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bethtabler's review against another edition
4.0
Nothing gory or shocking about the pictures, not a drop of blood, but the animals were dead. One charcoal sketch depicted a pair of rabbits and some kind of bird on their backs, eyes shut, a hunter's fresh catch. Another captured a single spread-winged pheasant, neck bent in eternal slumber.
Would you like a story that has ghosts, witches ghouls – and a crime noir style plot with an intrepid reporter. Have I got the story for you.
Ghosts of Gotham is about Lionel Page, referred to as little lion occasionally, a thirty-something investigative journalist. Lionel is given an investigation by a mysterious woman, Regina Dunkle. Is she just a wealthy reclusive heiress with a fascination for all things old or is she more? What follows is a well-written adventure into the world of antiques, the Poe Manuscript, mythology, and lore. Instead of going the way of some crime books, with a “who done it?” Schaffer has involved all sorts of creatures of myth and lore that are dealt out to you slowly like receiving cards while playing poker. He expertly and slowing brings the “things that go bump in the night” into the narrative that by the end of it you realize had you followed the clues the whole story you would have realized they were there all along waiting for you in the wings.
These days I prefer to interact with humanity through books, as exclusively as possible. The pages, the type, they’re like…the glass walls of a zoo enclosure. I can watch the wild animals all evening long, safe on my side of the window.
I haven’t read any of Schaffer’s books, something I plan on rectifying, but I found this book to be a very well formed story. Plot and pacing were perfect for me, the dialog was some of the best I have read, and it was simply a very fun read. The story could go on to more in a series or be an excellent stand-alone story and a great place to start reading his work. This story was a great introduction to me of Schaffers works, and I am looking forward to diving into his other series. Check it out.
Would you like a story that has ghosts, witches ghouls – and a crime noir style plot with an intrepid reporter. Have I got the story for you.
Ghosts of Gotham is about Lionel Page, referred to as little lion occasionally, a thirty-something investigative journalist. Lionel is given an investigation by a mysterious woman, Regina Dunkle. Is she just a wealthy reclusive heiress with a fascination for all things old or is she more? What follows is a well-written adventure into the world of antiques, the Poe Manuscript, mythology, and lore. Instead of going the way of some crime books, with a “who done it?” Schaffer has involved all sorts of creatures of myth and lore that are dealt out to you slowly like receiving cards while playing poker. He expertly and slowing brings the “things that go bump in the night” into the narrative that by the end of it you realize had you followed the clues the whole story you would have realized they were there all along waiting for you in the wings.
These days I prefer to interact with humanity through books, as exclusively as possible. The pages, the type, they’re like…the glass walls of a zoo enclosure. I can watch the wild animals all evening long, safe on my side of the window.
I haven’t read any of Schaffer’s books, something I plan on rectifying, but I found this book to be a very well formed story. Plot and pacing were perfect for me, the dialog was some of the best I have read, and it was simply a very fun read. The story could go on to more in a series or be an excellent stand-alone story and a great place to start reading his work. This story was a great introduction to me of Schaffers works, and I am looking forward to diving into his other series. Check it out.
wildfaeriecaps's review against another edition
5.0
Is there nothing this man can't write? Going in I was skeptical. I'm not crazy about noir/crime/mystery stories. There's nothing wrong with them, they're just not my jam. But this story surprised me and I feel like a jerk for ever doubting. Maddie is a new favorite of mine and I can't wait to see what she and Lionel get up to in the next book!
Second read-through: still love it! On to book 2!
Second read-through: still love it! On to book 2!
curiousdreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kitty_whimsical's review against another edition
4.0
Schaefer is a new author to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this novel. I can happily say that, after reading this novel, I will be looking up more of his work in the future. The plot sucked me in — I’m a fan of the “I don’t believe in this, wait, maybe I was wrong” trope, and it is executed very well here. The prose is fairly straightforward, but that just made it easier to simply devour the book. Some authors I read for the pretty writing, but there are plenty that I read because I’m just having a good time. Schaefer is in the latter category. Again, let me stress, THIS IS NOT A BAD THING. Sometimes I just want to read something and not have to stop and pay too much attention to how it’s written; rather, I want to focus on WHAT is written.
