When he came home, so did they…Driven by vengeance, Michael Alexander enlisted in the Army the day after 9/11. Five years later, disillusioned and broken by the horrors he witnessed in Afghanistan, Michael returns home to Georgia seeking to begin a new life. But he didn’t come alone. Something evil followed him, and it’s leaving a path of destruction in its wake.The police are powerless. The … wake.
The police are powerless. The Army has written Michael off. Left to face down a malevolent creature first encountered in the mountains of Afghanistan, he’ll rely on his training, a homeless prophet, and estranged family members from a love lost…
But none of them expected the dragon.
Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden collides with Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter International in this supernatural thriller that goes straight to Hell!
Suggested reading order:
- War Demons – The Prodigal Son, book 1
- Knight of the Changeling – The Tales of Peter Bishop, story 2
- Vigil
- Who’s Afraid of the Dark? – The Tales of Peter Bishop, story 1
more
War Demons by Russell Newquist is an awesome story and an awesome start to a brand new series. This is book number one in this awesome series that I have loved reading and I can not wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about fantasy, horror and thrillers in your stories as much as I do.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Devil went down to Georgia. He was looking for a soul to steal.
And this time, he isn’t coming with a violin.
Welcome to War Demons, by Russell Newquist.
I think War Demons leans more on the MHI than the Harry Dresden. So much so that I’m willing to say up front that I would not be surprised if Russell ends up authoring an MHI spinoff novel. No, I’m not exaggerating. This is a story that could have been mistaken for a Monster Hunter International novel if Larry Correia used prayer as a weapon more often. But I will admit, there is a TON of Dresden-level action.
Let’s back up a step.
Chapter one opens up with a swordfight with a demon, and ends with dropping a daisy cutter on it…. That irritated the sucker a little.
Fast forward a few years to our hero, Michael Alexander, who Jack Ryaned out of the military when his helicopter crashed. He and his buddy hid in a cave …. only to discover something in the cave that was colder than the dark and hungry.
When Michael returns to Georgia, the thing that haunted him in the sandbox follows…
Ahem, “The Devil went down to Georgia….”
But when Michael starts to see his dead friend stalking him in the shadows, well, it’s just some PTSD demons. Nothing to worry about, right?
Yeesh. When this guy is haunted by his past, he takes it literally.
The fun continues as the circle of crazy threatens to suck in the entire state. Black Ops commandos, Vatican operatives, a billionaire prepper (seriously, don’t mess with the billionaire prepper), a moment of “I wanna bring the flamethrower” that I really believe (Down to “We got it from the Bureau of Land Management”). He gathers the magnificent seven, mounts up, and “We’re gonna save the damsel from the dragon”….
Aaaaannnnnddddd it’s only the halfway mark. Which made me wonder how the bloody blue Hell the rest of the book was going to go.
That was pretty much the point where things got worse, complete with a villain you really just want to run through with a stake, cut its head off and burn the body … maybe in that order. It was such a deliciously evil sucker.
And then he had a couple of blackhawks and Apache attack helicopters fight a dragon.
And, it being Georgia, it ends at a football stadium.
Because of course it does. It’s Georgia.
Honestly, War Demons was solidly authored and put together. 11% into the book, he’s established most of the characters we’re going to see throughout the novel, including the villains. Yes, all of them. What? You thought just a demon was going to be enough? Nah. We’re going to have golems and vampires and zombies and warlocks and Jihadis, oh my. (Or, as I thought of it as I read it, “terrorists and demons? Challenge accepted.”) Newquist also does a great job of sprinkling the back story throughout the novel.
It’s got a nice sense of humor. Up to and including a spook who picks his aliases out of a liquor cabinet.
But as I said at the start, the tag line for this novel is no boast. The action is MHI at its most gonzo (otherwise known as Harry Dresden on a day that ends in Y). The atomospherics top even F. Paul Wilson’s The Keep (book, not movie).
Here’s the short version: get War Demons. If you like Urban Fantasy, or books with a Soutern atmosphere, or military UF, Larry Correia or Jim Butcher novels, you’re going to enjoy War Demons.
War Demon was such a mind trip. The story is very interesting and a little creepy as it deals with demons. There are lots of characters that I really enjoyed and the action is descriptive and exciting. The main character Michael was very likable. The author handled his PTSD and grief very well. He was a very rational character that handled himself well when it called for action. The action was very good and easy enough to follow along with. This was a really enjoyable read.
Pretty haunting tale, definitely hooked my attention and kept it.
I thought this was very interesting. I love war stories and horror so it’s a perfect combination. The author obviously has a very good grasp of military technology and terminology which tends to be rare in war stories for some reason. This is the story of a soldier, Michael, in Afghanistan who barely escapes a creature that attacked him and killed his friend in a cave in Afghanistan. Michael is medically discharged from the Army and returrns to the states. Michael is trying to adjust to being a civilian and attempts to go to college. Michael starts to think his buddy that died is haunting him. Students at the school start disappearing and Michael thinks the ghost of his friend is some how taking people. Michael must stay alive and find out what is happening. Michael is struggling with nightmares and considers suicide at one point so if you can’t handle that then stay away. This is an adult book with adult situations. There is some gore but not a lot.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This has been a great read. The story is fast paced and draws you in. The characters are compelling and the sometimes funny antics and comments lighten the mood from time to time just when it is needed. I most definitely did not see that that person was the villain. The are funny moments, nostalgic moments, terrifying moments, surprising moments and sad moments so this story will run you through the full emotional spectrum. I recommend this book to fantasy fans everywhere.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When the demons you are fighting are real, what does an ex-soldier do? In the case of Michael Alexander it means fighting for his life and the lives of others. I don’t want to say anything more because it would ruin the fun of reading this amazing book. I loved the characters, the settings, the action, the magic and the interactions between the characters. This is an incredible start to a new series. It was a thrill a minute roller coaster ride of actions and emotions. There was humour and wit and lots of fight scenes. I can’t say enough good things about this book. I loved every minute of reading this. If you like Declan Finn then you will love this book as well.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Michael came back to Georgia allegedly to finish the college degree he had started before his fiancée Katie disappeared when Tower II went down on September 11th.
In fact, he really wanted to get face to face with a leading professor of mythology, and ask him about the living roots of mythology- anything that might help him understand what he fought and lost to in Afghanistan.
Sometimes your worst nightmares come to life. This book is the embodiment of the beginning of the battles that followed.
Intense and emotionally packed action saga.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a fast paced, enjoyable read that I completely recommend! Believable, well developed characters and story that will keep your attention from beginning to end. Multi layered, but easy to follow, full of action and adventure and will keep you up reading past your bedtime! Interesting, unique, and engaging! I’m looking forward to more in this storyline! You won’t be sorry you gave this book a try!