My quest to become a genuine Keith R.A. DeCandido fangirl continues today with his second Supernatural media tie-in novel. I enjoyed this one a lot more than his first, Nevermore, for a variety of reasons.
While I thought he did an okay job in Nevermore of capturing Sam and Dean’s characters, I know that was a major complaint of other readers. Their representation in this novel felt a lot smoother — honestly, as if the author just didn’t try as hard. The addition of Bobby as a secondary character was a welcome surprise, and while I thought his appearance at the end was a tad contrived (though necessary for point of view purposes), Bobby’s voice was spot-on.
The author’s familiarity and love for Key West show through the words and description, and it’s always very cool to see the brothers in an environment that’s not a Midwestern small town with a vague resemblance to Vancouver.
I also really appreciated a seeing mythology that wasn’t based in generic Judeo-Christian stereotype. At the same time, this Native mythology was well-research, far from generic, and most importantly, felt respectful (despite being the villain). (I am not an expert, so your mileage may vary.)
Some of the interlude scenes tilted just on the edge of dragging on too long, and didn’t always feel especially relevant at first. But overall, this was a fast (and fast-paced), enjoyable visit with the Winchester brothers.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
Currently reading: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Currently writing: 9,927/15k words
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