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Paths Not Taken (Nightside, Book 5) By Simon R. Green ( Ace )
Release Date: 2005-08-30
Average Customer Rating:
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Product Description
John Taylor just discovered his long-gone mother created the Nightside--the dark heart of London--and intends to destroy it. To save his birthplace, he will have to travel back through a very distant--and probably deadly--past.
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Entertaining addition to the series; more of a series book than a stand alone ( karissa35 )
This is the 5th book in the Nightside series by Simon Green. This book followed a similar format to the last book, in that it is more of series book than a self-contained adventure. Still it was a fun read, quick paced, and very creative.
In this book John Taylor travels with Shotgun Suzie and Tommy Oblivion back through time to find out how the Nightside was created. So, pretty much this book is what the last book said it was going to be.
Occasionally because of the time travel the story seems a little disjointed. The only other negative was that the continuous descriptions of how the Nightside looked at each new time point got to be a bit drawn out. This book is also another short one, but that seems to be how this series is.
There were quite a few good things about this book. I liked how a lot of seemingly random events from the past books were given a reason in this book. It was cool that Green tied the events together so well. It was good to see Shotgun Suzie again. Mostly it was just interesting to see how the character's actions in this book affected the future. It begs the question; could they have really changed the future or were they destined to do what their future selves did in the past so that the future would end up how it was? Time travel circular logic, as John Taylor says, does make your head hurt.
Overall, a great book, and a good addition to the series. I am excited to see how this series continues.
karissabooks.blogspot.com
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 Nightside stories ( jamieteevee )
Simon Green has invented a nasty little piece of work called The Nightside. You will be reminded that it is called the Nightside on practically EVERY PAGE. He will not let up with repetition so get used to it. Strangely enough, he has created some strong and interesting characters. Then he kills them. Lines them up and shoots them down ( or rips their limbs off ). For a pulp serial fiction, they are rather entertaining, just be sure of the correct order to read them. Each book usually contains an individual story line but there will be occurances in each edition that will be brought up again in later novels. Unfortunately, there is no sequencing published on the cover and little listing available inside.
The series in a nutshell:
Cliche Private Investigator with supernatural power solves cases in a grim "otherworldly" location congruent to London. Mix liberally with time travel and forces of Good and Evil vying for supremacy and add a dash of zombie horror snuff film and Voila! You have THE NIGHTSIDE.
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 Search for Nightside's Origins ( awjordin )
Paths Not Taken (2005) is the fifth urban fantasy novel in the Nightside series, following Hex and the City. In the previous volume, John Taylor finally discovered the identity of his mother when she visited Strangefellows, but quickly regretted the knowledge. Walker and his minions invaded the bar to destroy Taylor, but are defeated by Taylor's friends and relative.
Bad Penny stabbed Taylor and was permanently banished from Strangefellows and everywhere else. Merlin even nullified the Speaking Gun. Then Taylor tipped his mother out of the bar back the way she had come.
In this novel, Taylor has a visitor at the office. Unfortunately, he is actually present at the time. When asked his complaint, Eamonn Mitchell says that he is being hounded by other versions of himself. Then such other versions appear, armed with change wands, and make a mess out of Cathy's carefully filed paperwork [snigger]. Taylor and Tommy Oblivion -- another Nightside PI -- track down the man behind the plot and reason with him.
Taylor is impressed by Tommy's talent and invites him along on a trip back through time. Suzie Shooter invites herself into the party. Old Father Time sends them into the far past, but not quite far enough.
In this story, Taylor and associates find themselves in the Nightside of sixth century AD. Taylor figures than Lilith has interfered with the time transfer and gets VERY angry. After he cools down enough, they decide that their best chance to go further back in time is Merlin Satanspawn.
Failing to locate Merlin at the Londinium Club, they next try the current version of Strangefellows. Taylor recognizes the exterior view of the Avalon from a prior experience. They find Merlin inside and shortly thereafter Nimue the witch appears.
Nimue is a bubbly little golddigger. A former Druid, she had run away and then convinced Merlin to teach her real magic. Now Taylor talks her into helping them, but their plans go dreadfully wrong. Despite all this, Taylor and Suzie go back further in time, but not quite far enough.
Taylor finds someone, or something, else to send them even further in time. Finally Taylor gets back to Nightside's origins. It's not much like his expectations, but he does have a confrontation with his future mother.
This story parallels the previous novel. He meets people, or things, that he had encountered in the previous novel during his excursions back in time. Naturally, these persons or things have some memory of Taylor when they later -- or earlier -- meet him in the future.
Highly recommended for Green fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of tough detectives, various magics, and a personal quest through time.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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Super Reader ( bluetyson )
Not really as good as the last few, because it really breaks the fantasy-noir feel to go on a time travelling adventure, for most of it.
John takes Suzie Shooter and Tommy Oblivion with him through time, to try and work out a way to stop the war with his mother Lilith.
Along the way you get Arthur, Mordred, Merlin, Nimue, Father Time, and a rather meaner version of Herne the Hunter than previously.
Lilith, of course, is still waiting for them, as the relationship between John and Suzie intensifies.
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Another awesome book by this author. ( 4fabfelines )
well, this is like the 6ht one i read of his.
I love the NIghtside even if i seems to be much of the same over and over.
was kinda sad to see dead boy was not in this one.
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