dainaar's review against another edition
2.0
I really liked the premise of this book, I just didn't enjoy reading it. The protagonist was so bland and tired (tough yet vulnerable woman is thrust into supernatural affairs she doesn't quite understand but is somehow the key to), I found most of the secondary characters more interesting (Trager, Alondra) and wanted to know more about their lives than that of our Cait. A few too many encounters ended with Cait passing out/waking up somewhere after not intentionally going to sleep. This happened at least 3 times, which came across as lazy and unimaginative. I agree with what another reviewer said, the descriptions of actions and scenes was often quite poor and at times it was impossible to picture what was happening.
mariahaskins's review against another edition
5.0
A dark, riveting page-turner set in a near-past Los Angeles where magic lurks just beneath the surface of everyday life. I loved this book, and I especially loved Cait who makes her living making copies (and forgeries) of antique and forbidden books. One of the books she has made attracts interest from a mysterious group of people who seem to think it is a lot more important than Cait ever imagined...
This is a fast-paced and engaging read that pulled me right into its strange, unsettling world. The ending knocked me out!
This is a fast-paced and engaging read that pulled me right into its strange, unsettling world. The ending knocked me out!
readswithdogs's review
4.0
I received a copy of this book for free in return for an unbiased review.
Queen of No Tomorrows by Matt Maxwell promised itself as a weird magic crime novel and it definitely delivered on that promise!
Taking place in the 80's in gritty Los Angeles featuring a strong female protagonist who doesn't give a fuck. Cait MacReady works as a librarian who restores old books by day and by night she makes forgeries of antique books to sell, while also working on her special secret project; a magical codex she's invented and intends to pass off as an ancient occult text.
She starts a quiet campaign to draw interest in her book only to quickly draw the interest of an odd gang that calls themselves No Tomorrows. No Tomorrow's is part creepy cult, and part Spanish speaking crime organization that fears no one and kills anyone that gets in the way of what they want...and they want Cait's book the Smoking Codex.
Cait is then thrown into a murder investigation with cops that cover occult crimes and also the seedy punk and goth underbelly of LA. I enjoyed reading about all these too-cool-to care characters and I liked the crime with a touch of "is it magic or is it drugs".
I liked the music that accompanies the story and the Lovecraftian twists. I want all the outfits described in this book and by the time I finished it I felt I had a wild night out and my inner introvert was exhausted.
My only complaint is it ended too soon! I wanted more about Cait and her book deals and more about the dealing of No Tomorrows and the mysterious inner crime family that runs it. Some of my favorite characters were hardly in the story; hullo, occult crimes/ Open Door division cops/ I want a whole series about Detective Trager and his cases!
If you want to escape from the humdrum of today and think fiction is better the weirder it gets you should check out this novella!
Queen of No Tomorrows by Matt Maxwell promised itself as a weird magic crime novel and it definitely delivered on that promise!
Taking place in the 80's in gritty Los Angeles featuring a strong female protagonist who doesn't give a fuck. Cait MacReady works as a librarian who restores old books by day and by night she makes forgeries of antique books to sell, while also working on her special secret project; a magical codex she's invented and intends to pass off as an ancient occult text.
She starts a quiet campaign to draw interest in her book only to quickly draw the interest of an odd gang that calls themselves No Tomorrows. No Tomorrow's is part creepy cult, and part Spanish speaking crime organization that fears no one and kills anyone that gets in the way of what they want...and they want Cait's book the Smoking Codex.
Cait is then thrown into a murder investigation with cops that cover occult crimes and also the seedy punk and goth underbelly of LA. I enjoyed reading about all these too-cool-to care characters and I liked the crime with a touch of "is it magic or is it drugs".
I liked the music that accompanies the story and the Lovecraftian twists. I want all the outfits described in this book and by the time I finished it I felt I had a wild night out and my inner introvert was exhausted.
My only complaint is it ended too soon! I wanted more about Cait and her book deals and more about the dealing of No Tomorrows and the mysterious inner crime family that runs it. Some of my favorite characters were hardly in the story; hullo, occult crimes/ Open Door division cops/ I want a whole series about Detective Trager and his cases!
If you want to escape from the humdrum of today and think fiction is better the weirder it gets you should check out this novella!
lilyn_g's review
4.0
‘Queen of No Tomorrows’ is set in 80’s Los Angeles. It instantly brings to mind a bit of nostalgia for the ridiculous movies from that era. However, it’s pretty quick that you forget the era and just get caught up in the story itself. The main character herself, Cait MacReady (nice The Thing nod) helps there. She feels like a character you could plunk in any setting. I liked that Matt Maxwell didn’t paint her as a damsel in distress, but a savvy crook who knew what she needed to do to get ahead. He also did a good job in giving us a setting that felt a little grungier, and a little more foreign than a lot of the Lovecraft-themed novels we’ve read lately.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the idea behind the Smoking Codex itself. I think we have all toyed with the idea that our creations come from ‘elsewhere’. When an idea worms into your brain that you just can’t ignore, maybe it is someone or something from the other side reaching through. Trying to bleed through. (This is why I like the The New Nightmare so much. The idea of evil bleeding through our subconscious until it can break into our reality.)
It will also force you to pull out your Spanish dictionary app if you’re anything like me and need to know exactly what is being said in certain parts. Kudos to Maxwell for not keeping it all English just to make some of us feel more comfortable.
‘Queen of No Tomorrows’ is an action-packed novella that is a swift, enjoyable read. Recommended for those who like urban fantasy edged with horror. A love of tentacles will up the experience of reading this book as well.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the idea behind the Smoking Codex itself. I think we have all toyed with the idea that our creations come from ‘elsewhere’. When an idea worms into your brain that you just can’t ignore, maybe it is someone or something from the other side reaching through. Trying to bleed through. (This is why I like the The New Nightmare so much. The idea of evil bleeding through our subconscious until it can break into our reality.)
It will also force you to pull out your Spanish dictionary app if you’re anything like me and need to know exactly what is being said in certain parts. Kudos to Maxwell for not keeping it all English just to make some of us feel more comfortable.
‘Queen of No Tomorrows’ is an action-packed novella that is a swift, enjoyable read. Recommended for those who like urban fantasy edged with horror. A love of tentacles will up the experience of reading this book as well.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
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