Review: Dead Matter by Anton Strout

[Full disclosure: I know Mr. Strout. That’s not stopped me from critiquing his books before now… ]

Dead Matter (AMZ | B&N)is Anton Strout’s third book in the Simon Canderous series, and they simply keep getting better. This time, Simon must face an ancient, terrible threat… but without the support of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs.

The story is fast-paced and fun. The jokes feel natural, the humor a part of the character’s everyday lives. The problems that Simon faces are organic to the plot – and he can’t always count on his powers (or his friend’s abilities) to save the day. This definitely gives this book a more tense feel, which works very well. Mr. Strout also twists existing myths and monsters very well, both tying up loose threads introduced in the earlier novels and creating a new, fresh take on an otherwise overused Big Bad.

From an aborted Taco Night to a touching conclusion, I can definitely recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy (or a host of TV shows like Buffy, Paranormal, or the X-Files that fall in the same genre).