The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon R. Green

So profligate is Green's imagination, or his use of it, that he sometimes introduces a new fantastic idea or personage (many are simply mentioned) every page or two, especially in this book. His writing is workmanlike (he's improved over the years), but has a certain snap and verve to it, helped along by his hero being a wise-ass, as he is here and in much of Green's work. Green is a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction, generally in series, who has published over 30 books in the last 20 years or so. The Taylor books are limited to the Nightside, a supernatural square mile in the heart of London (which seems to incorporate within itself something like the endless geographical elasticity of the Simpson's Springfield), but Eddie Drood's London is so full of supernatural entities, it might as well be the Nightside.

We have a sardonic, smart-ass hero with considerable power, who still often finds himself in over his head and has to use guile and brass to get himself through, a basically decent sort who will use nasty means when it's necessary or he's pissed off.

This book follows very much the manner of Green's Nightside series, starring John Taylor, currently at seven books, with an eighth in the offing. Suffice it to say that this is a fantasy adventure with horror and humor throughout. That may seem vague, but anything further would involve ruinous spoilers. He makes alliances with old enemies, including an especially close one with the Wild Witch, Molly Metcalf, and fights both sides against the middle-or perhaps both sides fight against him in the middle. Things are turned topsy-turvy for Eddie right quick, as in falling from grace with his family, he loses his bearings in the life he knew and discovers new truths about the world's secret rulers.

Green (book two, we're told, will be Demons Are Forever and the third may be called From Hell with Love). Eddie, sardonic and insubordinate, is the only agent the ancient Drood (read 'Druid') family, under the command of its particular 'M'-the Matriarch, his grandmother Martha-will tolerate living outside the family Hall, and Eddie, despite a love-hate relationship with the Droods, is faithful in his fashion-right up until he falls out of favor.Īnd thereby hangs the tale of The Man with the Golden Torc, Book One of 'The Secret Histories,' a new series by Simon R. Like all members of the Drood family, he bears a golden torc given him at birth, which transforms to complete, impenetrable (usually) golden armor at a word of magical command. Eddie Drood is a secret agent for his family, protectors of mankind from supernatural (and other) threats, working under the name Shaman Bond.

The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon R. Green