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Eddie LaCrosse #4
Wake of the Bloody Angel
Twenty years ago, a barmaid in a harbor town fell for a young sailor who turned pirate to make his fortune. But what truly became of Black Edward Tew remains a mystery, one that has just fallen into the lap of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse.
Audiobook
First published July 1, 2012
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About the author
Alex Bledsoe
68 books798 followersI grew up in west Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (home of Tina Turner). I've been a reporter, editor, photographer and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. I now live in a big yellow house in Wisconsin, write before six in the morning and try to teach my two kids to act like they've been to town before.
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 22, 2017
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.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
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.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
October 30, 2013
Eddie LaCrosse is one of my favorite fantasy main characters. He's a sword-jockey, which in this sword-and-horses fantasy world, is something like a noir private detective in ours. He's the guy you hire to find someone, or solve a puzzle, or deal with a blackmailer. Eddie is an ex-nobleman, ex-mercenary, and an honorable man with a soft-spot for children and women (although in this world women have more equality, and Eddie is the last one to underestimate them.) He's smart, quick but not supernatural with a sword, and persistent. His narrative is understated and clear, with just a hint but not an overdose of wry humor.
This series is worth reading through in order, but this book can stand alone fairly well. You'll only find a little of the secondary-character backstory less rich if you haven't read the others. Eddie is hired by his closest friend, Angelina, to find the sailor-turned-pirate whom she once loved. He teams up with another ex-pirate, Captain Jane Argo, whose expertise and contacts make the search possible. She's a great secondary character, in a book filled with excellent secondary characters who support and don't distract from the adventure-mystery plot.
I enjoyed this from start to finish. The plot kept me guessing all the way to the climax, the fantasy elements were few and well played, the world-building was first rate. And then there was Eddie. I'll read more of Eddie any time. Highly recommended to lovers of realistic sword-and-supernatural fantasy readers.
This series is worth reading through in order, but this book can stand alone fairly well. You'll only find a little of the secondary-character backstory less rich if you haven't read the others. Eddie is hired by his closest friend, Angelina, to find the sailor-turned-pirate whom she once loved. He teams up with another ex-pirate, Captain Jane Argo, whose expertise and contacts make the search possible. She's a great secondary character, in a book filled with excellent secondary characters who support and don't distract from the adventure-mystery plot.
I enjoyed this from start to finish. The plot kept me guessing all the way to the climax, the fantasy elements were few and well played, the world-building was first rate. And then there was Eddie. I'll read more of Eddie any time. Highly recommended to lovers of realistic sword-and-supernatural fantasy readers.
September 26, 2015
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.
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.
March 27, 2014
The opening sequence of this book broke me up. A.Bledsoe does a good job of telling a story that can have it's sad moments but also gives a laugh..or lots of laughs.
I was a little torn on telling you what was so funny here as it's not really a "spoiler" in the, plot sense of that word. Still if I ruin it for you you might get ticked off. if you get ticked off you might try to hunt me down for revenge...that wouldn't be good.
So I won't tell...but it's really funny...honest.
This book is excellent as we follow Eddie on a missing person's case. It's a cold case. As Agent Gibbs would say, it has icicles. The person has been missing for 20 years.
And he's a pirate. Pirates don't generally want to be tracked down anyway.
I'm not a huge fan of pirate novels. there are a few i like but on the whole i sort of grew out of the pirate story phase when i was in Junior High School. BUT this one is good. We get a good story as we follow Eddie and Jane as they attempt to track down Black Edward.
We're not only going to get a good story we're going to find out more about some of our recurring characters.
I like this series... I got into it (the series) slowly but find it has become one I can highly recommend.
Enjoy.
I was a little torn on telling you what was so funny here as it's not really a "spoiler" in the, plot sense of that word. Still if I ruin it for you you might get ticked off. if you get ticked off you might try to hunt me down for revenge...that wouldn't be good.
So I won't tell...but it's really funny...honest.
This book is excellent as we follow Eddie on a missing person's case. It's a cold case. As Agent Gibbs would say, it has icicles. The person has been missing for 20 years.
And he's a pirate. Pirates don't generally want to be tracked down anyway.
