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Eddie LaCrosse #5
He Drank, and Saw the Spider
After he fails to save a stranger from being mauled to death by a bear, a young mercenary is saddled with the baby girl the man died to protect. He leaves her with a kindly shepherd family and goes on with his violent life.
Now, sixteen years later, that young mercenary has grown up to become cynical sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse. When his vacation travels bring him back to that same part of the world, he can’t resist trying to discover what has become of the mysterious infant.
He finds that the child, now a lovely young teenager named Isadora, is at the center of complicated web of intrigue involving two feuding kings, a smitten prince, a powerful sorceress, an inhuman monster, and long-buried secrets too shocking to imagine. And once again she needs his help.
They say a spider in your cup will poison you, but only if you see it. Eddie, helped by his smart, resourceful girlfriend Liz, must look through the dregs of the past to find the truth about the present—and risk what might happen if he, too, sees the spider.
Now, sixteen years later, that young mercenary has grown up to become cynical sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse. When his vacation travels bring him back to that same part of the world, he can’t resist trying to discover what has become of the mysterious infant.
He finds that the child, now a lovely young teenager named Isadora, is at the center of complicated web of intrigue involving two feuding kings, a smitten prince, a powerful sorceress, an inhuman monster, and long-buried secrets too shocking to imagine. And once again she needs his help.
They say a spider in your cup will poison you, but only if you see it. Eddie, helped by his smart, resourceful girlfriend Liz, must look through the dregs of the past to find the truth about the present—and risk what might happen if he, too, sees the spider.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2014
16 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Alex Bledsoe
69Ìýbooks792ÌýfollowersI grew up in west Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (home of Tina Turner). I've been a reporter, editor, photographer and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. I now live in a big yellow house in Wisconsin, write before six in the morning and try to teach my two kids to act like they've been to town before.
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
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April 26, 2014
For more reviews visit my blog
The book starts in the past with Eddie saving a baby girl. Sixteen years later that assignment comes back into his life- with a teenaged girl, A king, some problems and magic birth.
The ending, of course, is a HEA in an Eddie kind of way- meaning no cliffhanger.
Also, the writing level and style are kept throughout the series- which is a good thing, I recall not so long ago one of my friends complaining on a deteriorating writing style in a series she used to love. Not here.
Moreover, the characters are charming and amazing as usual.
However, I still felt a problem with this book, I might even be bold for a moment and call it a weird problem.
I shall explain.
While each book in Eddie's series has its own adventure (as well as some overall development) and none of those adventures are recycled. He drank, and Saw the Spider was still less interesting than the books that preceded it. Why?
It took me some time to understand, but I now have this theory. The author had grown comfortable in the world he created . Yes, the world building is great, solid with definite rules- there are magic and technology. But there was nothing new.
There was nothing new to discover in this book. Eddie and his girlfriend are great characters they are deep, they have conflicts in them, they are likeable. Hell, you can say Eddie is a PI in a world where magic exists, he solves magic mysteries and he doesn't believe in magic!
While Eddie's character has much left to be discovered, he hasn't yet reached his full potential the world he lives in need something new in it. If this problem won't be solved, I'm afraid the next book will be great but not interesting all the same, a MEH . In such s case, IMO, Eddie's series should come to an end and I wouldn't want that.
I would LOVE to see Eddie go back to his home kingdom, I think that could be interesting. It's just that there's a need to find something new in Eddie's world, something that would challenge him.
On a more private note-there was a new aspect to Eddie's and his Girlfriend relationship. An aspect that felt forced and a little Out of Characters for them (sexual bondage and BDSM).
So, to summarize while old fans will enjoy it, perhaps it's time for something new, some change, or and ending (which will be sad as there's still so much to explore with the characters)
A review copy was provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review
The book starts in the past with Eddie saving a baby girl. Sixteen years later that assignment comes back into his life- with a teenaged girl, A king, some problems and magic birth.
The ending, of course, is a HEA in an Eddie kind of way- meaning no cliffhanger.
Also, the writing level and style are kept throughout the series- which is a good thing, I recall not so long ago one of my friends complaining on a deteriorating writing style in a series she used to love. Not here.
Moreover, the characters are charming and amazing as usual.
However, I still felt a problem with this book, I might even be bold for a moment and call it a weird problem.
I shall explain.
While each book in Eddie's series has its own adventure (as well as some overall development) and none of those adventures are recycled. He drank, and Saw the Spider was still less interesting than the books that preceded it. Why?
It took me some time to understand, but I now have this theory. The author had grown comfortable in the world he created . Yes, the world building is great, solid with definite rules- there are magic and technology. But there was nothing new.
There was nothing new to discover in this book. Eddie and his girlfriend are great characters they are deep, they have conflicts in them, they are likeable. Hell, you can say Eddie is a PI in a world where magic exists, he solves magic mysteries and he doesn't believe in magic!
While Eddie's character has much left to be discovered, he hasn't yet reached his full potential the world he lives in need something new in it. If this problem won't be solved, I'm afraid the next book will be great but not interesting all the same, a MEH . In such s case, IMO, Eddie's series should come to an end and I wouldn't want that.
I would LOVE to see Eddie go back to his home kingdom, I think that could be interesting. It's just that there's a need to find something new in Eddie's world, something that would challenge him.
On a more private note-there was a new aspect to Eddie's and his Girlfriend relationship. An aspect that felt forced and a little Out of Characters for them (sexual bondage and BDSM).
So, to summarize while old fans will enjoy it, perhaps it's time for something new, some change, or and ending (which will be sad as there's still so much to explore with the characters)
A review copy was provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review
June 18, 2018
I think this is the fourth of the Eddie LaCrosse novels I've read, and while they've never struck me as great literature, I've always been happy to read them. So when I found this one at a library sale last year, it made it directly into my ever-growing "buy" pile and came home with me. (I'm not trying to be snarky - some things are literature and deep and some things are not, and you need a little of both in your book diet, as far as I can figure.)
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at
January 12, 2014
I received the uncorrected ARC copy from NetGalley as a Kindle file.
3.5 stars
The protagonist of this novel, a sword jokey Eddie LaCrosse, stands out from the pages � a living man, with all his merits and faults. It’s the fifth book in the series about him, and by now, he feels like an old, grumpy friend, a guy I could entrust with my problems.
