Wake of the Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4) by Alex Bledsoe

Oct 22, 2012 Elle! rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers, pirates, a-surprise, adventure, action, arc-advanced-reviews-copy

Damn it, I was ready to hate this.

Usually dirty ugly pirates and hard a** woman would not be on my reading list but this..... I liked. I opened the book prepared to be bored to death but this book combines the olden days with current view points. This is not a boring historical book. Wake of the Bloody Angel is lively fun with some great characters!

Black Edward and his ship, The Bloody Angel went down in legend. Like the sort of Legend that makes people still whisper to this very day. On that n...more Damn it, I was ready to hate this.

Usually dirty ugly pirates and hard a** woman would not be on my reading list but this..... I liked. I opened the book prepared to be bored to death but this book combines the olden days with current view points. This is not a boring historical book. Wake of the Bloody Angel is lively fun with some great characters!

Black Edward and his ship, The Bloody Angel went down in legend. Like the sort of Legend that makes people still whisper to this very day. On that notorious boat there is rumored to have lots of treasure. Gold, diamonds, anything a pirate could ever want. Okay human could ever want. The rumor is Black Edward survived and is enjoying his riches secluded on an island. Others claim he is dead. Ediie LaCrosse is on the search again, this time for Black Edward.

First, I loved everyone from Angie to Eddie etc. I loved their hunt and the storm on the boat. There is one scene storming a storm when the crew has to battle a giant octopus and everyone's life is at stake. Water is crashing against the boat, swords are shining as they are yanked from sheaths. You can feel the atmosphere and the action. This book got gasps out of me. Not many books can do that.

It's a very fast pace read! You won't be yanking out your olden day slang dictionary anytime soon when you read this book. I was snatched in by this world which is well written out. Eddie tangles with pirates and he suddenly takes on the sea in this novel. His search is for a hard boiled woman (his friends) ex-lover who mysteriously disappeared during a ship crash. This book is like a detective story mingled with pure action.

This is a unique book. Even for number four in the series, it was so well done I couldn't pin point the infodumps. Most series are a little more talk than action ebcause you need to catch up but this was done so freaking elegantly, I couldn't find it at all. This was action, mystery and well written characters smack dab in the past. Boom! Perfection.

Received a copy to review and god am I glad!/b>
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Oct 09, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-book-tour, received-for-review, fantasy, owned-copy, 2012-reviews, 2012-reads, reviewed, five-stars-for-you-glen-coco, tlc, actiontastic, pure-entertainment, inventive-and-original

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Wake of the Bloody Angel is the best Eddie LaCrosse novel to date - hands down, no questions asked. I never guessed the outcome, never saw the twists coming, never wanted to put this down. The end came way too fast - this is another gem by Alex Bledsoe that reads so easily and so well, it's remarkably easy to get caught up in the world, story, and mystery at work here. After the minor stumble with Dark Jenny's execution and resolution, Eddie is back...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

Wake of the Bloody Angel is the best Eddie LaCrosse novel to date - hands down, no questions asked. I never guessed the outcome, never saw the twists coming, never wanted to put this down. The end came way too fast - this is another gem by Alex Bledsoe that reads so easily and so well, it's remarkably easy to get caught up in the world, story, and mystery at work here. After the minor stumble with Dark Jenny's execution and resolution, Eddie is back and better than ever here in the fourth installment in this fun and thoroughly entertaining series. Though less fantastical, for the most part, than the previous two in the sequence, Wake of the Bloody Angel is no less awesome, twisted, awful, creative or funny. Interweaving Eddie's life with a new mystery and with pirates and ex-pirates, this is a winner from the first chapter. From new revelations about old character staples to new spins on pirates and privateers, Alex Bledsoe once again proves that no one can mix such different genres as ably as he can - and does.

More action-packed than the last adventure, Eddie ventures once again out of his familiar territory and onto the high seas. Tackling a cold case from twenty years back, complete with a new dangerous, female companion to watch his back, Eddie finds himself in uncharted waters, chasing a ghost and a legend. Noticeably Eddie does less actual detecting here in than in the first three novels, so the slowly uncovered mystery takes an occasional backseat to some amusing tertiary and secondary characters. I really enjoyed the introduction to the characters of Jane Argo and Suhonen - they have more life and fire to them than some of the series' past background cast. Wake of the Bloody Angel is another light, fast read, but the action and sea battles shown are really top notch. The fights and swordplay are at their best here; they popped off the page and had me anxious for my favorites and eager to see how it worked out, all at the same time.

