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The Demonists

(Demonist #1)

Thomas E. Sniegoski

3.65 · Rating details · 355 ratings · 88 reviews

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

It was supposed to be a simple exorcism, a publicity stunt to firmly establish John and Theodora’s thriving paranormal investigation e ...more

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Paperback, 336 pages

Published April 5th 2016 by Ace Books

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· 355 ratings · 88 reviews

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Mar 20, 2016 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, cthulhu-goes-ph-nglui-mglw-nafh-ct, horror, 2016-shelf, urban-fantasy, reality-bending

I'm rating this purely upon personal enjoyment and the surprise that one feels when a certain book transforms before your eyes from a serviceable attempt at turning a tabloid TV show crew into an exorcist drama into a serious cabal of a supernatural team of demon hunters into a freaking awesome surprise turnaround for Theo that's all about the nasty surprises waiting just below the flesh. :)

Horror? Yes. Urban Fantasy? Yes.

It diverges from the usual UF in that we're never completely locked-in to ...more

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Nov 02, 2015 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, urban, review-copy, horror, angels-and-demons, paranormal

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/06/b...

Lots of interesting things are happening in the horror genre lately, as evidenced by my latest venture into Thomas E. Sniegoski’s new novel The Demonists. Imagine The Exorcist, urban fantasy style! This is also my first book by the author, and it certainly won’t be the last—not if there’s more like this coming my way.

The story follows the husband-and-wife team of John Fogg and Theodora Knight, who are the world’s foremos 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/06/b...

Lots of interesting things are happening in the horror genre lately, as evidenced by my latest venture into Thomas E. Sniegoski’s new novel The Demonists. Imagine The Exorcist, urban fantasy style! This is also my first book by the author, and it certainly won’t be the last—not if there’s more like this coming my way.

The story follows the husband-and-wife team of John Fogg and Theodora Knight, who are the world’s foremost experts on paranormal investigation. They’re even the stars of their own show called Spirit Chasers, a reality TV series that probes into supposedly haunted locations. But on Halloween night, the show producers decide to do a special episode as a publicity stunt, filming live as John and Theo investigate an old house reported to be filled with dark energy. Things should have unfolded like any other show, but then the hosts go into the basement and everything goes terribly wrong. The whole world watches in horror as the crew are massacred live on screen. John manages to survive, but not without sustaining serious injury. And Theo…

Something much worse has happened to John’s wife, who is a powerful psychic medium in her own right. Though afterwards everyone was made to believe it was a gas explosion, what really happened at the house was the unleashing of a host of malevolent spirits which has possessed Theodora’s body and left her catatonic. John desperately searches for a way to save his wife, even traveling overseas to investigate rumors of an excavation site containing an ancient library and books which may hold the key to exorcising Theo’s demons. Meanwhile, about half a dozen children have vanished since Halloween, snatched in the middle of the night from their homes, and a determined FBI agent is doing everything she can to find the missing kids before time runs out.

Urban-fantasy-meets-horror seems to be a burgeoning trend these days, and I find myself really enjoying the recent offerings that blend paranormal and fantasy elements with the gruesome, dreadful, and nightmarish. The Demonists delivers its monstrous demons in spades, and does not spare any of the gory, grisly details. This was a book that truly creeped me out, which is a rare occurrence; in general I consider myself quite immune to the usual trappings of the horror genre and don’t tend to scare or get grossed out easily, but I think ever since I became a parent, disturbing tales involving kids will now always have this way of making me feel unsettled. Sniegoski is a skilled storytelling with a talent for creating a foreboding atmosphere and cranking up the dread.

In fact, I think the author could have taken it even further had he chose to; at just over 300 pages though, I thought this book was a little too short for the story it was trying to tell. On the one hand, the breakneck speed of the narrative ensures that there is never a dull moment, but on the other, neither the rigorous pacing nor the frequent point-of-view switches allow enough room for the horror to build. Timing is everything in this genre, and I wouldn’t have minded more of an opportunity for the terror to linger and seep under my skin. It would have given us a chance to know the characters better as well, because I don’t know if I connected to John or Theo as well as I could have, not did I feel the full strength of their marriage and bond. But then there were the characters who were written very well, like Agent Brenna Isabel whose backstory nearly broke my heart. And of course, who could forget the antagonist Barrett Winfield, who later became known as “The Teacher”? There couldn’t have been a more sadistic and twisted villain. Just wait until you see what he does to his own mother.

