by Trent Jamieson
pub:orbit
372 pages
Steven De Selby is a pomp, his job is to help spirits pass over. It's a hereditary thing, he was raised to it and although it's not a career he would have chosen he's pretty much stuck with it. Then someone starts klling the pomps in Brisbane, all of them, fast. With only a dead girl to help him and no idea what is goin on Steve has to try and survive long enough to stop a regional apocalypse.
The concept of Death as a corporation isn't a wholly new one, but Jamieson delivers an interesting take on the set up and structure of such a beauracracy. Modern efficiencies nudging alongside ancient traditions. He also makes excellent use of existing mythology, weaving elements of old beliefs into his world.
The action kicks off almost immediatley and barely lets up for a moment, Steve is put through hell (literally) and doesn't really get the chance to regroup. Jamieson keeps us with him, battered about and exhausted, sympathising when he feels it might be easier to just give up and die. De Selby is in someways the typica smart mouthed urban fantasy hero, but the book itself is different enough and the world so well considered that this one deserves to be noticed among the shelves of UF out there. Dark, funny and smart, a great start to what should be an extremely entertaining series.
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