King Bullet

Kadrey concludes his bestselling Sandman Slim series (after Ballistic Kiss) with a knockdown magical slugfest between antihero James Stark and the mysterious King Bullet. Stark and his close-knit group of friends and allies are living through a viral epidemic that has stricken Los Angeles, leaving many dead and others deranged, suffering from autophagia and extreme violent tendencies. Some of these plague victims pledge themselves to King Bullet, attacking Stark and his friends Fuck Hollywood (so named because of the T-shirt she was wearing when she first met Stark) and Carlos, the bartender of the Bamboo House of Dolls. Thomas Abbot, the leader of the Sub Rosa council of magicians, repeatedly pits Stark against King Bullet and his Shoggot thugs—fights that Stark loses, forcing him to doubt Abbot’s help and to seek other, even more powerful backup. Kadrey doesn’t shy away from the horror of pain and madness here, nor does he spare Stark’s companions, so much so that he begins with a trigger warning. The result is a phenomenal finale to Sandman Slim’s saga, perfect for Dresden Files fans who want their hero to be even more damaged. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown. (Aug.)