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Daemon Parallel #1
The Daemon Parallel
"Worlds collide. Promises broken."
Cameron's father is dead and his inheritance is... rather unusual.
He has the power to world-shift: travel between the Human and Daemon dimensions and the Parallel - a realm where the two worlds meet.
Between battling daemons and allying with werewolves, Cameron's new life is already pretty complicated but things are about to get even more dangerous...
Cameron's father is dead and his inheritance is... rather unusual.
He has the power to world-shift: travel between the Human and Daemon dimensions and the Parallel - a realm where the two worlds meet.
Between battling daemons and allying with werewolves, Cameron's new life is already pretty complicated but things are about to get even more dangerous...
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2012
2 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Roy Gill
49 books13 followers"Heady, wonderful stuff… I adored this novel" (Paul Magrs on "Daemon Parallel")
The manuscript for Roy’s first novel, Daemon Parallel, was shortlisted for both the Sceptre and the Kelpies prize, and won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. A sequel, Werewolf Parallel (“Clever, creative and fun.” Kirkus Reviews) completed the duology.
Roy's recent short stories have appeared in The Myriad Carnival, Out There and the British Fantasy Society Journal.
As a scriptwriter, Roy has worked on several of Big Finish’s acclaimed audio drama series including The Confessions of Dorian Gray, The Omega Factor, and the Worlds of Doctor Who. His epic Dark Shadows 50th Anniversary Blood & Fire script won the 2017 Scribe Award for Best Audio Drama.
The manuscript for Roy’s first novel, Daemon Parallel, was shortlisted for both the Sceptre and the Kelpies prize, and won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. A sequel, Werewolf Parallel (“Clever, creative and fun.” Kirkus Reviews) completed the duology.
Roy's recent short stories have appeared in The Myriad Carnival, Out There and the British Fantasy Society Journal.
As a scriptwriter, Roy has worked on several of Big Finish’s acclaimed audio drama series including The Confessions of Dorian Gray, The Omega Factor, and the Worlds of Doctor Who. His epic Dark Shadows 50th Anniversary Blood & Fire script won the 2017 Scribe Award for Best Audio Drama.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 27, 2012
Edinburgh is a puzzling city, a city of many layers. There are roads which seem solid and grounded, then suddenly you look down through spearheaded railings and see another road four storeys beneath you. There are streets sealed off during the plague, now buried beneath modern roads and buildings. There is gory history just steps away from fancy restaurants and designer shops. Edinburgh is the cutting edge of positive Scottish democracy and also the cesspit of the worst of our history. And it’s beautiful too.
The layers and contradictions of Edinburgh inspired RL Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, and have now inspired debut Scottish novelist Roy Gill.
The Daemon Parallel, written for 10-12 year olds, is a wonderful portrait of Edinburgh, but also an exciting and dark adventure about what lies just a whistle away, just out of our reach.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I love Edinburgh. But I’m sure that someone who has never been to Edinburgh (WHY haven’t you been to Edinburgh?) would enjoy it too. You don’t have to understand Edinburgh’s geography (no-one completely understands it – even locals get lost sometimes!) to get this story.
Cameron Duffy’s dad has just died, and his rather odd granny takes him in, feeds him, cares for him, and then offers to resurrect his dad. Once he recovers from his surprise, Cameron says yes, and discovers that Edinburgh is the doorway to another world, the magical world of daemons. I’m not going to explain how or why there is a parallel world or why Edinburgh is the door, because the author does a perfectly good job of that in the book, but it feels convincing – a world of faeries, antlered forest spirits, enchanted child servants and upside down buildings, just a fingertip away if you know how to find it.
And in order to bring his dad back, Cameron must learn how to find it, then start to run errands for his granny, who is some kind of smuggler between the worlds. He meets various nasty creatures and a few people he might, just might, be able to trust. He has to wrestle not only with talking spiders who manifest themselves in velvet curtains, but also the big question – is it right to bring someone back from the dead? However much you love them?
There are joys in this book for an Edinburgh resident, like the wonderful description of a department store which is almost but not exactly Jenners, the witty explanation of why shoppers always get lost in there and the creepy reason why you always feel drained when you come out.
But there are joys for everyone else too: the charismatic Morgan, a boy who sleeps in an old cinema, who saves Cameron’s life at least once, but who might well be more or less than he seems. And Eve, a girl in distress. (Hmmm. Why is it always a girl in distress? But I think I’ll forgive Roy that, because he has some kickass old ladies in here too, and there probably aren’t enough of those.) And the hero himself, Cameron. He’s principled, capable, and brave, but also convincingly a teenage boy – impulsive, reckless, and unlikely to take sensible well-meaning advice from anyone. He’s a great creation. I’d love to meet him again, and have him guide me through another adventure round the hidden treasures of Edinburgh and the magic of the Daemon Parallel. Damn good first book!
