2) Agents of Light and Darkness
John Taylor is back in Darkside - this time he is commissioned by a priest named Jude to finding the unholy grail, not for the cup that Jesus drank from, but the other cup, the Judas Cup, which provides both ultimate power and ultimate corruption. If it was just John Taylor and an ugly silver cup this would be a piece of cake for John - find it and return it to the Vatican, who will hide it from all the powers, human and otherwise. But no such luck - everyone is after it. Demons, gangsters, and angels - thousands of them, good and bad, all prepared to end the universe to gain the cup. Knowing he is out of his depth, Taylor brings Shotgun Suzie on board, and together they challenge Armageddon.
It is funny as angels from both heaven and hell are after the cup and both are determined to torture, kill and destroy anyone who gets in the way. These angels appear as ordinary gray suited bankers or accountants until they burst into flames turning those who look into a pilar of salt. Except if you are holding the Speaking Gun, in the beginning God created things by calling their name, which can destroy things by Speaking their name. It will also kill angels. Go figure? Of course Taylor gets his hand on it from the nazis.
Green's books are not long but he manages to crame a huge amount of horrible images in it. I skim through those parts as I usually like the beginning and the ending makes me want to read more about Taylor. I know this is a pretty big series so will try another one out.
1) Something from the Nightside
John Taylor is a detective in London, but what he really is an expert on finding lost things. It's part of the gift he was born with as a child of the Nightside. He left almost 5 years ago, to escape the murder and mayhem. But since business has been slow lately, he accepts a case from Joanna Barrett, to find her runaway teenage daughter. With his gift he is able to determine she is in Nightside. A square mile of Hell in the middle of the city, where it's always three AM. Where you can walk beside myths and drink with monsters. Where nothing is what it seems and everything is possible. Taylor swore he'd never return. But who else can rescue her daughter and there's something about this woman depending on him. So he's going back home.
This is a kind of blah look at a supernatural underground life in London. But while the main character gives great descriptions of how terrible everything is I never really felt like I got a feel for it. Most everyone is kind of one dimensionial and no real substance. Everyone seems to want to kill Taylor but no real reason why except they don't like him. I will try another one to see if there is more to this series that what this first book gives me.
3) Nightingale's Lament
4) Hex and the City
5) Paths Not Taken
6) Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth
7) And Follow Darkness Like a Dream