If the description of The Demonists sounds like something you’ll like to read though, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. But fair warning: it’s not for the faint of heart! While outwardly the book may look like an urban fantasy, it is definitely no innocuous romp through the usual paranormal milieus, so don’t expect to find lighthearted supernatural adventuring or any underlying romantic arcs in here. Still, I do love this subgenre. Even though The Demonists is not without its flaws, I found the book intriguing and entertaining. It’s a damn good start to what looks to be a promising new urban-horror series featuring a fascinating fusion of the two genres, and I look forward to more. ...more

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Mar 07, 2016 Carrie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

John Fogg is the host of a reality show where he and his team, along with his wife Theodora, investigate haunted places and search for any paranormal activity. When entering the latest building while airing live, Theo who is a medium, was not getting any readings until entering the basement where one of the crew moved an object, the result is devastating and their actions unleash an evil upon the world.

The Demonists got off to a great start where I had high hopes for this novel but unfortunately John Fogg is the host of a reality show where he and his team, along with his wife Theodora, investigate haunted places and search for any paranormal activity. When entering the latest building while airing live, Theo who is a medium, was not getting any readings until entering the basement where one of the crew moved an object, the result is devastating and their actions unleash an evil upon the world.

The Demonists got off to a great start where I had high hopes for this novel but unfortunately it started downhill after a great beginning. A part of that was due to the early editing that might be fixed by the time the final copy is for sale. The story would be focusing on certain characters/settings and then without warning flip to something else mid-chapter without any warning or breaks between. If it's simply given better formatting it would help eliminate a bit of reading whiplash going between events and a better flow to the story.

Also, for me by the middle of the book the story had really lost a bit of the freshness to it as it began to drag and felt a bit like I've been here before. I've read and watched a lot of horror over the years so while I thought this story was OK I also had a feeling of deja vu after a while. I think focusing on Theo and her situation in the middle just felt too slow for me to keep my interest at it's peak, if there'd been more on what was going on with the Teacher on how and why those events were happening perhaps I would have felt a bit differently.

By the end of the book I was also hoping for a really good wrap up to the entire story but was left feeling a bit blah when it was over. There are still some issues and situations that I felt never got answered or touched upon to my satisfaction so when done I decided to give this one 2.5 stars. I think some will probably love it, especially if there is better editing to the finished book as opposed to the ARC copy but for me I was left wanting more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

...more

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Apr 02, 2016 Cathy rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2016, magic-users, fantasy, urban, angels-demons, mythology, horror

Quite dark, very much the opposite of the Remy books, probably a deliberate contrast. (Though that series certainly had a dark streak, many of those angels weren't much about the light.) It had a lot of good elements, but a bit of a plodding nature at times early on. Another book that perhaps suffered from the author knowing that he had more than one book in the series contracted up front, so he took his time introducing things and focusing on the long arc of the series, and didn't focus as much ...more

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May 08, 2016 Sci-Fi & Scary rated it really liked it

This is definitely one of those cases where you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The cover of The Demonists is very ‘pretty’, and my initial judgement was that this was going to be a book with a fantastic premise that was screwed up because of weak writing making it more acceptable to the masses. While it doesn’t go into The Exorcist level possession vulgarity, The Demonists is not a book that panders to the delicate sensibilities, and it’s one that you may want to read for yourself first if ...more

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Mar 27, 2020 Lady H rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2020

The main reason I hated this book was the writing.

God, the writing.

It was just. So very bad. So melodramatic, clunky, awkward. It literally made me cringe every single page. It took away from and affected everything: dialogue, pacing, characters. It rendered the dialogue wooden and unrealistic, made the pacing come to a screeching halt even during tense scenes, and caused the characters to be one-dimensional paper cut outs.

Seriously, the dialogue here may have been more fitting in a particula The main reason I hated this book was the writing.

God, the writing.

It was just. So very bad. So melodramatic, clunky, awkward. It literally made me cringe every single page. It took away from and affected everything: dialogue, pacing, characters. It rendered the dialogue wooden and unrealistic, made the pacing come to a screeching halt even during tense scenes, and caused the characters to be one-dimensional paper cut outs.

