So November got away from us. The elections hit J and I hard. That's not an excuse, but a statement of fact. There are things to be done. But that's not what I want to talk about. Right now let's talk about the Johannes Cabal books.
Honestly? There has never been a better time to read them.
All 5 of them are great and worth reading whenever. But there are some things that make them great for now. Cabal is practical. He cuts through all the things you suppose a necromancer should be. He doesn't give a shit about what anyone thinks he should do, he just moves forward and gets things done. This is a character who literally goes to hell and back, and is CONTINUOUSLY unimpressed by what the world throws at him. He begins as an amoral character, but that changes. Which is another amazing thing. Cabal is a character that grows. He never stops being a cold bad ass, but he learns how to be better. Especially to the people he cares about. Best of all? Johnathan L. Howard is a great writer and these books are EXTREMELY funny. I've literally laughed out loud while reading each of the books. And the humor isn't stupid. It's arched, witty, and fits wonderfully with the over all tone of Cabal himself.
It's not just Cabal that's good too. All the major characters are incredibly tough, persistent and full of complexity in their own way. And they don't always win. But they'll sure as hell get right back up again to fight more.
Here in the US and in other places, people are feeling like the world is headed down a dark road. So now is the perfect time for Cabal. He goes to dark places and doesn't give in to fear. He finds unexpected ways to make science and the macabre work for him. He learns and grows as a person. And you come out of hell with him, laughing all the way.
