half yawning, half annoyed to see yet again another Fascist/Satanist action adventure unfold.
Having seen (and disliked) series 3 of Sherlock, I feel a tendency to over-the-top plots and hilariousness to the detriment of plausibility is becoming a dominant streak in Gatiss' work.
The language was once more very engaging, but there was little to enamor me to the protagonist. He's self-absorbed (nothing new there) and incompetent, strutting through the world fancying himself a super-spy (er, THE super-spy) without, however, ever bothering to come up with a strategy or (dare I be so bold as to suggest?) paying attention to his surroundings to make sure his secret meetings are not watched/violently disrupted. Lucifer Box in all his dandy arrogance worked so well because despite his flaws, I trusted him to guide me through an interesting story. Here, he does not guide but stumble and follow blindly, and the antagonist left me half yawning, half annoyed to see yet again another Fascist/Satanist action adventure unfold.
Having seen (and disliked) series 3 of Sherlock, I feel a tendency to over-the-top plots and hilariousness to the detriment of plausibility is becoming a dominant streak in Gatiss' work.
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