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In the same vein as SUPERNATURAL, HELLBOY, and BLADE comes...DÄMOREN.
A secret society of monster hunters.
A holy revolver forged to eradicate demons.
A possessed man with a tragic past.
A rising evil bent on destroying them all.
MATT HOLLIS is the current wielder of the holy weapon, äǰ. With it, he stalks and destroys demons.
A secret society called the VALDUCANS has taken an interest in Matt’s activities. They see him as a reckless rogue—little more than a ‘cowboy� corrupted by a monster—and a potential threat to their ancient order.
As knights and their sentient weapons begin dying, Matt teams up with other hunters of his kind such as LUIZA, a woman with a conquistador blade; ALLAN, an Englishman with an Egyptian khopesh; MALCOLM, a voodoo priest with a sanctified machete; and TAKAIRA, a naginata-swinging Samurai.
As the hunters become the hunted, they must learn to trust one another before a powerful demonic entity thrusts the world into a terrible and ageless darkness.
-----
äǰ is book one of debut author Seth Skorkowsky's urban fantasy series, Valducan, from Ragnarok Publications.
A secret society of monster hunters.
A holy revolver forged to eradicate demons.
A possessed man with a tragic past.
A rising evil bent on destroying them all.
MATT HOLLIS is the current wielder of the holy weapon, äǰ. With it, he stalks and destroys demons.
A secret society called the VALDUCANS has taken an interest in Matt’s activities. They see him as a reckless rogue—little more than a ‘cowboy� corrupted by a monster—and a potential threat to their ancient order.
As knights and their sentient weapons begin dying, Matt teams up with other hunters of his kind such as LUIZA, a woman with a conquistador blade; ALLAN, an Englishman with an Egyptian khopesh; MALCOLM, a voodoo priest with a sanctified machete; and TAKAIRA, a naginata-swinging Samurai.
As the hunters become the hunted, they must learn to trust one another before a powerful demonic entity thrusts the world into a terrible and ageless darkness.
-----
äǰ is book one of debut author Seth Skorkowsky's urban fantasy series, Valducan, from Ragnarok Publications.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2014
81 people are currently reading
1,614 people want to read
About the author
Seth Skorkowsky
20books342followersRaised in the swamps and pine forests of East Texas, Seth Skorkowsky always gravitated to the darker sides of fantasy, preferring horror and pulp heroes over knights in shining armor.
His debut novel, äǰ, was published in 2014. He has now released four urban fantasy novels and two sword-and-sorcery short story collections. Seth's latest novel, Ashes of Onyx, released in 2020.
When not writing, Seth enjoys cheesy movies, tabletop role-playing games, making YouTube videos, and traveling the world with his wife.
His debut novel, äǰ, was published in 2014. He has now released four urban fantasy novels and two sword-and-sorcery short story collections. Seth's latest novel, Ashes of Onyx, released in 2020.
When not writing, Seth enjoys cheesy movies, tabletop role-playing games, making YouTube videos, and traveling the world with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
July 15, 2017
Milestone achieved! This is officially my 100th review. I am ecstatic that this is the book that I get to review for said milestone.
Update: the lovely ladies over at Bookspren were so kind as to feature this review on their blog. You can check it out !
This is easily a 5 star book. It has cemented itself in the top 3 spot for my favorite debut novels. Right with Malice by John Gwynne and Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. Don't ask me to rank them, because I'm not sure I could make that choice. Not to mention this spectacular cover!! US covers tend to not be, in my opinion, very aesthetically pleasing. And man, I love this cover!
Damoren is an awesome blend of urban fantasy, horror and paranormal. It is pretty low fantasy. The characters don't really wield any magic, besides a "gift" Matt was gifted to heal when he touches demon blood and one of the characters has tattoos that can sense demons and do a few other things. We follow Matt Hollis in a first person point of view. He and his family was attacked by a pack of wendigos fourteen years before our story begins. That was the day that changed everything for him. That was the day his family was slaughtered, he became "possessed" by the demon that attacked him, and that was also the day that he met the demon hunter armed with the Holy revolver, Damoren, that he would later become the owner of. Fast forward fourteen years later and Matt has taken up his mentor's mantel. After a violent series of murders leaves only fifty Holy weapons in the world, Matt is approached by 2 men, from the holy order known as the Valducans, and recruited into their ranks. Due to his possession fourteen years earlier (it's not the type of possession we're thinking of, it's more like a watermark has been left behind) he is widely untrusted by the other members of the Valducan. Once sabotage and assassinations begin, the Valducan know they have a traitor in their midst. All adds up to Matt possibly being the culprit, so he has to prove himself and gain their trust, all while protecting Damoren and trying to uncover the true traitor among their ranks. The plot is full of so many twists and turns that it is truly tough to feel like anyone is ever really safe. Maybe not even our protagonist.
Skorkowsky's characters are all so unique and feel so real. They each have their strengths and plenty of weaknesses. This helped me really connect with a lot of them. I hated them when I was meant to hate them, and might have even liked a few of those same characters by the ending. There was just enough character development there to make me excited for the future books, since each book is going to feature a different character and weapon. The weapons are actually characters just as much as any of the people. One thing that I thought was really cool was how we got these little snippets in between some of the chapters that kind of gave us some insight into Damoren and her past owners. It really makes you feel a connection with the weapon, which is something truly unique.
Speaking of weapons, they were part of what made me love this book so much! I'm used to fantasy books that only feature a few different types of weapons. Mainly swords. Which is always understandable due to the setting of the book. So here we get a huge variety of (Holy) weapons, since it's set in present day. We get your run of the mill medieval sword, a revolver, a katana, khopesh, machete, toki poutangata, saber, mace, and so much more that I can't even recall right now. This made the story feel even more unique.
The demons and mythology in this book was yet another thing that had a lot of variety. I'm a sucker for a book with demons, so this was the selling point for me. I was pleasantly surprised at just how many demons and monsters we got. We had vampires, werewolves, ghouls, wendigos, oni, hellhounds, incubi, ifrit, lamia, rakshasas, crimson strutters, and even a dragon. I was blown away at just how extensive his list of demons and monsters was. He really held nothing back!
The only thing I would say that could make this book better would have been a glossary in the front. Mainly just because of how extensive the cast of demons and monsters is. And it seemed each monster/demon has their own colors of flames when they're killed, so a glossary explaining what each type of demon/monster looks like, a brief summary of their lore, color of flame when extinguished would've been really cool. Some of that is explained throughout the book, but glossaries are always a cool touch! It in no way made me enjoy the book any less, but I thought it worth addressing. Also, kind of a disclaimer, there is quite a lot of gun porn in this book. He gets very detailed at different points and I know that some people aren't fans of that stuff, so I thought I'd add that here too. There was a bit of a lull once Matt, our protagonist, gets to the Valducan base and the gun stuff gets pretty descriptive. It wasn't but maybe one chapter, and the only time that I felt the book fell into a lull. Luckily it's a very short period so it's really easy to get through.
This is such a strong debut novel in a series that keeps growing and growing. It encompasses so many elements that I think it will really satisfy a wide range of readers. You have demons, monsters, demon hunters, huge variety of weapons, urban fantasy elements, horror, gore, some great action, moments of humor that help to lighten the story a bit, and a spectacular ending that I don't think anyone will be able to predict. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys even just a few of these elements. You won't be disappointed.
Update: the lovely ladies over at Bookspren were so kind as to feature this review on their blog. You can check it out !
This is easily a 5 star book. It has cemented itself in the top 3 spot for my favorite debut novels. Right with Malice by John Gwynne and Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. Don't ask me to rank them, because I'm not sure I could make that choice. Not to mention this spectacular cover!! US covers tend to not be, in my opinion, very aesthetically pleasing. And man, I love this cover!
Damoren is an awesome blend of urban fantasy, horror and paranormal. It is pretty low fantasy. The characters don't really wield any magic, besides a "gift" Matt was gifted to heal when he touches demon blood and one of the characters has tattoos that can sense demons and do a few other things. We follow Matt Hollis in a first person point of view. He and his family was attacked by a pack of wendigos fourteen years before our story begins. That was the day that changed everything for him. That was the day his family was slaughtered, he became "possessed" by the demon that attacked him, and that was also the day that he met the demon hunter armed with the Holy revolver, Damoren, that he would later become the owner of. Fast forward fourteen years later and Matt has taken up his mentor's mantel. After a violent series of murders leaves only fifty Holy weapons in the world, Matt is approached by 2 men, from the holy order known as the Valducans, and recruited into their ranks. Due to his possession fourteen years earlier (it's not the type of possession we're thinking of, it's more like a watermark has been left behind) he is widely untrusted by the other members of the Valducan. Once sabotage and assassinations begin, the Valducan know they have a traitor in their midst. All adds up to Matt possibly being the culprit, so he has to prove himself and gain their trust, all while protecting Damoren and trying to uncover the true traitor among their ranks. The plot is full of so many twists and turns that it is truly tough to feel like anyone is ever really safe. Maybe not even our protagonist.
Skorkowsky's characters are all so unique and feel so real. They each have their strengths and plenty of weaknesses. This helped me really connect with a lot of them. I hated them when I was meant to hate them, and might have even liked a few of those same characters by the ending. There was just enough character development there to make me excited for the future books, since each book is going to feature a different character and weapon. The weapons are actually characters just as much as any of the people. One thing that I thought was really cool was how we got these little snippets in between some of the chapters that kind of gave us some insight into Damoren and her past owners. It really makes you feel a connection with the weapon, which is something truly unique.
Speaking of weapons, they were part of what made me love this book so much! I'm used to fantasy books that only feature a few different types of weapons. Mainly swords. Which is always understandable due to the setting of the book. So here we get a huge variety of (Holy) weapons, since it's set in present day. We get your run of the mill medieval sword, a revolver, a katana, khopesh, machete, toki poutangata, saber, mace, and so much more that I can't even recall right now. This made the story feel even more unique.
The demons and mythology in this book was yet another thing that had a lot of variety. I'm a sucker for a book with demons, so this was the selling point for me. I was pleasantly surprised at just how many demons and monsters we got. We had vampires, werewolves, ghouls, wendigos, oni, hellhounds, incubi, ifrit, lamia, rakshasas, crimson strutters, and even a dragon. I was blown away at just how extensive his list of demons and monsters was. He really held nothing back!
The only thing I would say that could make this book better would have been a glossary in the front. Mainly just because of how extensive the cast of demons and monsters is. And it seemed each monster/demon has their own colors of flames when they're killed, so a glossary explaining what each type of demon/monster looks like, a brief summary of their lore, color of flame when extinguished would've been really cool. Some of that is explained throughout the book, but glossaries are always a cool touch! It in no way made me enjoy the book any less, but I thought it worth addressing. Also, kind of a disclaimer, there is quite a lot of gun porn in this book. He gets very detailed at different points and I know that some people aren't fans of that stuff, so I thought I'd add that here too. There was a bit of a lull once Matt, our protagonist, gets to the Valducan base and the gun stuff gets pretty descriptive. It wasn't but maybe one chapter, and the only time that I felt the book fell into a lull. Luckily it's a very short period so it's really easy to get through.
This is such a strong debut novel in a series that keeps growing and growing. It encompasses so many elements that I think it will really satisfy a wide range of readers. You have demons, monsters, demon hunters, huge variety of weapons, urban fantasy elements, horror, gore, some great action, moments of humor that help to lighten the story a bit, and a spectacular ending that I don't think anyone will be able to predict. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys even just a few of these elements. You won't be disappointed.
October 12, 2018
When Matt Hollis, a lone demon hunter with a magical pistol, is approached to join the ancient order of Valducan knights, he warily accepts. Can the Valducans put aside their suspicions and accept Matt before they are overwhelmed by a demonic force bent on ridding the world of holy weapons?
I got this ARC from Ragnarok Publications, the fine folks responsible for the Dead West series.
Firstly, Damoren, a magical pistol with an equally magical bayonet attacked, was forged from a shattered magical sword, also called Damoren. Damoren's current wielder, Matt Hollis, is tainted by demon blood after a bullet fired by Damoren passed through a demon into him, giving him some cool abilities.
I really liked the mythology Skorkowsky established around the demons. Pretty much any monster you can think of was actually a human infected by a demon. Even dragons and vampires.
The story was pretty good. Matt has to overcome the mistrust of the rest of the Valducans and help them deal with a shit ton of demons. There's a lot of action and gore. Unfortunately, there's also a lot gun porn in this; long descriptions of weapons and lots of technical details.
Another thing I liked was the inclusion of excerpts from the Valducan's history interspersed with the regular chapters. Funny how I'm reading Carrie at the same time and it uses a similar technique.
It was a fun read and things got really tense in the last 20%. Since it's the first book in a series, I knew some people would live but if the first book is any indication, the story of the Valducan knights is going to be a bloody one with lots of casualties. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I got this ARC from Ragnarok Publications, the fine folks responsible for the Dead West series.
Firstly, Damoren, a magical pistol with an equally magical bayonet attacked, was forged from a shattered magical sword, also called Damoren. Damoren's current wielder, Matt Hollis, is tainted by demon blood after a bullet fired by Damoren passed through a demon into him, giving him some cool abilities.
