Dead Matter [Mass Market Paperback]

Anton Strout's books continue to get better me with each new release. Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series is a fast paced and exciting urban fantasy read. While it is #3 in a series, I think it stands on its own just fine if you absolutely can't read books 1 and 2.

Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, a super secret branch of the government dealing with paranormal activities. The backstory of the agency gives the series a humorous twist as the characters have to face big bad evil guys as well as red tape, paperwork, and stereotypical government shenanigans. Simon was recruited to the D.E.A because of his unique power to see the history and events around objects with the touch of his hand, aka psychometry.

In book 3 Simon's partner, Connor, is on extended vacation leave, forcing Simon to pick up the extra work. A late night call to check out some unusual ghost activity leads Simon to a disturbing discovery, Connor on the edge of madness as he tries to find out what happened to his brother 20 years ago. Dead Matter has Simon reaching out to help his partner only to find himself in the middle of outlandish circumstances and trying to prevent an all out war.

Simon continues to grow as an agent and person in this third installment of the series. We find him questioning the black and white of Good and Bad, looking closer into the shades of gray. It makes him and his story interesting. Connor's subplot surrounding his missing brother gives the storyline a touching boost and made me keep reading even when I thought I would need toothpicks to prop my eyelids up.

Dead Matter introduces us to a creative take on vampires and I really enjoyed their addition to the story. The conflict resolution around their existence in the end seemed a bit too easy for me, but it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story. Actually, it may have piqued my curious a bit because now I am curious to see where Mr. Strout takes this new group of characters and how they will fit in later.

Lastly, on a purely selfish note, I was relieved to have less Jane in this book. I am not fond of her and she is one of those characters I love to dislike for completely unfounded reasons. She is otherwise occupied throughout the story and I can't say I missed her.

Overall, Dead Matter starts off with a bang and keeps a fast pace all the way to the end. It is filled with funny lines, dangerous situations, and high action suspense all of which combined to keep me up far past my bed time.

Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, who has the ability to see the history of an object with just a touch. But when Simon and his girlfriend Jane are attacked at the grocery store, they have no idea what the monstrous creature is. Then, Simon discovers that his partner has been having troublesome dreams of his missing brother. Simon, Jane, and Connor soon find themselves a part of a scheme that could either lead to peace or bring about war for Simon's employer and a secret society that has remained hidden for years.

Besides battling the forces of darkness, Simon and Jane excel at finding humor in any situation with their multiple pop culture references and jokes. All of Strout's characters seem to have depth and their own fascinating story. His urban fantasy world is dark, with terrifying creatures, but is always handled with humor from Simon, lightening an otherwise suspenseful situation.

This great sense of humor, combined with vivid characters, a complex mystery, and plenty of danger, make for a fantastic read. And this latest installment is my favorite so far. Urban fantasy fans should not miss this exciting series.

I happened upon Simon rather accidentally. A huge fan of Jim Butcher, I was in between Dresden books when I decided to search out similar books. I found Anton Strout's first Simon book and instantly became a huge fan. Because of that, I couldn't wait to read Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout...and I wasn't disappointed.

This time, Simon, an agent with New York's super-secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, has had the training wheels removed. His partner and mentor, Conner Christos, is on an extended leave of absence...making Simon fight all the major baddies in the city, and even worse, forcing him to tackle the monster-load of paperwork all by his lonesome. He's overworked. Exhausted. And just looking forward to spending Taco Night with his hot little girlfriend and ex-cultist Jane. But he just can't seem to get a break. While shopping at his local grocery store (trying to figure out the perfect kind of cheese...loved that), he's attacked by a strange, nearly impervious (but with a distinct allergy to garlic) creature who tears the place apart. Leaving Simon and his superiors wondering what in the world is going on.

To make matters worse, his partner is stirring up a hornets nest in his search for his long lost brother. The ghostly population of New York are peeved that Conner, now nearly insane with obsession, has been knocking down local haunts trying to get answers. As Simon tries to help his friend, he stumbles on an even greater mystery that ties the two events together in a major way.

While Dead Matter doesn't seem as epic as the other two books in the series, this is the first one where I really felt like Simon's character had finally matured to a full three dimensional character. When he finds his power blocked at every turn during his investigation, he is required to do some quick thinking that shows a greater depth to his character. And don't get me started about his sense of humor! I can't tell you the number of times I laughed out loud as I read through this fantastic fantasy in a breeze! It truly is a very witty, humorous book.

In addition, Strout outdoes himself with creatively designed vampires, bringing back to their non-sparkly selves, as well as just a great all around mystery to try to solve yourself. If you haven't read a Simon Canderous novel, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. I envy you actually...you are about to embark on a wonderful new adventure.