Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout
It'd taken me a while to get into the Simon Canderous series by Anton Strout, I'll admit. Mostly because I somehow accidentally bought book 3 (Dead Matter) and... had no idea what was going on. So it got shoved somewhere until I looked at everything else I had set aside.
Then I finally got back to it. And what the hell was I missing??!
BTW, taking time out from my reading of the newly-released Dead Waters to write this. Because sometimes people read my blogs for reviews. Yay Google.
Books in the series:
1) Dead to Me
2) Deader Still
3) Dead Matter
4) Dead Waters (released 2/22/2011)
Simon is a guy in his... vaguely early twenties who has psychometry. That is, he can read objects. Which is fine and dandy when you're a small-time thief, trying to find valuable items. Not so cool when you're in the midst of the rest of your life. Dating sucks when you touch something that belongs to the person and you see other people they've been with. It also sucks that when he uses his power, his blood sugar drops major into hypoglycemic episodes. I liked this touch, because it shows that using one's abilities does have repercussions.
Then Simon's life changes when he is hired by the Department of Extraordinary Affairs (DEA), a "non-existing" government department that handles the cases too paranormal for the normal. Zombie outbreaks, hauntings, curses, etc? Men in Black meets Ghostbusters meets Twilight Zone, with a little Buffy thrown in for taste. He's assigned to the Other Division--the division that gets all the cases that don't fall neatly into another division's. He also gets a partner, Connor Christos.
The DEA works within the government, complete with its own asshole liaison with the mayoral office. Meaning it gets all the bureaucratic red tape, and more recently, budget cuts and layoffs. You prevent a zombie apocalypse, and that's what you get. And all the paperwork. It's a very different take on the "supernatural government organization" type of thing that has its equals in a lot of urban fantasy.
Dead to Me (book 1) starts off with Simon and Connor investigating a strange haunting (right after Simon's dating life goes to hell. Again). They bust the ghost, but there's something off about it. That, and Connor gets skunked. Read Dead to Me to find out what that means. xD
Back at the Lovecraft Cafe, which is the cover for the DEA entrance, Simon accidentally spills Connor's coffee through the pretty girl sitting a little ways over. In which they realize she's dead. But she seems so... mentally there, alive. They get wrapped up into her investigation, maybe a bit because of Simon's crush on her? And from there they get swept up into trying to stop a bunch of cultists from... doing evil things. Can't say too much without giving up plot. And I do think plot should be hidden until the proper time.
The story takes place in New York City.
What happens when the supernatural crashes Fashion Week and New York Comic Con? Find out! :D
There's a cast of characters that recurs. The ones I CAN name without giving away plot are mostly DEA members: of course, Simon and Connor. Their boss, Inspectre Quimbley, who looks remarkably like a British walrus. Godfrey Candella, an archivist who probably gets more field time than he bargained for. Dave Davidson is the link between them and the Mayor's office, jerk. Allorah Daniels is an Enchancellor (like one of the big, big bosses) and vampire hunter extraordinaire. Thaddeus Wesker is the director of the Greater and Lesser Arcana, which is another DEA division, and while he's evil(?) and an asshole, and bane to Simon's existence (Wesker seems to enjoy being that, at least) some of us like him for it. Anton, if you ever read this, we need more Wesker back story. *thumbs up*
No, seriously, in Simon's world a lot of things are white and black, good and evil. Wesker paints himself a shade of gray. And I need more gray. (Favorite character, anyone?)
Mm... naming Simon's girlfriend will ruin part of book 1, naming the vampires may ruin bits of books 1 and 2... hell, naming the villains for each book kind of ruins stuff, too. >___>
Can't say much. I hope other readers can get the OMG! moments I had.
So if you're into urban fantasy and male protagonists, read the Simon Canderous series. Simon isn't nearly as broody as he'd like you to think. He cares, he's just a little naive in the dating department. And some parts of the supernatural. But he's getting there, slowly.
I'm going to get back to reading Dead Waters, now.