The Dead Take the A Train
By Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey
Published by Nightfire Books, 2023
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I don’t read a whole lot of urban fantasy, but that’s not due to an aversion to the genre or anything. In fact, I like the idea of placing magical exploits and fantastical creatures in a modern setting, which can offer fresh, interesting ideas as these tropes bounce off 21st-century technology and other aspects of society. It seems like many of these stories have a noir flavor, which I also like but am woefully inexperienced in. No, I’ve mostly missed out on this subgenre simply because I haven’t made the effort to explore it, and that’s something to rectify.
I’m not sure if The Dead Take the A Train is the best entry into the genre, since it seems to have more of a Lovecraftian horror flavor than a fantasy bent, but based on how much I liked it, I might have to check out more work by its authors. Richard Kadrey is known for his Sandman Slim series, which seems to be a good example of urban fantasy noir. Cassandra Khaw is more of a newcomer, but they’ve apparently been making a name for themselves as a good horror writer. That should be two good avenues to explore in the future.
But for now, I can revel in this striking example of gonzo fantasy/horror. It’s apparently the first entry in a duology, with a follow-up coming at some point in the future. However, Khaw and Kadrey have built an interesting enough world that I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into an ongoing series. They give us a New York City that’s full of magical beasties, creepy rituals, and powerful figures that have entered into unholy pacts with eldritch gods. They’ve given it all a strikingly visceral impact, making the characters really feel the effects of the magical activities they undertake.
The main character here is Julie Crews, a 29-year-old magic user who mostly gets by performing odd jobs for clients who need exorcisms performed or horrible creatures banished to other dimensions where they belong. As she approaches her 30th birthday, she’s realized that she’s a bit of a mess, constantly using drugs to chase away her emotional issues and struggling to make enough money to cover her rent. But when her old friend Sarah re-enters her life, seemingly running away from an abusive partner, she seems to gain a new purpose as a protector and provider, while also possibly considering whether a long-simmering romantic attraction may finally reach fruition.
At the same time, an ex-boyfriend of Julie’s, Tyler Banks, is involved in schemes at his workplace, a law firm known as Thorne & Dirk that provides various magical services to powerful clients in New York. Tyler is a privileged douchebag who fits right in to the firm’s culture, which is full of people who are scheming to kill each other in order to advance, while also being involved in eldritch rituals in service to elder gods who have devious plans to invade our dimension. Even though Julie views her relationship with Tyler as a mistake, she occasionally does jobs for him, and she ends up becoming involved in his schemes after an especially nasty creature gets unleashed and starts killing off the higher-ups at Thorne & Dirk.
It’s an interesting enough plot, but much of the pleasure of the book comes from how the authors build out the magical milieu. The spells and rituals used here are strikingly nasty, regularly involving the mangling of bodies and the creation of disgusting creatures that tend to explode and cover people and settings in gore. Julie uses magic that involves barbed wire embedded under her skin, which she rips out and uses the resulting pain to power destructive spells. One battle with a creature that invades people’s bodies requires her to tear the victim open and remove their organs one by one (luckily, she brought along some replacements). It’s all horrific and disgusting, and it never seems to let up.
As exciting as the plot developments are, and as compelling as the setting is, the focus on character is what really makes the story work. Julie is a total fuckup, but she gains a purpose when Sarah re-enters her life, and even though she makes mistakes (like summoning a creature that she thinks will be helpful but turns out to be a horrific monster), she taps into her skills and resources to figure out how to protect what’s important to her. Sarah also provides a compelling figure, someone who could be the outsider that doesn’t understand what’s happening and serves as a damsel in distress but instead rises to the occasion, becomes acclimated to the fantastical goings-on, and develops a skill for research so that she can provide much-needed support. They’re also joined by Julie’s landlord St. Joan, who is actually an immortal being who has led a long, colorful life, and Julie’s best friend Dead Air, who serves as the primary priest for a set of gods related to digital technology.
Tyler’s side of the story is also full of interesting developments that are sure to add more to the ongoing plot. He’s a total asshole who cares about nobody but himself, but it’s possible that everyone around him at Thorne & Dirk are even worse. As he connives and schemes to remove opposition and advance into the firm’s higher echelons, we’re provided with plenty of information about the way this world works and the dangers presented by the horrific extra-dimensional beings that are ready to kick off the end of the world at the first opportunity. He’s shaping up to be a great villain, and as he gains power, it’s clear that his impending confrontation with Julie and her pals should be pretty epic.
Based on this story, I definitely need to check out more books in the genre. I’ll be sure to look out for more works by both Khaw and Kadrey, and I’ll have to see if I can determine what else might be a good idea to explore. Whether stories involve elves and fairies living among people in modern cities, battles against other-dimensional entities, or hard-edged private investigators with magical abilities navigating shadowy underworlds, I’m there for it.