Of course, he is a bit cynical and a habitual drunk, but who wouldn’t be, doing what he does. He is PI in a fantasy world, and his investigations often take him into the middle of some dirty conspiracies. Despite repeatedly coming up against the worst in people, he still retains his compassion and tolerance for the human beings. For Eddie, almost everyone has something good, and even a monster deserves a second chance.
Like any good PI, Eddie can’t resist a mystery. Secrets fascinate him, but his compulsion to discover the truth frequently leads him into danger. He also has a penchant for saving people � from bandits or dragons or wild beasts. He does it in every book.
This book is no exception. It starts with a bang from the past � the young Eddie saves a baby girl from a bear (why am I not surprised?) � but then it slows down. Being a mercenary, he doesn’t have a place in his vagabond life for a child, so he finds her a home among sheep farmers and goes on his way with a clear conscience.
Sixteen years later, on a leisurely vacation with his girlfriend, Eddie stumbles upon the same community of sheep farmers and meets his foundling again, now a pretty young girl. His curiosity stirs. He feels compelled to solve her mystery, to find out who she is and why fate dropped her in his path all those years ago. To the readers� delight, Eddie’s quest for answers sets off a chain of calamities, and only Eddie could prevent the looming disaster.
Besides Eddie, the novel boasts several requisite character types of the fantasy genre, including an orphan, a shady sorceress, a king or two, and a scary monster, but the roles they play are frequently controversial. Is this monster evil or simply ignorant? Is that sorceress ruthless or has she just run out of choices? The unorthodox functionalities of the common types are among the best aspects of this novel.
The tale, a blend of mystery and epic fantasy, like the rest of the series, follows Eddie’s probing mind from a shepherds� village to a king’s palace, from the throne room to the dungeons. Quietly and unobtrusively, the author raises the stakes for his hero and winds the tension in his narrative, until it thrums like a tight string by the middle of the book. The reader avidly turns the pages and wonders: what next?
Unfortunately, in the second part of the novel, the story goes downhill, and the denouement is disappointing. As if to simplify the finale, the author arbitrary cuts off most of the subplots by killing a score of characters and sending others into obscurity, as if they’re not important for the main storyline. Maybe they are not. But then, why were they introduced in the first place?
The conclusion to the single plotline the author did choose to explore feels artificial and predictable, no match to the original and explosive beginning of the tale.
The other characters in the book are significantly less defined than Eddie, perhaps a bit cartoonish, with single traits of their personalities exaggerated for the sake of an archetype. Most of them, with rare exceptions, could be described with one modifier. A mad king. A scheming rogue. A no-nonsense girlfriend. A loyal guard. A cruel killer.
There are some extremely extraneous details in the story � like Eddie going to pee in the bushes. I don’t need to know that. Nobody does.
The novel is uneven, but on the whole, I enjoyed reading it. Definitely recommended for the fans of the series.
3.5 stars
The protagonist of this novel, a sword jokey Eddie LaCrosse, stands out from the pages � a living man, with all his merits and faults. It’s the fifth book in the series about him, and by now, he feels like an old, grumpy friend, a guy I could entrust with my problems.
Of course, he is a bit cynical and a habitual drunk, but who wouldn’t be, doing what he does. He is PI in a fantasy world, and his investigations often take him into the middle of some dirty conspiracies. Despite repeatedly coming up against the worst in people, he still retains his compassion and tolerance for the human beings. For Eddie, almost everyone has something good, and even a monster deserves a second chance.
Like any good PI, Eddie can’t resist a mystery. Secrets fascinate him, but his compulsion to discover the truth frequently leads him into danger. He also has a penchant for saving people � from bandits or dragons or wild beasts. He does it in every book.
This book is no exception. It starts with a bang from the past � the young Eddie saves a baby girl from a bear (why am I not surprised?) � but then it slows down. Being a mercenary, he doesn’t have a place in his vagabond life for a child, so he finds her a home among sheep farmers and goes on his way with a clear conscience.
Sixteen years later, on a leisurely vacation with his girlfriend, Eddie stumbles upon the same community of sheep farmers and meets his foundling again, now a pretty young girl. His curiosity stirs. He feels compelled to solve her mystery, to find out who she is and why fate dropped her in his path all those years ago. To the readers� delight, Eddie’s quest for answers sets off a chain of calamities, and only Eddie could prevent the looming disaster.
Besides Eddie, the novel boasts several requisite character types of the fantasy genre, including an orphan, a shady sorceress, a king or two, and a scary monster, but the roles they play are frequently controversial. Is this monster evil or simply ignorant? Is that sorceress ruthless or has she just run out of choices? The unorthodox functionalities of the common types are among the best aspects of this novel.
The tale, a blend of mystery and epic fantasy, like the rest of the series, follows Eddie’s probing mind from a shepherds� village to a king’s palace, from the throne room to the dungeons. Quietly and unobtrusively, the author raises the stakes for his hero and winds the tension in his narrative, until it thrums like a tight string by the middle of the book. The reader avidly turns the pages and wonders: what next?
Unfortunately, in the second part of the novel, the story goes downhill, and the denouement is disappointing. As if to simplify the finale, the author arbitrary cuts off most of the subplots by killing a score of characters and sending others into obscurity, as if they’re not important for the main storyline. Maybe they are not. But then, why were they introduced in the first place?
The conclusion to the single plotline the author did choose to explore feels artificial and predictable, no match to the original and explosive beginning of the tale.
The other characters in the book are significantly less defined than Eddie, perhaps a bit cartoonish, with single traits of their personalities exaggerated for the sake of an archetype. Most of them, with rare exceptions, could be described with one modifier. A mad king. A scheming rogue. A no-nonsense girlfriend. A loyal guard. A cruel killer.
There are some extremely extraneous details in the story � like Eddie going to pee in the bushes. I don’t need to know that. Nobody does.
The novel is uneven, but on the whole, I enjoyed reading it. Definitely recommended for the fans of the series.
January 7, 2018
I have put off reading this book for years waiting to see if there would ever be a paperback version. I blame my childhood. That was when all I could afford to buy were paperbacks, and my local library ONLY bought paperbacks for the fantasy and sci-fi section.
