Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Orbit (2006), Edition: paperback / softback, 512 pages
Description
In this supernatural thriller, freelance exorcist Felix Castor gets a seemingly insignificant "missing ghost" case that inexorably drags himself and his loved ones into the middle of a horrific plot to raise one of Hell's fiercest demons. When Satanists, sacrifice farms, stolen spirits and possessed churches all appear on the same police report, the name of Felix Castor can't be too far behind.
User reviews
LibraryThing member AHS-Wolfy
Felix 'Fix' Castor is still struggling to make ends meet and with his conscience still pricking him, he's even gone and changed the sign on his office from Eradications to Spiritual Services. Now all he has to do is wait for the client load to increase and he'll be raking in the cash and it's not
This is the second book in the hard-boiled urban fantasy series from an author who is generally better known for his graphic novels (Lucifer & Hellblazer to name a couple) but who does a fine job as a novelist also. Both books that I've read in the series are self-contained but you do get a recurring character set so probably best read in order to see the developing relationships between them all. Along with Felix and Juliet, we also get to see more of Nicky the conspiracy obsessed zombie who still cares about his appearance, Fix's best friend Rafi who's still locked away because of his demon possession and Pen, his landlady who seems to be embarking on a new romance with a doctor. As Felix is still being beaten up on a regular basis that latter might come in handy.
I'm liking the way this series is heading. The background characters are developing nicely and Felix is still the misunderstood, wise-cracking, put-upon individual that we learned of in The Devil You Know. I would place this book closer towards the Nightside series, though infinitely better, rather than The Dresden Files as it has more of a mystery feel and darker edge to it than the latter though certainly has a British feel about it being set in a recognisable, apart from the proliferation of undead, version of London.
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long before he gets his first customer's. The Torrington's want Fix to look for their daughter who returned to them after dying in an auto accident and her ghost has now been kidnapped by one of Felix's fellow exorcists. When his initial attempts at contacting the spirit are thwarted, Fix sets about finding out what he can about her abductor and doesn't like what he hears, Dennis Peace is not a likeable chap. Meanwhile, Juliet, the succubus who's trying to make her way on the mortal plane, wants a second opinion on a commission she has and asks Fix to help her out. It seems something has possessed a church and Juliet seems to think it's something big. It also seems that there's an increase in violent crime happening in the city too but will that have any bearing on Fix's investigations?This is the second book in the hard-boiled urban fantasy series from an author who is generally better known for his graphic novels (Lucifer & Hellblazer to name a couple) but who does a fine job as a novelist also. Both books that I've read in the series are self-contained but you do get a recurring character set so probably best read in order to see the developing relationships between them all. Along with Felix and Juliet, we also get to see more of Nicky the conspiracy obsessed zombie who still cares about his appearance, Fix's best friend Rafi who's still locked away because of his demon possession and Pen, his landlady who seems to be embarking on a new romance with a doctor. As Felix is still being beaten up on a regular basis that latter might come in handy.
I'm liking the way this series is heading. The background characters are developing nicely and Felix is still the misunderstood, wise-cracking, put-upon individual that we learned of in The Devil You Know. I would place this book closer towards the Nightside series, though infinitely better, rather than The Dresden Files as it has more of a mystery feel and darker edge to it than the latter though certainly has a British feel about it being set in a recognisable, apart from the proliferation of undead, version of London.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Meh, not really taken by this one despite enjoying the last quite a bit. Not sure why, Felix didn't seem as funny, the plot didin't seem as well connected, and the world-building was already stale. I'd been looking forward to some amusing Banter as the succubus Juliet learnt the ropes with Felix,
Felix gets hired to retrieve the ghost of a grieving couple's daughter, whom they believe has been stolen by a crazy ectomancer. Felix (much like Harry Dresden) is ever a sucker for a sorry tale and doesn't check the details too thoroughly. He's heard nothing good about this guy Pearse, and pursues him around london for some time, following limited clues, and frequently crossing paths with a pair of werewolves who seem to be hunting a similar trail, although Felix can't think of any particular reason for them to do so. Lots of mis-direction is thrown the readers way until the eventual tacky and stupid plot is revealed. By which time Felix is down to some limited choices all of which are bad, the consequences of which he may face in the next book. Or they may get blithely ignored.
