Reviews

Killing Pretty by Richard Kadrey

cdeane61's review against another edition

4.0

I meant to try and read these in order, having read the first and enjoyed it. Once I started this one (#7) just to see if I would like it, I couldn't stop.

These books are a wild and irreverent ride through both natural and supernatural L.A. With side trips to hellish places unknown.

Very entertaining, I will probably end up reading them as I get them, even though there appears to be a definite timeline and better understanding by reading them in sequence.

seaclauss's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

htb2050's review against another edition

3.0

This book didn't quite feel as good as the previous ones in the series. Its seems like the character has changed too much for the worse and Candy was good in the beginning and was down for whatever Sandman slim wanted to do but she has become too clingy and demanding. Its about time she is dropped and sandman slim returns to his old ways. Otherwise the series is just going downhill.

atomicwizard's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

melle's review against another edition

3.0

Kadrey wrapped up and killed off the old universe in the last book, which I think was the right course. This one stumbles through building up the new one. Stark is a lot more human, and it sucks, and he has a hard time adjusting to life now (hence stumbling). The efforts to which he's willing to go to try and get back at least some of the old magic are generally a bad idea that will cost him more than they're worth. And he knows it. There's been a bit too much change, and we're still not sure what all will survive it. (Oh, and there's a mystery around Death to be sorted out...)

Some old characters/plots get brought to light and woven in, and a lot of new powers that be and secret machinations get built up, which presumably will become major drivers in the series. There's also a number of asides dealing with gangsters of old. Not sure if that's going to become relevant, or if Kadrey just felt like spinning some interesting history.

flosch's review against another edition

4.0

- I love Sandman Slim.
- I hope it never ends.
- That is all.

pbanditp's review against another edition

3.0

Good story. I’m not sure how Richard keeps coming up with this stuff. This one did seem to fall a bit flat for me. Maybe I have just done too many in a row. I did find a few inconsistencies and that may have thrown me off

honu_girl's review against another edition

4.0

I'm enjoying Stark's growth. It's interesting watching him change from a much more 1-dimensional character (even as that one dimension was kind of forced upon him through circumstances). He's not always comfortable with how he's changing, but that's a good thing. Guts and gore are still the norm, but there's a lot more character growth happening than even Stark realizes.

matosapa's review against another edition

4.0

There's not much to say about this series than I've said in past reviews. The latest entry was just as gritty, bloody, and hilarious as the previous although I'm starting to wonder where Slim (and the author) can go from here. After dispatching a passel of Elder Gods, he downshifts into trying out a 9-5 job and investigating the attempted murder of Death. Intriguing but it seems to me that Slim's running out of potential bodies and Armageddons to thwart.

chloefrizzle's review against another edition

4.0

Contemplative, exciting. I had the mystery figured out hundreds of pages before the characters, but that didn't make the Scooby Doo action any less entertaining.