This was a great book. It moves along at a fast pace and always has something new going on. I always look forward to checking in to Eddie's world and seeing what insane challenges he's up against. I feel the story was resolved well, and the cliffhanger ending was impressive. I had no idea it would end like that and was suitably surprised when it happened.

Anyone who is already a fan should definitely pick this one up. For newer fans I would suggest starting with the beginning so you can see the character arcs and understand prior histories and grudges. ( )

Mr Green's stories always have an interesting twist to them. The Droods while seen by the common rabble as something immensely scary are heroes for sure. Everything that Edwin and Molly go through in this book is rich and confusing at the same time. Written in what felt to me like a series of shorts connected by a common theme I found myself pulled through the story. You find yourself rooting for some of the most unlikely people in this book. It is time I delved deeper into these because it is a truly rich series of tales. ( )

Eddie Drood, aka Shaman Bond, returns in this fifth book of Simon R. Green's Secret Histories novels. After the electrifying cliffhanger ending to From Hell with Love, I couldn't wait to get my hands on For Heaven's Eyes only. Heaven's Eyes Only delivers another excellent, whimsical and fun mystery that's the perfect treat for Green's fans.

After his near-brush with death, Eddie find himself in hell -quite literally -with one of the most powerful authorities from the Nightside. Not only must Eddie claw his way out of hell (with his witch girlfriend Molly's help), but he needs to protect his family, which finds itself more vulnerable to monsters after the death of the family's Matriarch.

As much as I enjoy Secret Histories, it's never quite as engaging and off-the-wall as the Nightside, which never ceases to amaze me with its macabre complexity. It's strange to me, however, that Green insists on returning to the Nightside so much in the Secret Histories, it's like he can't even leave it behind and the melding of the two worlds has become more than that -it's become a full-on Nightside take-over. I really felt that here, more than in previous Secret Histories novels, and it really hurt the book overall.



Yet, I can't find it in my little Nightside-loving heart to turn my back on Eddie just yet. Eddie's stories are still entertaining and fun to read, though they are almost becoming some strange extension of the original Nightside novels. ( )

(If you haven't read the last book this review does have one minor spoiler)

Simon Green once again returns us to the Drood universe, the shamans of humanity. In the last book the Drood's took on the immortals and suffered many losses along the way, including Eddie's at the end. But even death can't keep Eddie from trying to save the world. This time a Satanic Conspiracy threatens all of humanities souls and only the Drood family can put a stop to it. Along the way the Librarian is healed, a mysterious presence is revealed, and old friends come back from the seeming dead.

This book has everything that we've come to expect from Simon R. Green's Drood Universe, fast paced action, some tired cliches from spy films/books, and twists and turns that we didn't see coming. This was an excellent read and I would say it's probably the second best book of the series (the best book being the first one.) Green does have a tendency to take up a few too many pages with action and repeated phrases and it does have some plot holes if you've read the rest of the series, but overall its an excellent read and I can't wait for the next book.
Comment ( )

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
www.allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

FOR HEAVEN'S EYES ONLY aims to be a mix of James Bond and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it succeeds marvelously on both fronts. Green mixes magic, science, and comedy in equal parts, to create a fast moving and enjoyable style.

At it's best, even those new to the series will have no trouble jumping in with book five. At it's worst, the Secret Histories series skates perilously close to glib. The opening of FOR HEAVEN'S EYES ONLY is a prime example of this shortcoming, but not to an extent that the story was derailed.

The charm of these books is not so much in what happens, but the flair with which it happens, and it's well worth the effort to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. A different brand of urban fantasy than I normally enjoy, FOR HEAVEN'S EYES ONLY was easy to pick up, jump in, and enjoy.

Sexual Content: References to sex ( )