Seriously, the dialogue here may have been more fitting in a particularly highfalutin epic fantasy novel that was trying hard to sound ~old timey~ but in a modern urban fantasy it just ripped me out of the story each time. The characters were all so, so bland. There's John, the main character, who's just your generic Straight White Everyman with zero - and I mean ZERO - personality except for how much he ~loves~ his wife, whom he always refers to as his ~love~ like we're in some kind of 1960s soap opera (and yeah, I could tell from the prologue that this book was written by a straight man, and sadly this became more obvious as the book continued - like, why does he comment on her sexy laugh and her sexy smile at the most random and inappropriate times?).

Said wife, Theo, is similarly bland, though thankfully much less melodramatic, and she spends the majority of the book possessed and having horrific things happen to her body (I'll give points for some great body horror though). Brenna, an FBI agent, is Tough and Strong but she's a woman so of course her backstory is that she's a grieving mother who lost her baby (why???????). There are some other characters whose names I can't even remember, because they all blended together into an amorphous mass with no personality.

The reason I kept going with this book is because I found myself actually interested in the plot. This plot is the stuff of my dreams! Demons! Possessions! Ancient entities being brought back to the world! Extreme gore and violence! B-movie horror sequences complete with projectile vomit! Cosmic horror! Secret organizations! I love this stuff! But it was all dragged down by the terrible writing and characters. What's more, even though I love this kind of plot, it's not exactly original, but that wouldn't matter if an author came at it from a unique angle. But sadly nothing about this book was unique or fresh or original in any way, shape, or form. ...more

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Apr 11, 2017 Jordan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: urban-fantasy-read

I cannot even tell you how amazing this book is. This is my first foray into Sniegoski's writing, but if they are all this good I am going to need some more money!

Everything about this book was superb. It was well paced with great conflicts and emotion. They characters were completely realistic and flawed in their own unique ways. The bad guy(s) were completely creepy. Just superb.

The only thing that I will say could be improved was the back story and motivations of the main characters. The sec ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Mar B rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1-own-physical, read-adult-horror, best-horror, read-angels-and-demons, read-scary-level-5

Dark Urban Fantasy at its Finest!

One of my favorite dark tales!

4.7 dark stars

THIS BOOK WAS SO FABULOUSLY DARK AND CREEPY!

When I saw this ARC on NetGalley last year [yeah I can be slow sometimes ;-)] I was like... Ooh.. Look at that cover... Ooohhh look at that title!... And then...

OOOOOOOOH OMG! LOOK AT THE WRIIIIIITER!

Oh how much I love Tom's books! *giggles* They are borderline insane!

It went down the hill from there, a click "REQUEST".. click "REQUEST"... click "REQUEST" click-mania :) We ...more

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Jun 20, 2016 Mara rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, horror

3 1/2
Surprisingly good. I wasn't a fan of the prologue as (IMHO) it did have nothing more to the story (it didn't show their love or bond, but simply how they met).

The story in itself is a panicky romp to save a woman, a group of children and the world with them. It was well done, if a bit shallow characterwise. But it was a group effort so that many characters were probably necessary.

It was something fresh for my reading tastes, but not in itself.
...more

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Mar 07, 2019 chucklesthescot rated it it was ok

Shelves: abandoned, uf-pnr, fiction

This book was lurking on my shelves for ages and reviews I read didn't make me excited to go ahead and read it. I'm not the biggest fan of ghosts and exorcism stories and I grabbed this when I was reading another series by the author. The two MCs were decent characters and I particularly liked their personal assistant Stephan. The opening with how John and Theo met was interesting as was the actual Halloween show that went wrong but for me the plot then slowed down too much with little of intere ...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Stormi (BMReviewsohmy) rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal, paranormal-demon

Well, this was one of the strangest and creepiest books I have ever listened too.

John Fogg, was a bit of a skeptic till he met his wife who can talk to the dead. Now they have a TV show and one of those episodes they were filming things went horribly wrong and now his wife had several demon’s in her and at first was in catatonic state.

