Review: Blind God's Bluff

Blind God's Bluff by Richard Lee Byers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy, especially fans of male-oriented action-type stories
Trigger Warnings: general violence, cannibalism
Animal (-like creatures) Abuse: A lot of the minions and thralls are creatures of various types and are beaten or otherwise mistreated.

My Thoughts: Several sections of this book are, basically, playing poker. Specifically Hold 'em poker, about which I know next to nothing. I think if a person understands the game, there would be more in this story. For me, those sections are basically “blah blah blah Ace/Queen/King blah blah blah cheating blah blah blah violence”. Since the thing is told from Billy's point of view, it does give us a better glimpse into his thought processes though, so I wouldn't say it's a waste, just that if you—like me—don't really understand much about the game, there will likely be some subtle clues missed. Another section with billiards was the same way. It would have been nice if the book had been written so that people who are clueless about these games would have had a better idea what was going on.

Timor is a cruel, sadistic, and paranoid old jerk. Wow. I don't blame his people for wanting to be rid of him. Of course, the others really aren't all that much better. They all seemed like the type that would stab you in the back while smiling and saying, “Hail, fellow, well met,” and acting like they were going to clap you on the shoulder.

This copy was a galley, which means it still was to go through a final round of editing, so I will assume that the few editing errors I noticed will have been cleared up for the final copy.

However, don't take all that to mean I didn't like the book, because I really did. This is the sort of book I am fondest of, a book that has a lot of action, magic, great characters, twists and turns, and is just generally a lot of fun. I think the term that is running around in the book community to describe this sort of story is “dick-lit”, since it tends to appeal more to men, but I love this sort of thing. If you like action-oriented urban fantasy, you should really enjoy this book. Be sure to check it out.

Disclosure: I received an e-galley from Night Shade Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Billy Fox, a small-time gambler on a losing streak, has more than enough problems on his hands, owing too much money to some very impatient people. But when he rescues a blinded stranger from a swarm of bloodthirsty fairies, Billy’s life gets a lot more complicated. . . .

Seems the stranger is actually a powerful local god who is involved in a high-stakes Florida poker tournament against various supernatural challengers. And with his eyes currently missing, he needs somebody to take his place at the gaming table. Before Billy knows it, he finds himself playing against the likes of an ancient Egyptian mummy, an unbearably seductive succubus, a mechanical man, an insect queen, and a cannibalistic beast-man. And not just cards are in play; magic, bloodshed, and cheating are not only expected, they’re encouraged.

Everybody, including a sexy satyr-girl with her own cards up her sleeve, thinks that Billy is in way over his head. But Billy is a born gambler and, when the chips are down, he might just change his luck for good!



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