Tuesday 7 October 2008

Uncle Sam Wants Reviews...


And it looks like Sam Millar is getting them. And by all accounts, the US release of Bloodstorm is making crimson waves across the pond. Have a look at these two latest excerpts:


“The storm of unapologetically dark violence, brooding angst and unexpected poetry that's been raging through Irish crime fiction the last few years shows no signs of abating, and may even be rising in intensity. Certainly, that seems to be the case with Sam Millar's new novel, the ambitious Bloodstorm, which seeks to crank it up even further. Like protagonists from contemporaries Ken Bruen, John Connolly, and Declan Hughes, Millar's Belfast private detective hero Karl Kane is damaged goods--an uneven mess of substance abuse and psychological scars that simply won't heal. Not surprising, perhaps, since he won't stop picking at them.

Bloodstorm begins with a dynamite opening--one of the most gripping I've read in a while - and when the pieces finally fall into place, they do so with considerable narrative force.


When Millar lets up on the overwhelming gloom and doom, hints of poetry, wit and even a begrudging sense of humanity begin to creep in. There's enough promise in here to keep me waiting anxiously for the next instalment. Millar's willingness to grind his readers' faces in the dirt is clear--now let's see what will happen if he lets them see a sliver of light.”

Mystery Scene Review, USA

“Bloodstorm is a real find for aficionados of the classic hard-boiled novel who would like to see the form updated without it smelling like an anachronism.”

Boston Book Review


You could do a lot worse, right? Great work, Mister Millar!

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