Customer Reviews

Just Another Judgement Day (Nightside, Book 9)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Nobody can ignore it in today's society -- people who claim that they are fighting God's battles, and prove that they aren't by their own actions.

That's the central message of "Just Another Judgement Day," the ninth volume of Simon R. Green's Nightside series. And despite its flip title, this is one of the more philosophical and serious trips into the dark side of London -- lots of meditations on people who commit atrocities in God's name. And, fortunately, lots of vintage Nightside weirdness too.

First, John and Suzie are asked by the foppish Percy D'arcy to find out why his friends aren't aging. When they explore an elite clinic, they find a ghastly "Dorian Grey"-style setup run by a notorious mad genius -- Dr. Frankenstein.

Then the main story: Nature abhors a vacuum, and so does the Nightside -- with the Authorities dead, a new ruling gang has been chosen. And unexpectedly, Walker wishes John Taylor to meet the new Authorities (most of whom don't like him), especially since the Walking Man -- "the wrath of God in the world of men" -- is coming to the Nightside. He is invincible, unstoppable, merciless and immune to sorcery and science alike.

And they want John to stop him somehow. Nice easy job, huh? Unfortunately John's talent is no use as the Walking Man cuts a bloody swathe through the Nightside, the Street of the Gods, and the decidedly guilty individuals there. John and the monster-killing Chandra set out to find the only ghastly weapon capable of stopping the Walking Man -- but even that may not be enough to save them.

"Just Another Judgement Day" has Simon R. Green's typical cocktail of Nightside insanity -- Druid terrorists, sex-reversed extradimensional copies of John and Susie, the Lovecraftian Church of the Unspeakable Abomination, and zombie detectives. It even has some cameos by familiar faces such as Razor Eddie, Jessica Sorrow, Walker, and the lovable Julian Advent.

But despite this weirdness, Green is unusually serious in this book -- there's less witty banter and more focus on the difference between God's will and those who use it as a justification for murder. About halfway through, Green's writing explodes into a spray of death, gunshots, pitched battles and the occasional deflated squid-monster deity. Not to mention the Speaking Gun (yes, again), which is as gross and malignant as ever.

Fortunately about halfway through Green realizes that this is getting a bit too grim, so he inserts some mildly gross comedy in the form of a traffic tunnel that eats cars ("I used my gift to find its gag reflex") and some fun religious pamphlets ("Join the Church of the Undecided. Or don't. See if we care. We're only printing these things as a tax dodge").

But fortunately things don't get too light, and Green keeps a steady hand on Taylor's quest against the Walking Man and Chandra's crisis of faith ("Few of them were in any way worthy of the God they claimed to worship"). And he manages to pull an intriguing turnabout in the penultimate chapter, when John unearths the one way to stop the Walking Man.

And this is a pretty deep book for Taylor, whose own beliefs have been a bit nebulous but who is clearly against random supernatural-vigilantism, which makes him a good foil for the quirky, morally upright Chandra ("I have to get a new agent") who develops a very personal spiritual reason to fight the Walking Man. Walker demonstrates his more human side with his fondness for Taylor, and "black leather Valkyrie" Susie makes some progress on her post-rape phobias.

"Just Another Judgement Day" is one of Simon R Green's less humorous urban fantasies, but it touches well on a timeless topic. And it has Lovecraftian monsters as well.

Having read all the Nightside books and branching out to the Secret History series, Simon Green was starting to read a bit stale. While still good reads and full of fresh and interesting ideas, the last Nightside book (as well as the second SH) seemed kinda formulaic, John Taylor paint by numbers if you will.

Green seemed to just be throwing out new characters and fresh ideas just as scenery while Taylor strolled around, all of them having very little to no impact on the story or main character. Characters like Walker and Suzie were just kinda there, and the plot kinda felt very "been there, done that".

So I was pleasantly surprised to find the 9th book in the Nightside to be the best in a while. It is hard to say it is better than the middle trilogy, as that story and the individual books were all just quality jaunts through the Nightside from top to bottom. However, I would say that it is the best of the latter trilogy, and if not for the excellent Agents of Light and Darkness, better than the first trilogy as well.

What makes the new book so interesting is bringing back some real emotional investment for John Taylor. The new character introduced, The Walking Man, God's Wrath personified, places John in very interesting moral situations. He is killing evil people, but the Nightside is filled with Grey characters so where does John draw the line?

In addition to that added moral conundrum, John is also left reeling from some unexpected and unwelcomed attention and news from Walker. Walker is by far the best supporting character in the Nightside, and the relationship between he and John has always been complicated, but the new book adds a new wrinkle that deepens their connection even further.

Add in your usual array of random and creative Green beasties and baddies, and you have one satisfying romp through the Nightside. The book convinces me the Nightside still has some legs left in it (which I was seriously doubting after the Unnatural Inquirer) as well as returning John to the more heroic Champion of the Nightside role he enjoyed in earlier books. Still a hero who does not mind throwing salt in a guys face before kicking him in the balls...but a hero nonetheless!

263 HC pages 4.5 out of 5 stars

I found this series just after Simon wrote Hex and the City. I've read every book at least twice. The last book, the Unnatural Inquirer, was not his best, and I was worried the series was deteriorating. However, this book again showed the brilliance of Simon Green. It starts off, in typical fashion with an action sequence; then, we get to see Suzie (Oh God It's Her, Run) and John at home. Not exactly the Cleavers. This book develops the characters to a level we have not seen before. We learn why Walker takes such an interest in John. We learn what it takes to bring SS out of her shell (hint:its small, cuddley and needs help); we learn what really, really pisses John Taylor off, and we learn just what Gods wrath might be like. All in all, the best of the series to date.

Well I have read about every book Green has written and all the Nightside books and they keep drawing me back to the Nightside. I am amazed at the amount of new ideas and material he comes up with for this series . A fun read whether or not you have visited the nightside before.

The best so far. Some resolution between John and his true love makes this book well worth the read. 5 Stars and 3 thumbs up! Rumor has it the next book will be the last in the series. I certainly hope NOT!!!

World building is never a problem with Green the Nightside is always the Nightside where it is always 3AM sounds like a good place to visit but I wouldn't want to go there myself. The characters are good as well you can actually believe for a few seconds that some of them have actual relationships with one another particularly the relationship between John and Walker.

I personally liked this installment a lot more then the last the story is much better. I think that the series is back on track because not only is the story of the Walking Man good and the character himself interesting but again Green sets the series in a new direction there are important revelations about Walker and

This is book 9 in the Nightside series by Simon Green. I love this series and I loved this book. Last I heard there are going to be 12 books in this series; I hope it is more because I enjoy this series immensley.

The Nightside has a new Authority in place but the New Authories have a problem. Walker comes begging John Taylor to deal with it. You see the Walking Man is coming to the Nightside. The Walking Man is a human man that delivers the wrath of God upon humanity. The Walking man sees in black and whites, no greys. People are either bad or good and, the Nightside being what it is, everyone in it is in trouble. In fact the Walking Man is bent on destroying the whole darn place. The New Authorities need John to find the Walking Man and...deal with him.

This was a great book. As usual it opens with a small case that John Taylor and Shotgun Suzie have to solve; this case is just as interesting and creative as the rest of the book. These books continue to be wilding entertaining, bizarrely creative, and an all around great ride. I love the way Green throws in off-handed comments about the strangest things. Just the fact that the book starts in Strangefellows bar with The Tribe of Gay Barbarians doing the Cancan is enough to make me eagerly devour the whole book. Too bad it was over so quickly.

In this book Shotgun Suzie joins John for part of the journey but John's closest friend is a monster hunter from the Middle East named Chandra. Chandra is a great character. We learn even more about Walker and where his power originates. John and Suzie come to more of an understanding in their "relationship". Madness and mayhem are everywhere. And of course John has to face the Wrath of God.

These books continue to be hilarious, fast-paced, action packed, surprising, creative, and all around hugely entertaining. I was sad when it ended and am eagerly awaiting the next book.

Simon R. Green does not disappoint his readers. This is a great book of a Great series.I love the series and recommend it to any one who likes Urban Paranormal Noir. I hope he continues John Taylor's adventures.

The Walking Wrath of God's bad anywhere, but when it comes to the Nightside, an alternate London where it's always 3:00 AM on the bad side of town, the inhabitants are seriously worried.

The Walking Man's got God on his side and he's practically invincible. His mission: to destroy evil. And everyone knows what the Nightside is made up of.

So, they're paying John Taylor, PI, to find a way to stop the Walking Man. After all, he's stopped his mother.

I've enjoyed the previous eight installments of this series and this one is, in my humble opinion, one of the best so far. The tension's tight, you could mine the irony.

This story mostly stands on its own, but if you like dark chocolate detective fantasy, you may want to consider picking up the other eight Nightside stories. John Taylor does not disappoint and that's why he gets the big jobs.

Rebecca Kyle, March 2009

First Sentence: In the Nightside, that sour secret hidden heart of London, it's always three o'clock in the morning and the dawn never comes.

Nightside has gone through changes in power and there is now a new group of Authorities. There is also a new threat. PI Jack Taylor is hired by Walker, Taylor's friend and enemy, to deal with this new threat. The Walking Man, God's own enforcer, has come to Nightside to destroy evil. Taylor has to find the answer to what will destroy the Walking Man.

This book is definitely not for anyone who is squeamish. The violence is graphic and brutal. Yet the author's creative always amazes me and the story always draws me in.

There is a slightly more series tone to this book with the question of man justifying their actions as being God's will. The book also takes on the topic of our obsession for looking young and brings it to horrific results. I was struck by the observation regarding weapons: "Every gun, every sword, maybe every bomb, too....These are simply instruments of death. Means to murder." Green's trademark humor is still in evidence with a car-eating tunnel.

There is so development of the characters relationships, both between Taylor and Walker and, most significantly, between Taylor and Suzie Shooter. Taylor is a fascinating character in that he is a moral man living in an immoral environment yet considers himself one of the monsters. Suzie is highly damaged yet she loves John and is overcoming a barrier in her relationship to him.

Green somewhat falls into the "guilty pleasure" category for me. I'm not quite certain as to why I like these books so much, but the underlying theme stays with me and I always look forward to the next book.