I really liked the mythology Skorkowsky established around the demons. Pretty much any monster you can think of was actually a human infected by a demon. Even dragons and vampires.
The story was pretty good. Matt has to overcome the mistrust of the rest of the Valducans and help them deal with a shit ton of demons. There's a lot of action and gore. Unfortunately, there's also a lot gun porn in this; long descriptions of weapons and lots of technical details.
Another thing I liked was the inclusion of excerpts from the Valducan's history interspersed with the regular chapters. Funny how I'm reading Carrie at the same time and it uses a similar technique.
It was a fun read and things got really tense in the last 20%. Since it's the first book in a series, I knew some people would live but if the first book is any indication, the story of the Valducan knights is going to be a bloody one with lots of casualties. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
April 28, 2014
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
To tell the truth, äǰ didn’t start off high on my priority list of books to read when I received it for review, though it did hook my attention when I was told there would be wendigos (seriously, more books need wendigos). The cover, while very pretty, also did nothing to draw me in, showing a partial image of a bladed revolver. Hey, gunblades are neat and all -- but that also tells me very little.
Then a couple weeks ago, while trying to choose my next read, I was struck by a sudden surge of spontaneity and decided to pick up äǰ and give the first few pages a shot. An hour later, I realized with a jolt that I was still reading, and that I was already almost a third of the way in. The weird thing about that hour, is that it honestly felt like a mere few minutes. äǰ simply took me by surprise. I’ve read my fair share of stories about demon slayers and monster hunters, so admittedly I wasn’t expecting this first book of Seth Skorkowsky’s new urban fantasy/horror series to be that much different.
Once again, I am sorry to have underestimated the dark fiction of Ragnarok Pub. Rest assured äǰ will satisfy all your needs in the action and thrills department, but what I was most impressed with was the world building and unique body of lore Skorkowsky has created, which offered a fresh new take on the angel/demon mythos.
Central to the novel is the concept of holy weapons. In the world of äǰ, these weapons are sentient entities that if you’re not careful you may actually grow to care for them and even start thinking of them as characters themselves! Somehow the author has managed to imbue unmoving, unspeaking objects with personalities of their own. For when these holy weapons form a bond with a wielder, he or she becomes irrevocably aware that their weapons are alive and that they speak to their souls. No one knows how a holy weapon comes to be, but they are the only way to kill a demon. And the love a wielder feels for their weapon can be even more powerful than any attachment to another human being.
It is so with Matt Hollis, the main protagonist and owner of äǰ, the name of his holy sword pistol. As a child, Matt was the only survivor of a wendigo attack on his family, making it out alive thanks to a man named Clay Mercer who killed the monsters and rescued the young boy. The former wielder of äǰ, Clay had resigned from a secret order of demon hunters called the Valducan, and left his holy weapon to Matt after he died. But many years later, the Valducan leadership has taken an interest in Matt’s activities and asked him and äǰ to rejoin their ranks, due to a sudden influx of coordinated monster attacks and attempts to destroy holy weapons. Unfortunately, this was not a decision welcomed by all, as some of the Valducan see Matt as corrupted. For while Matt had survived his childhood wendigo attack, he was also bitten by one of the creatures.
So, get this: In the world of this novel, all monsters � everything from werewolves to vampires, ghouls to lamia � are all essentially humans, but possessed by the souls of the different kinds of demons inhabiting them, giving rise to their physical and characteristic traits. A bite is how a demon “marks� a person, making them an available vessel to possess if or when their old body perishes. Now you can see why the other Valducans might be giving Matt the shifty eyes.
The book is just filled to the brim with cool ideas like these, not to mention the fact Matt’s special condition gives him some rather handy powers (blood compasses! Can you say awesome?) or the sheer variety of terrifying monsters, both new and familiar, that you’ll come face to face with within these pages. There’s certainly no shortage of action. I also classified this book as an urban fantasy, but in reality the plot will take you to many places across the globe, from the wilds of western Canada to the outskirt villages of Florence. So not only does it take place in variety of environments, äǰ is a truly international adventure.
Although it will read perfectly fine as a self-contained novel, I was also happy to see that it is a “book one� implying that there will be more in the future. When the Valducan Order expands, one thing I'd love to see is more kickass female knights like Luiza. As one of the only two major female characters, I wasn't surprised that the role of "love interest" fell to her as well, but more to the point, I think the special relationship between a holy weapon and its owner is one of the most intriguing aspects of äǰ and I would love to see this uncanny bond further explored with an even greater diversity of characters. Really looking forward to see what else Seth Skorkowsky has in store for us.
To tell the truth, äǰ didn’t start off high on my priority list of books to read when I received it for review, though it did hook my attention when I was told there would be wendigos (seriously, more books need wendigos). The cover, while very pretty, also did nothing to draw me in, showing a partial image of a bladed revolver. Hey, gunblades are neat and all -- but that also tells me very little.
Then a couple weeks ago, while trying to choose my next read, I was struck by a sudden surge of spontaneity and decided to pick up äǰ and give the first few pages a shot. An hour later, I realized with a jolt that I was still reading, and that I was already almost a third of the way in. The weird thing about that hour, is that it honestly felt like a mere few minutes. äǰ simply took me by surprise. I’ve read my fair share of stories about demon slayers and monster hunters, so admittedly I wasn’t expecting this first book of Seth Skorkowsky’s new urban fantasy/horror series to be that much different.
Once again, I am sorry to have underestimated the dark fiction of Ragnarok Pub. Rest assured äǰ will satisfy all your needs in the action and thrills department, but what I was most impressed with was the world building and unique body of lore Skorkowsky has created, which offered a fresh new take on the angel/demon mythos.
Central to the novel is the concept of holy weapons. In the world of äǰ, these weapons are sentient entities that if you’re not careful you may actually grow to care for them and even start thinking of them as characters themselves! Somehow the author has managed to imbue unmoving, unspeaking objects with personalities of their own. For when these holy weapons form a bond with a wielder, he or she becomes irrevocably aware that their weapons are alive and that they speak to their souls. No one knows how a holy weapon comes to be, but they are the only way to kill a demon. And the love a wielder feels for their weapon can be even more powerful than any attachment to another human being.
It is so with Matt Hollis, the main protagonist and owner of äǰ, the name of his holy sword pistol. As a child, Matt was the only survivor of a wendigo attack on his family, making it out alive thanks to a man named Clay Mercer who killed the monsters and rescued the young boy. The former wielder of äǰ, Clay had resigned from a secret order of demon hunters called the Valducan, and left his holy weapon to Matt after he died. But many years later, the Valducan leadership has taken an interest in Matt’s activities and asked him and äǰ to rejoin their ranks, due to a sudden influx of coordinated monster attacks and attempts to destroy holy weapons. Unfortunately, this was not a decision welcomed by all, as some of the Valducan see Matt as corrupted. For while Matt had survived his childhood wendigo attack, he was also bitten by one of the creatures.
So, get this: In the world of this novel, all monsters � everything from werewolves to vampires, ghouls to lamia � are all essentially humans, but possessed by the souls of the different kinds of demons inhabiting them, giving rise to their physical and characteristic traits. A bite is how a demon “marks� a person, making them an available vessel to possess if or when their old body perishes. Now you can see why the other Valducans might be giving Matt the shifty eyes.
The book is just filled to the brim with cool ideas like these, not to mention the fact Matt’s special condition gives him some rather handy powers (blood compasses! Can you say awesome?) or the sheer variety of terrifying monsters, both new and familiar, that you’ll come face to face with within these pages. There’s certainly no shortage of action. I also classified this book as an urban fantasy, but in reality the plot will take you to many places across the globe, from the wilds of western Canada to the outskirt villages of Florence. So not only does it take place in variety of environments, äǰ is a truly international adventure.
Although it will read perfectly fine as a self-contained novel, I was also happy to see that it is a “book one� implying that there will be more in the future. When the Valducan Order expands, one thing I'd love to see is more kickass female knights like Luiza. As one of the only two major female characters, I wasn't surprised that the role of "love interest" fell to her as well, but more to the point, I think the special relationship between a holy weapon and its owner is one of the most intriguing aspects of äǰ and I would love to see this uncanny bond further explored with an even greater diversity of characters. Really looking forward to see what else Seth Skorkowsky has in store for us.
July 21, 2018
Interesting book. It's a pretty good addition to the UF universes. Here we have a mythology that centers around magic weapons or as the book refers to them "holy weapons" (though the use of the word is somewhat subjective and means something different in this fictional universe than it might elsewhere). Anyway...as noted the story revolves around weapons, primarily Damoren. Lest I'm unclear there, Damoren is one of these weapons, a revolver with a knife blade under the barrel.
See...monsters can be, "killed" by whatever is their weakness, silver for werewolves, gold for Rakshasas (though I never heard of that one so it's probably unique to the book.) etc. But it takes one of the "holy weapons" or magic weapons to kill the creature inside the possessed human. If you just kill a werewolf with a silver bullet then the "actual" werewolf floats around in the "Aether" (so to speak) till it can possess another body. The "holy weapons" kill the "thing inside". There are various kinds of weapons and the monsters want to destroy them. Once a weapon is broken it's dead. See the weapons "bond" to a hunter and it's apparently a very intense relationship...I mean,"VERY INTENSE". So the hunters are badly shaken up if their weapon dies and as I said if a weapon gets broken or smashed it's dead...
Except for Damoren.
Damoren was at one time a sword. Dameron was broken. But Damoren didn't die.
Damoren's hunter had Damoren reforged as a cap and ball revolver.
I'd say that if you like Urban Fantasy in general and/or the Monster Hunter motif then you'll like this book. We have the protagonist who isn't trusted by his allies, traditional monsters, nontraditional monsters, a twist at the end that while not wholly original isn't one we've seen overworked and it's got a good lead in.
There are also some openings for interesting characters to come, or possibly "reappear" might be a better word. There's a lot of room for expansion in the "world" and it's magic system. There are of course some big internal logic holes in the novel but we live in hope that kind of thing will get handled.
I mean for example, if the only way the actual "monsters" can be dispatched permanently (so to speak) is with one of the "holy weapons" then there must be more holy weapons somewhere or we'd be hip deep in lycanthropes, vampires and other nasties. Still instead of looking at that as a drawback I choose to see it as an opportunity for Mr. Skorkowsky.
I like the book. Maybe not the "best" Urban Fantasy out there and not one I'll be counting the days till the next installment is available, but a pretty good UF/action read.
Recommend (mostly though with a few caveats). Enjoy.
See...monsters can be, "killed" by whatever is their weakness, silver for werewolves, gold for Rakshasas (though I never heard of that one so it's probably unique to the book.) etc. But it takes one of the "holy weapons" or magic weapons to kill the creature inside the possessed human. If you just kill a werewolf with a silver bullet then the "actual" werewolf floats around in the "Aether" (so to speak) till it can possess another body. The "holy weapons" kill the "thing inside". There are various kinds of weapons and the monsters want to destroy them. Once a weapon is broken it's dead. See the weapons "bond" to a hunter and it's apparently a very intense relationship...I mean,"VERY INTENSE". So the hunters are badly shaken up if their weapon dies and as I said if a weapon gets broken or smashed it's dead...
Except for Damoren.
Damoren was at one time a sword. Dameron was broken. But Damoren didn't die.
Damoren's hunter had Damoren reforged as a cap and ball revolver.
I'd say that if you like Urban Fantasy in general and/or the Monster Hunter motif then you'll like this book. We have the protagonist who isn't trusted by his allies, traditional monsters, nontraditional monsters, a twist at the end that while not wholly original isn't one we've seen overworked and it's got a good lead in.
There are also some openings for interesting characters to come, or possibly "reappear" might be a better word. There's a lot of room for expansion in the "world" and it's magic system. There are of course some big internal logic holes in the novel but we live in hope that kind of thing will get handled.
I mean for example, if the only way the actual "monsters" can be dispatched permanently (so to speak) is with one of the "holy weapons" then there must be more holy weapons somewhere or we'd be hip deep in lycanthropes, vampires and other nasties. Still instead of looking at that as a drawback I choose to see it as an opportunity for Mr. Skorkowsky.
I like the book. Maybe not the "best" Urban Fantasy out there and not one I'll be counting the days till the next installment is available, but a pretty good UF/action read.
Recommend (mostly though with a few caveats). Enjoy.
September 13, 2017
More of this kinda stuff on .
I guess I am becoming more willing to give unknown, small books a go and so far I'm not regretting it at all. Then again, Michael loved this and our taste is fairly similar with fun, action packed stuff, so I guess I should have known. (To my family; if you find my mummified body under a collapsed pile of books, Michael is to blame.)
When you hear 'holy weapon' you most likely imagine it as this one single item that is so special that no other can ever reach its level and only the chosen one can even think of using it.
In this series that's not true at all, whatsoever. There is a whole organisation (called Valducan) with holy weapon wielding people, who go wherever they are needed to take care of demons that terrorise humanity.
Our hero, Matt was raised by a retired Valducan knight after his whole family having been slaughtered by demons, Matt himself having been infected by a demon. After the death of his master he inherited Damoren, the holy gun/sword and now he is even being recruited into Valducan, as their knights keep dying in horrible ways.