John will do just about anything to figure out how to help his wife, but he is in for more than he bargained for. This one is very hard to review without feeling l ...more

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Mar 05, 2016 Montzalee Wittmann rated it it was amazing

The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski is a great fantasy/horror book that keeps the reader on edge. John and his wife are TV host for a ghost show and the wife gets possessed by demons live on TV. The place explodes and the public thinks it is a gas explosion. John has to find help for his wife and ventures overseas to seek help and finds a group called the Demonists. They agree to help him if he will join their group. He tries to get rid of the demons himself but finds it will kill his wife so h ...more

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Jun 03, 2017 Natasha Lane rated it really liked it

Be warned that this novel may not be for the faint of heart. If you are accustomed to reading more light-hearted, Arthurian type fantasy novels, "The Demonists" is probably not for you. However, if you're looking to dive into something a bit darker, something that deals more with the occult (which can be guessed by the very name) then, pick this book up and give it a good read. Though, perhaps reading it when you're not alone is best...

Often, in fantasy novels, demons are portrayed along side ot Be warned that this novel may not be for the faint of heart. If you are accustomed to reading more light-hearted, Arthurian type fantasy novels, "The Demonists" is probably not for you. However, if you're looking to dive into something a bit darker, something that deals more with the occult (which can be guessed by the very name) then, pick this book up and give it a good read. Though, perhaps reading it when you're not alone is best...

Often, in fantasy novels, demons are portrayed along side other legendary/paranormal creatures like werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. They're given the same struggle of battling their evil nature and trying to live a "normal" life. Sometimes they're even made the love interest who's just a confused bad boy.

Don't expect any of that in "The Demonists". The demons in this novel are not reaching for a sense of humanity nor do they want to co-exist among humankind. The monsters are more along the lines of famous movies like "The Omen" and "The Exorcist". Expect lots of possession, projectile vomiting, disturbing transformations, prayer, attempted expulsion of evil, and maggots. Yeah, lots of maggots. That said, I'd classify this novel more along the lines of horror than fantasy.

Still, though not a genre I often dive into, the story was amazing! The author kept me on the edge of my seat and he really knew how to mess with me. Just when I'm thinking the good guys have won, their plan fails and all of sudden it's another point for evil. I'll say that at times this tactic was more irritating than suspenseful but may that's not a bad thing?

Additionally, the imagination that must have been put into place to develop some of the nightmares the characters had to go through...let's just say I'm sure the author's a little perturbed. So, where did the story fall flat for me?

The author introduced several characters immediately in the beginning of the novel so, keeping track was difficult at first. He also would switch povs in the middle chapters, using only page space to notify the reader there was a scene change. I'm used to there being some symbol/design to symbolize the scene break and let the reader know povs/scenes are changing. I wish he had utilized this tool. My last point is that I feel the author struggled when he did switch povs. To me, he couldn't always get a clear grasp on the different character's voices and I found myself feeling like I was reading from John's pov for a large portion of the novel.

All in all, still a worthy read, just make sure you do it with the lights on... ...more

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Jul 14, 2017 Starr rated it really liked it

Shelves: pre-2020-read

4.5 stars
I was given a copy of this book, free, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Click on the image for Goodreads summary.
It is the hope that in the end, good will overcome evil. John and Theo are one of the many defenses that keeps the demons from overstretching their domain. Theo becomes a literal and physical defense as the demons have taken up residence inside of her. John’s search for a way to save his wife takes him across the globe, and into deeper darkness than he was aware possible. 4.5 stars
I was given a copy of this book, free, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Click on the image for Goodreads summary.
It is the hope that in the end, good will overcome evil. John and Theo are one of the many defenses that keeps the demons from overstretching their domain. Theo becomes a literal and physical defense as the demons have taken up residence inside of her. John’s search for a way to save his wife takes him across the globe, and into deeper darkness than he was aware possible. But there is so much more going on, and it may be more than the couple can handle.
I have to admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have been wanting to pick up something by Thomas S. Sniegoski for a long time, and I am glad that I finally did. This is a blend of fantasy and horror, heavy on the horror. Especially depending on your own personal beliefs. With stories about vampires and werewolves, it’s easy to dismiss. But stories of demons? These hellish entities are written in the core or almost every religious belief, even if the practice of exorcism has disappeared from our modern eyes. Paranormal stories of ghosts, benign and malevolent spirits are especially creepy, since most everyone has experienced something that defies logical explanation at some point in their life. And it’s this familiarity that Sniegoski uses to makes it easy to accept Theo’s situation and the potentially real danger that the missing kids face.
The world in this book is our world, the only difference is that the spiritual veil has been removed for certain. We are able to see behind this veil through their eyes. And it isn’t pretty. Scaly demons. Inhumane strength. Undulating flesh. It’s all here within the pages, waiting to feed on fear and twist dreams into nightmares.
If you’re looking for a good story, that keeps you on the edge of your seat I would recommend this one. I would also recommend it if you enjoy reading the works of someone with a very twisted imagination. I can’t wait to start the second book in the series and I am sure that I will be reading his other series sooner rather than late.
...more

