I learned about this book from
a Facebook post from the author promoting the third book in the series soon to
be released. When I went to Amazon to pre-order that one, I saw there are two
more in the series, so I thought it only natural I start with at the beginning.
I contacted the author and asked if the book needed to be read in order and he assured
me each story is a stand-alone and can be read out of order. The only element
one could consider an arc is character growth.
Crackle and Fire is a sci-fi mystery story, but what
really appealed to me was the pulpish-looking cover art suggesting a traditional
detective story written in the noir style. That is exactly what this story is!
The principal character, Angela Hardwicke, is a hard-nosed private investigator
for hire. But a great character is not all there is to it, there is also a
great backdrop of world-building for Angela to play in. When you also throw in
good old-fashioned private eye sarcasm and cynicism, you get an eminently
entertaining tale of intrigue.
There is so much to like about Crackle
and Fire, I hardly know where to begin. I'll just start out with calling it
a fun and entertaining rollercoaster ride.
In the blurb, it is said the
story is a combination of Dr. Who, Blade Runner, and Philip Marlowe all rolled
into one. All those elements are part of the tale.
Angela is a P.I. who knows her
business and has a reputation for getting the job done. When she is approached
by a man who wants her to track down some stolen corporate files, it sounds
like an easy open and shut case. It turns out it is anything but easy as she must
fight her way through a web of lies, being chased by elements of organized
crime, a mysterious murder, and an insane malevolent traveler who us willing to
travel long distances to get what he wants. Add to that her struggle with her
own personal problems and nothing is easy for our hero as she works diligently
to untie knot after knot, plodding through hopefully to a successful
conclusion.
Our principal character,
Angela, is a P.I. from a place called Eternity where the universe is regulated.
So, she's not just any gumshoe, and she has the smarts and instincts to rise
above the pack. My favorite thing about her is how she handles herself when
confronted by difficult situations. She never breaks character and stays just
as hard-boiled as any other time. But there is more to her. She has a personal
demon she is constantly fighting, and sometimes it gets the best of her. Her
demon exists as a psychoactive drug that is powerful and holds one like a pair
of vice grips. Angela is desperately trying not to give in to her addictions
because if she does, she will forever lose what she cares most about.
No, I will not tell you, you're
going to have to do your own investigation - read the book.
The entire tale is told through
Angela's eyes. We get everything from her narrative, and it is all great.
My favorite point of plot is
all the swerves the reader will encounter as the story unfolds. It starts out
pretty simple and there is a constant crescendo in the action and just when one
thinks it is ending, there's a new twist, or another wrinkle. It is just layers
upon layers of brilliant storytelling in Crackle and Fire.
My takeaway from this tale is
to remember that one should never take anything for granted. Something may look
easy, but one can never know everything, even if one is highly intelligent, it
is impossible to predict every contingency, especially when there are other
people involved.
I loved Crackle and Fire.
I love the protagonist, the style it's written in, and the colorful world
building. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys mysteries in the noir style of
storytelling combined with science fiction. I am looking forward to the next
books in this series.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Russ has contributed to several
other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangea, Altered
States of the Union, They Keep Killing Glenn, Thrilling Adventure
Yarns, Badass Moms, Brave New Girls, Camelot 13, and TV
Gods 2.
For more on Russ and his books
visit www.russcolchamiro.com, follow hom on Twitter and Instagram
@AuthorDudeRuss, and 'like' his Facebook author page.
Russ lives in New Jersey with
his wife, two ninjas, and crazy dog, Simon, who may in fact be an alien
himself.
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
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