Book Review: Managing Death - The Death Works Series Bk2 by Trent Jamieson

• Hachette Australia

• 9780733624841

• $19.99

• Paperback - A Format

• December 2010

• 384 pages

• Fantasy



Steven has a new job Australia's Regional Death. On a good day he thinks it has a ring to it, but on a bad day (most of them) it's more of a toll.

He’s recently averted a Regional Apocalypse, but that s only the beginning. With barely a month to go until the world s thirteen Deaths get together to talk, erm, death, a crisis is imminent Stirrer attacks are on the rise as their dark god draws near; someone is trying to kill him; he s developed a drinking problem. And he has a conference to organise. Steven must start managing Death before it starts managing him, or this time the Apocalypse will be more than regional.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trent Jamieson is a writer and editor and has published over 70 short stories, two of which have won prestigious Aurealis Awards. He also teaches creative writing, and has recently taught on the highly regarded Clarion South program, the professional development course for genre writers.

Review

Trent’s first novel, Death Most Definite was a real treat and this sequel follows on right on the tail of such a brilliant debut book. The Fringe was lucky enough to catch up with Trent for an interview during the promotion of Death Most Definite, so we are all big fans of Jamieson here. If you enjoyed the first book, then you will definitely devour this one too, as it is just as well written, fast paced and exciting.

The main character, Steven, who was one of the few survivors from the first book in the series, returns in a new capacity as the Regional Australian Death Manager in this next instalment. Having firmly established this character in the first Novel, Jamieson really goes to town in adding to the story arc in this second book, leading up to a climactic finale in the next book in the Death Works series next year.

As a local from Brisbane, where the author lives and sets the series, I found the locations to be particularly appealing and ones that I could closely relate to. It was refreshing to see such an intense book set in a local setting.

The only complaint I have about this book is that is one so damn easy to read that I knocked it over in a day and now have to wait months for the next book to come out.