Not sure how many people have read Darren Shan's Demonata, a horror series with gruesome stuff for... kids. I used to be absolutely obsessed with it, it was a genuinely fantastic series. It also had a secret organisation to stop demons and in many ways this felt like a spiritual successor of a more adult kind.
From the get go that was a good thing in my mind, not gonna lie. But I guess that tells everyone that this is horror. It's nasty, it's bloody, people will inevitably die and monsters will come. At the same time, this is less of the Stephen King kind, more like gruesome fantasy and to me that works. I genuinely prefer it that way. Somehow that feels more exciting and less about being shocking.
And boy, it was exciting. As upsetting as it could be, there was so much action and the different characters had so many different skills. Somehow it really felt like this world could offer even more, so much adventure and I am convinced that it is not going to be used up for some time now.
I'm not saying the author will definitely turn it into one more gigantic urban fantasy series (long live Harry Dresden), but it absolutely has the potential for it. The skill is there, the cool, the great characters you can get attached to, it just needs time, work to elaborate more, to write more stories.
Would it be absolutely wrong to call a story charming with so much horrible things happening to people? Then what should I say? It has some kind of a charm that made me interested. That made me connect to it, that made me want MORE. I usually say if I will read the rest of the series at the very end of my reviews, but... dude, be honest, I am reading the rest of this so much, it's unfunny.
I'm also happy to see that the author is actually working on it. Books are coming out, it's not stuck, I will have more. What does it say about me that I'm happy about that.
Another funny thing about this series is that Matt, the protagonist is dropped into a whole new situation with complete strangers. They are already a well-formed group with connections and attachments, but Matt is completely new, which to me is interesting, as we see tragedies from the point of view of someone only semi-attached to the rest. He can not hope to feel as much for the others as anyone else, because he is the new guy.
That was a smart decision. We connect to Matt's point of view as we know just as little about the others. Of course we care, we are humans, but somehow we are still a bit outside of it at the same time. It was great, as it didn't make me feel like we were being pushed to feel things. The author didn't assume we were instantly 100% in love because we knew a character's name.
I find this is something that can be done so wrong; expecting the reader to feel gigantic feelings just because we were told we should be feeling that. How I hate that. Here, though, it was great. Not sure how much of it was deliberate. Maybe it was just an idea. But it was good.
In private I joked with Michael about how the guys in this book would be cool as Japanese dating sim game characters. All different types, all cool, I would find it hilarious. Which adds even more to the potential of this becoming big. I have no idea how books become the super big hits, but man, this would deserve it. It would work well, people could relate, a movie would be super fun. Everything. I guess I will have to push one more series on my friends for gift giving holidays. Because I am that friend. I AM THAT FRIEND. (With me it's either hand made stuff or books almost always, deal with it.)
I loved it, over 9000 stars, great stuff. I do recommend it, I will get the other books, I would sell my soul for the new one at this point.
Good night and I hope I'm sticking to my guns about this one!
I guess I am becoming more willing to give unknown, small books a go and so far I'm not regretting it at all. Then again, Michael loved this and our taste is fairly similar with fun, action packed stuff, so I guess I should have known. (To my family; if you find my mummified body under a collapsed pile of books, Michael is to blame.)
When you hear 'holy weapon' you most likely imagine it as this one single item that is so special that no other can ever reach its level and only the chosen one can even think of using it.
In this series that's not true at all, whatsoever. There is a whole organisation (called Valducan) with holy weapon wielding people, who go wherever they are needed to take care of demons that terrorise humanity.
Our hero, Matt was raised by a retired Valducan knight after his whole family having been slaughtered by demons, Matt himself having been infected by a demon. After the death of his master he inherited Damoren, the holy gun/sword and now he is even being recruited into Valducan, as their knights keep dying in horrible ways.
Not sure how many people have read Darren Shan's Demonata, a horror series with gruesome stuff for... kids. I used to be absolutely obsessed with it, it was a genuinely fantastic series. It also had a secret organisation to stop demons and in many ways this felt like a spiritual successor of a more adult kind.
From the get go that was a good thing in my mind, not gonna lie. But I guess that tells everyone that this is horror. It's nasty, it's bloody, people will inevitably die and monsters will come. At the same time, this is less of the Stephen King kind, more like gruesome fantasy and to me that works. I genuinely prefer it that way. Somehow that feels more exciting and less about being shocking.
And boy, it was exciting. As upsetting as it could be, there was so much action and the different characters had so many different skills. Somehow it really felt like this world could offer even more, so much adventure and I am convinced that it is not going to be used up for some time now.
I'm not saying the author will definitely turn it into one more gigantic urban fantasy series (long live Harry Dresden), but it absolutely has the potential for it. The skill is there, the cool, the great characters you can get attached to, it just needs time, work to elaborate more, to write more stories.
Would it be absolutely wrong to call a story charming with so much horrible things happening to people? Then what should I say? It has some kind of a charm that made me interested. That made me connect to it, that made me want MORE. I usually say if I will read the rest of the series at the very end of my reviews, but... dude, be honest, I am reading the rest of this so much, it's unfunny.
I'm also happy to see that the author is actually working on it. Books are coming out, it's not stuck, I will have more. What does it say about me that I'm happy about that.
Another funny thing about this series is that Matt, the protagonist is dropped into a whole new situation with complete strangers. They are already a well-formed group with connections and attachments, but Matt is completely new, which to me is interesting, as we see tragedies from the point of view of someone only semi-attached to the rest. He can not hope to feel as much for the others as anyone else, because he is the new guy.
That was a smart decision. We connect to Matt's point of view as we know just as little about the others. Of course we care, we are humans, but somehow we are still a bit outside of it at the same time. It was great, as it didn't make me feel like we were being pushed to feel things. The author didn't assume we were instantly 100% in love because we knew a character's name.
I find this is something that can be done so wrong; expecting the reader to feel gigantic feelings just because we were told we should be feeling that. How I hate that. Here, though, it was great. Not sure how much of it was deliberate. Maybe it was just an idea. But it was good.
In private I joked with Michael about how the guys in this book would be cool as Japanese dating sim game characters. All different types, all cool, I would find it hilarious. Which adds even more to the potential of this becoming big. I have no idea how books become the super big hits, but man, this would deserve it. It would work well, people could relate, a movie would be super fun. Everything. I guess I will have to push one more series on my friends for gift giving holidays. Because I am that friend. I AM THAT FRIEND. (With me it's either hand made stuff or books almost always, deal with it.)
I loved it, over 9000 stars, great stuff. I do recommend it, I will get the other books, I would sell my soul for the new one at this point.
Good night and I hope I'm sticking to my guns about this one!
April 16, 2014
Full review over at
ANALYSIS: With urban fantasies nowadays, there’s only so much being done. Faced with the usual bandwagon of vampires, werewolves, faeries, elves and other tropes, it can get a tad disappointing for an urban fantasy fan like me. Of course we have authors like Ilona Andrews, Liz Williams, Myke Cole, Tim Marquitz, and Rachel Aaron who dare to stretch the limits and pave new ground.
Seth Skorkowsky’s äǰ was a book, which after reading the blurb, I was hoping that would also be different. The blurb details a world wherein there’s a series of holy weapons that have been wielded by men and women to defeat all sorts of unnatural and nasty creatures. Matt Hollis is our protagonist who is also the current wielder of äǰ and he’s been doing his job (of sorts) since he learnt what the world truly is. In his teenage years when he went by Spencer Mallory, he came to know what a wendigo is and what savagery a group of them can inflict. Saved by a stranger who wielded äǰ, Matt/Spencer is drawn to the gun with a mind of its own. Fastforward fourteen years to the attack, we encounter Matt investigating a strange phenomenon in Canada.
That’s where he meets the Valducans, a strange group of people who wield similar weapons and who request him for his help. There’s much more to the weapons than Matt knows but the only way he can get information is if he decides to join this motley bunch. The spanner in the works is that Matt has a secret of his own and it might endanger everyone.
You have to admit Seth Skorkowsky has gotten a nice hook with this story. There’s a magical weapon,a freaking revolver with a blade. It’s sentient as are other weapons and a mystery organization is holding them to battle with all sorts of nasty creatures. The author does really go out of his way to make this tale an international one by having the story move around from locale to locale and doesn’t conform to any one specific mythology either. Utilizing a whole gamut of creatures from European, Native American and Hindu mythos, he keeps the story and the readers on an even keel. There’s also a strong undercurrent of horror that the author utilizes effectively within the action sequences and with certain plot points.
The story also moves at a very fast pace and has some terrific action sequences interspersed. Additionally the author also has some neat twists reserved for the end, which go on to explain some exciting hints about the mythology of the holy weapons. The author also gives some important information about the world between chapters as book excerpts and other such, which really helps the reader without going into unnecessary exposition. The story is nicely streamlined as the Valducans are constantly hammered on all fronts and Matt has to figure it out before the suspicions against him turn violent. The story also ends on a big climax that should satisfy most of the readers and points excitingly towards a sequel.
Now to the points that didn’t make this it a five star read, in regards to the characterization of the protagonist. We are given enough of a clue about him and his past however the circumstances with which he grew up would have been exciting to explore. A boy who has been savaged by wendigos is saved by something beyond his control and yet looked on with hostility by his savior. That’s a terrific origin story right there! Of course with regards to the story he wanted to tell, I can imagine why the author directly jumped to the present. Also in regards to the other characters, we don’t get much background on them but they aren’t cardboard cutouts either.
Another thing I would have enjoyed is that if the author had explored as to how all the world religions and mythologies tie in together, there are a few things mentioned here and there. But nothing concrete is offered, this is what usually ruffles the read for me. I would have liked to see how the world religions have been affected or atleast some hypothesis in regards to it. But with this being book one in a series, it can be understood if the author didn't want to reveal all his cards. Lastly one more interesting thing the author manages is that he very effectively sidesteps the question of which brand of belief is the correct one. I thought that was a very smooth move.
CONCLUSION: äǰ is an exciting debut, as it offers the best of both urban fantasy and thrillers have to offer. Seth Skorkowsky writes a story that is an excellent combination of horror, action and mythology, furthermore his writing flows smoothly and makes for a damned good read as well. Check out äǰ if you like Jim Butcher's works mixed in with a strong dash of James Rollins' thrillers.
August 7, 2017
I tried this story in two formats: audio and ebook. If I could have managed to listen to the story, certain things would not have annoyed me as quickly as they did by reading the story. To my surprise, I did not like the way Bray narrated the story and returned the audiobook after trying to listen to it several times. I got about 20 minutes into the audio before I stopped listening.
The story comes off like a bad attempt at an anime style story. For no particular reason, different aspects of the story would irk me from the very start and I kept brushing them aside as minor irritations. Sometimes, it takes a little work and effort to get into a new story and author. It's worth the effort to see if there's a gem hiding in the rough.
The basic concepts that the author outlines shred any desire I had to read this story. A few of the ideas have some merit and the characters are engaging. However, I can't get over the foundation that the story is built upon. I don't buy it. The more the writer talks about it within the story, the less I like it and the more it sinks into a mud pit.
I read over 40% of the story before I skimmed the rest. I can state that most of the questions that are raised at the start of the book will be answered by the end of the book.
The story comes off like a bad attempt at an anime style story. For no particular reason, different aspects of the story would irk me from the very start and I kept brushing them aside as minor irritations. Sometimes, it takes a little work and effort to get into a new story and author. It's worth the effort to see if there's a gem hiding in the rough.
The basic concepts that the author outlines shred any desire I had to read this story. A few of the ideas have some merit and the characters are engaging. However, I can't get over the foundation that the story is built upon. I don't buy it. The more the writer talks about it within the story, the less I like it and the more it sinks into a mud pit.
I read over 40% of the story before I skimmed the rest. I can state that most of the questions that are raised at the start of the book will be answered by the end of the book.
October 25, 2017
4.5 ⭐️ my first audiobook (ever)
My experience with 'urban fantasy' genre has always been a hit & miss (with a heavy weighting on the 'miss' part). Last year I was delightfully surprised by Dresden Files that, whilst with its flaws, has quickly climbed up to my 'favourite' shelf. I have tried other books since but ended up disappointed (not to name any names)...
Anyhow, Damoren is clearly breaking this 'urban fantasy is a meh' tide for me! If you like Harry Dresden - you should enjoy Matthew Hollis and the Valducan crew. Damoren is a very well crafted story that sucks you in from page 1 and refuses to let you go even after you finished the book.
It is, what they say, 'high octane' adventure, very big on action and combat and plenty supernatural roadkill. But in the same time, it comes with a strong party of characters, believable backstory and worldbuilding. It lacks the depth of symbolism you may find in but makes up for it with the thrill of a plot pace. As far as the escapism go - this is a perfect remedy to take your mind away from the day-to-day.
In summary, great kudos to the author - I will definitely be coming back for more books of the series. Special shout out to the audiobook narrator - great job there with putting on all those accents! Because of its pace and action, I think this book lends itself particularly well to the audio format. I recommend others to try as well.
