Take a healthy dose of mythology and eastern religion, mix in the humor of Big Trouble in Little China and the buddy-cop banter of Lethal Weapon and adorn with a fantastic Jon Foster cover and what do you get? Well, you get the beginnings of an entertaining new mystery series by author Liz Williams.
The Snake Agent is a difficult book to categorize. A blurb from the publisher's website reads:
John Constantine meets Chow Yun-Fat in this near-future occult thriller. Detective Inspector Chen is the Singapore Three police department's snake agent, in charge of supernatural and mystical investigations.
Chen has several problems: In addition to colleagues who don't trust him and his mystical ways, a patron goddess whom he has offended, and a demonic wife who's tired of staying home alone, he's been paired with one of Hell's own vice officers, Seneschal Zhu Irzh, to investigate the illegal trade in souls.
Political pressures both earthly and otherworldly seem to block their investigation at every turn. As a plot involving Singapore Three's industrial elite and Hell's own Ministry of Epidemics is revealed, it becomes apparent that the stakes are higher than anyone had previously suspected.
"Constantine meets Chow Yun-Fat" is a tremendously accurate description of Liz Williams' protagonist, Detective Inspector Wei Chen. I recently re-watched The Replacement Killers and I could not help picturing Chow Yun-Fat as Wei Chen's adventures unfolded before me. If ever filmed he would be the perfect choice.
I said that William's novel is hard to classify and it is. The story abounds with magic as does a typical fantasy novel. It is a mystery, set in a near future science fiction universe replete with technology that would be at home in a story by Phillip K. Dick. It is also a primer for eastern mysticism and a view of earth, heaven, and hell steeped in ancient mythology. In addition there are elements of horror reminiscient of the aforementioned John Constantine and a wry humor similar to that in the very best cult classic comedies.
Having so many varied influences in the wrong hands could result in a mess of a story. Fortunately Liz Williams crafts her tale with deft hands making The Snake Agent a fun introduction to this series of detective novels. It is easy to see why she has been twice nominated for Phillip K. Dick awards. The Snake Agent unfolds at just the right pace to keep one engaged in the story without ever overwhelming the reader. There is a lot going on with the genre-mixing plot but the reader never feels lost.
At its core The Snake Agent is just pure fun. The best thing about the novel is the characters and their relationships. Wei Chen is a mortal man married to Inari, an denizen of the Underworld whom he rescued from an unwanted marriage. Inari has a protective animal companion that masquerades as a tea pot in earthly realms. On earth Chen has a law enforcement partner who is a perfect combination of Reginald VelJohnson's character in Die Hard and Danny Glover's in Lethal Weapon. Of course the nether realms have their own enforcement agencies and so Chen's counterpart, Seneschal Zhu Irzh, figures prominently in the tale as well. There is nothing better than a science fiction/fantasy tale flavored with chivalrous romance and solid friendships.
If you are a fan of any of the above mentioned films I would venture to say that you will enjoy Liz William's debut novel in the Detective Inspector Chen series. As of this writing the second novel in the series, The Demon and the City, is nearing release and I really look forward to rejoining Wei Chen in his investigative adventures. Funny, adventurous, scary and magical, The Snake Agent is a great opportunity to try something a little different in your reading. I tip my hat to you Ms. Williams. Well done.
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Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Gloriously silly and fun
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2021Terence Tan Co
Wonder novel, John Constantine meets Chow Yun Fat in Wicked City
Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2008Chenier
The wonderful world/s of Detective Inspector Chen
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2014Mrs Rumi
Ordered by accident - so pleased I did!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2020
