![Cover illustration by Jeffrey Alan Love Cover illustration by Jeffrey Alan Love](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz9BaqmJNQxkBr97Rjl2ICqSbSCVF0U6ydEAxRM7uzWGa3MPSwSObrgoZRrcO-pDELB0Xq3Aw7FOU1XlaD9yxNX1wcJr8sMxjJE7rxqksKHBJckWUKPAlELchEVEuxOphNxSl2WFkeXE/s200/hammerscover_Final%255B1%255D.jpg)
(Horror; Persons Non Grata) An 11-year-old asks a private eye to murder his stepdad, because "he's a monster--and you're a monster too." (17,800 words; Time: 59m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
Recommended By: LocusSee related articles on Tor.com.
"Hammers on Bone," by Cassandra Khaw [bio] (edited by Carl Engle-Laird), published on October 11, 2016 by Tor.com.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: We have a hardboiled detective from a Raymond Chandler novel dropped into a Lovecraftian modern-day London, and it pretty much works. John does eventually kill the step-dad creature, and learns a few things too.
Con: The hardboiled angle works better than the Lovecraftian bit. The anti-climactic discussion with Shub-Niggurath makes the whole thing end on an off note. It doesn't help that we never get a clear idea of John's strengths and limitations, which means that each time he does something new, it feels like a bit of a cheat.
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Cassandra Khaw Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Con: The hardboiled angle works better than the Lovecraftian bit. The anti-climactic discussion with Shub-Niggurath makes the whole thing end on an off note. It doesn't help that we never get a clear idea of John's strengths and limitations, which means that each time he does something new, it feels like a bit of a cheat.
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Cassandra Khaw Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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