Teaser: John Taylor is back in Nightside and doesn't appear to be returning to the normal world any time soon. He has taken a new job that pays as well as it is dangerous. A mysterious priest has hired him to locate and retrieve the Unholy Grail (the cup from which Judas drank). The task proves to be quite difficult and attracts some of John's most powerful enemies. Angels and Demons, anyone?
Short Thought: Off the wall detective adventure that is as twisted as it is fun.
Expanded Thoughts: What can I say? This book is corny in the darkest, most entertaining way possible. It is just plain fun and shouldn't be taken too seriously. I won't lie; I wasn't too fond of the first book. I thought it was too predictable and cheesy in a bad way. This one was much better, and borders on masterful.
There are many things about it I absolutely love. First, the settings and characters are out of this world. It is like what the world would look like if Quentin Tarantino and a posse of evil clowns took over. I can't even fathom how someone comes up with stuff like this. I thought it was pretty crazy in the first novel. The author takes it a step further in this one.
Second, I love the throwback to old gumshoe stories and film noir. I think it has a brilliant amount of cheesiness added (just like in the old movies) and takes it to the darkside. I could almost picture a movie scene with John Taylor sitting at a desk with a ceiling fan in the foreground. (And oh don't forget the trickling piano music with a hint of muted trumpets.) I feel that it was too forced in the first novel, but it was very balanced in this one.
Lastly, the actual plot surrounding the Unholy Grail retrieval was great on its own. It had twists, turn, and obstacles that built throughout the short novel. All the extra stuff just helped to bring different tones and colors to it.
I only have a few gripes. First, some of the lines are annoyingly repetitive. (...this is the nightside. ...Suzy likes to shoot people. ....people fear John Taylor. ....Alex has a poor disposition.) I just want to scream, I KNOW!, sometimes. Second, what happened to the real world? I don't think that it was ever explained. John had hidden from Nightside for years in the 'real world.' Did he just not return?
In closing, if you want a short and fun novel that appeals to your dark side, you should really check out this series. I believe Agents of Light and Darkness is just a taste of the dark and twisted fun to come.
Additional Notes: This is the 2nd book in the Nightside Series by Simon R. Green.
Additional Notes: This book contains scenes of a dark and violent nature.
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