This is a prime example how of amusing, charming and rousing these novels can be and almost always are for the duration. Though this is rather tongue-in-cheek (and quite humorously cynical) rollicking pirate story, Bledsoe is not afraid, and often tend sto go to darker places with his story. Family abandonment, rape, animal abuse, obsession, the murder of children - all are part and parcel to the easily envisioned world crafted and shown. Three hundred and fifty pages have rarely ever seemed so short - I could've kept sailing with Jane, Eddie, Clift, and Dorsal for a hundred more. This novel, easily the best of the series so far, plays to the strengths of both Eddie, and the author. Eddie continues to grow, but happily, so do the other, familiar characters of Eddie's life. While the whole 'lookalike women' idea has been plundered (ha) quite often by the author (seriously, nearly novel so far has one set. The Sword-Edged Blonde: Cathy/Liz. Dark Jenny: Jennifer/Jenny. And here: Barbara/Angelina. But I digress), it's used in a new way for this fourth novel that doesn't feel too reminiscent of past territory.

Wake of the Bloody Angel is a damn good time - a fast, funny, imaginative, involving read populated with one of my favorite PIs. A fast-paced plot, intriguingly flawed characters, pirates and monsters, and a unique blend of genres and ideas all serve to further entrench me as a die-hard fan. Characters previously left undeveloped are fleshed out (and used as a nod to a popular song), Eddie experiences all manner of new antagonists (Cherish and Abigail being huge hits with me!), and even ghosts pop in to keep the supernatural element firmly in play. Unlike any of the previous three, Wake of the Bloody Angel is sure to keep the fans eager for more. I know I am not alone in eagerly anticipating a fifth Eddie LaCrosse novel - it honestly can't come fast enough.

Many, many thanks to TLC for providing me this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.(less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: spec-fic

c2012: FWFTB: pirate, ship, infamous, legendary, treasure. I loved this book. The pace is fast and furious and I found it really hard to put down at times. The humour is great and I really wish that I had the wit and the quick brain for some of the wonderful one liners. The cover art is by Larry Rostant who is a photographer living and working in Great Britain. He is also responsible for some of the covers for the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series and one website mentions that "Larry Rostant is...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

The cover of this book enticed me to pick it up...pirates, swords and ships rigging in the background. I'd never read Alex Bledsoe before. This is the fourth Eddie Lacrosse novel. Book covers can be deceiving.... It's not a historical romance. This is a fantasy, mystery adventure. There are pirates, sword fights, secrets, treasure, ghost ships, and 'beasties'. What's not to love!

"Eddie LaCrosse is a sword jockey. For twenty five gold pieces a day and expenses, he'll find your skeletons and make...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Theophania Elliott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eddie LaCrosse is back, as tough and laconic as in previous books. This time, his client is his landlady, Angelina, about whom we know very little, except that she has a Past. Angelina engages Eddie to find her lover who turned to piracy many years ago and may or may not be dead, and who may or may not have a fortune in gold.

Eddie's investigation takes him to faraway towns, to unwilling witnesses, and finally to see along with a crew of pirates turned pirate-chasers (hooray - here is a book in w...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Brenda Morris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mystery

Wisconsin author Alex Bledsoe knows how to draw in the reader with a fast paced plot. He has a great sense of humor as well. At times I get a little confused because the characters will all react in turn to something before Bledsoe will reveal all the details to the reader. That can be a bit annoying. However, I enjoy the Eddie Lacrosse character quite a bit. He is certainly flawed, letting violence and torture lead many of his actions. At the same time, he is reflective and usually motivated by...more Wisconsin author Alex Bledsoe knows how to draw in the reader with a fast paced plot. He has a great sense of humor as well. At times I get a little confused because the characters will all react in turn to something before Bledsoe will reveal all the details to the reader. That can be a bit annoying. However, I enjoy the Eddie Lacrosse character quite a bit. He is certainly flawed, letting violence and torture lead many of his actions. At the same time, he is reflective and usually motivated by a sense of justice, particularly for the weak and innocent. In other words, Lacrosse displays some sense of chivalry, which adds complexity and interest to his character.

