View source for The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway

{{infobox1
|title=The Unnoticeables
|sort= Unnoticeables
|author=Robert Brockway
|reviewer= Luke Marlowe
|genre=Paranormal
|summary= Fun, gruesome and darkly funny, Robert Brockman’s ''The Unnoticeables'' is an enjoyable read. Flicking between time periods, the mix of the fantastical and the supernatural with the grimy and urbane makes for a varied and fast-paced read. 
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=288
|publisher=Titan Books
|date=July 2015
|isbn=978-1783297979
|website=http://www.robertbrockway.net
|cover=Brockway_Unnoticeables
|aznuk=1783297972
|aznus=1783297972
}}

Carey is a punk living in New York City, 1977. Sick of watching his friends be abducted and killed, he doesn’t care about the rumours of strange monsters and supernatural happenings – all he wants to do is drink beer and kick ass. In the present day, Kaitlyn is in Hollywood. A stuntwoman, she has a missing best friend, has just escaped an attempt on her life, and an angel is waiting outside her door. The survival of the human race lies in the hands of Carey and Kaitlyn. We are, all of us, well and truly screwed…

Robert Brockway is an editor and columnist for the popular website Cracked.com. He has previously written a non-fiction book and a serial Science Fiction novel, but this is his first standalone novel.

Urban Fantasy is huge at the moment – with [[:Category:Jim Butcher|Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files]], [[:Category:Mike Carey|Mike Carey’s Felix Castor Novels]] and [[:Category:Ben Aaronovitch|Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London]] series all the rage, and new series being released every week, it seems. 

Where Brockway’s book stands out is the way it takes those Urban Fantasy elements, and combines them with a myriad of other influences, giving the book a darker, more chaotic tone that certainly compels the reader, even if the plot sometimes lacks a little and the characters err on the side of unlikeable. I was reminded of such comic book classics as Preacher and Hellblazer, the tar men are straight out of a Lovecraft story, and the punk aesthetic gave something original to the part of the story that focused on Carey’s youth. There is something very raw and alive to Brockway’s words, which give this novel a lot of colour and really made it a page-turner. Things do get rather convoluted along the way, but it’s a fun ride nevertheless. 

This isn’t a quiet novel – it’s particularly in your face, violent, rude, and rather obnoxious. But somewhere underneath the bluster – these characters have depth, and the writing can be extremely clever. This is a varied read, but overall I enjoyed the ride – many thanks to the publishers for the copy. 

For further reading, I would recommend [[The Naming of the Beasts (Felix Castor) by Mike Carey]]. Carey is an acclaimed comic book author, and wrote last year’s hit ''The Girl With All the Gifts''. The Felix Castor novels are exciting urban fantasy novels with a hugely likeable protagonist and are well worth a read. You might also enjoy [[Deadeye by William C Dietz]].

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[[Category:Science Fiction]]
[[Category:Horror]]