Sandman Slim

By Richard Kadrey

Supernatural fantasy has a new antihero in Sandman Slim, star of this gripping, gritty series by Richard Kadrey

Life sucks and then you die. Or, if you’re James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles.

Now Stark’s back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you’d expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future.

Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse.

Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is the breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Nov 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9780007465132

Richard Kadrey

Richard Kadrey is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sandman Slim supernatural noir books. Sandman Slim was included in Amazon’s “100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books to Read in a Lifetime,” and is in development as a feature film. Some of his other books include The Wrong Dead Guy, The Everything Box, Metrophage, and Butcher Bird. He also writes the Vertigo comic Lucifer.

Reviews for Sandman Slim

[krumbs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this while I was reading, but looking back I can't pinpoint why I really liked it. The story wasn't terribly original, the characters weren't all that likable, and the premise had a lot of plot holes. However, I did enjoy it and I'm going to read the next one. Go figure.

[stefferoo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Whoa, this was dark. And also fun. It's got that whole "I don't give a fuck" attitude emanating off of it in droves, and you know what? I actually kinda liked that.I've read more urban fantasy in the recent months than I have in years. I like the genre; I admit it's grown on me. But sometimes, I just need an urban fantasy fix that doesn't involve any messy paranormal romances with werewolves, vampires, or faeries, you know what I mean? Sandman Slim was the perfect break from that, with its gritty story about demons and fallen angels and a main character who, like in most urban fantasy books starring a male protagonist, is hilarious and always armed with a treasure trove of pop culture references and creative metaphors.Stark is also so angsty and full of rage that I'm actually kind of worried if I'd be able to take it if he remains this curmudgeon-y for the rest of the series. I am still picking up the next book though, no doubt about it.

[bookwormteri · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A damn good read. Stark (imagine a mix of John Constantine and Harry Dresden, and a total badass)comes back to the world after spending 11 years in Hell as a pit fighter and assassin. He has a little chip on his should regarding those that sent him there and killed his girl.Writing is excellent, dialogue is fantastic and snappy. I adored this book. Very dark, loved it!

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Anti-hero Stark, aka Sandman Slim, escapes Hell and comes back to Earth to exact revenge on the people that sent him there 11 years ago. There is lots of killing, drinking, blasphemy, and magic that is used in the hunt for Mason and his crew; and you cheer Stark on during every minute of it.Opening Sentence: I wake up on a pile of smoldering garbage and leaves in the old Hollywood Forever cemetery behind the Paramount Studio lot on Melrose, though these last details don’t come to me until later.The Review:There’s a new power in the town of Lost Angels, straight from Hell and out for revenge: James Stark aka Sandman Slim. A man with loose morals and dangerous moves, Stark is the bogeyman of the monsters. His purpose back on Earth is to make the people who sent him Downtown 11 years ago pay with their lives and he will use every weapon at his disposal. Armed with magic, both Sub Rosa and Hellion, and his near-indestructible body, Stark is about to open a can of whoop-a$$ that Los Angeles may or may not be able to withstand.Just like the villains in the show The Middleman, Stark’s purpose is elegant in its simplicity. He escaped for the sole purpose of dealing out revenge, not just from his lost 11 years spent Downtown but for the death of his old girlfriend, Alice. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to get it done. His time away has left him in a similar situation as ex-convicts; he must readjust to normal life. Of course, Stark’s world is a little bit more supernatural than the average ex-con’s, but the same principle applies. He must make money in order to eat and shelter himself while still funding his war. What kind of job can a guy get when the only thing he’s really good at is killing?Stark’s past is slowly revealed throughout the story. He is not the type of man to wallow in the past but his memories remain strong. They are the driving force that makes him the seemingly unstoppable man he is. All of the bad things that have happened to him do not break him down, but build him up even stronger than before, both metaphorically and physically. Each battle wound he receives gives him immunity from the same attack the next time. This also parallels his adaptability to extreme situations. I suppose that anyone that can not only survive in Hell, but thrive, has to have an indomitable will.Stark’s style is as unique as he is. As he describes himself in the book, he is “…steel-toed boots in a ballet-slipper world.” His character plows his way through everything without thought of subtlety, both with words and deeds. He cares not for others opinion; including Hellions, humans, and angels alike. Stark is the perfect anti-hero that has readers everywhere cheering him on.If you have not had the chance to start this series, I strongly urge you to do so. Sandman Slim is a must on any TBR list. Kadrey has opened the door into a dark new world that will leave you willing to sell your soul for the next installment.Notable Scene:“For eleven years, I’ve been worked over and abused in ways you can’t imagine by things you don’t want to know about. I’ve killed every kind of vile, black-souled, dead-eyed monster nightmare that ever made you piss your pj’s and cry for mommy in the middle of the night. I kill monsters and, if I wanted, I could say a word and burn you to powder from the inside out. I can tear any human you ever met to wet rags with my bare hands. Give me one reason why I could possibly need you?”She looks straight up at me, not blinking. No fear in her eyes.“Because, you might me the Tasmanian Devil and the Angel of Death all rolled into one, but you don’t even know how to get a phone.”I hate to admit it, but she had a point.Sandman Slim Series:1. Sandman Slim2. Kill the Dead3. Aloha from Hell3.5 Devil in the Dollhouse4. Devil Said BangFTC Advisory: HarperCollins graciously provided a copy of Sandman Slim. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

