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noraconradcom's review
3.0
I don't know if it was the zombies or the fact that I didn't like the characters... but overall this book was depressing to me. The story was fine, but I really disliked the main character and I had a hard time feeling sorry for him, his wife or his boss. I think I need to stop reading zombie books for awhile, they're all starting to sound the same to me.
lizzy_22's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I liked Hessius a lot and this was a really enjoyable take on a hard boiled detective novel..albeit with an extremely 'dead' detective. Still I liked this atypical take on zombies very much and will probably return to Petrucha's next in the series.
I liked Hessius a lot and this was a really enjoyable take on a hard boiled detective novel..albeit with an extremely 'dead' detective. Still I liked this atypical take on zombies very much and will probably return to Petrucha's next in the series.
clothdragon's review
4.0
Must remember that while I enjoyed this one, I don't want to follow this series. Ends, tying up loose ends satisfactorily, but showing the MC in so unfavorable a light I don't care to continue knowing him.
nelsonseye's review
4.0
I'm hemming and hawing over my rating. Probably a three-and-a-half star but I may decide later to make it four. Some genuinely horrible/difficult to read moments (Ashby and Misty) and, as previously stated, the plot was engaging.
March 14-- changed to four stars.
March 14-- changed to four stars.
raygina's review
3.0
I liked it. I'll get the next one in the series to see if I like it as much or more.
beth_dawkins's review
4.0
Hessius Mann is an undead PI. He was accused of his wife’s murder and killed. In this world when someone dies they can be brought back, so when evidence turned up that he was no killer he was brought back. He is hired to track down an undead man with a similar back ground. Soon there are reports of hacked up bodies, and Mann feels as if he has some kind of connection to them.
I like zombie stories, but this isn’t one. Mann is undead, but not a zombie. They call them chakz. Chakz can go feral, and when they do they become zombie like. They can’t spread any zombie given disease, but they can kill. Mann’s world is a very dark and gloomy place. The dead are oppressed, and tend to live in the bad parts of town. It is even a sport for some humans to run them up and hack at limbs. The majority of undead are not very smart, they forget things easily, and have a tendency to smell funny.
Mann is a great character. In some ways he understands why humans, or livebloods, don’t want the undead running around. I usually don’t like PI characters, but I liked Mann. He is one of the smart ones, but has a slipping memory, and although his organs are dried up, he has a big heart. Sometimes when he tries to do things for the best, they end up blowing up on him in the long run. He is a character I never got tired of reading.
The book never slowed down for me. The environments are richly creepy, and the characters are all very unique and interesting. The story was a basic finding the bad guy and putting an end to him. As quick as Mann puts out one fire he is tossed into another. How Mann sees the other characters, and describes them is a part of what makes the story, and it’s unfolding so interesting. Despite the basic plot I never saw what was coming.
I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It has a creepy factor, but never frightened me. The scenes are eerie to the point that some are hard to swallow. It never bogged down, and it constantly kept me interested. It is a great Halloween story, and a series that I plan to continue, but I wouldn’t recommend it to the squeamish.
I like zombie stories, but this isn’t one. Mann is undead, but not a zombie. They call them chakz. Chakz can go feral, and when they do they become zombie like. They can’t spread any zombie given disease, but they can kill. Mann’s world is a very dark and gloomy place. The dead are oppressed, and tend to live in the bad parts of town. It is even a sport for some humans to run them up and hack at limbs. The majority of undead are not very smart, they forget things easily, and have a tendency to smell funny.
Mann is a great character. In some ways he understands why humans, or livebloods, don’t want the undead running around. I usually don’t like PI characters, but I liked Mann. He is one of the smart ones, but has a slipping memory, and although his organs are dried up, he has a big heart. Sometimes when he tries to do things for the best, they end up blowing up on him in the long run. He is a character I never got tired of reading.
