While I’m sure you would better appreciate some of the references about Gideon’s previous adventure if you have had the pleasure of first picking up The Best Thing You Can Steal – it isn’t necessary to thoroughly enjoy this entertaining fantasy heist tale.

Green’s writing is always full of energy and a certain darkness that is frequently alleviated by his humour. But this series dials up the humour and his sense of the fantastic and while there is plenty of tension and action – there wasn’t the underlying grimness that I’ve come to associate with the Ishmael Jones books. Right now, this lighter approach is very welcome as I’m currently reading to escape my own year-long battle with Long Covid – and it was lovely to be able to grin – and in places laugh aloud at the madcap antics of Sable and his band of rogues.

I thoroughly enjoyed Green’s flights of imagination regarding his characters, such as The Damned, Johnny The Wild Card and Annie Anybody – and what an impressive array of magically imbued artefacts can do. Without resorting to parody, or diminishing the story, Green’s cadre of ruffians manage to create mayhem wherever they went. And of course, it’s the deeply unpleasant and viciously bad who ultimately get their just deserts. All in all, this adventure is a delightful escapist read, providing plenty of surprises along with the humour – and my only grizzle is that I wanted it to go on longer. Recommended for fantasy fans who enjoy a dash of humour with their adventure. While I obtained an arc of A Matter of Death and Life from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

This is the second book in a series and I do wish I had read the first. The book had really interesting characters with some pretty interesting names. Unfortunately, the action seemed to move around with a whole lot of fortunate coincidences that I assume would have made more sense had I read the first. When there is a magical world there still has to be some kind of order. Some set of rules. I was flumoxed as to what the rules of this world included and how I was supposed to know them. I couldn’t just go along for the ride. I amy come back to this one after reading the first, if I get a chance. It was OK as a stand alone.

Simon Green involves Gideon Sable in A Matter of Death and Life. Gideon first frees many from supernatural bondage and then agrees to find the Masque of Ra which confers immortality. Everything goes sideways although he finds the Masque. His reward is to survive his adventures with his friends. Fast moving with intriguing bad guys.

A quick, light read. The cast of characters and their unlikely "Ocean's Eleven" quest to rob a casino is entertaining. While not one of Green's best, still a great deal of fun!

Enjoyable heist story. I think you really need to read book one, The characters are pretty high powered and you get the feeling they’re either going to be fine or one of the side characters is going to die horribly because of the amount of magic they have. It’s a short book but thee author packs a lot of description into his writing style. I don’t think, it’s going to be the book for everyone but if you like heist stories and urban fantasy and don’t mind the protagonists not being heroes then you’ll probably have a fun time reading this series. I’d read a book three quite eagerly.

Simon R. Green has such a unique voice within the fantasy space that it's impossible to read the first line of any of his books and not know immediately whose book you've picked up. He's a master of the twisted reality, where nothing is what it seems and everything is slightly (or incredibly) different than you expect or understand. A Matter of Death and Life continues in his vein, encapsulated in a heist story for good measure. The plot twists and turns, opening with Green's oft-used style of a mini-story leading to the overall plot (exemplified in his Nightside series), as surprises and unexpected events plague (or happen to the benefit) of his protagonists.
Green's originality and imagination continue to be unmatched, and I will continue to read anything he puts out without question.

I was surprised to find how difficult this book was to get into, and how easy it was to put down. I actually stopped for awhile and read another book before coming back to eventually finish this one. I believe that is because of how long it takes for the main story to actually get under way. The first third to half of the book is devoted to recruiting the various members of Gideon's crew with a lot of exposition about each one and their backstory. While only the second Gideon Sable book, I'm finding them very reminiscent of the authors Secret Histories series, which I had enjoyed, although it did start to become repetitive towards the end of that series. Here's hoping this series doesn't settle into a similar routine.

I have been a long time fan of Simon R Green and I'm loving this new series. Above all else he has the greatest characters, even if we only meet some of them briefly their stories are wonderful.
This time the crew are off to Vegas and oh boy, they sure do upset the applecart. These are light entertainment at it's fantastical best, as always equipped with some cool gadgets and some cracking quips, you want these guys on your side.
After reading this I have many questions about Gideon Sable and I'd really like to know if he's ever answered to the name John Taylor.

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Gideon Sable series. I got a copy of this book from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I didn't think this was quite as good as the first book in the series. We again join Gideon Sable and Annie Anything on a heist to steal something important from someone bad. In this case it is an Egyptian mask that can make people immortal.

We are joined by the Wild Card (love him) and the Damned (another great character). We also have the addition of Switch it Sally (eh, she was pretty annoying). So, like the last book the quirky characters abound and are fun to read about. This is definitely a fairly light story with quite a bit of heist action. The story is simple with a few rather predictable twists and turns.