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Jul 18, 2020 Shorty rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, 2020, borrowed-from-library, ive-got-to-purchase-this-book, slightly-less-than-most-fave

Fantastic urban fantasy/horror novel, that I totally fell in love with. I loved it so much that when found my local library didn’t have a copy of the second novel in the series, I went out and bought it. And since this was the first novel I’d read of this author, and I enjoyed this novel so very much, I now follow him on amazon, and goodreads. And I don’t follow many authors.
I thoroughly enjoyed every single character in this novel, good and bad. Theo is a bad ass momma, and I hope her bad asser ...more

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Jul 04, 2020 Alice rated it liked it

Do you find yourself watching shows on the paranormal? Well, that's what this book is based around. Add in abit if urban fantasy and you have a story about how gory demons can be, how dark and despicable.

Our main characters are John Fogg, his wife and medium Theodora Knight. Although the story does include other perspectives we mostly see it through these characters eyes. At times I did find myself wondering where the story would go as they told it, parts seemingly jumping ahead while switching ...more

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Apr 04, 2016 Mike rated it liked it

The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski marks the start of a new series. John Fogg and Theodora Knight are paranormal investigators; hosts of a popular television program. During a Halloween special where the couple and their team investigate a house filled with dark energy, a supposed haunting, things suddenly take a horrific turn as malevolent forces kill John’s team and leave Theodora in a catatonic state; possessed by countless demonic spirits. Confronted by the veil now inhabiting his wife Joh The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski marks the start of a new series. John Fogg and Theodora Knight are paranormal investigators; hosts of a popular television program. During a Halloween special where the couple and their team investigate a house filled with dark energy, a supposed haunting, things suddenly take a horrific turn as malevolent forces kill John’s team and leave Theodora in a catatonic state; possessed by countless demonic spirits. Confronted by the veil now inhabiting his wife John must face off against threats both worldly and otherworldly in order to save the woman he loves.

The biggest problem with The Demonists is that John Fogg isn’t a very interesting character. Sure being driven by love is a noble thing it didn’t really help John feel like that noteworthy an individual. The novel is saved by its supporting cast. First there is FBI Agent Brenna Isobel, investigating a string of recent child abductions, who has a tragic past that pushes to complete her investigation as fast as she can. Then there is the novel’s sort-of antagonist Barret Winfield, also-known-as The Teacher, who was a bit twisted before being contacted and enlisted by darker powers. However, the most interesting character by and large is Theodora herself; particularly later in the novel. I don’t want to go into details, though what happens to Theodora isn’t a complete surprise, but she remained the most interesting part of the novel from the minute she is re-introduced. I was also particularly enamored with the psychic guardian that looks after both Theodora and John.

With the bond between Theodora and John being so integral to driving the novel’s action there is surprisingly little time spent on their relationship. While the novel’s opening scene reveals how the couple first met it quickly shifts forward to the haunted house element. While we are told, through John’s perspective, about their relationship it isn’t anything that is ever actually scene. As a result there is little to no emotional investment in John’s quest. In truth the novel’s opening, where Theodora openly challenging John’s initial skepticism of psychic abilities, might have made for a more interesting jumping off point that would have allowed Sniegoski to better flesh out the tenuous beginnings of their relationship as well as flesh out the world he has created.