In any case, I love reading paperbacks. He Drank, and Saw the Spider was published in 2013. I waited until the very end of 2018 before I saw the truth of the situation and caved in to buy a hardback book. I am so glad I did. I have always loved the Eddie Lacrosse stories by Alex Bledsoe since they day I read the title of the first book, The Sword-Edged Blond. I mean, really, what kind of noir loving fantasy nerd would not go for that on title alone.
Well I, for one, couldn't resist and so became enthralled with the world of Eddie Lacrosse. This latest (is it a final one?) entry in the collection is filled to the brim with all the things I liked about Eddie. He continues to show the growth he has experienced through all the series. His irreverent sense of humor, and his keen understanding of others, and most of all his incredible curiosity about things he just doesn't understand yet all combine to thrust him into the middle of the most amazing and poignant stories.
The poignant description is important. There isn't a one of these stories that doesn't deal with the real experiences and feelings of being human and of course, like most of us, we all experience tragedy and sorrow along with victory and love. Bledsoe blends all these aspects of humanity expertly in the person of Eddie Lacrosse.
He Drank, and Saw the Spider begins with Eddie rescuing a baby from a bear attack and then deals with the repercussions of that simple act of humanity through the next sixteen years. It finally culminates in an, unsurprising, but satisfying ending where the characters have, if not grown, at least been changed by the events of the story. Each of the characters reacts believably and they stay consistently true to their personalities. Eddie of course, is Eddie, but Liz is constantly supportive and understanding and providing the bedrock of love that Eddie has needed his whole life. Opulura shows a constant world worn weariness perfectly explained by her story. Crazy King Jerry reacts believably to the grief and guilt he's spent years under, and comes to a satisfying .... not resolution... but place in his emotional life. Even Tatterhead ends up being a likeable character, and I won't say any more than that because of spoilers.
I wish I knew there was another story to look forward to. Alex? Anyone? Does anyone know? In any case this is one of the very best Eddie Lacrosse books and I can heartily recommend it, and the rest of the collection to anyone fond of fantasy stories, or noir stories, or like me huge fans of fantasy-noir.
In any case, I love reading paperbacks. He Drank, and Saw the Spider was published in 2013. I waited until the very end of 2018 before I saw the truth of the situation and caved in to buy a hardback book. I am so glad I did. I have always loved the Eddie Lacrosse stories by Alex Bledsoe since they day I read the title of the first book, The Sword-Edged Blond. I mean, really, what kind of noir loving fantasy nerd would not go for that on title alone.
Well I, for one, couldn't resist and so became enthralled with the world of Eddie Lacrosse. This latest (is it a final one?) entry in the collection is filled to the brim with all the things I liked about Eddie. He continues to show the growth he has experienced through all the series. His irreverent sense of humor, and his keen understanding of others, and most of all his incredible curiosity about things he just doesn't understand yet all combine to thrust him into the middle of the most amazing and poignant stories.
The poignant description is important. There isn't a one of these stories that doesn't deal with the real experiences and feelings of being human and of course, like most of us, we all experience tragedy and sorrow along with victory and love. Bledsoe blends all these aspects of humanity expertly in the person of Eddie Lacrosse.
He Drank, and Saw the Spider begins with Eddie rescuing a baby from a bear attack and then deals with the repercussions of that simple act of humanity through the next sixteen years. It finally culminates in an, unsurprising, but satisfying ending where the characters have, if not grown, at least been changed by the events of the story. Each of the characters reacts believably and they stay consistently true to their personalities. Eddie of course, is Eddie, but Liz is constantly supportive and understanding and providing the bedrock of love that Eddie has needed his whole life. Opulura shows a constant world worn weariness perfectly explained by her story. Crazy King Jerry reacts believably to the grief and guilt he's spent years under, and comes to a satisfying .... not resolution... but place in his emotional life. Even Tatterhead ends up being a likeable character, and I won't say any more than that because of spoilers.
I wish I knew there was another story to look forward to. Alex? Anyone? Does anyone know? In any case this is one of the very best Eddie Lacrosse books and I can heartily recommend it, and the rest of the collection to anyone fond of fantasy stories, or noir stories, or like me huge fans of fantasy-noir.
November 30, 2020
Notes:
Currently the Entire Series is on Audible Plus
Eddie LaCrosse has been one of the cool "new to me" finds for the year. I'll definitely read more books by Bledsoe!
Another great adventure story that is a mix of well known tales with Bledsoe's unique twists. I hope the author writes more stories about Eddie & the friends he makes along the way.
Currently the Entire Series is on Audible Plus
Eddie LaCrosse has been one of the cool "new to me" finds for the year. I'll definitely read more books by Bledsoe!
Another great adventure story that is a mix of well known tales with Bledsoe's unique twists. I hope the author writes more stories about Eddie & the friends he makes along the way.
December 4, 2020
Was a wonderful journey that had me wondering where it was going to end up in the end.
January 10, 2024
This originally appeared at .
---
Like with the previous Eddie LaCrosse audiobook, , I can't think of much more to say than when I read the book. But, this is the last one in the series, and I can't just let this pass unremarked. So I shuffled it a bit, cleaned a couple of things up, and added bit here and there. That's not cheating too much, is it?
What's He Drank, and Saw the Spider About?
After a couple of adventures that aren’t quite typical in their nature, Eddie La Crosse gets back to basics with a fairly straightforward case. Well, that’s not exactly true—it's just that the last was more grand-adventure-y, less LaCrosse-as-sword-jokey, and the one before that took on this epic nature by the end. This is Eddie doing what he does best. But still, there’s magic and monsters, and all the other trappings that keep this from being something that Sue Grafton or Dennis Lehane would’ve written.
Sixteen years ago, Eddie promised a dying man on the run that he’d take care of the baby that the other man was running to protect. He found a seemingly-trustworthy family willing to take the infant in, and went on his merry way, and actually forgot all about the incidents surrounding that. Years later, Eddie and his girlfriend, Liz, are on vacation in that area and suddenly it all comes back to him and he decides to try and track down the (now) young woman and see how she’s doing.
Naturally, things start to go poorly about there. He does find her—pretty easily, too—it is a small community, with an economy largely-based on sheep-herding and farming, so it’s not really a bustling metropolis where no one knows anyone else. But there’s a whole lot of interesting things happening around the young woman—royalty in disguise, a meddling sorceress, an untrustworthy mercenary-type, an over-protective mother, a dose of sibling rivalry, and some sort of articulate and super-strong inhuman creature with a healthy interest in the girl.
