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Book of Secrets
IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN ANGELS AND DEMONS TO STOP HIM.
Reporter Spencer Finch is a journalist embroiled in the hunt for a missing book, encountering along the way cat burglars and mobsters, hackers and mysterious monks. At the same time, he's trying to make sense of the legacy left him by his late grandfather, a chest of what appear to be pulp magazines from the golden age of fantasy fiction. Following his nose, Finch gradually uncovers a mystery involving a lost Greek play, secret societies, generations of masked vigilantes - and an entire hidden history of mankind. It's like The Da Vinci Code retold by the Coen brothers in this blockbuster blur.
Reporter Spencer Finch is a journalist embroiled in the hunt for a missing book, encountering along the way cat burglars and mobsters, hackers and mysterious monks. At the same time, he's trying to make sense of the legacy left him by his late grandfather, a chest of what appear to be pulp magazines from the golden age of fantasy fiction. Following his nose, Finch gradually uncovers a mystery involving a lost Greek play, secret societies, generations of masked vigilantes - and an entire hidden history of mankind. It's like The Da Vinci Code retold by the Coen brothers in this blockbuster blur.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
13 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Chris Roberson
552 books264 followersChris Roberson is the co-creator with artist Michael Allred of iZombie, the basis of the hit CW television series, and the writer of several New York Times best-selling Cinderella miniseries set in the world of Bill Willingham’s Fables. He is also the co-creator of Edison Rex with artist Dennis Culver, and the co-writer of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D, Witchfinder, Rise of the Black Flame, and other titles set in the world of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. In addition to his numerous comics projects, Roberson has written more than a dozen novels and three dozen short stories. He lives with a teenager, two cats, and far too many books in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 13, 2012
I was drawn into this book immediately, with its nod to noir fiction and its hardboiled protagonist. A nice mystery immediately starts to unfold, and we are led hither and thither on Spencer Finch's journey to discover something or other about a book, a weird millionaire, a murdered so and so, and--most importantly--his own family history.
The details were not really all that important, quite frankly, and I discovered that I lost track of who was who and who was trying to get what and so on. What I liked about the book was the atmospheric feel of it, the biting sarcasm and the flawed characteristics of the main character.
The author uses the story within a story to convey other important plot threads of the book--there are several 'found documents' that relate to a (fake) literary character named the Black Hand. They are written in various styles to convey different eras and conventions; for instance, one is Greek tragedy, one is Middle English a la Chaucer (ish), etc. While I like the concept of interweaving the stories and using them to drop hints, I unfortunately found the stories themselves rather tedious reading and somewhat repetitive. By the third 'story', I pretty much just skimmed it in annoyance that it was interrupting the thread of the real story.
As another reviewer commented, while the buildup to the conclusion is really good, the end just falls apart into an almost literal deus ex machine that fell flat on its face. The effect was that this 'surprise' just came out of the blue with no connection to everything that had gone before, and the way it was revealed--Finch just telling us the story--was tedious and dull.
I did like the denouement were Finch gets to reconnect with his grandfather (not much of a spoiler--it's essentially the main thrust of the story) and found that it wrapped up the story nicely, although the whole "Black Hand fights crime and injustice" thing was a little silly given the complexities of the relationships and the genre of the book. To wit--noir-ish fiction doesn't lend itself to good vs evil themes in stark contrast, but rather in shades of gray. Pulp does, but while there is pulp in this story, it is not a 'pulp story' per se.
Final notes: There were way too many typos in the book, such that they became very distracting. I'm not super anal by any account (despite being an English teacher), but the amount was just too much. They interfered with the story and caused me occasional confusion. I understand that this was originally self-published, but then picked up by a publisher. I would think the publishing house would have done a better job with the line editing.
The details were not really all that important, quite frankly, and I discovered that I lost track of who was who and who was trying to get what and so on. What I liked about the book was the atmospheric feel of it, the biting sarcasm and the flawed characteristics of the main character.
The author uses the story within a story to convey other important plot threads of the book--there are several 'found documents' that relate to a (fake) literary character named the Black Hand. They are written in various styles to convey different eras and conventions; for instance, one is Greek tragedy, one is Middle English a la Chaucer (ish), etc. While I like the concept of interweaving the stories and using them to drop hints, I unfortunately found the stories themselves rather tedious reading and somewhat repetitive. By the third 'story', I pretty much just skimmed it in annoyance that it was interrupting the thread of the real story.
As another reviewer commented, while the buildup to the conclusion is really good, the end just falls apart into an almost literal deus ex machine that fell flat on its face. The effect was that this 'surprise' just came out of the blue with no connection to everything that had gone before, and the way it was revealed--Finch just telling us the story--was tedious and dull.
I did like the denouement were Finch gets to reconnect with his grandfather (not much of a spoiler--it's essentially the main thrust of the story) and found that it wrapped up the story nicely, although the whole "Black Hand fights crime and injustice" thing was a little silly given the complexities of the relationships and the genre of the book. To wit--noir-ish fiction doesn't lend itself to good vs evil themes in stark contrast, but rather in shades of gray. Pulp does, but while there is pulp in this story, it is not a 'pulp story' per se.
