Yep, the Grimnoir Chronicles, consisting of 3 novels, one prequel short story and one sequel short story. I feel like I’m almost cheating by using a series, but considering they are a true trilogy telling one story it would just drag things out too long to do each book as its own post.
On the surface, these would appear to be everything I hate. Hard boiled Noir, Urban fantasy, 1930’s or ’40’s. I don’t like any of those categories and yet Correia tells a story that absolutely sucked me in and convinced me to buy these in hardcover. In fact, I like them enough that I pre-ordered some Limited Edition Hardcovers from Vault Books back in 2017. Once I actually get the books I’ll be posting pix and telling THAT particular cock up of a story. But the here and now is that I LIKE these books a LOT.
I added this to my Thrive list because of the main character. Jake Sullivan is a heavy, someone who can make themselves wicked heavy or light, basically playing around with how gravity affects them. He’s considered a thug but has a very smart mind, a bull dog’s determination and a very strong moral compass. He is just the kind of main character I like to read about. It also helps that Correia throws in some great bad guys and even a “frenemy” that works too. Add a dash of Eldrich Horror and wham, you have a series that I can eat up with a spoon.
I read these back in 2012-13 and while Correia has written that he’ll eventually do another trilogy set in this universe, I don’t expect anything remotely soon. That being the case, I’ll just have to settle for a re-read and bump up the star rating. Some things do get better over time.
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Definitely sounds worth checking out. I used to enjoy UF quite a bit a few years back, so maybe a good, solid entry, and in 1930’s to boot, should return some of my faith in the subgenre 🙂
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I can’t encourage anyone to get into UF in general. I hate the genre with all its pathetic tropes and romance books masquerading as fantasy too.
But this, I highly recommend. Have you read any of Correia’s other stuff?
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I’ve never heard of the author and I’m tired with UF. But noir UF, with these unapologetic Baen covers? I might be tempted 🙂
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If you’re tired of UF, then these are definitely for you!
It will also show case some of Correia’s better story telling imo. I really like his Monster Hunter International series, but Grimnoir just worked better for me.
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This series was so fun. I connected with these books the way I couldn’t with MHI – not that those weren’t really enjoyable as well, but I loved the world of Grimnoir. I didn’t even know he’d mentioned writing another trilogy set in this world, now you’ve made me happy and sad at once, because you’re probably right, if he said that back in 2013 and nothing has come of it yet, I doubt we’ll be seeing anything anytime soon.
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I concur about the connecting. I bought these and haven’t even thought of buying the MHI books. Something is different.
Sadly, his newest series, the son of the black sword one, I’m not even having much fun with. I hope the second book perks my interest…
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Interesting, I heard good things about Son of the Black Sword (mainly that it was derivative but entertaining, which is fine) but decided to wait until more books are out until I decide. Hasn’t it been about 3 years since it came out? No sequel yet though, right?
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3 years sounds about right and he’s finished the sequel and begun work on book 3. Book 2 just hasn’t been published yet. One of the problems of doing so much in the MHI universe (I guess he’s doing another collaboration besides the one he just finished up with Ringo)
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Ah cool, I see that book 2 is due out February. I look forward to your thoughts!
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Well, I’m seriously considering just waiting. I didn’t enjoy Son of hte Blacksword enough to make it a High Priority book, so I might wait to see if this is a never ending series or what and then go from there.
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I also heard good things about Son of the Black Sword (have it on my shelf, waiting…) and didn’t really think MHI was all that special. Disappointing to hear; maybe Correia just isn’t an author for me.
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If you think Indian derivative based fantasy is cool then it’ll be right up your alley. As for me, after I read Ghandi’s autobiography, I’ve been pretty unimpressed with all things Indian.
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Ah word. I didn’t know it was Indian-based. Derivative fiction doesn’t do much for me these days.
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I love the MHI series (and Grimnoir), but I’ve heard a number of people like Grimnoir better than MHI, so it may be worth a shot.
Also, if you only read the first MHI book, you might find that the next one (or a later book, Monster Hunter Alpha, which I think works standalone) is better. In my opinion, after MHI (author’s first book), he really mastered pacing.
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It wasn’t so much the pacing that turned me off. I didn’t like the brooding emo protagonist for most of the book. Also, I like guns, but hot damn. MHI is gun pr0n. I don’t need a paragraph about every firearm appearing in the story! But I’ll consider your words! Maybe I will revisit someday.
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Ah. Well, Monster Hunter Alpha has a different protagonist, as does one of the later books — I’m thinking it’s called MH Nemesis.
I think the gun porn lightens up after book one as well. I also thought the gun stuff was overdone, but learned that he made his start as an author by selling his book at gun shows!
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Yes, Nemesis IS my favorite 🙂
And can confirm less gun porn as the series progresses…
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To throw in my 2cents, Owen gets a lot less broody and emo in later books. And Alpha barely deals with him at all. Alpha is probably my 2nd favorite MHI so far 🙂
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Well yeah, I guess because he got the girl in book one.
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Funny how that works, eh? 😀
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I think he’s still planning a second trilogy set a little later in this universe, with cold-war Russia as the enemy rather than Imperial Japan.
But, if I remember correctly, he’ll be doing another Son of the Black Sword novel and another Monster Hunter novel first.
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Yeah, Grimnoir is taking a very back backseat to all his other projects…
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Cool! These sound really good … *scribbling them down now* 🙂
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Posts like this I find very dangerous when other people do them, because then I have to decide if I should add them to my pile or just forego them.
And yet I still give series like “Caverns & Creatures” a pass
Makes me wonder just what’s happening inside my brain sometimes…
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I also have issues with so called UF at the moment. Too much romance and not enough plot!!!
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There is a little romance here, but it works and it is just a tiny part of the series and it works.
I’d recommend these if you’re PO’d at UF at the moment. They might help restore your interest.
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I listened to the first of these books, and I enjoyed the premise, but the book + narrator combination didn’t make me want to continue the series. If I pick it back up, I’ll be reading it for myself.
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That is one of the things that keeps me away from audio: if I don’t like the narrator, it doesn’t matter how good the story is, it’s ruined 😦
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I completely understand! I usually preview the audio book before I buy it, but either I didn’t do that with this one, or the issue I had with the narrator wasn’t something that a small snippet would show me. It’s been long enough that I forget which it was.
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There are a couple of other short works in this universe that might be audio-only right now: “Detroit Christmas” and “Tokyo Raider”. It’s possible that one or both may be in the author’s short story collection which comes out soon, “Target Rich Environment”.
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Detroit Christmas IS in ebook form.
That’s how I got the cover actually.
I do believe you are right about Tokyo Raider though. And there is no way I’m paying 10bucks for an hr of audio…
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Getting them special editions of books is definitely a great indicator of how much we love them. 😛
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My hardcover buying days are almost over 😦
So a book has to be extra special for me to even think about buying it physically…
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