In this novel, Lacrosse charts new territory (pun intended) as he takes to the seas in search of a pirate nobody has seen in twenty years. As always with Bledsoe's novels, the pacing is fast, although the action starts a little later than in Burn Me Deadly, since Lacrosse is hired for the job by a friend, thus leading to a development of the friend's previously undeveloped character. The reader needs some background to understand the friendship and what the job means to Lacrosse, thus the action begins in chapter two, rather than chapter one. There are some lulls in the action throughout the book, which only serve to build tension in both the reader and characters as the mystery builds to its conclusion.

Bit of a spoiler here - the incorporation of sea creatures is imaginative and gruesome, and really adds to the entertainment value, if in a dark way. Actually, there's moments in all of Bledsoe's novels that are gruesome, sometimes seemingly unnecessarily gruesome. On the other hand, perhaps that's the kind of detail that makes Bledsoe's semi-medieval world seem real.

Speaking of that, it always amuses me to see how Bledsoe incorporates modern touches to his non-industrial world. They read like throwaway details, but always make me laugh a little before continuing with the story. In this novel, it was the title of the book Lacrosse finds detailing the famous wreck of a pirate ship - it was very reminiscent of non-fiction book titles today, particularly those detailing mysterious or unexplained events.

Overall, I find Bledsoe's books entertaining and quick, but I wouldn't put too much thought into them. They are amusing and entertaining light reading, and I've read three of them in the last three days. I think I've exhausted the supply of Eddie Lacrosse novels, but that's ok with me.(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure-suspense, fantasy-and-science-fiction

"Wake of the Bloody Angel" is the fourth Eddie Lacrosse novel by Alex Bledsoe. For those misled by the cover, this is NOT a historical romance. This series is basically old-fashioned sword & sorcery style (light on the sorcery) crossed with classic hard-boiled detective noir, with a sense of humor, and they are damn well written. This one also adds in a generous dollop of pirate adventure story. The series is heavily character-driven - and Eddie LaCrosse is such an entertaining character!

Whe...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Phil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here's a extract from my review, full link: http://afantasyreader.blogspot.ca/2012/06/wake-of-bloody-angel-review.html

LaCrosse last adventure was Dark Jenny where the tale of King Arthur and Excalibur was revisited. Previously, Eddie also tackled a horse queen and a dragon and this time he's going out to sea for some pirate hunting. As with the sword jockey prior entries, a common trope is used for the background. Accordingly, what makes this interesting you might ask? Well, if you have already

...more

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Oct 07, 2012 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wake of the Bloody Angel by Alex Bledsoe

This is an Eddie LaCrosse novel. Eddie is a sword jockey or fantasy appropriate private eye type of hero except no tommyguns or molls.

Eddie is a sword for hire with a conscience. I like the qualities that Bledsoe provides his main protagonist. Bledsoe’s world is a harsh one with interesting qualities. It has room for privateers and pirates, ghost and sea monsters and sell swords. He paints good scenes and better characters.

This is a quest but not your ty...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Vickie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: booksthatmakemegowow

Having just finished BLOOD GROOVE, Alex Bledsoe's vampire novel set in 1975 and really fabulously grody (in the best possible way), I wasn't sure I was set to read another. Even though the series has been on the WWBL for some time and I've looked forward to reading this ARC I received from Becky (NoMoreGrumpyBookseller), I rarely read an author back-to-back.
So very glad I made an exception. I was getting cozied out a bit and wanted a fab UF/paranormal/fantasy to cleanse my palate. And it cleans...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mystery

When it comes right down to it, I think my attachment to this series is built around how much I like Eddie LaCrosse. He's a good guy who has been bad but made a conscious effort to change. His past gave him skills that, when used to make a living, put him in continual contact with really bad people and an opportunity to help the occasional good person caught in a bad situation. That makes for compelling stories... or at least stories that I find compelling.

