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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Second in the Secret Histories urban fantasy series revolving around the über-powerful Drood family and Eddie Drood in particular.
I'd've given it a "3", but, really, there is just such a lot of thought and energy gone into this, that I just didn't have the heart.
My Take
Oh, yeah, I loved the army and the other snoops sitting outside Eddie's front door in the middle of London. And then when he took 'em out...LMAO. Eddie hugs a missile to his chest to absorb the impact then jumps up to the helicopter and tells the pilots to get out after which he rides the chopper down and along the street. I mean, how can you not get a kick out of this?
I do enjoy Eddie's snarking:
The Story
Surrendering to the reality of having to move home, Eddie has no intention of surrendering to the fifty-some militia types outside his front door. They're simply a bit of fun. Before he and his Enya CDs head back to Drood Hall.
It's tricky out there. Word is out. The Droods have lost their golden armor and are in disarray and the world's governments are trying to figure out how to seize the moment.
The Characters
Shaman Bond, a.k.a., Eddie Drood, now rules the Drood family. He used to be a field agent until he discovered the truth about the family. Molly Metcalf is a witch. She's not even a Drood. Horrors. But she and Eddie are in love and since Eddie is the head dictator, she stays. For now.
The Matriarch, Martha Drood, a.k.a., Grandmother, is still in mourning for Alistair. She's being courted by the Zero Tolerance faction of the family (the one that supported the family's enemy, Manifest Destiny, behind the scenes) and refuses to help or hinder Eddie. She just doesn't care about the family.
The Inner Circle whom Eddie assembles to advise him includes:
Penny (Eddie's official contact in the family when he was a field agent), Molly (is not a Drood!!!), Uncle Jack is the family Armourer, the ghost of Jacob Drood (he thought he was only supposed to stick around to help get rid of the Heart and most everybody hates or is terrified of him), Cyril the Serjeant-at-Arms (supposed to pay attention to who is coming and going, know where everyone is), and Harry.
Howard is the new head of Drood Operations and not one of Eddie's supporters. Harry Drood is James' only legitimate son and becomes the Matriarch's eyes and ears; Roger Morningstar is a half-breed demon and an illegitimate son as well as an old flame of Molly's. Seems they have other secrets as well! Strange matter, just call me "Ethel", helped defeat the Heart. Callan Drood is one of the very few agents still out in the field. He's young, rude, and rather good. Rafe Drood is back to being the assistant librarian now that William is back. Tony Drood is the engineer for the Time Train, Ivor. Well, it's an inherited position. All ya gotta do is love him.
Drood rogues invited home include:
William Drood, formerly known as Oddly John, is back at the Hall, fresh from the nuthouse. Eddie wants him back taking care of the library---including the old library. The thieving Sebastian Drood shows up with his own set of deadly secrets. Freddie Drood was just too flamboyant. Now he makes a good beard.
Outsiders invited to Drood Hall!!
Janissary Jane is the Suzie Shooter of this bunch. A mercenary who loves to fight, usually on other planes of existence. A psychopath. Eddie hopes she can train the Drood brood how to fight without their armour. Blue Fairy (he's only half-elf, ya know) has had a run of better luck until the mafiosi holding his markers run him down. Seems it's enough to entice Blue Fairy into signing on. Subway Sue used to be a luck vampire and she tried to tap the wrong person. Now Eddie wants her to tutor the Droods in how to survive. Mr. Stab earned his immortality when he stabbed all those prostitutes back in 1888. Now, he can't make love; he can only stab.
Jacob "Jay" Drood---the live one---is brought back to the Hall to teach fighting while Giles Deathstalker comes back to the past to provide a warrior's guidance.
Phil MacAlpine, a.k.a., Alpha, (MI5) is stuck trying to take Eddie and Molly in. Sucker. Truman is the leader of Manifest Destiny. Loathly Ones are a group of demons, soul-eaters. They received an invitation to invade earth from a most unexpected source.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black, green, and blue. A nightlit city street all a'tilt as Eddie faces down a Grim Reaper in true Western gunfight fashion.
I suspect it's a metaphor for evil. Just as evil is always there, so Daemons are Forever.
I'd've given it a "3", but, really, there is just such a lot of thought and energy gone into this, that I just didn't have the heart.
My Take
Oh, yeah, I loved the army and the other snoops sitting outside Eddie's front door in the middle of London. And then when he took 'em out...LMAO. Eddie hugs a missile to his chest to absorb the impact then jumps up to the helicopter and tells the pilots to get out after which he rides the chopper down and along the street. I mean, how can you not get a kick out of this?
Nobody does really good villainous threats anymore. In the old days, a real villain could make your blood run cold with just a simile.I think Eddie has a very practical idea about how to choose the best advisors for his Inner Circle, although I think he's wrong about the torcs. He shouldn't wait to give them out! His plan for the Nazca Plain was stupid, too. I suspect it was just too easy a disaster for Green to use.