Perhaps I just ins't the right mood for it, I have the third in the series which I'll try in due course.
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but we just skipped all that and picked up the story a year later when she was more or less independent. Felix gets hired to retrieve the ghost of a grieving couple's daughter, whom they believe has been stolen by a crazy ectomancer. Felix (much like Harry Dresden) is ever a sucker for a sorry tale and doesn't check the details too thoroughly. He's heard nothing good about this guy Pearse, and pursues him around london for some time, following limited clues, and frequently crossing paths with a pair of werewolves who seem to be hunting a similar trail, although Felix can't think of any particular reason for them to do so. Lots of mis-direction is thrown the readers way until the eventual tacky and stupid plot is revealed. By which time Felix is down to some limited choices all of which are bad, the consequences of which he may face in the next book. Or they may get blithely ignored.
Perhaps I just ins't the right mood for it, I have the third in the series which I'll try in due course.
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LibraryThing member gkchandler
Part way through this book I was getting a bit bogged down with the internal monologue of the protagonist - I was a little concerned there was not going to be much solid story to go with it. But persistence paid off and the story picked up, concluding with a thrilling finish equal to The Devil You
One of the things I like about Carey's writing is his use of language. He doesn't overuse metaphors and manages to convey ideas and thoughts very effectively.
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Know.One of the things I like about Carey's writing is his use of language. He doesn't overuse metaphors and manages to convey ideas and thoughts very effectively.
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LibraryThing member bystander
Not the sort of book I usually like (takes place in modern-day, plus it's a mystery), but the ghosts, etc, are enough to keep me interested. The writing is snappy and clever, and often laugh-out-loud funny, with its dry British wit.
LibraryThing member page.fault
Something very bad is happening in London, and the rising of the dead is only the start of it. The ghost of a child has been stolen from her parents' home. A man ridden by a demon has become even more disturbingly violent. A local church seems to have been invaded by a dark presence. Ordinary
The end is nigh and the demons have come out to play.
It isn't long before Felix Castor is right in the middle of the game.
Carey's books make for fantastic urban fantasy pulp: strong plots, vivid action, and an engaging narrator. But while this series may be hardboiled urban fantasy, but I would not necessarily recommend it to Dresden Files fans. Castor's world is significantly darker than the Dresdenverse. While Dresden tends towards lightly hardboiled, Castor is pure noir: isolation, moral greys, a cruel world, and a bleak future. While the plot involves demons, it mainly centres around man's inhumanity to man(and /women/children/ghosts) in sickeningly graphic and extremely disturbing detail. Neither the protagonist nor his associates have the sort of clear moral certainty that Dresden usually assumes, and while Butcher's books portray Christianity and the Catholic church positively, Carey's vitriolic hatred of religion fairly drips off the page. The writing is terse and wry and the wordplay is often humorous, but even considering that our dauntless hero is a Liverpudlian who looks like a used car salesman and whose weapon of choice is a bright green recorder, it's amazing how unfunny I find these books. That's not a complaint; I actually suspect I have difficulty seeing the funny side because I quickly became absorbed in the world and plot.
Perhaps the most depressing aspect of the book for me was Fix's isolation. Considering that his closest confidant is the demonic succubus who owns his soul, Castor won't be winning any popularity contests. He goes out of his way to antagonise everyone he encounters, from his supposed friend Nicky to potential information sources to the suspicious policewoman investigating him. He even has the potential to alienate the reader--I found his tendency to boast about his own ignorance while scorning the beliefs of others to be grating, and I suspect it is even more trying for readers of faith. Although I find his actions frustrating, I think Fix's pugnacious attitude can be seen as a masochistic, guilt-ridden attempt to punish himself and keep himself isolated from people that he fears he will fail.
