Twice as Dead
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Average rating3
Twice As Dead is a riveting journey into a world where the supernatural and the human realm intersect in shadowy corners. Our protagonist, a hard-boiled detective, is drawn into a maze of mystery and danger, where every step could be his last. Tasked with a seemingly ordinary case by a woman shrouded in enigma, he finds himself delving into a world where nothing is as it seems. In this dark urban landscape, the line between the living and the dead blurs. Our detective navigates through a city that breathes secrets, facing threats both human and otherworldly. The further he investigates, the more he realizes that this case is unlike any he's encountered before, challenging his skills and sanity in equal measure. As the story unfolds, the detective confronts not only external dangers but also battles his own internal demons. This noir fantasy expertly weaves a tale of suspense, intrigue, and the supernatural, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative is a tightrope walk between the real and the unreal, the rational and the inexplicable. Twice As Dead offers a unique blend of classic detective fiction and dark fantasy elements. It's a book that promises to take you on a thrilling ride through a world where the mysteries of the living intertwine with the whispers of the dead. For those who love a story that combines gritty realism with the allure of the supernatural, this novel is an unputdownable adventure.
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3 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
In an alternate post-world war Los Angeles full of vampires, zombies, and wizards, Jack Mitchell is a private investigator with a smart-mouthed cat and more debts than clients. Until Dora Urban, a glamorous vampire, hires him to find her half-brother, and Mitchell finds himself tangling with powers well beyond his scope.
Review
I encountered Harry Turtledove's writing decades ago, via the Krispos of Videssos books. I enjoyed those, but realized that most of his writing was too alternate-history for me. I've dipped into a few of his other books with mixed results. But when I saw this fantasy noir offering, I thought I'd give it a try.
I guess what I can say is that the alternate history element is strong and well developed. References to real history are simple enough to figure out – fylfot (swastika) supporters, etc. I'm not normally a fan of vampires and zombies, but those elements work fine. Unfortunately, it's the detective noir piece that fails. I just didn't buy Turtledove's voice on this front. It's as if he's trying to amalgamate noir tropes and standards by imitation rather than organically; it all feels like a clumsy copy.
Beneath the awkward voice and jokes that mostly don't land, there's a pretty good story. It's not groundbreaking, but it fits its territory – poor but capable detective, femme fatale (more literally than usual), etc. There's even a sarcastic cat.
This was an ARC, and seemingly less polished than most. Almost no typos, but there's a lengthy piece of description (of a zombie) that's repeated verbatim once, and paraphrased again. There's pretty hefty continuity error regarding a lawyer. Hopefully these issues will be cleared up before publication, but that's in ten days, so I doubt it.
All in all, a decent book and start to a series, but more for Turtledove and alternate history fans than noir aficionados.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
