Deader Still

My big complaint about [b:Dead to Me|1823237|Dead To Me (Simon Canderous, #1)|Anton Strout|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BdxwDXqfL._SL75_.jpg|1822923] was that I loathed Simon Canderous. He mistakes chauvinism for chivalry and that really bothered me. Don't get me wrong, he's still a bit of a jerk, but I found him less offensive in this book, which is good for me since there are so many other things to like in [a:Anton Strout|833164|Anton Strout|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1216234235p2/833164.jpg]'s universe.

One of my favorite moments was of Simon, believing there had been a vampire attack, glumly changes the safety sign in his office from "737 days" from the last attack. It's touches like this that keep me reading.

Deader Still is the sequel to Anton Strout's debut novel Dead to Me. This time, Simon Canderous of New York's Dept. of Extraordinary Affairs is up against another batch of supernatural baddies, including a possible vampire invasion. Of course, the DEA is a government agency, so he also gets to fight red tape and budget troubles. And then there's tension with his girlfriend, ex-cultist Jane, not to mention some leadership troubles with his partner Conner...

Simon's a fun character. His psychometry gives him the ability to see an object's history by touching it, and his retractable bat gives him the ability to see a zombie's insides by whacking it. These two tools, along with a steady barrage of pop culture references, are pretty much what show more see him through the story.

This is a fun read that doesn't take itself too seriously, and never pretends to be anything but what it is. The pace moves right along, running poor Simon a little ragged in the process, but providing plenty of action. If you liked Dead to Me, it's a safe bet you'll like this one even more. We pick up some threads from the first book, and we also see Simon growing a bit. He knows how to control his powers better now -- well enough to maintain an actual relationship for the first time in his life. (Hard to keep a relationship going when you're accidentally reading your lover's secrets from everything you touch.) Of course, since this is Simon's first relationship, he gets to make all the fumbling mistakes most of us made as teenagers, which is a little painful at times, but understandable.

No book is perfect. If you want deep, serious, intense urban fantasy, this might not be the book for you. But the only real complaint I had was a minor quibble, that the Buffy jokes started to get repetitive. Hopefully Simon can expand his pop culture references a little more for book three.

The last page gives us the hook for the next book, but since the major conflicts of this book are all resolved, I won't complain too much about being left hanging on this new crisis ... assuming Anton hurries up and gets the next book out soon. show less

Though still crafting oddball events and giving his main character plenty of recriminatory moments, Strout steps Simon Canderous up a notch, moving his soggy-behind-the-ears rookie to a moderately-moist-behind-the-ears rookie. There is still lots of red tape and bureaucratic finagling and mangling, weird ghosts and possessed statues, vendettas and opportunities for batting practice, but the most challenging aspect for Simon: dealing with his former cult member girlfriend in an actual relationship. The slap-happy romp continues in this second caper, just mind that when you rip off the red tape you don't take skin with you.

Deader Still by Anton Strout is the second book in the Simon Canderous series. Based in New York City, the series revolves around reformed thief Simon, trying to use his power of psychometry (the ability to learn about an object's past via touch) for good by joining the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. The DEA has been set up to protect NY citizens from the supernatural, and to hide the supernatural from ordinary beings. Simon finds his power a mixed blessing, as touching objects and people often leads to debilitating and unwanted visions. He is mentored by Connor, his supervisor at the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, and his girl friend Jane, a previous cultist.

In this story Simon's grown up a bit, and joined the Old Foggies. show more He is approached by someone from his past who forces him to aid her in one last crime. At the same time, he is battling zombies, vampires, and bad buys. Lots of laugh out loud moments and fun, but most interesting to me is the side story of Connor's brother who disappeared when they were children. What happened to him, and who would now be sending notes to Connor about it? show less

Simon Canderous is back still fighting evil and paperwork with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs (DEA) in NYC. This time he and his partner, Connor, are investigating some particularly gruesome deaths and working the company booth at a Sci/Fi convention. At the same time, Simon is having his first long-term relationship, ever, and that is complicated by the arrival of a female associate from his criminal past.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Simon and the cast of characters. The situations he manages to get into are really funny and there is a lot of action. It is light urban fantasy and very readable.

There is more focus on characters here with Simon addressing his criminal past, Connor dealing with his own issues and Jane trying to be good but still a little evil. There are old and new enemies and while there is still some of the silliness of the first novel it's much less present here. The slapstick is downplayed in preference to Strout's wit.

I bought this 2009 paperback from Better World Books. It's a sequel to Dead to Me, which I read as an ebook.

Simon Canderous is still working for the Department of Extraordinary Affairs in New York City. It's been 737 days since the Department has had to deal with a vampire incursion, but that ends when a boat full of dead lawyers is found on the Hudson River. Simon discovers that the booze cruise was crashed by something that sucked the blood out of the litigators. Now his girlfriend is studying technomancy, and getting a little too chummy with her boss, and an old girlfriend is back in town and threatening to make his life hell on Earth unless he helps her with one last job. Some days just suck.

Another entertaining book about Simon show more Canderous. There are a few more books in the series, and I intend to read them all, so I'll hang onto this copy for a while. show less