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A review by themanfromdelmonte
The Last Raven by Steve McHugh
1.0
DNF 69% after I lost the will to live. This reads less like a novel and more like a pitch for a Jason Statham action flick.
What to say about this collection of words? Well, firstly, this book is in two distinct halves. The first is where the protagonist interacts with the other cardboard cut-out characters, and the author makes some juvenile attempts at fantasy writing. That, at least, is better than what comes after, which is the storyboarding for the shoot-em-up. This is clearly where the author’s heart lies as it’s where the product placement (cars, guns, watches) ramps up.
It bills itself as an urban fantasy noir except there’s nothing noir-ish about it. Less skulking about in the dark underbelly of the City, more Bad Boys style, screaming along in the – what was it? – oh yes, the ‘Audi R8 V10 Spyder Performance Carbon Black.’ Jeez.
We’re asked to believe that the protagonist is 2000 years old and is some kind of super- assassin. Trouble is, he comes across like any other John Wick clone. He doesn’t appear to have any motives and no credible risk of dying because (fanfare) he can escape to the Rift and his ‘embers’! Speaking of the Rift, because I suppose I must, the description is risible. ChatGPT could do better.
Lastly, despite this being an existential threat to humanity, no-one but a bunch of Americans appears to be doing anything about it. And doing so with that peculiar exceptionalism where, free from self-doubt, there isn’t a problem that can’t be solved with a dose of the right stuff and an HK45 compact tactical.
Send for John McClane. At least he'll have better dialogue.
What to say about this collection of words? Well, firstly, this book is in two distinct halves. The first is where the protagonist interacts with the other cardboard cut-out characters, and the author makes some juvenile attempts at fantasy writing. That, at least, is better than what comes after, which is the storyboarding for the shoot-em-up. This is clearly where the author’s heart lies as it’s where the product placement (cars, guns, watches) ramps up.
It bills itself as an urban fantasy noir except there’s nothing noir-ish about it. Less skulking about in the dark underbelly of the City, more Bad Boys style, screaming along in the – what was it? – oh yes, the ‘Audi R8 V10 Spyder Performance Carbon Black.’ Jeez.
We’re asked to believe that the protagonist is 2000 years old and is some kind of super- assassin. Trouble is, he comes across like any other John Wick clone. He doesn’t appear to have any motives and no credible risk of dying because (fanfare) he can escape to the Rift and his ‘embers’! Speaking of the Rift, because I suppose I must, the description is risible. ChatGPT could do better.
Lastly, despite this being an existential threat to humanity, no-one but a bunch of Americans appears to be doing anything about it. And doing so with that peculiar exceptionalism where, free from self-doubt, there isn’t a problem that can’t be solved with a dose of the right stuff and an HK45 compact tactical.
Send for John McClane. At least he'll have better dialogue.