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A review by the_cheerful_necromancer
Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This is the first book I ever read with a gay protagonist! Or even an explicitly gay character at all!
Okay, listen. I can see objectively that this book is not "good": the text (at least in my edition) has some typos, the plot is a little meandering, it's not the greatest work of literature ever written by any means. But it was a whole lot of fun, Goddamnit!
This book, to me, is the novel's answer to the shlocky b-movie: quite ridiculous, rather corny, and still a roaring good time. Admittedly, I'd say this first one is the weakest in the series, but it's not long enough to make that a particular sticking point.
In particular, the cast really grabbed me; there's a lot of capital C Characters in this book, and that's a real strength it has. I remember pretty much everyone, even though a lot of them have minor roles. I genuinely had a great time with Tony, who is snarky and funny and a bit messy, and a very likeable protagonist.
Okay, listen. I can see objectively that this book is not "good": the text (at least in my edition) has some typos, the plot is a little meandering, it's not the greatest work of literature ever written by any means. But it was a whole lot of fun, Goddamnit!
This book, to me, is the novel's answer to the shlocky b-movie: quite ridiculous, rather corny, and still a roaring good time. Admittedly, I'd say this first one is the weakest in the series, but it's not long enough to make that a particular sticking point.
In particular, the cast really grabbed me; there's a lot of capital C Characters in this book, and that's a real strength it has. I remember pretty much everyone, even though a lot of them have minor roles. I genuinely had a great time with Tony, who is snarky and funny and a bit messy, and a very likeable protagonist.
Moderate: Violence, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse and Sexual content
Additionally, readers should note that this book was published in 2004, so with all the love in the world, expect to read some slightly iffy, probably-a-bit-ableist-or-homophobic lines. It aged fine, but not perfectly.