Blurb: Johannes Cabal, a necromancer of some little infamy, has come into possession of a vital clue that may lead him to his ultimate goal: a cure for death. The path is vague, however, and certainly treacherous as it takes him into strange territories that, quite literally, no one has ever seen before. The task is too dangerous to venture upon alone, so he must seek assistance, comrades for the coming travails.
So assisted--ably and otherwise--by his vampiric brother, Horst, and by the kindly accompaniment of a criminologist and a devil, he will encounter ruins and diableries, mystery and murder, the depths of the lowest pit and a city of horrors. London, to be exact.
Yet even though Cabal has risked such peril believing he understands the dangers he faces, he is still underestimating them. He is walking into a trap of such arcane complexity that even the one who drew him there has no idea of its true terrors. As the snare closes slowly and subtly around them, it may be that there will be no survivors at all.
Review: Johannes Cabal has tricked Satan and survived the Dreamlands, and now he faces the most dangerous quest ever. Realizing he cannot do this on his own, he takes along his vampiric brother, a spunky criminologist, and a lusty devil. Their travels take them to altered realities and tempts them with all their hearts' desires. Until, finally, they come to the Red Queen in a decimated London. Can they survive the horrors which await them?
This is the fifth and final book in the Johannes Cabal the Necromancer series, and I have loved it every step of the way. The humor is wonderfully dry, and this last book made me laugh a lot. Especially the great spider devil! The plot is complicated and twisted, and I had no idea where it would take me. The cast is spectacular. Of course I adore Johannes himself, and his charming brother Horst, but I loved seeing Miss Smith again. Also, I think Leonie Barrow deserves her own series. She is my favorite! I cannot wait to see what stories emerge from this author next.
The whole series is not an easy read. It's thick with description and very much Victorian Gothic steampunk. It's based on Lovecraftian mythos, and while it has that marvelous creepiness, you have to get through the wordiness first.
I'm a fan of description. but I know most readers want more action. This one might suit me just fine. It certainly looks as if it could keep me on the edge of my seat.