But even if Fix made an abrupt personality shift into placating cooperation, his world would hardly be less dismal: there are simply too few decent human beings in it. I love that all of Carey's characters are complex mixtures of selfishness, altruism, bravery, and cowardice, but I feel that all of them veer far closer to the monster than the angel. I can count only two human characters who are significant enough to be faced with difficult choices and still seem to make reasonably humane decisions--and that's if you let me use the technically undead Nicky and you let me discount Matthew Castor's hard, unfeeling, holier-than-thou actions from the last book. Castor's (human and still living) "friends" are especially problematic. Fix's cop acquaintance simultaneously calls him "friend" and spinelessly betrays him. I never liked Rafi, Castor's demon-ridden friend, but in this book, we learn more about how he ended up sharing headspace with Asmodeous, and his actions do not reflect well on him. I also revised my opinion of Pen, Castor's (unrequited) love interest: she's not just a vapid, shallow, bimbo; it turns out she's also a selfish, self-righteous, myopic [expletive] as well. All of this goes to create a very dark world; while this was obviously Carey's intention, I tend to shy away from books where the characters are so flawed that they are difficult to empathise with.
Despite my reservations about the characters, I quickly found myself engrossed in the story. Carey's writing is incredibly visual. Maybe his ability to create such vivid scenes stems from his experiences writing for comics and graphic novels, but all of it, especially the demon scenes, go to create a story that is simply crying for someone to take on the movie rights. Carey also shows considerable skill in creating a mystery--I guarantee that you will figure out two parts of it about 100-200 pages before Fix does, which is admittedly frustrating, but there are some marvellous twists and turns at the end that will certainly surprise you. hover for spoiler Carey's worldbuilding continues to delight me; his particular supernatural setup is both incredibly creative and solidly thought out.
Overall, the book is a fine example of dark, gritty, urban fantasy pulp: it is imaginative, suspenseful, often heart-wrenching. If you're in the mood for a world of moral greys, vivid action, and a page-turning plot, Felix Castor is the protagonist for you.
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Londoners have suddenly succumbed to bouts of horrific violence.The end is nigh and the demons have come out to play.
It isn't long before Felix Castor is right in the middle of the game.
Carey's books make for fantastic urban fantasy pulp: strong plots, vivid action, and an engaging narrator. But while this series may be hardboiled urban fantasy, but I would not necessarily recommend it to Dresden Files fans. Castor's world is significantly darker than the Dresdenverse. While Dresden tends towards lightly hardboiled, Castor is pure noir: isolation, moral greys, a cruel world, and a bleak future. While the plot involves demons, it mainly centres around man's inhumanity to man(and /women/children/ghosts) in sickeningly graphic and extremely disturbing detail. Neither the protagonist nor his associates have the sort of clear moral certainty that Dresden usually assumes, and while Butcher's books portray Christianity and the Catholic church positively, Carey's vitriolic hatred of religion fairly drips off the page. The writing is terse and wry and the wordplay is often humorous, but even considering that our dauntless hero is a Liverpudlian who looks like a used car salesman and whose weapon of choice is a bright green recorder, it's amazing how unfunny I find these books. That's not a complaint; I actually suspect I have difficulty seeing the funny side because I quickly became absorbed in the world and plot.
Perhaps the most depressing aspect of the book for me was Fix's isolation. Considering that his closest confidant is the demonic succubus who owns his soul, Castor won't be winning any popularity contests. He goes out of his way to antagonise everyone he encounters, from his supposed friend Nicky to potential information sources to the suspicious policewoman investigating him. He even has the potential to alienate the reader--I found his tendency to boast about his own ignorance while scorning the beliefs of others to be grating, and I suspect it is even more trying for readers of faith. Although I find his actions frustrating, I think Fix's pugnacious attitude can be seen as a masochistic, guilt-ridden attempt to punish himself and keep himself isolated from people that he fears he will fail.
But even if Fix made an abrupt personality shift into placating cooperation, his world would hardly be less dismal: there are simply too few decent human beings in it. I love that all of Carey's characters are complex mixtures of selfishness, altruism, bravery, and cowardice, but I feel that all of them veer far closer to the monster than the angel. I can count only two human characters who are significant enough to be faced with difficult choices and still seem to make reasonably humane decisions--and that's if you let me use the technically undead Nicky and you let me discount Matthew Castor's hard, unfeeling, holier-than-thou actions from the last book. Castor's (human and still living) "friends" are especially problematic. Fix's cop acquaintance simultaneously calls him "friend" and spinelessly betrays him. I never liked Rafi, Castor's demon-ridden friend, but in this book, we learn more about how he ended up sharing headspace with Asmodeous, and his actions do not reflect well on him. I also revised my opinion of Pen, Castor's (unrequited) love interest: she's not just a vapid, shallow, bimbo; it turns out she's also a selfish, self-righteous, myopic [expletive] as well. All of this goes to create a very dark world; while this was obviously Carey's intention, I tend to shy away from books where the characters are so flawed that they are difficult to empathise with.
Despite my reservations about the characters, I quickly found myself engrossed in the story. Carey's writing is incredibly visual. Maybe his ability to create such vivid scenes stems from his experiences writing for comics and graphic novels, but all of it, especially the demon scenes, go to create a story that is simply crying for someone to take on the movie rights. Carey also shows considerable skill in creating a mystery--I guarantee that you will figure out two parts of it about 100-200 pages before Fix does, which is admittedly frustrating, but there are some marvellous twists and turns at the end that will certainly surprise you. hover for spoiler Carey's worldbuilding continues to delight me; his particular supernatural setup is both incredibly creative and solidly thought out.
Overall, the book is a fine example of dark, gritty, urban fantasy pulp: it is imaginative, suspenseful, often heart-wrenching. If you're in the mood for a world of moral greys, vivid action, and a page-turning plot, Felix Castor is the protagonist for you.
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LibraryThing member BeckyJG
Ghostbuster Felix "Fix" Castor is back for outing number two, familiar faces and all the usual baggage in tow. In this go-round we find Castor and reformed succubus Juliet tentatively forming a working relationship. Rafi is, seemingly, freed of Asmodeus. Pen is still the practical earth mother. Oh,
Juliet has asked Fix in to consult on a church haunting, which seems to be something much, much more. In an embarrassment of riches, he's also hired to find the kidnapped ghost daughter of a young professional couple. Huh? Needless to say, the church ghost is more than just a ghost and the couple isn't what they seem, but Fix figures it all out in the end.
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and Nick is still dead.Juliet has asked Fix in to consult on a church haunting, which seems to be something much, much more. In an embarrassment of riches, he's also hired to find the kidnapped ghost daughter of a young professional couple. Huh? Needless to say, the church ghost is more than just a ghost and the couple isn't what they seem, but Fix figures it all out in the end.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Not sure that I’ll continue this series. I found this one a slog. The writing was irritating and the narrator was even more so. His highly contrived accent kept slipping. And Fix is just plain stupid half the time. The weirdness for weirdness’s sake just got old I guess. A combination of all
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these things just kept me from enjoying this. Show Less
LibraryThing member yarmando
Fix is hired to track down a kidnapped ghost, which leads him into the path of an Anton Levay character bent on raising Hell. A solid alternative for fans of the Dresden Chronicles.
LibraryThing member greytfriend
It was great to read a book in this genre that is very well written and imagined. I've been reading Simon R. Green's Nightside series at the same time, and the difference is striking. Although the tone and subject matter are similar, the quality of the talent, or at least effort, is remarkably
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different. I'm not knocking Nightside, which is always a fun read, just noting that Mike Carey is an excellent writer and that this book is complex, engrossing and enjoyable. I would say that it is even better than the first book in the series, The Devil You Know. My only critique is that although I enjoy learning a few new words in a book, I had to look up a few too many to avoid annoyance. Some of that is because of the American/British divide, but it still got on my nerves some, felt like he was being a bit too clever. Show Less
LibraryThing member FicusFan
This book is the 2nd in the Felix Castor series. It is an urban fantasy book set in modern day London rife with the returning dead, the undead, and demons. Felix is an exorcist, but he has some control problems. He welded his best friend to a demon and he has a succubus stalking him. He also has
Struggling with his magic skills, struggling with life in the real world and sporting a bad attitude ... it seems a bit de rigueur, and I was hoping for something more.
In this book Felix is hired to find a kidnapped ghost, a young girl, by seemingly distraught parents. As the story progresses we find that Felix has been duped by Satanists who want to sacrifice the girl body and soul to raise a major demon.
Felix is also working with the London Met, and the only benefit seems to be that they can more easily decide he is responsible for the crime. His Zombie pal helps him out - with attitude, and his earth witch landlady clucks over him. The succubus has retired and has become his protege (think magic safety blanket).
All very standard stuff. I was hoping for something more in the second book. I read a lot of urban fantasy and want something to make a series stand out from the crowd.
The other issue is the length of the book. Its over 500 pages, and in the middle your eyes glaze over. It seems slow and lacking in focus. There are parts that could be cut out and the story would still work.
Felix's attitude is also wearing for such a long book. You need more than just sarcasm and wise cracks. He had more development in the first adventure. In this story he shows compassion for the young girl, yet he too easily trades one life and soul for another, ho hum another day at the office. It just didn't work that well for me.
It wasn't terrible, but it was one of those books that in the middle all you can think about is that you want it to end.
I will try the next one when it comes out in paper in the US, but if the 3rd book isn't shorter, faster, with better characterization, I will probably say goodbye to this series.
I give new series 3 books to get their act together if there seems to be something worthwhile. I think there is something of value here, but I want to be enthralled and entertained, not have to dig for it, or hang on by my fingernails.
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a bad attitude. Struggling with his magic skills, struggling with life in the real world and sporting a bad attitude ... it seems a bit de rigueur, and I was hoping for something more.
In this book Felix is hired to find a kidnapped ghost, a young girl, by seemingly distraught parents. As the story progresses we find that Felix has been duped by Satanists who want to sacrifice the girl body and soul to raise a major demon.
Felix is also working with the London Met, and the only benefit seems to be that they can more easily decide he is responsible for the crime. His Zombie pal helps him out - with attitude, and his earth witch landlady clucks over him. The succubus has retired and has become his protege (think magic safety blanket).
All very standard stuff. I was hoping for something more in the second book. I read a lot of urban fantasy and want something to make a series stand out from the crowd.
The other issue is the length of the book. Its over 500 pages, and in the middle your eyes glaze over. It seems slow and lacking in focus. There are parts that could be cut out and the story would still work.
Felix's attitude is also wearing for such a long book. You need more than just sarcasm and wise cracks. He had more development in the first adventure. In this story he shows compassion for the young girl, yet he too easily trades one life and soul for another, ho hum another day at the office. It just didn't work that well for me.
It wasn't terrible, but it was one of those books that in the middle all you can think about is that you want it to end.
I will try the next one when it comes out in paper in the US, but if the 3rd book isn't shorter, faster, with better characterization, I will probably say goodbye to this series.
I give new series 3 books to get their act together if there seems to be something worthwhile. I think there is something of value here, but I want to be enthralled and entertained, not have to dig for it, or hang on by my fingernails.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Felix is back to exorcism. He's also back in trouble, this time someone wants to raise a demon from hell. However Felix is determined to get in the way.
It's Felix Castor, his life is miserable and then it gets worse and it's entertaining. I enjoy the stories and how he gets himself out of trouble
It's Felix Castor, his life is miserable and then it gets worse and it's entertaining. I enjoy the stories and how he gets himself out of trouble
LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
I found this book to be much better than the first one. There was twice as much action, and Felix has developed a much more likable personality. His wit is sharper and although I found his retorts and comebacks funny, they were twice as fun to read in this book.
The storyline was much better, and
Juliet happened to be the big surprise for me in this book, and I couldn’t help but like her despite the contract she has to adhere to. She turned out to be the secondary character that really grew on me. I liked her. She has an interesting relationship with Felix. They need to help each other yet she has to keep to her contract. There’s conflict but it seems more likely that Juliet will be Felix’ sidekick - at least I hope so because they do seem to make a great pair when working together. (Even though it looks like Juliet does the easy work and Felix does the dirty harmful parts).
The action was most of the main focus in this book. Plenty of fighting, explosions, Felix running from the law and fighting numerous adversaries, it’s all a lot of good fun reading. It annoyed me immensely when the police thought Felix was behind a crime and was hindering his investigation. You could feel his frustration and anger, but you cheered when he managed to get out of the situation in time.
I am definitely going to continue reading this series. I’m hoping it all goes well with Felix Castor, as bad luck always seems to follow him wherever he goes! Those who are new to the series, I know the first one isn’t as good, but stick with it, because this one makes it well worth the read. All the action starts here in this book and the ending will make you want to go and find out what happens next.