Maddie was a great character, and I sadly have to relate to some of her experiences ie the self-loathing and the troubled past. Not on the same level, of course, but I can relate.
I loved seeing the plethora of dark creatures that paraded across the page (as it were). What can I say, I’m a fan of the darker side of the supernatural.
I’m hoping to see more of Lionel in the future.
Maddie was a great character, and I sadly have to relate to some of her experiences ie the self-loathing and the troubled past. Not on the same level, of course, but I can relate.
I loved seeing the plethora of dark creatures that paraded across the page (as it were). What can I say, I’m a fan of the darker side of the supernatural.
I’m hoping to see more of Lionel in the future.
queenterribletimy's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating: 4.5
This review was originally posted on my blog, RockStarlit BookAsylum!
I’m probably going to write a long and gushing review and bore you to death, so here is the bottom line: GO AND BUY THIS BOOK! I practically read it in one sitting – well, 80% of it anyway. I stayed up until 1 am even though I knew I was going to hate myself for it, but I HAD to know what happens.
Lionel is a famous reporter in Chicago whose career was built on debunking fake healers, magic users and generally anyone who cheated people out of their money. He always looked for proof of magic existing but all he found were liars and disappointment. As good as he was digging up secrets he was just as good at keeping them. But of course no one can hide from their past and his is about catching up with him. To run it off for a few more days he makes a deal with the mysterious Regina Dunkel who sends him to New York in chase of a very rare first manuscript of one of Poe’s short stories. Which starts as a simple investigation and an easy case turns into a complicated maze of lies and mystery. Lionel’s world turns upside down and it’s time for him to unlearn everything he knew and believed in.
Schaefer has a talent for writing a bit cynical, sarcastic but at the same time charming and relatable male protagonists. I really enjoyed reading about Lionel and the way he dealt with hard pressing situations. His no-nonsense attitude and his stubbornness. I seriously didn’t envy Brianna, his boss at the Chicago News for having to deal with him. Not that you could get mad at him, but the way he jumps into dangerous situations not caring about anything but the story can be such a pain in the ass. And a nightmare to sort insurance out afterwards. All that said, I would love seeing Daniel Faust and Lionel get together at one point. The way we slowly learn about Lionel’s past is really well done and I liked how it was worked into the plot to give the story more layers.
Lionel crosses two women’s path and they set his world upside down. There is cold, ruthless Regina Dunkle, whose role in the grand scheme of things isn’t revealed until the endgame and whoa, I didn’t see that coming. Then there is Maddie. At first I liked her, she was mysterious and obviously had a past and some (in)visible scars, and some interesting tricks. She cries blood for one thing. I was intrigued by her and how she’ll fit into the picture. She was a bad-ass and liked her view on things.
Then she started to annoy me because I couldn’t wrap my mind around why she did let Regina treat her the way she did. What could be so bad that she punishes herself this way? Of course we get an answer and if I didn’t see Regina’s true identity coming then I’m sure as hell didn’t expect to learn THAT about Maddie’s past. And Lionel, like a champion took everything in stride. Maaaybe a bit too easily at that, but then he hardly had time to sort things out as everything kept happening. It’s a small miracle he didn’t freak out right there and then.
As for the plot, I liked how Schaefer blended Greek mythology with Poe, and witchcraft and ghouls. The concept is a bit of a cliché with a sceptic protagonist with a secret to hide which comes back to bite him in the ass while he discovers the world is not exactly as he imagined, while of course meeting and falling for a gorgeous woman. And honestly, that’s fine. Schaefer’s characters are coming into life and feel very real and complex. You feel like you’re walking right beside Lionel as he discovers New York for the first time. And, as I said, Schaefer mixes things very well. I have to give him extra points for using lesser known figures from Greek mythology!
