Dead Matter

by Anton Strout

Book Overview

Shaking up the spirits of Manhattan The spirit populace of Manhattan doesn't appreciate its well-deserved RIP being disturbed, and Department of Extraordinary Affairs Agent Simon Canderous is sent in to do damage control. Meanwhile, his vacationing partner, Connor Christos, is in a sorry state, and he tells Simon that each night he's being haunted by visions of his long-lost brother at his window. Simon is worried that his partner may be going crazy-or...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0441018440
• ISBN13: 9780441018444
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Damn fine read!

Any Simon Canderous novel is always a fun read. The detective has a wonderful balance of snark, pop culture and hero to not only keep me interested, but keep me laughing. Not to mention he is like the Timex of Urban Fantasy - he takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Speaking from experience with the amount of head trauma the poor man has suffered, it is amazing he remembers his own name! Although he might just be using his psychometry to fill in the blank spots. His main strengths are his ability to read the history of objects (aforementioned psychometry), his extendable bat, his pop culture knowledge and - in a pinch - using his ability on living people to knock them out. Of course this usually means he is knocking himself out, but all in a days work for the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. This book tackles not only the undead but also the history of the Department. This time it is not Simon's past coming back to bite him in the ass, it is the Department's. Literally. Did I mention undead? Like Simon, I too miss the glory days of Buffy and Angel, and this book definitely has the feel of that sort of story. The feel and tone of the Whedonverse was something that I was finding at every turn. If you are a Whedon zombie, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. If you have not read the first to, start with Dead to Me and Deader Still first. You will not be disappointed. You will likely do what I have done and pick up several anthologies where Anton has included short stories relating to this series. All are fun filled reads.

3rd in the Simon Canderous Series

Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, who has the ability to see the history of an object with just a touch. But when Simon and his girlfriend Jane are attacked at the grocery store, they have no idea what the monstrous creature is. Then, Simon discovers that his partner has been having troublesome dreams of his missing brother. Simon, Jane, and Connor soon find themselves a part of a scheme that could either lead to peace or bring about war for Simon's employer and a secret society that has remained hidden for years. Besides battling the forces of darkness, Simon and Jane excel at finding humor in any situation with their multiple pop culture references and jokes. All of Strout's characters seem to have depth and their own fascinating story. His urban fantasy world is dark, with terrifying creatures, but is always handled with humor from Simon, lightening an otherwise suspenseful situation. This great sense of humor, combined with vivid characters, a complex mystery, and plenty of danger, make for a fantastic read. And this latest installment is my favorite so far. Urban fantasy fans should not miss this exciting series.

5 stars

Anton Strout's books continue to get better me with each new release. Dead Matter, the third book in the Simon Canderous series is a fast paced and exciting urban fantasy read. While it is #3 in a series, I think it stands on its own just fine if you absolutely can't read books 1 and 2. Simon Canderous is an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs, a super secret branch of the government dealing with paranormal activities. The backstory of the agency gives the series a humorous twist as the characters have to face big bad evil guys as well as red tape, paperwork, and stereotypical government shenanigans. Simon was recruited to the D.E.A because of his unique power to see the history and events around objects with the touch of his hand, aka psychometry. In book 3 Simon's partner, Connor, is on extended vacation leave, forcing Simon to pick up the extra work. A late night call to check out some unusual ghost activity leads Simon to a disturbing discovery, Connor on the edge of madness as he tries to find out what happened to his brother 20 years ago. Dead Matter has Simon reaching out to help his partner only to find himself in the middle of outlandish circumstances and trying to prevent an all out war. Simon continues to grow as an agent and person in this third installment of the series. We find him questioning the black and white of Good and Bad, looking closer into the shades of gray. It makes him and his story interesting. Connor's subplot surrounding his missing brother gives the storyline a touching boost and made me keep reading even when I thought I would need toothpicks to prop my eyelids up. Dead Matter introduces us to a creative take on vampires and I really enjoyed their addition to the story. The conflict resolution around their existence in the end seemed a bit too easy for me, but it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story. Actually, it may have piqued my curious a bit because now I am curious to see where Mr. Strout takes this new group of characters and how they will fit in later. Lastly, on a purely selfish note, I was relieved to have less Jane in this book. I am not fond of her and she is one of those characters I love to dislike for completely unfounded reasons. She is otherwise occupied throughout the story and I can't say I missed her. Overall, Dead Matter starts off with a bang and keeps a fast pace all the way to the end. It is filled with funny lines, dangerous situations, and high action suspense all of which combined to keep me up far past my bed time.

Simon FTW!

After being surprised by some unknown creature while grocery shopping for Taco Night with Jane, Simon realizes there is something fishy going up in town [again.] And with Connor having certain visions at night and being in such a deplorable state, Simon begins to worry. Thinking that his partner is loosing his marbles, he decides to go and do some researching [and spying] on his own. From that moment on, action ensues and all sorts of surprises come to light. What happened to Connor and his brother all those years ago finally is explained; and after quite some time of not seeing vampires in New York City, our dear Simon is up for a shocker that will turn his life around. With a beginning that deludes us into thinking that things might get easier for our lovely hero, Simon Canderous, but Anton Strout is quick to erase that notion. Starting with a "BANG,' the book keeps going that way with good pace, and never disappoints. We can see how much better Mr. Strout's writing has gotten, making Dead Matter his best book by far! Here we get into Simon's head more than before, knowing more about him, and how he has grown to be such a responsible man. This, without getting rid of the wittiness and snark that characterizes him, and keeping up the humor at all times. We also get to meet a lot of new characters that make the story even more enthralling. Furthermore, Connor's weakness comes to light, and due to some mishaps, Jane does not appear much in the story. Though the fact that their love is enough to conquer it all shines through with no cheesiness. This book exceeded all my expectations and, like I said, it is the best one so far. Funny as hell, it kept me laughing most of the time, and if not, it was because I kept biting my nails wondering what was going to happen. Loved the book, and love Simon even more now! *grin*

3 for 3. With a collapsible bat.

I admit I always stop and restart Strout's books, resetting my mind to his brand of action-adventure-humor after reading way too many Serious Fantasy Novels. And I'm always glad I take that moment, because Strout's series is worth it. Simon Canderous and supporting cast are really continuing to grow in this third book, with an overarching arc and day-to-day struggles of city living. It's funny and fun, with a lot of action and some fun twists and turns.