UK Covers Unveiled for Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim

Hot on the heels of the reveal of the US cover for the 4th Sandman Slim novel Devil Said Bang, comes the UK covers for the first 3 books in the series that will be release for the first time on their shores. Starting with the original Sandman Slim coming June 4th the second (Kill the Dead) and third (Aloha From Hell) novels will be coming out in about 2 week intervals to catch UK readers up. I quite like the art itself and the title treatment is very similar to the US counterparts. They could have benefited from a touch more color, at least with the first though, but they do evoke their down and dirty violent style quite well.

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Cover Unveiled for Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey
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Cover Unveiled for Devil Said Bang by Richard Kadrey

Devil Said Bang will be the fourth in the Sandman Slim series from Richard Kadrey, a series that just keeps picking up steam. The covers for the series are always simply yet this is my favorite as the use of the iconic rebel motorcycle silhouette and coloring nail the atmosphere.  Here's the blurb, but beware big reveals if you're not up-to-date on the series:

While ruling the denizens of darkness does have a few perks, James Stark isn’t exactly thrilled at the course his career (not to mention his soul) has taken. Breaking out of Hell once was a miraculous trick. But twice? If anyone can do it, it’s Sandman Slim. While he’s working out the details of his latest escape plan, Slim has to figure out how to run his new domain and hold off a host of trigger-happy killers mesmerized by that bullseye on his back. Everyone in Heaven, Hell, and in between wants to be the fastest gun in the universe, and the best way to prove it is to take down the new Lucifer, aka Sandman Slim aka James Stark.

Then again, LA isn’t quite the paradise it once was since he headed south. A serial killer ghost is running wild and his angelic alter-ago is hiding somewhere in the lost days of time with a secret cabal who can rewrite reality. And starting to care about people and life again is a real bitch for a stone-cold killer.

A violent and atmospheric tale full of edgy fun and packed with angels and demons, monsters and madmen, Devil Said Bang is another thrilling hit of kickass fun from the diabolically talented Richard Kadrey.

Devil Said Bang will be out late August. Harper Voyager, the Publisher of the series, is also launching their own e-only shorts program and one of the first releases is a Sandman Slim story called "Devil in the Dollhouse," which will be out a month prior to Devil Said Bang.

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REVIEW | Aloha from Hell by Richard Kadrey

Richard Kadrey is guilty of attempted murder. He is trying to give me a heart attack. Me and all the other readers of the Sandman Slim books. He just won't let up on the adrenaline he infuses in this Urban Fantasy series and Aloha From Hell is the worst and most exciting culprit yet.

Aloha From Hell sees Stark aka Sandman Slim trying to more than live up to the hype as he dives back into Hell on a quest to confront all the baddies he left behind and sent there. If you thought Stark showed his blood-thirst in the first two books you haven't seen anything yet as he flashes to the beast he was when first sent to Hell and everyday was a fight for survival.

Given the big reveal found near the end of Kill the Dead I was expecting Aloha to show a different side of Stark. A side I wasn't necessarily looking forward to, but Stark still keeps his attitude going despite his lighter half arguing along the way. Stark is still the most capable monster out there.

Aloha is much closer in tone to the first in the series than Kill the Dead as it showed Stark getting a bit too buddy-buddy with a lot of people. That isn't him. He's a loner. Aloha gets him back on track and brings it all to a strong finish despite throwing in a completely unneeded tag-along partner for too many chapters that could have been done without. There are still a loose threads left open for more in this series, but we get closure on a lot of Stark's past leaving him open to face his future. Kadrey's version of God also takes the stage and He is nothing like you've seen before.

Dark. Disturbing. Funny as hell. Three things that don't usually come in the same package, but Aloha From Hell delivers it all. Kadrey will be writing at least a couple more Sandman Slim books as he signed a new contract. Bring it on.

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Cover & Blurb Unveiled for Aloha From Hell by Richard Kadrey

Would you take a look at that... A pretty perfect cover to go along with the previous two books in the Sandman Slim series from Richard Kadrey.  Aloha From Hell was originally expected to be the last of the series, but Kadrey recently signed on for another 3 books so we'll be seeing plenty more of Stark in the future with one a year most likely.

As Urban Fantasy goes Kadrey is one of the roughest in the group bringing alcoholism, deviant sex, and plenty of swearing to the table. So you could say these books aren't for everyone, but they certainly scratch an itch for me with their heavy Noir stylings and dark interpretations of religion.  Here is the blurb for Aloha From Hell, which will be out October 18th from Harper Voyager:

All is not right in L A. Lucifer is back in Heaven, God’s on vacation, and an insane killer mounts a war against both Heaven and Hell. There’s only one thing Stark can do—go back to the place where it all began, the place he thought he’d never have to see again. Hell.

That’s just step one in a sure-to-be-suicidal plan that includes rescuing his long-lost love, stopping an insane serial killer, and preventing Heaven and Hell from completely destroying the other—or being destroyed by the demonic Kissi.

Sandman Slim has done the impossible before. But even for him, that’s a bad list of business to undertake. And it’s only the beginning.

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