[clfisha · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

James Stark has just spent 11 years in Hell, double crossed by his old magic circle he is back and out for revenge. But it’s not going to be that simple, heaven wants him to do as he is told, his old friends want him dead and hell.. well hell might just want him back.Short review:Solid urban fantasy that deeply annoyed reviewer, because reviewer is too jaded.Long review:This is a solid urban fantasy set in a fun world of magic, Christian mythology with some cool monsters along the way. Various groups and bad guys add complexity and keep the action-packed plot fresh. You will be familiar with the characters: anti-hero PI, megalomaniac nemesis, bad ass uptight angel, wiser older friend etc.. but that's no bad thing. The plot is a bit uneven and needs some tightening up, a few parts seem sadly unexplored and characters disappear but it's a series and I can see promise. On the whole if you really enjoy the genre and want some fun you might enjoy it.However I am not one of these people and need to rant so... Ok admittedly I was expecting something edgier, something like a character out of a Richard Stark novel. I wanted a character that when they say he has been brutalised in hell, it actually shows that. I don't care if it ends with them cuddling kittens by the end I need to see it and just killing bad guys and being ambivalent towards heaven/hell means he got off lightly. So I am a bit miffed, but you know does he also have to be an idiot? He is no way funny enough to make it up for watching him wandering around feeling a bit violent and sulking whilst falling into things and getting lucky. I got fed up with the familiarity rather than embracing it and needed some meat rather than lightness.Also whilst I am picking holes can we just kick that misogyny habit into the long grass and move on? No? Perhaps just stretch to pass the Bechdel test? No? oh well at least don’t try to riff off Raymond Chandler lines. Oh. Not for me. I am the type of person who got bored pretty quickly by Jim Butcher's Dresden series. Give me Mike Careys' edgy Castor or The Price by Joseph Garraty any day. Still I feel better for writing this review, whether this is a recommendation, that’s up to you.

[earthwindwalker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my second go round for reading this book and I found things that I missed the first time around.This book is a titillating romp through the streets of Hell and LA. I loved this book and Kadrey is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I like the idea of a Hitman from Hell who does have a conscience despite how he tries to avoid it. The ideas of Heaven and Hell made me think and I found myself agreeing to a lot of what was said about them. I would recommend this for urban fantasy lovers and once you start reading the series, it becomes a like junkie craving a fix and you have to have more. I'm working on book two, Kill the Dead right now.5 stars for this visually stunning landscape that stays in your head long after the last page is turned and the book is put down.

