I'll let you guys guess which attracted me to the book first--whether it was the Zombie part or the Private Detective noir part. It was both honestly, but to be fair the Zombie part won me over first. Love me my Zombies!

In a literary world saturated with urban fantasy worlds another one may not seem like such a great thing. Been there, seen that, didn't that just get a movie made from it? Nekropolis though comes off less like its trying to be a fresh new urban fantasy and more like a noir that hey just so happens has supernatural elements! The main character, Matthew (and to be clear I don't often enjoy books with a male first person narrative) is a zombie but that doesn't give him super-advantages (other then immunity to pain and if a limb gets torn off he can probably have his friend Papa Chatha patch him up. Maybe. If something doesn't go horribly wrong) and he still has to do things the old fashioned way. Network. Talk to sources. Trail folks and look into the dirty laundry and garbage.

Nekropolis, as a city and book, is dark, dirty and teeming with every nightmare you can imagine and probably a few you haven't dare to. Honani, a genetically modified lyke (shapeshifter more or less), is a massive hulking monstrosity cobbled together from various animals (almost like a Chimera I suppose). Despite this, or maybe in spite of this?, Matthew is a good guy in the classic sense. Helps the down trodden, sets out for justice and doesn't use evil manipulations to get his way (underhanded or sneaky, possibly, but not evil).

As expected in a Noir-esque book there is a femme fatale, but some of her charm is tarnished since though Matthew admits had he been alive she would be a tempting handful, as a dead man...well he can only admire. And admiration isn't as easy to manipulate.

I liked that Waggoner (who I've read previously only once, a short story in Zombie Raccoons and Killer Bunnies called 'Bone Whispers', which creeps me out still) didn't try to make this 'the most unique world ever', but instead tried to add layers to the worlds and creatures that exist already(vampires with holographic eyes playing a twisted board game...).

This was a surprising delight for me that made me glad I took the step to read it. Horror, as a genre, doesn't appeal to me that often, but I don't believe this is really a 'horror' book. It doesn't convey a sense that what Waggoner is writing is meant to give you nightmares and scared of the shadows. Chills perhaps, for a world similar to our own but obviously not our own, but not nightmares. Waggoner uses wit and irony to draw the reader in and engage their attention. Matthew didn't claim to be the smartest, or fastest, or best detective in the world, but he did get the job done and he cared, that's a win in my book.

From what I gathered this was once a novella length story (back in 2004 or so), then it got expanded to the current book it is and is the first in a planned trio of urban fantasy novels.

Once you finish the book, and before you start Dead Streets, check out this short story set between the two books "The Midnight Watch" ( )

3 1/2 stars

Matthew Adrion, former Cleveland police detective, spends his copious time doing favors for people, solving everything from petty crimes to murders. Though he tries to deny it to others and himself, being a detective is an occupation which gives him meaning and something to do other than moping around his apartment. What makes him truly unique, however, is that he's Necropolis's first, and so far only, self-willed zombie. He has a unique perspective on both life and (un)death and though he tries to come across as crusty, underneath the greying flesh, he's got a good heart.

Necropolis is home to the Darkfolk, people, demons, monsters and other critters out of myth, legend, fairytale, and nightmares: vampires, lycanthropes - known as lykes -, demons, witches, necromancers ... The city is made up of six sections, five sections making up the outer ring of the city in the shape of a pentacle with the central section being the spoke of the wheel where Father Dis lives. Each of the sections is separated by a river of green fire, but linked by bridges and ruled by a separate entity who represents each of the races living in Necropolis.

Father Dis established Necropolis as a haven for all those fleeing from the Earth dimension, especially as humans began spreading across the planet in ever greater numbers. Though technology from the home dimension is supposed to be anathema, there are plenty in Necropolis who are more than willing to experiment with mixing and matching tech with magic. This leads to such hybrids as the pathetic vampires known as the Red Tide gang who, each time we see them, are more tech than Bloodborn (as vampires are known in Necropolis). Magic is the main source of power in Necropolis, however, and it is both a source of power and tension between the key players of the city.

For his part, Matt is just a zombie trying to make a living by trading favors for people. All he really needs to survive are maintenance spells to keep his body from falling apart. When we meet him, however, he's just received the worst news a zombie cop can get: the spells are losing to entropy and it won't be long before Matt will be nothing but a pile of dusty bones.

The news, while depressing, does not stop Matt from accepting one more job when the dhampir Devona, the daughter of Galm, one of the rulers of Necropolis, comes to him for help in tracking down the Dawnstone which has gone missing from Galm's collection. The Dawnstone holds both danger and hope. If used at just the wrong time during the great Renewal ceremony, it could devastate Necropolis and all who live in the city. For Matt it means chance to stop his imminent demise while helping a lady out of a jam. In the process, he discovers a new friend, the betrayal of another friend, the origin of a particularly nasty drug and that underneath his numb flesh he can steal feel hope.

Well written and enjoyable, Necropolis as a city is a fascinating one and as a book full of memorable characters, like Lazlo, the taxi driving demon who almost always shows up when Matt needs a ride (his style of driving reminds me of Moe Shrevnetz from The Shadow movie), and Papa Chatha, an hoodooian among others. Even Carl (Kolchak: [b:The Kolchak Papers: The Original Novels|996660|The Kolchak Papers The Original Novels|Jeff Rice|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348509902s/996660.jpg|982153]) gets named checked in this book as a paranoid claiming there are Watchers all over the city. ( )

I loved this book! A different take on the supernatural P.I, with a bit of romance thrown in to add a little spice. I found it a refreshing and original read and liked how the relationship between the lead characters developed, the way the protagonist adapted to unusual circumstances he found himself in, and still made a life for himself. A brilliant read as a stand alone, but I'm looking forward to more books in this series. ( )

I really enjoyed the first book in the Matt Richter series. There are three books in this series, it sounds like the series stopped in the middle (probably when Angry Robot publishing went out of business). This book reminded me a lot of Simon Green's Nightside series which I loved. The setting for this book is very similar in a lot of ways and the different sights and characters you run across are just as strange and creative as they are in the Nightside series.

I love books that throw a lot of crazy and creative things at you quickly and this was one of those. At heart it's an investigative urban fantasy but the setting and our hero (a falling apart zombie ex-cop) really make it something special.

I loved the crazy world, the bizarre characters, and the constant edge of snarky darkness throughout. I can’t wait to learn more about Nekropolis and meet more of its inhabitants

Overall this was a very fun and entertaining series and I plan on continuing to read it. I would recommend to fans of gritty and darkly humorous urban fantasy. If you love Simon Green’s Nightside series you will love this one!! ( )

This was a good read, and I'd like to continue with the other two books that follow. It was not quite as light/humorous as the cover & blurbs made out, but it definitely had its chuckle moments, as well as having some deeper thoughtful elements, and I really enjoyed it. It was a fresh new twist on the trite old vampire/zombie/scary things cliches, and Waggoner did a good job at making this new world of his. The writing wasn't always the greatest: there were times it was a little too much tell, not enough show; but the characters were excellent with depth and backstory and emotion, the story/plot interesting, and overall it's certainly worth the read. ( )