Despite my disinterest in John as a character Sniegoski’s presentation of the supernatural definitely hooked me in. The scenes involving The Teacher and his “students” were particularly horrific and well crafted. Sniegoski also delves into some interesting psychic landscapes with his characters that definitely helped keep me engaged. As a series opener Sniegoski hints at a deeper and more significant looming threat and introduces at least two organizations; one involved in fighting evil and the other in hastening its arrival. Along with those hints of a doom yet to come there is the definite feeling that the world Sniegoski has created has more depth and detail than glimpsed within the pages of The Demonists. We are introduced to several demons in the novel, glimpse some raw and furious elementals, and even catch the brief glimpse of a long forgotten god all with just barest of illuminating brush strokes. While there are moments where this is frustrating, blame the long-time fantasy reader used to complex magic systems, for the most part it works. The action late in the novel is fast and furious and moral and emotional quandaries posed by the closing chapters will definitely have me checking out whatever is next for Theodora and John. Even though it stumbles at the outset fans of horror and urban fantasy should The Demonists a shot. ...more

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Nov 12, 2015 Barb (Boxermommyreads) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

This is one of those books where you really wish Goodreads would fix their rating system and you could give 1/2 stars. However, since they probably never will, and since I loved this book so damn much, I am rounding up to 5 and to heck with it! There are so many things I love about this book that I really don't know where to start. It was just the book I needed to quench my urban fantasy craving (or maybe fuel it, but that remains to be seen).

The Demonists follows John Fogg and his wife, Theo. T This is one of those books where you really wish Goodreads would fix their rating system and you could give 1/2 stars. However, since they probably never will, and since I loved this book so damn much, I am rounding up to 5 and to heck with it! There are so many things I love about this book that I really don't know where to start. It was just the book I needed to quench my urban fantasy craving (or maybe fuel it, but that remains to be seen).

The Demonists follows John Fogg and his wife, Theo. They have combined their skills in the paranormal for years and star in a famous television ghost hunter series. While many of their investigations turn out to be nothing more than raccoons in the attic, they both know evil does exist. One Halloween night, an investigation takes a wrong turn and Theo ends up absorbing hundreds of demons into her body. The remainder of the book follows John as he tries to save his wife, Theo, as she learns to manage the evil entities which have taken up residence inside her, and one of the scariest villains I have met in a long time - The Teacher. It also introduces the reader to the secret order of The Demonists, who are charged with protecting the Earth from the evils many doubt and rarely witness.

I really don't scare easy but this book has come the closest to scaring me as anything I have read in years. It really plays on my fear of the classic movie "The Exorcist" and at times caused me to have flashbacks of the horrifying scenes between Regan and Father Karras. For some reason, I have always found possession to be one of the most terrifying elements in horror and it is the main focus of The Demonists. I cannot stress enough that the evil in this book is something to be feared. The Teacher is trying to resurrect Damakus, a long forgotten demon who wants to rule the world and send it plummeting into death and chaos, but in my opinion, The Teacher is much more scarier than the demon he wishes to serve (at least in this installment to this new series). This certainly isn't a book for the faint of heart and if reading about writhing maggots, gut-wrenching pain and torture (both physical and mental) and ugly, horrific-looking demons isn't your thing, you might want to skip this book. But if you love dark urban fantasy and horror, run out and buy a copy as fast as you can.

This novel is the perfect set up to a new series. Several questions remain unanswered at the end and Sniegoski does a fantastic job of making you wish you had waited until all the books in the series were released so you could binge read them and not have to wait months and years to find out where the characters are headed next. While it is true John and Theo are a couple truly in love, there is no romance in this book and their relationship is basically seen from the perspective of what will you do to help the one you love and are you are willing to risk you life, and the lives of many others, in order to save them. I also have to mention Nana, because she is clearly one of my favorite characters, even if she doesn't appear a whole lot.

I really can't say enough good things about this book. I hope anyone who likes the genres I mentioned will at least give it a chance. I will be rushing off this week to see what other books by Sniegoski I can collect as I can see him quickly becoming one of my favorite horror writers. ...more

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Mar 02, 2016 Kt rated it it was ok

Shelves: received-for-review

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession

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

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May 04, 2016 Sharon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, paranormal, suspense, netgalley

Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Demonists, in exchange for an honest review.

Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, psychic medium Theodora Knight, are the hosts of a show called Spirit Chasers, on which they investigate structures with strange happenings and ghostly appearances. Although they are performing for their television audience, both John and Theodora have genuine psychic gifts. When the taping of a Halloween episode of their show goes horribl ...more

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Apr 30, 2016 Donna rated it it was ok

Shelves: science-fiction-fantasy

After his wife Theodora is inhabited by demons during their 'ghost hunter' TV show, John is willing to do almost anything to help her.