The storyline was much better, and
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more exciting. More twists and turns were added to make the plot more interesting. I liked how the main plot branched out into several mini story arcs, but they all came to an end and were all tied up nicely. It wasn’t confusing and it was clearly written for the reader to understand without any problems.Juliet happened to be the big surprise for me in this book, and I couldn’t help but like her despite the contract she has to adhere to. She turned out to be the secondary character that really grew on me. I liked her. She has an interesting relationship with Felix. They need to help each other yet she has to keep to her contract. There’s conflict but it seems more likely that Juliet will be Felix’ sidekick - at least I hope so because they do seem to make a great pair when working together. (Even though it looks like Juliet does the easy work and Felix does the dirty harmful parts).
The action was most of the main focus in this book. Plenty of fighting, explosions, Felix running from the law and fighting numerous adversaries, it’s all a lot of good fun reading. It annoyed me immensely when the police thought Felix was behind a crime and was hindering his investigation. You could feel his frustration and anger, but you cheered when he managed to get out of the situation in time.
I am definitely going to continue reading this series. I’m hoping it all goes well with Felix Castor, as bad luck always seems to follow him wherever he goes! Those who are new to the series, I know the first one isn’t as good, but stick with it, because this one makes it well worth the read. All the action starts here in this book and the ending will make you want to go and find out what happens next.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
This is the second book in the Felix Castor series by Carey. If you liked the first book, you will most likely enjoy this book as it is very similar in tone. Last I heard there were 6 books planned for this series. The fifth book, The Naming of the Beasts, came out in Jan 2011. I listened to this
Felix Castor has changed from doing spirit extermination to spirit counseling and shortly thereafter he is approached by a couple who say that their daughter's ghost has been kidnapped. At the same time a rash of violent crimes is plaguing the city and Juliet, has a strange case involving possessed church that she needs Felix's consult on. Felix again ends up over his head and embroiled in events that both threaten the whole city and his life.
This book stands alone well, so you wouldn't have to read the previous book to understand what is going on here. This is good for people that like to pick up a series in the middle. The only thing I don't like about this is that there isn't an over-arcing story or goal that ties this series together. I usually like my urban fantasies to have something resolved within one book, but also a broader story or purpose that is all-encompassing and you don't get that with this series...at least not so far.
Felix is still as much of a smart-ass as he was in the first book. This makes the book fun to read at times but can also be frustrating. Felix withholds information that could prevent horrible situations with no real rhyme or reason. Sometimes it is like he wants to be beat up. Felix doesn't seem to really grow or change as a character at all. He is just as dense, stupid, and determined as in the first book and makes a lot of really bad decisions. I was disappointed that he hasn't really learned anything and that his ghost summoning powers remain somewhat lame.
Having Juliet play a bigger part in the book was nice; she is a more interesting character than Felix and actually does seem to be changing and learning. Juliet can actually kick some butt, rather than constantly getting her own butt kicked (like Felix). I hope she plays a large role in future books. I also enjoyed learning more about Raffe and Asmodeus. Pen remains a somewhat underdeveloped character and is discussed a lot but not present very much.
The other thing I found frustrating was the predictable plot. Right at the beginning of the book Asmodeus leaves Raffe and violence breaks out in the city. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the two are connected somehow, but it took Felix the whole book to realize it. I mean really it is a bit contrived that Felix was so completely blind to what was going on around him.
I did enjoy the writing style and the story was tied up well.
Overall while there were some things I enjoyed about this book, there were more things that frustrated me. I enjoyed the humor and love how supernaturals are all forms of ghosts, I like the idea of music summoning ghosts, and I liked that Juliet played a bigger role. I was frustrated with how predictable the story was and how dense Felix was, I was also frustrated by Felix's sameness throughout the novel (he never learns anything and withholds information for strange reasons, he always gets beat up and looses). I am on the fence about whether or not I will read the next book in the series, Dead Men's Boots. There are some things I like about this series but I am worried the third book will just be more of the same.
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on audio book and the audio book was well done (so please excuse name mispellings).Felix Castor has changed from doing spirit extermination to spirit counseling and shortly thereafter he is approached by a couple who say that their daughter's ghost has been kidnapped. At the same time a rash of violent crimes is plaguing the city and Juliet, has a strange case involving possessed church that she needs Felix's consult on. Felix again ends up over his head and embroiled in events that both threaten the whole city and his life.
This book stands alone well, so you wouldn't have to read the previous book to understand what is going on here. This is good for people that like to pick up a series in the middle. The only thing I don't like about this is that there isn't an over-arcing story or goal that ties this series together. I usually like my urban fantasies to have something resolved within one book, but also a broader story or purpose that is all-encompassing and you don't get that with this series...at least not so far.
