Blackout

Loved, loved, loved. Thurman has done a lovely twist on the old amnesia device, successfully re-inventing Cal and writing a riveting book. While technically it could be a stand-alone book, it's genius is in the setting of the series and character development.

The sarcasm is much less dark and self-flagellating and closer to genuine playfulness--more than once I giggled with Cal's lines like "Sun in the sky, bacon in the skillet, and a cell phone for everyone past the first stage of mitosis." Then there was Miss Terrwyn saying, "You have a mouth on you, don't you? I was thinking you were the quiet sort, but maybe I was only thinking you should be the quiet sort." And Cal's boast of confidence, "While I might have the haircut of a show more sheepdog, I was one badass mother-effing sheepdog." Or during a fight with a pack of spiders: "The other one fell but dragged itself behind the refrigerator. Wasn't that always the way? Off to the ultimate spider sanctuary." The section with the mummified cats in Robin's house was merited a laugh out loud--"Salome perched on top of that giant refrigerator with dimly glowing eyes crossed in pleasure... It was only right. Every power-mad villain merited minions." It was been torture to put it down so I could do those annoying things like go to work and sleep.

The writing has flashes of beauty that I don't often see in the Leandros series, perhaps because it is so preoccupied with the darkness in Cal's life. Cal's re-introduction to Promise deserves mention: "she was more of a marble statue under a cascade of moonlight, smelling like flowers and ivy--the glory of a weeping graveyard angel."

I found the plot engrossing and still somewhat unpredictable, even as we knew it would revolve around the returning memories. Cal's memories started to return in fragments but had the surprise of them receding again, both for organic and inorganic reasons. Much better development than the stately pace or sudden return amnesia artifice.

Perhaps my only complain is that even on re-read, I'm still not sure about the gestalt moment when Cal pieced together Niko's role in his memory impairment. It seems like a eureka! sort of moment that deserves more reflection, but instead we get cagey hints that Cal has realized something but needs to check it out. That coyness was inappropriate for such high-quality character development .

Warning, my star rating is entirely in context of the series--until Roadkill, I've been feeling like I was losing interest in the series. Roadkill gave it a new spark and Blackout set off fireworks. show less

When I first heard that Cal would suffer amnesia in this installment, I was afraid it would mean he'd spend the entire book alone trying to find out who he is. But, Thurman is more imaginative than that. In fact, Niko finds Cal right away (duh). Cal still doesn't remember who he is, but alá Jason Bourne, he remembers how to kill, and he's not sure he likes who he was before. Blackout is a very different book from the first five of the series. The purpose of the underlying mystery is a means for Cal to come to terms with himself; an end to self-loathing for being a "monster." It's a huge step for the character and, I think, for the series.

Cal gets bitten by a supernatural spider that causes his memory loss. More strangely, it seems to show more be suppressing his Auphe side as well, leading Niko to make a very tough choice. But, a choice that isn't really his to make. I think this installment has even more humor (the black kind, naturally) than the other books. Because Cal doesn't remember, readers get to "meet" many of the characters all over again and remember just why they are so endearing. Cal's constant inner monologue and his reactions to Niko's OCD- "my body is a temple," and the puck's depravity, had me laughing out loud several times. It was intriguing to watch Cal see himself and them through new eyes.

Overall, though I was thrown by how different this book was, I thought it was excellent. It is well-written, with the sharpest dialog yet, and a good launching pad for the next book. And, I was so satisfied to finally get an answer to the burning question...is Cal the only one the Auphe made? Highly recommended. show less

This sixth volume in the dark urban fantasy series puts a new twist on the first person narration of Cal: he wakes up on a beach surrounded by dead monsters, and has no memory of who he is. All he knows is he's a killer, with a stash of knives and guns that would give airport security a heart attack. It may seem that amnesia is a soap opera-like trick to use, but Thurman puts it to excellent use. Cal has the chance for a fresh start without the bitterness of his past--though his sarcasm is well intact. He's happy. He believes he's the good guy. Even after his brother, Niko, finds him, he approaches life with a fresh perspective as he sets off to kill the bad guys.

He has no memory that he himself is the ultimate bad guy: half-Auphe, the show more monsters that make other monsters wet themselves.

I enjoyed this book and the fresh perspective it brought to Cal's character. I've enjoyed the whole series, but the last book bothered me on a few levels, and Cal's growing darkness was troublesome. Blackout reminded me of what I love about Thurman's writing, and why I'll keep reading. show less

Monsters and mayhem and pathos. Another great Cal and Niko Leandros novel. Fast paced and absorbing, with honest emotion and tugs at your heartstrings. I couldn't put it down but read it in one sitting. The sarcasm and great dialog are here again and nobody does it better than Rob Thurman. Old friends and old enemies show up. The monster filled world is scary. The plot is at once sad, scary and humorous. I loved Spartacus the undead cat mummy. The best thing about these books remains the bond between the brothers. Even though Cal has amnesia, the bond is still there. Niko sacrifices for Cal and Cal sacrifices for Niko. If you are fond of urban fantasy and you haven't read this series, you don't know what you're missing.

This series is fantastic urban fantasy with a sarcastic narrator in the form of Cal, who is part human, part demon. Thurman gives us well developed characters living in a supernatural world that is fresh and vividly imagined.

'Blackout' has got to be the best book in this series so far. Cal has amnesia and it brings a new twist to the tale. I find these kinds of books - action based fantasy - have a tendency to get a bit formulaic, so this one was a real surprise for me. The plot wasn't predictable and there's a lot of humour in the situations Cal gets himself into while he's trying to figure out who he is.

Great stuff!

Grumble. A watered-down amnesiac Cal Leandros yapping on and on about how he hopes he's a good guy and how he wants to be worthy of his brother is not my idea of an awesome read. It certainly doesn't measure up to the books that came before.

Still, I'm sticking with the series because I think this particular plot was mostly to blame for my bad attitude. Amnesia stories are not my favorite, The Rook notwithstanding.

Might have to take a break before I pick up another one, but pick up another one I shall. Eventually.

Not as epic as Roadkill but still an awesome entry in the Cal Leandros series. I love Cal. An entire book could be about him wandering New York for a day and I'd gobble it all up. Seeing Cal take stock of his life was really interesting, until it got a little repetitive after half the book had gone by. I know it's realistic that he'd go around in circles trying to figure out his life this way, but at the same time, I was itching for Cal to be back to one hundred percent. And when he finally was, it was quite glorious.I'm not sure what I thought about the epilogue. It seemed like Thurman threw that in to make sense of What's-Her-Name constantly asking about Cal's brothers and sisters, which could easily have been fixed up by Cal show more explaining how Team Leandros killed all the Auphe. Instead we get a creepy epilogue that feels like it's trying to keep the Auphe mystique alive when you don't need that at all, not with Cal's Auphe side constantly growing and evolving the way it does.But anyway. A great read and 3.5 stars. show less