I had a few issues though, mostly minor things that didn’t make much sense or weren’t really explained: for example, at one point, Lionel asked for help from Brianna, digging up some info about a secret society, and she agreed to set some interns on the matter. But then this gets dropped as Lionel find his own way to them. In the end we didn’t learn much about the society itself apart from their role in the plot. Another thing I didn’t quite puzzled out is how Maddie found Lionel when he got into trouble. She popped up conveniently at the right time to save the day, but how did she know where to find him? Well, okay, this is really just me nitpicking, as probably she did it the same way as Lionel found the place in the first place. Still.
The ending. While some of the revelations caught me off guard, there was one I suspected toward the end. But overall it left me a bit underwhelmed for some reason. Don’t get me wrong, this book is really great and a total page turner, but the last big confrontation left me, well, underwhelmed as I said. The story built up nicely until the scene in the train tunnel, but from then on, it was a bit rushed maybe. Even though the big revelations come right after each other, and you basically have no time to blink. The confrontation scene I mentioned was used more like to show off who is who than a satisfying cathartic end.
That said, I still like Craig Schaefer’s style of writing and the worlds and characters he creates. I had quite a few lines marked as I read and let me tell you, it was damn hard to choose just a few for this review! He really does have a way painting a scene, an emotion to make us feel what he wants us to.
“Strobes washed his vision in flashing white and scarlet, ambulance lights, turning the crowded club into the scene of an accident. Bodies writhed in the glow – dancing, fighting, bounding against each other like pinballs of flesh and bone.”
Considering everything, I think Ghosts of Gotham is my favorite novel from Craig Scheafer so far, and definitely not the last I’ve read. Ghosts of Gotham is fast paced, magical and one that is hard to put down. I don’t think I’m far from the truth if I say that this was only the beginning of a series that would rival his Daniel Faust one. I urge you to give it a chance if you like: Greek mythological figures in a modern setting, protagonists with mysterious and dark past, magic, characters you can enjoy hating and wondering about (Regina), and a mystery which means leaving bodies all over the place. In short: it has everything you might wish for!
This review was originally posted on my blog, RockStarlit BookAsylum!
“I believe that ‘finding the book you’re looking for’ is an overrated notion,” the man replied. “Far better to explore, and let the book you need be the one which finds you.”
I’m probably going to write a long and gushing review and bore you to death, so here is the bottom line: GO AND BUY THIS BOOK! I practically read it in one sitting – well, 80% of it anyway. I stayed up until 1 am even though I knew I was going to hate myself for it, but I HAD to know what happens.
Lionel is a famous reporter in Chicago whose career was built on debunking fake healers, magic users and generally anyone who cheated people out of their money. He always looked for proof of magic existing but all he found were liars and disappointment. As good as he was digging up secrets he was just as good at keeping them. But of course no one can hide from their past and his is about catching up with him. To run it off for a few more days he makes a deal with the mysterious Regina Dunkel who sends him to New York in chase of a very rare first manuscript of one of Poe’s short stories. Which starts as a simple investigation and an easy case turns into a complicated maze of lies and mystery. Lionel’s world turns upside down and it’s time for him to unlearn everything he knew and believed in.
“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes. “Ever wonder why that’s the conversational default? People always want to know your job. Not what you love, what you hate, but what you do to earn money. What does that say about us as a society?” – Maddie
Schaefer has a talent for writing a bit cynical, sarcastic but at the same time charming and relatable male protagonists. I really enjoyed reading about Lionel and the way he dealt with hard pressing situations. His no-nonsense attitude and his stubbornness. I seriously didn’t envy Brianna, his boss at the Chicago News for having to deal with him. Not that you could get mad at him, but the way he jumps into dangerous situations not caring about anything but the story can be such a pain in the ass. And a nightmare to sort insurance out afterwards. All that said, I would love seeing Daniel Faust and Lionel get together at one point. The way we slowly learn about Lionel’s past is really well done and I liked how it was worked into the plot to give the story more layers.