I'm not a huge fan of pirate novels. there are a few i like but on the whole i sort of grew out of the pirate story phase when i was in Junior High School. BUT this one is good. We get a good story as we follow Eddie and Jane as they attempt to track down Black Edward.
We're not only going to get a good story we're going to find out more about some of our recurring characters.
I like this series... I got into it (the series) slowly but find it has become one I can highly recommend.
Enjoy.
May 6, 2023
A mystery at sea for sword-for-hire Eddie LaCrosse.
August 24, 2012
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...
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...
October 23, 2012
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>
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>
July 10, 2012
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 great from start to finish.
For the other fantasy neophytes out there (I must figure out how to get that word into water-cooler discussions...), this one felt a bit like a cross between Conan the Barbarian and Pirates of the Caribbean meeting Indiana Jones. It had the sexy, scary sword-wealding female warrior of Conan, but without the dreadful music or Arnold, and including actual dialogue. It also had the pirate stuff going on from Pirates of the Caribbean, but Eddie LaCrosse isn't as camp as Jack Sparrow, nor as irritating, and although the plot is fantastic (as in unbelievable) it isn't as blatantly silly as Pirates of the Caribbean. It also had the ruthlessly effective, experienced and rather human hero of an indeterminate age, but definitely older than 35 that Harrison Ford played so well.
As for the plot, it just easily flows through the pages, with a wonderfully creative, but disciplined, imaginative streak running all the way through. The writing isn't literat-URE (if you know what I mean), but you know what, I'm not reading this because I want to put my intellect through a wringer, but because I want to be entertained, and this is what this book delivers - pure entertainment, with a relentless pace, and lost of twists and turns. This makes a wonderful standalone book too.
4 stars. I really liked it. Available now.
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 great from start to finish.
For the other fantasy neophytes out there (I must figure out how to get that word into water-cooler discussions...), this one felt a bit like a cross between Conan the Barbarian and Pirates of the Caribbean meeting Indiana Jones. It had the sexy, scary sword-wealding female warrior of Conan, but without the dreadful music or Arnold, and including actual dialogue. It also had the pirate stuff going on from Pirates of the Caribbean, but Eddie LaCrosse isn't as camp as Jack Sparrow, nor as irritating, and although the plot is fantastic (as in unbelievable) it isn't as blatantly silly as Pirates of the Caribbean. It also had the ruthlessly effective, experienced and rather human hero of an indeterminate age, but definitely older than 35 that Harrison Ford played so well.
As for the plot, it just easily flows through the pages, with a wonderfully creative, but disciplined, imaginative streak running all the way through. The writing isn't literat-URE (if you know what I mean), but you know what, I'm not reading this because I want to put my intellect through a wringer, but because I want to be entertained, and this is what this book delivers - pure entertainment, with a relentless pace, and lost of twists and turns. This makes a wonderful standalone book too.
4 stars. I really liked it. Available now.
April 10, 2016
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 which pirates are criminal scum).
Before Eddie reaches the end of the trail, he'll find out a few things that he didn't want to know along with the things he did, and have to work out which of those things he should tell and which he should keep to himself. He also has to think about the consequences of catastrophic youthful mistakes (of which, if you have read the previous books, you know he made at least one himself) and when, if ever, it is right to acknowledge that someone screwed up, and then move on, rather than to hold it against them forever.
You don't have to have read the previous novels in the series to enjoy each one individually, but it does help.
If you like fantasy and hardbitten-PI novels, then you'll be in heaven here - the Eddie LaCrosse novels are a mix of the two; narrated by Eddie, it's like Philip Marlowe, but with more swords.
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 which pirates are criminal scum).
Before Eddie reaches the end of the trail, he'll find out a few things that he didn't want to know along with the things he did, and have to work out which of those things he should tell and which he should keep to himself. He also has to think about the consequences of catastrophic youthful mistakes (of which, if you have read the previous books, you know he made at least one himself) and when, if ever, it is right to acknowledge that someone screwed up, and then move on, rather than to hold it against them forever.
You don't have to have read the previous novels in the series to enjoy each one individually, but it does help.
If you like fantasy and hardbitten-PI novels, then you'll be in heaven here - the Eddie LaCrosse novels are a mix of the two; narrated by Eddie, it's like Philip Marlowe, but with more swords.
