Customer Reviews

City Infernal

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Cassie and her sister Lissa are typical young Goth girls. Though they are twins, each have their own emotional issues and depressing angle at which to observe life. While at a Goth club one evening, Cassie makes the mistake of kissing Lissa's boyfriend (with some prompting by the boyfriend), and Lissa goes over the edge. She pulls a gun and kills her boyfriend and then herself. Trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, in addition to trying to heal emotional wounds and recover from their loss, Cassie and her father move to a much more rural locale in the backwoods of Virginia. Little do they know that their new home was the former home of a Satanist, and contains a doorway to Hell.

A trio of dead souls, Via, Xeke, and Hush, who squat at the Deadpass in Cassie's house as fugitives and ex-residents, confront Cassie one day, and the three of them inform her that she is an Etheress. She unwittingly meets some very particular conditions that give her the ability to visit the infernal city and stir things up a bit in the process. Of course, her only goal is to find her sister and apologize for the unfortunate events that landed her in a place and position of eternal damnation.

Hell, however, isn't all that Cassie had imagined it would be. The city has evolved via advanced technology just as any other city in the Living World has. As Cassie explores the Mephistopolis, she finds that she has a lot to learn, and that things are more than meets the eye. Every street corner is ripe with depictions of systematized evil and atrocious oddities.

Edward Lee definitely ranks up there as one of my favorite authors. He has a simple, yet intensely descriptive way of describing the worlds he envisions and creates in all of his works. The Mephistopolis in this book is no different. This particular depiction of Hell is intricately woven and extremely well thought out, as is the plot in general. The picture of Hell that Lee has drawn within these pages is one of diabolical evil and grandiose design, and Lee hasn't left out a single detail, making for a titillating excursion that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

If you are familiar with any of Lee's other works, you know that he tends to push the extremes when it comes to the "gross-out" element of his writing. His literary signature is one of severe and extravagant, yet fascinating and intriguing, brutality that borders on the obscene and vulgar. In City Infernal, the portrayals tend to be much mellower, making this a great introduction to his work and something those with slightly weaker stomachs can enjoy.

This book was a fast-paced and fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I have already bought and look forward to reading the sequel, "Infernal Angel." Very highly recommended!

Edward Lee is considered by many to be the gross-out king of the horror genre. I wish I could confirm or deny that statement, but I cannot. That's because "City Infernal" is the only Ed Lee book I've ever read. His other novels are either out of print or are so expensive that one would have to visit a mafia loan shark just to come up with the dough to buy one. Fortunately, "City Infernal" doesn't require a broken arm in order to get a copy (at least not yet; when it goes out of print, it might be a different story.).

"City Infernal" is a real thrill ride. Lee tells us the story of Cassie, a Goth girl recovering from the suicide of her twin sister Lissa. Cassie and her father, a big shot Washington lawyer, move into the Virginia boonies to put the past behind them. Unfortunately for the two, they move into a mansion built by a Satanist. Cassie discovers that the house is occupied by three dead teenagers and serves as a gateway to the underworld (one of the teens is a mute named Hush. Nifty name!). But the Hades that Lee creates isn't all fire and brimstone; this Hades is a city built over the last 5000 years. It is much like New York or any other global metropolis. But in this city, torture, cannibalism, weird shops, and other types of mayhem can all be found during a stroll down the street. In Hades, black magic and sorcery are hard sciences. One can buy elixirs and cast spells on other people. Lucifer exists and lives in the largest high rise in the city, where he controls all types of government operations. The fallen angel Ezoriel, who battles his former friend for control of the underworld, opposes him by using terrorist tactics with a private army.

Cassie enters Hades with her three dead friends, hoping to find Lissa. Fortunately for Cassie, it is quickly discovered that she has special powers in Hades. The result is a freewheeling ride through the nooks and crannies of the city. We see Cassie and her chums battling demon cops, eating at a fancy restaurant that serves human and demon meat, cooling their heels at a club, and running from a gangster called "Nicky the Cooker."

I found this book highly entertaining. Lee is a reader's writer. He knows that when creating such a fascinating world, the reader wants details. That is exactly what Lee delivers. Hundreds of pages are devoted to the minutiae of life in the netherworld. We get to see a demon birth, gruesome murders and tortures, very strange television programs, and some of the more famous residents of the underworld. All of this is described in abundant and clever detail.

I liked Cassie a lot, probably because she reminds me of several young ladies I know. Her internal observations were entertaining and realistic, considering the subject matter. Cassie's anguish over her responsibility for her sister's death is written with genuine feeling and comes across as such. Some of her reactions to experiences in Hades are a bit ridiculous, but on the whole she emerges as a good character that the reader knows quite well by the end of the story.

Other characters aren't drawn as well. Cassie's dead buddies are central to the story, but come across as one dimensional (of course, they are dead!). Lissa is an enigma; she appears at the beginning of the book, and only intermittently throughout. We know the context in which she kills herself, but never understand the real reason for her actions. This is a problem because Lee originally paints Cassie as the outcast, depressed loner while Lissa is an extrovert.

