Sweet Silver Blues ©1987

I bought a whole whack of these Garrett omnibus editions all at once and hoped like hell they’d be good fun. I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised. Garrett is a hard boiled investigator and confidential agent, who lives with his partner The Dead Man who oddly enough is dead. We meet Morely the vegetarian elf who also owns a restaurant who tags along with Garrett on his quest to find some long lost fiancé of some guy who is dead, and left his inheritance to her, but no one knows where she is ... blah blah blah.

There are some really fun moments and some great characters throughout. The Roze triplets Doris, Marsha and Dojango are a hoot. Doris and Marsha are Grolls (mixture of giant and troll) whereas Dojango is about five and a half feet tall. These three provide some wonderful comic relief. This is one of those find the missing persons stories, that also doubles as a wicked vampire tale. The story has some fun twists and turns and wraps itself up nicely.

All in all this was good solid fun storytelling, and as soon as I’d finished this book I turned the page and started in on ...

Bitter Gold Hearts ©1988

Garrett is asked to help solve a kidnapping. Along the way more of the world is explored and described. This is part of the fun of this series is there’s a thickness to the narrative backstory that makes this a lot of fun. The new Kingpin Chodo Contague's skull crackers Crask and Sadler make their presence known and add a nice sinister element. As well, the caste system starts to become more evident. Those who live on the hill are part of a different social class than where Garrett came from. However what they all have in common is that everyone has to fight in the war.

The kidnapping Garrett becomes embroiled in involves a family from the “hill” and of course this leads to all kinds of trouble. The story itself has kind of faded a bit for me, because it’s been a few months since I read it (I forgot to write it up while it was fresh). The Dead Man shows up here and there and adds in the appropriate bits to tie up any loose ends.

Then I turned the page and began reading ...

Cold Copper Tears ©1988

I’ve said it before, and because I repeat myself quite a bit, I’ll say it again but the problem with omnibus versions is that the individual books are no long individual, they become part of a whole and in the case of these first three Garret stories form part of a trilogy. Whether intended or not the collected books becomes an all or nothing adventure. Thankfully in the case of these stories, it’s just more to love. Yeah yeah I know, if I like them so much how come I’m not shitting out stars like candies at a parade? (that may not be quite the visual I’m going for …) That’s a fair question, and one that’s kind of hard to answer, but I’ll do my best. This whole rating thing is pretty bloody arbitrary at best and I have to admit there are times when I read through some of my older stuff and I ask my previous self what the heck was I thinking? Well, in the case of the Garrett books I think they’ve been very good, and frankly because I’m writing this bit after having read not only the first three books but another eight on top of that, I can safely say that as a whole this is a really good series. Yeah, there are some bits that are exceptional, and some that are weaker, but my goodness this has been a delightful discovery. This means that because my timing in writing up these books has been sporadic at best, I’ve more or less averaged my reviews over the omnibus. Clear? Probably not. Let’s move on …

As the stories started picking up speed and as the characters built on their previous momentum the stories pick up quicker but the details and complexity of the narrative takes longer to unfold (still with me?). There’s more intrigue and more danger and it’s a bit like watching a circus plate spinner ... but everything more or less works.

What was fun this time was the introduction of some of the religious elements and more of TunFaire’s workings are revealed. The nature of the underbelly and Garrett’s reluctant involvement are revealed and the Dead Man himself finds himself at odds with another member of his species. It was a nifty twist.

Then before you know it, the last page was upon me, and the book was over. The first instalment complete and I was ready for more.

Reviewed way after the fact March 24, 2009

Garrett, P.I. (©2003)

Old Tin Sorrows ©1989

I’m making my way through the series again in terms of plopping down my thoughts and impressions. This is one of the darker books in the series, and oddly enough it remains one of my favourites in the series. What I’ve enjoyed are the various twists within the genre Mister Cook takes the stories through. This time it’s a murder mystery in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie. This is Garrett solo and the bodies pile up as the story progresses.

What makes this cool is the supernatural elements Cook weaves into the story. The haunted painting of Eleanor that finds its way back to Garrett’s house after the adventure is finished and winds up being a character of sorts throughout the series.

