![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreSo, in case it wasn't made clear throughout the evening, I love Simon R. Green's books. He's marvelously funny in a completely straightforward, deadpan and darkly humorous way, he pulls no punches and most of his books contain a number of twists, both brilliant and nasty, big and small(I related one twist in this book to calixaa few hours ago and she hasn't recovered yet.) He also creates some of my favorite characters in any genre.
As a general rule, his heroes are ruthless guys who will do whatever it takes to take down the bad guy, as long as it doesn't get innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. They're genuinely good guys who fight the good fight because it has to be fought and complete straight shooters. They're also, universally, strictly one woman guys, even the ones who never actually get their girl. Granted, part of that is likely due to the fact that any one of SRG's heroines would slit their throats in their sleep if they strayed. And his heroines? Half the time, it's not a question of whether or not she can hold her ground by his side, but if he can hold his ground at her side. These are the kinds of romances where the guy will likely pile up a couple unconscious bodies to use as a chair, and then talk to the semi-conscious ones about how the lovely lady kicking their pals' faces in is his girlfriend/wife, and isn't she the best?
The Man With the Golden Torc is SRG's tribute to the spy genre, especially James Bond. Ever since Rome ruled Britain, the Drood family has stood as guardians of the world against all those nasty things we don't know exist. They're the ultimate spy agency, and golden torcs provide them with impenetrable golden armor that they can summon at will, and that protects their identities. If you aren't one of them, then you're so in debt that they own you, you're scared *bleep*-less of them or you're part of a plot to kill them all. Or all three. One member, Eddie Drood, got rather fed up with their hive mind mentality and left years ago. He still does missions for the family, but mostly he leads a relatively unobtrusive life as Shaman Bond.
I now want to read another Simon R. Green book but the new Nightside book isn't out until January. Maybe I can find an excuse to reread the Hawk and Fisher books.
ETA: Spoilers in comments.
calixaa few hours ago and she hasn't recovered yet.) He also creates some of my favorite characters in any genre.As a general rule, his heroes are ruthless guys who will do whatever it takes to take down the bad guy, as long as it doesn't get innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. They're genuinely good guys who fight the good fight because it has to be fought and complete straight shooters. They're also, universally, strictly one woman guys, even the ones who never actually get their girl. Granted, part of that is likely due to the fact that any one of SRG's heroines would slit their throats in their sleep if they strayed. And his heroines? Half the time, it's not a question of whether or not she can hold her ground by his side, but if he can hold his ground at her side. These are the kinds of romances where the guy will likely pile up a couple unconscious bodies to use as a chair, and then talk to the semi-conscious ones about how the lovely lady kicking their pals' faces in is his girlfriend/wife, and isn't she the best?
The Man With the Golden Torc is SRG's tribute to the spy genre, especially James Bond. Ever since Rome ruled Britain, the Drood family has stood as guardians of the world against all those nasty things we don't know exist. They're the ultimate spy agency, and golden torcs provide them with impenetrable golden armor that they can summon at will, and that protects their identities. If you aren't one of them, then you're so in debt that they own you, you're scared *bleep*-less of them or you're part of a plot to kill them all. Or all three. One member, Eddie Drood, got rather fed up with their hive mind mentality and left years ago. He still does missions for the family, but mostly he leads a relatively unobtrusive life as Shaman Bond.
But when the family matriarch says to go home, he goes home, and in the middle of carrying out atop secret mission, he finds himself blacklisted and declared a traitor for reasons unknows, with the entire family turning on him and hunting him down. To make things more fun, they reveal his face to the world, so all their enemies will hunt him down, too. It's a very sucky time to be Eddie Drood.
Figuring he's screwed anyway and doesn't have any better options, to Shaman's friend, Molly Metcalf for help. Molly is a powerful witch who tends to turn people she doesn't like into small forest animals. Her living room is a forest. Literally. She's also a complete anarchist and hates the Droods and she and Eddie Drood have been trying to kill each other for the last decade. It's nothing personal, just business. Eddie hopes that the chance to screw over the Droods will win out over her impulse to do unpleasant things to him for A) being a Drood and B) Playing her buddy Shaman Bond but not telling her he was a Drood.
The chance to screw over the Droods just barely wins out and off they go to find out why the Droods want Eddie dead, hunting down other rogue Droods(all personifications of every retired spy ever) and looking into every other faction(read: spy agency) there is who hate the Droods. Naturally, all factions are just as bad as or worse than the Droods, and they pis them all off.
When not killing or having people try to kill them, Eddie and Molly reminisce about all the times they've tried to kill each other and are somewhat concerned to learn they get along quite famously with everything out in the open. It's an interesting courtship. She pretty much decides he's a keeper when, after she's shot and killed, he turns back time, saves her, and then spends a good half hour beating up the guys who no longer killed her. He only stops because she's asks him to nicely. She was worried he'd feel guilty about it later. She was probably right. Did I mention that day started out with him in her bed and her knife at his throat? Like I said, interesting courtship. But hey, he gets praised for his choice in women and gets familial blessing from people who are supposed to be trying to kill him when they raid the family home, so they're obviously doing something right.
Anyway, excellent book, highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy, spy novels, or just dark humor.
Figuring he's screwed anyway and doesn't have any better options, to Shaman's friend, Molly Metcalf for help. Molly is a powerful witch who tends to turn people she doesn't like into small forest animals. Her living room is a forest. Literally. She's also a complete anarchist and hates the Droods and she and Eddie Drood have been trying to kill each other for the last decade. It's nothing personal, just business. Eddie hopes that the chance to screw over the Droods will win out over her impulse to do unpleasant things to him for A) being a Drood and B) Playing her buddy Shaman Bond but not telling her he was a Drood.
The chance to screw over the Droods just barely wins out and off they go to find out why the Droods want Eddie dead, hunting down other rogue Droods(all personifications of every retired spy ever) and looking into every other faction(read: spy agency) there is who hate the Droods. Naturally, all factions are just as bad as or worse than the Droods, and they pis them all off.
When not killing or having people try to kill them, Eddie and Molly reminisce about all the times they've tried to kill each other and are somewhat concerned to learn they get along quite famously with everything out in the open. It's an interesting courtship. She pretty much decides he's a keeper when, after she's shot and killed, he turns back time, saves her, and then spends a good half hour beating up the guys who no longer killed her. He only stops because she's asks him to nicely. She was worried he'd feel guilty about it later. She was probably right. Did I mention that day started out with him in her bed and her knife at his throat? Like I said, interesting courtship. But hey, he gets praised for his choice in women and gets familial blessing from people who are supposed to be trying to kill him when they raid the family home, so they're obviously doing something right.
Anyway, excellent book, highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy, spy novels, or just dark humor.
I now want to read another Simon R. Green book but the new Nightside book isn't out until January. Maybe I can find an excuse to reread the Hawk and Fisher books.
ETA: Spoilers in comments.