kblincoln's review against another edition
5.0
Felix Castor continues smart-mouthing beings apt to break his ribs, encounters new versions of the undead, causes problems with his demon-possessed best friend, and learns a bit more about his buddy, Juliet-the-succubus-- all on a trip down memory lane to his marginally criminal free-range childhood on a council estate in Liverpool.
A bully from his childhood is found sliced to shreds-- F. Castor written in blood next to him. Suddenly Castor's police friend Coldwell, and nemesis Basquiat are pulling him in for questioning on a murder case. This leads Castor to another council housing project that is seeped in an evil miasma that Fix will have to figure out before more people slice each other to ribbons.
What continues keeping me coming back to Felix Castor is his irreverent attitude, the slang-heavy colorful language of Fix's world and banter, and the clever, slow reveal of the way all the threads of the story tie together in the end. If you like the other books, you'll like this one. There's so much backstory here you could even read this one without having read the other books, a rarity in series like this.
If you've never tried Felix Castor, and you like male-centric urban fantasy focused on how interaction with the supernatural reveals grittier, sadder, nastier sides of humans, check out this series.
A bully from his childhood is found sliced to shreds-- F. Castor written in blood next to him. Suddenly Castor's police friend Coldwell, and nemesis Basquiat are pulling him in for questioning on a murder case. This leads Castor to another council housing project that is seeped in an evil miasma that Fix will have to figure out before more people slice each other to ribbons.
What continues keeping me coming back to Felix Castor is his irreverent attitude, the slang-heavy colorful language of Fix's world and banter, and the clever, slow reveal of the way all the threads of the story tie together in the end. If you like the other books, you'll like this one. There's so much backstory here you could even read this one without having read the other books, a rarity in series like this.
If you've never tried Felix Castor, and you like male-centric urban fantasy focused on how interaction with the supernatural reveals grittier, sadder, nastier sides of humans, check out this series.
texaswolfman's review against another edition
5.0
Usually space out my books. But because this one was so good and ending on a cliff hanger....I have started The Naming of the Beasts.
sab_rose's review against another edition
4.0
TW: Self Harm
I would have appreciated a heads-up in the beginning about the self harm angle but we are able to see Felix Castor getting into deep mud. And having a devil of a time with it...haha?
But serious, good installment in the Castor-verse.
I would have appreciated a heads-up in the beginning about the self harm angle but we are able to see Felix Castor getting into deep mud. And having a devil of a time with it...haha?
But serious, good installment in the Castor-verse.
samedi's review against another edition
5.0
Best one of the series so far! The ending is so good, it actually distracted me from my word scavenger hunt. Didn’t find a magic word this time (although we did get one “spavined” for old-times sake), but the author continues to do cool stuff with language. There was a heraldry motif in this one that popped up in odd places (a scar described as a bend sinister, for example) and tied into the overarching story. It’s notable mostly because you never see that kind of literary tool used in urban fantasy like this; the book has layers beyond just a cool story. Which isn’t to say the author doesn’t still hit the thesaurus hard in this one—“etiolated skin” and “anfractuosities” and “bathysphere” were some of my special favorites. It might be annoying if I weren’t using an e-reader with a built-in dictionary; as it is I find it kind of fun.
Anyway, I liked this one a lot! Definitely glad I’m rereading this series. I’ve started the next one, and we have already had a repeat of the kindle-baffling word* “plukey,” so my linguistic hopes are high!
*someone’s bachelor’s thesis about Trainspotting tells me it means spotted! Makes sense in context.
Anyway, I liked this one a lot! Definitely glad I’m rereading this series. I’ve started the next one, and we have already had a repeat of the kindle-baffling word* “plukey,” so my linguistic hopes are high!
*someone’s bachelor’s thesis about Trainspotting tells me it means spotted! Makes sense in context.
dorhastings's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, so I knew the twist was coming, and I thought I knew what it was, but 1.) I did not know what it was, and 2.) I'm so, so glad I didn't get it right. This is another excellent Mike Carey book in the Felix Castor series. I will admit to being a bit stunned in the beginning. It seemed as though a lot had changed and some of it was strange and confusing. Occasionally, when I start a Felix Castor book, I'm not entirely on board at the beginning. I just have hope that it will get better. This book brought me back quickly.
I like the occasional glimpse into the past, but I feel it's often done in a way that isn't totally convincing, or the entire book is about backstory. And no, that's not a bad thing or bad technique, but I occasionally lose interest. This story arc was done very well in this book, and I think a good portion of that is due to the emphasis on Felix's brother, Matt. I like when that emphasis isn't solely on the main character. I grew slightly annoyed at the end when Felix had pieced it all together and was pulling everyone in before unveiling the answers to us, but that's suspense for you. It just felt more drawn out this time.
I don't read a whole lot in terms of this type of literature, but one thing I find unique and extremely well done about this series is how scary the storylines are. I can imagine other authors backing off of some of the material, but Carey certainly doesn't shy away from very deep and dark stuff. The storylines themselves are so varied and full.