Even though he was just supposed to check on her and not interfere with her life—he had no intention of even introducing himself to her. Eddie can’t help himself, and before you know it, he’s neck-deep in intrigue and danger.
Biggest Magic Yet
When you think about Fantasy novels (or maybe I should just say "I", who knows what you think) you think about magic all over the place. But if it's really that ubiquitous, that takes away some of the special-ness of magic. In LaCrosse's world, almost no one believes in magic. Eddie sure wouldn't if magic, deities, and supernatural creatures hadn't rubbed their existence in his face on repeated occasions.
That's certainly the case here—most of the people that Eddie is around in this novel (and by most, I mean an overwhelming majority) refuse to admit that what they are seeing—some of them on multiple occasions—has anything to do with magic. I think this is a great choice—it's another hurdle for Eddie and Liz to get over, it adds some real tension when you'd be tempted to think we're done with tension, and it keeps the magic mysterious.
Rudnicki's Narration
I think this is probably Rudnicki's best work in the series. he nails every character—particularly the character of Billy Cudgel (the aforementioned untrustworthy mercenary-type). He captures the humor, the drunkenness, the misery, the madness, and everything else. I thought the choices he makes in the narration (he and/or the director) and tone were spot-on. He's definitely a narrator I'm going to seek out in the future.
So, what did I think about He Drank, and Saw the Spider?
On the whole, this is a fun, brisk novel—a lot of humor, some good action, nice banter, and interaction between the characters (especially Eddie and Liz). Yet, even as the answers to the questions surrounding the girl’s mysterious origins become obvious, and some of the characters get to the point where they seemed irredeemable, Bledsoe (as he can every so well) keeps you completely drawn in and even tugs the heartstrings a bit as the truth is revealed to the characters. Just really, really well done.
There’s a lot of nice little touches along the way. For example, towards the end of the book, Eddie and those he’s traveling with encounter a preteen who joins their little band for a while. She’s pretty new to swearing and tries to get in as much practice as she can while with them. At first, I thought she was an odd (but entertaining) and pointless distraction. It didn’t take too long to see she was a perfect tension-breaker, just what that part of the novel needed to keep from being too tense and so much more serious than what had come before.
Eddie’s narration has never been better—humor-tinged and hard-boiled, a medieval Philip Marlowe or Elvis Cole. I liked all of these characters, and really wanted to spend more time with each of them—I don’t know how Bledsoe could’ve pulled that off without getting the whole thing too slow and ponderous (which would’ve sucked the fun out of 60-70% of these characters). This is really such a well-done and fully realized series.
Either Bledsoe or his publishers decided that was enough, and it doesn't look like we're going to get any more adventures from our favorite sword-jockey, but man, I'm glad we got what we did.
---
Like with the previous Eddie LaCrosse audiobook, , I can't think of much more to say than when I read the book. But, this is the last one in the series, and I can't just let this pass unremarked. So I shuffled it a bit, cleaned a couple of things up, and added bit here and there. That's not cheating too much, is it?
I felt that little knot in my belly that meant a mystery was taking its irrevocable hold. Usually this was a good thing, because usually I got paid for it. But here and now I was on vacation, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend it unraveling the truth of the strange prince, his rotund protector, and the girl I’d once saved from a bear. But damn it, I knew that’s exactly what I was going to do.
What's He Drank, and Saw the Spider About?
After a couple of adventures that aren’t quite typical in their nature, Eddie La Crosse gets back to basics with a fairly straightforward case. Well, that’s not exactly true—it's just that the last was more grand-adventure-y, less LaCrosse-as-sword-jokey, and the one before that took on this epic nature by the end. This is Eddie doing what he does best. But still, there’s magic and monsters, and all the other trappings that keep this from being something that Sue Grafton or Dennis Lehane would’ve written.
Sixteen years ago, Eddie promised a dying man on the run that he’d take care of the baby that the other man was running to protect. He found a seemingly-trustworthy family willing to take the infant in, and went on his merry way, and actually forgot all about the incidents surrounding that. Years later, Eddie and his girlfriend, Liz, are on vacation in that area and suddenly it all comes back to him and he decides to try and track down the (now) young woman and see how she’s doing.
Naturally, things start to go poorly about there. He does find her—pretty easily, too—it is a small community, with an economy largely-based on sheep-herding and farming, so it’s not really a bustling metropolis where no one knows anyone else. But there’s a whole lot of interesting things happening around the young woman—royalty in disguise, a meddling sorceress, an untrustworthy mercenary-type, an over-protective mother, a dose of sibling rivalry, and some sort of articulate and super-strong inhuman creature with a healthy interest in the girl.
Even though he was just supposed to check on her and not interfere with her life—he had no intention of even introducing himself to her. Eddie can’t help himself, and before you know it, he’s neck-deep in intrigue and danger.
Biggest Magic Yet
When you think about Fantasy novels (or maybe I should just say "I", who knows what you think) you think about magic all over the place. But if it's really that ubiquitous, that takes away some of the special-ness of magic. In LaCrosse's world, almost no one believes in magic. Eddie sure wouldn't if magic, deities, and supernatural creatures hadn't rubbed their existence in his face on repeated occasions.
That's certainly the case here—most of the people that Eddie is around in this novel (and by most, I mean an overwhelming majority) refuse to admit that what they are seeing—some of them on multiple occasions—has anything to do with magic. I think this is a great choice—it's another hurdle for Eddie and Liz to get over, it adds some real tension when you'd be tempted to think we're done with tension, and it keeps the magic mysterious.
Rudnicki's Narration
I think this is probably Rudnicki's best work in the series. he nails every character—particularly the character of Billy Cudgel (the aforementioned untrustworthy mercenary-type). He captures the humor, the drunkenness, the misery, the madness, and everything else. I thought the choices he makes in the narration (he and/or the director) and tone were spot-on. He's definitely a narrator I'm going to seek out in the future.
So, what did I think about He Drank, and Saw the Spider?
On the whole, this is a fun, brisk novel—a lot of humor, some good action, nice banter, and interaction between the characters (especially Eddie and Liz). Yet, even as the answers to the questions surrounding the girl’s mysterious origins become obvious, and some of the characters get to the point where they seemed irredeemable, Bledsoe (as he can every so well) keeps you completely drawn in and even tugs the heartstrings a bit as the truth is revealed to the characters. Just really, really well done.