Final notes: There were way too many typos in the book, such that they became very distracting. I'm not super anal by any account (despite being an English teacher), but the amount was just too much. They interfered with the story and caused me occasional confusion. I understand that this was originally self-published, but then picked up by a publisher. I would think the publishing house would have done a better job with the line editing.
December 19, 2010
Spencer Finch is an investigative journalist who is researching billionaire J. Nathan Pierce for one of his stories. In the course of his research, he discovers that a mysterious book was recently stolen from Pierce, and it’s this book that will lead Finch on a fascinating and unlikely journey with far-reaching implications. Early on in the story, Finch also receives his recently deceased grandfather’s inheritance: a box full of stories and other texts. These gradually add a whole new dimension to both his grandfather’s legacy and the secret, real history of the world...
If all of this sounds confusing, rest assured: Chris Roberson is a great storyteller who expertly reveals the layers of his tale as Finch slowly discovers the real reason for his story assignment. Finch is an interesting main character: a hard-drinking, chain-smoking investigator with a shady past and a chip on his shoulder. As the reader learns more about his past, it becomes increasingly clear that Book of Secrets is as much about Finch coming to terms with himself as about the mystery and arcana of the main plot. Along the way, the reader is also introduced to a number of colorful and often fascinating side characters — my favorite being the ex-convict bartender and enthusiastic preacher of the Gospel of Odin.
Book of Secrets has an interesting structure: the story is divided into seven chapters, each covering one day of Finch’s investigation. At the end of each day, when Finch is too wired to sleep, he reads one of the texts he received in his grandfather’s inheritance, and these texts are inserted into the novel after every chapter but the last one. The texts are offered in reverse chronological order, and while the first one (a pulp story about the exploits of a caped crusader called “the Black Hand”) may make you think that this feature is just a gimmick, by the second or third one you’ll start noticing some genuinely interesting patterns and parallels. Once those became clear, I could not put this book down and raced through it in record time.
Unfortunately, after almost 250 pages of simply excellent storytelling, Book of Secrets takes a sudden turn for the worse. One scene (the auction) is so over-the-top that it just doesn’t mesh with the rest of the book, and the new characters it introduces are too stereotypical. After this, the novel works its way to a deus ex machina ending that frankly felt like a huge letdown after the slow build-up of tension throughout the novel.
Still, Book of Secrets is an incredibly entertaining and rewarding read for most of the way. Chris Roberson doesn’t spell everything out for the reader, instead leaving some hints and references that, if you catch them, will have your head spinning. If you have any interest in secret history/conspiracy stories, definitely check out Book of Secrets.
(This review was also published at www.fantasyliterature.com on 12/19/2010.)
If all of this sounds confusing, rest assured: Chris Roberson is a great storyteller who expertly reveals the layers of his tale as Finch slowly discovers the real reason for his story assignment. Finch is an interesting main character: a hard-drinking, chain-smoking investigator with a shady past and a chip on his shoulder. As the reader learns more about his past, it becomes increasingly clear that Book of Secrets is as much about Finch coming to terms with himself as about the mystery and arcana of the main plot. Along the way, the reader is also introduced to a number of colorful and often fascinating side characters — my favorite being the ex-convict bartender and enthusiastic preacher of the Gospel of Odin.
Book of Secrets has an interesting structure: the story is divided into seven chapters, each covering one day of Finch’s investigation. At the end of each day, when Finch is too wired to sleep, he reads one of the texts he received in his grandfather’s inheritance, and these texts are inserted into the novel after every chapter but the last one. The texts are offered in reverse chronological order, and while the first one (a pulp story about the exploits of a caped crusader called “the Black Hand”) may make you think that this feature is just a gimmick, by the second or third one you’ll start noticing some genuinely interesting patterns and parallels. Once those became clear, I could not put this book down and raced through it in record time.
Unfortunately, after almost 250 pages of simply excellent storytelling, Book of Secrets takes a sudden turn for the worse. One scene (the auction) is so over-the-top that it just doesn’t mesh with the rest of the book, and the new characters it introduces are too stereotypical. After this, the novel works its way to a deus ex machina ending that frankly felt like a huge letdown after the slow build-up of tension throughout the novel.
Still, Book of Secrets is an incredibly entertaining and rewarding read for most of the way. Chris Roberson doesn’t spell everything out for the reader, instead leaving some hints and references that, if you catch them, will have your head spinning. If you have any interest in secret history/conspiracy stories, definitely check out Book of Secrets.
(This review was also published at www.fantasyliterature.com on 12/19/2010.)
May 30, 2013
This didn't do it for me at all. The main story is pretty inert -- that's always a risk with a plot that mostly involves the protagonist reading about interesting things that happened to other people in the past, but this one is especially dull. For all the plot Roberson throws at the wall (taking our hero from Austin to Las Vegas to a showdown in front of the Alamo), nothing really sticks. Part of the problem is Finch, the main character, who isn't unlikeable so much as he is poorly fleshed out (though -- with the exception of the bartender who is a priest in his own self-designed Nordic religion -- Finch is the best-developed person in the book). He's an alcoholic journalist, but he was also a cat burglar, and at one point he was being trained to be a sort of Batman, and also he's "usually pretty good with gangsters" -- none of this coheres into an actual human being. He's not a character, he's a pissy attitude reacting to plot developments.