[lexi2008 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of Sandman Slim from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Of course, by now I'm officially a Late Reviewer, as I think I was supposed to review this a couple of YEARS ago. But anyway!The book is about Stark, a magician whose friends banished him to Hell eleven years ago, then killed his girlfriend. He's returned from Hell to seek out and kill Mason, the leader of the magical group responsible for Alice's death. While in Hell, Stark perfected his killing abilities, returning to Earth stronger, faster, and more lethal than when he left. So killing Mason should be relatively easy...right?Wrong. A host of demons, angels, and anti-angels stand between Stark and his quarry. The book details Stark's attempts to seek out and kill Mason and how he overcomes the hurdles that stand in the way.The novel definitely falls into the urban fantasy category. I'm going to be sexist here and say it's a very MALE book. While reading, I kept thinking that the voice was similar to what would exist if Stephen King and Anthony Bourdain had a baby. Teenage boys would probably love this book, but I enjoyed it as well. If you're not into blood and gore, cursing, or anti-religious themes, this would not be the book for you. As none of those things particularly bother me, I didn't have any issues with the content. My copy was an Advance Readers' Edition and, as such, was riddled with typos. I hope those were corrected before the final edition was published. They were a bit distracting for me, but I'm a grammar stickler like that. The story, however, kept my interest fairly well.I'd give the book three and a half out of five Whatevers. If there were a sequel, and it feels like there might be, I'd probably check it out. I enjoyed the character of Stark, and I would like to get to know some of the secondary characters better (Doc Kinski, Candy, Allegra, Vidocq). Recommended for those with strong stomachs who enjoy hard-core urban fantasy.

[aleahmarie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've long considered myself to be a fan of urban fantasy. But I'm only now learning that there are actually two faces to the genre. You have the bohemian magical big city life (think de Lint's Newford series) and then you have the gritty, noir stuff. Sandman Slim clearly belongs in the latter. I wasn't sure what to make of this dark side of urban fantasy at first. So, quite rationally, I denied its existence for as long as possible. After finally sucking it up and reading a few of them I have to admit that this just might be my new guilty pleasure (literary-wise, at least).Wil Wheaton recommended that I give Sandman Slim a try. (I like to say it like that because it makes it sound like Wil and I are tight when, in actuality, I'm just one of the thousands who stalks him on the interwebs.) The Wheaton raved about the Sandman Slim series and I thought to give it a go. And, I must say, so far Mr. Wheaton is one for one when it comes to book recommendations. Good job, sir.The star of the story is Stark, a talented young magician who was very unfairly kidnapped by hellions. Stark survived eleven years in hell, serving as a tortured pet for Lucifer's top generals. Being mortal he shouldn't have made it a day "downtown," but it turns out that Stark is really tough to kill. He fights his way back to the surface to avenge the murder of his girlfriend. Only, as it turns out, revenge is never as simple as it should be. This story is fast-paced and full of dark humor. Be sure to read it if you like that sort of thing.