In this book, Eddie takes a job from th...more When it comes right down to it, I think my attachment to this series is built around how much I like Eddie LaCrosse. He's a good guy who has been bad but made a conscious effort to change. His past gave him skills that, when used to make a living, put him in continual contact with really bad people and an opportunity to help the occasional good person caught in a bad situation. That makes for compelling stories... or at least stories that I find compelling.

In this book, Eddie takes a job from the enigmatic Angelina and we get to learn her history. Tracking down her long-lost love takes Eddie onto the high seas where he encounters scoundrels, ne’er-do-wells, and, because he's Eddie, mysterious events beyond human ken. Also: the occasional individual that needs a guiding, or rescuing, hand.

It's important to note that Bledsoe doesn't glamorize pirates as so many of our own stories and myths do. They're brutal and nasty and prone to acts of considerable evil to get the booty they consider themselves entitled to. This time, much of the brutality is buffered by being in the past and Eddie is mostly batting clean-up with a band of reformed (sometimes only lightly, but at least enough to tame their violent excesses) pirates turned pirate-hunters. So while bad things happen to helpless people, it's nowhere near the level we got in, say, Burn Me Deadly.

Reformation from past deeds makes up a lot of both the overt and covert emotional journey in this book. Yeah, we get that a lot with Eddie, but all of the main characters and many of the side ones have made (or are making) that transition in this book. While it'd be too much to say that there is a theme of redemption, per se, there is a wonderfully complex exploration of choosing to be better than you were and the reasons why it is important to do so (both personally and socially).

And I'm looking forward to seeing Eddie's would-be apprentice show up in future novels. I rather liked him even if I can't exactly remember his name...(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-fantasy, captain-naval-pirate, covers-that-are-gorgeous, net_galley, mystery-thriller-spies-suspense, military-specops-govt-fire-cops, series

When I opened up this one, provided by netgalley, I didn't realize that it was actually a fourth book in a series. I also didn't realize that - shock! horror! - there's no romance, and it's not historical. I also really, really enjoyed it.

I haven't read much adventure/fantasy, but I love mixing up genres every now and then. You know, a bit of history, a bit of historical fiction, a bit of politics and a bit of current events, but this was the first time I've read a real fantasy story, and it was...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Marian Allen rated it 3 of 5 stars

As always, the characters are terrific and the action stops just enough to give the book depth. The pirate in the tower section was absolutely terrific - couldn't be beat. The scariest thing I've ever read, and haunted the rest of the book. I'll be having nightmares about that guy for a long time to come. He makes Hannibal Lector seem like Little Rabbit Foo-foo.

My problems:

There's an inconsistency between genuinely piratical pirates - nothing comic-opera about these folks - and a modern sensib...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Jeffrey Grant rated it 4 of 5 stars

If the last book was "Eddie meets King Arthur", this one is "Eddie becomes a Pirate". It's a fairly typical pirate story; legendary pirate with fabled treasure has disappeared, and the group sets off to find him.
All of the tropes of a "stereotypical" pirate story are there, but as with the previous book, Bledsoe introduces enough unique elements to set the story apart. Though again, like the previous book, it was hard to shake the feeling that I knew where the story was going. Truthfully, the p...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I received this book I had no idea it was part of a series and #4. However, after reading Mel's review from Mel's Random Reviews, I discovered that I would have no problems in coming in the middle of a series (not that it ever stopped me before...). She was absolutely right. I had no problems with this book which can be read as a stand a lone.

Although this is a fantasy book, I would suggest this to people who love mysteries. Someone wanting to try something a bit different, but want that my...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

Wake of the Bloody Angel is the fourth novel in Alex Bledsoe’s EDDIE LACROSSE MYSTERIES series. Like its predecessors, it crosses traditional noir crime fiction with well-known tropes from fantasy literature. Not an easy thing to do well, I’d think, but Alex Bledsoe makes it work. In the previous novels, we’ve met some manifestation of Epona the horse goddess, Rhiannon from the Mabinogi, dragons, and the Arthurian Legends. I’m not going to tell you who/what we meet in Wake of the Bloody Angel be...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Lyuba rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, net-galley

I actually really liked this book. I got it as ARC a while back but just now got around to reading, and I sincerely regret that I didn't read it earlier. This is the 4th book in the series, but I didn't feel lost at all because there was just enough information about characters and previous events for the story to move along.

