Anonymous (28)

Sometimes you read a book that would make a fantastic film, and in this case I wondered whether The Book With No Name had actually been written with a film adaptation in mind all along.

The setting is Santa Mondega, a small town where all strangers are viewed with extreme suspicion, and life revolves around a couple of rough lowlife bars - mainly the Tapioca, which is run by the cowardly Sanchez. Totally reminded me of the T**ty Twister in From Dusk Till Dawn, or the bar in El Mariachi. Five show more years ago, the Tapioca was the scene of a brutal mass murder, reputed to have been carried out by the mysterious Bourbon Kid, and of which Sanchez was the only survivor (thanks to his habit of cowering behind the bar whenever trouble crops up).

Now, all the signs indicate that the Bourbon Kid may be back in town. Strangers are arriving and asking questions, and there's going to be an eclipse soon. And everyone seems to be VERY interested in a blue stone called the Eye of the Moon. There are Peto and Kyle, the Habal monks who have been sent on a quest to retrieve the stone, and then there's paranormal detective Jensen, who's been assigned to Santa Mondega to investigate some particularly gruesome murders, that may or may not be linked to the Bourbon Kid.

The book abounds with bounty hunters, murderers, thieves, and a beautiful woman or two, and is written in a deadpan way that reminded me of Lemony Snicket (if anyone has a theory on the author, please share!). And finally, of course, there is the Book With No Name. Anyone who reads the book (and they've all checked it out of the Santa Mondega public library from a particularly nasty librarian called Ulrika) is found dead soon after.

This is a real page-turner, with plenty of colourful characters to keep you entertained, and plenty of questions to be answered. On the day of the Lunar Eclipse, everyone in town is in fancy dress, which leads to some very amusing scenes, and it is this mixture of humour and violence and a good mystery plot that kept me reading. Oh, and so far I haven't died yet. show less

The Bourbon Kid is back baby! The fourth installment of this wonderful Tarantino-esque romp returns to Santa Mondega after the bloodbath in the Arizona desert in The Devil's Gravyard, for the final conclusion to what has become my all-time favourite book(s).

Egyptian Mummy Rameses Gaius is on the verge of becoming the king of Santa Mondega; assembling an army of the undead to wreak havoc and pretty much kill anyone who stands in their way following the apparent death of The Bourbon Kid.The show more breakdown in law and order has sunk to a new low, what with the local police force being all but wiped out following the most recent bloodbath.

Now reliant on volunteers, the only two people stupid enough to put their names forward are Sanchez the bartender and Flake the waitress. The fact that Sanchez is attacked by a bunch of cookie-selling Girl Guides tells you all you need to know about his ability to shield the city from the evil engulfing it...

Click here to read the rest of this review:
http://stevenscaffardi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-book-of-death-bourbon-kid-4-bo... show less

Have you ever wondered what would happen if X Factor met Night of the Living Dead? Me neither, but I’m sure as hell pleased that the anonymous author of The Devil’s Graveyard chose to mash these two unlikely forces together!

The third in the Bourbon Kid series (following The Book With No Name and The Eye of the Moon) takes a detour away from the vampire and werewolf infested city of Santa Mondega, and instead we are plonked bang in the middle of the Arizona desert at the Hotel Pasadena, show more which seems to be the holiday destination of choice for the undead as well as every lowlife and murderer in the country! Throw in an army of flesh-eating zombies and you have a whole different meaning to the term self-catering!

Please click here to read the rest of this review:
http://stevenscaffardi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-devils-graveyard-book-review.h... show less

Ok, it's marmite,plus a great deal of ketchup/high bodybag count. Hilarious distraction; went in with zero expectations & thoroughly enjoyed the larky ride.