Sign in with FacebookMike (the Paladin)'s Reviews > Sandman Slim
Sandman Slim (Sandman Slim, #1)
by Richard Kadrey
by Richard Kadrey
I guess I'm just getting old, but I'm so tired. I started 3 (4 if you count Tooth Fairy which I gave all of 2 stars) Urban Fantasies recently...one I took off my books completely as a waste of time and I didn't even bother to rate or review it...another I stopped reading and gave 1 star as another in a long line of anti-hero clones etc...now this one, and it's the same. I don't mind antiheroes, if their good antiheroes. This is another mouthy guy with attitude that I can't find even remotely believable, in a world where "good is rejected and Satan is seen (again) as a fairly reasonable guy. (Heaven and hell are pretty much the same, attitude wise apparently. I mean he has hell, so I guess he had to have "a heaven"). The "protagonist" opens the book having sneaked out of hell apparently having learned nothing from the experience. I mean hell seems to be pretty much pointless. The first thing the guy informs us is that he hates cops and hero types...but sometimes he has to intervene and do the "right thing". He's explaining why he intervened in a brutal carjacking...shameful for any tough, mouthy, antihero. I just couldn't get involved with this guy or his story.
Maybe I'm too old and have read too much of this crap...but enjoy it if you like. I find it just what I called it above.
There are very, very good urban fantasies out there. It's just too bad they seem to be hard to find. Or maybe I'm just too critical or particular...still, I love some Urban Fantasy books, some are pretty good, some just okay and others I find I wish I hadn't put my time into. If you think it's cool to sneer at life, embrace nihilism, and determine what's right and wrong by your own appetites, enjoy. Not for me. I'm frankly tired of idealization of protagonists who are "cool" because they "get away with it", or however you want to state it.Third loser book in a row and I guess I'm a little tired (have I told you that?). Hope I can find a brain candy book next that I enjoy reading.
Maybe I'm too old and have read too much of this crap...but enjoy it if you like. I find it just what I called it above.
There are very, very good urban fantasies out there. It's just too bad they seem to be hard to find. Or maybe I'm just too critical or particular...still, I love some Urban Fantasy books, some are pretty good, some just okay and others I find I wish I hadn't put my time into. If you think it's cool to sneer at life, embrace nihilism, and determine what's right and wrong by your own appetites, enjoy. Not for me. I'm frankly tired of idealization of protagonists who are "cool" because they "get away with it", or however you want to state it.Third loser book in a row and I guess I'm a little tired (have I told you that?). Hope I can find a brain candy book next that I enjoy reading.
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Comments (showing 1-9 of 9) (9 new)
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There are a handful of UF writers I like (Butcher, Thurman, Green, etc.) But I don't care for Kadrey's work. I freely admit it's a mateer of taste and never claimed it wasn't. I just don't like it, I know some do, I've discussed it with some. That's cool, enjoy. Not a what I want to follow up.
Loved the review, disagree with it but it's a great review. I personally finding the book to be more mature and grittier then other books in Urban Fantasy.
Well as noted we disagree, but that's cool. I know many people like this/these books. Mostly I think it's more a matter of taste.
Perhaps you are too old. or at least too tired. And doesn't everyone hate cops and hero types? Its not like they are ever then when you need them, even if one is fictional, and the other is real. You are much more likely to get help from someone who doesn't believe in helping. People who do believe in helping generally have far too much ideology to actually help.
I feel very sorry for you. You must have had a hard life full of disappointing people...Yes I do disagree, and "cops" are human. Both good and bad are among them like anybody else. Hope you develop a bit of a more positive outlook, but your taste is your own. Enjoy.
Thanks for an honest review! I find I get burned out on certain types of UF too and it takes a great author to change my opinion or I deprive myself of books for months and that helps a bit too. I'll probably read it since I got it free but I definitely don't need another one of these types of UF series in my life at the moment. Too many other good books to read.
When you read around the sub-genre a bit, you really start to appreciate just how few and far between the writers who do this stuff well really are.
(and I know I have higher tolerance for both romance and nihilism than you)