Heather’s Bookshelf: The Leslie Kim Serials: Omnibus
Author: Eliza Stopps
Released: 12/22/2020
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy
“He hoped she was right. But right now, he just wanted her to get out of his face. Couldn’t he find one woman in his life who didn’t want to murder him or those around him?”
“Omnibus” is a collection of four titles (three stand alone novellas and a prequel) all centered around Leslie Kim. Leslie is a private investigator from Earth who finds himself wrapped up in mysterious cases filled with intrigue, alien species, vampires…you name it.
It’s a prequel!
The Departure starts at the beginning of Leslie Kim- his birth. He comes into this world in a terrible way, setting the stage for his chosen career and his future relationships.
The story also fills in the gaps on Leslie’s background while also revealing some of what happened back on Earth. It also sets the stage for what occurs in Mythical Investigations. I enjoyed that The Departure showed two very different sides of Leslie: the vulnerable side that endured some terrible things and the reckless side that tends to make awful decisions. It makes the character much more complex and interesting while also giving credence to what occurs after.
After reading the rest of the serials, I suggest reading this story after the rest. Personally, I enjoyed it the most!
Fair Warning: Some language, murder, sexual situations
In Mythical Investigations, Leslie Kim is working as a private investigator on the planet Kapaton when a woman approaches him about her missing husband. Leslie takes the case while also working with his girlfriend (who happens to be a vampire) to find and capture a creature until recently thought to be a myth. Leslie’s personal and professional lives collide as one of the cases intertwines with Leslie’s past. He must work hard to solve them if he is to help his girlfriend and find out the truth.
The introduction to the planet and to the fantastical beings living on it are interesting and seamlessly integrated into a futuristic world. I liked that it included some that I was very familiar with (vampires) and others that I had never heard of before (grootslang). The truth revealed at the end of this story is also a great teaser into what is to come with the next book in the serial.
Fair Warning: Some language, murder, sexual situations
The Gnome Situation starts a few weeks after the conclusion of “Mythical Investigations”. It finds Leslie Kim still on the planet Kapaton but trying to earn his way to get back to Earth. He’s still working with his girlfriend, but this time he’s on a case to determine who or what is causing a portion of the population to get sick and several gnomes to die.
This story further develops Leslie’s character and his relationship with Elena. Their relationship becomes much more strained as the story goes along and they encounter quite a complicated situation that puts Leslie’s life in danger. The A.I., Frank, brings a comedic sense which lightens up the book and also gives more insight into Leslie’s daily routine. The end of the book left me really wanting to know more about what happens next.
Fair Warning: Some language and violence
Dragon Bounty begins right where The Gnome Situation left off. Leslie’s on a ship destined for a neighboring planet, Elanthea, when a stowaway creature sets fire to a portion of the ship. They end up crash landing and Leslie is injured, but he’s one of the lucky ones as most people do not make it off of that ship alive.
While the other two books have good and interesting mysteries, this one had a different feel. It was more of a story that evolved due to repercussions based on what happened in the other stories. The ending was completely satisfying, tying up everything that had happened before while leaving it just open ended enough to invite more tales.
Fair Warning: Some language, violence, and death.
Overall, I enjoyed this serials. The blending of investigator driven mystery, fantasy beings, and futuristic scifi is a great combination that kept me intrigued and made me feel like I was reading something new and different. Leslie Kim as a main character is flawed, damaged, sarcastic, and funny. You want to root for him, but he just continues to make such crazy terrible decisions! The prequel adds a lot to storyline, but especially to Leslie’s background, and was my personal favorite tale of the group. The ancillary characters and their development throughout the story is also quite fluid and interesting. I hope to read more about Leslie Kim in the future!
I received a copy of these stories in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
I enjoyed this combination of scifi and fantasy wrapped up into a miniseries. The characters are intriguing and the ending satisfying.
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with Eliza Stopps:
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