Soul Remains (Terribly Serious Darkness, #2)

by Sam Hooker

It's dark in the Old Country.

Where do goblins come from? Why do they only turn up in the Old Country, and why do they like swearing so much? Sloot Peril—a "hero" who's staunchly averse to heroics—goes searching for answers. Much to his chagrin, he finds them.

Everything changed after the Fall of Salzstadt but try telling that to the people of the city, whose capacity for denial is unmatched. They have yet to acknowledge that Vlad the Invader cut a bloody swath through their city, that the dead are walking the streets, or that the Domnitor—long may he reign—has fled to wherever despots go on very long vacations while goblin infestations take care of themselves. The worst of villains holds all the power, unspeakable dark forces are on the rise, and everyone wants to kidnap the Domnitor—long may he reign—for their own nefarious ends.

If all of that weren't bad enough, Sloot's got the fate of his own soul to worry about. Can his girlfriend help him save the Old Country from annihilation? Is Myrtle really his girlfriend? If all goes well for Sloot—which it never does—he might just sort it all out before the Dark swallows them all up.

• ISBN10: 1732935726
• ISBN13: 9781732935723
• Publish Date: 23 April 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 4 May 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Black Spot Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 330
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Soul Remains is the second book in the Terribly Serious Darkness series by Sam Hooker. Released 23rd April 2019 by Black Spot books, it's 330 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

I've encountered some books which somehow either really resonate with me or just fall completely flat. They're sort of the literary equivalent of some fiercely extreme sports manoeuvre which either works flawlessly and leaves everyone breathless or winds up with a trip to the A&E/emergency room (or morgue). This book is very much in that vein. It reminds me a lot of what might happen if Lemony Snickett and Glen Cook got together and wrote a book. It's quite morbid in places and main character Sloot needs a smack 'round the noggin sometimes, but somehow it is readable and quite funny in places. I'm pretty jaded and this one managed to surprise a few giggles out of me on my bus commute to work.

The author is undeniably gifted. The book is full of repartee and the dialogue is well crafted. I did not read the books in order and found no trouble following along with the plot. The backstory is skillfully woven into the narrative. That being said, I often needed a break because the dialogue and writing spin wildly off into sub-plots and asides at whiplash speed. For readers who prefer a more sedate style of writing, this one will have you rending hair and gnashing teeth; it's like an albino ferret on speed. Ditto for readers who need their characters to have proper names and not sort of Dickens-on-crack which Mr. Hooker provides (Sloot Peril, Mrs. Knife, Dr. Widdershins, Vlad Defenestratia the Invader (*snicker*) just to name a few).

I found it quite humorous and extremely quirky and well written. For me, it worked. I can well imagine other readers reading it and wondering what in the world I was thinking. For readers who are on the fence, use the sample feature on Amazon and try a chapter.

I will be looking for the next books from this author.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes