Review: Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine
In a Glance: Road tripping, with a typically Morganville twist
Title: Kiss of Death
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: Allison and Busby
Format: My own tatty paperback
Pages: 348 pages
ISBN #: 9780749007843
Caine's back with a bang after the lacklustre performance as our favourite Morganville residents go on a road trip with a twist to Dallas. Of course, this being Morganville, things don't go exactly to plan, especially when Oliver escorts them and insists on a series of short stops that result in disaster and near death experiences for all involved. When they stumble upon the little town of Blacke, it appears there's a minor mystery to be solved as well. Put quite simply, it appears that wherever the Glass House residents go, death, danger and wanton destruction follows right behind them.
I quite enjoy this book, as it feels
like everything is back to normal, well, Morganville normal, even if only for a
couple of chapters. There's something that makes it enjoyable, even though the
action doesn't really get started until the last half of the book. That could
be a downside, but Caine writes a lot of comedy into the first half that is not
only natural, but incredibly enjoyable to read, meaning that the book flows
pretty quickly.
One thing I really enjoy about this
book is the different side to Oliver that we see. Usually he's all big bad boss
man but in this he reveals a softer and somewhat funnier side, and I think
Caine writes him incredibly well. He's never been my favourite character, but
in this book he really is something else, and it's very refreshing to see a
somewhat minor character getting some back story and detail written in. When
this is added to the usual camaraderie of the Glass House residents, it brings
a new and very fresh feel to the way the story is told. This, to me at least,
helps keep the series alive and shows that it still has all the potential
witnessed in 'Glass Houses'.
I feel the plot and creativity of Caine
needs special mention in this book. Plot hasn't always been her strongest
feature, but in this book she carries the reader on a wonderful magical mystery
tour and weaves in both old and new elements that make the story feel complete.
The snippets of discussions between the characters and also the description of
Claire's thoughts helps keep all the recent events in Morganville fresh in your
mind, but Caine very cleverly also adds lots of well hidden tit bits of what is
to come. Of course, if you haven't already read the series you may struggle to
find those, but it's very well put together.
Perhaps the best thing about this
book though, to me, is that even though it should, by rights, be pure filler as
nothing major happens to move the story forward, it's a very enjoyable little
piece of writing. I belly laughed, I cried, I worried, I went through a whole
range of emotions whilst wondering what on Earth our Glass House residents had
done to deserve all this bad luck! Honestly, I have rarely read a series of
books that consistently delivers great characterisation, plot twists and
general 'freshness' in such a way. But hold onto your hats because all this
filler is leading somewhere, I promise. I know the last couple of books have
really slowed the pace, but in the next few books Caine is going to knock you
for six and leave you with a reading hangover like you've never had before! So
just keep sucking it up and you shall be rewarded, I promise.
Michael switched on the radio and found a scratchy rock ‘n roll station, and although Oliver kept glaring, he turned it up, and before long they were all singing ‘Born to be Wild’, out of tune and at the top of their lungs. Oliver didn’t, but he didn’t pitch an ubervamp fit, either. Claire was almost certain that once or twice, she saw his lips moving with the lyrics.
4/5 – Still not up to the standard of
some earlier books, but we’re getting there!
Plot : 18/20 – interesting variation on
the standard Morganville action.
Characters: 18/20 – purely for the
new side to Oliver.
Writing: 18/20 – the comedy is
fantastic in this book!
Creativity: 18/20 – great twists and
turns in the latter half.
Ending: 8/10 – a bit lack lustre
after the final chapters, but it’s ‘ok’.
Cover: 8/10 – same old, they’re nice
but not amazing.
If you like this, you would like:
Caleo (Leech Book 1) by James
Crawford is something I have just been given for review and after a quick skim
of the first few chapters it looks fantastic. A twist on your standard paranaormal/fantasy
fiction what is well worth a read.