August 25, 2012
The latest in the Eddie LaCrosse series sees Eddie delving into the past of his friend, Angelina, searching for her lost love. This book is like Eddie has joined the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean. Not as funny as the earlier books and for me this sits about level with the second book. There was a lot of pirate cliche but it was a fun book nonetheless. I would like to see Alex Bledsoe really mix it up for the next book though.
April 30, 2012
I'm still enjoying this mix of detective and fantasy fiction. This one takes to the sea for some Pirate flavour, and the mix of Jane and Eddie on the Southern Sea made for compelling reading. Their repartee had a wonderful Boggey and Baccall flavour for me; and once again, Bledsoe managed to steer that standard adventure feeling into "Dark Victory" territory. I can't get enough of these books; I hope Bledsoe sells enough to keep them coming.
July 10, 2015
Another in the series about sword jockey (swordsman) Eddie Lacrosse- this time he is hired to track down a pirate who disappeared 20 years earlier. He enlists the help of an ex-pirate, Jane Argo, and they set out on what seems like an impossible task. Lots of good characters along the way, and a good mystery. Eddie doesn't take himself too seriously, there's plenty of action, and it's quite enjoyable.
September 22, 2012
Another great Eddie LaCrosse adventure. To be precise it is the fourth one.
Author Alex Bledsoe neither gets tired nor lapse in to routine.
Eddie comes across as fresh as in the first story.
I liked it a lot that sailing vessels play an important role.
Author Alex Bledsoe neither gets tired nor lapse in to routine.
Eddie comes across as fresh as in the first story.
I liked it a lot that sailing vessels play an important role.
January 28, 2021
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL ABOUT?
Yet that's just what Eddie LaCrosse sets out to do—find the unfindable, track the untrackable. For those of you who don't know—Eddie lives in a fairly standard fantasy realm, and makes his living as a "sword jockey"—what we'd call a P.I. in our world. These books are first-person narratives and read a lot like good detective novels—but with swords, horses, and the occasional dragon or whatnot.
Eddie doesn't go alone on his search for a pirate—he brings along his old friend/colleague, Jane Argo. Jane's a former pirate turned pirate hunter turned sword jockey and is as tough as that résumé suggests. Having her come along on this adventure as the Hawk/Joe Pike figure was a great addition to a series that I didn't think required it. But now, I want more of her—back in Eddie LaCrosse #6, or in Jane Argo #1. I could be pleased either way, as long as it's soon.
A KILLER LINE
Every now and then, in the middle of this fun read, Bledsoe reminds you he can do more than tell a fun action story, and drop a sentence, or phrase that shows he's just a good writer, period. One such line that stood out to me, and I've tried to find excuses to use in the last couple of days is:
You get a real clear idea about this Hawk guy, the image is pretty creepy in and of itself, and yet, it looks and sounds breezy unless you think about it. I like Eddie and the rest of his world plenty—but it's that kind of thing that keeps me coming back to Bledsoe.
What I found interesting as I re-read what I wrote years ago is this very line. I'd completely forgotten it in the intervening years, but when I heard it, I mentioned it to a coworker and at least one family member, and even tweeted about it. It struck me as a perfect line in 2014, and it did the same again in 2020. I clearly have a well-defined taste and will probably rave about it the next time I read/listen to this novel.
THE PARANORMAL
The last thing I can think to note is that this book briefly features the creepiest little girl I can remember since Let the Right One In. I really can't talk about her without ruining too much, but let me just say that absolutely loved the way that Bledsoe used her. And no, I'm not going to talk about why I mention her under "The Paranormal."
For a Fantasy series, Bledsoe is very careful—almost stingy—with his use of magic and the paranormal. But when he uses it? It's so effective. We get just a few incidents of it here and I love watching the choices Bledsoe makes regarding them.
THE NARRATION
Obviously, as it was over 6 years ago that I read the book, I could be wrong about this, but I think that Rudnicki's narration added another layer to the novel, and it struck a deeper chord with me. It's not like I didn't enjoy the book when I read it, but listening to it seemed to be more effective. I attribute that solely to Rudnicki. He just does a great job not only with Eddie, but with all the other characters—Jane Argo and the last new character we meet in particular.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL?
