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Showing posts with label Ghost Finders Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghost Finders Series. Show all posts
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday Snippet #80
Ghost of a Smile
by: Simon R. Green
ACE
August 30, 2011 “Took one look at what?” said Happy.
“I don’t know,” said Melody. “But I’m pretty sure whatever these things were, they’re still here.”
She shut down the computer and stood up abruptly, glaring about her. The others huddled together unconsciously, checking out every possible hiding place with a hard look, and still they couldn’t see anything. The atmosphere had moved beyond tense to actually oppressive. They all felt like they were being watched, studied, by cold, unseen eyes. Happy sniffed the air.
“Is it only me, or can you smell something?”
“Yes,” said JC. “A ripe, spoiled sort of smell. Meat that’s gone off. Blood, too. Other things of that nature, none of them good.”
“It’s getting stronger,” said Happy. “It’s leaving a really nasty taste in the back of my mouth.”
“Hush,” said Melody. “I can hear something . . .”
They all stood very still, straining their ears against the quiet, and slowly they began to hear soft, approaching sounds. Dragging sounds, of something heavy hauling itself along the floor, through sheer will-power. Wet, slapping sounds, slipping and sliding, coming from a dozen different directions at once.
“Oh no,” said Happy. “I know it’s going to be some horrible human shape of patched-together organs, probably all red and blobby with no proper exterior, so you can see things moving inside, with dozens of eyes bobbing about at the top. Dripping blood and bile and leaving a smoking trail of acid behind it . . .”
He stopped as he realized they were all looking at him.
“You’ve been watching those Japanese manga movies again, haven’t you?” said JC.
Happy wrapped his dignity around him, and stared back. “Legend of the Overfiend is a classic! Though it does practically define the phrase guilty pleasure.”
“Take a few of your little chemical helpers, and get yourself together,” said JC. “You’re no use to me if you can’t keep your head in game.”
“I am trying to cope without them,” said Happy. “Ever since my piss started turning funny colours. Better living through chemistry is all very well, but in practice it doesn’t half take it out on your liver.”
“And because you can’t get it up when you’re trashed,” said Melody.
“Why do you keep putting mental images into my head that I know I’m going to have to scour out with wire wool?” said JC.
“Heh-heh,” said Melody.
Kim drifted in beside her. “Maybe we should make time for some girlie talk, later,” she said. “It’s not easy having a love life when you’re dead.”
They all looked round sharply. The heavy, dragging sounds were definitely closer. Wet, slippery sounds accompanied them, sounds that grated on the nerves and upset the stomach. All of them heading straight for the group, with definite purpose.
“I suppose a big transplant Frankenstein thing isn’t entirely out of the question,” said Melody. “But the noises don’t seem right for that.”
“Definitely organic,” said Kim. “And kind of squishy.”
“They were only developing organs,” JC said firmly. “Not building actual people.”
“Who knows what happened after the new energies changed things?” said Melody.
“Hell with this,” JC said briskly. “I’m not built for standing around and waiting.”
He strode down the long, open floor, towards the sounds. It took him a while to realize that none of the others were following him. Not even Kim. JC stopped and looked back.
“Oh come on! This is definitely time for Go team go!”
“Not even for a substantial raise and a stretch limo all my own,” said Happy. “I know my limitations. And they very definitely include squishy things.”
“Right,” said Melody. “I have a really bad feeling about this. I say we skip this floor and go straight up to face the New People. I could cope with New People. Strange, invisible, squishy things is something else entirely.”
“What is the matter with you people?” said JC. “Big Black Dogges with mouthfuls of huge jaggedy teeth didn’t even slow you down!”
“Don’t like strange squelchy things,” Kim said firmly. “Especially ones I can’t see.”
“Right,” said Happy.
“Damn right,” said Melody.
JC looked round suddenly. Something was moving about very near him. He spun round and round, glaring in every direction, and then, finally, he looked down. And said, “Oh shit.”
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Review: Ghost of a Smile
Ghost of a SmileAuthor: Simon R. Green
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Ace
Ghost Finders #2
ISBN: #978-0441020751
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (279 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
The Ghost Finders answer a distress call from the private research centre of one of the biggest drug companies in the world, where a team of police enforcement agents have vanished. They have no idea what they’re facing-except a deadline that threatens to remove the entire building from existence if they fail to get to the bottom of the mystery.
What G & U are talking about: |
Gikany and Una were first introduced to Simon R. Green through his book For Heaven’s Eyes Only in his Secret History’s series (review HERE). So when the opportunity came to review Ghost of a Smile in his latest Ghost Finders series, we jumped for it. We were hoping for another story that would have wonderful banter, engaging plot and fascinating world. We got more than we hoped for!
Since this is only the second book in the series, Gikany and Una went ahead and read the first book, Ghost of a Chance. There is quite a bit of world-building and set up in the first book so we recommend that you grab it and read it first. We will say we found the Ghost of a Smile much stronger, but we did enjoy the first novel.
The story begins with our fearless (well, except for Happy) ghost finders of the famous Carnaki Institute up to their usual antics. As their beginning mission ends, they are, again, thrust into a serious situation they must deal with (even though there are better teams the “higher” ups would rather send in, they are stuck with JC, Melody and Happy). Mr. Green’s characters are absolutely charismatic and fun. The banter is wonderful and the plot flows well.
“Come on, Happy,” JC said cheerfully. “Where’s your sense of adventure?
“I had it surgically removed,” Happy said coldly. “It was endangering my life.”
“It’s true,” said Melody. “He did. I’ve got it in a jar at home, on the mantelpiece.”
This was just an incredibly fun and engaging story. The plot moves well, the writing is splendidly woven with humor and character development all while keeping the mystery moving and plot thickening up until the end. There just are not that many books that can gross you out while laughing, but Mr. Green seems to be a genius at it.
Even though we are left with a fairly large cliffhanger, the story in many ways is resolved satisfactorily. It is the large questions remaining that will keep Gikany and Una on pins and needles until the next book comes out. We encourage you to pick up Ghost of a Smile and enjoy.
Their Rating: |
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Books in the Series:
Ghost of a Chance (A Ghost Finders #1)
Ghost of a Smile (A Ghost Finders #2)
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