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tacanderson's review
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's impossible not to compare this to The Dresden Files. Except instead of private eye meets urban fantasy, Nightside is private eye meets Lovecraft. Nightside also leans even heavier into the pulp detective genre than Dresden did. Really short, fun, popcorn read you can finish in a day.
yodamom's review
4.0
Dark, mysterious and sometimes gory, thoroughly engrossing ! A PI from the Nightside a dark unknown area of London, now living on our side is hired to find a girl that disappeared there. He must risk he life and return to try to save her. What he encounters there is fascinating and horrifying at the same time. A WOW ride. Fans of the Dresdan files might enjoy this.
redeyesinferno's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
songwind's review
3.0
If you have read [author:Simon R. Green] before, you know he doesn't like to do things small. His characters are larger than life, with larger than life abilities. They have larger than life challenges and enemies. They accomplish larger than life things.
[book:Something From the Nightside] is no different. John Taylor is a Private Eye with a strange past. He's really from the Nightside, a mysterious and magical hidden London. When a wealthy business woman comes to him to find her daughter, it quickly turns out that the girl has gotten lost in the Nightside, and Taylor will have to go home again to find her.
We quickly learn that the client, the problem, and Taylor himself are more than they appear.
This is a fun book if you like the supernatural PI genre. It's not especially original, nor stunningly well written, but it's definitely worth spending an afternoon with.
[book:Something From the Nightside] is no different. John Taylor is a Private Eye with a strange past. He's really from the Nightside, a mysterious and magical hidden London. When a wealthy business woman comes to him to find her daughter, it quickly turns out that the girl has gotten lost in the Nightside, and Taylor will have to go home again to find her.
We quickly learn that the client, the problem, and Taylor himself are more than they appear.
This is a fun book if you like the supernatural PI genre. It's not especially original, nor stunningly well written, but it's definitely worth spending an afternoon with.
ariadne_exc's review against another edition
3.0
This book is quite average. Translation into Spanish is complete and utter bullshit, says a Spanish translator.
Book is entertaining, but filled with clichés and a failed attempt of witty, funny style of writing. Characters are also very much stereotypes.
Book is entertaining, but filled with clichés and a failed attempt of witty, funny style of writing. Characters are also very much stereotypes.
mrsbear's review
5.0
This was my first trip into the Nightside and I sure will be going back for more. John Taylor is a very lovable charactor with a great sense of humor. The audiobook was terrific thanks to a wonderful narrator. Cant wait to get the next one.
styxx's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood
julcoh's review
4.0
I’ve read the whole series and just re-read this after lending it to a friend. I love the world building, turning hard-boiled detective noire up to 11. The writing can get a little self-referential and wordy on descriptions of people and places, and characters certainly turn into exposition machines at points. But it all serves to build Green’s image of the Nightside, and I love spending time there.
It’s incredible the amount of foreshadowing and story hooks introduced in book one that get filled out later in the series.
It’s incredible the amount of foreshadowing and story hooks introduced in book one that get filled out later in the series.
embereye's review
2.0
Blaaaargle. This book... I don't know. I finished it out of just trying to see how badly I'd already guessed all the bits and pieces, and... yeah. Lots of character lecturing about what's going on around them and how awesome it is. Lots of one character telling another character to stop lecturing at her about how awesome everything is around them. I mean... really? I feel like when that happens in your novel, it's not a good sign.
Anyway, I think to be clear here, this had an interesting premise, could've gone somewhere, did not do so. Save yourself throwing a book across the room and scaring the crap out of your cats (or at least that's what happened at my place) and skip it.
Anyway, I think to be clear here, this had an interesting premise, could've gone somewhere, did not do so. Save yourself throwing a book across the room and scaring the crap out of your cats (or at least that's what happened at my place) and skip it.