There's adventure, piracy, sword-play, banter, friendship, and a bit of betrayal. That's pretty much what you want in a novel like this, right?
Bledsoe did a great job of nailing the life of a ship (says the guy who gets too seasick to even contemplate a day-long voyage)—both the tedium of day-to-day and the excitement of boardings (or other adventures at sea).
I couldn't have seen the ending coming, nor the details it revealed. But it worked, it absolutely worked both as interesting plot development, and as strong character moments. So well done.
I've only got one novel in this series to go, and I'm excited to get to it, but I don't want things to end. That's a good place to be.
---
WHAT'S WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL ABOUT?
I looked up at the stars. Finding one pirate after twenty years was a lot like picking one star out of this sky. Just when you thought you had it, a cloud slid by and you had to start all over when it passed.
Yet that's just what Eddie LaCrosse sets out to do—find the unfindable, track the untrackable. For those of you who don't know—Eddie lives in a fairly standard fantasy realm, and makes his living as a "sword jockey"—what we'd call a P.I. in our world. These books are first-person narratives and read a lot like good detective novels—but with swords, horses, and the occasional dragon or whatnot.
Eddie doesn't go alone on his search for a pirate—he brings along his old friend/colleague, Jane Argo. Jane's a former pirate turned pirate hunter turned sword jockey and is as tough as that résumé suggests. Having her come along on this adventure as the Hawk/Joe Pike figure was a great addition to a series that I didn't think required it. But now, I want more of her—back in Eddie LaCrosse #6, or in Jane Argo #1. I could be pleased either way, as long as it's soon.
A KILLER LINE
Every now and then, in the middle of this fun read, Bledsoe reminds you he can do more than tell a fun action story, and drop a sentence, or phrase that shows he's just a good writer, period. One such line that stood out to me, and I've tried to find excuses to use in the last couple of days is:
Hawk's been called many things over the years, but you know what captures him best, in my opinion? That he's simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.
You get a real clear idea about this Hawk guy, the image is pretty creepy in and of itself, and yet, it looks and sounds breezy unless you think about it. I like Eddie and the rest of his world plenty—but it's that kind of thing that keeps me coming back to Bledsoe.
What I found interesting as I re-read what I wrote years ago is this very line. I'd completely forgotten it in the intervening years, but when I heard it, I mentioned it to a coworker and at least one family member, and even tweeted about it. It struck me as a perfect line in 2014, and it did the same again in 2020. I clearly have a well-defined taste and will probably rave about it the next time I read/listen to this novel.
THE PARANORMAL
The last thing I can think to note is that this book briefly features the creepiest little girl I can remember since Let the Right One In. I really can't talk about her without ruining too much, but let me just say that absolutely loved the way that Bledsoe used her. And no, I'm not going to talk about why I mention her under "The Paranormal."
For a Fantasy series, Bledsoe is very careful—almost stingy—with his use of magic and the paranormal. But when he uses it? It's so effective. We get just a few incidents of it here and I love watching the choices Bledsoe makes regarding them.
THE NARRATION
Obviously, as it was over 6 years ago that I read the book, I could be wrong about this, but I think that Rudnicki's narration added another layer to the novel, and it struck a deeper chord with me. It's not like I didn't enjoy the book when I read it, but listening to it seemed to be more effective. I attribute that solely to Rudnicki. He just does a great job not only with Eddie, but with all the other characters—Jane Argo and the last new character we meet in particular.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT WAKE OF THE BLOODY ANGEL?
There's adventure, piracy, sword-play, banter, friendship, and a bit of betrayal. That's pretty much what you want in a novel like this, right?
Bledsoe did a great job of nailing the life of a ship (says the guy who gets too seasick to even contemplate a day-long voyage)—both the tedium of day-to-day and the excitement of boardings (or other adventures at sea).
I couldn't have seen the ending coming, nor the details it revealed. But it worked, it absolutely worked both as interesting plot development, and as strong character moments. So well done.
I've only got one novel in this series to go, and I'm excited to get to it, but I don't want things to end. That's a good place to be.
