Slashback by Rob Thurman
(Book #8 of the Cal Leandros series)
Rating: 🍁🍁🍁
The Good Stuff:
1) Ms. Thurman really shines in her use of multiple POVS. The narrative switches back and forth between Cal and Niko, with Cal covering the present day and Niko covering a significant event that had happened in the past. And it's done seamlessly, with great effect.
2) We got to see a lot more of what makes Niko who he is. In a big way. It was great to see him lose it, forcing Cal to step up and become the logical, supportive one.
3) At one point, their investigation takes the brothers and Goodfellow through NYC's XXX-con. Goodfellow. And porn-con. Pure. Comedic. Gold.
The Not-so-Good Stuff:
1) Jack just wasn't really threatening. We all knew they'd defeat him - you don't take your main characters out with a one-dimensional bad guy. And that's exactly what Jack was, especially when compared with the fascinatingly complex (and evil) Grimm.
2) What the heck was up with the flaming dump truck? Why exactly was that the best way to attract Jack's attention? A little explanation of the logic behind it (beyond Cal's "let's burn stuff" attitude) would have been appreciated.
3) I'm not really sure where Ms. Thurman is going with the whole reincarnation thing. It kind of came out of nowhere, and didn't really contribute to the story in any perceivable way. Is this supposed to be setting up for something coming later? It was presented extremely awkwardly, though I did enjoy the scene with Goodfellow and young Niko/Cal.
Ultimately, this felt like filler. And, for the most part, unnecessary filler. Normally I whip through a Cal & Nik adventure in one thrilling sitting, but this one took me a couple of weeks.
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