Lionel crosses two women’s path and they set his world upside down. There is cold, ruthless Regina Dunkle, whose role in the grand scheme of things isn’t revealed until the endgame and whoa, I didn’t see that coming. Then there is Maddie. At first I liked her, she was mysterious and obviously had a past and some (in)visible scars, and some interesting tricks. She cries blood for one thing. I was intrigued by her and how she’ll fit into the picture. She was a bad-ass and liked her view on things.
“We are all a story,” she told him. “I’m a character in your story; you’re a character in mine. And we’re both part of the story of New York, along with eight million other people. It’s all fiction, it’s all true, and just like you were taught as a child, there’s a world of possibility on every new page.” – Maddie
Then she started to annoy me because I couldn’t wrap my mind around why she did let Regina treat her the way she did. What could be so bad that she punishes herself this way? Of course we get an answer and if I didn’t see Regina’s true identity coming then I’m sure as hell didn’t expect to learn THAT about Maddie’s past. And Lionel, like a champion took everything in stride. Maaaybe a bit too easily at that, but then he hardly had time to sort things out as everything kept happening. It’s a small miracle he didn’t freak out right there and then.
“His thoughts raced too fast to put the words together, because the words he wanted to say – the truth, mostly – wouldn’t come out. When he’d crashed to a dead stop, they’d crashed along with him, lying in a broken pile at his feet.”
As for the plot, I liked how Schaefer blended Greek mythology with Poe, and witchcraft and ghouls. The concept is a bit of a cliché with a sceptic protagonist with a secret to hide which comes back to bite him in the ass while he discovers the world is not exactly as he imagined, while of course meeting and falling for a gorgeous woman. And honestly, that’s fine. Schaefer’s characters are coming into life and feel very real and complex. You feel like you’re walking right beside Lionel as he discovers New York for the first time. And, as I said, Schaefer mixes things very well. I have to give him extra points for using lesser known figures from Greek mythology!
I had a few issues though, mostly minor things that didn’t make much sense or weren’t really explained: for example, at one point, Lionel asked for help from Brianna, digging up some info about a secret society, and she agreed to set some interns on the matter. But then this gets dropped as Lionel find his own way to them. In the end we didn’t learn much about the society itself apart from their role in the plot. Another thing I didn’t quite puzzled out is how Maddie found Lionel when he got into trouble. She popped up conveniently at the right time to save the day, but how did she know where to find him? Well, okay, this is really just me nitpicking, as probably she did it the same way as Lionel found the place in the first place. Still.
The ending. While some of the revelations caught me off guard, there was one I suspected toward the end. But overall it left me a bit underwhelmed for some reason. Don’t get me wrong, this book is really great and a total page turner, but the last big confrontation left me, well, underwhelmed as I said. The story built up nicely until the scene in the train tunnel, but from then on, it was a bit rushed maybe. Even though the big revelations come right after each other, and you basically have no time to blink. The confrontation scene I mentioned was used more like to show off who is who than a satisfying cathartic end.
That said, I still like Craig Schaefer’s style of writing and the worlds and characters he creates. I had quite a few lines marked as I read and let me tell you, it was damn hard to choose just a few for this review! He really does have a way painting a scene, an emotion to make us feel what he wants us to.
“Strobes washed his vision in flashing white and scarlet, ambulance lights, turning the crowded club into the scene of an accident. Bodies writhed in the glow – dancing, fighting, bounding against each other like pinballs of flesh and bone.”