December 10, 2020
If you are familiar with the Eddie LaCrosse series, this is more of the same. Grim and gritty, with flawed people on both sides. But, it doesn't degenerate into the argument that the difference between the good guys and the bad guys is that the good guys won. It comes down to both conscience and a person's reaction to it. Does a character respond to their conscience by making a change, or just feeling bad but continuing to do the same bad things? Actually, a bit deeper than you might expect for a fantasy-noir detective novel.
November 25, 2020
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
Currently on Audible Plus
December 3, 2020
Pirate mystery and a treasure he isn't looking for so stop asking.
August 10, 2012
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 fast, action packed, and fun. Bledsoe seems to improve with each novel, and this is no exception. Time tried fans of the series will fine enjoy the addition of Jane Argo and the change of scenery, as well as the rich personal history they will learn about the mysterious Angelina. New readers to the series will fall in love with Bledsoe’s prose, fast pace and entertainment offered in this novel.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2012/08/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2012/08/...
August 7, 2012
I won an ARC of Wake of the Bloody Angel (Eddie LaCrosse #4) by Alex Bledsoe in a giveaway for free on Goodreads First/Reads. ~ I love it* I've never read a book in this series before, but I plan on reading all of them now- This book is interesting, exciting, funny, and takes readers on an adventure. Alex Bledsoe does well painting a clear/vivid picture for his readers- making you feel like your part of the story. I've added this book to my favorites- on goodreads. This is in the top ten* best books read for 2012_ for me. I have already ordered another book from this series- can't wait. Thanks!! Reesa***
October 14, 2020
I can go either way on tales of derring do and swashbuckling adventures on the high seas, but this one was very definitely a big tick in the plus column. Angelina, who runs the tavern below Eddie's office, has asked him to track down the man she loved twenty years ago. Together with fellow sword-jockey, Jane, Eddie sets of on the trail of the pirate Black Edward. Naturally things don't go to plan. This is definitely one for those who enjoyed Red Seas under Red Skies and those who like a sea-faring episode in their high fantasy. Great fun and decidedly grim in places.
August 29, 2012
I'm a fan of Treasure Island. Give me an ole' fashioned swash buckling adventure and I'm a happy girl. Intertwine the pirates with some excellent characters and a bit of heart, not to mention some intrigue, and I'm not going to put a book down! I read this in two sittings, and that is only because my Kindle died on me and had to be re-charged!
An excellent, excellent adventure!
An excellent, excellent adventure!
February 3, 2013
This is the first book I've read in the Eddie laCrosse series. Eddie is basically your standard private eye, except it's a fantasy world, it's the golden age of piracy..take it from there. This is a thoroughly enjoyable tale about Black Edward (which may bring Blackbeard or other famous pirates to mind when reading the book) and what happened to him.
May 7, 2015
I don't recommend binge reading this series. Each book is a stand alone mystery, has very little supernatural elements and the humor has begun to wear on me. I get my books from the library so I usually take out a series but I recommend these as light filler between more complex stories.
February 14, 2021
Book four of the Eddie Lacrosse novels- "Wake of the Bloody Angel", is the best Eddie Lacrosse book I've read yet. There is a fifth one I have yet to read. Alex Bledsoe combines elements of fantasy and detective story in this series. Usually Lacrosse is hired by a stranger to investigate something. In Bloody Angel, however, a familiar character- Angelina the barkeep, hires Eddie to find out if her long lost love Black Edward the pirate is still alive.
What follows is a terrific sea adventure that takes place on a boat of ex-pirates that Lacrosse hires to help him find Black Edward. I could have done without all the technical nautical terms, but there are plenty of sword fights, sea monsters and ghosts to keep the reader entertained. Of course, what would a pirate story be without buried treasure involved as well.
The finale on a remote island is riveting. I would love to read books by Bledsoe other than the Eddie Lacrosse ones, but my library doesn't have any. I'll keep searching.
What follows is a terrific sea adventure that takes place on a boat of ex-pirates that Lacrosse hires to help him find Black Edward. I could have done without all the technical nautical terms, but there are plenty of sword fights, sea monsters and ghosts to keep the reader entertained. Of course, what would a pirate story be without buried treasure involved as well.
The finale on a remote island is riveting. I would love to read books by Bledsoe other than the Eddie Lacrosse ones, but my library doesn't have any. I'll keep searching.