The writing is full of cliches, the humor isn't funny, and the pulp stories which hint at the great mysteries of human existence don't really make much sense. (I enjoyed the first two well-enough, but as Roberson gets farther away from the present day he loses his ear for the style of these stories. So they don't really work as pastiches, and thematically they don't have a lot to do with the main plot beyond mentioning a few of the same images.)
Angry Robot is one of my go-tos for fun sci-fi/fantasy, but I'd give this one a pass in favor of something like Justin Gustainis' "Hard Spell".
The writing is full of cliches, the humor isn't funny, and the pulp stories which hint at the great mysteries of human existence don't really make much sense. (I enjoyed the first two well-enough, but as Roberson gets farther away from the present day he loses his ear for the style of these stories. So they don't really work as pastiches, and thematically they don't have a lot to do with the main plot beyond mentioning a few of the same images.)
Angry Robot is one of my go-tos for fun sci-fi/fantasy, but I'd give this one a pass in favor of something like Justin Gustainis' "Hard Spell".
November 2, 2022
Lets start by pointing out the cover lied not a single one of them forced upon us short storys was science fiction and only two of them could be considered pulp fiction story. And seriously this guy needs a editor a thousand times more then this review will probably need. Seriously this main character is a insufferable little beep. This book is so pretensious he acts like its his magnum opus it trys to do so much and delivers nothing everyone after it not really not till day 6 does anything remotely really happen that says anything about the plot and hidden within the short storys yeah right nothing in the short storys exept maybe the one that was barely anything more thena weird meeting and the black hand name. Basically this guys grandfather died and he gets a box of papers and then a random call that somehow leads to looking for a book. And nothing at all even comes close to preparing you for the weird make no sense ending that just feels randomly thrown in. Its like reading a jane austeen novel and then emma at the end of the book decides to turn into a dragon and kill the entire towns populace then flys off to the moon to make babys with a king named bob. Nothing at all in the book even hints at the end what was the point of the whole book he shoulda just wrote a short story collection and the entire book coulda just been summed up in day 7. The book smelled good thats a plus. In the more capable hands of another writer this could of been good but unless im gifted or sent for review or even just find another of his books tossed on the ground at a park i wont be wasting money on any more of this guy's books. If i think of anything else i forgot i will add to this review.
August 13, 2012
Over the weekend I received and read two books from Amazon.com.uk: Chris Roberson's "Book of Secrets" and Lauren Beukes'"Moxyland."
Both books are from "Angry Robot" and both books are supposedly science fiction. However, no two books could be so different and yet inhabit the same "genre" space. Roberson's book is a look-back at the glorious age of pulp and therefore a meta-fictional exercise in types and sub-categories of genre; whereas Beukes' novel is a peek into a dark and perilous near-future.
Let's say at the outset that I enjoyed both books. Irrespective of the readability of the books--they were both fast reads--I was more intrigued by how different two books in the same genre could be. Their contained and inherent dissimilarity inhabits the same shelf space, so, of course, they begged the question--what is science fiction?
I will review Beukes in a later review and start with Mr. Roberson's novel.
"Book of Secrets" is (1) a crime novel, reminiscent of the noir fiction of the thirties; (2) a meta-fiction celebrating American genre fiction of the thirties, forties and fifties; (3) a bildungsroman about the spiritual journey of a young man; (4) a portal fantasy.
As you might glean from the previous paragraph, Mr. Roberson tells several stories in several forms. If we look for "the figure in the carpet" imagine an "x." One bar of the "x" progresses chronologically; that is the first person narrative of an investigative reporter by the name of Spencer Finch. Spencer Finch is on an assignment for the magazine "Logion" to reveal the nefarious dealings of a Houston bigwig by the name of J. Nathan Pierce, known as "Nez."
From this initial information, however, we are alerted that this is not your usual hard-boiled fiction based in the hard-scrabble world of reality. First, "Logion" is an online magazine and its name alerts us (perhaps warns us) that we are in "metaphysical" country. "Logion" refers to the traditional maxims and proverbs told by a sage or prophet. In most instances it is used to describe the maxims of Jesus. So, our protagonist is writing for a metaphysical or a religiously oriented virtual magazine, although that is never stated.
Next, Mr. Pierce, our unseen or barely seen subject, is called "Nez." This is obviously a reference to the Indian tribe--Nez Perce--who not only had their own unique language but a highly developed mythology. Languages and mythologies become a theme and Mr Roberson introduces us to various mysteries revolving around a mysterious book written in many hands and many languages.
Situated in the metaphysical world, we are now alert to possible puzzles of meaning. After all, it is a mystery or is it?
Not to put too fine a point on it and not to scare off any reader, the novel is also a bildungsroman. A bildungsroman is a novel that has as its main theme the formative years or spiritual education of one person. The one person in this case is Spencer Finch and the purpose of the first leg of the "x" is to take the reader on a chronological journey through his spiritual development.
