(Book 3 from my list for the Once Upon a Time Challenge)

In August of last year I reviewed the first book in a new series by author Liz Williams, Snake Agent. My introduction to that review read:

“Take a healthy dose of mythology and eastern religion, mix in the humor of Big Trouble in Little China and the buddy-cop banter of Lethal Weapon and adorn with a fantastic Jon Foster cover and what do you get? Well, you get the beginnings of an entertaining new mystery series by author Liz Williams.”

Described as “John Constatine meets Chow Yun-Fat”, the series follows the exploits of Detective Inspector Wei Chen and his demonic law enforcement counterpart, Seneschal Zhu Irzh, as they solve occultic crimes set in a near-future city called Singapore 3.

The Demon and The City is the second in this series of buddy-cop/mythological/supernatural thrillers.

One of the things I mentioned in the Snake Agent review is that these books are pure fun, and that hasn’t changed one iota. Liz Williams writes these novels in such a way that they feel like movies and comparisons to films like Big Trouble in Little China and any Chow Yun-Fat film make me long to see one of her novels translated to the big screen.

The Demon and the City starts off by focusing on the character of demonic detective Zhu Irzh, recently reassigned to the human realm because of events that occurred in Snake Agent. While I enjoy this character tremendously, the first novel hit its best notes when Detective Inspector Chen and Seneschal Zhu Irzh were together on the page, and that holds true for this novel as well. Although it takes awhile for Chen to make an appearance, the story flies by at a rollicking pace up to and following the point of his insertion into the mix. Liz Williams writes very short chapters, some a mere page in length, that dart back and forth amongst the various characters in the tale, deftly bringing them all together at crucial moments in the story. Reading a book like this is fantastic as there are so many natural stopping points that you can grab a few quick chapters throughout the day, making her books easy to read even with a busy schedule. If, however, you have the reaction I did to these books, you will get sucked right in and not want to stop until you see the words, the end.

I won’t reveal anything else about the plot, because to do so would ruin a very fun experience. Suffice it to say that Liz Williams is a very talented writer who mixes in a wide and diverse range of influences, genres, and plot devices to create a unique world in which to house her stories. In the Snake Agent review I said:

“…William’s novel is hard to classify…the story abounds with magic as does a typical fantasy novel. It is a mystery, set in a near future science fiction universe replete with technology that would be at home in a story by Phillip K. Dick. It is also a primer for eastern mysticism and a view of earth, heaven, and hell steeped in ancient mythology. In addition there are elements of horror reminiscient of the aforementioned John Constantine and a wry humor similar to that in the very best cult classic comedies.”

Being this type of book I can see it appealing to people with a broad range of interests. The Demon and the City is not as strong a novel as Snake Agent, in my opinion, as I felt that the opening chapter contained a much more well balanced story. That being said, I would rate this second volume quite high on my list of recommendations. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that Williams resisted the urge to spend significant page time rehashing the events of Snake Agent. If you want an introduction to this world, you need to read the first book, it is as simple as that. And while I believe anyone could pick up Demon and enjoy it for what it is, it is a much more rewarding experience to read once you’ve grown attached to the characters in the first book. I think that is my primary reason for seeing this second effort as a little less complete than Snake Agent. Snake Agent focused much more on characterization, in my opinion, whereas The Demon and the City goes right into the action. I would have liked to see a little more growth in the characters and their relationships in this one.

Like Snake Agent, The Demon and the City sports a wonderful cover by former Friday Favorite artist Jon Foster. Here is a look at the artwork sans type:

The third book in this fast-paced, fun series, Precious Dragon, hits shelves in June and I’m really looking forward to it. Here’s a look at the cover:

If you’re looking for something a little different than the ordinary urban fantasy, I highly recommend this series by Liz Williams. They are quick reads that are entertaining from start to finish.