ridel reviewed Dead Lions by Mick Herron (Slough House, #2)
This Book is Better despite a lack of Gary Oldman
4 stars
Unlike Slow Horses, Dead Lions is a novel that does better than its (enjoyable) TV adaptation. It's also different enough that viewers will also enjoy reading the source material. As events diverged from what I had seen, I started to understand what fans of Mike Herron already know: the Slough House series is an intricately plotted thriller where much of the drama comes from subtle character interactions. There is so much clever detail hidden throughout the story that I suspect a re-read would still have one discovering new surprises. Yet at the same time, the first read is tense as you witness the slow unravelling of a mystery, have your expectations dashed, and watch Jackson Lamb do what he does best.
The TV adaptation takes Dead Lions as inspiration for the second season. While the setup is similar, the back half of the book is different, resulting in a …
Unlike Slow Horses, Dead Lions is a novel that does better than its (enjoyable) TV adaptation. It's also different enough that viewers will also enjoy reading the source material. As events diverged from what I had seen, I started to understand what fans of Mike Herron already know: the Slough House series is an intricately plotted thriller where much of the drama comes from subtle character interactions. There is so much clever detail hidden throughout the story that I suspect a re-read would still have one discovering new surprises. Yet at the same time, the first read is tense as you witness the slow unravelling of a mystery, have your expectations dashed, and watch Jackson Lamb do what he does best.
The TV adaptation takes Dead Lions as inspiration for the second season. While the setup is similar, the back half of the book is different, resulting in a lot of different character motivations and interactions. This alone should be sufficient reason for viewers to pick up the novel. Additionally, the book's conclusion is much more intellectual and complex, and the deviations are the result of inserting eye-rolling Hollywood tropes that not even Gary Oldman's presence can cleanse.
And while Slow Horses might have you thinking this series was about the mystery, Dead Lions revels in its ensemble cast: with Catherine Standish, Roddy Ho, Lousia Guy, Min Harper, and River Cartwright all fighting for page count against the fantastic Jackson Lamb. A few new characters are also introduced, and some old ones revisited, but the focus of the novel is on how the cast interacts and grows. These changes occur subtlely while the plot proceeds with its twists and turns, and while you might be forgiven for focusing all your energies on the Soviet bogeyman, I think the true joy in this novel is watching the cast get back on their feet.
Recommended.