There’s a lot of nice little touches along the way. For example, towards the end of the book, Eddie and those he’s traveling with encounter a preteen who joins their little band for a while. She’s pretty new to swearing and tries to get in as much practice as she can while with them. At first, I thought she was an odd (but entertaining) and pointless distraction. It didn’t take too long to see she was a perfect tension-breaker, just what that part of the novel needed to keep from being too tense and so much more serious than what had come before.
Eddie’s narration has never been better—humor-tinged and hard-boiled, a medieval Philip Marlowe or Elvis Cole. I liked all of these characters, and really wanted to spend more time with each of them—I don’t know how Bledsoe could’ve pulled that off without getting the whole thing too slow and ponderous (which would’ve sucked the fun out of 60-70% of these characters). This is really such a well-done and fully realized series.
Either Bledsoe or his publishers decided that was enough, and it doesn't look like we're going to get any more adventures from our favorite sword-jockey, but man, I'm glad we got what we did.
May 6, 2016
OK way to pass the time. Not as good as the others; felt a bit lazy.
Too much slap-and-tickle with Liz. I don't mind that, there was just too much of it. Felt like padding.
Bledsoe admits that he can't be bothered creating character names, but this time maybe he goes too far. Guards named Ajax and Hector. A young woman named Cassandra who complains that no one ever listens to her. A young girl named Viola pretending to be a boy. Owen Glendower as a character. A guy named Billy Cudgel (sounds like a good name for a club [sorry, couldn't resist]). And, most over the top of all, a foul-mouthed and abusive chef named Gordon. What will we see in the next book? Mr. Darcy? Fezziwig? A vampire named Lestat?
Also lazy is having the scribe reappear to do a long info dump.
The plot is decent. The motivations of the leading characters are OK. Tatterhead is interesting. The whole thing with the, ahem, person with supernatural powers falls apart as soon as we see some details. She can do this huge thing and that one, but she can't do this little thing or that one. And her motivations are either unclear or missing.
Fifth best book in the series, but still OK.
Too much slap-and-tickle with Liz. I don't mind that, there was just too much of it. Felt like padding.
Bledsoe admits that he can't be bothered creating character names, but this time maybe he goes too far. Guards named Ajax and Hector. A young woman named Cassandra who complains that no one ever listens to her. A young girl named Viola pretending to be a boy. Owen Glendower as a character. A guy named Billy Cudgel (sounds like a good name for a club [sorry, couldn't resist]). And, most over the top of all, a foul-mouthed and abusive chef named Gordon. What will we see in the next book? Mr. Darcy? Fezziwig? A vampire named Lestat?
Also lazy is having the scribe reappear to do a long info dump.
The plot is decent. The motivations of the leading characters are OK. Tatterhead is interesting. The whole thing with the, ahem, person with supernatural powers falls apart as soon as we see some details. She can do this huge thing and that one, but she can't do this little thing or that one. And her motivations are either unclear or missing.
Fifth best book in the series, but still OK.
December 29, 2013
For the first 2/3, this was an INCREDIBLY strong read. Good mystery, interesting characters and development. Then as the curtain began to be pulled back on what was happening, it became a bit less interesting. This is one case where the resolution was much less interesting than the mystery itself.
I continue to enjoy the evolution of Eddie and his world, however, as each book gives him new depth and adds more interesting facets to the world. This series remains among my top 5 in Urban Fantasy (for those curious, the others are Harry Dresden, Felix Castor, Iron Druid, and the Leandros Brothers. Order TBD, although Dresden sits at the top of the heap for sure.)
Anyways, I digress. This is a very good book, and I recommend checking it out upon its release. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.
I continue to enjoy the evolution of Eddie and his world, however, as each book gives him new depth and adds more interesting facets to the world. This series remains among my top 5 in Urban Fantasy (for those curious, the others are Harry Dresden, Felix Castor, Iron Druid, and the Leandros Brothers. Order TBD, although Dresden sits at the top of the heap for sure.)
Anyways, I digress. This is a very good book, and I recommend checking it out upon its release. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.
January 29, 2014
He Drank, and Saw the Spider is a strong installment to the Eddie LaCrosse series, in fact, it is probably one of my favorite Eddie LaCrosse books. Bledsoe’s skill really shows here. Despite the fact that the ending might be a little weak, the rest of the book feels so effortless, so enjoyable, and so perfectly balanced that I know I’ll go back to it again and again.
Read my full review here:
Read my full review here:
July 22, 2015
Very captivating book a bit of a mystery a bit of a romance. Some sword fights, a troll, and a damsel in distress. I had no idea this is part of a series I'll look for more to see what other adventures Eddie the Sword for Hire has.
July 7, 2017
I didn't realize this was part of a series until I had started reading (the interesting name and cover drew me in). It was ok and a quick read, but ultimately I wasn't impressed at all by Eddie LaCrosse. He didn't seem to be that smart, a particularly great fighter, or even all that competent - all action scenes are him reacting (usually late) to one thing or another. The story referred often to his sexual escapades with Liz (and the advances of others, since it's a fertility festival and apparently everyone is ready and willing), but that didn't really add to the story. Rather than building on the plot, I felt a lot of the scenes were just random things the author thought were cool to add. King Jerry was unbelievable, as was the story of Opulora and Tatterhead. Billy Cudgel was a pointless character, as was Gordon (hm, an a**hole chef named Gordon), Cassandra (who gets "feelings" no one ever heeds), and many others. There are just too many bits tossed in without meaning - Opulora was a great friend of Queen Sylvia, King Jerry investigating Opulora's past (which made zero sense), Ellis and Jerry being boyhood friends, Jerry being a nutcase, the glowing blue orbs...I could go on.
Based on this book, I wouldn't recommend the series to anyone.
Based on this book, I wouldn't recommend the series to anyone.
April 17, 2021
"He drank and saw the spider" refers to a myth in the book. If one drinks, and there is a poisonous spider in the drink, one is only poisoned if he actually sees the spider. King Gerald was described to have done this when he thought his wife the queen was cheating on him with the king of another land. Though his allegations were untrue, they had tragic consequences. Frankly I don't see how Gerald's actions correlated to drinking and seeing the spider, but that's what the book said he did.