The second leg of the "x," however, is the fantastical element of the novel. Its narrative moves in reverse toward the past. Just as a good metaphysical investigation, the reader must follow the past through a series of short stories about a family of do-goers named the Black Hand to the “happy” origins of humanity.
Mr. Roberson uses these stories, short stories, to educate the reader, solve the mystery, and display the various genres--short story, pulp fiction, tragedy, etc--that were used in pulp fiction. Additionally, and this is very important because it elevates the novel, Roberson, by actually including the stories rather than describing them, inducts and educates the reader into the pleasure of pulp. This not only shows his versatility and enriches the text of the book but also reveals his inherent connection to the pulp tradition.
Before I move on I think we should illustrate our point and reveal Roberson's genius in actually writing the stories and including them in the narrative. Upon the death of his grandfather, Finch inherits a box of pulp magazines. The first story he reads is "The Talon's Curse" by Walter Reece. This story is the closest in time to the action of the novel and begins the count-down to the journey backwards toward the beginning of man. "The Talon's Curse" is a noir/mystery situated in San Franciso in the thirties. The next story is a Western written in 1918. Each story elicits the qualities and the identity of the members of the Black Hand.
The backward progression through the use of genre ushers the reader ultimately into the "original" world of myth and religion. This point is the intersection of the "x," and to punctuate the point, Roberson takes us through the looking glass to another world, to a world of crystal populated by angels and demi-urges.
Herein lies the fantasy and the speculation that earns the book its classification as "slipstream". If we sub-categorize it, this portion of the novel is a "portal" novel, in the vein of David Lindsay (Voyage to Arcturus) and C. S. Lewis (Perelandra).
So once we parse the pieces and put them back together, we discover that "Book of Secrets" is a book of genres. In other words, it is a celebration of the age of pulp with a meta-fictional slant. It moves in two directions--a very readable first person narrative in the form of a crime novel that progresses to the conclusion of the mystery and a fantasy novel that moves in reverse to disclose the nature of the universe. The two stories collide at the portal and the protagonist falls through it into a world of angels and gnostic demi-urges. This is the denouement and the moment of fantasy.
In conclusion I will summarize some other things I liked about the novel.
Roberson situates the action in my place--my physical space. I went to school in Houston, practiced law in Austin, and now live in Dallas. I know El Paso like the back of my hand. These western spaces plus New Orleans is Spencer's place and that in itself endeared the novel to me. Roberson described them clearly and truthfully and I felt and saw each city in the telling.
Second, Roberson is just a damn fine writer. He writes a good sentence; the novel is structured like a Swiss watch and paced like a Tennessee walker.
Third, in the time of the post-Tolkienians and the novel as brick, "Book of Secrets" is unique, refreshing, breezy, and fun.
Both books are from "Angry Robot" and both books are supposedly science fiction. However, no two books could be so different and yet inhabit the same "genre" space. Roberson's book is a look-back at the glorious age of pulp and therefore a meta-fictional exercise in types and sub-categories of genre; whereas Beukes' novel is a peek into a dark and perilous near-future.
Let's say at the outset that I enjoyed both books. Irrespective of the readability of the books--they were both fast reads--I was more intrigued by how different two books in the same genre could be. Their contained and inherent dissimilarity inhabits the same shelf space, so, of course, they begged the question--what is science fiction?
I will review Beukes in a later review and start with Mr. Roberson's novel.
"Book of Secrets" is (1) a crime novel, reminiscent of the noir fiction of the thirties; (2) a meta-fiction celebrating American genre fiction of the thirties, forties and fifties; (3) a bildungsroman about the spiritual journey of a young man; (4) a portal fantasy.
As you might glean from the previous paragraph, Mr. Roberson tells several stories in several forms. If we look for "the figure in the carpet" imagine an "x." One bar of the "x" progresses chronologically; that is the first person narrative of an investigative reporter by the name of Spencer Finch. Spencer Finch is on an assignment for the magazine "Logion" to reveal the nefarious dealings of a Houston bigwig by the name of J. Nathan Pierce, known as "Nez."
From this initial information, however, we are alerted that this is not your usual hard-boiled fiction based in the hard-scrabble world of reality. First, "Logion" is an online magazine and its name alerts us (perhaps warns us) that we are in "metaphysical" country. "Logion" refers to the traditional maxims and proverbs told by a sage or prophet. In most instances it is used to describe the maxims of Jesus. So, our protagonist is writing for a metaphysical or a religiously oriented virtual magazine, although that is never stated.
Next, Mr. Pierce, our unseen or barely seen subject, is called "Nez." This is obviously a reference to the Indian tribe--Nez Perce--who not only had their own unique language but a highly developed mythology. Languages and mythologies become a theme and Mr Roberson introduces us to various mysteries revolving around a mysterious book written in many hands and many languages.
Situated in the metaphysical world, we are now alert to possible puzzles of meaning. After all, it is a mystery or is it?
Not to put too fine a point on it and not to scare off any reader, the novel is also a bildungsroman. A bildungsroman is a novel that has as its main theme the formative years or spiritual education of one person. The one person in this case is Spencer Finch and the purpose of the first leg of the "x" is to take the reader on a chronological journey through his spiritual development.
