I’ve read a few of Liz Williams’ short stories, so I’ve been something of a fan for a long time. I’d never yet read one of her novels, though, so when I saw Snake Agent, the first book in the “Detective Inspector Chen” series, I had to pick it up. She’s always been an interesting writer, but how does her short story talent translate to novel form? Thankfully, very well. Her prose is just as good, and she creates an evocative setting as well. This is definitely a novel to pick up if you are looking for something really different.

Chen lives in Singapore Three sometime in the relatively near future (it’s never said, but I’m thinking the late 2000s). The barriers between Heaven, Hell, and the “real” world are thin, and they all have to deal with each other. Chen is one of the only cops in Singapore Three who deals regularly with the celestial beings, and his colleagues tend to avoid him because he’s had to deal with Hell too often. This time, the ghost of a murdered girl doesn’t arrive in Heaven as it’s supposed to, and the grieving mother comes to Chen to investigate why. Seneschal Zhu Irzh is a demon on Hell’s Vice Squad, and he’s tasked with tracking down an escaped dead prostitute from one of Hell’s brothels. With both of them pulling at the same dead soul, conflict is inevitable, but they might end up working together to stop an even bigger conspiracy from one of Hell’s highest, and most sinister, ministries - one that will combine demonic power and modern technology to wipe out millions.

I greatly enjoyed this novel, partially for the excellent characterization but also for the unique setting. Williams strongly evokes the Chinese atmosphere, and I’ve heard from other sources that she does so pretty accurately. I’m not personally that familiar with the details of Chinese culture, but it seems accurate to my limited knowledge. Most importantly, it feels right. She gets the mood down of an oppressed city, stifling heat (it’s unclear whether that’s due to global warming or the proximity to Hell, or if that’s just Singapore’s climate) and a mix of high-end neighborhoods and downtrodden slums.

Her version of Hell is wonderfully portrayed too, massively bureaucratic and structured with various ministries in charge of doing things to keep evil in the real world. However, there are certain rules they have to follow, and they can’t step on each others’ toes. Zhu Irzh is on the Vice Squad not to prevent and control Vice but to make sure that everything’s being done properly. We don’t see Heaven in the novel, but we do see how it interacts with the real world and with Hell - Hell’s minions do have to watch their step so Heaven’s bureaucracy doesn’t get involved. Williams’ description of everything makes you feel like you’re there, sweltering in the heat or down in Hell when Chen has to go there to finish his mission.

Chen is married to a demon who has escaped from Hell because of an attempted forced marriage (all of this happened in a previous unpublished adventure). He’s world-weary but definitely good at what he does. He’s on the outs with his goddess right now, which will make visiting Hell a bit tougher because he won’t have her protection. Zhu Irzh is a wonderful creation, a demon with a few ethics; he’s not a “good” demon, but he wants to make sure everything runs smoothly and correctly. Chen and he form an interesting relationship of mutual respect and distrust, and their interplay is a lot of fun to read. In fact, sometimes Zhu is more interesting than Chen, especially in little details such as how he keeps on getting his favorite coat messed up and how annoyed that makes him. The ending of the book promises that, in subsequent novels, we will be seeing more of Zhu, which pleases me. I wasn’t quite as impressed with Chen’s wife, but she starts to hold her own as her storyline moves forward. Williams also has a handle on her minor characters, making them distinctive even if they aren’t a major part of the plot.

This series is really hard to classify; it’s almost a mix of fantasy and science fiction. There are some gee-whiz technical things like flatscreens that you can pour out of a phial and which become like networked computers. But there are also magic and demons as well. The “a Detective Inspector Chen novel” notation also makes it sound like a mystery, but it’s really not, other than the fact that Chen is a cop. What I can say is that it’s an interesting world Williams has created, with an almost timeless quality to it, even though it’s obviously “in the future.”

I really did enjoy and recommend it highly to any fantasy or science fiction fan looking for something a little different. The book can be slow going at times, but that’s usually because you’re spending more time immersed in the setting and Williams’ wonderful prose. I’m usually a quick read and was a bit annoyed at first that this book was taking me so long. Then I realized that I was enjoying my stay in it, and that was alright. It’s an interesting setting and a fantastic book.