This is the fifth and (so far) final book featuring Alex Bledsoe's character Eddie Lacrosse; a private investigator in a fantasy land. I found it to be the weakest of the five. There was a lot of Hollywoodish cutesy dialogue among the characters during the height of tension. Having a sense of humor is fine, but I believe this novel overdid the humor and put it in the wrong places. It is also the only Eddie Lacrosse book not to feature two characters I really enjoyed in the previous books- the tavern owner Angelina and her ditzy waitress (whose name escapes me at the moment).
Still, I enjoyed He Drank and Saw the Spider and gave it three stars. If you haven't read any Eddie Lacrosse fantasies, make sure to read the other four first.
This is the fifth and (so far) final book featuring Alex Bledsoe's character Eddie Lacrosse; a private investigator in a fantasy land. I found it to be the weakest of the five. There was a lot of Hollywoodish cutesy dialogue among the characters during the height of tension. Having a sense of humor is fine, but I believe this novel overdid the humor and put it in the wrong places. It is also the only Eddie Lacrosse book not to feature two characters I really enjoyed in the previous books- the tavern owner Angelina and her ditzy waitress (whose name escapes me at the moment).
Still, I enjoyed He Drank and Saw the Spider and gave it three stars. If you haven't read any Eddie Lacrosse fantasies, make sure to read the other four first.
October 14, 2020
Fittingly, the best one in the series yet. I wish it didn't end here!
Eddie Lacrosse, disillusioned and cynical sword jockey (think mercenary slash PI) cannot help occasionally doing good things and helping out for no monetary compensation. Sixteen years ago, he rescued an infant girl and left here with some good people. Now, supposedly on holiday with his girlfriend Liz, Eddie takes it into his head to check in on the girl. Of course being Eddie, things pretty much go downhill from there.
I really love this series. It fits the same niche as the Dresden Files, except it's set in a quasi medieval epic fantasy world, and honestly, Bledsoe's characterisation and structure is better. Eddie is a great character. Bit of a bastard at times but general a golden heart beats under the grim and scarred exterior. His girlfriend Liz is a treat and the series shows some great character development. In addition the plots will always through a few surprises your way even if you do work out the main thrust of the story. Highly recommend the entire series.
Eddie Lacrosse, disillusioned and cynical sword jockey (think mercenary slash PI) cannot help occasionally doing good things and helping out for no monetary compensation. Sixteen years ago, he rescued an infant girl and left here with some good people. Now, supposedly on holiday with his girlfriend Liz, Eddie takes it into his head to check in on the girl. Of course being Eddie, things pretty much go downhill from there.
I really love this series. It fits the same niche as the Dresden Files, except it's set in a quasi medieval epic fantasy world, and honestly, Bledsoe's characterisation and structure is better. Eddie is a great character. Bit of a bastard at times but general a golden heart beats under the grim and scarred exterior. His girlfriend Liz is a treat and the series shows some great character development. In addition the plots will always through a few surprises your way even if you do work out the main thrust of the story. Highly recommend the entire series.
February 6, 2014
“If you pick up a viper and it bites you, it's not the viper's fault, is it?�
Novels are a bit like jokes. There's some good ones. There's some bad ones. Every now and then, one comes along that makes your stomach hurt because you can't stop laughing. Then there are the groaners. Alex Bledsoe's He Drank, And Saw The Spider, is a good humored laugh that kinda trails off into awkward silence. Yeah.
Before I start, I'd like to note that this is my first Eddie LaCrosse novel. There are some problems that might be fixed by reading the rest of the series beforehand. I'm of the thought that every book, especially stories that feel self-contained, (as this book does) should be able to stand on its own. I'll leave that reminder up here for fans of the previous four books.
Anyway, Alex Bledsoe's fifth Eddie LaCrosse book starts off strong. The narrator of which the series is named is out in the woods, minding his own business, relieving himself. Out of nowhere, a man runs for his life, pursued by a giant bear. Being the righteous hero and mystery-whore, LaCrosse decides to chase after them and kill the monster. He succeeds with just a sword, but doesn't save the man's life. Surprisingly, the man repays LaCrosse with a baby girl. The soldier doesn't want an infant; doesn't know how to take care of an infant. So...he travels to the closest town, gets in a few scrapes, has a fling with a country girl, and somehow manages to give her the child.
Almost two decades pass, and LaCrosse is on vacation, traveling with his fiance. (Or wife. Or girlfriend. I was never quite sure.) Because of his love for adventure and mysteries, the man shambles back into the small village to see what happened to the squirt. He doesn't find the easy road he was hoping for.
�'You can't understand life, Miss Dumont,' Opulora said, 'until you know death. Would you appreciate the light without the dark?'�
The highest compliment I can give Bledsoe is toward his narrator. Eddie LaCrosse is a well-realised person whose motives are complex and show a maturity that only age, experience, and a damn good writer can create. Not to be outdone, the remainder of the cast is well rounded and magnificent. In fact, the characters are Bledsoe's strong point. I've yet to read the other four books, but Liz, the heroine of this tale, has just as much depth as Beatrice and Jack. That tells me that Bledsoe can make strong characters in not just many books, but in standalones as well.
On that thought of characterization, the dialogue was strange. It teetered on jarring, to okay, to gut-wrenching brilliant. I think it may be the modern slang in a Middle Ages-esque novel. I'm not sure.
That brings me to my next point: the setting felt tacked on there. That's not to say the swords, dragons, and magical woodlands felt out of place; it's just the landscape was never elaborated on. I love me some verisimilitude. Bledsoe gave us little to none, aside from the fertility festivals and exploration of sheep villages. I would have loved more. More talk of the outlying neighborhoods would've been great. Or a sub-plot about the two kings that didn't relate to the mystery. Anything that wasn't just meat. (The fat does give flavor, right?)
Moving on, the plot is nothing really. A slow moving detective case that's not assigned to LaCrosse. There's intrigue, betrayal, and chases. At times, it can be a tale of convenience and incompetence, especially towards the end. The ending tapers off. The climax is resolved with a bit of hazy magic, or deus ex machina, if you will. There are a few sub-plots and questions that are discarded. I don't need everything told, but in this instance, it felt cheap and lazy. Nevertheless, it's all extremely fun, but like the setting, it doesn't really do much besides stand there.
�'A man who's come so far in the world might do a lot of bad things to stay there.'�
However, my biggest complaint is with the prose.