PS: It was my first audiobook experience and it was fun. Not sure if I am happy to give up hardback and kindle as my weapons of choice - but it is nice to have options. Does anyone have good audiobook recommendations?
My experience with 'urban fantasy' genre has always been a hit & miss (with a heavy weighting on the 'miss' part). Last year I was delightfully surprised by Dresden Files that, whilst with its flaws, has quickly climbed up to my 'favourite' shelf. I have tried other books since but ended up disappointed (not to name any names)...
Anyhow, Damoren is clearly breaking this 'urban fantasy is a meh' tide for me! If you like Harry Dresden - you should enjoy Matthew Hollis and the Valducan crew. Damoren is a very well crafted story that sucks you in from page 1 and refuses to let you go even after you finished the book.
It is, what they say, 'high octane' adventure, very big on action and combat and plenty supernatural roadkill. But in the same time, it comes with a strong party of characters, believable backstory and worldbuilding. It lacks the depth of symbolism you may find in but makes up for it with the thrill of a plot pace. As far as the escapism go - this is a perfect remedy to take your mind away from the day-to-day.
In summary, great kudos to the author - I will definitely be coming back for more books of the series. Special shout out to the audiobook narrator - great job there with putting on all those accents! Because of its pace and action, I think this book lends itself particularly well to the audio format. I recommend others to try as well.
PS: It was my first audiobook experience and it was fun. Not sure if I am happy to give up hardback and kindle as my weapons of choice - but it is nice to have options. Does anyone have good audiobook recommendations?
October 6, 2017
Not bad, not bad at all. Blown away i was not, but i didn't want to chuck my Kindle across the room (not literally of course) while reading.
So Damoren is basically a book about people who call themselves knights/hunters who get boners (again not literally) for their weapons and also who have taken it upon themselves -such selfless humans - to rid the world of demons.
First off i think this book really pushed it with the whole i love my weapon ish. It was, as far i'm concerned a cringe fest..It was just too much.. TOO MUCH!!
Then the demons-For anyone who's conversant with monster folklore -that's a thing right?- you probably wouldn't have a problem with all the demon names the book kept throwing at you and what their powers were, but if the extent of your folklore stops at ware wolves, vampires, Djinns let's throw in succubus too, the demon names just start to blur.. Plus there's only so many times i want to check google for what the heck these creatures are..rakshasas, lamia, ifrits, wendigo, a horned frog like beast with gold skin, an oni, a pair of giant black dogs with eyes glowing like embers...you get the picture.
GUNS GUNS GUNSSSS & Damoren's shells- I think this author is a gun nut or well likes guns a whole lot. Not necessarily a bad thing really i just didn't expect so much specific gun talk. Like there was this part where they in an armory sort of and they started talking about using the reloading press, i honest to God had to YouTube what that was and see how it works -Bonus point, I learnt something new, so yay- On the other hand, did i really really need all that info. On to Damoren's shells, first off, Shout out to Michael Britt for the whole gun shell explanation thing 😁 much appreciated.
Right so apparently Damoren's It just didn't gel for me really. It felt like the author just picked a convenient time to make him care about the shell casings just so he could conveniently work the angle in the story he was going for. Sometimes i think authors maybe think readers forget certain stuffs that happen earlier in the book.
The love thing - One word. WHY??? I don't understand why authors feel the need to pair characters up really.. but hey, if it must be done, definitely not like it was in this book.. so awkward and very insta-lovey.. yuck!! i really don't want to see insta love if it isn't smut.
Anyways i saved the best for last.. The fight scenes were awesome, like really awesome!!! it was like 
but with monsters!! so yeah i could live with the other negatives.
All in all looking forward to a much improved Book 2..hopefully with less hard ons for their weapons.
November 13, 2018
4.5 Stars
That was awesome. Damoren started off a new series with a bang, introducing a fantastic world of demons and the secret order of knights who hunt them.
Damoren follows Matt Hollis, a demon hunter who comes into contact with the Valducans, an ancient holy order dedicated to hunting and destroying demons, using holy weapons to wage their secret war. A new treat has risen against the order, and the hunters are banding together to find out what’s behind this new evil and destroy it.
This book was just plain fun. The pacing was fantastic, I can’t remember a single time it lagged. There is TONS of phenomenal action, but the author did a great job balancing that with character interactions and world building. One gripe I sometimes have with action heavy books is that it seems like the action takes the place of things like dialogue, but that thankfully wasn’t the case here.
I loved the premise. A secret order of knights waging war against demons with sentient weapons? Sign me up. And the author delivered on the promise, creating a world full of varied and interesting creatures.
The closest comparison I have for Damoren is the Monster Hunter International series by Larry Correia (which I love). Both have monster hunters and are fast paced, have lots of action, and are wildly entertaining. That said, this series stands on it owns, with some great worldbuilding and plenty of unique touches.
The story is told entirely from the POV of Matt, though there are a couple other short chapters in the form of archive record entries that do a god job of adding some backstory. The author handled that trick well, that type of things isn’t always easy to pull off.
The book wasn’t perfect, with a couple small knocks against it. I noticed several typos/grammatical errors, though not enough to pull me out of the story. The writing is polished, but at times I wished it was a touch more descriptive. And I have just a tiny issue with part of the ending that seemed a bit convenient. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, and rounded up the 4.5 rating to a full 5.
I read this book in just over a day, and immediately bought the next book. If you like action heavy urban fantasy with a touch of horror, you need check out this book.
That was awesome. Damoren started off a new series with a bang, introducing a fantastic world of demons and the secret order of knights who hunt them.
Damoren follows Matt Hollis, a demon hunter who comes into contact with the Valducans, an ancient holy order dedicated to hunting and destroying demons, using holy weapons to wage their secret war. A new treat has risen against the order, and the hunters are banding together to find out what’s behind this new evil and destroy it.
This book was just plain fun. The pacing was fantastic, I can’t remember a single time it lagged. There is TONS of phenomenal action, but the author did a great job balancing that with character interactions and world building. One gripe I sometimes have with action heavy books is that it seems like the action takes the place of things like dialogue, but that thankfully wasn’t the case here.
I loved the premise. A secret order of knights waging war against demons with sentient weapons? Sign me up. And the author delivered on the promise, creating a world full of varied and interesting creatures.
The closest comparison I have for Damoren is the Monster Hunter International series by Larry Correia (which I love). Both have monster hunters and are fast paced, have lots of action, and are wildly entertaining. That said, this series stands on it owns, with some great worldbuilding and plenty of unique touches.
The story is told entirely from the POV of Matt, though there are a couple other short chapters in the form of archive record entries that do a god job of adding some backstory. The author handled that trick well, that type of things isn’t always easy to pull off.
The book wasn’t perfect, with a couple small knocks against it. I noticed several typos/grammatical errors, though not enough to pull me out of the story. The writing is polished, but at times I wished it was a touch more descriptive. And I have just a tiny issue with part of the ending that seemed a bit convenient. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, and rounded up the 4.5 rating to a full 5.
I read this book in just over a day, and immediately bought the next book. If you like action heavy urban fantasy with a touch of horror, you need check out this book.
May 29, 2024
4.5/5
DAMOREN by Seth Skorkowsky is the first volume of the Valducan series of urban fantasy novels. Urban fantasy has become something of a winding road in recent years as it has become deluged with endless knock-offs of the same basic character types: a snarky wizard with a bad attitude or a beautiful (but doesn't know it) spunky paranormal heroine. Call them the "Harry Dresden" or "Mercy Thompsons" of the world. They're awesome but it's nice when a series adds something new to the genre.
The Valducan series is nothing like Harry Dresden, albeit Matt Hollis is a snarky man with a bad attitude. He's also not even the protagonist of the entire series. Instead, each volume stars a different member of the titular order of monster hunters. All of them are equipped with magical weapons which possess the power to slay demons as well as their offspring. These weapons have a strange affect on their owners which is halfway between the One Ring and a marriage. I've very much enjoyed each volume and am glad to talk about the first which started it all.
The premise? Matt Hollis is a victim of a monster attack who has been infected in the process. This is normally a death sentence for humans found by members of the Valducan but he ends up being saved and getting the magical pistol which gives the book its title. Receiving Damoren means he's a gunslinger akin to Roland but comes with the cost of having to spend the rest of his life hunting down monsters. Worse, he doesn't have the support of the Valducan because they think he's a monster. Well, until there's a threat which requires all hands on deck, including the ones they hate.
This is weirdly akin to the Avengers in the majority of the book is Matt meeting the other oddball members of the organization as well as finding out about their abilities. There's Malcolm the Voodoo priest with a magical machete, Allan the Englishman with a khopesh, and Luiza with a conquistador blade. All of them have odd but memorable personalities and a few of them are willing to give Matt the benefit of the doubt.
The fact this is a monster hunter book about an organization rather than a person, Matt more or less serving as our viewpoint character, makes it different than most urban fantasy out there. It's also a bit darker as there's no romance in the story and it's a terrible world with monsters treating human beings as supper with no possible recourse. Demons can't be killed by conventional weapons and if you destroy their offspring, then they can make more. It's a neat little set up and the fact the group looks like a bunch of domestic terrorists from the outside (crazy secretive religious group that is always nearby violent incidents) means they have a good reason to keep under the radar.
Damoren is full of action from start to finish with a horde of disgusting and terrible monsters slaughtering their way across Europe as well as America. These are purely unsympathetic creatures and come in impossible varieties due to the fact vampires, werewolves, naga, and other creatures are "merely" the physical expressions of the demon within. That was a neat little bit of world-building there.
Ironically, my biggest complaint is the fact I liked Matt Hollis enough that I was disappointed to find out he wasn't the protagonist for the entire series. He had an excellent "voice" which I became accustomed to. I also note the depiction of the demons is a bit one-dimensional (aside from a surprising revelation). They're completely feral and monstrous creatures which can only be dealt with by the use of weapons. It rather limits storytelling in the future even if our heroes' quest is justified by such a terrible foe. Either way, the books are great fun.
DAMOREN by Seth Skorkowsky is the first volume of the Valducan series of urban fantasy novels. Urban fantasy has become something of a winding road in recent years as it has become deluged with endless knock-offs of the same basic character types: a snarky wizard with a bad attitude or a beautiful (but doesn't know it) spunky paranormal heroine. Call them the "Harry Dresden" or "Mercy Thompsons" of the world. They're awesome but it's nice when a series adds something new to the genre.
The Valducan series is nothing like Harry Dresden, albeit Matt Hollis is a snarky man with a bad attitude. He's also not even the protagonist of the entire series. Instead, each volume stars a different member of the titular order of monster hunters. All of them are equipped with magical weapons which possess the power to slay demons as well as their offspring. These weapons have a strange affect on their owners which is halfway between the One Ring and a marriage. I've very much enjoyed each volume and am glad to talk about the first which started it all.
The premise? Matt Hollis is a victim of a monster attack who has been infected in the process. This is normally a death sentence for humans found by members of the Valducan but he ends up being saved and getting the magical pistol which gives the book its title. Receiving Damoren means he's a gunslinger akin to Roland but comes with the cost of having to spend the rest of his life hunting down monsters. Worse, he doesn't have the support of the Valducan because they think he's a monster. Well, until there's a threat which requires all hands on deck, including the ones they hate.
This is weirdly akin to the Avengers in the majority of the book is Matt meeting the other oddball members of the organization as well as finding out about their abilities. There's Malcolm the Voodoo priest with a magical machete, Allan the Englishman with a khopesh, and Luiza with a conquistador blade. All of them have odd but memorable personalities and a few of them are willing to give Matt the benefit of the doubt.
The fact this is a monster hunter book about an organization rather than a person, Matt more or less serving as our viewpoint character, makes it different than most urban fantasy out there. It's also a bit darker as there's no romance in the story and it's a terrible world with monsters treating human beings as supper with no possible recourse. Demons can't be killed by conventional weapons and if you destroy their offspring, then they can make more. It's a neat little set up and the fact the group looks like a bunch of domestic terrorists from the outside (crazy secretive religious group that is always nearby violent incidents) means they have a good reason to keep under the radar.
Damoren is full of action from start to finish with a horde of disgusting and terrible monsters slaughtering their way across Europe as well as America. These are purely unsympathetic creatures and come in impossible varieties due to the fact vampires, werewolves, naga, and other creatures are "merely" the physical expressions of the demon within. That was a neat little bit of world-building there.
Ironically, my biggest complaint is the fact I liked Matt Hollis enough that I was disappointed to find out he wasn't the protagonist for the entire series. He had an excellent "voice" which I became accustomed to. I also note the depiction of the demons is a bit one-dimensional (aside from a surprising revelation). They're completely feral and monstrous creatures which can only be dealt with by the use of weapons. It rather limits storytelling in the future even if our heroes' quest is justified by such a terrible foe. Either way, the books are great fun.
April 5, 2014
Originally published at .
äǰ is the first part of the Valducan series. It's Seth Skorkowsky's debut novel.
äǰ was a pleasant surprise for me, because it was a good and entertaining urban fantasy novel. I don't normally read urban fantasy, because there are plenty of novels which have failed to impress me. The problem with most urban fantasy novels is that there isn't anything interesting in them. This novel is fortunately different from most urban fantasy novels, because it's a delightfully dark and entertaining novel that features an interesting connection between demon hunters and their holy weapons.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Fourteen years ago a pack of wendigos killed Matt's family and possessed him. The man who saved him gave him äǰ. Matt was called Spencer when he was rescued, but now he calls himself Matt. He's a demon hunter and he kills demons. The Valducans contact him and want him to join their ranks (the Valducans are an ancient order of demon hunters). When Matt visits the Valducan knights, he has to prove himself to them. The Valducans are suspicious of him and don't trust him, because he's possessed. He has to show them that he can be trusted...
There's quite a lot of action in this novel, but there's also depth. The author has managed to write a story that is both interesting and thrilling. There are plenty of familiar urban fantasy elements in this novel, but there's also originality, which makes the story interesting.
Matt is an interesting character, because he's had a bit different kind of life than normal people. It was fascinating to read about Matt's early life and how he survived the attack of the wendigos. I also enjoyed reading about how he became a demon killer.
The Valducans are also interesting characters, because they hunt demons and gather knowledge. They find and keep track of holy weapons, and they have a massive library full of lore and knowledge about demon species. The Valducan knights use holy weapons to kill demons.
The history of the Valducans is intriguing, because the order was founded several hundred years ago. The author writes fluently about the history of the Valducans and the holy weapons. It's nice that the author has linked their history to historical happenings.
There are interesting bits of information about demons in the story, because the author shows his readers what kind of information the Valducans have in their library. It was also fascinating to read that many holy weapons had gone missing. I can also mention that it was nice to read about how the demons were teaming together and new species were found.
The holy weapons are interesting artifacts, because each of them is unique and it seems that they're alive-ish and may even have different personalities. If I'm not mistaken, this is unique in the urban fantasy genre, because this kind of things are seldom handled in urban fantasy novels.
äǰ, the holy weapon, is an interesting weapon, because it's bonded to Matt. It came to his possession after his protector died and ever since there's been a strong bond to the weapon. The bond began earlier, but afterwards it grew to a whole new level. I think that many readers will be fascinated to read about äǰ and the bond.
I sincerely hope that Seth Skorkowsky continues to write more fantasy novels, because he seems to have a talent for writing entertaining stories and knows how to write good urban fantasy (it requires quite a lot talent to write this kind of urban fantasy).
Seth Skorkowsky's äǰ is an interesting combination of urban fantasy and noir elements. I think that this novel will please several fans of urban fantasy and may attract new readers to the genre, because the story is fascinating and there are interesting elements in it. It's one of the few urban fantasy novels that are worth reading (and it's one of the best modern fantasy novels I've ever read).
My final words are: This novel is entertaining urban fantasy!
äǰ is the first part of the Valducan series. It's Seth Skorkowsky's debut novel.
äǰ was a pleasant surprise for me, because it was a good and entertaining urban fantasy novel. I don't normally read urban fantasy, because there are plenty of novels which have failed to impress me. The problem with most urban fantasy novels is that there isn't anything interesting in them. This novel is fortunately different from most urban fantasy novels, because it's a delightfully dark and entertaining novel that features an interesting connection between demon hunters and their holy weapons.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Fourteen years ago a pack of wendigos killed Matt's family and possessed him. The man who saved him gave him äǰ. Matt was called Spencer when he was rescued, but now he calls himself Matt. He's a demon hunter and he kills demons. The Valducans contact him and want him to join their ranks (the Valducans are an ancient order of demon hunters). When Matt visits the Valducan knights, he has to prove himself to them. The Valducans are suspicious of him and don't trust him, because he's possessed. He has to show them that he can be trusted...
There's quite a lot of action in this novel, but there's also depth. The author has managed to write a story that is both interesting and thrilling. There are plenty of familiar urban fantasy elements in this novel, but there's also originality, which makes the story interesting.
Matt is an interesting character, because he's had a bit different kind of life than normal people. It was fascinating to read about Matt's early life and how he survived the attack of the wendigos. I also enjoyed reading about how he became a demon killer.
The Valducans are also interesting characters, because they hunt demons and gather knowledge. They find and keep track of holy weapons, and they have a massive library full of lore and knowledge about demon species. The Valducan knights use holy weapons to kill demons.
The history of the Valducans is intriguing, because the order was founded several hundred years ago. The author writes fluently about the history of the Valducans and the holy weapons. It's nice that the author has linked their history to historical happenings.
There are interesting bits of information about demons in the story, because the author shows his readers what kind of information the Valducans have in their library. It was also fascinating to read that many holy weapons had gone missing. I can also mention that it was nice to read about how the demons were teaming together and new species were found.
The holy weapons are interesting artifacts, because each of them is unique and it seems that they're alive-ish and may even have different personalities. If I'm not mistaken, this is unique in the urban fantasy genre, because this kind of things are seldom handled in urban fantasy novels.
äǰ, the holy weapon, is an interesting weapon, because it's bonded to Matt. It came to his possession after his protector died and ever since there's been a strong bond to the weapon. The bond began earlier, but afterwards it grew to a whole new level. I think that many readers will be fascinated to read about äǰ and the bond.
I sincerely hope that Seth Skorkowsky continues to write more fantasy novels, because he seems to have a talent for writing entertaining stories and knows how to write good urban fantasy (it requires quite a lot talent to write this kind of urban fantasy).
Seth Skorkowsky's äǰ is an interesting combination of urban fantasy and noir elements. I think that this novel will please several fans of urban fantasy and may attract new readers to the genre, because the story is fascinating and there are interesting elements in it. It's one of the few urban fantasy novels that are worth reading (and it's one of the best modern fantasy novels I've ever read).
My final words are: This novel is entertaining urban fantasy!
February 2, 2015
One Line Review:
Tragic back story (yes we start with it), BANG, hunting hunting just keep hunting, distrust, BANG, death, death, death, death, twist, death, death, eclipse, pain, twist, ROAAAAAARRRR, history, giggedy.
So Damoren took me a while to read. It's not that its slow but more that it starts off with A LOT of questions and takes it sweet time answering any of them (and some of them it never answers which serves the narrative quite well). When I did get into it though I really got into it! I'm not generally a fan of urban fantasy but the world Seth has created struck some deep notes with me and I found myself eager to devour more (seriously if you read this, Seth, finish Hounacier NOW!).
Structurally the book is set out from a single point of view (Matt Hollis), a demon hunter wielding the holy weapon Damoren (a gun blade) as he kills demons and joins up with an order of folk (the Valducans) who all wield holy weapons. We don't really get a lot of back story for Matt because we basically see it all right at the beginning and it's fairly tragic. Matt's character is solidly fleshed and easy to read and quite likeable most of the time, the same cannot be said of all the other characters. At the end of many chapters Seth gives us information in the form of reports and old diary entries and the like. I loved this way of delivering information about various demon breeds and what not and truly hopes he continues it for the sequels.
So I don't like to give too much away but the story whips along at a blinding pace and there's equal amounts of action, exposition, and twisting plots. At no time did reading it feel like a chore and I finished the final 50% or so in 2 sittings and that was only because my 1st sitting was interrupted by that pesky need to sleep.
I do have a couple of gripes with the book and that's that many of the supporting cast felt unfleshed. The story is told from a single point of view so it's not that surprising as we only really know what the protagonist knows and he was pretty focused on the love interest, but I found it hard to connect with many of the other demon hunters. And that brings me to my other issue: There is a high turnover of characters as tension is ramped up by Seth killing off hunters in a variety of gruesome ways (none of the deaths feel forced though)... It works well for its purpose but I never really connected to any of those that died and honestly I found myself almost reading back through it at times to figure out WHO had died and WHO they were.
Not much in the way of negatives is it. Damoren is an awesome novel and I would happily recommend it. Definitely worth the 5 stars it's getting here.
Tragic back story (yes we start with it), BANG, hunting hunting just keep hunting, distrust, BANG, death, death, death, death, twist, death, death, eclipse, pain, twist, ROAAAAAARRRR, history, giggedy.
So Damoren took me a while to read. It's not that its slow but more that it starts off with A LOT of questions and takes it sweet time answering any of them (and some of them it never answers which serves the narrative quite well). When I did get into it though I really got into it! I'm not generally a fan of urban fantasy but the world Seth has created struck some deep notes with me and I found myself eager to devour more (seriously if you read this, Seth, finish Hounacier NOW!).
Structurally the book is set out from a single point of view (Matt Hollis), a demon hunter wielding the holy weapon Damoren (a gun blade) as he kills demons and joins up with an order of folk (the Valducans) who all wield holy weapons. We don't really get a lot of back story for Matt because we basically see it all right at the beginning and it's fairly tragic. Matt's character is solidly fleshed and easy to read and quite likeable most of the time, the same cannot be said of all the other characters. At the end of many chapters Seth gives us information in the form of reports and old diary entries and the like. I loved this way of delivering information about various demon breeds and what not and truly hopes he continues it for the sequels.
So I don't like to give too much away but the story whips along at a blinding pace and there's equal amounts of action, exposition, and twisting plots. At no time did reading it feel like a chore and I finished the final 50% or so in 2 sittings and that was only because my 1st sitting was interrupted by that pesky need to sleep.
I do have a couple of gripes with the book and that's that many of the supporting cast felt unfleshed. The story is told from a single point of view so it's not that surprising as we only really know what the protagonist knows and he was pretty focused on the love interest, but I found it hard to connect with many of the other demon hunters. And that brings me to my other issue: There is a high turnover of characters as tension is ramped up by Seth killing off hunters in a variety of gruesome ways (none of the deaths feel forced though)... It works well for its purpose but I never really connected to any of those that died and honestly I found myself almost reading back through it at times to figure out WHO had died and WHO they were.
Not much in the way of negatives is it. Damoren is an awesome novel and I would happily recommend it. Definitely worth the 5 stars it's getting here.
May 31, 2016
In a genre wildly over-populated by cheesy vampire/demon/werewolf love stories and bad supernatural detective schtick, Damoren is a breath of fresh air from the first chapter to the last.
From the start, the reader is treated to a very fresh take on the monster-hunter concept and the monstrous foes themselves -- a thread which is enjoyably woven non-stop throughout the book.
The idea of monster-slaying weapons imbued with holy or magical properties has been a staple of legendary storytelling since before Perseus faced Medusa. Damoren elevates the whole concept to the next level, bringing the weapon to life as a character in a way as profound as the flawed hero who wields it.
There is a deep and authentic sense of history throughout Damoren lending dimension to the Heroes and Villains alike, as well as playing perfect companion to the events of the story and the emerging mythology of the series. That impressively well-developed sense of history, both regarding the Valducan Order and the rising menace they face, gives the fantastical aspects of the tale an anchor of gritty, tangible realism.
Flighty and fanciful magic is absent in Damoren - replaced refreshingly with dark, ominous, symbolic ritualism of a ghoulishly Lovecraftian tone.
Action-packed, well-conceived, well-plotted, well-paced, and well-told, Damoren brims with the kind of fantastical history and mythology that makes genre-buffs' mouths water plus enough good old-fashioned creep-factor to raise more than a few hairs along the way.
I rabidly devoured Book One of Skorkowsky's Valducan series and can't wait to get my hands on Book Two when it's released.
From the start, the reader is treated to a very fresh take on the monster-hunter concept and the monstrous foes themselves -- a thread which is enjoyably woven non-stop throughout the book.
The idea of monster-slaying weapons imbued with holy or magical properties has been a staple of legendary storytelling since before Perseus faced Medusa. Damoren elevates the whole concept to the next level, bringing the weapon to life as a character in a way as profound as the flawed hero who wields it.
There is a deep and authentic sense of history throughout Damoren lending dimension to the Heroes and Villains alike, as well as playing perfect companion to the events of the story and the emerging mythology of the series. That impressively well-developed sense of history, both regarding the Valducan Order and the rising menace they face, gives the fantastical aspects of the tale an anchor of gritty, tangible realism.
Flighty and fanciful magic is absent in Damoren - replaced refreshingly with dark, ominous, symbolic ritualism of a ghoulishly Lovecraftian tone.
Action-packed, well-conceived, well-plotted, well-paced, and well-told, Damoren brims with the kind of fantastical history and mythology that makes genre-buffs' mouths water plus enough good old-fashioned creep-factor to raise more than a few hairs along the way.
I rabidly devoured Book One of Skorkowsky's Valducan series and can't wait to get my hands on Book Two when it's released.
December 2, 2014
I had this novel for awhile but did not read it until a "goodread's" member recommended it. thank's
I started reading and after the evening became morning and the following day this was a finished read... I could not stop, the novel flows very well,bringing you right into the world and fills in the pieces as the story progress's (I like when the novels just have a flow to them).
My enjoyment of this novel should be obvious as it was started and finished then I went back to my world, this has the demon and hunters but add's a whole new background that fits so well and is at the same time mysterious and left to the readers choice to add-lib and think on his own about the structure of how "monster's/demons" are created and brought to this world.
Also has a scene straight from Hieronymus Bosch's paintings of hell , with people bowing to these monster's really got me as I ran to the computer bringing up imagery and old painting's.
the hierarchy of the well "spoiler" If I say.... well I wont and get back to just my enjoyment of this novel,
There are a few main characters in this novel and parts that make it very unique , and this is getting more difficult to pull off as more and more great authors are showing up, but this novel was just a smooth enjoyable read from start to finish, One thing I did not want to read the prologue to the next novel as I hate the waiting but in the end could not resist.
Handing down skill's and weapons through the ages to battle with these evil "monsters" brings a feeling of a much bigger picture, and the multiverse and never ending battle between good and evil is explored and again the author lets the reader explore this for himself, with a few words he makes a stage where anything is possible and does not over explain , but gives hints of a greater picture, and for this I push it too 5 star's.
I love the multiverse God's, Demons, men and reincarnation or just a continuance and a never ending life that continues on in some form or another.
"Had it only been just a few minute's? He'd seen lifetimes,eons, memories like an endless ocean,He could spend the rest of his life exploring..." "quote from the novel, I appreciate when these author's give me a key to my imagination, a door' that I didn't see and once its opened it never get's closed'
Thanks for the recommendation, this is what this "goodreads" is all about, I might have pushed the novel aside once more ( got into a reading ...slump and this pulled me right back into exploring this unimaginable vast universe that we really know nothing about, and to join fantasy with such a amazing place is a wonderful thing'
Great novel, recommended.
I started reading and after the evening became morning and the following day this was a finished read... I could not stop, the novel flows very well,bringing you right into the world and fills in the pieces as the story progress's (I like when the novels just have a flow to them).
My enjoyment of this novel should be obvious as it was started and finished then I went back to my world, this has the demon and hunters but add's a whole new background that fits so well and is at the same time mysterious and left to the readers choice to add-lib and think on his own about the structure of how "monster's/demons" are created and brought to this world.
Also has a scene straight from Hieronymus Bosch's paintings of hell , with people bowing to these monster's really got me as I ran to the computer bringing up imagery and old painting's.
the hierarchy of the well "spoiler" If I say.... well I wont and get back to just my enjoyment of this novel,
There are a few main characters in this novel and parts that make it very unique , and this is getting more difficult to pull off as more and more great authors are showing up, but this novel was just a smooth enjoyable read from start to finish, One thing I did not want to read the prologue to the next novel as I hate the waiting but in the end could not resist.
Handing down skill's and weapons through the ages to battle with these evil "monsters" brings a feeling of a much bigger picture, and the multiverse and never ending battle between good and evil is explored and again the author lets the reader explore this for himself, with a few words he makes a stage where anything is possible and does not over explain , but gives hints of a greater picture, and for this I push it too 5 star's.
I love the multiverse God's, Demons, men and reincarnation or just a continuance and a never ending life that continues on in some form or another.
"Had it only been just a few minute's? He'd seen lifetimes,eons, memories like an endless ocean,He could spend the rest of his life exploring..." "quote from the novel, I appreciate when these author's give me a key to my imagination, a door' that I didn't see and once its opened it never get's closed'
Thanks for the recommendation, this is what this "goodreads" is all about, I might have pushed the novel aside once more ( got into a reading ...slump and this pulled me right back into exploring this unimaginable vast universe that we really know nothing about, and to join fantasy with such a amazing place is a wonderful thing'
Great novel, recommended.
February 28, 2018
While I consider myself a pacifist and have no interest in guns, I have to admit I wouldn’t mind having äǰ at hand. Just in case. You know how it is with werewolves, vampires, and daemons � you never know when they’ll come to get you.
The thing is, the moment I took the Holy Weapon would be my last. Matt would kill me. No one, except him, can touch his beloved one.
äǰ is an impressive debut. I came late to the party as the series is already or almost finished. That’s, actually, good � I’ll be able to binge read it.
The book is dark and fast. It’s filled with foreboding and terror but also a healthy dose of wit and hope to balance the things a bit. It tells the story of Matt Hollis � wielder of a holy weapon called äǰ and his introduction to Valducan society of demon hunters.
Almost each (except apprentices and those who retired) Valducan member is bonded to a Holy Weapon (swords, maces, sabers and a gun). They love their weapons more than spouses or children. It’s an absolute love. When the weapon is destroyed there’s nothing left for Valducan to live for. Listen to Matt’s thoughts:
For a Valducan his weapon is a single most important thing in life. Sure, they’re able to socialize but there’s a driving, all-consuming force in their life. It gives them a goal and a direction.
The novel starts strongly with Wendigo attack on Hollis� family. A hunter goes after them. He’s faced with a difficult decision to make. It’s not only his to make. äǰ will express her opinion as well.
Soon after the prologue, we meet Matt Hollis who’s hunting daemons with his holy gun. Things don’t go as planned and he meets Valducan representatives who want to recruit him. It seems the monsters around the world make teams and join their efforts to destroy holy weapons and their human guardians.
Because of Matt past and the fact he may be possessed by a daemon not all team members welcome him with open arms. As the hunters become the hunted, they must learn to trust one another before a powerful demonic entity thrusts the world into a terrible and ageless darkness.
Matt Hollis is a likable guy. I feel tired of Urban Fantasy heroes/martyrs who try to bear the whole weight of the world on their tired shoulders. Many of them like to despair. I don’t. Matt doesn't either. He is a hunter. He loves his weapon and he’s bonded with her. He kills demons. He stays out of trouble, if and when it’s possible. Because of his lifestyle, he isn’t in any kind of long-term relationship. All of these are his choices. He knows who he is, what he does and fully embraces it. While he’s not the funniest guy ever, he has a sort of distance that makes the book pleasant to read.
Other characters felt nicely drawn and fleshed out. I would love to learn Max past (he’s a retired Valducan; a guy who’s spent almost fifty years fighting demons must have some fascinating stories to tell).
Because the story is set in the modern world, it’s easy to recognize and imagine places. It’s not a very happy world but good things also happen. Yes, it’s filled with darkness and monsters and it may feel a bit reminiscent of Constantine lore. In the same time, though, there are good people in here who make choices I can identify with.
World-building was introduced skillfully through dialogue and later by notes from Valducan archives. I loved these notes. I could easily spend some time scrolling through these archives. Some theories, for example, why werewolves can be hurt with silver and rakshasas with gold were fascinating and felt fresh.
Basically, the only gripe I have with the book is the fact it didn’t go deeper into characters. Instead, the pacing became breakneck and bloody fights between monsters and Valducans got all the spotlight. The fights weren’t bad, actually, they were pretty nice. I would like more layers of what was happening, though. I love good popcorn reads but this book has a potential to be something more and it didn’t fully use it.
Even though it’s not perfect, I’ve already bought the rest of the books in the series and plan to read them shortly. I hope they're at least as good as Seth Skorkovsky’s debut.
The thing is, the moment I took the Holy Weapon would be my last. Matt would kill me. No one, except him, can touch his beloved one.
äǰ is an impressive debut. I came late to the party as the series is already or almost finished. That’s, actually, good � I’ll be able to binge read it.
The book is dark and fast. It’s filled with foreboding and terror but also a healthy dose of wit and hope to balance the things a bit. It tells the story of Matt Hollis � wielder of a holy weapon called äǰ and his introduction to Valducan society of demon hunters.
Almost each (except apprentices and those who retired) Valducan member is bonded to a Holy Weapon (swords, maces, sabers and a gun). They love their weapons more than spouses or children. It’s an absolute love. When the weapon is destroyed there’s nothing left for Valducan to live for. Listen to Matt’s thoughts:
If äǰ died, smashed to pieces before him, he wouldn’t want to live.
For a Valducan his weapon is a single most important thing in life. Sure, they’re able to socialize but there’s a driving, all-consuming force in their life. It gives them a goal and a direction.
The novel starts strongly with Wendigo attack on Hollis� family. A hunter goes after them. He’s faced with a difficult decision to make. It’s not only his to make. äǰ will express her opinion as well.
Soon after the prologue, we meet Matt Hollis who’s hunting daemons with his holy gun. Things don’t go as planned and he meets Valducan representatives who want to recruit him. It seems the monsters around the world make teams and join their efforts to destroy holy weapons and their human guardians.
Because of Matt past and the fact he may be possessed by a daemon not all team members welcome him with open arms. As the hunters become the hunted, they must learn to trust one another before a powerful demonic entity thrusts the world into a terrible and ageless darkness.
Matt Hollis is a likable guy. I feel tired of Urban Fantasy heroes/martyrs who try to bear the whole weight of the world on their tired shoulders. Many of them like to despair. I don’t. Matt doesn't either. He is a hunter. He loves his weapon and he’s bonded with her. He kills demons. He stays out of trouble, if and when it’s possible. Because of his lifestyle, he isn’t in any kind of long-term relationship. All of these are his choices. He knows who he is, what he does and fully embraces it. While he’s not the funniest guy ever, he has a sort of distance that makes the book pleasant to read.
Other characters felt nicely drawn and fleshed out. I would love to learn Max past (he’s a retired Valducan; a guy who’s spent almost fifty years fighting demons must have some fascinating stories to tell).
Because the story is set in the modern world, it’s easy to recognize and imagine places. It’s not a very happy world but good things also happen. Yes, it’s filled with darkness and monsters and it may feel a bit reminiscent of Constantine lore. In the same time, though, there are good people in here who make choices I can identify with.
World-building was introduced skillfully through dialogue and later by notes from Valducan archives. I loved these notes. I could easily spend some time scrolling through these archives. Some theories, for example, why werewolves can be hurt with silver and rakshasas with gold were fascinating and felt fresh.
Basically, the only gripe I have with the book is the fact it didn’t go deeper into characters. Instead, the pacing became breakneck and bloody fights between monsters and Valducans got all the spotlight. The fights weren’t bad, actually, they were pretty nice. I would like more layers of what was happening, though. I love good popcorn reads but this book has a potential to be something more and it didn’t fully use it.
Even though it’s not perfect, I’ve already bought the rest of the books in the series and plan to read them shortly. I hope they're at least as good as Seth Skorkovsky’s debut.
August 8, 2017
There's nothing terribly new here but it's an enjoyable, monster hunting tale with cool characters. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator only helped to add to the enjoyment level for me. There are additional books in the series but this one ends on a solid note (i.e. no cliffhanger) that doesn't require any additional investment for those who opt out of moving on.
January 18, 2016
So what if Harry Dresden was a foul-mouthed gunslinger?
That's sort of what I think about Damoren. This is somewhat unfair to the author as the character of Matt Hollis isn't that similar to Harry Dresden. He's not a pop cultured badass, for example, but a grizzled veteran with a dozen years of demon hunting. The book does make me think of Harry, though, and Stephen King's Dark Tower series to some extent. If for no other reason there's not that many demon-hunting gunslingers around.
Damoren is the first book in the Valducan series, which is about a group of demon-hunting soldiers who wield holy weapons capable of slaying them. Each demon-hunter is fanatically protective of their weapon, treating it like their partner in a marriage. This may not be wrong, either, as each weapon chooses its wielder and possesses some form of sentience. The Valducan aren't terribly happy about Matt possessing a weapon, though, because he's possessed.
Or so it seems.
A demon marked Matt Hollis in the past and the demon-hunter who was ordered to kill him, adopted him instead. Matt has since bonded with Damoren, the holy revolver which provides the book its title, and gone on to be a successful independent demon hunter. The Valducan have come to make amends, however, due to the fact someone is trying to destroy all of the holy weapons in the world. Thus, the Valducan need every holy weapon holder in their service, even if most of them would like to see Matt killed.
The book is an entertaining collection of action scenes and Matt dealing with a centuries-old organization of which he has no relationship but everyone else is almost family within. Some of them want Matt dead, some of them think he's alright, and others are suspicious but all of them are speaking to each other like they've known each other for decades. Which they have.
Honestly, Seth Skorkowsky is a little too effective in making Matt Hollis feel like an outsider since I really wanted him to kill them all at various points. Unfortunately, this series is about acclimating Matt to this group rather than showing he's a better hunter than all of them combined. What can I say? I'm a big fan of the lone badass who doesn't play by the rules and gives the middle finger to the arrogant blockheads who think they can tell him what to do.
The parts of the book which aren't about Matt Hollis fitting in like a square peg in a round-shaped hole are excellent action scenes where the demon-slaying badass finds himself up against a host of vile fiends. Vampires, werewolves, Lamia, dragons, and more are all products of demonic possession in this universe. They're all completely evil and almost unkillable since they can jump to new bodies unless slain with a holy weapon. I like unromanticized monsters and find this book provides me with plenty.
The mythology is well-developed in the book and there's a selection of writings from past-demon hunters interspersed with the book's present-day adventures. I like it when authors take time to develop how the supernatural "rules" of their setting work. Honestly, if I have a complaint about the mythology it's the fact the author reveals too much about the setting by the end. I think a lot of the book's last-minute revelations could have been saved for future volumes.
In conclusion, Damoren is a top-quality urban fantasy novel. If it's not up there with the Dresden Files' latter volumes then it's certainly above the first couple of them. Matt Hollis is an enjoyable character and the villains are reprehensible. This would work quite well as a stand-alone volume but I'm eager to see where this series goes.
