The Naming Of The Beasts

Just like that, my nightly habit of staring at my phone for hours instead of sleeping, mesmerised by Felix Castor's misfortunes and how those misfortunes tend to spread to his associates went poof. The final book in Mike Carey's Felix Castor series is a fast-moving riot that resolves major plot points; some with a bang and others with a whimper.

The Big Kahuna is Rafi/Asmodeus's escape from the now very deceased Ice Maker—thanks to overconfident, militant excommunicated Catholics known as the Anathemata. The sadistic Asmodeus is eager to make full use of his freedom hunting down every last tie Rafi has left in this world, whether it's his ex-girlfriend Pen, Felix himself, or his estranged brother in a Macedonian death row cell. Then there's Nick, Felix's zombie pal, London's best information broker and the Ice Maker's most paranoid undead client. The Ice Maker's death has him worse for wear and the events at Mount Grace Crematorium in Dead Man's Boots has got him thinking about his life after his body gives way. Should Nick doubledown on eternal life in a "leaking boat" or live like the Mount Grace ghosts do, by taking over bodies that are still very much alive? There's also the mystery of Juliet, the reformed succubus and Felix's sort-of friend who's been acting more than a little strange lately. On top of that, Felix also has to deal with being Trudi's colleague thanks to agreeing to work with Jenna-Jane Mulbridge, head of the Metamorphic Ontology Unit (MOU), a cruel woman who sees undead creatures as little more than scientific curiosities. Trudi, if you recall, is the ex-Anathemata exorcist Felix literally walks away from in Thicker Than Water when he finds out that Father Gwilliam double-crossed him.

We get a hell of a showdown with Rafi, one that's been in the making from the first time we read about Rafi and Felix in Vicious Circle, the very first book in the series. It'll get all your cylinders pumping and hanging onto every word. (The lackluster part of this is, I'm not sure if we find out much more about Rafi in this book, other than the fact that he was a very narcissistic man at one point in time.)

Nick's fate is left unspoken, perhaps the man himself hasn't deigned to make any firm commitments. As for Juliet, this is one ending I feel deserves a little more attention. It isn't just because I'm a huge Juliet fan but also because the girl's brain was literally hijacked by a demon of a higher order. How will she make sure this won't happen again and what does she think of what she's done while her brain was scrambled by Asmodeus? I really wish we knew. I really wish we had more of an insight as to Asmodeus and Juliet's dynamic, like how Juliet and Moloch's temporary alliance made for some interesting learning on demonology. As for Trudi, I mostly enjoyed their little will-they-or-won't-they but I find it lacks a tiny bit of conviction. It's not entirely unconvincing, perhaps it just needs a little on-screen chemistry for their relationship to truly blossom.

As for Jenna-Jane Mulbridge, Felix's old boss and dear old Rosie Crucis, the MOU's star captive and the oldest ghost in all of existence? Mike Carey's chronicling of Felix's escape from the MOU with McClennan and Juliet make for the most riveting reading second from the showdown with Rafi. Those passages are hugely satisfying to read and put a smile on my face. Felix's buddy Rosie, the oldest ghost in all of existence, really fucking delivered.

This might be my favourite book in the whole series; although I'm not sure I can give it that title what with Juliet (yes, she is my favourite character) not being herself for large chunks of the book.

Thank you Mike Carey for this gritty, irreverent and darkly funny supernatural mystery series—I'm going to miss your version of London very much.