As I mentioned this is just about the darkest of the books, but it’s also one of the richest stories and serves to add addition al depth to Garrett’s character. Which is a nifty trick when you realize that Glen Cook is dealing for the most part with caricatures as opposed to fleshed out characters.

Dread Brass Shadows ©1990

This is the book where Winger first makes her appearance. This was a lot of fun and was a much lighter adventure than Garrett’s previous adventure. There is still a lot of head bashing, intrigue and all that stuff. Crask and Sadler make their move to try and consolidate their powerbase in TunFaire’s underworld. There’s a bunch of stuff with the local dwarves. In short (and this will be short, mainly because I’m kind of stuck trying to think about what happened in this one) this was another decent Garrett story and added another layer of depth to the series.

Red Iron Nights ©1991

This was a pretty cool story and the crime elements involving Crask and Sadler along with Chodo’s daughter Belinda make for fun reading. The emergence of Block as a figure of law and order is good fun, and it’s good fun to see elements of the backstory grow and emerge as the series progresses.

This was one of the more disturbing stories in some ways involving ritualistic murder, sorcery and all that icky sort of stuff. Belinda finds herself on the receiving end of some of the nastiness and Garrett finds himself in the middle of everything as usual.

There’s some wicked action near the end that turns things somewhat upside down in the city. Morely also finds a way to get at Garrett by gifting him with a foul mouthed ill tempered Parrot.

Good fun, and there was more to come.

Reviewed March 24, 2009

Garrett Investigates (©2004)

Deadly Quicksilver Lies ©1994

Seven books in, and Mister Cook delivered a bit of a clunker this time around. There have been dark elements to his stories before, so I'm not adverse to having things bleak - but this time there's an under current of nastiness. I suppose it had to do with the more homophobic elements - I'm not saying they aren't in character for Garret. After all, he is a hard boiled gum shoe, who likes his woman hot, and his enemies dead.

Deadly Quicksilver Lies features most of the characters I've come to expect. Morley, Saucerhead, Winger, and the addition of a talking (okay, cussing) parrot named Mister Big - or more commonly, "the GD Parrot". But the action and situations this time out didn't have any real intensity or hook to make me give a crap. The love interest seemed to be going along nicely, and then it abruptly fizzes out. It felt true to life as far as those things go, but in a book you expect ribbons and bows.

The thing that I do like about this story, is that it adds another layer to the Garrett onion, and over time the world that Mister Cook has created is wonderfully textured, and full of odd twists and turns - and when a story doesn't measure up to the level you expect it to, it's a little disappointing. However, there are two more to go in the omnibus, so I'm going back in to see what the next adventure holds.

Reviewed July 22, 2008

Petty Pewter Gods ©1995

This is the eighth book in a row I’ve digested by Mister Cook, and it was pretty good fun. This time around there’s a lot of hubbub going on with the gods. Apparently with all of the new people coming into the city bringing their religious baggage the street of gods has had to do some housekeeping to make room for the new arrivals. As you can expect, this means the gods are jockeying for their positions, and the fringe elements are at risk of losing their position. Which is exactly what happens – there’s space for one pantheon, and there are two factions vying for the spot.

Let the madness begin ...

I know there are plenty of winks and nods to Raymond Chandler (because other reviews say there are) and his infamous detective Philip Marlowe, but I’ve not read any Marlow (uh oh, I've spelt it two different ways. How is it spelled?), so for me Cook's stories stand on their own.

Oddly enough, Garrett finds himself in the middle of the activity – and before you can say “pass me a beer” he’s up to his raised eyebrow in gods, goddesses, and red heads.

The cool thing about reading the stories in an omnibus format is that although the stories stand on their own, I can’t help but treat each adventure as a giant chapter. In that respect I enjoy the stories for what they are and I’m probably a cheap date in that I’m easily amused. While after eight books, there are elements that are somewhat predictable; this is offset by the familiarity with the characters. You expect them react a certain way, and sometimes like real people they don’t do things they should.

