Books
Meet Hiram Grange: womanizer, drug addict, smartass. To say he isn’t your typical hero is an understatement of epic proportions. But despite his quirks, Hiram gets the job done.

And just what is that job? Hiram works for a secret organization that strives to protect Earth’s population from monsters that have entered into our world via portals from the abyss. Werebats? No problem. Dragons? Piece of cake. Sexy nymphs? Well, those might pose a bit of a problem…

Hiram’s latest mission is to go to Krakow to track down a rusalka – the spirit of a murdered woman who is wreaking havoc along the shores of the city. Not one to shirk his duty, despite the fact that he nearly died during his previous mission just moments before getting debriefed on the rusalka, Hiram hops the next plane to Poland in hopes of tracking down the ancient evil. Unfortunately, what he finds in Poland is not only more than he bargained for, but it also causes him to question his beliefs about the organization he works for.

HIRAM GRANGE & THE NYMPHS OF KRAKOW is the fifth novella in a series of books that follows Hiram as he battles all manner of creature. The series takes a round-robin approach not unlike the Gabriel Hunt series, in which a different author pens each installment of the story arc. Due to the pulpy nature of the book, there’s little room for the development of characters: this one’s all about the action. As such, the book doesn’t allow for a lot of wiggle room when it comes to showcasing Wright’s considerable writing talent. He’s forced to conform to Hiram’s pre-defined personality and adventures, and while he does a great job of extending the series, this type of story has been done many times before (as evidenced by last year’s ARMAGEDDON BOUND by Tim Marquitz, which features a lead character similar to Hiram Grange in both personality and occupation).

For the most part, HIRAM GRANGE… can be read as a standalone book, although there was mention of people and places that I’m guessing were addressed in the previous novellas. It might be a good idea to start at the beginning of the series if you want to catch all of the details, but Wright’s novella can definitely be enjoyed if you go into it blind (which I did). Wright also concludes his novella with a very interesting cliffhanger, one that should prove exciting in future installments.

HIRAM GRANGE & THE NYMPHS OF KRAKOW is being published as a $7.99 paperback by Shroud Publishing, and should be available soon. For more information on the series, visit http://www.hiramgrange.com

(6 out of 10)

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