Book Review: Ghost of a Chance by Simon R. Green
Ghost of a Chance (Ghost Finders, #1) by Simon R. Green. © 2010 Ace Books. ISBN 9780441019168. Mass Market Paperback. Urban Fantasy. 272 pages. $7.99 US. Source: review copy
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Synopsis
The Carnacki Institute exists to Do Something About Ghosts: lay them to rest, send them packing, or kick their nasty ectoplasmic arses with extreme prejudice.
The Institute’s operatives are the best of the best. JC Chance: sharp, brave, charming and almost unbearably arrogant; Melody Chambers: science-geek techno-wizard extraordinaire who keeps the antisupernatural equipment running smoothly; and Happy Jack Palmer: the telepath with the gloomy disposition, is the last person anyone would want navigating through his head.
Their current assignment: investigate a major haunting deep underground at London’s Oxford Circus Tube Station. Difficult—and dangerous—enough without the added interference of a pair of agents from the infamous Crowley Project whose mission is much simpler: eliminate Chance, Chambers and Palmer, whatever the consequences…
Review
The Carnacki Institute of London—secretly located within the walls of Buckingham Palace—is to ghosts what Torchwood is to aliens (with a little of the Talamasca Caste thrown in). Their job is to protect the Queen’s country and people from the things that go bump in the night, and also to study them and gather knowledge of the arcane.
Ghost of a Chance is the first in a new series by popular author, Simon R. Green and begins with an incredibly creepy prologue. Let’s just say, I started this book around 1 a.m. and it didn’t take long for me to get unnerved (but a good kind of unnerved.)
“There are such things as ghosts whether you believe in them or not. Tapping on your window late at night, waiting patiently to be noticed at the foot of your bed, stubbornly refusing to lie down.” (pg. 2-3)
If that’s not a good set up for what’s to come, I don’t know what is. The opening scene takes us to the lovely Georgian city of Bath, and provides an outstanding build up for the majority of this fast-paced novel which takes place in London’s Underground (which if I ever get to visit, will now induce a creepy sensation lol).
I adore the main three characters (JC, Melody and Happy). They are real, flawed and their banter was fantastic. I caught myself laughing out loud on a good many occasions due to their witty trading of insults and sarcasm (the agents of the Crowley Project included). The plot is strong, absorbing, and suspenseful. Even though I wanted to find out how it all ended—and what our big baddie was—I had a bit of a pout when I finished the last page. The esoteric references were great as well, I really enjoyed seeing a lot of things I’ve read about put into fictional use.
My only real complaint about this amazing novel regards the cutesy romance. I don’t want to name names and spoil anything for you guys, but I just found the entire thing out of place (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you read it) and in conflict with the character of the person it involved; it didn’t seem like them at all. I can do sappy, I’m not saying I can’t, but I prefer it in straight-forward romance books not in a gritty, gory urban fantasy. I found it a bit annoying and distracting.
However, other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed Ghost of a Chance and cannot wait for the next installment (even if I have to deal with more lovey-dovey, this ‘verse is just too interesting to pass up).
Rating
4 biotech kitties out of 5!