I felt like this wasn't as well written as the last book. The language is a bit over the top and felt stiff to me. Things were always a bit too convenient as far as the plot went. The world wasn't built out much more than it was in the first book. Also the characters don't have a lot of depth to them at all; I kind of expected them to grow at least a little bit.

This series is very similar in tone and pace to the Nightside series. I think the reason I like the Nightside better than this series is that the world of the Nightside just feels more immersive and the characters there are more intriguing.

Sadly, at this point I don't plan on reading anymore of this series. These have been quick reads and they are somewhat amusing, but I would rather go back and reread the Nightside series.

My Summary (3/5): Overall I didn’t think this was quite as good as the first book in the Gideon Sable series. It is fast-paced with a lot of quirky characters and zany situations. However, the world wasn’t built out at all and the characters and plot both feel a bit thin. I was really hoping this series was going to be Green’s next Nightside-like endeavor. Unfortunately, it’s not quite up to that standard and, because of that, I don’t plan on continuing the series. There were just too many times reading this book when I just put it down mid-chapter and walked away because I just didn’t really care.

The snark is turned up past 11 and all the way to 13 in this second book in the author’s Gideon Sable series. But don’t let the indication that this is the second book in the series fool you into thinking that all you need to read to get completely up to speed is that first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal.

Not that it isn’t a whole lot of snarky fun.

But the thing about the author of this urban fantasy series – along with several others, a couple of paranormal series and some epic space opera – is that all of his stories are told in the first person singular voice of the main character – in this case Gideon Sable.

Whether that featured antihero – because honestly, none of them are exactly heroes in any classic mold whatsoever – is John Taylor (Nightside), Eddie Drood (Secret Histories) or a whole host of others, the truth is that the voice of the protagonist reads like its the voice of the author. Because they all more or less the same voice – with just a few minor variations.

Not that that’s a bad thing, because I like my snark dial turned all the way up. This is an author who always makes me laugh out loud because his snark – and his characters – are clever in their actions and especially in their way with words. And those characters are more often archetypes than actual individuals. For readers who are familiar with the author’s previous works, they are archetypes that seem very, very familiar. Like old friends that you can’t totally trust not to either break your heart or your bank account. Or both.

Most likely both.

All of the above means that he’s an acquired taste. He just happens to be a taste I acquired a long time ago. Just like my nostalgia for Cincinnati Chili. It’s not something I’d want all the time, or even too often too close together, but when I have a taste for it, nothing else will do.

And I definitely had a taste for it – the author, not the chili – this weekend.

The story in A Matter of Death and Life is a direct followup to the events in the first book, The Best Thing You Can Steal. Gideon and his girlfriend, Annie Anybody, are roped into committing a heist for the person they cheated in the earlier book.

This time, they have to steal a supernatural and extremely creepy mask from a Las Vegas casino. The mask is supposed to grant eternal life and youth. Gideon’s, well, let’s call her his patron, wants the mask in order to get one up on her ex-husband. Gideon wants to get his own back from the current owner of the mask. His patron also wants to get one up on him – and it sure seems like someone is manipulating them both.

It’s going to be the job from hell. And it might just send them all there – and possibly back again – before it’s over. One way or another.

Escape Rating B+: This is a story where I don’t have any mixed feelings. I had a cracking good time with Gideon Sable and his more-misfit-than-usual crew as they took on Las Vegas. Calling this book a fantastic, slightly supernatural version of Ocean’s Eleven – complete with ALL the wisecracks – would be more accurate, and more fun, than anyone might have expected.

Clearly, I had fun. In fact, I had laugh out loud fun. It helps that Las Vegas as the public sees it, the casinos, the glitz and the fake glamor hiding a rapacious money machine, is a setting that is just ripe for all of the snarkitude that Gideon Sable can muster.

It’s also a wheels within wheels within wheels kind of story. As much as the setting reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven, the caper itself just screams Leverage – but with a twist. With multiple twists, some with lime and some with cyanide – or something worse, creepier and deadlier.

Under the supernatural gloss, this is a story about power, greed, paranoia and revenge all tied up in a great big ball of wrong. It’s also a cat and mouse game where each character believes they are one of the cats – only to discover that they are one of the mice after all. And that the real cat has been preparing them for dinner the entire time.

But the characters, especially Gideon and his crew, are also more than a bit of an in-joke. A joke that the reader only gets if they are familiar with at least the author’s previous urban fantasy series. Because Gideon Sable used to be someone else, before the real Gideon Sable died and our protagonist assumed his identity. The author closed out all of his previous urban fantasy series with Night Fall back in 2018. But Gideon and his crew sound an awful lot like many of his previous bands of misfits. So it’s possible that Gideon in particular used to be part of one of those other stories – until he had to find another identity.

Which means that the whole setup of Gideon Sable’s twisted version of our world could be one we’ve already seen, and Gideon himself could be someone we’ve already met. A possibility that teases me no end. But probably would not resonate with someone who had not been previously exposed to this author’s brand of Gordian Knot worlds within worlds and shadows hidden behind shadows.

