Guns Knives Magic & Aliens in a Shanghai Showdown

Warbound (2013), the third book in Larry Correia's sf-fantasy-pulp Grimnoir trilogy, takes up in 1933 where the second left off: President Roosevelt is pressuring all American magical Actives to register and move to Active-only towns; Francis Stuyvesant (young owner of United Blimp and Freight who also happens to be a Mover) is not cooperating; Sally Faye Viera (a teen who's the most powerful Active in the world) is looking for someone to help her avoid becoming "a rampaging murder machine"; Jake Sullivan (a Heavy ex-soldier, ex-detective, ex-convict, ex-FBI hunter, ex-public enemy #1) is leading his team of Grimnoir knights, aided by their bitter Iron Guard Brute enemy Toru Tokugawa, on a probably suicidal mission in a cutting edge UBF dirigible into the dread Japanese Imperium to try to prevent a super alien predator (the Enemy) from coming to earth in pursuit of its prey, the entity known as the Power; while the Power (a symbiotic alien that endows certain humans with magical ability) is trying to survive.

Correia is good at writing characters with different personalities and voices. Faye and Jake are fine co-protagonists. Faye is naïve, sweet, and ignorant but also ruthless, powerful, and intelligent (you wouldn't want to be a "bad guy" in her sights). She doesn't want to become a devil, but does sometimes hear a little voice telling her to take other people's Active powers. The description of a hero written by Raymond Chandler (Francis' wannabe writer accountant) suits Jake: a common, extraordinary, honorable, chivalrous, lonely, complete man. But Jake fears that he has the brain of a scholar in the body of a thug and is really only good at one thing: killing.

In this third book Correia depicts Japanese culture more complexly than in the first. Here, although their evil "schools" are still twisting "pupils" into killing machines, and Unit 731 is still experimenting on living (magical) subjects, and the Imperium is still dedicated to purifying the world, there is also something appealing about their honor-based culture. Toru, so uptight while teaming up with his sworn Grimnoir enemies, is fun to follow, and Akane Yoshizawa (aka Lady Origami) is a sympathetic character whose origami plays a key role (and she even gets an interracial romantic relationship).

Correia does interesting things with genre staples like zombies (attracted to bright colors in addition to loud noises, they may maintain their identities as long as they continue doing the most important thing in their natural lives) and alternative history (historical figures and things like John Ford, John Browning, Duke Ellington, Sigmund Freud, Rasputin, World War I, and the Berlin Wall are given magical spins).

He explains magic in a science fictional way. The Power gives select people access to nodes of power so they will develop and increase them and return them enhanced to the Power when they die. Most Actives access but one type of magic, with expectable abilities: Cracklers manipulate electricity, Torches fire, Ice Boxes cold, and Heavies gravity; Mouths make people do what they're told; Beasties possess animals; Healers heal; Lazaruses make zombies; Cogs make intricate machines; Fixers fix things; Movers use telekenisis; and so on. All are limited to how much Power they may use without resting to restore it to their reservoirs.

I do think Correia imagines too many overlapping abilities. Readers read people's minds, while Justices sense when people are lying; Brutes are super strong, while Massives make themselves indestructible; and Travelers (like Faye) teleport themselves and objects and people around, while Fades fade themselves and objects and people through walls and the like. And I can't grasp how demons summoned by Summoners fit into the physical nodes of the Power.

Despite all the magic in the trilogy, Correia's true love is guns. Characters think, "Magic was nice in a fight, but it never hurt to back it up with bullets," and, “When you didn’t know what kind of trouble to expect, it was best to bring guns and friends with guns.” Sub-machine guns (Thompson and Suomi), shot guns (Winchester and Browning), pistols ("a British Webley with a snub barrel and a cut down grip" and a GP32 machine pistol with "a cyclic rate like a buzz saw"), giant Browning Automatic Rifles (enchanted and normal), even a bazooka (don't stand behind Faye when she's firing one), and more.

When Correia adds to the guns and magic knives, swords, spiked war clubs, Russian stick grenades, Tesla Peace Rays, war blimps, etc., he ends up with graphically violent action scenes (brains sliding down walls, walls painted with dripping blood, bodies exploding into pink mist or bursting like melons, eyeballs cracking with cold or running down cheeks, bones melting, limbs being severed, heads decapitated, bodies impaled, guts disemboweled, etc.). This becomes unpleasant and numbing. But the 3+ hour climax is exciting (and the resolution is nice).

Correia writes some neat lines: "Jake Sullivan may have been on the side of the angels, but they were some damn bloody angels.”
And some funny exchanges: "You're one malicious manipulator, you know that Doc?" "It is nice to be appreciated."
And some klunky dialogue: "You guys want some cookies?" "No, we're good."
And some anachronistic English: “Fuller manned up.”
And some libertarian leanings: "Governments are all about the same thing, bossing folks around."

Audiobook reader Bronson Pinchot relishes Correia's pulpy prose. He does a great zombie, Lady Origami, Jake, and Faye, and a super "Tokugawa!" war cry. He owns quiet, malevolent villains. He's entertaining.

People who read the first two books in the trilogy will be satisfied by the end of the third; people new to Correia should probably start with the first book (Spellbound), although he smoothly works in enough background from the first two books to follow this one. People who don't enjoy gunplay and bloody action and libertarian pulp should steer clear.

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5 people found this helpful

Fantastic end to a fantastic series!

If you could sum up Warbound in three words, what would they be?

A Maz Zing!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Oh, no question: Faye! While Jake, Heinrich, Lance and all the rest are amazing, Faye is the star of the series. That little Okie girl can kick @$$ and take names. Actually, she doesn't bother with the names.

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

That's tough. Bronson Pinchot is really the best narrator for having different voices for each character. I'd have to go with Faye and the Iron Guard.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were a few "whoops" as a few twists and turns arose but there was only one tear-jerk moment. I know you're going to have to lose somebody in a war but, sob, why couldn't (no spoiler here!) have had a happy ending?!?

Any additional comments?

My only regret is that the series had to end. It was exciting, thought-provoking and emotional. This was a satisfying conclusion and it certainly lived up to the rest of the series. I didn't want it to end.

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4 people found this helpful

Bronson Pinchot ROCKS!!!!

Mr. Pinchot is absolutely perfect for this very original, very creative, very engrossing series. What a range of voices and characters! Never would have guessed he had it in him, back in the day when he was doing sitcoms.

I have all of Larry Correia's books that have been released on Audible and I've given 5 stars to all. He's a great writer. I love the paranormal genre and it seems that a good share of the books in this category are also romances. I have nothing against a good romance, but every once in a while it is great to read a manly man's book. These are a wonderful mix of paranormal and the old hard-boiled detective books.

Mr. Correia's other series, Monster Hunter, is just as good & highly recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

Outstanding close to an outstanding series

What did you love best about Warbound?

This book wraps up the development of personalities and relationships, and it wraps up the main storyline in exciting fashion.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This time, it's a toss-up. It's between Jake Sullivan (reluctant leader plagued by self doubt who must hide that doubt to lead people to victory) and Toru (Iron Guard abandoner who must live and work in a society completely different from his own). I think in the end, my favorite would be Toru. I very much enjoyed following him on his journey from a man who hates all things western to a man who finds grudging respect for those he did not previously understand.

Have you listened to any of Bronson Pinchot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Bronson Pinchot remains an outstanding reader. My only reason for dropping him to four stars is because he changed some of the accents for some of the characters. At the beginning of the book, I found this distracting.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Blood and magic save the world

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2 people found this helpful

You must read this series!

Excellent conclusion to a wonderful series! If you like Film Noir, if you like fantasy, if you like steam punk, this is series is pure Win! I'm only disappointed that it's over.

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2 people found this helpful

Great follow up

Where does Warbound rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best

What did you like best about this story?

Great character development.

Have you listened to any of Bronson Pinchot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. What a great narrator.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Power

Any additional comments?

Great book. Worth your credit!

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1 person found this helpful

Love this author's books all of them

Took me a while in the first book to get used to accents, but we love this book. The only thing is I wish I had found them after 6 or 7 had been written so we wouldn't have to wait for a next one. Hope there will be 6 or 7 of these.

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1 person found this helpful

So close...

If you could sum up Warbound in three words, what would they be?

Not all there.

Would you be willing to try another book from Larry Correia? Why or why not?

Yes. And I did, but it's important to know what you're getting into with his work.

He's a gun guy. The scenes with firearms of all types are very solid and accurate, but might be too detailed for "not gun people." He also dropped the veil a bit in this one and unloaded a good bit of his personal politics into a few places. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and authors have done it for years, but the feel of it here was that felt out of place. The story wasn't written around that idea as much as that idea was crammed into it.

What about Bronson Pinchot’s performance did you like?

His characterizations were, as always, gold. There's no doubt who is speaking, but he did have one dropped ball in this one. In the first book, one of the characters spoke with a French accent. In this one, she lost it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I listen during a commute to work (45 minutes each way), so it was spread out over a couple of weeks.

Any additional comments?

My reason for marking the story down was that the whole thing felt rushed. It's almost like he wanted to do a continuing series, and then, about 3/4 of the way through this book, changed his mind and decided to end it at three. Everything is closed up at the end as far as loose ends go, and the way it all ends makes sense with the way it all started, but the pacing was so jarring that it just seemed wrong.

The final battle should have been absolutely epic, but in fact was no where near as long or in depth as some of the minor fights in the earlier books. The events after that, where things were closed and the true, main threat was dealt with, felt like it was added as an afterthought. As if the entire plot of the fourth book was condensed down to a chapter to get it out of the way.

I strongly recommend Hard Magic, but if you continue on with the series, I think you'll find it ends with a whimper, not a bang.

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I was extremely satisfied!

This is a review of the series. The three books are clearly a single story arc divided into three big chapters. Each chapter installing that desire to turn the pages faster to get to a very satisfying end. As with all such satisfying reads, I did not want it to end. But end it did and if there are no more, that is probably for the best since I am unsure how Mr Correira could make the series even better.

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Satisfying End to a Series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. The narrator was excellent, and the story was perfect for long car rides.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters. This is a fun bunch of folks to read about, in a really cool setting, going through well-paced, interesting, and action-packed story.

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

Jake Sullivan. Toru Tokugawa is a close second, though.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Power: It isn't what makes you. It's what you make of it."

Any additional comments?

I have pretty much nothing in common with this author's well-known political beliefs, and I really did not like the first "Monster Hunter" book that I tried to read, but I have fully enjoyed every book in this series. On the strength of this series,and of Pinchot's excellent narration, I am absolutely looking forward to listening to "Dead Six."

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