An even bigger problem is Lee's tendency to make the rules up as he goes along. We are told, by Cassie's dead friends in the beginning, that Hades has many rules. How fortunate that these rules always become apparent when most needed, and always helpful to our heroes! The demon cops are closing in-presto! We're invisible! Oh dear, it doesn't look like we're going to get out of this situation alive-here's Ezoriel and his black knights to save the day! I could probably stomach most of these miraculous saves, as most fiction uses them to some extent or another. But by the time the end of the book rolls around, it gets cutesy-wootsy and it grates.

Despite a few minor problems, this book is still a lot of fun. I would read more Ed Lee in the future, based on what I know of him from this book. If you like horror/sci-fi/fantasy, pick this one up before it goes out of print.

I was one of those who read the negative reviews and bought the book with trepidation, but once I opened it up, I couldn't stop reading it until it was finished. Let's just say that I devoured this book during one very long night and it stayed with me long after. Leisure Books brings out tons of really great books, but occasionally there's one that stands out amongst all of them. City Infernal is that book.

As a semi-aging goth, I identified with the main character Cassie who is very confused and lost after contributing to an event that sent her twin sister over the edge and caused her to commit suicide. Cassie and her father move to a small rural southern town and from there the story gets going. Its at this house that she meets up with a ragtag group of teenagers who guide her into hell itself to find her sister. From this point, I won't give anything else away just to say that hell is a very colorful and incredibly imagined city. Mr. Lee took a interesting concept and turned it into a strange and frightening city of the dead. There are all manner of demons here and hellish traps not to mention an odd plot twist with warring demons and a plot to overthrow Lucifer's grip on the city.

This book is exceptional and there are funny parts too. Cassie's trip to the local redneck store was really funny, not to mention her friendship with a one-armed redneck.

All in all, a great book and one I highly recommend.

This was an extremely quick read, but it had no where near the graphic tone of other Edward lee novels. That was a bit of a let down seeing that the king of macabre finally wrote a novel about hell. The original plot pulls the reader in but once the setting becomes hell it turns into a disappointing scene for scene discription of the city.. Most of the book is sort of like a tour guide describing what hell is like. I would've prefered more action and more obstacles for the main characters to face. Plus I really dislike books that read like a part of a series. The character development is extremely slow because there's another book LEE wants you to buy plus nothing is resolved. Books that are a part of a series should have micro resolutions.

Edward Lee is the one author who can grab me by the throat from page one and keep me guessing till the end. His plot twists are masterful. His characters are always life-like and believable. His wicked sense of humor rings through and makes me laugh out loud. And in City Infernal, his vision of what hell is like...man, this just blew my mind! Such creativity. Let's just say: Hell might be a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't wanna live there! At least, not in Edward Lee's Hell!!

And this is one of his milder books...

Ed Lee is truly an original. BUY THIS BOOK if you want intelligent, well-written horror with wit, fast-pacing, humor and a raucous sense of adventure! I've already purchased extra copies of City Infernal to give to family and friends. Yes, it's THAT good.

Once you get started reading Lee, you'll wonder how you ever put up with the hum drum drivel you're used to reading. Lee spoils ya as a reader. There's not a dull moment in his novels. YOU'LL LOVE HIM! Also, check out DAHMER'S NOT DEAD, BIGHEAD and CREEKERS. You won't be sorry.

So far this has been my favorite book this year, the vivid imaginary and the witty horror mixed with some good fantasy propelled this story into stratospheres that leave many other copy cats in the dust. This book is about a city, but not just any city, an infernal city of hell, the reverse of what we consider normal and proper, a place where a young girl will end up entering to seek her twin virgin sister. The sister has committed suicide and in a way send Cassie on a quest beyond what is thought of as safe or sane, the story was part horror, part mystery and had an amazing amount of wit and some really good humor, I found myself chuckling a few times, something that I love in horror but which is very thought to pull off and still keep the suspense going. Edward Lee has a great imagination but he also knows how to insert it into a proper book, this reads wonderfully and since it's a part of series you want to be back for more, I'm all ready wishing I was reading the next installment. Guts, goo and gore in a Hellraiser like universe takes the reader on a wild ride and I promise that the imagination in this novel will not fail to astound, gross out and impress many readers.

There is the normal world, still full of zany characters but it exist merely to add a realistic balance to the novel, it's not all pure fantasy but it certainly peaks over the gates of sanity, Hell in this book is something that will make you feel lucky you're just reading about it, at least in this book. Blood of the sinners is distilled into water which is expensive, terror is what feeds and makes the city run, if you're really bad you get to come back as a lower creature every time you're killed until you end up as a fat dirty maggot chewing on carrion of other pathetic losers who never managed to live their lives right, but a change is coming, a battle is brewing and it's being propelled by a young girl who has certain qualities that will make the ending of this book read like one of the best adventure stories ever written. This is the first time that a living human has stepped into hell and what she manages to uncover and change will shake both worlds, this was a great and fast read, one that I will certainly remember for a while, not for the squeamish but not lacking brains either, quite funny and intelligent at the same time, I loved it.

- Kasia S.

