Read January 2023 Recommended for fans of UF ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 One of my favorite urban/fantasy series. Tuttle remains sadly unknown, I think due to problems with publishing deals (and might I point out that our current fan favorite, Martha Wells, had her own career terribly marred by same), but don't let that fool you. The novels he puts out are gems far above the normal small publisher works, not unsurprising for someone who has taught college-level writing as his main gig. Markhart is his main character of this series and clearly had his roots in fantasy private-eye noir, something along Glen Cook's Sweet Silver Blues or Butcher's Harry Dresden. As the series progressed, like Dresden, Markhart has found himself pulled into supernatural politics, but unlike Dresden, he remains a fair non-believer in the meta. Its a nice take which helps anchor the series in the original private-eye--excuse me, Finder--premise.
In this, the eighth book, give or take (early ones are novellas and order irrelevant), events have him headed to the far territories out West to help secure a town on behalf of Mama Hog, sometime friend and local seer. Mama is, as always, playing a long game, but what she can't foresee is that the train taking Markhart west will become the site of a murder and Markhart will be conscripted into investigating. And that will be only the start.
"Quite the tragedy."
"Quite," I said. "So the grieving widow escaped with nothing but her life, the clothes on her back, and, of course, the Krait fortune."
On reflection, what may be the biggest barrier for this series for people that haven't picked this up is that it clearly doesn't sit in the new urban-fantasy land, despite what I think of as a time-period, urban fantasy feel, and that's where it most echoes Cook. There's some ambiguous world-building; Tuttle is plainly of the en media res school and tells you as much as you need to know, and for some who like their explanations cleared laid out (no matter how illogical they turn out to be), that's never comfortable. (For the rest of us, it nicely avoids that dreaded 'as you know, Bob' phenomenon). So there are vampires and trolls, which do end up being explained through the course of the series, but Markhart has trouble believing in Mama Hog's supposed seer powers. It really does feel much like our own world (circa 1800) despite the non-human elements.
"Change which comes too quickly," muttered Slim, speaking the words slowly and carefully. "My people have a word for this thing. We call it um." He made a wet grumbling deep in his chest. "We have no love for it."
"We just call it life," I said. "Love it or loathe it, it's all we've got."
There's a ever-present sense of mild humor to the series, particularly from Markhart's skepticism. Dialogue is snappy. Just the right amount of description means it is atmospheric without being lost in purple prose. There's loads of equality here, which is enjoyable, and the guest characters from the train are vivid despite brief appearances.
Anyway, eighth book and all that means don't pick this up here. There is the feel of finality about it, a bringing the gang together, that means it just won't be as appreciated if you haven't read more of the series (not that Tuttle builds to a penultimate finish in most things. Just that the roles won't be as meaningful). There is, for instance, a hasty marriage, a Troll encounter, and a spirit-walk, all of which will have more layered meaning if you've encountered these characters elsewhere.
"Because Mama might forgive and Mama might forget but I don't just hold grudges. I breed and train and raise them like prize racehorses.""
Speaking of, perhaps that's a weakness in this story; there isn't a lot of back story on each character. We jump right into the action and it keeps rolling. I loved the focus on the mystery and the events surrounding the train ride--in this, it reminded me of the decidedly non-fantastical Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect. Dialogue is snappy, resolution is super-fast; all of it, in fact, feels as much like a roller-coaster more than a train ride. No leisurely window-gazing here. And yet, if Tuttle had taken longer with it, perhaps beefed it out more, it could have been an entry point for newbies to the series. I, for instance, had trouble remembering why a character changed names, although Tuttle helpfully reminded me of the old one. Still, I loved it, and it'll give you a good reason to go read the rest of the series. For me, it'll be a reason to go back and re-read more.
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