Simple prose is different from simplistic prose. The latter, if done well, is universally praised, most of the time. No word is wasted. No description is too little. Simple prose is the bare bones of what the story takes, but written in layman’s terms. There's no pop. There's no clever turn of phrase, no poignant brushstroke or simile to delight the mind. It's just there, lifeless but necessary for the medium.
Unfortunately, Bledsoe's falls into simple prose. The narrator does, at times, make up for this with his good cheer and genuine humor. But I need some brilliant writing, seeing as this is a book. There's glimmers here and there at opposite sides of the canyon, but nothing more. It disappointed me, considering this is a 1st person novel; they usually always excel in that department for me.
Worse than that, Bledsoe falls into the trap of telling, not showing, and then repeating the information a paragraph later. It happened quite a bit, which annoyed me.
“The plethora of freshly cut stems and carefully shaped branches told me it had been recently spruced up, no doubt for the festival.�
Now, contrary to all my negativity, I actually enjoyed this novel, up until the end, at least. Then it nosedived into ridiculousness. Hopefully Bledsoe improves this in his latter installments, or maybe this was just a dip in quality. Doesn't matter. I'll be reading a few more to see. But if he could inject a little flavor into the overall quality, I'd be happy. Because He Drank, And Saw The Spider is an amusing ride through the woods, but at the end, it is just an above average Urban Fantasy set in the Middle Ages. If anything, it's a bland piece of literature that has more potential than most of the aforementioned genre.
�'You can waste a lot of your life watching the horizon for bad things, you know.'�
*I was given this ARC for my honest review.*
Novels are a bit like jokes. There's some good ones. There's some bad ones. Every now and then, one comes along that makes your stomach hurt because you can't stop laughing. Then there are the groaners. Alex Bledsoe's He Drank, And Saw The Spider, is a good humored laugh that kinda trails off into awkward silence. Yeah.
Before I start, I'd like to note that this is my first Eddie LaCrosse novel. There are some problems that might be fixed by reading the rest of the series beforehand. I'm of the thought that every book, especially stories that feel self-contained, (as this book does) should be able to stand on its own. I'll leave that reminder up here for fans of the previous four books.
Anyway, Alex Bledsoe's fifth Eddie LaCrosse book starts off strong. The narrator of which the series is named is out in the woods, minding his own business, relieving himself. Out of nowhere, a man runs for his life, pursued by a giant bear. Being the righteous hero and mystery-whore, LaCrosse decides to chase after them and kill the monster. He succeeds with just a sword, but doesn't save the man's life. Surprisingly, the man repays LaCrosse with a baby girl. The soldier doesn't want an infant; doesn't know how to take care of an infant. So...he travels to the closest town, gets in a few scrapes, has a fling with a country girl, and somehow manages to give her the child.
Almost two decades pass, and LaCrosse is on vacation, traveling with his fiance. (Or wife. Or girlfriend. I was never quite sure.) Because of his love for adventure and mysteries, the man shambles back into the small village to see what happened to the squirt. He doesn't find the easy road he was hoping for.
�'You can't understand life, Miss Dumont,' Opulora said, 'until you know death. Would you appreciate the light without the dark?'�
The highest compliment I can give Bledsoe is toward his narrator. Eddie LaCrosse is a well-realised person whose motives are complex and show a maturity that only age, experience, and a damn good writer can create. Not to be outdone, the remainder of the cast is well rounded and magnificent. In fact, the characters are Bledsoe's strong point. I've yet to read the other four books, but Liz, the heroine of this tale, has just as much depth as Beatrice and Jack. That tells me that Bledsoe can make strong characters in not just many books, but in standalones as well.
On that thought of characterization, the dialogue was strange. It teetered on jarring, to okay, to gut-wrenching brilliant. I think it may be the modern slang in a Middle Ages-esque novel. I'm not sure.
That brings me to my next point: the setting felt tacked on there. That's not to say the swords, dragons, and magical woodlands felt out of place; it's just the landscape was never elaborated on. I love me some verisimilitude. Bledsoe gave us little to none, aside from the fertility festivals and exploration of sheep villages. I would have loved more. More talk of the outlying neighborhoods would've been great. Or a sub-plot about the two kings that didn't relate to the mystery. Anything that wasn't just meat. (The fat does give flavor, right?)
Moving on, the plot is nothing really. A slow moving detective case that's not assigned to LaCrosse. There's intrigue, betrayal, and chases. At times, it can be a tale of convenience and incompetence, especially towards the end. The ending tapers off. The climax is resolved with a bit of hazy magic, or deus ex machina, if you will. There are a few sub-plots and questions that are discarded. I don't need everything told, but in this instance, it felt cheap and lazy. Nevertheless, it's all extremely fun, but like the setting, it doesn't really do much besides stand there.
�'A man who's come so far in the world might do a lot of bad things to stay there.'�
However, my biggest complaint is with the prose.
Simple prose is different from simplistic prose. The latter, if done well, is universally praised, most of the time. No word is wasted. No description is too little. Simple prose is the bare bones of what the story takes, but written in layman’s terms. There's no pop. There's no clever turn of phrase, no poignant brushstroke or simile to delight the mind. It's just there, lifeless but necessary for the medium.
Unfortunately, Bledsoe's falls into simple prose. The narrator does, at times, make up for this with his good cheer and genuine humor. But I need some brilliant writing, seeing as this is a book. There's glimmers here and there at opposite sides of the canyon, but nothing more. It disappointed me, considering this is a 1st person novel; they usually always excel in that department for me.
Worse than that, Bledsoe falls into the trap of telling, not showing, and then repeating the information a paragraph later. It happened quite a bit, which annoyed me.
“The plethora of freshly cut stems and carefully shaped branches told me it had been recently spruced up, no doubt for the festival.�
Now, contrary to all my negativity, I actually enjoyed this novel, up until the end, at least. Then it nosedived into ridiculousness. Hopefully Bledsoe improves this in his latter installments, or maybe this was just a dip in quality. Doesn't matter. I'll be reading a few more to see. But if he could inject a little flavor into the overall quality, I'd be happy. Because He Drank, And Saw The Spider is an amusing ride through the woods, but at the end, it is just an above average Urban Fantasy set in the Middle Ages. If anything, it's a bland piece of literature that has more potential than most of the aforementioned genre.