The book never slowed down for me. The environments are richly creepy, and the characters are all very unique and interesting. The story was a basic finding the bad guy and putting an end to him. As quick as Mann puts out one fire he is tossed into another. How Mann sees the other characters, and describes them is a part of what makes the story, and it’s unfolding so interesting. Despite the basic plot I never saw what was coming.
I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It has a creepy factor, but never frightened me. The scenes are eerie to the point that some are hard to swallow. It never bogged down, and it constantly kept me interested. It is a great Halloween story, and a series that I plan to continue, but I wouldn’t recommend it to the squeamish.
cmbohn's review
4.0
Hessius Mann is a detective. He used to be a cop, back before his wife died. Before he was arrested and convicted of her murder. Then he was dead. Executed for her murder. Too bad he was innocent.
Then the scientists came up with this new treatment thing that brought the dead back to life. Well, make that half life. Hessius Mann is also a zombie.
Totally different look at the whole zombie thing, and I really enjoyed this book. It looks like there are more to come, and I will read those too.
Then the scientists came up with this new treatment thing that brought the dead back to life. Well, make that half life. Hessius Mann is also a zombie.
Totally different look at the whole zombie thing, and I really enjoyed this book. It looks like there are more to come, and I will read those too.
stevevig's review
2.0
It was good, but not really for me. I didn't sympathize with the main character enough to read the second book in the series.
reanne's review against another edition
2.0
I got a copy of this though goodreads first reads.
Overall, I was kind of disappointed. I didn't really dislike the book, but I didn't like it either. I didn't like any of the characters, and just when I thought there might be an inkling of caring about a character developing, that character was killed off. If you like cynical detective stories--or are really, really into zombies--you'll probably like this book. I just found it too stark for my taste. Primarily, it didn't make me care about anything that was going on.
Also (spoilers below here)...
What was up with the ending? There's no logical reason the killer wouldn't have chopped his head off as soon as he had him, and saying he 'promised' is a weak excuse. Then Mann's human assistant not only breathes in a super-strong nerve toxin which supposedly kills in minutes, but also inhales all kinds of poisons from just being in the building, and apparently after some mouth to mouth and a defib is just fine and dandy. Not buying it. Also, the adulterous cop's refusal to act like a cop and actually look at the evidence, relying instead on his mindless hatred and prejudice, really got on my nerves. The author kept saying how characters were basically decent, but I just didn't ever see it. When even the good guys are unrepentant adulterers and spouse-abusers, the author has failed to engage my sympathies.
Overall, I was kind of disappointed. I didn't really dislike the book, but I didn't like it either. I didn't like any of the characters, and just when I thought there might be an inkling of caring about a character developing, that character was killed off. If you like cynical detective stories--or are really, really into zombies--you'll probably like this book. I just found it too stark for my taste. Primarily, it didn't make me care about anything that was going on.
Also (spoilers below here)...
What was up with the ending? There's no logical reason the killer wouldn't have chopped his head off as soon as he had him, and saying he 'promised' is a weak excuse. Then Mann's human assistant not only breathes in a super-strong nerve toxin which supposedly kills in minutes, but also inhales all kinds of poisons from just being in the building, and apparently after some mouth to mouth and a defib is just fine and dandy. Not buying it. Also, the adulterous cop's refusal to act like a cop and actually look at the evidence, relying instead on his mindless hatred and prejudice, really got on my nerves. The author kept saying how characters were basically decent, but I just didn't ever see it. When even the good guys are unrepentant adulterers and spouse-abusers, the author has failed to engage my sympathies.
spazenport's review against another edition
3.0
The story of this book was captivating. I was held onto like only a good book can hold onto me, but I was not a fan of the characters. There was very little redeeming about Hessius Mann himself, and maybe that's the way that it was supposed to be, but I couldn't get behind his depressed mindset. And hooboy that inner reveal on the last page didn't help.
I love this story. I'll most likely read the second book. The characters weren't lovable, but I'm sure they weren't supposed to be.
I love this story. I'll most likely read the second book. The characters weren't lovable, but I'm sure they weren't supposed to be.