[candlemark · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An extremely fast, snappy book that's a great entry into the urban fantasy genre, particularly if you like your urban fantasy on the gritty, blood-soaked side, rather than the sexy-steamy side.There were, admittedly, a few parts where bits of plot and characterization felt tacked-on - honestly, the first half of the novel was seriously engrossing, as we learned about Stark and his time in Hell and escape from it, and about the physical changes he noticed both in Hell and upon leaving. Once the Kissi were introduced, and the name Sandman Slim started being bandied around, it felt like the author had changed gears...we'd gone from a gritty revenge tale to some sort of "avoid the end of the world with this new sort of dangerous creature" tale. Either could have worked well, given the great noir-ish tone and first-person narrative, but the combination of the two fell flat in the second half. Mostly, I think it could have benefited from more lead-up to the Kissi - rather than just tossing them out there - and from an explanation for where the "Sandman Slim" name came from, especially as it was mentioned several times that Stark himself didn't know anything about it. Perhaps that will be explained in the next book - that'd be nice.Another place where some more editing could've been handy was in the anachronisms. Having been stuck in Hell for 11 years, Stark is unfamiliar with mobile phones, and has a great, bewildered description of his first sight of a BlackBerry (like the deranged love-child of a phone and a tiny typewriter)...but he doesn't bat an eye when he's abducted by guys claiming to be from Homeland Security. Unless I miss my maths, Homeland Security was a glimmer in the government's eye in 2000, so wouldn't he have questioned what bureau they were from, rather than accepting this as normal? The insistence on referring to SUVs as "vans" in the same sentence as calling them SUVs or Escalades was also jarring.But these are minor quibbles. The plot is fast, fast, fast and the pacing is spot-on. The characters, even the ones introduced only fleetingly, are nuanced and memorable - how can you forget a guy who keeps a Fury in a bottle, or a witch who uses her powers to be a seemingly-12-year-old Gothic Lolita temptress? - and the world itself is engrossing. It's the seamy side of LA, with a dash of seriously potent black magic - a unique and engaging setting.Add to that Stark himself, our narrator, and his descriptions of his time in Hell, the creatures he battled, and the artefacts he's taken to help him on his quest for revenge, and you get one hell of a story. Nothing is described too much - just colourful hints here and there that add up to one hell of a fully realized world for our enjoyment. It's spot-on, and a lesson in how to create a fantasy world that's very, very much like ours, but fascinatingly and terrifyingly skewed to the magical. Definitely looking forward to the next book.

[agingcow2345 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The opening is to die for and the pace never slows up thereafter. The plot is pure comic book but the characters are wonderful and the author obviously knows the LA demimonde.

[jlparent · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dresden Files-esque urban fantasy; this is the first in a series. Sandman Slim survived 11 years in Hell's Arena and comes back to take revenge on the fellow magician who killed his love. He's got a temper, a penchant for ruining clothes, and pissing off both the Hellions and the Angels. I liked it enough that I will pick up the second and see how it goes...

[crazybatcow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is the same kind of story as the Dresden Files, though missing the light humor, so if you like Butcher's work, you'll probably like this one too. It's a bit cruder/gorier than Butcher's though. By same kind of story I mean that it has magic and fantastical creatures and/or abilities and is based on a 'special' guy returning alive from Hell to get even with the world. And the story flows exactly like you'd expect given this "plot". For me it's just too silly, and if I'm going to read a silly dark book, I'd like it to have a bit of humor in it - this doesn't have any, or if it does, it just wasn't funny. Of course, I didn't like Dresden Files either. I like books to have some realism and a point to the plot - a point other than shock value or to introduce another way to kill/maim someone.It's a fast read, but...

[frankerrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thanks to my friend Matt at Longhorn for suggesting that I read "Butcher Bird" by Richard Kadrey. If it wasn't for Matt I'd probably be ignorant of one of my favorite authors. Back from eleven years in hell, James Stark is looking to paypack those who put him there, but along the way he may just end up saving the world, not that it's really worth saving. I little bit of magic, a good bit of blood and a whole lot of fun. The sequel, "Kill the Dead" is already on my bookshelf, just waiting to be read.

[tadad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another entrant in the fantasy/thriller genre. The premise of this one is that the protagonist has just returned from 11 years spent in Hell. The only thing on his mind is a bit of vengeance against those who put him there. The main character isn't fully fleshed out by the time the book ends but, since this reads like the start of a series, I'm assuming that will come with time. It's reasonably fast-paced although there are a couple of "hey, let me stop and do a little world-building" moments that could have been handled more smoothly. All in all, a decent representation of this sub-genre. If you like the Harry Dresden or Repairman Jack books, this might appeal.

[eeio_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

entertaining very fast read. not bad. it reminds me of the comic book series Preacher of Texas. it's full of action and it's hard to put the book down once you start. i'm curious about the next in the series, perhaps the characters will be more fully developed and complex, or perhaps that's not what you ask from such a read.

