Book Reviews
All Fun and Games Until You have Been Dead For Ten Years
Dead Man
by Domino Finn
“Everyone’s damaged in some way. That’s what life does to a newborn. It slowly gives and takes indiscriminately, piling on and stripping away like so many coats of paint. People are just the remnants, the left behinds”―
Domino Finn, Dead Man
About
I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw. Sounds kinda cool, doesn’t it? It was, right until I woke up half dead in a dumpster.
Did I say half dead? Because I meant 100% dead. Full on. I don’t do things halfway.
So here I am, alive for some reason, just another sunny day in Miami. It’s a perfect paradise, except I’m into something bad. Wanted by police, drenched in the stink of dark magic, nether creatures coming out of the woodwork, and don’t get me started on the Haitian voodoo gang. Trust me, it’s all fun and games until there’s a zombie pit bull on your tail.
I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw, and totally screwed.
My Thoughts
Cisco Suarez wakes up in a dumpster in his hometown of Miami, having no idea how he got there. As he climbs out, he notices his hair is longer than usual, he has a lot more muscle than he remembers, some new tattoos, oh, and a car load of Haitian voodoo gangster’s at the end of the alley saying that they killed him yesterday, but since it didn’t take, hey, they’ll be happy to repeat the job.
That is the start of the wild series of adventures Cisco has, as he finds out he has been dead for 10 years, and everything he knew in the past has changed. His family was murdered, his friends are being targeted, and someone definitely wants him dead. Well, Cisco Suarez will have something to say about that.
Using his magical skills and street smarts, Cisco will uncover a conspiracy much bigger than himself, but will he be able to deal with the much bigger fish in his pond? Get a copy and find out in the enjoyable conclusion.
With a fast paced plot, snarky but endearing main character, and villains you can really loathe, this is a great new urban fantasy addition to any collection. The action taking place in Miami, with its hodgepodge of cultural influences only makes this a more interesting and fun book.
As far as narration, this was the first time I had heard Neil Hellegars, but hopefully not the last, since he does a great job bringing out the snark in Cisco while still keeping him likeable. Excellent job narrating. Any fan of Jim Butcher or Tim Marquitz’s Demon Squad books will enjoy this book.
Check Out My Other Reviews
Review – Ritual of Bone by Lee C. Conley
Review – Eldritch Ops by C.T. Phipps
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Steve Caldwell
I have literally been a fan of fantasy/magic my whole life, with some of the earliest memories I have being my mother stories of brujas and spirits in the town in Puerto Rico where she was born. What really flipped the fantasy switch on full, though, was discovering a battered copy of the Sword of Shannara that cost me 25 cents at the local used book store when I was 11.
Its been a long journey since that day almost 40 years ago, and thousands of books later, here we are. Living with my wife, our two non-adult kids, four cats and a vicious attack beast Chihuahua about an hour south of Seattle, I’m glad to be able to share my love of fantasy and science fiction, especially Indie and small press, with anyone who’s interested.