I'm not sure why nearly everyone thinks a review should consist mainly of a plot synopsis, but by this time I'm sure almost everyone reading this is familiar with the essential premise of the book, so I'll be skipping that here. This was also the first Edward Lee book I ever read, so I had no preconcieved notions of what his writing should be like.

I found this book to be an enjoyable, easy read with a unique and interesting take on Hell. It immediately caught my interest, which I appreciated in contrast to horror that takes chapter after chapter to build up. I would classify this book as "fun and cool." I didn't find it to be as horrific or gross as some reviewers did. Maybe I'm just jaded, but I actually thought it was a bit tame given that describing Hell essentially gives an author free reign to dwell on whatever kind of graphic torment they would like to. Sure, gross and horrific things happen, but they tend to be described in a quick and matter-of-fact way, rather than lingering on the details of things.

If you're expecting a completely serious version of Hell, or heavy horror for that matter, this book may not be for you. For me, it was serious enough to invest my fictional belief and fascination in, and fast-paced enough to engage my interest, but I didn't really find the book to be incredibly suspenseful or horrific. I would be more inclined to classify it as dark low fantasy with horror elements, but I suppose the fact that the fantastic world the main character finds herself in being Hell gets the book automatically placed in the horror genre. But for what it was, the book was good and inspired me to read the rest of the series as soon as I finished the first.

The reason why I only give the book four stars, however, is that there were a few elements that I thought were lacking. I didn't find the story to be as weak as some reviewers, however it is true that Lee does focus a great deal on descriptions of places and less on character development. On one hand, his descriptions are fantastic and satisfying in their own right. On the other, I did wish I knew the characters a little better. I felt that Cassie was explored fairly well, but the other characters seemed more like useful sidekicks and less like independent entities. There were instances where I felt that certain plot points could have been better exploited in regards to the characters than they actually were. I also found that things were a little too easy. The characters meet a few challenges and snags in their planning, but for the most part problems are fixed with something new revealed by the sidekick characters. Also, at the end of the book (which I won't give away), I thought the twist could have been better exploited, and explained for that matter, especially given some of the revelations that take place in the sequel, Infernal Angel. Despite these flaws, I think the book is well worth reading, and that Lee makes up for some of these problems in the next book.

I bought "City Infernal" used through one of Amazon's shops after the ad in the back of another horror novel caught my eye. I was intrigued by the idea of Hell as a city of horrors and curious as to how Lee would envision it. I enjoyed the same idea in the novelization of the film "Constantine" and was looking for more.

Lee surprised me with a remarkably entertaining and frequently fresh look at an old subject -- what would Hell be like? He creates a mythos around his Mephistopolis, the City of Hell, that I found compelling and absorbing. At times unpleasant and sometimes so hyperbolic that it borders on the ridiculous (though never quite getting there), the horrific City of Hell is something I envision in almost cartoon terms. I could see an animated movie of this emerge quite easily, but not a live action film. This is a version of the Hell that should remain entirely in the realm of fantasy; it is most enjoyable on those terms.

When I put the book down after finishing it (it was hard to put it down before then), I immediately wanted more and went looking for the sequel. That book was "Infernal Angel."

I actually read this book after Infernal Angel. I don't know why, but I am almost glad I did. Because I was interested in what happened to Cassie the first time around and I feel if I had read this first I would have been bored by the long recap in Infernal Angel. The city is awesome. It's gross and inventive. He really took the time to back up his world, I like that. I liked the character Cassie and kind of felt attached to her. I hope he writes more about the Mephistopolis in the future. Great book, I recommend to anyone who loves Lee, Horror, or has a fascination with Hell.

I'm a bit torn on this Edward Lee.
Cassie and Lissa are identical twins, both city goth girls sneaking out to do the club scenes and party. Both are virgins, though Lissa is not a puritanical one.

When Lissa catches Cassie kissing her bartender boyfriend Radu, she first shoots him then shoots herself, killing them both.
Cassie falls into a pit of self blame and despair, and to ease the burden on both her and himself, her father quits his job and moves from D.C. to the suburbs of Virginia into an old and odd mansion called Blackwell Hall.

Here is where Mr. Lee's real vision begins. Cassie has no idea she is an Etheress, a living mortal with the ability to enter hell, until she befriends three dead people who are living in the occulus room of Blackwell Mansion; Via, Xeke, and Hush. Part Two of this book is Cassie's journey into hell with her new friends, as she tries to find her sister to tell her how sorry she is.

Part Three of this book is where Cassie has a confrontation with Lilith, meets the second Fallen Angel Ezoriel, and uses her Etheress powers to invade the Constabulary to attempt to rescue her sister.

The weak parts of this novel are the dialogue, and to an extent the characters. But, and this is a very big BUT, Mr. Lee more than redeems himself with this utterly unique and diabolical vision of hell as a vast city, The Mephistopolis.

I was literally blown away by the detailed visualization of this city; from transportation to power plants to nightclubs to policing to restaurants, Mr. Lee leaves nothing out from this hellish excursion.

It is truly in and of itself worth reading this book to travel with Cassie, Via, Xeke, and Hush into hell. Very cool and unique concept expertly described and fully fleshed out. Enjoy!