Sadman Hossain

Stephen King does it again.

I've never read Stephen King (minus [b:The Jaunt|52317884|The Jaunt|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561266112l/52317884.SX50_SY75.jpg|71429287] and that one short story of his where a man stranded on an island eats himself to death. But after reading this, I get it.

I don't normally write reviews (I'd like to, I've been meaning to, but I've just never got around to actually doing it), but after reading Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream I've been emotionally moved enough to sit down at my computer and write this out. Because it is truly something incredible.

I don't want to spoil anything. Because it's always better if you experience yourself, summarizing it would only negate any suspense or intrigue in the mystery that is Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream. And it is a mystery, albeit an unrelenting one, oh dear, it is unrelenting, it shocks you, angers you, puzzles you. It's a story that captured me far more than anything I've read these past few months, so much so that I could not tear myself away from the book until I had finished it.

I expected untold horrors when I read the title You Like It Darker. All I found was a coldness called humanity. Maybe I found what I expected all I along.

But I suppose that's I like it anyways.

Jalan, the protagonist of the Red Queen's War, is a lustful coward who just might be more than that, if pressed. Great stuff; just different enough from the typical fantasy stories to be interesting. Both are mostly first person, and focus on a handful of characters.

Shattered Sigil Trilogy by Courtney Schafer for you Gentleman Bastards fix. You want likeable characters? You get them and then some. You want cons and clever lies? Just you wait. The cast is focussed (two protagonists and and a small assortment of sidecharacters/villains), the story is very engaging and moves at a brisk pace. As a bonus, the trilogy is finished and not only do the stakes get higher, Courtney's skills get better with each book like she's some kind of crazy writer Pokemon. And yes, the characters grow with each book.

Check out Low Town. Closer to the First Law in tone. A government agent turned small time drug lord investigates a chain of murders in his territory. Dark, funny, gritty. Better yet, the story's tied up in a single book, although it has sequels that stand alone as well. It's first person, so it doesn't have the problem of multiple perspectives stretching the scope.

The Darwath Trilogy. Again, small cast and no distracting sideplots. The atmosphere is excellent and the cast is very, very likeable. Also, the two protagonists are taking up a trade, so you have the “protagonist becoming more powerful” box checked.