The second leg of the "x," however, is the fantastical element of the novel. Its narrative moves in reverse toward the past. Just as a good metaphysical investigation, the reader must follow the past through a series of short stories about a family of do-goers named the Black Hand to the “happy” origins of humanity.
Mr. Roberson uses these stories, short stories, to educate the reader, solve the mystery, and display the various genres--short story, pulp fiction, tragedy, etc--that were used in pulp fiction. Additionally, and this is very important because it elevates the novel, Roberson, by actually including the stories rather than describing them, inducts and educates the reader into the pleasure of pulp. This not only shows his versatility and enriches the text of the book but also reveals his inherent connection to the pulp tradition.
Before I move on I think we should illustrate our point and reveal Roberson's genius in actually writing the stories and including them in the narrative. Upon the death of his grandfather, Finch inherits a box of pulp magazines. The first story he reads is "The Talon's Curse" by Walter Reece. This story is the closest in time to the action of the novel and begins the count-down to the journey backwards toward the beginning of man. "The Talon's Curse" is a noir/mystery situated in San Franciso in the thirties. The next story is a Western written in 1918. Each story elicits the qualities and the identity of the members of the Black Hand.
The backward progression through the use of genre ushers the reader ultimately into the "original" world of myth and religion. This point is the intersection of the "x," and to punctuate the point, Roberson takes us through the looking glass to another world, to a world of crystal populated by angels and demi-urges.
Herein lies the fantasy and the speculation that earns the book its classification as "slipstream". If we sub-categorize it, this portion of the novel is a "portal" novel, in the vein of David Lindsay (Voyage to Arcturus) and C. S. Lewis (Perelandra).
So once we parse the pieces and put them back together, we discover that "Book of Secrets" is a book of genres. In other words, it is a celebration of the age of pulp with a meta-fictional slant. It moves in two directions--a very readable first person narrative in the form of a crime novel that progresses to the conclusion of the mystery and a fantasy novel that moves in reverse to disclose the nature of the universe. The two stories collide at the portal and the protagonist falls through it into a world of angels and gnostic demi-urges. This is the denouement and the moment of fantasy.
In conclusion I will summarize some other things I liked about the novel.
Roberson situates the action in my place--my physical space. I went to school in Houston, practiced law in Austin, and now live in Dallas. I know El Paso like the back of my hand. These western spaces plus New Orleans is Spencer's place and that in itself endeared the novel to me. Roberson described them clearly and truthfully and I felt and saw each city in the telling.
Second, Roberson is just a damn fine writer. He writes a good sentence; the novel is structured like a Swiss watch and paced like a Tennessee walker.
Third, in the time of the post-Tolkienians and the novel as brick, "Book of Secrets" is unique, refreshing, breezy, and fun.
January 3, 2018
Interesting tale. I kept going back and forth between liking and not liking. I think in part because of the "black hand" stories, which felt a little bit....hokey, I guess. And the "now-time" part of the story felt sort of forced, or odd....
Yet I kept reading, wanting to know what happened.
The ending worked for me, and made it worthwhile, as the main character got the rest of his inheritance from his grandfather's belongings...and there was a letter from his grandfather. A good letter, that gave the story a really good ending.
Yet I kept reading, wanting to know what happened.
The ending worked for me, and made it worthwhile, as the main character got the rest of his inheritance from his grandfather's belongings...and there was a letter from his grandfather. A good letter, that gave the story a really good ending.
March 3, 2019
Book of Secrets is a novel written by the creator of I, Zombie, and it seemed like such an interesting premise: the secrets of the universe hidden away in a bunch of pulp stories sounds like something I would really enjoy, and to an extent I did. But the climax seemed more like a cop out, sorry, and the attempt at sweeping cosmic grandeur fell really flat. So I am forced to give this novel three stars.
June 16, 2020
I had no idea while reading this book that it would end in such a way , it was not of my taste to mix everything up like the last part of the book did .
I enjoyed the 4/5 of it though and I really didn't mind the parts that stories about the black hand are narrated.
Overall I found it problematic in some aspect ( especially the greek mythology bits , being greek myself ) but it was a pleasant read , for the most part .
I enjoyed the 4/5 of it though and I really didn't mind the parts that stories about the black hand are narrated.
Overall I found it problematic in some aspect ( especially the greek mythology bits , being greek myself ) but it was a pleasant read , for the most part .
March 18, 2022
Not my usual genre or style, but picked up on a whim. I did enjoy this. It was a solid 3 star right up to the last chapter - that pushed it up. Spencer is mildly interesting throughout. A bit heavy on the cigarettes for my taste, though. The pulp 'novels' between the day chapters is a different format/style and adds length to the book. I actually found Tan, as a character, more interesting than Spencer, but that's me. As previously mentioned the ending is what "saved" the book for me.
November 11, 2018
I enjoyed the build up of the story and the variety of pulp genres that composed the growing story. I was frustrated by the sudden metaphysical deus-ex-machina ending. It felt a bit like the writer couldn't find a way to wrap things up without really bending the story to do it. Still, I think it was worth reading and enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2017
it seems lately every book i have read lately is so different then the ones i usually read. this book as story within story and a little Greek mythological explaining mystery of life. It has a murder, mystery and history all thrown together.