I do enjoy Eddie's snarking:
"You killed his father," said the Armourer.It's the usual round of crazy characters and outrageous action with lots of childishness. Betrayals and conspiracies abound and no end of action.
"Yes," I said. "That's going to haunt me for the rest of my life, isn't it?"
The Story
Surrendering to the reality of having to move home, Eddie has no intention of surrendering to the fifty-some militia types outside his front door. They're simply a bit of fun. Before he and his Enya CDs head back to Drood Hall.
It's tricky out there. Word is out. The Droods have lost their golden armor and are in disarray and the world's governments are trying to figure out how to seize the moment.
The Characters
Shaman Bond, a.k.a., Eddie Drood, now rules the Drood family. He used to be a field agent until he discovered the truth about the family. Molly Metcalf is a witch. She's not even a Drood. Horrors. But she and Eddie are in love and since Eddie is the head dictator, she stays. For now.
The Matriarch, Martha Drood, a.k.a., Grandmother, is still in mourning for Alistair. She's being courted by the Zero Tolerance faction of the family (the one that supported the family's enemy, Manifest Destiny, behind the scenes) and refuses to help or hinder Eddie. She just doesn't care about the family.
The Inner Circle whom Eddie assembles to advise him includes:
Penny (Eddie's official contact in the family when he was a field agent), Molly (is not a Drood!!!), Uncle Jack is the family Armourer, the ghost of Jacob Drood (he thought he was only supposed to stick around to help get rid of the Heart and most everybody hates or is terrified of him), Cyril the Serjeant-at-Arms (supposed to pay attention to who is coming and going, know where everyone is), and Harry.
Howard is the new head of Drood Operations and not one of Eddie's supporters. Harry Drood is James' only legitimate son and becomes the Matriarch's eyes and ears; Roger Morningstar is a half-breed demon and an illegitimate son as well as an old flame of Molly's. Seems they have other secrets as well! Strange matter, just call me "Ethel", helped defeat the Heart. Callan Drood is one of the very few agents still out in the field. He's young, rude, and rather good. Rafe Drood is back to being the assistant librarian now that William is back. Tony Drood is the engineer for the Time Train, Ivor. Well, it's an inherited position. All ya gotta do is love him.
Drood rogues invited home include:
William Drood, formerly known as Oddly John, is back at the Hall, fresh from the nuthouse. Eddie wants him back taking care of the library---including the old library. The thieving Sebastian Drood shows up with his own set of deadly secrets. Freddie Drood was just too flamboyant. Now he makes a good beard.
Outsiders invited to Drood Hall!!
Janissary Jane is the Suzie Shooter of this bunch. A mercenary who loves to fight, usually on other planes of existence. A psychopath. Eddie hopes she can train the Drood brood how to fight without their armour. Blue Fairy (he's only half-elf, ya know) has had a run of better luck until the mafiosi holding his markers run him down. Seems it's enough to entice Blue Fairy into signing on. Subway Sue used to be a luck vampire and she tried to tap the wrong person. Now Eddie wants her to tutor the Droods in how to survive. Mr. Stab earned his immortality when he stabbed all those prostitutes back in 1888. Now, he can't make love; he can only stab.
Jacob "Jay" Drood---the live one---is brought back to the Hall to teach fighting while Giles Deathstalker comes back to the past to provide a warrior's guidance.
Phil MacAlpine, a.k.a., Alpha, (MI5) is stuck trying to take Eddie and Molly in. Sucker. Truman is the leader of Manifest Destiny. Loathly Ones are a group of demons, soul-eaters. They received an invitation to invade earth from a most unexpected source.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black, green, and blue. A nightlit city street all a'tilt as Eddie faces down a Grim Reaper in true Western gunfight fashion.
I suspect it's a metaphor for evil. Just as evil is always there, so Daemons are Forever.
jshorton's review against another edition
4.0
Another series from Green- this one tells of a family that keeps the world safe from evil. Very Bond-esque with fantasy elements thrown in.
sgilbert3114's review against another edition
4.0
Loving this series! It’s hilarious and charming and brutal and heartbreaking and everything in between. Molly is still my favorite character, and Green introduces some great new ones. Can’t wait to read what happens next!
rogal's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
knewton7's review against another edition
3.0
I'm really starting to believe these books should be subtitled "Mission Improbable"! Yes, yes, I know, they're fantasy. I'm already suspending disbelief that inter-dimensional time travel is possible, that werewolves, vampires, and faeries exist, and that the Druids became a mystical family named Drood. I can go with all that. I don't even mind it; it's fun!
And honestly, the books are just FUN. Quick, enjoyable, bubble gum colored fantasy with humor, sarcasm, interesting characters and side characters. Books where people actually die, even the good guys (but not the REALLY good guys--can't have our hero biting the dust!). It just seems that the further you go into each book the more improbable the solutions for the current disaster of the day become. Eddie always has some toy or gizmo to do just exactly what he needs at exactly the right moment. Though at least this is all weapons or gadgets! No new superpowers for our hero.
