Charlie Huston

[RedEyedGhost]

You thought it was predictable? I never saw it coming...

I really enjoyed 'Half the Blood of Brooklyn', it had one of those endings that I didn't expect but seemed just right after I had finished it. Does anyone know how many books this series will run for?

SPOILER: The Count

As soon as Joe took him to the Enclave I knew it wouldn't be long before he was the top dog. Especially since we knew from No Dominion that Daniel felt his time to enter the sun was coming soon, and he was hoping Joe would finally accept his role as an Enclave. The info that not all vampires have equal success rates for infecting others and that some are incapable was very interesting and unexpected. The turn around for The Count was a bit faster than I expected, but I think Huston addressed that well.

Yeah, like kmgrey said, it's a planned five book series.

There was a lot of good stuff in this book, but some of it was obviously set up for books four and five. Once, the series is complete, I'm sure this won't be a problem, but some of that

SPOILER: example

like the havoc Joe wreaks in Brooklyn, and the fact that they will be coming after The Society and maybe The Coalition (because the rest of the Tribe of Benjamin will not know exactly who was responsible, and the fact that The Coalition is massing troops on the Brooklyn/Queens border).

felt like setup, and that's why I can only rate it 9/10. Once the series is complete, this may wind up being my favorite, because it is definitely a quality book as well.

[Frosty]

Xray - age is relative, or should I say subjective, you don't change much mentally, perhaps - or let us hope we get wiser and more tolerant, but things just start to wear out physically.

[Amras]

I reviewed "No Dominion" a couple of days ago, and here's the review if anyone's interested.

What can I say? I really like the two Joe Pitt books I've read so far and am looking forward to the UK release of "Half the Blood of Brooklyn" (gotta have the nice cover...). I'm definitely going to try some of his non-genre stuff, though it may be a while before I get around to ordering any.

[PhoenixFlame]

Just finished Brooklyn! DAMN!

Um, Terry Bird plunging through a solid wall? Badass. Great to see that adorable aged hippie show his teeth.

The Gollum bit made me laugh.

[RedEyedGhost]

The Gollum bit made me laugh.

I really liked that as well.

[Deornoth]

Just finishing off 'The Shotgun Rule', real white knuckle stuff I really hope this one gets made into a film as I reckon it would so very well...

[Deornoth]

And I finished it! I don't normally step outside fantasy/sci-fi but I wouldn't picking up a few more of Huston's crime novels if they're anything like this ( Reviewed Here )

[kcf]

I finally got around to reading Already Dead (review). You can add me to the chorus and bandwagon of Huston. This was a great book that I devoured in just a couple of days - which for where I'm at in life is very fast.

[dornish prince]

the only thing i've read of his is the "moon knight" comic and it's ace. this thread has convinced me to try one of his novels.

THANKS WESTEROS!

[beniowa]

DP, didn't I tell you that you'd like this series?

Kidding man. Enjoy!

[Deornoth]

I've just finished reading 'Every Last Drop' (reviewed on the blog), I didn't think it was as tight as previous books but it still completely rocked on every single page.

Red Eyed Ghost - I reckon you're going to love this one

[RedEyedGhost]

I'm lazy, so here's my post from the reading thread:

I finished up Charlie Huston's Every Last Drop, forth of five in his Joe Pitt series. Pretty good read, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the other books in the series. This one felt more like part four of a five part book than an actual book itself. It just felt like more of the same until it hit about page 150, and the last 100 pages were pretty damn fun. Either I'm completely desensitized to cursing in books or Huston really toned it down in this one.

SPOILER: this took me out of the book for a good 75 pages

Joe was way too nonchalant about losing an eye. Seriously, WTF!? I don't care how badass you are, having somebody bite out your eye will be pretty traumatic, but Joe barely even thought about it. I don't know I could be biased as an optometrist, but I really don't think I am.

SPOILER: general spoilers for the ending

I wasn't to shocked about the breeding/blood center. Seems pretty logical to me... I did think the Huston portrayed Joe's disconnect from reality as he was exploring the "hole" exceptionally well.

I think Joe's reunion with Evie was very well done also. Her reaction seemed very realistic to me as well.

At the end when Joe was leaving the Enclave, I had this picture in my head of a guy in a bar hitting four random people and just strolling out as a massive bar fight erupts behind him.

Overall it set things up nicely for book five, and I half way expected this book to feel less complete but it's a little disappointing when those types of expectations are realized.

