So guess what I just came across?
No, it wasn't porn. Cheeky lot, aren't you? It was - cue an ominous roll on the snare drum - the sequel to none other than... The Left Hand of God. By Paul Hoffman.
Well. It was bound to happen sooner or later, wasn't it?
The Last Four Things is coming in April 2011 from Michael Joseph, a division of Penguin Press. At approximately 512 pages, it's significantly longer than the first book in this would-be series. And I'm going to have to read it, aren't I? Believe it or not, my review of The Left Hand of God - my rather vitriolic review of The Left Hand of God - is one of the most highly trafficked articles I've published here on TSS.
Which is rather confusing, really. Would you all prefer it if I hated on stuff? Is that what's going on here?
Any old way, here's the blurb for The Last Four Things:
Which is rather confusing, really. Would you all prefer it if I hated on stuff? Is that what's going on here?
Any old way, here's the blurb for The Last Four Things:
"Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell. These are the Last Four Things. Now there are Five.
"Meet Thomas Cale...
"Returning to the Sanctuary of the Redeemers, Cale is told by the Lord Militant that the destruction of mankind is necessary, the only way to undo God's greatest mistake.
"Cale seemingly accepts his role in the ending of the world; fate has painted him as the Left Hand of God, the Angel of Death. Absolute power is within his grasp, the terrifying zeal and military might of the Redeemers a weapon for him to handle as simply as he once used a knife.
"But perhaps not even the grim power that the Redeemers hold over Cale - the boy who turns from love to poisonous hatred in a heartbeat, the boy who switches between kindness and sheer violence in the blink of an eye - is enough. The annihilation that the Redeemers seek may well be in Cale's hands - but his soul is far stranger than they could ever know."
That lede-line is properly putting me in mind of another Michael Joseph publication, the similarly disappointing I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. I confess, I'd rather read a sequel to that than another dismal Paul Hoffman novel.
But there you go. You want it; you got it.
*cries quietly*
What confused me is there's two books called The Left Hand of God, and both have an author called Paul Hoffman. How odd.
ReplyDeleteBut really? Oh dear. I think it was one of those books that divides the fantasy "fanbase" - Just like Goodkind. Some thought it was good, some thought it was tripe. A sequel isn't surprising, though.
I think personally, it divides like Dan Brown divides: if you don't care about the low quality of writing, the thinness of character, the contrivances of plot, and the tired cliches within, then yeah, you'll love it.
ReplyDeleteE.
There are times when I would gladly kiss you, Eric. And no granny peck on the cheek, either.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I respect the judgments of others. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. But there are people who are undeniably gorgeous and plenty, equally, as ugly as sin, and no question; opinions only come into the equation in the middle ground.
And The Left Hand of God is just about as ugly as it gets.
I have to physically restrain myself from saying "at least in my book." What does that say, I wonder?
I'm really looking forward to the review...and subsequent discussion. :)
ReplyDelete