The detective story and fantasy work surprisingly well here, which again I didn't expect. Normally detective stories are not my thing, but I loved it here. I kept thinking...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-book, fantasy, fiction, humor, male-pov, mystery, pirate-loving-in-here, read-in-2012, review-for-smexybooks, series

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/07/review-...

Favorite Quote: “Oh, a bribe. With a harbor full of uncouth and barbaric sailors, no one’s thought to try that yet. My God, you’re brilliant.“

Eddie LaCrosse never thought bar owner Angelina would ever need his services, but he’s been wrong before. Twenty years ago, Angelina met and fell in love with a young sailor. He left her to seek his fortune and though he promised to return, he never did. No one knows what happened to Edward Tew,...more Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/07/review-...

Favorite Quote: “Oh, a bribe. With a harbor full of uncouth and barbaric sailors, no one’s thought to try that yet. My God, you’re brilliant.“

Eddie LaCrosse never thought bar owner Angelina would ever need his services, but he’s been wrong before. Twenty years ago, Angelina met and fell in love with a young sailor. He left her to seek his fortune and though he promised to return, he never did. No one knows what happened to Edward Tew, but Angelina now needs to know and has hired Eddie to find out.

Rumors are aplenty when it comes to the infamous pirate, Edward Tew and his ship,The Bloody Angel. Some say Edward is dead and he and his ship is buried at the bottom of the sea with a king’s ransom in gold. Others claim he runs his own private pirate paradise, while some even believe he commands a pirate ghost ship with a damned crew. Either way, Eddie is being paid to find him and with a former pirate queen as his partner, Eddie will follow the clues to where ever they may lead.

Alec Bledsoe’s Wake Of The Bloody Angel takes Investigator Eddie LaCrosse on the adventure of a lifetime; hunting down a mysterious pirate. Throw in a feisty former pirate as his partner and hints of buried treasure and we have an action packed, adventurous fantasy with sea monsters, ghost ships, and plenty of witty, dry humor. Heavily character driven, this fantasy series is in a class by itself with its mixture of old world and modern charm. Similar to Pirates Of The Caribbean, it holds the same intriguing world building and dynamic characters that made the movies so popular. Smooth writing and sharp descriptive detailing drew me in and I found myself becoming heavily vested in our protagonist’s investigation. I was pleased by the time and effort Bledsoe takes in developing his characters and their connections to the world and one another. Though this is the fourth in the series, each offers just enough recap on our protagonist’s past and past storylines to allow all to be read as standalones. Personally, I think you should start at the beginning, because they are fun to read.

Eddie Lacrosse is an older man, which is readily apparent in his manner and speech. He makes his living as a sword jockey-meaning his “sword’ is for hire as an investigator or whatever needs done. Portrayed as an upfront and calm character, he is very easy to like. Not that he is a pushover because he’s not. He gives off a cynical, somewhat jaded attitude that reiterates that Eddie has done and seen much in his life. His dialogue, both internal and external, flows smoothly and is clever in that Eddie knows just when to be serious, and when injections of dry, sharp wit is needed.

Eddie’s partner in here is Jane Argo. Jane, a former pirate captain turned sword jockey, is a bolder female version of Eddie. Smart, witty, loyal and fearless, Jane is a wonderful addition to the story. Jane being a former pirate is invaluable to Eddie and the investigation. I loved Jane because she walks through life as if she owns it and it’s hilarious to watch the fear and admiration she strikes into the hearts of the men she comes across. Having been on both sides of the law, Jane knows what she can get away with and doesn’t suffer fools lightly.

