Now Before the Dark
Terribly Serious Darkness, Book Three
The feckless Sloot returns in Now Before the Dark, the third book in Sam Hooker’s Very Serious Darkness series. Once an accountant for gangsters, and a former ghost who’s been transfigured into a demon, Sloot endures farcical perils and humiliations as he tries to save his magical nation from the Dark.
Silly and sly, the novel is packed with poetic language that reveals the profound dysfunction of Sloot’s world, in which The Ministry of Etiquette and Guillotines, formerly the Ministry of Surplus Population Management, is one of many malevolent governing bodies that Sloot navigates as he rushes to find a solution to the apocalypse. Sloot is, as ever, a reluctant hero, subject to bureaucratic forces beyond his control; once he’s begun his quest, he finds grudging allies in a reincarnated philosopher, a bard who can’t play his noninstrument, and a wizard who passes as a vampire.
With a lyrical tone and hilarious dialogue that do double duty with its world building, the novel continues the brilliant satire seen in the series’ earlier books. At times, its clever, funny language overpowers its characterization, and a nonsensical running gag about binary pronouns falls flat. Sloot’s friends speak in near identical cadences; sometimes, only their individual sets of gripes distinguish them from one another. However, their exuberance and surliness make them effective foils for meek Sloot, who is a begrudging participant in his own quest.
The story finds its balance in mixing magical creatures with practical concerns, as with breakups and erstwhile gods. Sloot, oft beset and grim of outlook, is a marvelous antihero in this whimsical adventure, and frequent, humorous plays on words, spoofs of contemporary events, and clever reversals of expected dynamics make Now Before the Dark a delight.
Reviewed by
Claire Foster
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
