Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts) [Paperback]

This was an utterly compelling read. The story is totally original and in the crowded urban fantasy/horror market, Stacia Kane has produced something that stands out as wonderful. Some of the cover quotes mention 'ideal for fans of Charlaine Harris' and on this I would exert caution. If Charlaine Harris is at the softer end of your reading pleasure (as she is for me, a die hard horror fan) you will love this. If however, Charlaine is as dark as you want to go then Unholy Ghosts is not for you. because this is dark, sticky, violent stuff.

The basic story revolves around a not so distant future or alternative now where there has been a horrific surge in ghost activity. No moaning, chain rattling, making you jump type ghosts these. These are killing people indescriminately, violently, horribly and are not interested in communing with their ancestors. And so an offshoot of mystical belief that has the power to banish and subdue these murderous entities has replaced governments and religeons globally as the seat of power. This is the Church- but nothing remotely christian about it and this is not a religeous book in the slightest.

Chess is our notional heroine, a drug addicted adult orphan, been through the care system, been abused and hurt countless times and seeks refuge in the safety of Church power and her beloved drugs. As a largely functional addict, she bumbles through her life until she suddenly finds she has racked up more drug debt than she can pay back. Politely declining the offer of working the debt off on her back, she takes the alternative offer of clearing an abandoned airfield of a ghost so the local drug lord can start shipping in new product more cheaply. How hard can it be right? This is, afterall what she does for a living.And there the pedal firmly hits the metal- plot spirals into counter plot, threats mount and soon Chess is up to her eyeballs in trouble and sinking fast.

With a clear, detailed and well written style, moments of chilling fear, gruesome, horrific violence, gore and sweaty action, this is a truly exciting read. Be warned, there is quite a bit of drug discussion in this novel and addiction is never really discussed as a bad or problem ridden thing, just as the norm, so avoid giving this novel to an impressionablle or teen reader.

Just to really spice things up, Ms Kane has given us a bevvy of truly hot, hard and violent men that pepper the story. This includes the hottest, meanest, most intriguing and perplexing guy to stalk the pages of fiction for a while- Terrible. Wow what a character. If he was real i'd have to go find him, so hot under the collar did he get me! Unlike other urban horror though, this isn't a bonk fest like Laurell hamilton nor a twee romance like Ms Harris. This smacks of real life and the confusing, bewildering attraction we can all feel for someone who may do us no good whatsoever- or be just what we need.

I can't wait for the next installment of this series. Highly recommended.

I thought this book was one of the best urban fantasy books i have had the pleasure of in a while. Chess putnum is a class A heroin (LOL)She is kick ass but is not super together. The book has an aura of social commentary but not in a bad way. Chess is vulnerable, she doesn't live 'on campus' with the other churchwitches, she has had a hard life and lives in an area of town policed by two warring druglords. Chess gets involved with both but she has loyalties. The world building is beleivable, the side charachters are so intersting. Chess had dealings with both enforcers, Terrible who is Bump's underling, and Lee who is Slobag's. Be prepared to stay up with this one its fantastic.

I wonder if the concept for this book came from a need to drop something different in the expansive depths of urban fantasy or whether the reader is being treated to a glimpse of Kanes subconscious darker side. Regardless of which and why this is an extraordinary example of its type of genre.
The main character is an anti heroine par excellence and like marmite, the reader will either love her despite her failings or hate her with the passion born of hatred.
Me, myself and I are on board the love boat.
I enjoyed the darkness of her character and the way she makes no excuse for being who she is. She lives as she feels, which is in the moment. However behind all that carelessness and silmultaneously free as a bird attitude hides the hurt and scared child, as often is the case with addicts. Hidden behind the addiction is the pain of past horrors and present indifference.
The world surrounding the characters is dystopian in its nature with strong elements of paranormal and occultism. The church leads and guides as a dictatorship with cult like presence. I found it extremely interesting how Kane took the outside population, who are living in ghetto like habitats, and has had them regress in their language skills. So rather than use the future as a scenario, in which we find the population more advanced, we in fact find them going backwards. This is demonstrated in the way they communicate.
I found the concept fascinating, daring and I look forward to reading more.