Books

Review by Francis Sheppard

By the second chapter of Barnes’ 270-page novel we are introduced to the Secret Hunters, a shadowy combat-ready organisation presided over by the Gollum-like Great Grey Wing. This figure directs numerous agents across the globe, tasking them with the assassination of various monsters, that are evil and insuperably violent, all touched by The Curse, an imprecation that they will pass on to their victims, having been subject to it themselves. So it is up to Grey Wing’s doughty warriors to oppose this threat to humanity. They do so armed with supernatural courage – and the latest modern technology. Their effort to bring these beasts to book takes them not only to the most far-flung parts of the world, but also to points in the past, previously thought to be monster-free. There are many fights, many blows taken but we feel confident that the Hunters will prevail in the end.

Barnes’ writing is vivid and amusing. Clearly he has researched the places visited, because the narrative teems with wildlife and the superabundance of nature, background to the Hunters’ grisly battles.