I'm pretty sure that in every long series I read, there's one volume whose content I never can remember until I'm actually reading the book again. In the Garrett series, that's Faded Steel Heat. I really like this book, honestly. I just can't sum it up for anyone, unlike Sweet Silver Blues (vampires) or Old Tin Sorrows (And Then There Were None as a ghost story) or, honestly, any of the books in this series I've read more than twice.I'm also pretty sure this is the point in the series where I realized Glen Cook was moving away from a strict adherence to the hardboiled private detective story; that, in fact, the trend had started in Deadly Quicksilver Lies, which is the first book to have multiple major plot lines. In this case, there's the Weider family tragedy, there's the human rightsist faction, and finally the resolution of the Crask and Sadler storyline. I get the feeling that Cook realized both that he finally had enough material to support a story without relying on the original premise (something that Terry Pratchett and, more recently, Jim Butcher have done successfully) and that this was something long-time fans of the series could get behind. I like it. Heat doesn't have the emotional impact of Old Tin Sorrows, but in some places it comes close, particularly where the Weiders are concerned.What I realized this time was something that was only obvious in the hindsight that came from reaching the end of the series (okay, I don't know if the last book was the end, but it could be). I've been wanting to smack Tinnie Tate upside the head since almost forever, and in this book she is truly awful, bitchy, selfish, and paranoid. This was okay when the series was pure noir, but as soon as it became something different, it was increasingly difficult to justify her presence. Now that I know where her relationship with Garrett is headed, it seems clear that this book is where that whole storyline started.Now if I can just make myself remember the plot of this book for longer than five days....
‘what I was doing was as dull as watching rocks mate’‘Marines are taught to think on their feet.We were through the doorway before he reacted.’‘You were the kid who could find a girl anywhere, even in the middle of an uninhabited swamp. Garrith? Garrett.” Shucks. He was embarrassing me. “Did I pass, Garrett?”’‘Life’s a bitch. But it does go on.’10% - thenSuch a warm feeling to read about yrself, in such eloquent terms, like having a funny interior monologue between each sentence that u share w these drones...nice drones though, especially the red headed one.Classic setup, detective get's caught in-between ladies&friends and his sense of justice... Without then he would get himself killed in the first 5min, with he spends half the book running in circles or wondering if that smile had a meaning or it was just a simple human smileBut not a classic detective story as is natural that Only bang yr head around till all pieces fall in place, in the totally unexpected formation, with only a second level gut feeling that u should just keep yrself alive and push everyoneelses buttons with the least pressure on yr finger possible.50% - now the other dayOmg I cannot let it go...so fast...love u cook100% - running after ski and peoples dreams:Why are the books perfect now?Maybe because I am growing older with Garrett... anyhow something in that directionWhy should you read this?As you have already read at least 1, of the books preferably 2, so to get the tiny-tinny attachment and deadly dependency :)&humour :), it reads more like a stroll to the groceries shop, for bread. ...
What do You think about Faded Steel Heat (1999)?
**edited 02/01/14Garrett is finally back home, but all's not right with the world. With the endless war between the Karentines and Venageti over, the troops are home and TunFaire is flooded with the precious silver that sorcerers use for their magic. But of course, for every silver lining, the people of TunFaire can find a cloud. The demobilized troops, coming home to find a metropolitan city and very few jobs, have decided to belligerently propound a new mission of human rights. And when half the population of TunFaire is elf, dwarf, pixie, ogre, and more, that can only mean trouble. Garrett just wants to laze around and drink beer, but trouble's afoot, and a triplicate of beautiful women has shown up to throw him right in the middle of it. So now Garrett has to handle mysterious doings at his friend's brewery, recruiting agents for human rights groups after him, shapeshifters taking over prominent persons, a military genius somewhere in the background pulling all the strings, and an irritating talking parrot that just won't leave him alone.All this--especially the shapeshifters--adds up to a recipe for a twisty, imaginative plot and some truly great climaxes, but unfortunately, the story turns out to be half baked. ...Due to my disapproval of GR's new and highly subjective review deletion policy, I am no longer posting full reviews here.The rest of this review can be found on Booklikes.
—Carly
Ok, so I'm kind of losing track now of how far in the series this book comes but this is one of the later books in the Garrett PI Series of novels by Glen Cook, about a noir style Private Eye character set in a fantasy world and the main characters home city of Tun Faire. This book is nothing new really for vetrens of the series, the story is a classic detective novel with lots of angles to be worked out and more than its fair share of suspects. For once Garrett is left to do a lot of the work himself as due to certain elements in the book Garrett handles the case without his usual help from the Deadman for the most part.The writing and story of solid, the characters we meet are a mix of old favorites of the series who don't fail to live up to expectations, as well as a few new characters who are decently layed and well thought out.A good entry to the series.
—Richard
Multiple plot lines running all over the place as Garret wanders around trying to piece it all together story while drinking lots of beer. I've noticed that Cook has him doing less and less sleuthing over the span of this series and that the Garrett Files is simply becoming a vehicle for the characters themselves. Some of the inter-personal relationships make me want to smack someone (more than one actually) upside the head - especially for acting like fluttery emotional teenage schoolgirls in the middle of rioting and murder. The Dead Man also takes a more active role but isn't portrayed as infallible as he was in the earlier books, which to me makes him/it a more believable character. It also seems that Garrett's cynicism is at an alltime high... but give the backdrop who can fault him for that?
—Michael Hall