While Petty Pewter Gods was a lot of fun, and it was good fun while it lasted – it was one of those stories that took its time to develop and then rushed to a conclusion (of sorts). I’m not complaining – I’ve already started Faded Steel Heat. Why not? It started the page after this one ended.

Reviewed September 29, 2008

PS It's spelled M A R L O W E, in case you were wondering.

Faded Steel Heat ©1999

Another Garrett adventure, and another fun read. While not the best of the books so far, I'd place it in the middle of the pack. The story so far: The war is over and everyone is coming home, and the tensions you’d expect from a sudden influx of people, coupled with racial overtones equals a volatile situation. In the midst of this Garrett gets embroiled in the middle of what starts out as an extortion investigation.

Before long bodies are dropping, and groups are forming to clean up the city – well clean as in take out anything non human. There’s mystery, intrigue and beer. Oh, and a bunch of shape shifters who are up to no good.

Garrett has his parrot, and his usual companion, The Dead Man abruptly disappears for much of the story - then conveniently appears again in the most unlikely of places: beer anyone? (Ha, that's a spoiler of sorts) The build up of Glory Mooncalled’s character comes to a head – and not to add a real spoiler I’ll just say that it was a major WTF moment in the series.

Still, I’ve been enjoying the series as a whole, and that’s why I read: for the enjoyment.

Thank you Mister Cook

Reviewed October 2, 2008

Garrett On the Case (©2005)

Angry Lead Skies ©2002

One of two things is occurring with the Garrett books: 1. I've read too many in a row, and I'm getting tired of the series. 2. The books, while still entertaining, don't seem as tight, and the stories meander more often than not, and over time some of the freshness has worn off.

Angry Lead Skies is another in the series of Garrett P.I. adventures - and while each book stands on its own, this would not be a good place to start. While it is a decent enough story, there's a spark missing, and it sort of meanders about for a bit, and then realizes it's time to stop so it does. But along the way there's some fun to be had, and although wasn't sure how the blending of the SF elements with the Aliens would work, I thought it was cleverly done and it was actually kind of fun. Having our hero bump uglies with each of them was a little much.

The addition of the rat girl Singe was something I wasn't sure of but it's been kind of fun to see her chararcter used and developed throughout the story. The general story is kind of a mud pit, but in short it involves a young kid who is visited by "silver elves" and he's given some nifty hints about technology and stuff. Apparently there are a bunch of Aliens floating about, some are stranded, some are like cops sent to get them, and then there are Aliens who just seem to be around to do the mattress mambo.

Garrett gets knocked out a few times. He and his band of merry makers, along with the Dead Man do a few things, and before you can say, "oooooh" it winds up and ends.

Ah, in short another in a series. I am enjoying them, and despite an odd number of inconsistencies with this story (which I am too lazy to itemize) I still found this to be enjoyable, if not the best of the stories I've read.

It is an omnibus, so I've got one more to go ...

Reviewed December 1 2008

Whispering Nickel Idols ©2005

I was suffering a little from Garrett fatigue having digested most of the series one right after the other. After a short break I picked up Whispering Nickel Idols and was transported back into the familiar shenanigans of Garrett and his cohorts. There’s no rest for the wicked and Garrett finds himself once again in the thick of things. The story is more convoluted / complicated than usual, but this isn’t my first time around the block with Mister Cook’s storytelling. The break from the books actually helped, and I really enjoyed getting back into Garrett's world.

One of the things that’s been fun about reading the all of the Garret books in succession has been watching the characters unfold and the world take on additional depth. There’s also been the odd inconsistency here and there, but that’s actually more fun than distracting and given the most of the narratives have been first person I simply chalk that up to Garrett being an unreliable narrator.

Anyway, the basic story is good fun and this time out the underworld is in turmoil, the establishment of law and order is starting to take root, and Garrett has a bucket full of kittens and is being harassed by uglies in green pants. In short this was another solid story and frankly I’ve been pretty amazed at Glen Cook’s ability to not only maintain the storyline, but grow it with each new adventure.

Yes this is politically incorrect, at times almost offensively so – it is what it is and
I don’t see Garrett apologizing for his views anytime soon. I do have to say that I miss Marsha and the twins, but as they say absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Reviewed March 24, 2009