Even though Eddie and Jane are the main characters, there are plenty of secondary characters that add vibrancy to the story. Duncan Tew is a young man who finagles his way into the investigation. In the beginning, you don’t think much of him in reference to his place, but as the story progresses, Duncan grows and makes a huge impact on you and the story. Angelina, the tavern owner who started all of this, isn’t seen much past the beginning, but her story is important to where we are going. Rody Hawk, a former pirate now prisoner, is what I always imagined pirates to be like. Bold, handsome, and scary. His small scenes were enough to guarantee that his story needs to be told on a larger scale. The crew that helps Eddie and Jane on their journey are a lively bunch who add authenticity and kept the story from becoming too mired down.

The story maintains a steady but fast pace with plenty of swashbuckling action, mysterious suspense, and insane situations. The adventure unfolds in a precise, addictive manner allowing us to process the clues and information right along with Eddie and Jane to solve the mystery of what happened to Edward Tew. I love how the pirate theme stays true and on course throughout. A majority of the story is spent on ship and I love the various scenarios that Bledsoe throws at our characters. Bledsoe’s admirably stays on track of the story without succombing to the need to further elaborate on past storylines or character assessments. You get what you get and it’s an exciting, well played, laughter inducing adventure. The ending comes at you hard and fast with the answers to all our questions playing out in a conclusive manner that leaves you a bit unsteady on your feet.I recommend Alex Bledsoe’s Eddie LaCrosse series to those who love adventurous fantasy with vibrant characters, dynamic narrative, and action packed storylines.

Rating: B

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Aug 10, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tor, arc-or-review-copy, read-in-2012, fantasy

Like always, Bledsoe’s prose are flawless and his plot is incredibly fast moving. Wake of the Bloody Angel is one of those books that a lot of fun to read, and the fast pace will ensure that the pages turn themselves. Some predictability is to be expected, and there are some references to previous books hidden in these pages, but that shouldn’t put off readers. Wake of the Bloody Angel is a fast paced crime-mystery-fantasy mash-up that is sure to please a wide variety of readers. This book is fa...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Deborah Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

He is an incredibly imaginative and original writer, with a number of different series out, but my favorite has always been his Eddie LeCrosse books. Eddie is a sword jockey--like a cross between a 50's private detective and a sword and sorcery hero. His adventures started with The Sword-Edged Blonde and continue with his 4th Eddie book, Wake of the Bloody Angel. There are pirates (including a mostly-retired pirate queen who is one of the best female protagonists I've seen in years), monsters, a...more

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Jul 10, 2012 David Caldwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: noir, mystery, series, fantasy

This is the fourth book in the fantasy noir series about Eddie LaCrosse, sword jockey.For those not familiar with the series, a sword jockey is basically a private eye and Eddie is one of the best.The setting is a fantasy world with very little magic, but it does pop up on rare occasions.Do not expect wizards waving wands and weaving spells though.It is a noir mystery so it can be fairly dark but humor is scattered though as well.

This time Eddie sets out to help Angelina find out what happened t...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Caitlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Let's get to the heart of the matter right now: you've got private detectives with swords, a noir setting rendered in a medieval fantasy world, you've got treasure, and - most of all - you've got pirates. I could probably just say all of that and you would be enticed to read The Wake of the Bloody Angel, but just in case I'll say a few things more.

Alex Bledsoe - where have you been all my life? I don't know how I missed this particular series (the Eddie La Crosse series), but now that I've found...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying that this series featuring "Sword Jockey" Eddie LaCrosse is one of the most unusual series that I read. That being said, I just love them! Alex Bledsoe successfully blends fantasy with mystery noir in these action packed stories. In his newest offering, Eddie sets out on a journey to find a fallen ex-lover for a client. Eddie’s quest soon embroils him in one of the largest treasure hunts and mysteries concerning a pirate ship and her lost crew. Eddie battles pirates, sea m...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Thisgurl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bloody Angel was the first book of the series i've read. i liked how it blended fantasy with a detective mystery storyline. Eddie LaCrosse is an interesting character. He's funny, smart, able to admit mistakes, and a total ass kicker (even if, as he claims, he's not as young as he used to be). There is a fair bit of death and violence, a sea monster, nastiness (washing clothes in accumulated pee water??), a bit of a mystery to solve, and a treasure (or maybe not). Being unfamiliar with these cha...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: heroine-unusually-attractive, places-fictional-places, secret-identities, skeletons-in-the-closet, tres-amusing, guilty-pleasure

I had a great time with this first book of this series, The Sword-Edged Blonde, and I just knew I'd love the rest of Bledsoe's books. Sadly, I couldn't quite manage to get to books two and three before needing to review this one, but rest assured I'm going to go back and do so (after loving book one so much I went out and bought all three!).