�'You can waste a lot of your life watching the horizon for bad things, you know.'�
*I was given this ARC for my honest review.*
July 3, 2021
This is one of my favorite series from one of my favorite authors. It's fantasy with anachronisms out the whoosie-whatsit and I don't care. I love finding them in the books and hearing them when I listen to the books as I have lately.
Each book gives us more of Eddie's background as a young man, when he left home, and his adventures as a 'sword-jockey' aka private investigator. This starts with Eddie, as a young man on his way to a battle, fighting a bear to help rescue a man from the attack. It doesn't work out well but Eddie rescues the baby that the doomed man was carrying. Eddie promises to help and the story goes from there with a flash to the 'present'.
Plenty of action, humor [bawdy and otherwise], swords, mischief, good deeds and bad, magic, science, romance, Eddie and Liz, so much going on and it's all excellent.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
Each book gives us more of Eddie's background as a young man, when he left home, and his adventures as a 'sword-jockey' aka private investigator. This starts with Eddie, as a young man on his way to a battle, fighting a bear to help rescue a man from the attack. It doesn't work out well but Eddie rescues the baby that the doomed man was carrying. Eddie promises to help and the story goes from there with a flash to the 'present'.
Plenty of action, humor [bawdy and otherwise], swords, mischief, good deeds and bad, magic, science, romance, Eddie and Liz, so much going on and it's all excellent.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
September 15, 2020
As I've stated in my review of The Wake of the Bloody Angel, Eddie LaCrosse is a completely affable guy and this time he's with his best girl, Liz... and after she makes her delivery, they're going on a much needed vacation! It's only after they get to their destination that Eddie realizes he has some unfinished business that he'd like to look into. It's sixteen years later, but still it'd be nice to know what happened back then... and of course, Eddie can't help but find yet another mystery and a young woman to save!
I loved this book! It's full of wry humor, sharp witticisms, and fast action!
So grab the book, because Stefan Rudnicki and Alex Bledsoe would love to tell you the tale... and I think you're gonna' love hearing it!
I loved this book! It's full of wry humor, sharp witticisms, and fast action!
So grab the book, because Stefan Rudnicki and Alex Bledsoe would love to tell you the tale... and I think you're gonna' love hearing it!
January 6, 2021
3.5 Stars for me
I definitely enjoyed this series and really like Alex's writing style. This series has been a wild ride and this story was as well. The drawbacks for me are some of the TSTL moments made by Eddie like drinking a drink that was handed to him out of the blue or taking his eyes off of a person who has been erratic (not once, but twice in a short time).
The ending would have been much better had there been more regarding Tatterhead's eventual outcome.
The author does draw you in and weaves an intricate web and I also think that he takes readers comments into account as he built up the role of women and demanded respect for them as well.
I think it is worth the read even with the craziness of the last hour.
I definitely enjoyed this series and really like Alex's writing style. This series has been a wild ride and this story was as well. The drawbacks for me are some of the TSTL moments made by Eddie like drinking a drink that was handed to him out of the blue or taking his eyes off of a person who has been erratic (not once, but twice in a short time).
The ending would have been much better had there been more regarding Tatterhead's eventual outcome.
The author does draw you in and weaves an intricate web and I also think that he takes readers comments into account as he built up the role of women and demanded respect for them as well.
I think it is worth the read even with the craziness of the last hour.
February 12, 2025
I felt a little let down by this novel, but only because I really loved the first half. I’m very familiar with The Winter’s Tale and liked how Alex made Eddie a character in that story. I also appreciated all the other Shakespeare references that were used throughout the whole story. However there’s a noticeable shift around the end half where the story takes over and every character is dragged along by the beats the original play laid out. It goes from being compelling and exciting to very dull, like a kiddie ride at a county fair.
December 5, 2017
It's no secret that Alex Bledsoe is one of my favorite living authors. My problem with this book is that I've pretty much read all the other Eddie LaCrosse books and I'm really sad that there probably aren't more in my future. The good thing is that Mr Bledsoe has written other series, one of which I haven't read, but one that I really adore. So, I'll trade my sword jockey for more Tufa, and maybe explore his other series that I have yet to read.
March 7, 2021
Eddie Lacrosse travels abroad with his girlfriend Liz. He tracks down a mysterious girl he rescued when she was just a baby. The relations of two kingdoms are at stake.
This is the current last in the Eddie Lacrosse series. Lots of drinking, hangovers, and partying. I had a hangover while listening to this one and can sympathize with Eddie. I never felt like there was much threat to the main characters, though a couple times I felt for Isidore.
This is the current last in the Eddie Lacrosse series. Lots of drinking, hangovers, and partying. I had a hangover while listening to this one and can sympathize with Eddie. I never felt like there was much threat to the main characters, though a couple times I felt for Isidore.
January 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this whole series. Each book had a different plot from pirates, dragons, kings and sorcery. I think the reason I enjoyed the series so much is that it wasn’t a continuous story but different stories with the main character Eddie La Crosse who is a very strong and intriguing character.
October 25, 2017
Although I'd normally reserve 5* for the great epic tomes with lots of storylines and large sprawling empires, but He Drank, and Saw the Spider is just so thoroughly entertaining. Well written, funny surprising, great characters. Loved it.
July 6, 2018
Last Eddie LaCrosse book in the series as it stands, until Bledsoe finds the time and inspiration to write some more. These are so much fun, with the adventures of a sword jockey detective who always gets himself in more trouble than he's ready for. Humorous, well written, fast paced.
July 28, 2021
So, five stars as much for the overall series as for this particular book. These were a lot of fun throughout - good characters, engaging dialogue, solid plot and pace. I'll miss visiting Eddie and friends.
May 6, 2023
Remember: The title makes sense in context. Eddie vacations to a kingdom he visited 16 years ago -- if 'visited' means 'found a baby in the woods and saved it from execution a la Sleeping Beauty'.
August 9, 2023
I love all of the Eddie LaCrosse stories and this was no exception. The unravelling of a mystery is always exciting and intriguing. This one had some sad moments that made me pity and loathe certain characters. Good read!
June 6, 2017
These stories are lots of fun mystery, comedy with swords and sorcery in something that feels like a western mood.. perfect for light fun reads
January 30, 2018
An excellent entry into the series. I really enjoy the series as a whole, and this outing is no different. I recommend!
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