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The Unnatural Inquirer (Nightside, Book 8) By Simon R. Green ( Ace Hardcover )
Release Date: 2008-01-02
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List Price: $21.95
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Product Description
Welcome to the Nightside, that secret square mile located in the dark heart of London where the sun never rises and people can fraternize with every myth and monster imaginable.
John Taylor is a P.I. with the special ability to locate anyone or anything. The Unnatural Inquirer, the Nightside's most notorious gossip rag, has offered him a million pounds to find a DVD purportedto contain an actual recording of the afterlife. John doesn't know if it's true, but someone-or something-thinks so, and will stop at nothing to possess the disc.
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Take a walk in the Nightside...and beyond... ( twilight1 )
John Taylor is a private investigator working in the Nighstide, the seedy underbelly of London where anything, absolutely anything, is possible. Taylor has seen and done it all: defeated a house that ate people; gone up against vampires and werewolves; fought a war against the angels (who aren't as friendly as you might think); even defeated his mother, Lilith, Adam's first wife, in a war that almost destroyed the Nightside. Now, Taylor has another case: Find Pen Donavon, a hapless human who happened to record something on his television set...something he believes offers proof of the Afterlife. When Donavon goes missing, Taylor is called in by the Nightside's gossip rag, "The Unnatural Inquirer," to find him. Only thing is...someone--or something--else is looking for Donavon too, something powerful enough to keep Taylor from using his special abilities. Something that may have the power to snap humanity out of existence with a mere thought. ....And that's just the beginning.
Simon R. Green's "Nightside" series is original and fun; "The Unnatural Inquirer" isn't, perhaps, the series' strongest entry, but it's still good fun. Green's unique combination of hard-boiled detective fiction, fantasy, and horror is a universe all it's own--one with hard, fast-paced narration, plenty of humor and action, and a true hero to root for. Taylor isn't a saint; but damned if he isn't always the man for the job. True, the "Nightside" series often suffers from poorly-edited grammar and much repetition; however, such qualities actually ADD to the entertainment, lending the novels an air of 1940's mystique. If you haven't taken a trip through the Nightside, this probably isn't the best place to start (it references almost all of the previous books, and they are so filled with details that even someone who's read them all can have trouble keeping things straight). However, you SHOULD go and beginning reading "Something From the Nightside" right away, and catch up quickly. For long-time fans...it's more of what you want. Green knows how to deliver the entertainment, in spades.
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 great book for great price
Another great addition to the Nightside series. Nothing like a dealing with a gossip magazine for the unnatural Nightside. Another fun and wild ride John Taylor.
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Nice story in series...
I've been waiting for the next entry in the series and was not disappointed with this story. It had the same feel as earlier books in the series and nice touches here and there to keep my interest going. I would have liked a better ending, but considering John and Suzie and their own "monster" status, it was in line with their fate. By the way, I did try the drink mentioned in one part of the story called a "Red Devil" and it is the one of the best mixed drinks ever....enjoy! ;)
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Recording from the Afterlife ( awjordin )
The Unnatural Inquirer (2008) is the eighth fantasy novel in the Nightside series, following Hell to Pay. In the previous volume, John Taylor changed the contract in regard to Jeremiah Griffin's children and they were set free. Melissa broke out of the pentacle and helped herd the children from the cellar. But Jeremiah was left to fulfill the contract.
In this novel, Taylor has just finished a case for the H. P. Lovecraft Memorial Library in which a book was reading the patrons. Outside the entrance, Walker and Suzie Shooter are waiting for him. Walker has hired Suzie to find Max Maxwell, but the man has disappeared beyond her kenning.
Maxwell has found the Aquarius Key and used it to force the Voudon gods to possess his minions. The loa are very irritated and have turned the tables on Maxwell. Now he is hiding from a herd of possessed bounty hunters. Naturally, Taylor soon finds Maxwell and gives him to Walker for incarceration in the Shadow Deep.
Then Cathy calls from the office and tells Taylor that the Unnatural Inquirer wants to hire him for a large amount of money. Naturally the gossip sheet wouldn't tell his secretary about the case, but did give Cathy a place where he will be met by a runner who will guide him to their office.
