PIECES OF HATE Book 2 of the Assassin Series [Paperback]

Tim & Brian Keene (introduction) Lebbon (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 90 pages
• Publisher: Necessary Evil Press; 1st edition (2005)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000P0Y21I
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,583,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Second verse, better than the first, June 22, 2007

By 

Henry W. Wagner (Rockaway, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

The second installment in his Assassin Series, Pieces of Hate chronicles another clash between Lebbon's immortal hero Gabriel and his implacable enemy, Temple. As Brian Keene ably states in his introduction:

"Here's what you need to know in order to get started: Gabriel is the good guy. Temple is the bad guy--and I mean BAD. Bad in the way Jeffrey Dahmer and Adolf Hitler were bad. Even worse than that, in fact. Temple makes them look like choirboys. Gabriel and Temple are the best of adversaries, and they've danced this dance time and time again over the years. Waterloo. Scotland. Deadwood, South Dakota. Wherever there's violence or war or death, or really, really bad people, you'll find Temple.

And you'll find Gabriel hunting the b*****d down.

This time, they cross paths in Port Royal.

And did I mention there were pirates?"

Those are the basics. Somewhat derivative (among others, the movie Highlander and King's Dark Tower seem like obvious influences), the success of these novelettes really rest on Lebbon's storytelling skills and his ability to evoke the time periods he chooses to set his tales in. After two episodes in this series, it's safe to say that we can take both for granted; his skill with the language and his research shine through on each page.

In his Afterword, Lebbon writes:

"I hope you enjoy this second outing for the assassin Temple, and his wretched pursuer Gabriel. They are two outlandish characters who are growing in my mind every day, and I look forward to finding out more about them over the years. I don't quite know what the ending of this series will bring...but I do know that the route will be bloody indeed."

Based on the first two installments in the saga, that route will be one that readers will find well worth taking.