Resurrection Men by David Craig - Book Tour & Review
Resurrection
Men
Glasgow 1893.
Wilton Hunt, a student, and Tam Foley, a
laudanum-addicted pharmacist, are pursuing extra-curricular careers as body
snatchers, or ‘resurrection men’, under cover of darkness. They exhume a girl’s
corpse, only for it to disappear while their backs are turned. Confused and in
need of the money the body would have earnt them, they investigate the corpse’s
disappearance. They discover that bodies have started to turn up in the area
with ripped-out throats and severe loss of blood, although not the one they
lost. The police are being encouraged by powerful people to look the other way,
and the deaths are going unreported by the press. As Hunt and Foley delve
beneath the veneer of respectable society, they find themselves entangled in a
dangerous underworld that is protected from scrutiny by the rich and powerful
members of the elite but secretive Sooty Feathers Club.
Meanwhile, a mysterious circus arrives in
the middle of the night, summoned to help avenge a betrayal two centuries old…
Purchase Links
My Review
Resurrection Men is an odd tale. It's the first book in the Sooty Feathers series, and it tells the story of two men, Wilton Hunt and Tam Foley. The pair happen to be body snatchers (think grave robbers, but stealing corpses rather than jewelry or other valuables). But one night, a job goes wrong, and their corpse disappears. It's this mishap that sets off the chain of events that propel the rest of the story forward. It's a little bit Gothic. A little bit fantasy. A little bit horror. And all-around strange.
I did find the book to be a little slow in the middle, but it's definitely intriguing at the start, and it sucks you in. And that ending... Wow! I did not see that coming.
I also was reminded a little of that movie I Sell the Dead when I first read the synopsis. The only thing is, that movie was more of a horror/comedy, and both the book and movie involve stealing corpses from graves.
If you're a fan of historical Gothic fantasy/horror with a twist, definitely give Resurrection Men a chance. You just might enjoy it. I know I did.
3.5 stars from me.
Author Q&A
1. What would you consider to be your Kryptonite as an
author?
Distraction by too many
potential projects. I need to pick a story and stick to it.
2. If you could tell your younger writing self anything,
what would it be?
Don’t edit the first draft until it’s complete! It’s crushing to polish a chapter only to end up cutting it.
Don’t edit the first draft until it’s complete! It’s crushing to polish a chapter only to end up cutting it.
3. Favorite childhood memory involving books?
Reading Dr Who novels borrowed from the library while staying at my grandparents.
Reading Dr Who novels borrowed from the library while staying at my grandparents.
4. Did you want to be an author when you grew up?
Yes
5. What’s one movie you like recommending to others?
The Martian
The Martian
6. Have you ever met anyone famous?
George RR Martin
George RR Martin
7. How long, on average, does it take you to
write a book?
About two years
About two years
8. What are your top 5
favorite movies?
The Martian, Fellowship of the Ring, The Good the Bad & the Ugly, Avengers Infinity War, Sherlock Holmes (2009)
The Martian, Fellowship of the Ring, The Good the Bad & the Ugly, Avengers Infinity War, Sherlock Holmes (2009)
9. If you were the last person on Earth, what
would you do?
Die of illness or starvation, most likely!
Die of illness or starvation, most likely!
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
A writer’s first novel should work as a standalone; easier to plot, and no sequels to worry about.
A writer’s first novel should work as a standalone; easier to plot, and no sequels to worry about.
11. What book do you wish you had written?
The Lies of Locke Lamora
The Lies of Locke Lamora
12. What is your favorite genre to read?
Fantasy
Fantasy
Author Bio
–
Aside from three months living on an oil
tanker sailing back and forth between America and Africa, and two years living
in a pub, David Craig grew up on the west coast of Scotland. He studied
Software Engineering at university, but lost interest in the subject after (and
admittedly prior to) graduation. He currently works as a strategic workforce
planning analyst for a public service contact centre, and lives near Glasgow
with his wife, daughter and two rabbits.
Being a published writer had been a
life-long dream, and one that he was delighted to finally realise with his
debut novel, Resurrection Men, the first in the Sooty Feathers series, published
by Elsewhen Press in 2018. Thorns of a Black Rose was David’s second novel,
also published by Elsewhen Press. He returns to the Sooty Feathers series with
Lord of the Hunt.
Social
Media Links –
Twitter @sootyfeathers
Goodreads
blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18390181.David_Craig/blog
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