That's really my only complaint. I've enjoyed the two books in the series that I've read enough that I've got book 3 on the back burner (just as soon as my best friend finishes it) and book 4 winding its way to me from my library. I've even went so far as grab other books by the author when I've seen them on the shelf at the library. So clearly Green is doing something right!
I just wish I didn't wonder what weapon-of-the-week will turn up in the next installment and how it will magically save the day this time!
And honestly, the books are just FUN. Quick, enjoyable, bubble gum colored fantasy with humor, sarcasm, interesting characters and side characters. Books where people actually die, even the good guys (but not the REALLY good guys--can't have our hero biting the dust!). It just seems that the further you go into each book the more improbable the solutions for the current disaster of the day become. Eddie always has some toy or gizmo to do just exactly what he needs at exactly the right moment. Though at least this is all weapons or gadgets! No new superpowers for our hero.
That's really my only complaint. I've enjoyed the two books in the series that I've read enough that I've got book 3 on the back burner (just as soon as my best friend finishes it) and book 4 winding its way to me from my library. I've even went so far as grab other books by the author when I've seen them on the shelf at the library. So clearly Green is doing something right!
I just wish I didn't wonder what weapon-of-the-week will turn up in the next installment and how it will magically save the day this time!
melbsreads's review against another edition
3.0
Plot summary: Following the events of The Man with the Golden Torc, the Drood family are unprotected and looking to Eddie for advice. It's not long before the various powers find out that the Droods are defenceless and start attacking. But there's a bigger threat looming on the horizon - one that will take Eddie through time and space, and possibly cost him the love of his life.
Thoughts: This incorporated a lot of elements from Green's other work. The Rainbow Run is discussed, as well as the inclusion of a Deathstalker character. And if I remember correctly, there's mention of a character who I remember cropping up in Shadows Fall. So all of those crossovers were fun. I also really liked the idea of the Time Train, and the Merlin Glass.
However, as with all of Green's work, there was a strong element of squicky-feelings-in-my-stomach causing stuff. In this case, there's the typical mayhem and slaughter and what-have-you. But there's also a sexual relationship between half brothers - for me, incest = instant 'I think I might throw up a little' factor.
Look, it's a good enough story. It dragged a little, especially in comparison to The Man with the Golden Torc. But the characters are fun, the gadgets are cool, and I would very much like to work in the Drood family library.
Thoughts: This incorporated a lot of elements from Green's other work. The Rainbow Run is discussed, as well as the inclusion of a Deathstalker character. And if I remember correctly, there's mention of a character who I remember cropping up in Shadows Fall. So all of those crossovers were fun. I also really liked the idea of the Time Train, and the Merlin Glass.
However, as with all of Green's work, there was a strong element of squicky-feelings-in-my-stomach causing stuff. In this case, there's the typical mayhem and slaughter and what-have-you. But there's also a sexual relationship between half brothers - for me, incest = instant 'I think I might throw up a little' factor.
Look, it's a good enough story. It dragged a little, especially in comparison to The Man with the Golden Torc. But the characters are fun, the gadgets are cool, and I would very much like to work in the Drood family library.
natcat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is much less of a Bond pastiche and much more of a straight up fantasy novel than the first book in the series, but I still enjoyed it! A fast, rollicking, and pretty dark read.
silverdire's review against another edition
2.0
I must admit to getting bored with this book and quitting in the middle. It's not something I normally do but the library wanted it back today and I wasn't fascinated enough for a marathon reading session.
The first book in this series, The Man with the Golden Torc, was very fast-paced and full of suspense--a lot like the James Bond series Green is supposed to be riffing.
Unfortunately Daemons Are Forever doesn't live up to its predecessor. The action (or lack thereof) is extremely plodding and much of the first part is spent bringing the reader up to speed on the events of the last book.
The characters in Daemons seem to be channeling the players from Green's Nightside series--Interesting but not enough without the Nightside background to hold the story up.
The first book in this series, The Man with the Golden Torc, was very fast-paced and full of suspense--a lot like the James Bond series Green is supposed to be riffing.
Unfortunately Daemons Are Forever doesn't live up to its predecessor. The action (or lack thereof) is extremely plodding and much of the first part is spent bringing the reader up to speed on the events of the last book.
The characters in Daemons seem to be channeling the players from Green's Nightside series--Interesting but not enough without the Nightside background to hold the story up.
leons1701's review against another edition
4.0
Typical Simon Green, once again redefining the meaning of over the top. Also quite witty, which is probably the best response to the absurd situations which abound. When a Bentley that drives through alternate universes to get past walls is the introductory gadget, you've got to go some to top it, but of course, Green is up to the challenge.