Customer Reviews

Cruel Zinc Melodies (Garrett, P.I. #12)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read all of the Garrett books as well as the Black Company series. Glen Cook (who I am proud to say went to my Alma Mater) is a writer whose character Garrett pops off the page with snarky wit that has always had me laughing and enjoying his thoroughly fun detective tales in the fantastical environment of Tun Faire.
With this being number twelve in the series, reading this novel was like slipping on a comfortable old glove for me. I know the characters, remembering back to the good old days of when each of them were introduced, and enjoying them all.

I was in college in the late eighties when I read my first Garrett book. Now, as I am about to turn forty there is a certain appreciation for a maturing Garrett, alebeit a reluctance on my part to see him resist the urge to stray anymore, resist the urge to get himself into far deeper trouble with the likes of Deal Relway and Westman Block. All the lovely ladies that populated the pages of stories past were like Bond Girls, with their wicked or more tame temptations for the sarcastic ex-marine. Now he is trying to be a one woman man and seems to be a bit more even tempered overall. There is certainly still a zing to the stories but it is slightly tempered by a more thoughtful, less reactionary Garrett.

This specific book has Garrett working to help one of his longtime employers, Max Weider, with his newest venture, a theater being built to showcase the acting skills of his daughter along with Garrett's longtime sweetheart, Tinnie Tate, plus a bevy of other tantalizing young women, each that seem to tempt Garrett one more than the other.
The problem is that the theater appears to be haunted and have an massive infestation of giant bugs.

I will not go into further details because the plot gets pretty complicated from there, with several different smaller and larger mysteries adding up and being resolved throughout the book.

Most of the old characters from previous stories are pulled into this book and that will cause a lot of confusion for someone not familiar with this entire series. It is a story that has a very healthy dose of the Dead Man, which is always a big plus for me. Garrett's partner always adds a lot to each story he is in.

Overall, this story fits nicely into the saga which is the Garrett Files, but does not stand out as one of the more spectacular works but is quite satisfying for this long time fan of the series.

I've been reading the Garrett novels since the early 90s. They started off being fantasy noir, owing a lot to Chandler. Back then, the novels were almost self contained. You had Garrett and maybe his two friends, Morley Dotes and Saucerhead Tharpe plus sometimes a couple other helpers just for that novel. Though not always those.

Now Garrett pretty much has a whole host of companions and it seems like Cook has to drag out every character Garrett has ever met for a cameo. And spend the first 100 pages bringing us up to speed on what has happened to them since the last novel. That's okay for hard core fans of the series, but if you haven't read all the past novels, you probably have no idea who is who. So it takes quite some time before we finally get to the actual mystery/plot of the novel, based around the haunting of a theater.

At times it seems like Cook was going for a "Chinatown" vibe, in describing some of the rich families of the city (who are indirectly connected to the troubles of the theater), but there isn't much characterization of them. So it's not that effective.

Ultimately it's worth it for Garrett fans, but I wish an editor had cut out some of the fat. And definitely not the way to get into the series.

I'm a huge Cook fan, but I felt this installment could have been cut in half. Seemed like some events happened just to fill space or bring a familar character into the story. One of Cook's strengths is lean prose. He seems to have gotten away from that here. Garrett's maturation process is kind of drawn out. Not the hard edge to this story some of his others have.

I've read a lot of books by Glen Cook, even tracking things down before Amazon.

This is his first transition novel. Oh, he actually tells a story, Garrett has adventures, the background develops, but underneath it all, this is a transition story.

Not obvious, because the transitions to come are just hinted at, not delivered, but that is the strange note to it that makes it different from all the other novels in the series, and all the other novels by the author.

So, will our fearless P.I. become an adult? Will anyone in the crew? What is really going on in the World? You will have to wait for the next novel (perhaps) for the meta questions, but you will find out about the World (the theater that is being built).

But there is a hint of everything, even Glory Mooncalled, in this book.

This book was really not as enjoyable as most. The central theme, repeated over and over in the book, is "Garrett grows up". As it turns out, a Garrett who is growing up is pretty dull. There's very little action in the story. The mystery isn't interesting or very mysterious. Missing are all the elements in other Garrett yarns; female interaction, violence and intrigue, interesting involvement of secondary characters, and a satisfying wrap up of loose threads. What there is in this book is a lot of reference to previous stories, gratuitous apearance of numerous characters without purpose or flavor, and a lot of introspective, approaching middle-age Garrett. The Dead Man is more lively in this one than Garrett. If you're familiar with the series, this story may disappoint; it certainly disappointed me. If you have just heard about these books, read some of the earlier, well-written sories when Garrett was actually alive.

I would rate this volume of the P.I. Garrett saga as the best since Faded Steel Heat. I'd also rate it as having the most moving ending of any of the novels.

But, be aware it's not the one you want to start with if you are a newcomer to the series. Cook brings in a lot of his characters and does away with much of the introductions and exposition.

That allows for the development of a near bewildering range of sub-plots and twists, but would leave anybody who isn't up to speed on the series wondering what all the fuss is about.

As others have pointed out, an ongoing thread of this book is maturity and development. Garrett's not the least, and it made for satisfying character development for a fan such as me.

