Rating: 
Summary: The Angels Have Come to The Nightside
Review: In the first book, Something From The Nightside, we met investigator John Taylor and were gradually introduced to The Nightside, a perpetually dark neighborhood hidden in London. The Nightside is home and/or workplace to some very odd, powerful and scary beings. In this book, we jump right into the weirdness of The Nightside as John is concluding a case with a very disturbing and dangerous entity.John hears that the Grail may be nearby and is soon hired to find it. But this is the Unholy Grail, the cup used by Judas at the Last Supper. The Unholy Grail is sought by many powerful and dangerous beings. Among them are the Angels (from on High and the Fallen) and they are nasty. Unfortunately for John, using his talent for finding things can alert others as to his whereabouts. Thus John must use all of his natural skills, experience, and reputation to stay alive, find the Grail, and keep it out of the wrong hands (which are just about everyone's). En excellent sequel that reveals a little more about John Taylor and the history of The Nightside. It is obvious that if this one sells well enough the author will have more tales for us.
Rating:
Summary: Take A Cup Of Unkindness
Review: In this, the second volume in Simon Green's tales of The Nightside we find John Taylor back in his old haunting grounds, playing tough guy, noir detective and doing what he does best - finding things. This time he is on a grail hunt, not for the cup that Jesus drank from, but the other cup, the Judas Cup, which provides both ultimate power and ultimate corruption. If it was just John Taylor and an ugly silver cup this would be a piece of cake for John - find it and return it to the Vatican, who will hide it from all the powers, human and otherwise. But no such luck - everyone is after it. Demons, gangsters, and angels - thousands of them, good and bad, all prepared to end the universe to gain the cup. Knowing he is out of his depth, Taylor brings Shotgun Suzie on board, and together they challenge Armageddon.
One can't fault Green for originality of plot. As The Nightside reels from the attacks of angels who are nothing like the sweet creatures of New Age philosophy, we quickly realize there is more to the story than a simple rehashing of old magickal themes. Green likes to play with ideas, even when disguised as a fantasy barn-burner. And there is plenty of that - the only reason there isn't more violence is that people keep getting slaughtered before Taylor and Suzie arrive on the scene. The only thing that wears thin in this series is Green's habit of overplaying the characterization. Taylor, who plays a gumshoe with hidden magical talents and a knack for walking directly into trouble, is always in danger of being a stereotype, of which there are many in this tale - the wise guy bartender, the killer with a heart of gold, and, of course, Merlin. Simon Green dances the thin line between parody and imitation and brings ot off most of the time, but not always. If you like magical stories where bad things happen to everyone and the main character keeps getting warned about his mother you might very well like this story, as I did. And there is nothing wrong about a novel that includes a bar where the spooks get drunk to the sounds of King Crimson. This was written to be fun, and more often than not, it is.
Rating: 
Summary: great blending of Lovecraft and Holmes
Review: Private investigator John Taylor works London's Nightside where gods, angels, demons and monsters hang out at three in the morning. He currently meets with Jessica Sorrow, perhaps the most dangerous essence in town. She believes in nothing so strongly she can turn anyone into nothingness. He survives that encounter at St. Jude, the only church in town, by giving her something to believe in her childhood teddy bear. As John leaves, he sees a bedraggled soul shouting he owns the Grail. John wonders if the Holy Grail may actually be in Nightside. He begins a search, but this is not Jesus' Last Supper cup. This artifact is Judas' Unholy Grail also from the treacherous Last Supper. John knows that if he finds the evil cup, he must be extra cautious. He fears its power to corrupt the most innocent soul. He also knows all the creatures of the night want the evil goblet that would give them immense power. The NIGHTSIDE novels are a great blending of Lovecraft and Holmes that becomes a delightful private investigative fantasy tale. The latest entry is an action-packed thriller in which John searches for the Unholy Grail while the AGENTS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS plan to take away the object if he succeeds on his quest. John is a tremendous protagonist who serves as the focus that makes this eerie center of weirdness seem real. Anyone who appreciates a well-written offbeat story will want to journey to Nightside. However, upon return to reality fans will ponder what type of mind could create such an awesome strange story like this one. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Good, a sequel to the Nightshade.
Review: Thank goodness, Mr. Green made a sequel for John Taylor. Taylor is a supernatural detective that can find things with his third or *private eye* as he calls it. Half hilarious half frightening but alway entertaining, this book brings back my favorite characters, Taylor, Suzie, the bar guy, and Razor Eddie plus a host of other memorable characters I am hoping to see in the next installment sometime soon.(Please Mr. Green?) Anyway, this is part two of John Taylors Detective stories and I still want to know who is mama is. MMmmm well, lets hope there is another book to tell me.
Rating:
Summary: Short, but worth it
Review: This is not a "Robert Jordan", 5,000 pg fantasy - but for once i find myself wishing that this book had that length. Instead, the readers are treated to a short, no-nonsense romp in the macabre, thrilling world of the Nightside, where not all cars are really cars - some are just pretending, and they're usually hungry. . .
Anyway, John Taylor accepts a commision to hunt down the Unholy Grail, and is barred from using his special gift because those who want him to work for them can track him when he does. Confused? Hope not - Anyway, with Shotgun Suzie's help he evades angels, gains and looses the Speaking Gun, and meanders his way through interesting aspects of the Nightside toward his goal.
There is a lot mentioned in this book, and the previous one, that leave the reader wishing (ardently) for more Nightside stories, or even a little more explanation about the true nature of John's mother. in that, green treats the audience like he does his charachters, doling out info on a "need to know" basis. Obviously, we don't need to know - thus, we are left begging for more. Anyone happen to know anything about a sequel?