[funkendub · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One-time cyberpunk Kadrey (Metrophage) has traded in his old religion and the metaphysics of the digital realm for a new and ancient one, the demonic folk tale. Sandman Slim is like a noir bunch of episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a smart-mouth, street-smart leading man in place of the buxom teen – non-sensical, unbelievable, and one helluva good time.James Stark, AKA Sandman Slim, the only human to survive Hell – much less live to tell the tale and eek out revenge for his tribulations – has come through the Darkness with special powers. He always was good at magic – not the hokey legerdemain that passes for entertainment among those with too much time on their hands – and that landed him with a bad crowd. Now he’s amped up with secrets from The Man (if man the devil be) himself. Ice-picked Trotsky’s friends were true-blue compared to Stark’s comrades. And power struggles among the demon-allied take on epic proportions.Like Gilgamesh or a hero from the Bhagavad Gita, Sandman Stark is out to settle an old score and achieve personal satisfaction. But his quest goes quantum when his prime adversary turns out to be shooting the moon in an attempt at world domination. This theme also gives rise to the novel’s folkloric structure, in as much as it’s one damn thing followed by another. Stark fucks up one nemesis only to be laid low by another — and so on, page turn for turn.Sandman Slim is a fun read, thick if not deep, and Kadrey, as ever, has a wicked tongue that aims to activate the social-sneer reflex among all good wise-guy and -gal hipsters. As a noir thriller of the dark arts, it’s a kick in the pants, but I wish Kadrey had paid more attention to his characters.The most fun relationship in the book is between Stark and Allegra, a hip and cute video store clerk. Stark needs her — he’s been in Hell for 15 years and doesn’t know, for instance, what a cell phone is. Allegra helps him out, instructing him in the finer things in life, and, in return, is dropped some three-quarters of the way through the book after being developed as a potential… something.Grad students will no doubt soon write dissertations arguing that this sort of forgetful sloppiness is, in fact, an aesthetic choice. And maybe it is, as the ragged plot arguably backs up the devil-may-care, slap-dash, self-deprecating attitude of James Stark the Sandman. He’s the one, after all, who says, I fucked up my life and now I’ve fucked up death. C’est la vie — et le mort.Originally published on Curled Up With a Good Book.

[jthierer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It started a little slow for me, but I tore through the last 200 or so pages as the various plot threads started to come together. The ending had some cliche elements to it, but Kadrey made them work for his story rather than against it with humor and limited emotional cheese.

[hanque_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This entertaining book takes place in Los Angles a unusual world filled with monsters and bizarre creatures. They come from earth, Hell, Heaven and elsewhere. All trying to take over control. One angle is a big shot in Home Land Security. Sandman Slim is a human who survived eleven years in Hell without first dying. He has been returned to Hell. He believes Satan sent him back to do something, but he doesn't know what it is but he's sure it involves killing someone or something. Meanwhile, he plans to get revenge on the magician who sent him to Hell.Definitely worth reading. Four out of five stars

[strawberrysheep · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really regret paying the ten dollars to get this book on my Kindle.It started off well enough; the protagonist and narrator, one James Stark, has spent the last few years banished to Hell, where he passed the time fighting the residents gladiator-style for the amusement of the higher-ups (hellions, fallen angels, etc). At the start of the book, he’s freshly escaped back to LA, and bent on getting revenge on the ones who murdered his girlfriend and sent him “downtown” to begin with.Unfortunately, it stagnates from there. Stark has the typical bad-boy, antihero attitude, but his actions don’t measure up. Even though he brings up the fact that he’s a super killing machine or whatever, he spends most of his time mouthing off like a rebellious teenager. The book just gets boring, which is ridiculous, because from its premise, this book should be one adrenaline-packed gore-fest, a la God of War. Instead, it’s got this anemic climax, and the author pulls a reveal that just feels cheap and contrived at the very end.Give this one a pass. Read Dresden instead.

[blakefraina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a complete hoot. Sandman Slim is a riotous [and blasphemous] romp that compares favourably to the satirical novels of Christopher Moore. With a shot of Mickey Spillane thrown in for good measure. It's the story of James Stark, a descendant of Wild Bill Hickock and a practitioner of the dark arts, who returns to his home in modern day Los Angeles after spending eleven long years exiled, but still alive, in Hell. He was sent there by a circle of fellow magicians who were threatened by his superior powers. During his time in the underworld, Stark served as a gladiator in brutal death matches staged by Satan's generals and now he's thirsty for vengeance. During his search through L.A.'s underbelly for the leader of the Circle, he runs across an array of weird and wacky characters - both mortal and supernatural. A centuries old Frenchman who can't die, a sexy vampire nurse, bloodthirsty dark angels and a [literal] talking head are among Stark's rogues gallery of friends, frenemies and foes. The storyline almost seems lifted from the new breed of graphic novel or some dark urban fantasy film. Stark is very much the hard-boiled private dick who operates in a mysterious netherworld hidden in plain sight amongst L.A.'s seediest denizens. For the most part it moves along briskly, propelled by the sharp, slangy dialogue uttered by the quirky cast. However, somewhere past the mid-point the proceedings become a bit bogged down, for my taste anyway, with a focus on all the minutiae so typical in speculative fiction. Too many different breeds of mythical beings, monsters and elaborate weaponry. I don't particularly enjoy reading novels that require a glossary to aid my comprehension (probably why I've never read Dune), although for some, this sort of detail adds to the "world building" and is a chief pleasure of fantasy fiction. But that aside, this book was a pleasure to read. Hilarious and nail-biting by turns, it successfully cross-pollinates several different genres and could really appeal to a wide variety of readers - fans of graphic novels, potboilers, dark satirical fantasy, horror - there really is something for everyone. And as for the irreverence? I think only the most hardcore fundementalists could possibly be offended by anything here. You know what they say...to heck with 'em if they can't take a joke. Or something like that.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. But then I am a big fan of your classic down and dirty comics. I think if you like dark graphic novels you will dig this book.Sandman Slim (or Jimmy if you want to piss him off) has just escaped from Hell. He is here to revenge his girlfriend and will stop at nothing to get the guys that did her in. And, hey, if he gets stuck in a plot to stop world destruction on the way to his main goal who's to say that he actually meant to save the world?Sandman Slim is your typical down and dirty anti-hero. He does good deeds because he is stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. He has no intention of being a hero. He has a dark biting sense of wit, and this shows through in the number of over-the-top biting analogies he makes or phrases he tosses out. Almost every line he speaks sounds like it's jumping out of a comic book; so if you don't like this type of writing I would skip this book. I felt like I was wandering the dark streets of a dirtier Gotham City for parts of the book; at other times I was sure I had fallen into Simon Green's Nightside books (Something from the Nightside (Nightside, Book 1)).I enjoyed this book immensely. The dry, dark sense of humor had me chuckling a number of times. Slim's gun-toting attitude was amusing as was his serial stealing of hot cars. Oh, yeah, and Slim is a super cool magician too, so don't forget that.Slim was one of those characters that keeps getting beat to a pulp and then gets up and dusts himself off for some more; reminded me in some ways of both John Taylor (Something from the Nightside (Nightside, Book 1)) and Harry Dresden (Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)). All of the characters in this book were quick and dirty types (a lot of over the top quotes thrown around like in the Nightside series). I particularly liked the Jade and the Doctor, as well as Slim's close alchemist friend.This book was quick paced, action packed, and didn't pull any punches when it came to the gore involved. If you don't like to get down and dirty then don't read this book. Surprisingly there really wasn't any explicit sex, just violence galore.The book wrapped up nicely, but there could be more books in the future featuring Sandman Slim and I certainly hope that there are.I would recommend this book if you liked: Something from the Nightside (Nightside, Book 1), Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1), The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes, or dark graphic novels (Batman, Sin City, etc.).

[kmaziarz_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

James Stark is royally ticked off…and with good reason. Eleven years ago, the other magicians he worked with pulled a fast one on him, sending him—still alive—straight to Hell. Literally. For the past eleven years, the only living human ever to go to Hell has been working as a sometime gladiator for the amusement of the demons, as well as a highly skilled assassin. But now he’s killed his boss, the fallen angel Azazel, and found his way back to Earth…and he’s ready for vengeance. He’s walking the streets of L.A., trying simultaneously to catch up on the 11 years he’s missed (what do you mean, there’s no smoking in bars anymore?) and to find and kill the six magicians who put him away. His main target, Mason Faim, is a black magician who not only masterminded the plan to send Stark to Hell, he killed Stark’s girlfriend Alice. And now, Mason has made a deal with some strange, twisted angels and neither Lucifer’s troops nor the archangels of the Golden Vigil have been able to take Mason and his allies down. But Stark means to succeed where they failed, even though it will likely mean being sent back to Hell, only this time, he’ll be as dead as all the rest of the tormented souls.In the sea of cookie-cutter paranormal fiction being published today, “Sandman Slim” is a real stand-out. Sly humor, a realistically flawed protagonist with realistically conflicted motivations, and a unique frame story set it apart from the rest. Highly recommended.

[manybooks_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is well written fun. When I start organizing my book shelf by similarity this one will go right between Simon Green's 'Nightside' series and Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files'. I look forward to the books that will follow (the set up is way to obvious).Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

[alexann_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My final verdict is that this was a great read! When we meet "Sandman Slim" AKA James Stark, he has just returned to LA after having spent eleven years in Hell, where he had been a gladiator for the entertainment of the Hellions. There he learned combat, and his body developed incredible healing powers. Back in LA he's nonplussed by some of the changes. No smoking in bars? Cell phones? But he sets out to avenge the death of his sweetheart Alice, who had been killed by Stark's Circle of Magic, supposedly friends who were also magicians, but turned out not to be so friendly. Along the way there are angels, fallen angels, CIA guys in love with angels, and the Sub Rosa (people who look just like you and me, but are magicians with varying levels of power.)While not fine literature, the writing is lively, fun and always engaging. Characters are well-developed, and Stark spends a fair amount of time thinking about right and wrong, and whose side he is really on (Heaven or the Underworld?). The secondary characters are well-fleshed out (hahaha!) (even the talking head!) and add a lot of depth to the story. Okay--it's really violent, but somehow in a rather cartoonish way. Perhaps I'm becoming innured to violence because of other titles I've read recently, but in spite of the flying body parts and decapitations, it didn't strike me as being grossly graphic. Also, of course, the language is about what you would expect from a ruffian magician who's spent eleven years in Hell! The plot is a little convoluted and it's easy to get characters confused (the good guys and bad guys are strangely similar in their modus operandi). Stark's habit of stepping into a shadow and coming out someplace else can also be a bit disconcerting.

[afreund_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a truely twisted dark work of fantasy. Stark comes across as a complete hardass, but isn't completely unsympathetic, I mean, I'd want to see some heads roll if I were sent down to Hell, alive. This book stays with you long after you finished reading. I can't wait for his next book.

[bookmason_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good dark fun, not to all religious or political tastes but why should it be. Dark modern fantasy, no good guys in Heaven or Hell.Not a perfect book, but the set up is good and the world building works. Look forward to next book in the series.

[terryweyna · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

James Stark is the only man who has ever gone to Hell while still alive, and escaped to tell the tale. He’s back on Earth to hunt down those who sent him to Hell and kill them. Because he’s picked up a few immunities to injury during his time Down Below, where he was essentially a gladiator, he thinks that might not be too difficult a job. In fact, he takes five bullets straight to the chest in his first few hours back here, and they don’t do anything but pose a threat of eventual lead poisoning if he doesn’t get them removed.Sandman Slim: A Novel is urban fantasy/horror with a kick to the head. Stark is the kind of anti-hero who becomes a hero the longer you read about him – he makes an effort not to kill anyone who doesn’t deserve it, and is even sorry that he decapitated one of his enemies and kept the guy’s head alive to be captured by another one of his enemies. Stark tells his story in a first person narrative that never slows down, not even when he sleeps. From sending the bad guys scampering from a bar they were blackmailing to taking an angel’s sword straight to the gut, Stark is a tough guy Dashiell Hammett would recognize, if Hammett wrote about the supernatural.Richard Kadrey, who also wrote Butcher Bird: A Novel Of The Dominion, another adrenaline-fueled novel of demons, builds his alternate Los Angeles with great care. There are marvelous throw-away lines that tell you exactly what kind of world you’re in; for instance: “Yes, there are vampires. Try to keep up.” He describes his supernatural weapons with care: “My favorite weapon, a na’at, was on the ground. A na’at is sort of like a spear, but it morphs and changes into a lot more than a spear if you know how to use it right. Like everything else down there, the name is a Hellion joke. They call a na’at a ‘thorn’ because its full name, na’atzutz, is the kind of bush they used to make Christ’s crown of thorns.” (Hellions, naturally, are denizens of Hell.) His hierarchy of good guys and bad guys is a bit different from what we’ve been taught in Sunday school; angels don’t seem to be especially good, and God is apparently absent after having screwed up a few bits of creation. Humans, in fact, are nothing but accidents that God got fleetingly interested in before being distracted by something else.One thing everyone in Kadrey’s universe seems able to agree on is that Kissi, a third kind of being after angels and humans, are bad stuff that we don’t want. But human magicians seem to be unable to stay away from them, especially Stark’s enemies, who think they see a way to use them without themselves being used. They’re wrong.Sandman Slim: A Novel throws a new idea at the reader with almost every page in an orgy of weirdness. I like that in a novel, even if it is almost exhausting to read. It would have taken fewer pages to serve the plot, and the book might have benefited by judicious editing, but that couldn’t happen without losing an idea or two or a dozen; it must have been quite a dilemma for those who worked with Kadrey to bring this book to fruition. One thing that must have gotten lost in editing, though, is how and why Stark is called Sandman Slim. That seems to just start happening at one point, and the book doesn’t explain where the nickname came from or what it means. But that’s such a minor point when the novel is moving forward to 90 miles per hour that one hopes only to find out in the next novel set in this universe – because surely there will be others. At least, I hope so.

[cwallen_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Definitely a page turner, fast paced with a lot of graphic action. The main character has just escaped from Hell and is out for revenge, yet it feels like he just stumbles from one situation to the next. He is way overpowered and it never feel as if he is in any real danger. The wold-building and action is great and it sucks you in enough that it's flaws are not things you notice till after you put the book down.

[sweetamber_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was one hell of a 388 paged roller coaster ride. After reading the very first sentence, I was already hooked. Could not put the novel down and finished it in a day and a half. This was a modern spaghetti western noir pulp fantasy filled with zingers, twisty 360 turns and dark humor.Fast paced action that hardly lets you have a breather with an intriguing plot, all mixed with phenomenal fun characters makes this a novel I plan to recommend for a long, long time.I seriously hope this isn't the last time we see Sandman Slim, and that this was just the start of a long ride together.

[alexia561 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It may have been the cover or it may have been the description of the main character Stark, but while reading this book I felt a little film noir vibe going on. Was a nice touch and gave the story some flavor.Stark was a cocky young magician who was betrayed and sent to hell by jealous fellow magicians. After managing to survive eleven long years, first as a sideshow attraction and then as a hitman, he manages to escape and returns to LA with revenge on his mind. After surviving the demons of hell, LA should be a cakewalk.He wants revenge not just for sending him to hell, but also for the murder of his girlfriend. With a little help from new friends and old, Stark tracks down his old magician "friends" and gets to work. But no matter how much of a bad guy he believes he is, Stark can't seem to help doing a good deed every now and then. He's one of those heroes who does the right thing for maybe the wrong reasons, but still saves the day.Read this book in one day, which is unbelievably fast for me. But it was so good that I couldn't wait to see what happened next! It's got dark humor, which I love, and is a little gritty. Be warned that Stark doesn't think much of angels or demons and lets them know it, so if you're easily offended, then this book isn't for you. Would love to see this turned into a series, as I'd like to see Stark again. Gave this book 4 stars as it was well written, fast paced, and darkly humorous.