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Lädt ... Relight My Firevon C. K. McDonnell
   Keine Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch.  justgeekingby | Feb 4, 2024 |   We are introduced to new characters, and new dimensions and Banecroft handles it all with his usual hubris towards authority and grouchy care for his staff. This motley crew is the best to hang out with; even when they aren't fighting against all odds. This book is clearly a set up for more to come, which is good news for those of us who love our Stranger Times. (  ) MrsLee | Feb 3, 2024 | Zeige 2 von 2 keine Rezensionen | Rezension hinzufügen
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The Stranger Times - winner of the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Best Audio Work! Some comebacks can be murder . . . Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in. But this isn't just the hunt for another story. Dark powers think Stella might have been involved and the only way she and the team can prove her innocence is to find out what the hell is really going on. And what have dodgy gear, disturbed graves and a decommissioned rock star got to do with all this? Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a funeral who has been sent to make the paper's editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily . . . All that plus territorial ghouls, homicidal felines, eternal (and seemingly unstoppable) gnomes and a celebrity Who's Who that'd put a royal wedding to shame, and you're looking at a wild few days for The Stranger Times. Relight My Fire is the fourth book in the acclaimed and brilliantly funny Stranger Times series. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
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Content warnings:
The corpses of various undead celebrities and famous people appear. The choice of individuals as well as how they appear in the book may appear as insensitive to some readers. Keep in mind that this is a comedy novel.
There is a scene that discusses an attempted sexual assault (off page), physical assault and transphobia (off page). There is also a brief mention of a character’s childhood bullying.
This review contains spoilers for the previous book, so if you have not read it please do not look beneath the spoiler tag!
In the previous book, the Stranger Times team had a lot of close calls, and as they attempt to put it all behind them, the universe has other ideas. As Stella tries to get to grips with University, her place on a journalism course courtesy of Bancroft’s guilt, a man falls from the sky in front of her. Moments before his death, he was seen floating, which is odd even for the Stranger Times team. As the newspaper of weird news, they’re already on the case, but it becomes even more important that they find out what happened when The Founders think that Stella was involved. After everything that has happened, they’re just itching for an excuse to get their hands on her, and no one will let that happen.
Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly for the gang, and Bancroft’s past has come back to haunt him, quite literally. While Simon forgave the editor for his role in the desecration of his spirit, it seems that other powers are less than charitable. Those who watch over the dead have decided to give him one more chance to atone. With just a name to go on and very little time to identify the problem and fix it, Bancroft sets the team on it with only Hannah knowing how dire the situation truly is.
As the title suggests, Relight My Fire has a healthy dish of musical nostalgia as C.K. McDonnell also throws in an indie rock singer from Hannah’s teenage years. He perfectly captures the embarrassing moment of coming face to face with the idol of teenage adoration that was postered all over her bedroom wall and used more than once to practise kissing on. I’m sure I won’t be the only one who felt seen when Hannah word-vomited spectacularly.
I wasn’t sure how this book would be, considering a lot happened in the last one to wrap up various sub-plots. It didn’t just see us finding out the truth about Bancroft’s wife, it also in a roundabout way finally settled Hannah in as assistant editor. Up until that point, she wasn’t quite sure if the Stranger Times was where she belonged, and her secret mission with Mrs Hawnforth gave her a much-needed boost of confidence. There was a noticeable change in her in this book, and while she had her normal flustered moments, it was great to see her talking to Stella about university in a big sisterly way without needlessly putting herself down.
Compared to the previous books, this one is a four-star for me, and that’s not to say it was bad in any way, it just didn’t quite hit all the points that the others have. In a way, Love Will Tear Us Apart felt like the equivalent of a TV mid-season finale and in Relight My Fire McDonnell starts to lay the ground for new sub-plots. There’s still plenty of chaos and action, including an incredible battle scene that I won’t ever forget, however, I felt that character development was more the aim of the game here. Again, not a bad thing, it was just slightly different and promises wonderful chaos and danger for the team in the next book.
Once again, McDonnell introduced some wonderful new characters, and I am hoping that they reappear again. Toni is too glorious not to be seen ever again. I adored her, and the dressing down she gave to the complaining customer was one of my favourite scenes in the book. Plus, how could I not love a character who introduces themselves as “That’s Toni with an I […] because I will insist on making a disability into a brand.”? I loved that McDonnell created a character that used their trauma and resulting disability in such a positive way.
It seems as though one of them at least looks to be a new permanent fixture, and I can’t wait to see more of Brian. He is exactly the type of character I would expect to find in a Stranger Times novel.
I realised while reading Relight My Fire that The Stranger Times series has become a comfort read for me. Sadly, I read so quickly that the new novel is done, and I’m stuck waiting for the next one all over again. With the way this one ended, I’ve got a lot to think about between now and the next book!
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