Audiobook Review: Dim Sum Asylum by Rhys Ford

Welcome to Dim Sum Asylum: a San Francisco where it’s a ho-hum kind of case when a cop has to chase down an enchanted two-foot-tall shrine god statue with an impressive Fu Manchu mustache that's running around Chinatown, trolling sex magic and chaos in its wake.

Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick of the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division faces a pile of challenges far beyond his human-faerie heritage, snarling dragons guarding C-Town’s multiple gates, and exploding noodle factories. After a case goes sideways, Roku is saddled with Trent Leonard, a new partner he can’t trust, to add to the crime syndicate family he doesn’t want and a spell-casting serial killer he desperately needs to find.

While Roku would rather stay home with Bob the Cat and whiskey himself to sleep, he puts on his badge and gun every day, determined to serve and protect the city he loves. When Chinatown’s dark mystical underworld makes his life hell and the case turns deadly, Trent guards Roku’s back and, if Trent can be believed, his heart... even if from what Roku can see, Trent is as dangerous as the monsters and criminals they’re sworn to bring down.

Listening Length: 9 hours and 44 minutes
Narrator: Greg Tremblay

I am a total fangirl for Rhys Ford’s Urban Fantasy novels. All of them so far. This will be the fourth book with this theme and my second Greg Tremblay audio. As always, Greg brings something extra to the table when he narrates. I have no doubt that the story is brilliant in print, but this is something special, and I think I will always choose this format when it comes to Rhys Ford’s novels. The combination of Rhys’ writing style and the Greg’s voice acting makes them the perfect pair to showcase both talents.

Roku McCormick is a very exciting character. I loved the descriptions of his physical appearance. There was something completely enchanting about the skin markings in the shape of wings. I would love to see this as fanart. I think it could be something amazing (I haven’t looked to see if it exists, and if it does, links please).

This story starts with action. We get to know what sort of cop Roku is from the start. His personality was right there from the beginning. It also introduced his damage. He is in mourning after his family was murdered, and that really comes through in his POV.

Trent is an outsider, who has just joined the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division. He is mysterious and completely out of his element. This is slowly revealed toward the halfway point. We get to know him through Roku and he is sexy and endearing.

This story has all sorts of urban fantasy elements. We have a spell caster who appears to be exacting some sort of Mayhem in Chinatown, and the mystery is well plotted out, with a satisfying ending. There are all manner of creatures, but the predominant groups are human and fey.

I didn’t read this in short story form, so I’m not sure how it was expanded but I think it would be well worth the second go-round for readers of the short, and definitely recommended in this format to all Fantasy fans.