Labyrinth - Book Review

The aspect of ghost hunting has taken on an almost ethereal structure in terms of its integration into the popular culture though it always been in the forefront of many people's minds though, as the technology has burgeoned, people have become less likely to progress on it without a burden of proof.The interesting thing with Kat Richardson's Greywalker series which continues with "Labyrinth" [Kat Richardson/Roc/368pgs] is that her heroine Harper is quite aware of most of her shortcomings but still faces her demons head on. While not soft in any conventional form, there is a tendency of showing a more human side of the character even when the ideas move into almost "Hellraiser" territory.Like the previous outlay "Vanished" which showed Harper continuing onto London at the request of her less-than-alive as well as untrustworthy employer, Edward, to unearth certain hidden secrets, the last act works completely in motion with all of the most lurid imagery moving the plot forward. While the imagery of London with its backwaters and longer history is a little more intense than the intrinsic nature of Seattle, "Labyrinth" maintains a texture of mythology and modern personification maintaining its relevancy but also speaking to older concepts of history. Certain moments of historical lore, like Harper driving along a road seeing and feeling where many people have met their end, creates a texture but nothing like the river sequences and abandoned Tube stations of the previous book unfortunately. The other aspect is that it might, in all ideals, be very hard for Richardson to top herself.As an initial reader of the Greywalker series on "Vanished", the idea of creating a loop of dreams which was first encountered in an office sequence has an undeniable element of isolation which very much speaks to the core of that book as well as to this one as well. Harper, despite being surrounded by many people who care for her (including the always reliable but goofy Quinton), must solve her problems on her own. Also in "Labyrinth", essences of "Blade" comparisons come more into play (especially in terms of the politics of vampire society) though the aspect of Carlos, the Necromancer, and various other foes like Wygan while placing Harper purely in the line of fire.As visceral as the other book was, in bringing a certain story to close, certain elements come across as anti-climactic. However the aspect of the ghostlike labrynth which gives out comparisons to portal structures in "The Dark Tower" is undeniably rich in balancing both genre structures and the development of human interaction especially when Harper must interact with the visage of her dead father who, even in death, tries to protect her. While not Shakespeare, the inherent overtones of the Greywalker series continue to be mythic in their intentions, with Richardson's attention to detail and pace in addition to the humor and drama finding their inevitable balance in the Grey Grid she has proclaimed. Out of 5, I give "Labyrinth" a 3.