Felix is still as much of a smart-ass as he was in the first book. This makes the book fun to read at times but can also be frustrating. Felix withholds information that could prevent horrible situations with no real rhyme or reason. Sometimes it is like he wants to be beat up. Felix doesn't seem to really grow or change as a character at all. He is just as dense, stupid, and determined as in the first book and makes a lot of really bad decisions. I was disappointed that he hasn't really learned anything and that his ghost summoning powers remain somewhat lame.
Having Juliet play a bigger part in the book was nice; she is a more interesting character than Felix and actually does seem to be changing and learning. Juliet can actually kick some butt, rather than constantly getting her own butt kicked (like Felix). I hope she plays a large role in future books. I also enjoyed learning more about Raffe and Asmodeus. Pen remains a somewhat underdeveloped character and is discussed a lot but not present very much.
The other thing I found frustrating was the predictable plot. Right at the beginning of the book Asmodeus leaves Raffe and violence breaks out in the city. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the two are connected somehow, but it took Felix the whole book to realize it. I mean really it is a bit contrived that Felix was so completely blind to what was going on around him.
I did enjoy the writing style and the story was tied up well.
Overall while there were some things I enjoyed about this book, there were more things that frustrated me. I enjoyed the humor and love how supernaturals are all forms of ghosts, I like the idea of music summoning ghosts, and I liked that Juliet played a bigger role. I was frustrated with how predictable the story was and how dense Felix was, I was also frustrated by Felix's sameness throughout the novel (he never learns anything and withholds information for strange reasons, he always gets beat up and looses). I am on the fence about whether or not I will read the next book in the series, Dead Men's Boots. There are some things I like about this series but I am worried the third book will just be more of the same.
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LibraryThing member revslick
what is there not to like - dark, urban fantasy with a whole lot of snarky noir thrown in just for fun! Personally, I've enjoyed the character Felix Caster much more than the Dresden Files. Literary nuggets abound!
LibraryThing member rivkat
I liked this Felix Castor, exorcist/gumshoe, novel better than the first one—it is pretty much exactly down the center of “hardboiled detective story set in world like ours except the supernatural is real and publicly acknowledged” and the story kept me engaged, as Castor took precisely the
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wrong jobs for the right reasons and dealt with various personal and professional complications, including trouble with the demon he’d accidentally bound to his close friend’s body a few years ago. Some of the descriptions really worked for me—I liked the image of a girl with eyes bigger than her face—and there were real consequences for Castor’s choices, including harm to people he cared about. Show Less
LibraryThing member drneutron
Vicious Circle is the second in Mike Carey's Felix Castor series - at least I hope it's going to be a series. I'm not a usually a fan of urban fantasy/occult noir books a la Jim Butcher's Dresden. But Carey's work has something that has hooked me.
The characters are involving, with great back
The characters are involving, with great back
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stories. The plot of Vicious Circle was a good mix of mystery and action, with some really evil bad guys thrown in for good measure. A word of warning, though. The body count by the end of the book is pretty high. All in all, a good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sarielle
'Vicious Circle' is the second book in the series about the adventures of Felix Castor, an exorcist for hire.
This part somehow did not me involved. Reading it was long and slowly. I do not know what the reason is, because the story was quite interesting. Maybe it’s because of the long
This part somehow did not me involved. Reading it was long and slowly. I do not know what the reason is, because the story was quite interesting. Maybe it’s because of the long
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descriptions, or multi-threaded storyline that finally combined into one thread. I have abandoned it several times which didn’t make easier tracking each thread. On the other hand, I like Castor as a character, that’s why this is probably not my last book of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member maybedog
Better than the first book with more action, more characters, and a more intense plot. This time the protagonist isn't quite as alone, he has a couple of friends but he still needs more. He needs someone giving him encouragement when he's feeling guilty about his friend. (Which I don't even get--he
I like the main character more and more. I think the writing in this one was smoother and again I learned a few words I didn't know. It's humbling which is good.
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tried to save him and the friend was just a narcissistic asshole who thought the normal rules didn't apply to him.) I was never really enamored of his friend/landlady and now I don't like her at all. I like the main character more and more. I think the writing in this one was smoother and again I learned a few words I didn't know. It's humbling which is good.