December 19, 2024
Wow, a really unique story. 1930's pulp fiction, set in the modern era with a character reminiscent of James Cagney or Humphrey Bogart. Suspenseful, hard to put down but a little bit of a slow starter.
Read
January 5, 2020most ridiculous thing I've read in ages
July 11, 2021
I wasn't expecting an ending like this one and that ruined it for me.
January 23, 2023
I feel like the idea was good, but the execution was lacking. I liked the writing styles being mixed, but none of it wowed me. I also couldn't decide if I liked the ending or if I was offended by it
April 16, 2023
There is too much going on in this book and none of it makes sense.
December 24, 2023
Imaginatively and mysterious this book has the charm of the gumshoe detective story coupled with the mystery of the unknown!
September 11, 2009
Although Angry Robot Books lists this book under the Thriller / Urban Fantasy category, it contains multiple genres: short stories similar to the noir pulps of the forties and fifties; adventure/action, spiritual journey and fantasy. The story comes in layers providing clues along the way. Some seem insignificant until the end of the book until the ‘ah ha’ moment.
Spencer Finch has been trying to find his way in life, struggling with situations that occur during his life as a journalist. He has a collection of people that he uses to acquire information from or do the legwork on portions of projects for him. Expect the unexpected as the clues are unraveled. Although the book has its noir and pulp fiction clichés, they are entertaining and fun.
Finch tries to unravel the mystery of his grandfather’s legacy contained in a cardboard box: a collection of old magazines that hold short stories written by him, books, type written pages, a loose sheet with foreign writing, plus a locked wooden case without a key. In alternative chapters are the short stories his grandfather wrote, revealing different aspects of a character known as “The Black Hand”. These short stories are in multiple genres as well: western, historical, swash-buckling sea adventure, crime. They all contain clues, and those who like noir and crime pulp will be delighted. I was.
In digging up information on a reclusive millionaire, Finch travels across country as the clues appear, and so does the body count. While finding out about his mysterious grandfather, Finch learns things about himself. He’s not perfect; at times downright stupid when going somewhere without backup or a safety net. Though he bumbles at times, Finch manages the detective work
The short stories Finch’s grandfather penned move backward in time, beginning with “The Talon’s Curse” in 1939, a noir mystery set in San Francisco, followed by a western in 1918, a rogue tale in 1833, a swash-buckling sea adventure in 1705, and so on. Mr. Roberson uses these fantasy stories layered in with the crime novel that progresses to solving the mystery, and the fantasy to early mythology and beliefs thus producing a portal to another place.
The ending is WOW. It wasn’t anything that I thought it would be, as the previous chapters stuck to the mystery involved in crime noir in combination with the clues in the collection of short stories by Finch’s grandfather.
This book was refreshing, fun, and with laugh out loud sections. I would recommend it for anyone wanting an entertaining read, to be carried away into the stories and shutting out the outside world.
Spencer Finch has been trying to find his way in life, struggling with situations that occur during his life as a journalist. He has a collection of people that he uses to acquire information from or do the legwork on portions of projects for him. Expect the unexpected as the clues are unraveled. Although the book has its noir and pulp fiction clichés, they are entertaining and fun.
Finch tries to unravel the mystery of his grandfather’s legacy contained in a cardboard box: a collection of old magazines that hold short stories written by him, books, type written pages, a loose sheet with foreign writing, plus a locked wooden case without a key. In alternative chapters are the short stories his grandfather wrote, revealing different aspects of a character known as “The Black Hand”. These short stories are in multiple genres as well: western, historical, swash-buckling sea adventure, crime. They all contain clues, and those who like noir and crime pulp will be delighted. I was.
In digging up information on a reclusive millionaire, Finch travels across country as the clues appear, and so does the body count. While finding out about his mysterious grandfather, Finch learns things about himself. He’s not perfect; at times downright stupid when going somewhere without backup or a safety net. Though he bumbles at times, Finch manages the detective work
The short stories Finch’s grandfather penned move backward in time, beginning with “The Talon’s Curse” in 1939, a noir mystery set in San Francisco, followed by a western in 1918, a rogue tale in 1833, a swash-buckling sea adventure in 1705, and so on. Mr. Roberson uses these fantasy stories layered in with the crime novel that progresses to solving the mystery, and the fantasy to early mythology and beliefs thus producing a portal to another place.
The ending is WOW. It wasn’t anything that I thought it would be, as the previous chapters stuck to the mystery involved in crime noir in combination with the clues in the collection of short stories by Finch’s grandfather.
This book was refreshing, fun, and with laugh out loud sections. I would recommend it for anyone wanting an entertaining read, to be carried away into the stories and shutting out the outside world.
June 27, 2013
A dull, dragging sort of book with a truly mystifying ending.
