You Don't Have to Be Evil to Work Here, But It Helps

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A step too far. - Rated
Sorry, I loved the previous novels,but this one took an idea that was well past it's sell-by and stretched it into another novel.
Removing the main 2 characters and replacing them with 2 new, less well imagined ones, along with using the bit parts from the previous novels to fill in the spaces....Yawn.

I struggled to motivate myself to read the last chapter, in fact, I nearly didn't, it was so obvious.

I loved the first four J Wells novels, but this one seemed empty.
"Earth air,fire and custard" was supposed to be the finale, and resurrecting it was a mistake.

Tom Holt is excellent at what he does, and I personally rated the J. Wells series as his best....until now.

Even the bit part characters lost their sparkle, they were just too predictable.

However, if you want it in your collection for completeness, buy it, there are far worse out there.

Welcome back sorcerers alike, all is forgiven… - Rated
[Insert Title Here (I can't be bothered to write it each time…)] is a quasi sequel to the funny, but slightly flat feeling Paul Carpenter trilogy. It isn't a proper sequel as frankly the majority of the characters don't appear in this book and the lead himself is a completely different person but it is a sequel in terms of the setting – the inimitable J.W. Wells & Co; sorcerers or business consultants; depends on your point of view really… – it can be deemed a sequel.

Colin Hollinghead is the son and heir of Colin Hollinghead (different middle name) and works in a widget factory. A widget factory that isn't doing well, not well at all. In fact like the majority of the manufacturing industry in a service driven economy it is on its arse but can a contract drawn up by the oddly captivating Cassie at said JWW make all the difference to Hollinghead young & old?

Well as it’s a contract from JWW you know it’s gonna bite someone…

Onwards and upwards as they say! Well onwards anyway. This book is going to draw comparisons to the previous series and in my opinion rightly so, the main characters – in this case Colin & Famine – do feel like slightly more impressive versions of Paul & Sophie – almost as if Tom Holt as built version 1.1.3 and improved it slightly to come up with version 1.1.3a… Its no huge jump, they are both a bit dim and not 100% likable but are infinitely less dime and more likable than their predecessors. I love this twist with Cassie (I won’t ruin it) and both Connie and Benny have some stunning scenes.

I felt this is the book that should have finished the previous series – it wouldn’t have managed it in terms of closing the plot off as they are completely different but this is a much better book than either In Your Dreams or Earth, Air, Fire and Custard. You don't have to have read those books (or the first The Portable Door) to appreciate this as it is stand alone and if you have prepare to be pleasantly surprised as it is better. The characters are weightier, not as wet and the cameos are brilliant (see Oscar). This for me was the last chance with JWW but after this I will certainly be looking out for more.