Dan Rabarts

All I can say, is I’m ready to read part two
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy through the early reader program at LibraryThing
This fantasy/mistery novel grabbed me immediately, and I ate it up in a few days. At first I wasn’t too crazy about the notion of two narrators intertwining, but the narrative device grew on me, particularly because of the distinct difference in tone between Penny and Matiu.
I loved the genre mix: a bit of police whodunit, a bit of procedural, a bit of show more cyberpunk, and an unexpected armload of Cthulu Mythos. In a way, it read to me as a young adult novel, not exceedingly gory, and with a lot of emphasis on the relationship between these siblings.
It was fun, fast and fluid. Appealing both to my geeky side with the science bits, and also the dreamer, with its arching call back to stories of the great Lovecraftian unknown. The setting in New Zealand was, for me, fun and exotic, since I have hardly read genre fiction that transpires there. show less

I received a free copy of this book via LibraryThing.

What I enjoyed
The skill of the writers. Robarts and Murray clearly have what it takes. The writing flows – well enough to nearly make me forget for moments at a time that it was written in the present tense. There are little flashes of lyrical/purple phrasing, but not enough to be annoying. Just enough to give the writing a unique texture.

Matiu. Matiu is a Man With A Past, and also a Man With A Gift. He has some kind of paranormal talent show more passed down from his mother, which is inconvenient or dangerous more often than not, and an imaginary friend who may not be imaginary. I liked his voice, his sense of humour, and his willingness to break the rules – legal or social.

What I did not enjoy
Present tense narration. I loathe present tense narration. I realise it’s very trendy and ‘in’ at the moment, but I find it distracting, like fingernails scraping across a blackboard. If I’d known that this book was written in the present tense, I would never have requested a copy – as it is, I nearly gave up early on. I’m reasonably glad I soldiered on, as there was enough about this book that I quite liked to nearly make up for the present tense.

Penny. Going by the blurb, I expected this to be about a scientist who discovers that there’s more to the world than science, and then has to deal with that – while still keeping her employers happy. In fact, it’s about Matiu, who has to solve the case while dealing with a whiny, snippy, blinkered scientist. I wonder if the decision to write the blurb as if Penny is the main character was a publisher’s decision, given the current fashion for ‘strong female leads’? Penny is not a strong female lead. She definitely plays second fiddle to Matiu, and Matiu is the one doing most of the investigating. Penny is essentially dead weight. The story wouldn’t have changed all that much if she had been eliminated completely, except that she provides a reason for Matiu to be. Maybe that will change in later books, and she’ll do less complaining and more investigating.

What I think could have been better
The mystery/investigation. Again, it might be because this is the first book in a series, but it felt more like half a book. Much is left unexplained and/or uninvestigated. Just enough is done to sort out the police investigation, but what really happened is just passed off with a few comments and assumptions. It’s disappointing to read about characters who seem to be willing to just walk away with a job half done. Or maybe that’s just me.

Editing. Just little things, like the way Penny talks about cancer – she talks like a layman, not like a scientist. And at other times, she went off into needless technical explanations that just didn’t seem realistic – they were obviously aimed at the reader, not the other characters. And the firearm that switched back and forth between being a rifle and being a shotgun, sometimes within the same chapter.

Conclusion
I’m giving this three stars because this is supposed to be a personal review from me, and I can’t stand present tense narration and I wanted to smack Penny. Plus, the job isn’t finished until the paperwork is done and the tools are put away. You don’t just say ‘good enough’ and walk away as soon as you’ve concocted a tale that will satisfy your boss.

On the other hand, if you don’t mind present tense narration, I can see that this would be a four or five star book – I contemplated four stars myself. The setting is interesting, there are some very good ideas, and I think Matiu is a great character.

Will I read any more books in this series? On balance, probably not. Although there was much I liked, for me there wasn’t quite enough to outweigh the negatives. show less

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This novel is a cross between urban fantasy and New Zealand noir. It is told through two narrators - adopted brother and sister. The brother, Matiu, tells the urban fantasy story while the sister, Pandora/Penny, tells the rational New Zealand noir story. The combination is perfect - the sister's refusal to see the fantasy/spiritual elements bleeding through and the show more brother's awareness that his ability to see the fantasy/spiritual elements makes him appear crazy work beautifully together. The setting of Auckland, New Zealand, in the near future is a sheer delight and the world described is well realised and believable. The side characters - the pushy parents, the loyal scientific sidekick and the police officers working the official case - add depth, texture and gravitas. They also provide much of the humour in the story as do the banter and interaction between the brother and sister. The setting and the mix of cultures - Maori/Chinese/New Zealand - are incredibly refreshing and exciting in a genre dominated by US settings and cultures and I really hope the authors continue to develop these in the future books in this series. The story itself is good and well told with a satisfactorily complete ending which gently hints at future instalments while allowing this book to be read as a stand-alone as well. All in all, this is a marvellous book and one I strongly recommend to lovers of mysteries out of the ordinary. show less

I have to admit something. I was selected back in July to receive an Early Reviewers copy of the Hounds of the Underworld and I didn't start reading it till a few hours ago.

I just felt I needed to be in a different place, to read a sci-fi, thriller like this.

You see, this setting takes place in a future New Zealand, but I learned it mixes well with the ancient.

Pandora (a.k.a. Penny ) Yee opened a crime lab and is hired to consult on a crime scene. Penny has quirks in that she won't drive show more so she is being driven around by her brother, Matiu.

Penny is well educated and feels her overbearing parents scrutinize her more closely than Matiu who's adopted and has an imaginary friend Makere.

I found the duo to be devoted to one another. Matiu has instincts the tightly wound Penny trusts. And, he shadows her well. So, it seems she is not only comforted by this, but dependent upon it.

As a reader, I appreciate their tongue - in - cheek relationship. And, unlike the last book I read that has wolves in it, this book, has a Pit Bull - Satffie mix, named Cerberus, among other dogs.

Amidst toxic fumes and crashed crime scenes, this short, quick read has everything and everyone in a state of uncontrolled excitement, including this reader.

Yes, I enjoyed the writing and truly liked the ending. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series. show less