Lucifer: Mansions of the Silence (Lucifer)

Rating:
Summary: OK, but not as good as the previous volumes
Review: I thought this was an all-around good Lucifer book, but it was a nowhere near perfect one. First of all, I think I missed something: either Mike Carey skipped an issue or didn't write one at the very beginning. the last Lucifer tp ended with Lucifer gaining the Naglfar and preparing to assemble a crew, this one begins with the crew already assembled. Where's the part where he actually persuades the crew to join?
Most of the antagonists in this story I found hard to understand. iT's possible their motives were explained in another volume, but if they were I have forgotten what they are. Tsuki-Yomi merely seems to turn up to make those of us who know our Japanese mythology go " oooooh!" and then be a pain in the bum.
This volume also seems to suffer under the "heros acting like complete and utter [...] problem that affects stories where the writer wants the heros to not be goody two shoes. In this instance, it's manifested when the heros seem to forget about two of their number (who I thought were the most sympathetic) and intentionally maroon a third ( who saved the life of the very character that marooned him). As a consequence, all three are left behind when the others depart. I realy hate this kind of thing.
Now, as for the things I liked. I like d the concept behind the story ( Finally, they rescue Elaine!).I also liked how Mike Carey was able to mix together characters from many storylines in Lucifer in one storyline. I also liked how most of the story was spent with the various characters fighting and bickering on the ship. I really like that kind of thing.

Rating:
Summary: Facets of revenge
Review: This is the first part of the story that Carey probably had not yet completely planned when he started the Lucifer epic (The Basano's prophecy has run its course.)

One major theme in 'Naglfar' is revenge: Lucifer took revenge on Izanami for what she tried in 'The House of Windowless Rooms'. He made sure, that the souls of their sons he had killed were no longer within her reach. Tsuki-Yomi was just an innocent bystander who surely did not deserve his fate. That explains why he is devoting his whole afterlife to get even with Lucifer. And in contrast to David Easterman (who had a similar hatred for Lucifer in his heart, see his final words in 'Childeren and Monsters') he can actually make Lucifer understand that superior firepower does not protect against painful revenge.

But Lucifer has now truly succeeded in his initial quest. He is finally free to do whatever he wants. And he does ...

Parallells to the the foreign policy of the world's last remaining superpower are certainly hidden in the deeper layers of this amazing fantasy epic. (Sadly they may be too subtle for some readers.)