8/10 (based on the strength of the last 100 pages)

I will add some more spoiler thoughts though

SPOILER: Every Last Drop

I think Huston way they set Evie up to oppose the Count was nicely portrayed with her being more 'tough' and able to resist the urge to drink blood because of her history of AIDS and chemo. I liked that she initially thought that she was having a doped up dream. And I'm glad that she didn't take Joe back with open arms.

I hope we get to see the clan war, and not just the ramifications of it. I'm 99% sure Joe will die at the end of book 5, and I hope we don't have too many unresolved plotline. Especially the wraith, I'll be pissed if that isn't brought up again.

After "Every Last Drop" and "The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death" are released, what future projects can we expect from you that you can talk about?

Charlie Huston: I’m currently working on a stand alone crime novel with a speculative, very near future, setting that will publish in early 2010. After I finish that I’ll start on the final Joe Pitt book. I have a bunch of loose ends to tie up.

I don't like that he hasn't started writing book 5 yet Especially considering the book he is working on will not be released until 2010. Does this mean no Joe Pitt in '09??

I do agree with him saying in the next answer that Toby Barlow's Sharp Teeth is underappreciated, and I think fans of Huston will really like this one too.

[Deornoth]

I got to run a few questions past Charlie (with help from RedEyedGhost, thanks for that!) for the blog, it's over Here if anyone fancies a look

[RedEyedGhost]

If you haven't read any of Charlie Huston's books or if you've only read his Joe Pitt books, then I would suggest following this link. By doing so you can download his entire Hank Thompson Trilogy in pdf format.

(I'm posting this in several threads to maximize exposure)

I got to run a few questions past Charlie (with help from RedEyedGhost, thanks for that!) for the blog, it's over Here if anyone fancies a look

I'm slow to reply, but thanks for letting me be involved. Very cool.

[RedEyedGhost]

Trailer for Huston's new book The Mysterious Art of Erasing All Signs of Death over at bloodofthemuse.

[Lordwalker]

Huston Rocks! I definetly recommend the Hank Thompson books, you just can't put them down. Can't wait to read his newest one TMAoEASoD.

If you like those types of books others I would recommend would be the earlier books of Dennis Lehane and the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly. Well paced, well written thrillers.

[delete this account pls]

I started Already Dead late last night and blew through half of it before I needed to go to sleep so I could get up for work. Excellent stuff. I have to admit, I didn't even notice the 'excessive' swearing because;

a) it's not excessive by my own standard since I'm particularly foul mouthed, and

I've read a lot of Richard Morgan over the last year.

Now I'm off to finish up. Not sure where it's all going, but I'm expecting two things - that Joe will say fuck a lot, and a whole lot of people will die in a gruesome fashion.

[delete this account pls]

OK, finished it this morning. Loved it. It was ... fucked up though. I mean, zombie rape and pedophilia? That's pretty messed up.

I thought it was a great idea how Joe viewed the Vyrus as just that - a disease. An STD, in his case. I also thought it was cool that this tough-as-nails old school PI is also bi-sexual, and that it never made a big deal about it.

A few questions, don't answer 'em if they give away major spoilers;

1) The other Clans. I guess we learn more about some them in later books? The Dusters, Coalition, Society, Hood and Enclave are all pretty well covered. I figure the Family is some Mafia-type vampire clan. The Wall are Chinatown vamps? Like a triad or something? What about the Bears and Bulls?

2) Do the future books explore the Vyrus at all? Like, where it came from? I figured the talk about Horde's potential research into it was a bit of foreshadowing.

3) Zombies and vamps have been introduced. And the Wraith thing. Is there any other supernatural creatures running about in this world?

[kmgrey]

1) The other Clans. I guess we learn more about some them in later books? The Dusters, Coalition, Society, Hood and Enclave are all pretty well covered. I figure the Family is some Mafia-type vampire clan. The Wall are Chinatown vamps? Like a triad or something? What about the Bears and Bulls?

You will learn about other clans but not those you listed.

2) Do the future books explore the Vyrus at all? Like, where it came from? I figured the talk about Horde's potential research into it was a bit of foreshadowing.

Eh, sorta. Huston isn't much for world building or back story.

3) Zombies and vamps have been introduced. And the Wraith thing. Is there any other supernatural creatures running about in this world?

As far as I can remember, nothing else has been introduced yet.

[delete this account pls]

Thanks kmgrey. OK, so we don't learn anything about the Bulls and Bears? I suppose it doesn't really matter, it's just that the evocative name caught my attention. Maybe it's a New York in-joke or something.