March 2, 2018
Very clever, Bledsoe. Very, very clever. How can one not finish a book that a few pages in reads: "There's a port on a western bay....Twenty years ago there was a girl who worked in a tavern laying whiskey down. She was tough, reasonably attractive, and never wanted for male attention. She had no family, no past, no plans, and she liked it that way. Until the day HE walked in."
I was hooked and good. I also sang a certain song in the background of my mind during the whole story. (And if you don't recognize this obvious clue, you haven't been listening to enough '70s music)
But the story is a good one, and the author does his usual fine job. Adventure, humor, a little romance and PIRATES. Gotta love pirates.
And now whenever I hear that certain song (which used to annoy me for soooo many reasons) I can be satisfied that I know the story.
I was hooked and good. I also sang a certain song in the background of my mind during the whole story. (And if you don't recognize this obvious clue, you haven't been listening to enough '70s music)
But the story is a good one, and the author does his usual fine job. Adventure, humor, a little romance and PIRATES. Gotta love pirates.
And now whenever I hear that certain song (which used to annoy me for soooo many reasons) I can be satisfied that I know the story.
September 28, 2020
Eddie LaCrosse is a totally affable guy, albeit a very deadly guy in a sword fight, and for 25 pieces of gold a day you can buy his special kind of investigative service... he seems to have a nose for trouble, and a propensity to uncover unbelievable situations!
In this case, Eddie is hired by his best friend to find her old love, a sailor turned pirate, and missing for the past 20 years! To say it would be hard, would be an understatement, more likely it'll be nigh impossible... but Eddie would, for friendship sake, make an attempt to follow this cold trail!
But it's Eddie, remember? and the unfathomable is always lying in wait! If he hadn't been among a ship full of sailors his story of what they found would never have been believed!
So grab this audio book, and let the very talented Stefan Rudnicki, tell you a story about Pirates... and treasure!
In this case, Eddie is hired by his best friend to find her old love, a sailor turned pirate, and missing for the past 20 years! To say it would be hard, would be an understatement, more likely it'll be nigh impossible... but Eddie would, for friendship sake, make an attempt to follow this cold trail!
But it's Eddie, remember? and the unfathomable is always lying in wait! If he hadn't been among a ship full of sailors his story of what they found would never have been believed!
So grab this audio book, and let the very talented Stefan Rudnicki, tell you a story about Pirates... and treasure!
October 8, 2018
Edward LaCrosse, "sword jockey" (aka, private detective in a fantasy world (mostly swords, tiny bit of sorcery)), is hired by someone close to him to track down an old love of her life. But there's a lot of details that have been omitted, which is why he finds himself on the high seas, intent on closing the case, while everyone around him believes he's hunting pirate treasure.
An enjoyable mystery, beautifully tying in to the series' broader themes about regrets and getting the chance to reform one's life.
An enjoyable mystery, beautifully tying in to the series' broader themes about regrets and getting the chance to reform one's life.
June 15, 2021
A solid installment of the very odd Eddie LaCrosse series. This is just such a different series than anything else, being a medieval, sword-wielding private detective who always confronts a supernatural monster/being at the heart of each conspiracy. I have previously thought that the monsters actually take away from the story, rather than add to it, but this one was better as it was more realistic. But whatever floats Mr. Bledsoe's boat, I guess, as the stories and characters are always entertaining.
July 16, 2021
As usual for this series, really enjoyed this one. Bledsoe kind of stretches for it in the beginning to work in some rather groan inducing (but still fun) references, but moves past it pretty quickly to get on with the story. Had no real idea what I was getting into when I picked the first one up off the clearance shelf, but the series has been very entertaining and quick reads. One of the reviews on the last one said it's a swashbuckler meets hard-boiled noir detective, which is an amazing accurate description for the series. The only problem - there's only one more.
July 26, 2019
Good read, for an audio book. Angelina, who owns the pub where Eddie Lacrosse has his office, hires him to find out what happened to her long lost love. Bits and pieces of the old 70s song "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" appear early on in the story, but when the pirates get involved, it takes off on its own. This story has less of the supernatural than other books in the series, but still has a strange mystery or two, plus a couple of really strange bits. I liked it.
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