Oh - be prepared for description and action that borders on the gory and is definitely in the realm of "beyond the pale", though swearing is kept to a minimum and the hint (bare, as in almost not-there) of romance spice it up. but the somewhat (as in, there ARE worse out there) graphic descriptions may be surprising. All in all, a wonderful read, but i'd have to say it's also PG-13.
Rating:
Summary: Short, but worth it
Review: This is not a "Robert Jordan", 5,000 pg fantasy - but for once i find myself wishing that this book had that length. Instead, the readers are treated to a short, no-nonsense romp in the macabre, thrilling world of the Nightside, where not all cars are really cars - some are just pretending, and they're usually hungry. . .
Anyway, John Taylor accepts a commision to hunt down the Unholy Grail, and is barred from using his special gift because those who want him to work for them can track him when he does. Confused? Hope not - Anyway, with Shotgun Suzie's help he evades angels, gains and looses the Speaking Gun, and meanders his way through interesting aspects of the Nightside toward his goal.
There is a lot mentioned in this book, and the previous one, that leave the reader wishing (ardently) for more Nightside stories, or even a little more explanation about the true nature of John's mother. in that, green treats the audience like he does his charachters, doling out info on a "need to know" basis. Obviously, we don't need to know - thus, we are left begging for more. Anyone happen to know anything about a sequel?
Oh - be prepared for description and action that borders on the gory and is definitely in the realm of "beyond the pale", though swearing is kept to a minimum and the hint (bare, as in almost not-there) of romance spice it up. but the somewhat (as in, there ARE worse out there) graphic descriptions may be surprising. All in all, a wonderful read, but i'd have to say it's also PG-13.
Rating:
Summary: REMARKABLE DARK FANTASY BY GREEN
Review: This is the first book I've reviewed in Simon Green's Nightside series and, in fact, the first book I've read by Mr. Green. I was totally blown away as it was one of the best fantasy books I've read in quite a long time. But calling it a fantasy doesn't do it justice. This great book has elements of dark fantasy, horror, sci-fi, mixed with a little mystery and a generous sprinkling of humor. Now that may sound like the book wants to be all things to all people but the elements work very well.
The Nightside is a kind of alternate world buried deep in the heart of london. A place much bigger that the supposed one square mile it rests on. It's always 3 am in Nightside. That's how the denizens like it. A place where everyday people mix with creatures of myth and legend. Vampires, ghosts, ghouls, sorcerers, demons, and things far more terrible can be found living in Nightside. There are many unique being in the Nightside such as Jennifer Sorrow, Razor Eddie, The Collector and others. Watching over the Nightside is the Authorities. Mysterious beings of great power who police...loosely...the Nightside.
John Taylor is one of them. A private investigator who has a special gift for finding things. John can find virtually anything or anyone with a magical/psychic talent. Jack is contracted by the Vatican itself to retrieve a powerful artifact--The Unholy Grail--the cup that Judas drank from at the Last Supper. And artifact so evil and powerful that it could bring armageddon to the world. But The VAtican is not the only ones searching for the grail. All the great powers in the Nightside want it.
Add to all of these great powers who want the Grail, so does heaven and hell. They both send legions of angels into the Nightside which even the Authorities cannot stand up against. Without much subtlety the angels begin killing anyone who dares get in their path. Because John Taylors unique power makes the angels aware of his presence and make him vulnerable, he decides to use old-fashioned footwork to find the grail, enlisting the aid of old friend Shotgun Suzie to help. John and Suzie quickly find themselves caught squarely in the middle of a battle between all of Nighsides great powers along with Angels from above and below. And just under the surface of all this is the mystery of Jack's mother who NO ONE wants to talk about and the only thing that causes Jack to be unable to control his emotions over.
This is just a terrific book. Green creates some of the most fascinating creatures of power you'll ever meet. Razor Eddie is a skinny, pale, smelling of death power who uses an ivory handled razor to dispatch anyone in his way. Then there is Alex Morrissey, owner of Strangefellows, the oldest bar in the world whose Ancestor is the Great mage Merlin.
Witty and darkly humorous, with doses of dialog brimming with sarcasm, Green creates fantastic, more-than-human characters who have distinctly human frailties. In Nightside, he's manifested a wonderful yet terrible place that you'd want to visit but never want to live there.
This is one of three Nightside novels with a fourth due out soon. I'm into the second one already and loving it just as much. This is a marvelously unique world that Mr. Green has created in Nightside and I cannot wait to read more about it.
Rating:
Summary: Even better than the first book
Review: This is the second book Simon has written that is set in the "Nightside", a city that exists parallel to London and has fantastic, magical, and vile beings living in it. This book explores much more of "Nightside" than the first book and furthers the mystery of Simon's mother. The plot is intriguing and well done. You should be able to read this book in one sitting (if you have two or so hours to spend) as it is a short book much like it's predecessor but it is also a great read, much like the first one. I highly recommend it and hope there are many more in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Just plain cool
Review: This was just a cool book. If you are at all interested in DIFFERENT views of religion/spirituality and a historical aspect thereof and you can handle fantasy, this is definitely worth your while.
Our 'hero' is back, this time looking for the Unholy Grail to keep the armies of above and below from destroying everything.
If a fantasy view of religion might bother you, don't even bother picking this one up.
Definitely creepy as usual.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Imagery
Review: This was the second Simon Green book I read. I fell in love with the whole concept of a darker, concealed world existing along side our own. The imagery is both terrifying and beautiful. I immediately went out is search of more by this author, and everything I read so far has only made me want more. I usually enjoy a lighter style of fantasy, but this gives you just the right amount of humor, pathos, and fear that makes the characters seem to live. You begin to wonder if maybe just, maybe in some deserted tube station there isn't a door you never noticed before...
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