Bitter Gold Hearts (second novel in the Garrett P.I. series)

(Originally posted on Wednesday, 4 November 2009)

My rating: 9/10 (high re-reading value)
Please read my post from April 2009 to find out about my rating.
Please read my post from May 2009 to learn about Glen Cook’s style of writing.

[Short review]

I will compare it to Sweet Silver Blues (rated 10/10).

What’s worse:
1. The pace is a little slower, but still quite fast overall.
2. The story is a little less exiting, but far from boring.
3. There is no extra spice of horror (which was a nice touch in the first book).

What’s better:
1. Garrett’s home town is even better described.
2. Garrett gets to know (against his will) the crime boss and some of his cronies. Glen Cook creates unique atmosphere about those characters. I could feel the menace emanating from them. Even though they are evil and ruthless, they have some sort of code of honour (especially the boss). They fit this series perfectly.

What’s the same (good):
1. Everything else (see my earlier review).

Bitter Gold Hearts is not as groundbreaking as Sweet Silver Blues, but it is still fresh and very, very entertaining. The story itself is lacking a little something to rate it as a perfect book. It is “only” very good.
(9/10)