The layers and contradictions of Edinburgh inspired RL Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, and have now inspired debut Scottish novelist Roy Gill.
The Daemon Parallel, written for 10-12 year olds, is a wonderful portrait of Edinburgh, but also an exciting and dark adventure about what lies just a whistle away, just out of our reach.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I love Edinburgh. But I’m sure that someone who has never been to Edinburgh (WHY haven’t you been to Edinburgh?) would enjoy it too. You don’t have to understand Edinburgh’s geography (no-one completely understands it – even locals get lost sometimes!) to get this story.
Cameron Duffy’s dad has just died, and his rather odd granny takes him in, feeds him, cares for him, and then offers to resurrect his dad. Once he recovers from his surprise, Cameron says yes, and discovers that Edinburgh is the doorway to another world, the magical world of daemons. I’m not going to explain how or why there is a parallel world or why Edinburgh is the door, because the author does a perfectly good job of that in the book, but it feels convincing – a world of faeries, antlered forest spirits, enchanted child servants and upside down buildings, just a fingertip away if you know how to find it.
And in order to bring his dad back, Cameron must learn how to find it, then start to run errands for his granny, who is some kind of smuggler between the worlds. He meets various nasty creatures and a few people he might, just might, be able to trust. He has to wrestle not only with talking spiders who manifest themselves in velvet curtains, but also the big question – is it right to bring someone back from the dead? However much you love them?
There are joys in this book for an Edinburgh resident, like the wonderful description of a department store which is almost but not exactly Jenners, the witty explanation of why shoppers always get lost in there and the creepy reason why you always feel drained when you come out.
But there are joys for everyone else too: the charismatic Morgan, a boy who sleeps in an old cinema, who saves Cameron’s life at least once, but who might well be more or less than he seems. And Eve, a girl in distress. (Hmmm. Why is it always a girl in distress? But I think I’ll forgive Roy that, because he has some kickass old ladies in here too, and there probably aren’t enough of those.) And the hero himself, Cameron. He’s principled, capable, and brave, but also convincingly a teenage boy – impulsive, reckless, and unlikely to take sensible well-meaning advice from anyone. He’s a great creation. I’d love to meet him again, and have him guide me through another adventure round the hidden treasures of Edinburgh and the magic of the Daemon Parallel. Damn good first book!
September 1, 2016
Hits the Big Three
When it comes to middle grade and YA fantasy adventure there seem to be three aspects that can make or break a book's appeal - do we have a strong teen hero; do we have a range of interesting or engaging secondary characters; do we have a novel item, world, angle, hook, MacGuffin, premise, challenge, quest or threat to power the book forward? This book scores high marks across the board.
Our hero Cameron is solid and appealing. He still feels grief over the loss of his Dad and he is well into a teen angsty stage, but he isn't paralyzed by grief or consumed by angst. He has a decent sense of himself, a deadpan sense of humor, a practical bent, and a fairly open and receptive world view. He is, in a word, a work in process, and just ready for a fantasy adventure. We are happy to spend time with him and root for him as his adventure unfolds.
Cameron is surrounded by a varied and well imagined cast of supporting characters, some with large roles and some just appearing in little cameos. The effect is to show us an entire world, three worlds actually, that are populated by heroes, villains, and in-between sorts, who all interact differently with Cameron. That gives us a rich and full selection from which to build the story.
And it is a fine story. It is not a SPOILER to note that in addition to our world there is a Daemon World, and that there is a rift, or third place, where the two worlds overlap, (the "Edinburgh parallel"). This is the world around which our story is built, once Cameron learns of its existence and begins to explore and adventure. There is action, intrigue, mystery and challenge and Cameron addresses it all with courage and a sense of wonder that grabs us too.
I don't see how you can ask for much more than that.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
When it comes to middle grade and YA fantasy adventure there seem to be three aspects that can make or break a book's appeal - do we have a strong teen hero; do we have a range of interesting or engaging secondary characters; do we have a novel item, world, angle, hook, MacGuffin, premise, challenge, quest or threat to power the book forward? This book scores high marks across the board.
Our hero Cameron is solid and appealing. He still feels grief over the loss of his Dad and he is well into a teen angsty stage, but he isn't paralyzed by grief or consumed by angst. He has a decent sense of himself, a deadpan sense of humor, a practical bent, and a fairly open and receptive world view. He is, in a word, a work in process, and just ready for a fantasy adventure. We are happy to spend time with him and root for him as his adventure unfolds.
Cameron is surrounded by a varied and well imagined cast of supporting characters, some with large roles and some just appearing in little cameos. The effect is to show us an entire world, three worlds actually, that are populated by heroes, villains, and in-between sorts, who all interact differently with Cameron. That gives us a rich and full selection from which to build the story.
And it is a fine story. It is not a SPOILER to note that in addition to our world there is a Daemon World, and that there is a rift, or third place, where the two worlds overlap, (the "Edinburgh parallel"). This is the world around which our story is built, once Cameron learns of its existence and begins to explore and adventure. There is action, intrigue, mystery and challenge and Cameron addresses it all with courage and a sense of wonder that grabs us too.
I don't see how you can ask for much more than that.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
October 13, 2012
Surprisingly good book. It is not like most urban fantasy book since it involves dimensional jumping, and the main character isn't in anyway trying to save the world or fight evil. This book was a good change of pace with it's easy, fun story line and humorous, enjoyable characters.
Cameron is forced to move into his grandmothers house, and learns that his family can cross between the human world and daemon parallel where mythical creatures exist. He learns about the way the parallel works and joins his grandmothers business. All the while gathering pieces to bring back his father.
Story line was great easy to follow with enough going on to keep me engaged. Many interesting creatures are involved and magical devices. The characters were enjoyable to read. Cameron was a good main character with his turmoil over his father and his easy going nature that kept the book light and fun. Morgan was fun in the fact that he was a rebel and always ready for a fight. The most intriguing of characters was Grandma Ivy she was sweet, mysterious and cunning. She was very unpredictable and ultimately surprising.
Great book, can't wait to see how Roy Gill will write another.
Cameron is forced to move into his grandmothers house, and learns that his family can cross between the human world and daemon parallel where mythical creatures exist. He learns about the way the parallel works and joins his grandmothers business. All the while gathering pieces to bring back his father.
Story line was great easy to follow with enough going on to keep me engaged. Many interesting creatures are involved and magical devices. The characters were enjoyable to read. Cameron was a good main character with his turmoil over his father and his easy going nature that kept the book light and fun. Morgan was fun in the fact that he was a rebel and always ready for a fight. The most intriguing of characters was Grandma Ivy she was sweet, mysterious and cunning. She was very unpredictable and ultimately surprising.
Great book, can't wait to see how Roy Gill will write another.
April 3, 2012
I loved this fantasy novel set in Edinburgh. It's officially a YA book, but it worked for me as an adult reader who doesn't read much YA.
If you know Edinburgh you'll recognise a lot of the settings, and possibly some of the folklore. I particularly liked finding out why it's so easy to get lost in a large department store on Princes Street, and the Demon Parallel version of Heave Awa Hoose. If you don't know Edinburgh you'll get the impression that the city is magical (and you won't be far wrong!). Either way, Cameron's adventure makes for a gripping read.
Full disclosure: Roy Gill is a friend of mine. (Which means it's quite a relief to be able to say honestly that I loved this book!)
If you know Edinburgh you'll recognise a lot of the settings, and possibly some of the folklore. I particularly liked finding out why it's so easy to get lost in a large department store on Princes Street, and the Demon Parallel version of Heave Awa Hoose. If you don't know Edinburgh you'll get the impression that the city is magical (and you won't be far wrong!). Either way, Cameron's adventure makes for a gripping read.
Full disclosure: Roy Gill is a friend of mine. (Which means it's quite a relief to be able to say honestly that I loved this book!)
March 30, 2022
Cameron is a young teen who has just lost his father, and his mother left when he was even younger, so he's very thankful when his grandmother takes him in, even though he doesn't know her at all because for some reason, his father wouldn't let him have anything to do with her when he was growing up. When she tells him she can bring his father back from the dead with his help, he's over the moon. She explains to him that there is a world parallel to ours, called the Daemon parallel, and that he has magic and can help her obtain all of the things needed to perform the ritual to bring his father back. This sets Cameron off on a quest that involves werewolves, daemons, and even humans, and puts him in danger from an unexpected source.
I enjoyed this book very much. Cameron was a very likeable young man, and the friends he makes along the way are just as likeable. The interesting thing is that the ones you think will be evil sometimes aren't, and the ones you're supposed to trust are sometimes the ones you should be running away from the fastest. It keeps you on your toes!
The plot was well written, and moved along at an easy pace. The world building was phenomenal due to a very interesting setting. The human world and the Daemon parallel were described very well, which made them easy to imagine. The ending was a great twist, as well.
In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Highly recommend to MG readers who like a little paranormal in their stories.
5/5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed this book very much. Cameron was a very likeable young man, and the friends he makes along the way are just as likeable. The interesting thing is that the ones you think will be evil sometimes aren't, and the ones you're supposed to trust are sometimes the ones you should be running away from the fastest. It keeps you on your toes!
