Review: The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski

The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Demonists #1

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series and the Remy Chandler series, a new dark fantasy series filled with demons, exorcisms, and the fight against the worst that hell has to offer...

There is more to our world than meets the eye—darker things, crueler things. Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, psychic medium Theodora Knight, know what lurks in the shadows. But even they’re not prepared for the worst Hell has to offer...

It was supposed to be a simple exorcism, a publicity stunt to firmly establish John and Theodora’s thriving paranormal investigation empire in the public eye. But something went wrong, leading to an on-air massacre that unleashed a malicious host of demons and left Theodora catatonic, possessed by countless spirits.

John sets out on a desperate quest to find a cure for his wife, but his obsession brings him face-to-face with an even more terrifying problem: Theodora’s possession is only one piece of a deadly plot that is threatening the entire world. Because an ancient evil is about to make Earth its battlefield—and without John and Theodora’s intervention, there is no chance for salvation...

THE DEMONISTS was a mixed bag for me. At times I was completely sucked in, reading the pages as fast as I possibly could, and yet other times I found myself skimming, particularly the further along in the book I read. It felt like things took off with one heck of a bang from the start and fizzled from that point on. I kept waiting for things to get that early spark back, and while I was sucked back in a few times, it never quite got the momentum back for me.

Another big strike against the book's pacing and flow was due to the almost random perspective changes. I felt like the story bounced from person to person without any real need to, making those changes more frustrating than they should have warranted. In particular, the extremely creepy villain's perspective is one I could have done without. Sure, that angle upped the creepy and horror factor, and yet I didn't feel like that added any real value to the book. It would have been stronger without that look into that side of things, instead staying more in the dark about those going ons. And lest you worry, there were plenty of other creepy things and scenes going on that it wouldn't have detracted from the horror angles overall.

Overall a mixed bag, THE DEMONISTS is a rocky start to a new series, but I haven't written it off yet. While this was a rough read for me, I'd be willing to give the next book a try as there were those parts in this one that sucked me in. Only time will tell.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
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Kirsten Reviews: Walking in the Midst of Fire by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Walking in the Midst of Fire by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Remy Chandler #6

Remy Chandler, angel private investigator, is trying his damnedest to lead a normal life in a world on the verge of supernatural change. He’s found a new love—a woman his dog, Marlowe, approves of—and his best human friend is reluctantly coming to grips with how...unusual...Remy’s actions can be. And he’s finally reached a kind of peace between his true angelic nature and the human persona he created for himself so very long ago.

But that peace can’t last—Heaven and the Legions of the Fallen still stand on the brink of war. Then one of Heaven’s greatest generals is murdered, and it falls to Remy to discover who—or what—might be responsible for the death, which could trigger the final conflict...a conflict in which Earth will most certainly be the beachhead.

The deeper he digs, the further he goes into a dark world of demonic assassins, secret brothels, and things that are unsettling even to a being who has lived since time began. But it is not in his nature—angelic or human—to stop until he has found the killer, no matter the personal price...

Walking in the Midst of Fire by Thomas E. Sniegoski is the newest installment in the Remy Chandler series. As such, new readers may want to pick up an earlier book to familiarize themselves with the characters and ongoing plot of the series, but this marks the beginning of another story arc, and it’s not that hard to jump in at this point without having to have more than relevant background information.

The basic elements that are important to remember are these: Remy Chandler is a seraph named “Remiel.” He deserted Heaven when Lucifer and the other rebellious angels were banished, and now makes his living on Earth as a private investigator. Lately, he seems to be doing more to stop the latest world-ending disaster than finding lost spouses, and to top it off, he has PTSD and ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder.’

Remy is trying to make a quiet life for himself, date somebody Marlowe, his dog thinks is appropriate, and reconcile a human identity with his angelic side. Of course that doesn’t last, because Heaven and the Legions of the Fallen are perpetually on the verge of another war. When a high-ranking general of Heaven is killed, Remy is called in to find out the identity of the culprit before there’s yet another apocalypse.

There are flashbacks, a range of characters from Remy’s past, and several povs, including Marlowe’s, the dog, as well as a villain who isn’t all pomp and glory, but has a long-range plan and a background that makes him interesting in his own right.

The story takes a while to get moving, and Remy’s new love interest has a role to play, but it’s the action and plot that stand out, along with the dark humor that is part of the series.

Be warned that the ending is something of a cliffhanger, but with another book in progress, the questions will be resolved eventually.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
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Previous Books:
     1. A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
     2. Dancing on the Head of a Pin
     3. Where Angels Fear to Tread
     4. A Hundred Words for Hate
     5. In the House of the Wicked
    

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