Dread Brass Shadows

Dread Brass Shadows This is the 5th in Cook's Garrett series ("Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," "Cold Copper Tears," "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," "Red Iron Nights," "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat," "Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols"). This one has a lot more Dead Man in it This book also introduces Winger. Here's the Garrett series that I'm aware of at this time. 1. Sweet Silver Blues (1987) 2. Bitter Gold Hearts (1988) 3. Cold Copper Tears (1988) 4. Old Tin Sorrows (1989) 5. Dread Brass Shadows (1990) 6. Red Iron Nights (1991) 7. Deadly Quicksilver Lies (1994) 8. Petty Pewter Gods (1995) 9. Faded Steel Heat (1999) 10. Angry Lead Skies (2002) 11. Whispering Nickel Idols (2005) Science Fiction Book Club omnibus editions: 1. The Garrett Files (collects Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears; 2003) 2. Garrett, P.I. (collects Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows, and Red Iron Nights; 2003) 3. Garrett Investigates (collects Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, and Faded Steel Heat; 2004) 4. Garrett on the Case (Angry Lead Skies,and Whispering Nickel Idols Recommended for fans of Garrett and Glen Cook. Gunner December, 2007

When Tinny, Garrett's on again off again sweetheart is stabbed in a case of mistaken identity, Garrett goes on the rampage. Tinny survives, but if TunFaire's most accident-prone detective has his way the perpetrators are doomed. It's all about a book, and a plethora of redheads, who show up in various states of undress, and wizards, witches, and wannabees. Everyone is in this game for keeps, and with Tinnie healing; Garrett discovers that it is his own skin he should be worrying about. In a castle a ways from the city a lord lies waiting for a death that never comes. And his wife has locked herself in her tower to make a book of dreams and wait for the time when her curse has run its course. For witches a book of dreams is a special think. Each page is a spell to turn the caster into someone else. A dwarf into a king, a housemaid into a lady, or an idiot into a wizard. Everyone wants the book and Garrett realizes that nothing good can come from a magical tool that has that much power. So, once again Garrett is off trying to save the world, the Dead Man is trying to keep Garrett alive, Morley is playing both ends against the middle, and Winger is trying out an entirely new wardrobe. After the darkness of Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows is a relief. Glen Cook returns to the edgy, wisecracking style that makes this series good reading. This is a wild tour through TunFaire at its craziest, with enough action to make the book hard to put down.

This is the 5th in Cook's Garrett series ("Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," "Cold Copper Tears," "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," "Red Iron Nights," "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat," "Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols"). Unlike the previous book, this one has a lot more Dead Man in it. Unfortunately, as a counterbalance, the pacing is a bit uneven (nothing horrible, just noticeable). This book also introduces Winger. Alas, Cook's portrayal of her is inconsistent. From scene to scene, she varies from competent to incompetent at specific tasks. For instance, in one scene, she's not all that good at hand-to-hand combat. Yet, in another scene, she defeats someone whom Garrett would be afraid to tackle. Ditto for her tracking ability: at one point, she's essentially blind to what's going on around her. At another, she's picking out people Garrett misses. It's a shame, since she plays such a large part in the book (basically replacing Morley and Saucerhead). Given that, I rate the book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. BTW: At the time of this review, this book is long out of print. It's tough to find anywhere. As an alternative, look around for the SFBC's "Garrett, P.I.." This book is part of that collection.