The plot was well written, and moved along at an easy pace. The world building was phenomenal due to a very interesting setting. The human world and the Daemon parallel were described very well, which made them easy to imagine. The ending was a great twist, as well.
In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Highly recommend to MG readers who like a little paranormal in their stories.
5/5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 1, 2017
Twisty, imaginative and tremendously appealing. I loved the Edinburgh setting especially.
December 11, 2012
Loved the book. It was fun and exciting, definitely something younger readers would be able to see themselves in. The plot had enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing - no easy figuring out "who done it" ahead of time!
Cameron was a truly likeable character, who grew throughout the book. You wanted him to succeed and prove everyone wrong.
The world-building was good, but had a twist that not *everyone* could travel between the two worlds. No worries about Joe Regular finding demons! The whole department store/otherworld scene? Fantastic! The writing was very visual in nature: you could *see* what was going on as you were reading.
The story is set in Edinburgh, where slang and idiom useage can sometimes create problems for American readers. Not so here - the slang was lightly sprinkled through the book, and it was easy to figure out what was being said.
All in all this is a good start to what looks to be a promising series (I hope!)
Cameron was a truly likeable character, who grew throughout the book. You wanted him to succeed and prove everyone wrong.
The world-building was good, but had a twist that not *everyone* could travel between the two worlds. No worries about Joe Regular finding demons! The whole department store/otherworld scene? Fantastic! The writing was very visual in nature: you could *see* what was going on as you were reading.
The story is set in Edinburgh, where slang and idiom useage can sometimes create problems for American readers. Not so here - the slang was lightly sprinkled through the book, and it was easy to figure out what was being said.
All in all this is a good start to what looks to be a promising series (I hope!)
April 23, 2014
My Thoughts: This book was great. Super fun and interesting - even though I'm not a thirteen year old boy. I thought the idea of having parallel worlds that can be crossed simply by activating the right music in your mind was totally awesome. I also thought it made total sense that the parallel was strongest in Edinburgh because it is one complicated city with lots of layers and stories on every corner. One of my favorite things about this book was that Cameron wasn't trying to save the world - he wasn't the chosen one who had to stop mass destruction, and there was no romance. It was just a magical adventure story for middle graders, although still with plenty of depth and great characters.
Creatures and Compassion: Something that I found super interesting about this book is that it wasn't necessarily the "humans" that were the right ones or even the caring ones.
Want to read more? Visit www.woodbtwntheworlds.blogspot.com !
Creatures and Compassion: Something that I found super interesting about this book is that it wasn't necessarily the "humans" that were the right ones or even the caring ones.
Want to read more? Visit www.woodbtwntheworlds.blogspot.com !
March 9, 2014
Cameron's life changes forever when he's told his father is dead. Then his world forever changes when his grandmother proposes a bargain, help her and she will bring his father back from the dead. Grandmother Ives tells Cameron about the hidden world between the worlds, the Daemon Parallel, where humans and daemons intermingle and where the forgotten places and forgotten gods are drawn.
Cameron meets Morgan, who's not quite human, on a mission to collect an item needed for the revival. Morgan is rude, secretive, and for some reason Cameron can't not like him.
Cameron must face danger, betrayal, and his own fears if he is to survive, but in the end will find that the tests of the Damon Parallel will only bring out who he always was inside and lead him on a path that he would have never followed before. A path of adventure, friendship, and unending mystery.
Cameron meets Morgan, who's not quite human, on a mission to collect an item needed for the revival. Morgan is rude, secretive, and for some reason Cameron can't not like him.
Cameron must face danger, betrayal, and his own fears if he is to survive, but in the end will find that the tests of the Damon Parallel will only bring out who he always was inside and lead him on a path that he would have never followed before. A path of adventure, friendship, and unending mystery.
May 14, 2013
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge through NetGalley for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions.
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
Really interesting tale that had my attention the whole time. The pace was wonderful and the characters engaging. Beautiful storytelling that entertained the whole time!
It had really great flow and did the job of making me think at times. I love a book that taps into my emotions.
I would love to see more from this author! Definitely one to watch in the future.
May 25, 2014
On the first page of the book, Cameron’s grandmother offers to bring his recently-dead father back to life. How could this not draw me in? Daemon Parallel is packed with everything I love in children’s fantasy – adventure, fantastical worlds and creatures, and great characters. The parallel world is detailed and well-developed, as are the varied and appealing cast of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure!
4 stars.
4 stars.
October 1, 2020
Amazing. Can't wait for my godsons to be old enough to read and enjoy it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews