“An addictively satisfying, deeply amusing, dirty-ass masterpiece.”—William Gibson
“A sharp-edged urban fantasy, drenched in blood and cynicism, tipping its hat to Sam Peckinpah, Raymond Chandler, and the anti-heroes of Hong Kong cinema….A bravura performance.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“I couldn’t put it down.”—Charlaine Harris
Sandman Slim has arrived—a wild and weird, edge-of-your-seat … has arrived—a wild and weird, edge-of-your-seat supernatural roller-coaster rider that propels author Richard Kadrey to the forefront of the fantasy, thriller, and a host of other literary genres. This spellbinding, utterly remarkable tale of a vengeful magician/hitman’s return from hell is part H.P. Lovecraft, part Christopher Moore, part Jim Butcher, and totally, unabashedly dark, twisted, and hilarious.
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What’s your favorite pulpy fantasy read? You know, the kind of fantasy that’s a little bit of brain popcorn with roaring action, tough-guy characters, and that doesn’t take itself *too* seriously?
For me, it’s got to be Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim books: it opens with our protagonist antihero crawling out of Hell to seek revenge and gets …
Dark, dark, dark – and yet surprisingly funny and twisty, with a more than occasional nod at true love. Kadrey’s world is full of vengeance and more than a little bloodthirsty. For all that, his anti-hero James Stark (aka Sandman Slim) is full of his own brand of honor and decency and his travails through the world (and out of Hell) to avenge his …
“A hitman who escapes from hell.” The premise alone should have been enough for me to skip this book entirely. I mean the premise sounds ridiculous and trite. I was wrong. This book was wholly entertaining and extremely well written. The characters are believalbe and the plot unravels in a fashion that keeps the reader interested and …
This is one of my favorite full throttle action stories and it comes with plenty of supernatural fun. The main character gets tricked into going to Hell but comes back with a vengeance. This is the first book in a series that just getting better with each book. Must read for the Urban Fantasy fan.
There is humour in a twisted way. In the process of reading the second one.
Always wanted to read this. Finally did. Story was very good and I didn’t find the protagonist that unlikeable. Enjoyed and will read more of Sandman Slim series.
Wasn’t sure if I would like this book. Loved it!
Dark, gritty, and fun
James Stark escapes from Hell to avenge the death of his girlfriend. Things have changed in the last 11 years he’s been away. The killers of his girlfriend know he is back and aren’t going down without a fight. Powerful beings also have an interest in this conflict and add to the chaos in this non-stop thrill ride.
There is …
I avoided this book like the plague for the longest time and have no idea why. The adventures of James Stark, the titular Sandman Slim, part angel, former Devil, gladiator and hellish assassin is a phenomenal series for any fan of Urban Fantasy or just the myth of Los Angeles in general. At this point, it’s getting a little long in the tooth, but …
Think hard-boiled urban fantasy, a little like the Dresden Files but grittier.
I feel like I have been wanting to read this book forever. I bought the ebook more than eight years ago and added the audiobook to my collection nearly six years ago. I am not really sure why it took me so long to finally get started with the series but I am happy to report that this book is really as good as I had hoped it would be. I am so …
The more I think about this book, the more I like it. I definitely recommend it, though it can be a little “coarse”. The concept of the Kissi was very intriguing and original. I bit like “the Dresden Files” or “Constantine” on steriods, but in a good way. Not a copy of either, though. I’m looking forward to the next story.
Read it all in one go! It was a delightful surprise!
Holy FUCK balls, this was a kickass book. Exactly what I’ve been looking for: raw, well-written, fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled insanity of the highest order. It reminded me of the comic book Constantine, but it was different enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what Stark would do next. One of my fave reads of 2019. I listened …
This book is violent. I don’t mean violent in the gentle MMA matches on pay per view. No, I mean violent as in the roadhouse out near the interstate where even the state troopers will not go unless it is in force. With an armored vehicle, and SWAT, and a few brigades of national guard.
Yet from the very first scene involving a pile of flaming …
Let me tell a bit about James Stark, aka Sandman Slim.
He’s a magician. Not the pull-a-bunny-out-of-a-hat type magician, but a real magician. He has magic. A group of people he thought were friends sent him to Hell while still alive, where he endured years of horrific torture. Now he’s back, and he’s pissed.
As this first book in the fantastic …
Great writing and action packed!
I found this book by accident when i went to search sandman looking for the neil gaiman series. This is way better. I love this series! Sandman slim is one of my all time favorite characters, and all the books keep me hooked between the sarcasm and the action, and you never see the plot twists coming.
By far the strongest offering in this series, sandman slim provides fantastic atmosphere and satisfying action with characters that span a wide variety of traits from cowardly and pathetic to brutal and badass.
One of the best Urban Fantasy series I have read (e.g., Butcher’s Dresden Files).