The Demon and the City: 2 (The Detective Inspector Chen Novels) Paperback – 17 Sept. 2013

Great price and condition, plus super fast free delivery! 5 stars

Good read - lots of action - sometimes things happen with no explanation which can be disconcerting.

I have read other books by this author and I felt they were sometimes very good, other times they just missed the mark, but I felt she could possibly bring it together if she found the right focus. With this series I think she has well and truely hit the spot. I found the whole world she has created completely fascinating, the detail is excellent and I found it all believable in the way that some worlds are not. The story moves along and with interlocking twists and turns that come partially from the detective story and the strange environment. It all makes an excellent read. I have now read two of this series and the third one sits in my 'next to read' pile.

I took this book on holiday with me on my kindle to Gran Canaria over Christmas. Unfortunately, I became so engrossed in this wonderful tale, that I disappointed my friends who became quite concerned about my health, for I did not appear at my regular bar to meet them. Only after several texts and threats to bodily drag me out of my room and away from this book did I engage in my usual evening of debauched and hedonistic consumption (for which they were gladly reassured by the return to my normal demeanour).Be warned by my experience. An exceptional read like this is not without it's own unexpected risks!

I have reviewed the other books in this series and if you enjoy sci fantasy that's intelligently written with well rounded characters then this is for you. You need to read these books in sequence and so sort of appreciation of Chinese religion and belief helps, if not be prepared to acquire some. No idea why the author is not better known.

I loved this book as it explores more of Singapore 3's links to Heaven and Hell. Zhu Irzh is a fascinating character and the fairly convoluted plot rushes on at a great pace.An excellent installment in the Detective Chen series.

sheer brilliance

The Demon and the City is a satisfying sequel to Snake Agent, with Det. Insp. Chen and his demon assistant, Zhu Irzh. The series is set in the alternative/futuristic city of Singapore 3, and Chen's job is liaison with Heaven & Hell.At the beginning of this second book, Chen is on vacation, and Zhu Irzh investigates the disappearance of the daughter of a rich family alone. A faceless corpse is discovered; the missing woman's girlfriend starts to have doubts about her job in a big pharmaceutical corporation; and Zhu Irzh is investigating a suspect in unusual depth as Chen arrives back in Singapore 3.The book has plenty of action, humour, excellent characterisation, tremendous invention, good writing and fiendish plotting. Highly recommended.

I’m am enjoying this series so much. They are fun to read and I love the characters. It’s an entirely exotic yet strangely familiar place.

Readers who enjoyed the first Inspector Chen, 'Snake Agent', should stay away from this sequel. Zhu Irzh, so like a demon Mr Darcy or Rhett Butler in the first novel, is let down by the writing in this one. Settings are poorly visualised, sentences contradict each other, plot unbelievable, without any of the surprises of the first book. It reads like a first draft of a school 'composition' story, and I kept wondering what had happened to the editing? Very disapponting.

I loved the first Inspector Chen novel, Snake Agent. This one I just liked.The central character for most of the novel seemed to be demon-in-exile Zhu Irzh. While I like this character (for some reason, my mental image is of a six-foot-tall version of the eraly 1960s movie monster "Gorgo."), the novel lacked some of the magic of the first. While probably important for establishing the demon character for later books, Chen's presence was missed. The Inspector didn't arrive on the scene until about the halfway point, and even then it seemed like he was being carried along by events, rather than mastering them.The plot was suitably fantastic, the stakes are high, and there is a very satisfactory ending. It also leaves the reader wanting more information about the universe in which the characters reside. So don't get me wrong, it is a good read.I'm not turned off by the book, but it didn't quite meet my expectations for being an "Inspector Chen" novel - more like a "Novel of Singapore 3."I had the impression that there might have been more to the Chen-side of the story, but that a ruthless editor pruned the pages. Hopefully, Liz Williams has a more complete version that gives Inspector Chen more literary space. Hey, I'd buy an "unplugged" edition. I'm also ready to reserve the third book in the series.

Liz Williams is one of the brightest talents writing today. She has deep knowledge of various eastern cultures & uses this to set her Inspector chen novels in motion. I like her version of a Chinese Hell & the future Singapore 3. Wonderful characters. You will enjoy these. Highly recommended.

A more than adequate sequel to the first volume in the series, although it was a touch disjointed with some extraneous threads. Perhaps they'll be tied up in subsequent volumes. The exotic setting and the interesting characters more than make up for the slight disorienting effect. Maybe that's intended by the author anyway. Looking forward to the next volume in this interesting and entertaining universe.