Like the first book, the mood and vibe of this book is what I just loved: it's wry, sardonic, a bit tongue-in-cheeks, kind sexy, very 'masculine', and wonder...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Abhinav rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, tor

Shadowhawk reviews the upcoming fourth Eddie LaCrosse novel by Alex Bledsoe in which the popular fantasy P.I tackles pirates and hunts for missing treasure.

“Truly a rip-roaring adventure on the high seas against pirates, sea-monsters and with the added bonus of a big hoard of treasure involved, this is a must-read for all fans of fantasy fiction.” ~The Founding Fields

I’m always on the look out for novels that are, to put it simply, different than the norm. That is mostly because I like some vari...more Shadowhawk reviews the upcoming fourth Eddie LaCrosse novel by Alex Bledsoe in which the popular fantasy P.I tackles pirates and hunts for missing treasure.

“Truly a rip-roaring adventure on the high seas against pirates, sea-monsters and with the added bonus of a big hoard of treasure involved, this is a must-read for all fans of fantasy fiction.” ~The Founding Fields

I’m always on the look out for novels that are, to put it simply, different than the norm. That is mostly because I like some variety in what I read and the goal for this year’s reading is very much that: to read a lot in terms of both quantity and variety. Alex Bledsoe’s Wake of the Bloody Angel fulfills the latter requirement quite well. It is a novel that is indeed very different from the usual fantasy novels and even among some of the unusual ones, it stands out from the rest. This is a novel that is all about what is under the hood.

Having read the back-of-the-novel blurb, I wasn’t too terribly excited for the novel so picking it up on NetGalley and then hooking it up on the iPad was pretty much on a whim. I figured why not. It sounds different, and the author isn’t someone I’ve never read before. More fresh reading for the year. Really glad I picked it up however, because it is very different in tone and mood to my usual fare of heroic epic fantasy.

Being the fourth novel in a series shouldn’t count against the novel. It very much stands on its own and is a complete package. References are made to events in the previous three novels, and they form a key part of Alex’s world-building but the main narrative is never sacrificed for that. Wake of The Blood Angel however, is not a novel that is driven much by its world-building, mainly because it has a very historical feel to it. It would very much not be out of place in a setting like the Pirates of The Caribbean movies, which is an apt comparison. The novel is character-driven to the hilt, which makes it a really interesting read for that fact alone. What we see of the world is just as fantastical and intriguing as the Pirates of The Caribbean movies, and there are enough interesting characters to keep you turning the pages.

Eddie LaCrosse is a sword jockey, which means that he is an investigator-for-hire and a bounty hunter of sorts. What really drew me in from the get go is his dialogue and his internal though process (the novel is written in the first perspective). The dialogue is both sharp and witty, and Eddie is portrayed as a really cynical, seen-it-all veteran of the job. The line of work he’s in, I suppose that’s a necessity. It makes Eddie really likable. He navigates through problems calmly and with a certain flair that you just have to appreciate. He’d certainly make for a dashing pirate captain, if only he wasn’t hunting for one in the first place, on behalf of his old friend Angelina who has asked him to find out what happened to a sailor-turned-pirate she fell in love with ages ago. A very business-like guy, Eddie is quick to begin his investigation, which is where my second favourite character in the novel comes in.

Jane Argo is a former pirate captain who later turned pirate hunter and is now a sword jockey just like Eddie. Choosing between her and Eddie is a really tough task, mostly because she is so… bold. Her character is wittier than Eddie, and certainly more self-assured. She really has seen both sides of the law. She is a strong character and is most definitely not disadvantaged in any because of her gender. As someone with intimate knowledge about pirates and their habits, she is the most suited ally in Eddie’s investigation and she is utterly domineering when she is in her element. She is nostalgic at times about her former life as a pirate and she enjoys the moments as they come. She also has some really cool, evocative scenes which prove her reputation as the toughest, baddest pirate captain ever to sail on the seas. A novel from her perspective would be great I think.