Oh, and then there's the cliffhanger ending. Ah! I'm hoping I'm not going to hate a handful of characters when I start up the next book in the series.
I like the occasional glimpse into the past, but I feel it's often done in a way that isn't totally convincing, or the entire book is about backstory. And no, that's not a bad thing or bad technique, but I occasionally lose interest. This story arc was done very well in this book, and I think a good portion of that is due to the emphasis on Felix's brother, Matt. I like when that emphasis isn't solely on the main character. I grew slightly annoyed at the end when Felix had pieced it all together and was pulling everyone in before unveiling the answers to us, but that's suspense for you. It just felt more drawn out this time.
I don't read a whole lot in terms of this type of literature, but one thing I find unique and extremely well done about this series is how scary the storylines are. I can imagine other authors backing off of some of the material, but Carey certainly doesn't shy away from very deep and dark stuff. The storylines themselves are so varied and full.
Oh, and then there's the cliffhanger ending. Ah! I'm hoping I'm not going to hate a handful of characters when I start up the next book in the series.
carolynf's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a little bit more predictable than earlier ones in the series. I also had issues with the realization that Fix makes at the end about the true nature of the malevolent force that is driving the housing complex inhabitants to harm each other. It seemed like inconsistent theology.
gavreads's review against another edition
Thicker Than Water is the fourth and most personal Felix Castor novel to date. Felix is a whistle carrying exorcist, who up until now has been involved in cases rather than been at the centre of them.
A body is found in a car. The road it’s on is overlooking an estate. How does the body relate to the events that are happening in the estate, why is Castor a suspect and why does this lead Felix to his home town of Liverpool. And why is Juliet strangely silent on the cause of the case in hand.
I’ve probably said it before that I’m a big believer in starting at the beginning. I have and will go into a series with some success like the books of Neal Asher and Fred Vargas part way through and work backwards. But there are some series despite having no number on the cover that should be read in order.
The Dresden Files is a series where you get more from it knowing how the dynamics work and what experiences they have gone through and how those events have changed them. Well the Felix Castor novels work like that. Yes you can can read them alone but you’re not going to care as much as you might if you’d read the other three in order.
This is because Mike Carey has been dragging us in from book one, The Devil You Know, on the journey of Felix Castor. Not that is really what it feels like but the impact is definitely felt in Thicker Than Water. You get to meet his brother Matthew, delve into the shaping of Felix Castor through some of the events of his childhood, and find out that things aren’t aways how they appear.
One of the interesting points of this book is the way the whole cast is brought together. They work as a team each having their own roles but their connections aren’t shown in neon and they go deeper than what’s mentioned.
Which is one of the reason why you need to read Castors other investigations. You have to know what he’s risking in the opening scene and why he’s risking it. You have to know why he shouldn’t be teaming up with who he does and why he has no choice.
Carey has let the story off the leash in Thicker Than Water – know that he’s established everyone and can pull those strings/connections, he lets it twist and turn, and peels away layers and layers until Felix is exposed. Felix seems to win only to leave this reader close to tears on the final page.
A body is found in a car. The road it’s on is overlooking an estate. How does the body relate to the events that are happening in the estate, why is Castor a suspect and why does this lead Felix to his home town of Liverpool. And why is Juliet strangely silent on the cause of the case in hand.
I’ve probably said it before that I’m a big believer in starting at the beginning. I have and will go into a series with some success like the books of Neal Asher and Fred Vargas part way through and work backwards. But there are some series despite having no number on the cover that should be read in order.
The Dresden Files is a series where you get more from it knowing how the dynamics work and what experiences they have gone through and how those events have changed them. Well the Felix Castor novels work like that. Yes you can can read them alone but you’re not going to care as much as you might if you’d read the other three in order.
This is because Mike Carey has been dragging us in from book one, The Devil You Know, on the journey of Felix Castor. Not that is really what it feels like but the impact is definitely felt in Thicker Than Water. You get to meet his brother Matthew, delve into the shaping of Felix Castor through some of the events of his childhood, and find out that things aren’t aways how they appear.
One of the interesting points of this book is the way the whole cast is brought together. They work as a team each having their own roles but their connections aren’t shown in neon and they go deeper than what’s mentioned.
Which is one of the reason why you need to read Castors other investigations. You have to know what he’s risking in the opening scene and why he’s risking it. You have to know why he shouldn’t be teaming up with who he does and why he has no choice.
Carey has let the story off the leash in Thicker Than Water – know that he’s established everyone and can pull those strings/connections, he lets it twist and turn, and peels away layers and layers until Felix is exposed. Felix seems to win only to leave this reader close to tears on the final page.
teholtheonly's review against another edition
4.0
Took a long time get going and ended a bit abruptly but otherwise the usual what you expect from a Felix castor novel.
paperback's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
chappellmw90's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0