But when I’m in the mood for extreme snarkitude, there’s none better. Gideon Sable, and all of this author’s characters, have refined smart-assery into a fine art – and sometimes that’s just what a reader needs to get through. So I hope Gideon Sable will be back in the not too distant future.

A Matter of Death and Life is the sequel to The Best Thing You Can Steal, and is the second supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable. Recommend you read this book!

London master thief and criminal mastermind Gideon Sable and his supernatural crew are back, preparing for another audacious heist. The crew are comprise Annie Anybody, who can literally be anyone she wants to be, Lex Talon (aka The Dammed) who wears the halos stolen from two angels as armor, Johnny ‘The Wild Card’ Wilde who is totally unpredictable and a new member, Gideon’s ex, Switch It Sally who can steal anything that she can be switched. Together they have been hired to steal the Masque of Ra, a mask that can confer immortality on the wearer, from a heavily guarded Las Vegas Casino.

After their first amazing heist in ‘The Best Thing You Can Steal’, this sequel paled somewhat in comparison and felt a little formulaic and lacking some of the complexity of the previous heist. However, it’s still a very enjoyable urban fantasy novel and there were many things I really liked about it, including the humour, the interactions between the characters, the magical devices and tricks and the amazing transport the crew caught to take them to Las Vegas.

Gideon Sable is a thief and con man with special powers and he can put together a team with varied and complimentary powers. An ultra rich collector contracts him to steal a priceless mask from a Las Vegas casino in exchange for the forgetting of old grudges and a whole heap of money.The casino is owned and guarded by some very nasty people and some of them have powers equal to Gideon and his crew - Game On!

I’ve been reading this author for a long time, and one thing I can say about him is that I know exactly what I’ll get when I read a book by him based on the series. This is the second book in this new series, and it may actually be the last; I can’t really tell but it ended like it might be. Gideon and Annie continue to be a great couple, and I like the other side characters. I think one of the reasons I really like this series is that it reminds me of my favorite series by him, Nightside. This book was exactly what I would expect, and while it is well-written, I ended a little too abruptly. Still, it was a good time while it lasted. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

"Master thief, rogue and chancer Gideon Sable is back for another fast-paced supernatural heist - and this time he has the vault of a Las Vegas casino in his sights

Judi Rifkin is one of the world's most successful collectors of the weird and unnatural. In a London underworld filled with criminals with very special talents, Judi is a force to be reckoned with.

And Gideon Sable - thief, rogue and chancer - owes her a very large favour.

Judi makes him an offer he can't refuse: steal her the legendary Masque of Ra, tucked up safe in a Las Vegas casino, and she'll wipe the slate clean. This isn't Gideon's first heist by a long shot. But with old grudges threatening to cloud his judgment, an unpredictable crew who don't entirely trust each other and a formidable supernatural security team guarding his target, this job might be a gamble too far...

A Matter of Death and Life is the sequel to The Best Thing You Can Steal, and is the second supernatural heist thriller featuring master conman Gideon Sable from British SFF veteran and New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green."

I like how this Tuesday Tomorrow is so well rounded, start with a heist, end with a heist.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC copy of this book available to me.

The first 2/3 of this second-in-a-series short novel sees Gideon Sable save Annie, get a new con job, and pull together a crew for said job. This includes a new member, just to keep things a bit fresh. The con itself seems almost an afterthought, although the entire book is fun and entertaining. Consider this a satisfying read and just hope that we will get to see more adventures in the future from Gideon and his crew.

The second of a series, but reads fine as a stand-alone. I did not realise that it was a fantasy book until I started reading, because of this , it took me a little while to get into the book . I did come to enjoy it, obviously it suspends belief most of the way through . At times quite funny, the characters grew on me as the book progressed.
A short book, it was entertaining and everyone gets their just rewards
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to have a copy of it in my hands! Thank you netgalley! I gove this book 4 stars!! The writing style was amazing and so were the characters.

Second book in this series, although it does stand alone, the first gives you history of many of the characters. An appreciation of how jealous Judy is of her ex-husband and the hate is fully given in the first. An enjoyable heist is planned by Gideon with his crew from the first book with a new character along for the ride. Snarky dialog and action makes the book a fast enjoyable read, just one more chapter. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC for an entertaining time and the return to Mr. Green's world for an honest opinion. Hope to see another in the future.

This is a fun series. The first book was definitely a stronger read though... This time around we have only a few new characters - and the addition of new strange characters with over-the-top names and powers is one of my favorite elements of Green's books. This one felt like Gideon Sable #1 Lite; it was still enjoyable and a quick fun read, but not quite as engaging or cleverly snarky as the first did.

Still, I read them to escape into a madcap world of magic and mayhem, not for a moving literary experience - and it still delivered both Ms in spades. I'm also intrigued by the ending and where things will go in the next chapter of Gideon and Annie's lives, so am already looking forward to the next book!