Let me be the ten millionth person to say that whoever wrote the teaser line on the cover ("...in a pile of pulp science fiction stories.") should be taken out the back and shot, or at least subjected to a course of intense and unpleasant 're-education'. THE STORIES ARE NOT SCI-FI. They do not, at any point, even pretend to be sci-fi. If I had known this, I probably wouldn't have even started the book. They are picaresque, very dull and by-the-numbers Boys Own Adventure stories - a pulp detective, a western, a pirate story, and a Chaucer-esque poem that was truly cringeworthy. And I think one other, but I can't remember now.
That is mainly due to the fact that the ending is one giant, angel-filled Judeo-Christian religious psychobabbly clusterfucking deus ex machina. After a pretty boring chase across the country, some gang-related crimes, a stolen-goods auction and a bunch of identical hotel rooms, our hero finally looks at the thing he's been chasing, and gets the entire story explained to him by a glowing metal disc. 'This is what it's all about,' says the disc. 'Here is your inception, and these people are the descendents of angel-man interbreeding, and they want to take this book away from humanity. Make your choice, irritatingly-undercharacterised reporter.'
And he does, and then I sighed a sigh of relief and boredom, returned the book to the library, and vowed never to think on it again.
Let me be the ten millionth person to say that whoever wrote the teaser line on the cover ("...in a pile of pulp science fiction stories.") should be taken out the back and shot, or at least subjected to a course of intense and unpleasant 're-education'. THE STORIES ARE NOT SCI-FI. They do not, at any point, even pretend to be sci-fi. If I had known this, I probably wouldn't have even started the book. They are picaresque, very dull and by-the-numbers Boys Own Adventure stories - a pulp detective, a western, a pirate story, and a Chaucer-esque poem that was truly cringeworthy. And I think one other, but I can't remember now.
That is mainly due to the fact that the ending is one giant, angel-filled Judeo-Christian religious psychobabbly clusterfucking deus ex machina. After a pretty boring chase across the country, some gang-related crimes, a stolen-goods auction and a bunch of identical hotel rooms, our hero finally looks at the thing he's been chasing, and gets the entire story explained to him by a glowing metal disc. 'This is what it's all about,' says the disc. 'Here is your inception, and these people are the descendents of angel-man interbreeding, and they want to take this book away from humanity. Make your choice, irritatingly-undercharacterised reporter.'
And he does, and then I sighed a sigh of relief and boredom, returned the book to the library, and vowed never to think on it again.
March 20, 2013
If I had to describe The Book of Secrets by Chris Roberson in one word it would be interesting. I love books that are mystery's that involve religion, books and puzzles. That is what from reading the blurb on the back of the book I thought this one would be. It was not, but it was not a bad book.
The back of the book talks about a secret in human history that is found in old pulp sifi stories. No, not really. There is a secret that has been hidden in history, but not in sifi stories. The stories are more along the PI/Crime fighter/pirate/cowboy line. No odd aliens or anything more advanced than a cell phone. Then I am not to sure about that. The pulp stories all tell of a hero called The Black Hand or Hands as sometimes the case may be.
But, this book is also about a stolen book, and not for the book itself but for the secret it contains. One that could change the world, or change what world is lived on. That might be where the sifi stuff comes in at, but it really is more a retelling of, well if I put that in here that would be a spoiler and I am not about that.
It was a fast paced book and when reading it I kept expecting to hear an old movie mystery sound track that plays dundundunnnn when a clue or a secret was reviled, but only when reading the pulp fiction parts.
The back of the book talks about a secret in human history that is found in old pulp sifi stories. No, not really. There is a secret that has been hidden in history, but not in sifi stories. The stories are more along the PI/Crime fighter/pirate/cowboy line. No odd aliens or anything more advanced than a cell phone. Then I am not to sure about that. The pulp stories all tell of a hero called The Black Hand or Hands as sometimes the case may be.
But, this book is also about a stolen book, and not for the book itself but for the secret it contains. One that could change the world, or change what world is lived on. That might be where the sifi stuff comes in at, but it really is more a retelling of, well if I put that in here that would be a spoiler and I am not about that.
It was a fast paced book and when reading it I kept expecting to hear an old movie mystery sound track that plays dundundunnnn when a clue or a secret was reviled, but only when reading the pulp fiction parts.
July 9, 2014
The protagonist was a hard boiled detective. Actually, I think he was a reporter. I'm honestly not sure; it was only brought up once at the beginning, and it didn't really grip me. In between calling fat kids 'trolls' to asking a lesbian to marry him he was... nothing. He drank because that's what characters like him do, he ate terrible food, and he read a lot of books.
The story itself was separated by days rather than chapters. Given that this is a 400 page story that takes place over the course of a week each portion seemed endless. At the end of each day he'd read a book. Each was from a different period of time (from relative recent to "Eduard was hys name at birthe"), all about "the black hand".
All of the stories were connected, of course, but that doesn't make them any more interesting to read.
Then came the end. I'm literally not sure where the fuck that came from. It was a relatively realistic world until suddenly there were immortal people and gods and mysterious other worlds. It was so unexpected and bizarre that I can't think of a good way to end this review. It almost seems like I should end this review on a ridiculous note myself, just so you can get the full experience without actually reading this book.
I won't though. Because I could not do the nonsensical ending justice.