We also get a closer look at the corrupt members of the ruling class than ever before. It's always been one of Cook's better insights that a society with powerful wizards would much more likely end up with wannabe dark lords than kindly, wise Gandalf types. Here we get a nice display of the scum that floats to the top.

Several bits left me smiling, in the way a good acquaintance or relative would, watching long-awaited events unfold (sorry, can't be more clear without spoilers). Another left me with slightly moist eyes.

The series has often been compared to Chandler in its tone and depiction of the skirt-chasing, hard-drinking detective, but interestingly enough, this one put me more in mind of Cook's other series, The Black Company, in its thoughtful depiction of characters and inner development. The depiction of evil magic-wielders and ancient beings also reminded me of the very first of the Black Company books.

All in all, a refreshing comeback after some less than stellar last 2 books.

One star I subtract because there are some plotholes in relation to previous novels, which most fans will spot fairly easily. (having to do with the Contague clan and prior events)

That's what Cook is hearing as I fork over some of my hard earned angels on his latest book detailing Garrets misadventures...and GASP maturity????

Ah well. Is a really good book. Starts out fairly typical with a promise of an easy job that just gets more and more complicated as Garret and Co. get more and more involved. Really cool concept of what lies beneath...not always out to get us and can actually be very helpful.
There is more Tinnie in this book than normal, which is fine, we always need more attractive redheads, as well as being exposed to more of the Dead Man's sense of humor.

Very good read like the rest of the series. All of this series is a pleasant way to spend the day.

Garrett gets called upon by a Bevy of Beauties to solve a simple crime. Of course the case is anything but simple. This book was a little out there but not as far as Lead Skies. I wouldn't recommend for first time Garrett readers because a lot of the story is how Tunfaire and it's denizens are changing. Garrett slogs along with a little help from his dead partner and the usual cast of animated personalities. The next generation that has grown up after the war is starting to act out. Garrett must fight not only villians but maturity and domesticity his most lethal foes. Winter's hard and Tunfaire's harder and Garrett has trouble coming from all directions. Situation normal.

Fans of the Garrett, PI series will want to pick up Cook's latest. If you haven't read any books in the series you're in luck; most of them are being reprinted. Many of Cook's hard to find earlier works are being reprinted.

The character development is, as in most of his books, exceptional. One of the best in the business. Many characters from previous works make their appearances (including more Dead Man sightings that in recent books). The story is unique and interesting and is sure to please.

Cruel Zinc Melodies (2008) is the twelfth fantasy novel in the Garrett Files series, following Whispering Nickel Idols. The initial work in this series is Sweet Silver Blues.

In the previous volume, Garrett found Chodo Contague and Harvester Temisk. Tinnie tended Garrett through his illness and then he returned the favor. Garrett also introduced Penny Dreadful to her father. Later, the Dead Man hired Silverman to make jackal jewelry.

In this novel, Garrett is a private detective in the city of TunFaire. He was a marine during his obligatory service in the Cantard. Now he lives in a private house on Macunado Street and has a partner, a cook, an accountant, and a girlfriend.

The Dead Man is his partner. He isn't really a man, but is definitely dead. The Loghyr mental faculties last longer than their bodies. So the Dead Man may have moths living on this skin, but his ability to read minds extends throughout the house and across the street.

Dean is the cook. He is a very good cook, but he is often cranky. The old man also has numerous female relatives, whom he frequently brings around for Garrett's inspection.

Pular Singe is a rat woman. Some sorcerer had experimented with rats in the past and now their descendants are larger and smarter. Pular is a genius among rat people and is Garrett's accountant and office manager.

Tinnie Tate is his red-headed girlfriend. They have been going with each other for quite a while. Garrett is even creeping up to the idea of becoming engaged, but he is not yet ready. Naturally, Tinnie will change his thinking when she feels the need.

In this story, Tinnie drops in on Garrett with her friends Alex, Bobbi and Lindy. They want Garrett to solve a problem for them. They have aspirations to become actresses and the new theater being built seems to be haunted.

Max Weider -- beer tycoon and Alex's father -- is the mastermind in the new business venture. The construction, however, is lagging behind his schedule. Max wants Garrett to do something about the spooks.

Garrett checks out the worksite and finds that the workers are hearing heavy metal music from deep underground and are seeing their lovers, friends and other dead people. He also finds giant bugs in the building.

Then he discovers two bodies on the grounds, the site security man and a homeless person. The guard seems have been killed accidentally by a local youth gang -- they were just roughing him up a little -- but the other was sucked dry of all blood.

Garrett soon involves the secret police in suppressing the youth gang. Then he finds the source of the giant bugs. The Dead Man thinks the music and ghosts are coming from a dragon. Not the fire breathing variety, but something much like that with a hoard and a tendency to hibernate.

This tale involves Garrett in the affairs of the magic users on the hill. A friend belongs to a club that does the usual activities of young rich males while away from their parents. Their clubhouse is an abandoned structure near the theater and one of them is interested in bugs.

The story has the usual mix of banter, battle and broads. Morley says a few words about Garrett's habits and friends. The youth gang takes a swipe at him. And he gets in trouble for appreciating the looks of Tinnie's friends. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of fantastic mysteries, exotic magic, and a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin