All demons have magic. Except one. And that’s just the beginning of my troubles.
Hey, I’m Ezekial (‘Zeke’ to my friends) Sunstone. The only demon in the history of Hell without magic. Yeah, me!You would think being an outcast would keep me away from the attention of Lucifer’s Council, but apparently, they see something in me to use.So, now I’m leaving the Underworld and heading to Seattle to … leaving the Underworld and heading to Seattle to find a runaway demon.
Oh, and did I mention the demon happens to be Aries? The first of his name. The first of the Zodiac. An ancient demon. One of our most powerful magic users. Or did I forget? You will have to excuse me. Heading to the Overworld, the only place where demons can be killed, has me distracted.
All I wanted was a steady job so I could finally afford my own place, preferably far away from the noise of chimera carriages and annoying fae. I never asked to be travel to the mortal realm to find an escapee who could light my world on fire with the flick of a spell.
But since when did anyone care what I have to say?
Being a loser is so much fun.
Hell hath no fury like a demon without a chance.
THE ZODIAC
An Urban Fantasy Series by Paul Sating
Are you looking for action-packed urban fantasy with snarky characters? Do you want paranormal journeys with plenty of magic and snarky humor that will make you see Hell and demons in a brand new light?
Jump into the Zodiac, and root for the guy (demon) who can’t catch a break.
The Zodiac is an urban fantasy series by Paul Sating. Imagine Jim Butcher and Christopher Moore hanging out and messing with the fates by writing a series together. Well, it’s not that good, but it is a heaven of a lot of fun. With a healthy dose of snark, adventure, and humor, the Zodiac urban fantasy series is one hell of a ride. Fans of Shayne Silvers, MD Massey, Joe Nassise, Terry Mancour, Nazri Noor, Orlando Sanchez, Brad Magnarella, Lindsay Buroker, Kit Hallows, William Massa, WH Locke, and Patricia Briggs will enjoy this ride into the world of souls.
SERIES, IN ORDER:
Book 0 – The Fall of Aries
Book 1 – Bitter Aries
Book 2 – The Horn of Taurus
Book 3 – The Gemini Paradox
Book 4 – Cancer’s Curse
Book 5 – The Pride of Leo (Coming in May 2021)
Book 6 – Virgo’s Vigilantes (Coming in Fall 2021)
What Readers Are Saying:
★★★★★ “A retelling of angels and demons origin that left me hungry for more.” – Tim P., Goodreads Reviewer
★★★★★ “If you’re itching for a new fantasy, and you’re a fan of Jim Butcher or Neil Gaiman, you’ll love Bitter Aries.” – Erica S., Amazon
★★★★★ “A funny, witty demon chase. Highly recommended.” – Amazon Review
★★★★★ “Really amusing read, with added aspects of the supernatural.” – Cath, Goodreads
★★★★★ “This is the next Percy Jackson.” – Karthik V., Goodreads
★★★★★ “It has the feel and snappy dialog of the Dresden Files and reminds me of Percy Jackson.” – Melissa, Goodreads
★★★★★ “I’m hooked! Sating just keeps getting better and better!” – Renee, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ “Wow! If the Zodiac books were about a boy wizard, The Gemini Paradox would be equivalent to The Prisoner of Azkaban.” – Denise, Goodreads Reviewer
★★★★★ “Three books in, this wildly entertaining Urban Fantasy series takes a turn. Stakes get higher, consequences more severe, the scale more epic. Things are truly never boring in this world.” – Goodreads Review
★★★★★ “In the vein of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series. A bit of Elliott James’s John Charming, with a dash of the TV series Supernatural.” – Goodreads Review
★★★★★ “Sly humor, exuberant young lead characters, mythology come to life!” – Goodreads Review
★★★★★ “There were so many unexpected twists and turns, so much pulse-pounding action, that I felt exhausted when I was finished reading.” – Amazon Reviewmore
I decided to read this book after seeing it recommended in another author’s newsletter. I wasn’t disappointed. It’s fast-paced, intriguing, exciting and funny.
Seen from the perspective of demons in hell — which is a perfectly natural place to live — we are introduced to Ezekial, or Zeke to his friends, who is the only demon down there with no magical abilities, which makes him a bit of an outcast. The others call him The Segregate.
Chosen by Lucifer’s Council to go to the surface and bring back a powerful demon who’s absconded without permission, Zeke is joined by his only friend and a nemesis. Their assignment is clear, but the why’s and how’s are not. No matter how much Zeke tries to protest, he soon finds himself on the surface. Where the humans live. An unusual and bewildering place.
This was a real page turner and an easy read without being simplistic. The story and characters are well crafted with plenty of depth and backstory. The settings are descriptive and vivid, giving the story a three-dimensional feel
I loved how everything had been turned upside down. Expressions and cuss words were all turned on their heads and the complete opposite to what we’re used to.Hell was home, heaven a place best avoided, and Overworld with the humans a strange and somewhat scary place. It all made perfect sense.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will definitely read the other books in the series. If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, you’ll enjoy reading this.
Hold on tight!! You’re in for a really fun adventurous journey!! I couldn’t put this book down. This author really created a unique and amazing world. I really loved reading about Zeke’s journey. Zeke is a very likable main character!! I really enjoyed his personality. I highly recommend this book, and definitely can’t wait to continue on to book 2!!
Different and Clever
Ezekial is the one demon who can’t cast magic. That lack of spellcasting ability makes him the perfect solution to take down an ancient rogue demon that can steal any magic user’s power.
What I really enjoyed about this book was the different approach the author took with it. Instead of dropping a supernatural creature in a normal world and basically making them act like a human would with powers, he took it much deeper.
The book opens with Ezekial and his life in the 5th circle of hell. You learn about him, his life, his friends, and his family from his demon perspective. When he travels to Seattle on his mission, it is fun reading about his fears and concerns like the sun, gravity, and how to blend in with humans. It was a really immersive way to tell a story.
If you are looking for a different take on Urban Fantasy, check out Bitter Aries.
Received as a review copy (2020) this is an honest review. Zeke Sunstone is a demon with no real magical abilities among those living in the Underworld. While it has left him shunned, mostly friendless and no hope of any real good future. But his fate may have a silver lining as Lucifer’s Council decides Zeke is the one to go and find Aries- a very powerful demon that doesn’t want to be found. How hard can that be? Zeke and his two companions are about to find their job is one with dire consequences if they fail. A funny, witty demon chase. Highly recommended.
A great story. A tough job for Ezekiel when he is sent to get Aries. He had no magic at all to aid him. So he had to use his brain instead. I loved the characters. Great job.
A great introduction to The Zodiac series. I love the author also narrated, I think this adds to the authenticity, smooth and easy to listen to. The story line is creative, with adventure and twists that keep the listener engaged. Definitely ends so that you want more from these characters and series.
I received a free copy of this read and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read
It goes to show, those who are in charge are not always right. They got young demons who were easily manipulated to take what they wanted. Like the characters, and the friendships, love Aries. He wanted to have a purpose. I like that Zeke listened, was not just about doing what he was told. Love that he could think for himself.
Going to read the next one.
Thanks for your hard work and time to write this.
I found Bitter Aries to be a very enjoyable listen. I liked the main character, Zeke, a demon who has no magical abilities. Even though he has no magical abilities, he holds his own on the special mission to the overworld. There’s definitely something special about Zeke, and this story is just the tip of the iceberg.
Paul Sating did a fantastic job with this story. His writing style kept me fully engaged and I really enjoyed the humor that was woven throughout. He also delivered a great performance with the narration.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
These “young” demons (6,000+ years old) go through their trials with the aplomb of teenagers. The book reads like YA, and the demons are the good guys!?! Aries himself has escaped Hell to do good works for humans in the Overworld (earthside), particularly the homeless. Still the characters are engaging and the story-line has adequate politics of Angels vs. Demons to keep one interested. As the first in a series, I can see myself continuing with it on a low-priority basis.
Great story very well written. Loved thegetting lost in the world the author created. Narrator did a fabulous job bringing the characters to life. Definitely recommend.
