fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsurban fantasy book review Mike Carey Felix Castor 3: Dead Men's BootsDead Men’s Boots by Mike Carey

Dead Men’s Boots is the third Felix Castor novel after Vicious Circle and The Devil You Know. Like the previous volumes, the book finds Felix dealing with several different issues that may or may not be connected. In this case, there’s the suicide of a fellow ghostbreaker (exorcist) who leaves a message for Felix; a wife who hires Felix to clear her husband’s name of murder; a Chicago mob femme fatale who seemingly continues to kill decades after her execution; and the legal fight for Rafi’s power of attorney. Aiding Felix in his latest escapades are Juliet, Nicky — one of my favorite characters — and the demon Moloch, who drops some tantalizing hints about ‘the great project’ and why the dead are rising with increasing volume.

Compared to the previous two Felix Castor novels, I would rank Dead Men’s Boots right up there with Vicious Circle. The highlights of the book are the plot, Mr. Carey’s inventiveness — were-creatures who can organize themselves as a colony for example — and some really cool action scenes involving Juliet and Moloch. I also thought the mystery elements were better handled this time around and less predictable, but the novel suffers from following the same formula as the other two, and I felt the ending was a little too Hollywood-esque with the way everything was wrapped up. Nevertheless, Dead Men’s Boots is another delightful and engaging entry in the Felix Castor series.

 

Felix Castor — (2006-2009) Publisher: Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. At a time when the supernatural world is in upheaval and spilling over into the mundane reality of the living, his skills have never been more in demand. A good exorcist can charge what he likes — and enjoy a hell of a life-style — but there’s a risk: sooner or later he’s going to take on a spirit that’s too strong for him. After a year spent in ‘retirement’ Castor is reluctantly drawn back to the life he rejected and accepts a seemingly simple exorcism case — just to pay the bills, you understand. Trouble is, the more he discovers about the ghost haunting the archive, the more things don’t add up. What should have been a perfectly straightforward exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show, with demons, were-beings and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. But that’s OK; Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It’s the living who piss him off…

Mike Carey Felix Castor 1. The Devil You Know 2. Vicious Circle 3. Dead Men's Boots 4. Thicker Than Water 5. The Naming of the Beasts Mike Carey Felix Castor 1. The Devil You Know 2. Vicious Circle 3. Dead Men's Boots 4. Thicker Than Water 5. The Naming of the Beasts Mike Carey Felix Castor 1. The Devil You Know 2. Vicious Circle 3. Dead Men's Boots 4. Thicker Than Water 5. The Naming of the Beasts Mike Carey Felix Castor 1. The Devil You Know 2. Vicious Circle 3. Dead Men's Boots 4. Thicker Than Water 5. The Naming of the Beasts Mike Carey Felix Castor 1. The Devil You Know 2. Vicious Circle 3. Dead Men's Boots 4. Thicker Than Water 5. The Naming of the Beasts

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  • Robert Thompson

    ROBERT THOMPSON (on FanLit's staff July 2009 — October 2011) is the creator and former editor of Fantasy Book Critic, a website dedicated to the promotion of speculative fiction. Before FBC, he worked in the music industry editing Kings of A&R and as an A&R scout for Warner Bros. Besides reading and music, Robert also loves video games, football, and art. He lives in the state of Washington with his wife Annie and their children Zane and Kayla. Robert retired from FanLit in October 2011 after more than 2 years of service. He doesn't do much reviewing anymore, but he still does a little work for us behind the scenes.

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