You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/06/...(less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Charlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-request, own

Adventure, mystery, ghosts, sea monsters, and pirates! There is a lot to love about this book! It’s an excellent plot-driven story, with strongly realized characters and packed with action and suspense. The main character, wry and sarcastic Eddie LaCrosse, takes us on his investigative journey to find a man who has been missing, dead or hidden for twenty years, and with such a cold trail, it's a wonder he manages to sniff out clues. The details in his logical approach to investigating was very i...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Read The Sword-Edged Blonde and the following two before this one. Fun mash-up of hardboiled detective (think Philip Marlowe) transposed into a generic swords-and-sorcery milieu. Fast and easy read. First in the series got a fourth star for originality; the remainders aren't worse, just more of the same. Fast, very easy read, although the fourth is getting a bit repetitive.

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Sep 05, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eddie LaCrosse has a new client -- his landlord. Turns out the highly secretive Angelina has a long lost love. Once upon a time, in her early barmaid days, Angelina fell for a young sailor named Edward Tew. Tew, intent on providing for his new lady, set off to earn his riches the old fashioned way -- through piracy. He was never heard from again. Twenty years later, Angelina is tired of waiting and has hired Eddie to find out what happened to Tew. Eddie enlists the help of Jane Argo, a former pi...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley

Ah, Angelina – she's a fine girl, a fine girl. I don't think she would have been a good wife, though, not even to the man she - as she tells sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse - fell in love with some twenty years ago. This man - Edward Tew - then began a new career as a pirate fund a happy life with her, made one surprise huge score, and then vanished. She hires Eddie to find Tew - and despite some reluctance to work for ~~a friend~~ someone he knows so well he agrees to take the case.

This is the fourth...more Ah, Angelina – she's a fine girl, a fine girl. I don't think she would have been a good wife, though, not even to the man she - as she tells sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse - fell in love with some twenty years ago. This man - Edward Tew - then began a new career as a pirate fund a happy life with her, made one surprise huge score, and then vanished. She hires Eddie to find Tew - and despite some reluctance to work for ~~a friend~~ someone he knows so well he agrees to take the case.

This is the fourth book in this series, with, therefore, an established universe (which I hadn't visited before), so the new reader (that would be me) is left to figure out that Eddie is, basically, Sam Spade with a sword instead of a gun (hence "sword jockey"), a former mercenary who now takes on private investigator-y work. His world is not one built strictly along any classical fantasy lines: this is a place with permeable boundaries, where such things as popular American songs of the seventies and Shakespeare's Henry V bleed through in such a way that makes it clear that Alex Bledsoe's tongue was firmly in cheek while he wrote. It doesn't scream "look how FUNNY!" - it just is. I'm looking forward to seeing what seeped through in the other books in the series.

Eddie is very, very cool. He's the private eye you want to hire - competent, smart, not entirely cynical as yet, funny, and with good connections. One of these latter is Jane Argo, former pirate queen turned pirate hunter, who is herself pretty awesome. Almost, in fact, as awesome as her reputation states, rather like Eddie. I like their relationship – all of the relationships, in fact. They're a well-formed cast of characters – just what I needed: another series I need to go find and read. I'll just stop sleeping now.

The action moves from the tavern to the port town where Angelina once lived, to a prison which would make for a tremendous film sequence, to sundry pirate – er, sailing ships and a deserted desert island. And action there is in plenty, as to Angelina's mystery is added a new, larger one, which may just be related: ships are being found adrift, their crews and passengers having done a Marie Celeste: they are simply gone, leaving lifeboats and possessions and in some cases half-eaten meals behind. Sailors are scared, from the greenest cabin boy to the most gnarled pirate – but Eddie has a hunch, and he cajoles his ship's captain and crew to go against what seems to be common sense and go investigating. And on through ghosts and sea monsters and shipboard battle (and theatrical performance, which was a kick) the hunt takes them.

It was Robert Louis Stevenson-meets-Jim Butcher. It was tremendous fun. Another one for The List. (less)

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Wake of the Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4)

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