Good thing: There are masses of old school horror tropes: demon infestation, projectile vomit during exorcism, a secret Brotherhood whose goal is to defend the world against demons, as well as some nice tweaks: A husband/wife pair for a paranormal TV show that get in over their heads.

Bad thing: The writing is clunky to the point where it interrupts my ability to ...more

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Mar 11, 2016 Shelley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-release, netgalley-arc, urban-fantasy, received-for-review

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0

*My Thoughts*

The Demonists is the first installment in author Thomas E. Sniegnoski's Demonist series. Sniegnoski is best known to me as being the author of the Remy Chandler series. The constant remains the same between the two series. The setting is dark and dangerous, and it is almost always a battle between good and evil for the souls of the innocents. Meet John Fogg. John has traveled the world studying the weird, the unusual, and the parano ...more

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Mar 16, 2016 Pamela rated it it was amazing

The Demonists can be frightening, but it is also a fantastic read. If you cannot stand horror, then this book is not for you. But it is dark fantasy, with demons (which are not nice creatures who do evil things like those in paranormal romance). It hooked me enough that I want to read the next book in this series. So, if you are looking for that scary and suspenseful book for your next read, this will fit the bill. Warning: just read it in the light, and not alone in bed at night.

Read rest of re ...more

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Apr 05, 2016 Kdawg91 rated it liked it

I am not big on horror but the premise hooked me. If you are a fan of stuff like the Conjuring, you will dig this. Well developed characters and a big dose of horror mixed in with your urban fantasy.

Horror is not my thing, I will read it but I don't generally seek horror titles out, but the strength of Mr. Sniegoski's writing makes this read worth a look.

If you like the spookiness, check it out ...more

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Apr 12, 2016 Erin rated it liked it

Shelves: cover-lover, thriller-killer, curses, books-of-2016

I have been waiting on this book for awhile. Stoked!!!

I'm a little torn on this one. In the beginning it was great. It started to get alittle boring has I read on. Then picked back up. I was hoping this would be a 5 star read. Why? Well look at the name? How freakin awesome is that. But unfortunately I could give only 3 stars. 3 1/2 actually. ...more

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Nov 03, 2015 Darcy rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: demons, uf, listened-to-at-work, did-not-finish, 2016, audio-book

I made it 30% in before giving up on this one. It was a just a bit too weird and dark for me. I didn't like how the demons were so evil, dumb statement I know, but I hated how they took over normal people and subverted them. This one just wasn't for me. ...more

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Apr 03, 2016 Patrícia rated it it was ok

Shelves: urban-fantasy, l-english, 2009-to-2019-reads

It was like watching Hell Boy... Except I was reading, but it wasn't any better. :P ...more

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Jan 06, 2017 Jerry rated it it was ok

Get out the crackers. This is a real cheese-fest.

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May 28, 2017 Amy Braun rated it it was amazing

I absolutely LOVED this book. Seriously, I'm addicted. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, since the blurb gives an EXORCIST feel. While the comparison is justified, this is so much more than your typical scary-exorcism-story. The DEMONISTS is inventive, exciting, brutal, original, vivid, and has one of the best female lead characters ever. The story branched off in directions I wasn't expecting, revealing secret societies, wicked treasures, and fearsome demonic entities, all of which lead to ...more

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Aug 23, 2020 Poetniknowit rated it really liked it

Firstly, this cover makes the novel look like a self published, new horror author's misguided attempt. Don't let it fool you. The book is not crap lol.

I'm not really into books with religious undertones. As a "nonbeliever", I steer far away from any novel or author that uses horror or fantasy to preach their religion in a novel's subtext.

I told myself "If there are any passages spouting religious bs that is not pertinent to the story, I will just return the book to my library." Luckily, there wa ...more

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About Thomas E. Sniegoski

Thomas E. Sniegoski

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THOMAS E. SNIEGOSKI is the author of more than two dozen novels for adults, teens, and children. His teen fantasy YA series Fallen was adapted into a trilogy of monstrously successful TV movies by ABC Family Channel. His other books for teens include Sleeper Code, Sleeper Agenda, and Force Majeure, as well as the upcoming series The Brimstone Network. The author's first adult novel, A Kiss Before ...more