Considering everything, I think Ghosts of Gotham is my favorite novel from Craig Scheafer so far, and definitely not the last I’ve read. Ghosts of Gotham is fast paced, magical and one that is hard to put down. I don’t think I’m far from the truth if I say that this was only the beginning of a series that would rival his Daniel Faust one. I urge you to give it a chance if you like: Greek mythological figures in a modern setting, protagonists with mysterious and dark past, magic, characters you can enjoy hating and wondering about (Regina), and a mystery which means leaving bodies all over the place. In short: it has everything you might wish for!
sarah25samir's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading it a lot.
All about magic and Greek mythology. Hekate the goddess of Witchcraft.
Lionel Page discovers his past and avenges for his mother with the help of Madison When Regina Dunkle sends them both on an important quest to retrieve an old manuscript written by Edgar Allan Poe.
His writing style has something of Rick Riordan's and his mythology.
“Ugh." She rolled her eyes. "Ever wonder why that's the conversational default? People always want to know your job. Not what you love, what you hate, but what you do to earn money. What does that say about us as a society?”
All about magic and Greek mythology. Hekate the goddess of Witchcraft.
Lionel Page discovers his past and avenges for his mother with the help of Madison When Regina Dunkle sends them both on an important quest to retrieve an old manuscript written by Edgar Allan Poe.
His writing style has something of Rick Riordan's and his mythology.
“Ugh." She rolled her eyes. "Ever wonder why that's the conversational default? People always want to know your job. Not what you love, what you hate, but what you do to earn money. What does that say about us as a society?”
oneanjana's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, I don’t know what to say about this book. The blurb made me expect some blast with the various genre attached: mystery, crime, urban fantasy, magic and paranormal. It’s a super great idea, I think. But sadly, it just doesn’t meet my expectations, or maybe just failed in the implementation.
At first, I rooted for the mystery and I can say that the mystery part is promising enough. But as the story goes, the real point of the story seems so blurry and confusing. When the plot was about to enter its magical side, I guess that was when the story lost a lot of its dynamics. Perhaps it’s because of the plot twist that includes ‘world-moving’ (from pure detective-play kind-of-story into magical realism) isn’t well executed. This results in not-too-smooth genre-blending outcome.
The story narrated from the third person PoV, mostly focuses on Lionel. We can see some of Maddie’s part too, but I consider it a downside, because Maddie’s background story isn’t strong enough to make her perform like an old-century witch. Yes, there is a little bit romance here, not an instant love type, but somehow I feel the romance is a bit forced.
It's not fair to just mention the downside. So, here’s the thing I liked about this book. Thankfully, the action scene was good enough. And a plus for its mythology references. Overall, I think it just didn’t hit the spot, given that the early ideas were very promising. Or maybe just not my cup of tea.
At first, I rooted for the mystery and I can say that the mystery part is promising enough. But as the story goes, the real point of the story seems so blurry and confusing. When the plot was about to enter its magical side, I guess that was when the story lost a lot of its dynamics. Perhaps it’s because of the plot twist that includes ‘world-moving’ (from pure detective-play kind-of-story into magical realism) isn’t well executed. This results in not-too-smooth genre-blending outcome.
The story narrated from the third person PoV, mostly focuses on Lionel. We can see some of Maddie’s part too, but I consider it a downside, because Maddie’s background story isn’t strong enough to make her perform like an old-century witch. Yes, there is a little bit romance here, not an instant love type, but somehow I feel the romance is a bit forced.
It's not fair to just mention the downside. So, here’s the thing I liked about this book. Thankfully, the action scene was good enough. And a plus for its mythology references. Overall, I think it just didn’t hit the spot, given that the early ideas were very promising. Or maybe just not my cup of tea.
mbarbieri's review against another edition
2.0
What a cool concept that was absolutely ruined. Magical realism isn't my typical genre and I knew that going in (although from the description, I didn't expect that pat at all) but wow this one was painful to read.
mlw3hk's review against another edition
4.0
This was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. Lots of twists and turns in the narrative and some good characters; both “hero’s” and “villains.” I have added the second book in this series to my list of books to read next!