- Perfect Paperback
- ISBN-10: 0748108564
- ISBN-13: 978-0748108565
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
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The Devil You Know
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fans of HellBlazer will recognise the name Mike Carey, as will fans of Lucifer, the ongoing series from Vertigo comics.
Carey's been writing in the comics world for quite some time now, recently carrying on some of the fae stories started in Neil Gaiman's Sandman as well as developing Lucifer and taking the reigns of writing Constantine stories.
This is his first novel, and whilst it has some of the flavour of a HellBlazer story there's enough there which is different to keep things fresh. The story involves a world very much like ours excepting the fact that ghosts not only exist, they are recognized by the government with all the legal issues that causes.
The main character, Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist who is hired to remove the presence of a Ghost from a London hall of records. Part of his method of exorcism is to learn about his subject, and in the course of doing so he realizes things are not quite what they seem.
Part mystery, part occult story this is an excellent read. Carey writes characters very well, as those who know his comic works will I'm sure agree. The story is by turns amusing, exciting and disturbing which makes for a very powerful read. Highly recommended.
Oh, and to correct one of the other entries Constantine is one of Alan Moore's creations, though Mike did a damn good job of writing an extended set of stories for the HellBlazer title.
Carey's been writing in the comics world for quite some time now, recently carrying on some of the fae stories started in Neil Gaiman's Sandman as well as developing Lucifer and taking the reigns of writing Constantine stories.
This is his first novel, and whilst it has some of the flavour of a HellBlazer story there's enough there which is different to keep things fresh. The story involves a world very much like ours excepting the fact that ghosts not only exist, they are recognized by the government with all the legal issues that causes.
The main character, Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist who is hired to remove the presence of a Ghost from a London hall of records. Part of his method of exorcism is to learn about his subject, and in the course of doing so he realizes things are not quite what they seem.
Part mystery, part occult story this is an excellent read. Carey writes characters very well, as those who know his comic works will I'm sure agree. The story is by turns amusing, exciting and disturbing which makes for a very powerful read. Highly recommended.
Oh, and to correct one of the other entries Constantine is one of Alan Moore's creations, though Mike did a damn good job of writing an extended set of stories for the HellBlazer title.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By D. C. Harold
Format:Paperback
I really thought this would be a prose version of Carey's Constantine / Hellblazer comics work and the first pages with lots of "London, my place of power" type stuff and a rather cruel Contantinesque way of ending a birthday party pretty much had me convinced. But then the broader humour, some Silence of the Lambs overtones, and general sexiness kicked in and it became clear that whilst Contantine may have been the kicking off point his influence diminishes as the book progresses and something rather spiffy results - though you'll spend a lot of time spotting echos of other books and even films. (And Juliet is a worryingly Constaninesque character to wrap on so lets hope the next novel keeps on in an original vein and doesn't turn her into Ellie...) Highly recommended. I finished it in less that a weekend cos I couldn't put it down.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Rachel
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
I wish I hadn't discovered this book for a couple of years because then I would (hopefully) have lots of sequels waiting for me to read. This is far and away the best novel I have read for months (don't knock it, I'm a 3 book a week woman!!!).
It isn't that easy to compare to other works because it is original but it reminds me a little of the work of Jim Butcher, a little of the brilliantly creepy 'Ghostwriter', a little of Constantine,(of course it would be surprising if it didn't- being as that is also Mr Carey's creation) but the writing is more lyrical and assured, a little vintage Stephen King, a little Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I am a devoted horror/supernatural fan and this book ticks all the right boxes-
*superlatively dark hero, troubled and talented (kind of like Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden crossed with a James Ellory noir detecetive)
* intelligent and thoughtful plot
* characters who just feel 'right' in your mind when you read, almost like people you know, they seem so well drawn
* creepy locations switching between gothic old museum, gangland strip clubs and an alternative universe London
* beautiful and evocative writing that pitches you immediately and firmly into Felix Castor's world
* wry, sarcastic and giggleworthy humour to sweeten the dark things
This book is a triumph- someone please chain Mr Carey up (perhaps in slightly better surroundings than the deeply nasty basement room in the novel) until he writes MORE MORE MORE!!!!
It isn't that easy to compare to other works because it is original but it reminds me a little of the work of Jim Butcher, a little of the brilliantly creepy 'Ghostwriter', a little of Constantine,(of course it would be surprising if it didn't- being as that is also Mr Carey's creation) but the writing is more lyrical and assured, a little vintage Stephen King, a little Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I am a devoted horror/supernatural fan and this book ticks all the right boxes-
*superlatively dark hero, troubled and talented (kind of like Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden crossed with a James Ellory noir detecetive)
* intelligent and thoughtful plot
* characters who just feel 'right' in your mind when you read, almost like people you know, they seem so well drawn
* creepy locations switching between gothic old museum, gangland strip clubs and an alternative universe London
* beautiful and evocative writing that pitches you immediately and firmly into Felix Castor's world
* wry, sarcastic and giggleworthy humour to sweeten the dark things
This book is a triumph- someone please chain Mr Carey up (perhaps in slightly better surroundings than the deeply nasty basement room in the novel) until he writes MORE MORE MORE!!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A stand out opening to a series
This book had been amongst my recommendations for months before I finally bit the bullet and tried it out, and I loved it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rokkan_HVN
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I'm not sure how I found this book but it was clearly a day when the gods of good books were smiling down on me. And I've immediately been forced to buy the second book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ravenstone
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gets better with every book
Very enjoyable. The books are getting darker and whatever it is that's been brewing since the first book is coming to a head. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Deckerd
5.0 out of 5 stars
Once started, can't stop
This series has got to be fairly.unique, and so a little tricky to explain what makes it so compelling. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Martin Cropper
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ghastly in a good way
I really enjoyed this. It has a decent plot, interesting characters, plenty of amusing dialogue and set pieces and it works well as a detective story and as urban fantasy. Read more
Published 10 months ago by The Emperor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Oh darn, another series I'm hooked on
Get the negative out of the way first -- yes there are a lot of very familiar old "magic good guy vs demons from hell" tropes in this story. Read more
Published 15 months ago by M. King
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun, gruesome, great
Earlier this year I read my first Jim Butcher novel and loved it. Whenever, I researched Jim's novels, one name was always mentioned in conjunction: Mike Carey. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Snikt5
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping what-dunnit
Fans of Harry Dresden will enjoy this 'occult private eye' series - I certainly did! Felix is highly engaging and likeable and the story rolls on at a lively pace. Read more
Published 16 months ago by E
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not engaging enough
Another urban `noir' fantasy set in London. Author Carey presents us with a changed world in which the dead rise and an exorcist is not an unusual job. Read more
Published 22 months ago by N. Brett
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark, bleak and cynical - a masterful work of horror
There's no question at all that this book is well written. It's a gripping and masterful piece of work. Read more
Published on 10 April 2011 by deepbluesky
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