8/10
That's sort of what I think about Damoren. This is somewhat unfair to the author as the character of Matt Hollis isn't that similar to Harry Dresden. He's not a pop cultured badass, for example, but a grizzled veteran with a dozen years of demon hunting. The book does make me think of Harry, though, and Stephen King's Dark Tower series to some extent. If for no other reason there's not that many demon-hunting gunslingers around.
Damoren is the first book in the Valducan series, which is about a group of demon-hunting soldiers who wield holy weapons capable of slaying them. Each demon-hunter is fanatically protective of their weapon, treating it like their partner in a marriage. This may not be wrong, either, as each weapon chooses its wielder and possesses some form of sentience. The Valducan aren't terribly happy about Matt possessing a weapon, though, because he's possessed.
Or so it seems.
A demon marked Matt Hollis in the past and the demon-hunter who was ordered to kill him, adopted him instead. Matt has since bonded with Damoren, the holy revolver which provides the book its title, and gone on to be a successful independent demon hunter. The Valducan have come to make amends, however, due to the fact someone is trying to destroy all of the holy weapons in the world. Thus, the Valducan need every holy weapon holder in their service, even if most of them would like to see Matt killed.
The book is an entertaining collection of action scenes and Matt dealing with a centuries-old organization of which he has no relationship but everyone else is almost family within. Some of them want Matt dead, some of them think he's alright, and others are suspicious but all of them are speaking to each other like they've known each other for decades. Which they have.
Honestly, Seth Skorkowsky is a little too effective in making Matt Hollis feel like an outsider since I really wanted him to kill them all at various points. Unfortunately, this series is about acclimating Matt to this group rather than showing he's a better hunter than all of them combined. What can I say? I'm a big fan of the lone badass who doesn't play by the rules and gives the middle finger to the arrogant blockheads who think they can tell him what to do.
The parts of the book which aren't about Matt Hollis fitting in like a square peg in a round-shaped hole are excellent action scenes where the demon-slaying badass finds himself up against a host of vile fiends. Vampires, werewolves, Lamia, dragons, and more are all products of demonic possession in this universe. They're all completely evil and almost unkillable since they can jump to new bodies unless slain with a holy weapon. I like unromanticized monsters and find this book provides me with plenty.
The mythology is well-developed in the book and there's a selection of writings from past-demon hunters interspersed with the book's present-day adventures. I like it when authors take time to develop how the supernatural "rules" of their setting work. Honestly, if I have a complaint about the mythology it's the fact the author reveals too much about the setting by the end. I think a lot of the book's last-minute revelations could have been saved for future volumes.
In conclusion, Damoren is a top-quality urban fantasy novel. If it's not up there with the Dresden Files' latter volumes then it's certainly above the first couple of them. Matt Hollis is an enjoyable character and the villains are reprehensible. This would work quite well as a stand-alone volume but I'm eager to see where this series goes.
8/10
December 30, 2015
Review Copy Provided by Audible Inc
I’ll be the first to admit that if Damoren hadn’t been nominated for an Audie (audiobook awards) in the Paranormal category, I likely never would have picked me up. None of my friends on ŷ have it shelved (and I get probably 90% of my recommendations from there) and it likely isn’t a book that I would have come across easily in a bookstore or browsing on Audible, but now that I have listened to it, I’m glad I did and am waiting for the next book in the series to be available in audio (it was just released in print), so that I can get a hold of it.
I’m probably one of the few people in the world who can’t listen to music while suffering on the treadmill, but for some reason audiobooks work for me and I started Damoren at the same time I jumped on the treadmonster for a 4 mile run (I am totally sick of winter which is a whole nother story) � and my run just blew on by � I was so sucked into the story, that I glanced down and I was at 3.5 miles, it had just flown by (normally, I would have been like huffing/puffing and watching the distance count down). But Damoren sucked me in so quickly that I was done before I knew it and the ride just continued from there. For the most part, I limited my listening to the gym and occasionally part of my commute because I wanted something to look forward to (which of course, added a significant amount of time to how long it would normally take me to listen to an audiobook but it was worth it).
It is really hard to pinpoint what exactly I liked about Damoren � it was full of adventure, encompassing at least 4 different countries (maybe 5); there was lots of bloods, guts and killing as well as a plethora of mythical creatures � not just your normal run of the mill vampires and werewolves that dominate the fantasy landscape. I really liked the idea of the holy weapon’s that could kill these creatures � that was probably the biggest hook for me, Damoren being only one of them. One of my favorite parts were the flashbacks between the current day and the historical when Damoren was being created. I really hope that there are more books in the series based on the other holy weapons, especially the Samurai sword!!
The narration (by the fantastic R.C. Bray) was near flawless. I’ve raved about how much I’ve enjoyed his stuff before (see my review of The Martain) and Damoren didn’t disappoint. In fact, with 2 other nominations in the paranormal category (one as a single narrator, and other in a cast), this audie category is his to lose (but hopefully that doesn’t jinx him). While my previous experience with R.C. Bray was primarily American accents, with Damoren, you got the chance to see the breadth of his skill, with Russian accents, german, male and female � it was honestly astounded how well he did in distinguishing between all the different characters and how well he transitioned between them during the course of the story.
Do yourself a favor � just listen to Damoren � you won’t regret it � if I had to try to provide context � take an author like James Rollins or Matt Reilly, mix in some Jim Butcher and you have a pretty good idea of where Damoren fits in the canon. 4.5 stars for the narration and 4 for the story. Now to hurry up and wait for the next book to be released in audio format.
I’ll be the first to admit that if Damoren hadn’t been nominated for an Audie (audiobook awards) in the Paranormal category, I likely never would have picked me up. None of my friends on ŷ have it shelved (and I get probably 90% of my recommendations from there) and it likely isn’t a book that I would have come across easily in a bookstore or browsing on Audible, but now that I have listened to it, I’m glad I did and am waiting for the next book in the series to be available in audio (it was just released in print), so that I can get a hold of it.
I’m probably one of the few people in the world who can’t listen to music while suffering on the treadmill, but for some reason audiobooks work for me and I started Damoren at the same time I jumped on the treadmonster for a 4 mile run (I am totally sick of winter which is a whole nother story) � and my run just blew on by � I was so sucked into the story, that I glanced down and I was at 3.5 miles, it had just flown by (normally, I would have been like huffing/puffing and watching the distance count down). But Damoren sucked me in so quickly that I was done before I knew it and the ride just continued from there. For the most part, I limited my listening to the gym and occasionally part of my commute because I wanted something to look forward to (which of course, added a significant amount of time to how long it would normally take me to listen to an audiobook but it was worth it).
It is really hard to pinpoint what exactly I liked about Damoren � it was full of adventure, encompassing at least 4 different countries (maybe 5); there was lots of bloods, guts and killing as well as a plethora of mythical creatures � not just your normal run of the mill vampires and werewolves that dominate the fantasy landscape. I really liked the idea of the holy weapon’s that could kill these creatures � that was probably the biggest hook for me, Damoren being only one of them. One of my favorite parts were the flashbacks between the current day and the historical when Damoren was being created. I really hope that there are more books in the series based on the other holy weapons, especially the Samurai sword!!
The narration (by the fantastic R.C. Bray) was near flawless. I’ve raved about how much I’ve enjoyed his stuff before (see my review of The Martain) and Damoren didn’t disappoint. In fact, with 2 other nominations in the paranormal category (one as a single narrator, and other in a cast), this audie category is his to lose (but hopefully that doesn’t jinx him). While my previous experience with R.C. Bray was primarily American accents, with Damoren, you got the chance to see the breadth of his skill, with Russian accents, german, male and female � it was honestly astounded how well he did in distinguishing between all the different characters and how well he transitioned between them during the course of the story.
Do yourself a favor � just listen to Damoren � you won’t regret it � if I had to try to provide context � take an author like James Rollins or Matt Reilly, mix in some Jim Butcher and you have a pretty good idea of where Damoren fits in the canon. 4.5 stars for the narration and 4 for the story. Now to hurry up and wait for the next book to be released in audio format.
April 16, 2014
I realize it is a hard sell to say that a book about vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and other creatures is brilliantly original, but Damoren is just that.
Seth doesn't reinvent the vampire, he embraces it. (BTW real vampires don't sparkle.) He cleverly depicts vampires and other monsters as demons having possessed humans and animals giving them the traits we are familiar with.
The story of Damoren is the story of demons, holy weapons of power, and friendship. In a world where demons exist and prey on the human populace, the only weapons that will truly kill them are holy weapons. Just as the holy weapons can destroy these demons, so too can the holy weapons be destroyed.
Damoren is told from the point of view Matt who is bonded to the holy weapon Damoren. It is a 7 shot revolver cast from the broken remains of an ancient holy sword. He is approached by the Valducans, an organization of knights sworn to protect the holy weapons and destroy demons.
The pace of this book is excellent and the character development unfolds in way that has you grow to love some characters, while gradually hating others. It is refreshing to have a band of heroes who don't always get along, and even quarrel among themselves. People are not perfectly friendly with each other all the time. They fight, and make up, and their friendship gains strength. These heroes are actually believable as real people.
One of my favorite things about Damoren is that all the supposed heroes, and unique holy weapons are not safe. In the fashion of George R.R. Martin, Seth does not hesitate to destroy weapons, or kill characters. Knowing this leaves you anxious at every battle both for the heroes and their precious weapons. The fight sequences, with the unique powers of the holy weapons, are imaginative and fun.
Another thing I loved about this book was how Seth interwove excerpts from diaries, and old texts adding well placed explanations about the holy weapons. You gradually learn about the characters, weapons, and their unique powers. As the story unfolds you learn bits and pieces adding to the overall enjoyment of the story while urging you figure out what will happen next.
Damoren is an excellent story. It draws you in to a familiar world with an original twist that ties together everything you already know about creatures of fantasy. It gives you heroes to cheer for, heroes to hate, and villains that are clever and devious. You will finish the book having everything explained to you, but leaving you with unanswered questions. You will want more.
I would highly recommend this book!
Seth doesn't reinvent the vampire, he embraces it. (BTW real vampires don't sparkle.) He cleverly depicts vampires and other monsters as demons having possessed humans and animals giving them the traits we are familiar with.
The story of Damoren is the story of demons, holy weapons of power, and friendship. In a world where demons exist and prey on the human populace, the only weapons that will truly kill them are holy weapons. Just as the holy weapons can destroy these demons, so too can the holy weapons be destroyed.
Damoren is told from the point of view Matt who is bonded to the holy weapon Damoren. It is a 7 shot revolver cast from the broken remains of an ancient holy sword. He is approached by the Valducans, an organization of knights sworn to protect the holy weapons and destroy demons.
The pace of this book is excellent and the character development unfolds in way that has you grow to love some characters, while gradually hating others. It is refreshing to have a band of heroes who don't always get along, and even quarrel among themselves. People are not perfectly friendly with each other all the time. They fight, and make up, and their friendship gains strength. These heroes are actually believable as real people.
One of my favorite things about Damoren is that all the supposed heroes, and unique holy weapons are not safe. In the fashion of George R.R. Martin, Seth does not hesitate to destroy weapons, or kill characters. Knowing this leaves you anxious at every battle both for the heroes and their precious weapons. The fight sequences, with the unique powers of the holy weapons, are imaginative and fun.
Another thing I loved about this book was how Seth interwove excerpts from diaries, and old texts adding well placed explanations about the holy weapons. You gradually learn about the characters, weapons, and their unique powers. As the story unfolds you learn bits and pieces adding to the overall enjoyment of the story while urging you figure out what will happen next.
Damoren is an excellent story. It draws you in to a familiar world with an original twist that ties together everything you already know about creatures of fantasy. It gives you heroes to cheer for, heroes to hate, and villains that are clever and devious. You will finish the book having everything explained to you, but leaving you with unanswered questions. You will want more.
I would highly recommend this book!
December 12, 2019
This book starts you out right in the middle of the action, and there is plenty more action all throughout. I love all the intricate world building, and the segments of journal entries and letters in between chapters were really interesting and immersive. I also enjoyed all the real-world details, like the lovers' locks in Florence. It made me believe the author had really been there, and you could tell he loved it. The whole idea of the weapon choosing the knight was pretty cool, and I loved the parallels between Matt and äǰ. I'm excited to see where this series goes next.
September 4, 2020
I've been watching a lot of Seth on You tube and he really is an outstanding Gm/Dm/Keeper. Consequently I thought I'd give one of his books ago, expecting a simple, light story which read like a DM had written up a play through.
However, it was so much better than I was expecting! Much more in depth, well written, and with excellent characters - not a Mary Sue in sight!
Thank Seth, now I'm going to work my way through the rest of your library!
However, it was so much better than I was expecting! Much more in depth, well written, and with excellent characters - not a Mary Sue in sight!
Thank Seth, now I'm going to work my way through the rest of your library!
November 30, 2016
My original audiobook review and many others can be found at .
Young Spencer and his family are attacked by flesh eating monsters. His family is lost, but luckily for him, a stranger named Clay had been tracking the demons and saves the boy’s life. With nowhere to go, Clay takes Spencer under his wing and trains him as a tracker and killer of the many hidden creatures living among us.
Demons can’t be killed by ordinary weapons, which will only kill the host body they possess; it takes a holy weapon, one blessed with special and rare properties. Clay’s ancient pistol, called Damoren, is such a weapon. When he killed the demons attacking Spencer’s family, one of the bullets passed through the monster, killing it, but also lodging itself into Spencer’s body. Instead of killing the boy, it gave him some special abilities: almost instant healing, the ability to understand and speak any language as well as use his own blood to track demons.
The Valducan are an ancient order of demon hunters who have vowed to protect the blessed weapons which can kill demons. One by one, hunters and their precious weapons are being killed and destroyed. Now they need Spencer and his unique abilities to help them as they become the hunted.
Damoren, Valducan is an exceptionally entertaining book. There are many familiar themes in the novel, but the author has made them uniquely his. He introduces many characters in addition to Spencer (now Matt as an adult), and each is given unique and appealing qualities. They are flawed, make mistakes, but are loyal to each other and to their blessed weapons like lovers.
R. C. Bray performs the story in his unique baritone and could read a dictionary and make it exciting. He is just that good. There are many different accents for him to contend with in the story and he handles all of them well. He has a way of conveying a character’s emotions in his voice that adds greatly to the novel. It doesn’t get better.
Damoren, Valducan book 1 is the first in a series of unknown length. The novel wraps up well enough to stand alone, but exciting enough you will want to continue on to the next in the series. If you enjoy demon hunters, occult, action, adventure with a touch of romance, you will love this series. Highly recommended.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
Young Spencer and his family are attacked by flesh eating monsters. His family is lost, but luckily for him, a stranger named Clay had been tracking the demons and saves the boy’s life. With nowhere to go, Clay takes Spencer under his wing and trains him as a tracker and killer of the many hidden creatures living among us.
Demons can’t be killed by ordinary weapons, which will only kill the host body they possess; it takes a holy weapon, one blessed with special and rare properties. Clay’s ancient pistol, called Damoren, is such a weapon. When he killed the demons attacking Spencer’s family, one of the bullets passed through the monster, killing it, but also lodging itself into Spencer’s body. Instead of killing the boy, it gave him some special abilities: almost instant healing, the ability to understand and speak any language as well as use his own blood to track demons.
The Valducan are an ancient order of demon hunters who have vowed to protect the blessed weapons which can kill demons. One by one, hunters and their precious weapons are being killed and destroyed. Now they need Spencer and his unique abilities to help them as they become the hunted.
Damoren, Valducan is an exceptionally entertaining book. There are many familiar themes in the novel, but the author has made them uniquely his. He introduces many characters in addition to Spencer (now Matt as an adult), and each is given unique and appealing qualities. They are flawed, make mistakes, but are loyal to each other and to their blessed weapons like lovers.
R. C. Bray performs the story in his unique baritone and could read a dictionary and make it exciting. He is just that good. There are many different accents for him to contend with in the story and he handles all of them well. He has a way of conveying a character’s emotions in his voice that adds greatly to the novel. It doesn’t get better.
Damoren, Valducan book 1 is the first in a series of unknown length. The novel wraps up well enough to stand alone, but exciting enough you will want to continue on to the next in the series. If you enjoy demon hunters, occult, action, adventure with a touch of romance, you will love this series. Highly recommended.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
April 1, 2025
I approach the fantasy genre in order to fill one of two specific needs as a reader. The first need is to explore an author’s new imagined world from the broad strokes to the nooks and crannies to absorb each and every bit of wonder the writer has managed to evoke. The second is more primal: to be carried along at whitewater pace through a ripping tale. In general, an author can meet one of those needs (for which I am grateful) but only occasionally do they meet both.
Damoren fulfills and then some on each level, quite the achievement from a niche genre (urban fantasy) I had long written off. The barbs of the opening carried me forward with rich cinematic detail and stylistic borrowings from both horror and detective tales. But by the time the story concludes, the breadwinner is how palpable the home of Matt Hollis feels. Perhaps thewhip-cracking pace of much of the tale is responsible for how little disbelief I felt. I suspect, though, that the overarching mercilessness of the consequences in a story with such great powers rang true for me.
Also, there’s the central device of Damoren, the magic weapon, which has been given a twist I at first mistook for a gimmick. I can’t reveal much here without providing spoilers, but suffice to say that there’s a reason the book isn’t titled “The Fantastical Exploits of Matt Hollis� or somesuch. The twist in attention to this aspect of the genre worms its way from obvious to subtle to daring and is primarily the reason I am anxious to see what else Skorkowsky has to offer.
Damoren fulfills and then some on each level, quite the achievement from a niche genre (urban fantasy) I had long written off. The barbs of the opening carried me forward with rich cinematic detail and stylistic borrowings from both horror and detective tales. But by the time the story concludes, the breadwinner is how palpable the home of Matt Hollis feels. Perhaps thewhip-cracking pace of much of the tale is responsible for how little disbelief I felt. I suspect, though, that the overarching mercilessness of the consequences in a story with such great powers rang true for me.
Also, there’s the central device of Damoren, the magic weapon, which has been given a twist I at first mistook for a gimmick. I can’t reveal much here without providing spoilers, but suffice to say that there’s a reason the book isn’t titled “The Fantastical Exploits of Matt Hollis� or somesuch. The twist in attention to this aspect of the genre worms its way from obvious to subtle to daring and is primarily the reason I am anxious to see what else Skorkowsky has to offer.
April 14, 2014
Review copy
The story begins with 11-year old Spencer Mallory surviving an attack in his home by a group of monsters that kill the rest of his family. He's saved by a demon hunter named Clay Mercer who wields a special weapon named äǰ.
Years later, Spencer, now known as Matt Hollis, has become a demon Hunter himself, bonded with äǰ. As if his life isn't strange enough, he gets the following letter...
Dear Mr. Hollis,
As you can see, we have been aware of you for some time. While we have always made it a point not to interfere with your activities, developments have arisen that have forced our hand into contacting you.
The letter was from the Valducans, a group of demon-hunting knights who find and keep track of all holy weapons and whose library of demon species and lore is massive. A group that Matt was already aware of and that he believed wanted him dead.
Author, Seth Skorkowsky, does a very good job of creating believable situations using extraordinary characters. The conflict between monsters and heroes is embellished by the distrust among the Valducans themselves and the surprise reveal at the end of the book works well as closure for book one and sets up book two nicely.
äǰ is available now from Ragnarok Publications through Amazon.com.
If you love urban fantasy, you'll certainly enjoy äǰ.
The story begins with 11-year old Spencer Mallory surviving an attack in his home by a group of monsters that kill the rest of his family. He's saved by a demon hunter named Clay Mercer who wields a special weapon named äǰ.
Years later, Spencer, now known as Matt Hollis, has become a demon Hunter himself, bonded with äǰ. As if his life isn't strange enough, he gets the following letter...
Dear Mr. Hollis,
As you can see, we have been aware of you for some time. While we have always made it a point not to interfere with your activities, developments have arisen that have forced our hand into contacting you.
The letter was from the Valducans, a group of demon-hunting knights who find and keep track of all holy weapons and whose library of demon species and lore is massive. A group that Matt was already aware of and that he believed wanted him dead.
Author, Seth Skorkowsky, does a very good job of creating believable situations using extraordinary characters. The conflict between monsters and heroes is embellished by the distrust among the Valducans themselves and the surprise reveal at the end of the book works well as closure for book one and sets up book two nicely.
äǰ is available now from Ragnarok Publications through Amazon.com.
If you love urban fantasy, you'll certainly enjoy äǰ.
August 29, 2018
5 of 5 stars.
This is not my preferred genre, so I was surprised to be so thoroughly enthralled by it. The sensation is similar to my discovery of “The Lord of the Rings,� also not my genre. I think the reason for my enjoyment of both works falls to similar reasons.
First of all, the tapestry of the world in which this tale takes place is full and rich. It comes with an extensive history and lore which the author seems to have planned out. He carefully reveals it in a logical progression throughout the first book, leaving the reader with the impression there is much more to come. This mythos is the thread (or solid rope) the tale follows, and anchors disparate components into a unified story with satisfying goals.
The author doesn’t shy away from violence and gore, but at the same time doesn’t use it simply for shock effect. He simply acknowledges that when people (or demons) start killing each other, things will get messy. He places many weapons in the hands of his protagonists. Most of them are blade weapons and I, having no expertise in this field, can’t say with any certainty that the depiction is accurate. But, there are a few firearms in the mix, and I can say that this author demonstrates an unusual knowledge of them. It was refreshing to not have to blunder through the typical errors and misconceptions of most writers.
� � �
The story follows Spencer Mallory, aka Matt Hollis, aka � well, some other names as well. The young man’s family is killed by demons when he is still a child. He survives, but not without wounds. Normally the bite of a demon condemns a human, but in Spencer’s case, the Holy Weapon Damoren demands that he be spared. Clay, Damoren’s current owner/protector, adopted and mentored him to become a Hunter. But Clay was forced to leave the Valducan order when he refused the order to kill his new charge.
We jump fourteen years later to find Spencer, now going by the name Matt, has taken the place of the man who saved him and become the next owner/protector of Damoren. He has independently been hunting and killing demons, but his path crosses the old order that had expelled his mentor. Times, and demons, are changing and the hunters are becoming the hunted. The order has suffered many losses and finds their number diminishing. They reach out to Matt, hoping to join forces to face this new threat.
The book is well thought out, and follows a stable story arch that promises consistent action and satisfaction.
The first book is titled after one of the Holy weapons and I notice that the second is titled for another. I would guess that subsequent books may follow others as well, once again indicating that this series is based on a consistent, solid and well planed foundation.
Even though it is not my preferred genre, I can and do enthusiastically recommend it.
This is not my preferred genre, so I was surprised to be so thoroughly enthralled by it. The sensation is similar to my discovery of “The Lord of the Rings,� also not my genre. I think the reason for my enjoyment of both works falls to similar reasons.
First of all, the tapestry of the world in which this tale takes place is full and rich. It comes with an extensive history and lore which the author seems to have planned out. He carefully reveals it in a logical progression throughout the first book, leaving the reader with the impression there is much more to come. This mythos is the thread (or solid rope) the tale follows, and anchors disparate components into a unified story with satisfying goals.
The author doesn’t shy away from violence and gore, but at the same time doesn’t use it simply for shock effect. He simply acknowledges that when people (or demons) start killing each other, things will get messy. He places many weapons in the hands of his protagonists. Most of them are blade weapons and I, having no expertise in this field, can’t say with any certainty that the depiction is accurate. But, there are a few firearms in the mix, and I can say that this author demonstrates an unusual knowledge of them. It was refreshing to not have to blunder through the typical errors and misconceptions of most writers.
� � �
The story follows Spencer Mallory, aka Matt Hollis, aka � well, some other names as well. The young man’s family is killed by demons when he is still a child. He survives, but not without wounds. Normally the bite of a demon condemns a human, but in Spencer’s case, the Holy Weapon Damoren demands that he be spared. Clay, Damoren’s current owner/protector, adopted and mentored him to become a Hunter. But Clay was forced to leave the Valducan order when he refused the order to kill his new charge.
We jump fourteen years later to find Spencer, now going by the name Matt, has taken the place of the man who saved him and become the next owner/protector of Damoren. He has independently been hunting and killing demons, but his path crosses the old order that had expelled his mentor. Times, and demons, are changing and the hunters are becoming the hunted. The order has suffered many losses and finds their number diminishing. They reach out to Matt, hoping to join forces to face this new threat.
The book is well thought out, and follows a stable story arch that promises consistent action and satisfaction.
The first book is titled after one of the Holy weapons and I notice that the second is titled for another. I would guess that subsequent books may follow others as well, once again indicating that this series is based on a consistent, solid and well planed foundation.
Even though it is not my preferred genre, I can and do enthusiastically recommend it.
November 9, 2018
A great read
This story just rattles along nicely. There are some interesting characters and there are even clues leading to the reveal if you put them together. All in all a fun read and I will definitely be getting books 2 to 4.
This story just rattles along nicely. There are some interesting characters and there are even clues leading to the reveal if you put them together. All in all a fun read and I will definitely be getting books 2 to 4.
April 6, 2018
A strong opening with a young hero wielding an unusual holy weapon to fight demons. The introduction of the Valducan group of demon fighters and their history is really well done. It feels natural because they are driven to contact our main character as part of the overall plot of the book. The members of the demon fighting group are very diverse and feel like their own people.
August 28, 2020
I caught this book on Audible and was just blown away. Demon hunters always worried about role-reversals? Who wouldn't want that?
The author creates interesting characters who lead us into a world of blood and intrigue. A great addition to any horror library!
The author creates interesting characters who lead us into a world of blood and intrigue. A great addition to any horror library!
September 6, 2021
Exciting page turner
I was very pleasantly surprised by the book. I knew of Skorkowsky from his YouTube channel and was intrigued by the novel. It was very engaging and hard to put down. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the book. I knew of Skorkowsky from his YouTube channel and was intrigued by the novel. It was very engaging and hard to put down. I look forward to the next book in the series.
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