The Unnatural Inquirer has a larger circulation than the Night Times, but also has more enemies. So many people have tried to attack their offices that they brag about the futility of such attempts. Their main offices are located within a pocket dimension.
Taylor is met by Harry Fabulous and keyed into the Reception office. As soon as they arrive, every alarm in the place goes off. Taylor apparently has every indication of armed and dangerous. After Harry explains that Taylor is there by invitation, Security desensitizes the system to ignore him.
After a long wait, Taylor is taken to the office of Scoop Malloy, the Sub-Editor. Scoop introduces him to Bettie Divine, the daughter of a Rolling Stone and a succubus groupie. They will be working together on the case. Of course, Taylor vehemently disagrees to the partnership, but the paper offers a lot more money.
Scoop explains that Pen Donavon -- a low level curiosity dealer -- has offered the paper a DVD with a broadcast from a supernatural source. The paper eventually offered him a contract and he was on his way to the offices when he disappeared. None other than Donavon has seen the contents of the DVD, but the Inquirer is ready to buy it for the sheer publicity value.
In this story, Taylor finds Bettie remarkably easy to get along with, even if she is cheerful to the point of bubbliness. Her clothes change over time to keep her attractive regardless of the ambiance. She thinks he is a celebrity and his conversation reinforces this idea. He mentions -- and meets -- people about whom Bettie has only written stories.
Taylor first tries to find the DVD with his third -- private -- eye, but someone -- or something -- powerful clamps down on his senses. He quickly closes off the third eye, but still feels the effects. So Taylor tries the old fashioned way.
He starts at Donavon's store and living quarters. The store is full of Timeslip junk suitable for tourists and his quarters are so messy that it is impossible to tell whether they have been searched. Taylor does get to see the television upon which the signal was received and the DVD was made, but finds nothing of any use.
Then he goes to the Street of the Gods to get the latest gossip. He finds that his information is better than their rumors, but the gods and priests start getting ideas from his news. Taylor and Bettie leave just as the riot starts.
Next, Taylor tries getting information from the Collector, but the man has relocated after his moon facility was leaked to the press. Taylor finds his current location from Walker. After some strenuous efforts, Taylor gets into the new quarters, but the Collector doesn't know where the DVD can be found.
Then Taylor tries the Cardinal, a collector of religious artifacts. Taylor gets into the place by threatening to tell the Collector where the Cardinal is residing. But the Cardinal knows nothing either.
Taylor is running out of ideas when his phone rings. Alex tells him that Pen Donavon in sitting in the Strangefellows bar asking about him. Taylor uses his membership card to transit to the bar.
This tale stirs the Nightside into a religious and financial frenzy. Everybody who is anybody is looking for the DVD. The rumors of its contents are growing by the minute. Does it herald the second coming?
The story shows Taylor in his usual mix of bluff and tricks when faced by overwhelming odds. Bettie is aghast at his termination of thirteen combat sorcerers who are trying to kill Taylor and herself. Her image of a knight in gleaming armor is beginning to fray around the edges. Enjoy!
Highly recommended for Green fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of strange powers, hellish deals, and unrequited love.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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 The characters seem a bit bored and tired to me... ( karissa35 )
This is the 8th book in the Nightside series by Simon Green. It followed much in the pattern of the last book. Which is to say, it was okay.
In this book someone has promised the Unnatural Inquirer (a Nightside tabloid) exclusive rights to a DVD recording from the Afterlife. The Unnatural Inquirer hires John Taylor to find it when it goes missing. They send Betty Divine along with him to document his findings along the way.
This book was just okay. The series seems to have lost some of it's interest and urgency with the completion of the over-arcing story in "Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth". I am still confused why the series didn't end with that book. The only thing that is left mysteriously unanswered is where Walker's power is coming from now that the Authorities are dead.
This seemed like another transition book. Really I would only think you'd need one of those to wrap up the first main story. Somehow all the characters in this book seem tired and bored. Betty Divine was a pitiful sidekick. She was clingy and unhelpful and painfully uninteresting. Many of the quips that were so amusing up to this point are starting to seem overused. The creativity that amuses me so much was there, but not to the degree it normally is.
Overall this book was a quick, well-written, and fun read...but it was also a bit disappointing as we wait for something big and interesting to start happening again. Hopefully the next book will be better.
karissabooks.blogspot.com
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