A unique world was created in the story. The hero is an immortal demon and the underworld is the place where the story occurs. Zeke comes across as a really witty and snarky character as the story is shown from his point of view. The dialogues of the place added flavour to it. Enjoyed it.
I loved this book! Demons as the good guys with a code of ethics, at least one anyway. I have never read a book like this one and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters were well written and the author as the narrator was wonderful. The story flowed well and the wording was funny because where most would use a swear word their swear words had to do with heaven and cherubs. I am eagerly awaiting the next book to see what kind of mischief Ezekiel will get into next. And one final thing, the council down there is as corrupt and self-serving as any council anywhere.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from StoryOrigin for an honest review
Ezekial is a demon who has no magical abilities. He is the only demon in history with no magic. He is shunned and bullied by all except his one friend Bilba. Zeke is singled out by the Council to be the demon to bring back the 1st Aries. The 1st of any of the demons names mean that they are super powerful. Zeke, Bilba and Ralrek(a total jerk) are sent overground to Seattle to bring Aries back. This is a different kind of magical story. It shines a light on the heirarchy of the different levels of hell. There is deceit, rivalry, compassion and tragedy in this story. I liked this story. I was given a free copy of this book at my request and this is my honest review.
A Demonic Bildungsroman!
When I saw that the author was a fan of Christopher Moore and wanted to write a book in the vein of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series, I knew this was the book for me. Bitter Aries reminded me of Dresden, a bit of Elliott James’s John Charming, with a dash of the TV series Supernatural, but with its own unique world and hero in Ezekiel Sunstone.
There’s great worldbuilding, an interesting story, and witty dialog, but it is Ezekiel (I don’t know him well enough to call him Zeke) who drives this chimera-drawn carriage. Early on, he seems a bit bumbling, lacking in self-esteem, and full of self-pity. Due to his status in the Fifth Circle, this behavior is really no surprise. We quickly see that he is skeptical of just about everything around him (demon after my own heart), and that questioning personality demonstrates how much he was hiding his true nature. He really comes into his own as he goes through his hero’s (anti-hero’s?) journey.
The pacing of the story was great, and it was one of those books where I felt the need to slow down reading it so I wouldn’t finish it too quickly. Bitter Aries was fun and completely entertaining and I really look forward to book two, The Horn of Taurus.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to review this book.
Our hero, Ezekial is the only demon in the history of hellfire to not have any magical abilities. Shunned by all but one of his kind for the last few millennia, he now finds himself the focus of everyone’s attention, and hopefully the savior of the ‘Balance’ between good and evil.
Bitter Aries is a fun little jaunt to Hell and back, (or rather Earth and back). A slow start, that can be forgiven by the wonderful flowing pace of a story that I just couldn’t put down, and left me wanting more.
Looking forward to the next installment!
The story line was good, the character work was terrific and the book had a fairly smooth flow to it. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the book to life.
I received an copy of the audiobook and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
I am really glad that this is just book one because as soon as I finished I was ready for more Ezekiel. He was such a fun character and I enjoyed going on his journey with him and seeing him grow more confident in himself. The well-written storyline and top-notch world building made for a highly entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. Zeke Sunstone is a demon with no real magical abilities among those living in the Underworld. While it has left him shunned, mostly friendless and no hope of any real good future. But his fate may have a silver lining as Lucifer’s Council decides Zeke is the one to go and find Aries- a very powerful demon that doesn’t want to be found. How hard can that be? Zeke and his two companions are about to find their job is one with dire consequences if they fail. A funny, witty demon chase. Highly recommended.
It took all I had to get past the first half of the book. I have never in all my 1000s of books I have read and listened to heard of a demon so whiny. Sorry to author but that didn’t need to continue. He doesn’t get much better but the story gets a little better part way through. But I didn’t enjoy the book at all. The story was eh and the narration was eh. I just didn’t like it. A book about demons should be full of mischief and mayhem but I just feel like this missed the mark. I still don’t understand the point of creed and why this book is called Aries when yes he’s in it but it’s about a demon named Zeke. Personally I can’t recommend this and it kills me to say that because I know authors put their hearts and soul in to their stories but I just can’t find something I liked about it.
the story it self was interesting it held me up was the narration but it did grow on me.