In Sweet Silver Blues, author Glen Cook introduces us to
Garrett, a Private Investigator in the Karentine city of Tunfaire. One morning, people bang on his door, and
refuse to go away. They’re short in
stature, humor, and sympathy for his hangover, and he finally agrees to visit
their home when he learns that they’re the grieving relatives of his friend
Denny Tate, whom he hadn’t realized died the preceding week.
Actually, they’re not all grieving. Denny’s sister Rose, for example, doesn’t
want him to take the case. What case,
you ask? Why, Denny’s father has
requested Garrett’s services because Denny left a fortune to a woman none of
them ever met. His family wasn’t even
aware the fortune existed until Denny died.
With his characteristic understatement, Garret says, “Actually, when my mind started working,
I saw it wasn’t so much after all. Just
more than I’d ever imagined I would see in one place. A few hundred robbers working double shifts
for four or five years might pile up as much.”
Denny left no provision for his family in the will, except
for the ten percent that is apportioned as executor fees. But Denny’s father doesn’t care about the
money, and offers Garrett the entire ten percent if he’ll locate the
beneficiary. Old Man Tate just wants to
meet the woman who Denny fell in love with during his military service. Even though she married, and they never saw
each other again, she and Denny kept up correspondence, which Garrett can use
to track her down. Unfortunately, finding
this woman will take Garrett into the Cantard, where Karentia perpetually fights
the Venageti over possession of the rich silver mines, a “mystic metal”
constantly in demand by each country’s sorcerers. Both Garrett and Denny were drafted into
military service when they were younger, and after his five years in the
Marines, Garrett swore he’d never return.
As ninety percent of the world’s silver is mined in the
Cantard, Karentia’s economy rises and falls with each military success or
failure, and the market values of gold and silver rise or fall accordingly. Apparently, Denny grew quite adept at reading
these price fluctuations, buying silver and gold when prices were low, and
selling when they were high. This talent
has not gone unnoticed, and those who have heard about the treasure want it for
themselves. People break into the Tate’s
house one night, attempting to steal it.
Family members and employees of the family cobbling business are killed,
and more attacks follow. They also visit
Garrett, in hopes of dissuading him from taking the case.
And then there’s Rose, about whom Garret tells us, “The
nicest thing he [Denny] ever said about her was, ‘She’s a useless, lazy,
whining, conniving freeloader.’ The word
b---- also came up several times too.” (Expletive excised by Dragon Dave’s
signature Expletive Deleting Inclination).
Before Garrett decides to take the case, Rose hires Saucerhead Tharpe, a
local heavy, to beat him up. As Saucerhead
is a conscientious heavy, Garrett hires him for a job before the beating
commences. After Saucerhead knocks
Garrett unconscious, he strips Rose naked in the street, and then follows her
to make sure she returns home safely.
Rose doesn’t learn her lesson though, and so Garrett must keep an eye
out for her machinations, as well as attacks from others who want Denny’s treasure
for themselves.
With encouragement like that, in addition to his growing
curiosity about the woman Denny never fell out of love with, is it any wonder
Garrett decides to accept Old Man Tate's offer and head back into the Cantard in search of her?
Dragon Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment