#72 The Manual of Detection by Jedidiah Berry
Charles Unwin works as a clerk in a large detective agency. One day, he finds himself promoted to the level of detective, only 
Unwin was pretty happy just being a clerk. As Unwin tries to straighten out his new life, more mysteries pop up. Where is Sivart, the detective that Unwin served as a clerk for? Who is the mysterious woman who has taken over his old job? Why has Sivart's old supervisor been murdered? And what information lies in chapter eighteen of his guidebook, The Manual of Detection?
The Manual of Detection is a genre bending novel that tells a hard boiled detective story with plenty of fantasy elements. It also didn't quite work for me. I'm not saying that the book was poorly written, or that the setting wasn't original and fascinating. The issue here mostly boils down to taste. Whereas I really enjoy fantasy novels, I am significantly pickier about mysteries, usually sticking to a couple authors I enjoy. With The Manual of Detection, I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and the problem with doing that is you sometimes don't like where you end up.
First off, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the protagonist, Unwin. I understood that he was a clerk, and wanted to go back to being a clerk, but beyond that I never really understood him. I wasn't that fond of the secondary cast of characters either, with the exception of Unwin's overeager narcoleptic assistant. When it came to the story, which actually covered topics that I have interest in (such as dreams), I found it often didn't keep my attention very well. There were some moments I did take to, such as a scene where Unwin is roped into a poker game where the players wager secrets, but most of it I found dull. I did enjoy the setting, a mysterious unnamed city where it's possible for a criminal to steal a day off the calendar, as well as the concept of the agency itself, with it's many segregated levels of employees. I listened to The Manual of Detection
The Manual of Detection didn't quite work for me, I suspect there will be others that will feel differently about this melding of fantasy and noir. I probably won't be reading any other novels by Jedidiah Berry.
Rating: three stars
Length: the print versoin is 320 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library- Overdrive Media console
Other books I've read by this author: this is my first
Next I will be reviewing Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress and Little Brother by Cory Doctorow.
Xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish and goodreads
Unwin was pretty happy just being a clerk. As Unwin tries to straighten out his new life, more mysteries pop up. Where is Sivart, the detective that Unwin served as a clerk for? Who is the mysterious woman who has taken over his old job? Why has Sivart's old supervisor been murdered? And what information lies in chapter eighteen of his guidebook, The Manual of Detection?
The Manual of Detection is a genre bending novel that tells a hard boiled detective story with plenty of fantasy elements. It also didn't quite work for me. I'm not saying that the book was poorly written, or that the setting wasn't original and fascinating. The issue here mostly boils down to taste. Whereas I really enjoy fantasy novels, I am significantly pickier about mysteries, usually sticking to a couple authors I enjoy. With The Manual of Detection, I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and the problem with doing that is you sometimes don't like where you end up.
First off, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the protagonist, Unwin. I understood that he was a clerk, and wanted to go back to being a clerk, but beyond that I never really understood him. I wasn't that fond of the secondary cast of characters either, with the exception of Unwin's overeager narcoleptic assistant. When it came to the story, which actually covered topics that I have interest in (such as dreams), I found it often didn't keep my attention very well. There were some moments I did take to, such as a scene where Unwin is roped into a poker game where the players wager secrets, but most of it I found dull. I did enjoy the setting, a mysterious unnamed city where it's possible for a criminal to steal a day off the calendar, as well as the concept of the agency itself, with it's many segregated levels of employees. I listened to The Manual of Detection
The Manual of Detection didn't quite work for me, I suspect there will be others that will feel differently about this melding of fantasy and noir. I probably won't be reading any other novels by Jedidiah Berry.
Rating: three stars
Length: the print versoin is 320 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library- Overdrive Media console
Other books I've read by this author: this is my first
Next I will be reviewing Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress and Little Brother by Cory Doctorow.
Xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish and goodreads