The story itself was separated by days rather than chapters. Given that this is a 400 page story that takes place over the course of a week each portion seemed endless. At the end of each day he'd read a book. Each was from a different period of time (from relative recent to "Eduard was hys name at birthe"), all about "the black hand".
All of the stories were connected, of course, but that doesn't make them any more interesting to read.
Then came the end. I'm literally not sure where the fuck that came from. It was a relatively realistic world until suddenly there were immortal people and gods and mysterious other worlds. It was so unexpected and bizarre that I can't think of a good way to end this review. It almost seems like I should end this review on a ridiculous note myself, just so you can get the full experience without actually reading this book.
I won't though. Because I could not do the nonsensical ending justice.
September 23, 2009
Book of Secrets is an interesting adventure/murder mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The mystery is centred around an ancient book and the thief who was murdered after stealing it. Finch must learn why the thief was murdered to find out where the book has ended up. Along the way he pieces together memories from his childhood and in so doing discovers that the grandfather who raised him was a completely different man than he remembers. In the end, Finch finds that he has much more in common with his grandfather than he supposed, and that some mysteries are far bigger than they first appear.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. The plot is engaging, the characters are believable, and the protagonist, though at times a screw-up, is all the more likable for it. If you like a good adventure, you won't go wrong with Book of Secrets.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. The plot is engaging, the characters are believable, and the protagonist, though at times a screw-up, is all the more likable for it. If you like a good adventure, you won't go wrong with Book of Secrets.
June 26, 2013
A cleverly designed story with a few cool ideas, wasn't enough to lift Book of Secrets from a three star rating. I liked it enough to keep reading, and I especially enjoyed the mythology and the way the secret was revealed, but it was a long wait for answers or even excitement. I think the blending of genres worked pretty well but as I said, the fantasy elements appeared very late, following one too many retrospectives, and similar descriptive passages.
I liked it because it was easy to read,the story was intriguing,and the language was simple and effective, but I just didn't care very much about the main character. Thumbs up for the extras at the back of the book including an interview with author, Chris Roberson.
I liked it because it was easy to read,the story was intriguing,and the language was simple and effective, but I just didn't care very much about the main character. Thumbs up for the extras at the back of the book including an interview with author, Chris Roberson.
January 5, 2011
I am a sucker for "secret knowledge" stories, and Roberson has written a fun one. The best part is that the protagonist is a jerk, so you spend a lot of the book being pissed at this guy. He's not the innocent, always-well-meaning Robert Langdon. He's like us - pissy, self-centered and sad.
The last section of the book (no spoilers) seemed to go really really quickly, almost like too much information at once, but it's still very enjoyable. More like "Foucault's Pendulum" than "Da Vinci Code," I think.
In all, an exciting suspense novel with far-reaching concepts that have echoes in his current comic series, "I, Zombie." Roberson has a penchant for creating cosmologies, and I wholly support him in that.
The last section of the book (no spoilers) seemed to go really really quickly, almost like too much information at once, but it's still very enjoyable. More like "Foucault's Pendulum" than "Da Vinci Code," I think.
In all, an exciting suspense novel with far-reaching concepts that have echoes in his current comic series, "I, Zombie." Roberson has a penchant for creating cosmologies, and I wholly support him in that.
November 30, 2013
As a writing experiment, the tales set in different eras were interesting, though not quite catching the feel of the pulps. They didn't easily convey the sense of an on-going tradition that the protagonist would be taking up. The various subsidiary characters were never around long enough to develop any particular attachment, either for the reader or really in a sensible fashion for the protagonist. The deus ex machina ending sapped the power of the story. You could build an interesting story from these plot elements, particularly if the twin were more present in the story.
June 13, 2012
Started out strong and fell apart a bit towards the end. The main story is punctuated by "found" manuscripts of masked vigilantes and pirates through the ages, united by a common name. I enjoyed those stories better than the main storyline which, suddenly, and without foreshadowing, becomes a supernatural and non denominational revision of the the fall of Lucifer. I recommend getting it from the library if you are interested....
July 23, 2011
c2001/2009. Different dates as book indicates that it was initially self published in 2001 and then substantially revised and published in 2009. I am not sure why because it really is drivel. Finished it but plot, narrative, characterisation all so thin, they are invisible.So many cliches, that it is hard to move. "..but I am an old man, too set in my ways, and not long for this world...."Yuk!
May 30, 2014
I say it was ok because I actually finished it. In a way, it was so bad I couldn't put it down. Like watching an accident in progress it was somewhat horrifying. The main character had no redeeming qualities that I could tell and the mystery as determined at the very end of the book left me unimpressed.
April 24, 2011
Loved everything about this book, apart from the end.
Was disappointed that I thought elements were quite predictable.
However the pacing and the storytelling were great, and I really hope for more of this kind of writing from this author.
Was disappointed that I thought elements were quite predictable.
However the pacing and the storytelling were great, and I really hope for more of this kind of writing from this author.
November 17, 2013
Overall, I gave the book 4 stars because it is an interesting mystery. I don't think it's really fantasy, as anything that would be considered such only shows up in the last eighth of the book. I enjoyed it, but I wish there had been more of the fantasy elements woven into it.
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