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LibraryThing member NatalieSW
Enjoyable, more of the same – a little less coherent than the first one.
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This is book that has similar feeling to the typical Urban Fantasy story out there, except that the world has changed when Ghosts suddenly reappeared, generally haunting the spots where they died. Felix Castor is an exorcist (or was an exorcist) he makes his living getting rid of the spirits of the
Where this book stands -interesting world, interesting characters, interesting magic rules. But, it is fairly typical in how we have a lonely detective, world against him, who is the only one that can prevent the evil that is happening. Luckily, even though the story follows old paths, the quality of writing makes these tropes feel fresh.
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dead, except that he gave it up in the last book due to ethical dilemmas. In this book, he's trying to make a living without doing exorcisms. So when a family is looking for the lost girl, Felix takes the case and winds up in the middle of a strange cult trying to resurrect a God. Where this book stands -interesting world, interesting characters, interesting magic rules. But, it is fairly typical in how we have a lonely detective, world against him, who is the only one that can prevent the evil that is happening. Luckily, even though the story follows old paths, the quality of writing makes these tropes feel fresh.
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Hard-boiled detective story, with an urban fantasy setting. Oh yeah, and includes ghosts/demons/undead as "citizens". The lines of good and evil don't follow the traditional paths: here some humans are bad, some undead are good, and some of each are the opposite.
The story is a bit slow to pick
Fortunately, the story does pick up not too far in, and once it did, it became a very engaging mystery/detective novel. The mystery Felix is trying to solve might be non-traditional (ghosts), but the detective-procedural was actual pretty "normal". It was traditional hard work and a few hard knocks that allowed Felix to solve the mystery, not a deus-ex-machina.
I think if you read the first book in the series and liked it, you'd like this one at least as much, maybe more since there isn't as much time fleshing out the world. If you hadn't read the first book, though, I still think you can start with this one and not be lost for long - the slow part at the beginning sets up the world sufficiently for newcomers, and the detective story is completely stand-alone.
The story is a bit slow to pick
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up... I actually got a bit frustrated with the delay in the story gearing up because I had selected this book for a trip and didn't have any alternatives handy, and I wanted an immediate escape from flight delays.Fortunately, the story does pick up not too far in, and once it did, it became a very engaging mystery/detective novel. The mystery Felix is trying to solve might be non-traditional (ghosts), but the detective-procedural was actual pretty "normal". It was traditional hard work and a few hard knocks that allowed Felix to solve the mystery, not a deus-ex-machina.
I think if you read the first book in the series and liked it, you'd like this one at least as much, maybe more since there isn't as much time fleshing out the world. If you hadn't read the first book, though, I still think you can start with this one and not be lost for long - the slow part at the beginning sets up the world sufficiently for newcomers, and the detective story is completely stand-alone.
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LibraryThing member SadieSForsythe
A few convenient remembrances just in time to save his hide, but I really quite enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member shaunesay
Poor Felix, everything always happens to him, and he has to make no win decisions. :( Really enjoy the writing style and the narrator on this one!
LibraryThing member -Eva-
Felix Castor is hired by a pair of grieving parents to find the ghost of their daughter, somehow stolen by the mother's ex-lover, but things turn out to be much more perilous than expected when both the Catholic Church and their adversaries turn up to stake a claim. Another good installment in an
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exciting series. Again, the Constantine similarities are there, but Castor is much more a working-man's exorcist rather than a cynical occultist, so the story hits very different notes than Constantine. Granted, he also isn't as funny as Constantine, but he's a solid character nevertheless. The mystery in this installment gets turned on its head more than once during the story and there are a couple of reveals that were frankly a little stunning. Great read! Show Less
LibraryThing member jrg1316
I'm so glad this series was referred to me. The first book was excellent, and this follow up doesn't disappoint. In this novel, Felix is hired by a mourning couple who are looking for their daughter's ghost who was stolen from them by an exorcist. Of course, just like The Devil You Know, things are
I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is into urban fantasy.
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definitely not what they seem.I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is into urban fantasy.
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Subjects
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006-10-05
Physical description
512 p.; 4.25 inches
ISBN
1841494143 / 9781841494142