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Half Demon Warlock #1

Pound of Flesh

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My name is Roy Morgan, and I’m not your average Atlanta cop. For one, most of them don’t have to kill people to stay alive. I do. It’s a half-demon thing. Yep, that’s right, half-demon. It’s awesome, especially since I’m half-warlock too, and those two sides don’t much get along.

Still, that and a buck will get you a candy bar. So it’s all good.

Or at least it was.

See, I had this dumb idea to stop a robbery in progress and have myself a snack. Turns out these weren’t your run of the mill robbers. No, these were demonic slavers, there to capture the district attorney and sell her off to the highest bidding demon in Hell.

Now if I want to stop them, I’m going to have to fight my way through a city full of hellfire-flinging, gun-toting, spell-weaving demons.

My name is Roy Morgan, and I think I’ll have seconds.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2016

184 people are currently reading
289 people want to read

About the author

J.A. Cipriano

92 books587 followers
When New York Times Bestselling author, J. A. Cipriano was in second grade, his teacher gave everyone in class a journal to write down whatever they wanted. Their first subject was to write about something they didn’t like. J. A. chose to write about why he didn’t like writing. His reasoning was simple. He had bad handwriting. Even then, he was destined to be an engineer due to his messy scrawl.

Unfortunately, he found through the course of this little adventure that he actually liked writing. That year was sort of the high point for his writing career because he won a writing contest for the state. He got to go to a big dinner and his teacher was all dressed up.

He kept writing little stories, year after year, and in sixth grade, won another contest. In seventh grade, he broke his arm and got the cast signed by both Dean Koontz and Stan Lee. It is, by far, the coolest cast he’s owned. That was about the time he found video games and anime. His writing turned mostly toward fanfiction until about ninth grade when he wrote his first novel, a small book about twenty thousand words called Revelations. In sophomore year, he wrote two more books to complete the trilogy because he saw Star Wars that year and learned trilogies were the cool thing to do.

He rewrote Revelations during his senior year, and his wife swears it is the best thing he’s written. J.A. is not so sure. Every time he reads it, he cringes, but then again, he hates everything he writes, so there is that.

It was about that time, he got heavily involved in a fanfiction writing group, but that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It was a world based on a popular anime but everything was created especially for this world. It made it so that every story someone wrote was unique.

Imagine writing a Star Wars novel set 1,000 years after A New Hope, where everything that happened was a distant memory and you get the idea. You have the force, some distant memories of the past, and that’s pretty much it.

He wrote about a million words (863K to be exact) for them before he decided to do his own thing. He wrote another novel. He put it in a drawer. He wrote another one that eventually became the basis for The Hatter is Mad. His next novel was Kill It With Magic, his first real novel. It’s not bad, but it’s bumpy. This is unfortunate because the books get loads better as the series progresses.

Since then, he’s written six more novels, four of which are in the Lillim Callina Series, and one in the Abby Banks series. The other is stuck in a drawer for time undetermined. He’s writing his next book now which is about werewolves fighting mummies in Ancient Egypt. After that, he will move onto Abby Banks 2. The Spy Within will come out in June or July.

J.A. also has three chinchillas. Two of them are grey, and because of this, they are named Slate and Cadmium. The third is named Jet because he’s black, and Jet is old English for black. See, creative. He also has a cat named Turtle. This does pose problems for his two-year-old from time to time.

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5 stars
127 (27%)
4 stars
126 (27%)
3 stars
160 (35%)
2 stars
37 (8%)
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6 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Sinisa Mikasinovic.
136 reviews29 followers
April 18, 2017
A very interesting fantasy novel!
Despite minor issues here and there, I fully enjoyed it.

First in the Half Demon Warlock trilogy, and definitely just a beginning for me. I'll read them all!

But, first things first.

When you read 'warlock' and 'demon', what's in your mind?

Something like this?


Well, tough luck!

What you're getting is this:


Meet Roy Morgan, an Atlanta PD detective!

Of course, he's still a badass, although you can't tell that just by looking at him, can you now? Trust me, he's an awesome character.

I don't know if Cipriano or Kressley came up with this vision of Roy, or which one of them put finishing touches, but the job is very well done.

Also, that is not really him. This is just some random police dude I found on the web. Still, you get the point.

Roy is a good guy.
And he is a bad guy, too.
I guess that depends on which way you look at it.

Was Dexter good or bad?


Just in case you have no idea who Dexter is, you're about a decade late to the party. Here's a spoiler for you - He's a serial killer who hunts serial killers. Awesome, right?

Roy is something like Dexter, but much more chivalrous - and pissed off the rest of the time. Sometimes these two are not exclusive. Hilarious scenes, I promise :)

While acting like the last white knight in this broken world and defending the innocents, he's also quite unhappy with his life but does little to change it.

His demon side needs to be kept in check, and that's where the policeman job comes handy. He chases bad guys and... eats them. Their souls, I mean. He's not a savage, for God's sake!

He just needs it to not become completely mental and start shooting blue balls of lightning while having absolutely no control over his own actions.

I can't really say much more as I may inadvertently take the enjoyment of discovery for you. What I can say is that all the characters are pretty deep, and that's that's where the major weight of my score lies. Writers don't tell us who they are, they show us. Big difference, and easy to appreciate.

Next, dialogue. Oh, sometimes it's golden! Most of the time it's just very good, but here and there you'll witness sparks of pure genius. I cracked out aloud more than once while in the tram or bus!

I have no shame, so it wasn't really a problem for me, but you may want to prepare an excuse or two.

Joke about Pikachu nearly killed me. And I haven't watched Pokemons in my life. I was drinking something at the time and, I'm pretty sure, some of it went out through my nose. I think I scarred one little boy for life, too.

Narration was done by James Foster. It took me a few minutes to get adjusted to his cadence, but then I realized he's the perfect person for the job. His delivery was spot on!

In terms of production there isn't really much to add, but no negatives anyway. As the audiobook is published by the writer, I consider that a feat in its own right.

Sure, there are no sounds of wood creaking when doors are opened or footsteps in the hallway, but that's called nitpicking and being spoiled. Since we all know that I'm not, I didn't miss any of that. Shut up.

Time for obligatory Audible links: You can find this on Audible US / UK for 1 credit or 10-15$, depending on the region.

Pound of Flesh: An Urban Fantasy Novel is a very recommended read/listen for anyone with taste for crime/fantasy genre combo. I know I liked it very much and I want to read more of Cipriano's books. I pray to Gods Foster is the one who reads them all.

I'm also legally required to add that this book has been provided to me free of charge by the narrator, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, James!

Also, Pikachu, go!
Profile Image for William Howe.
1,845 reviews88 followers
June 13, 2017
Not bad

And then the special macguffin changed the rules and gave the heroes the last boost they needed. Teleporting your hero to the final fight is cheating. Having him just happen to have pocketed the secret neutralizer before the fight...no. Lazy writing.

I will not be continuing this series.
Profile Image for Gareth Otton.
Author 5 books134 followers
March 1, 2017
Pound of Flesh is an okay read and just that; only okay.

It's a run of the mill urban fantasy filled with the usual tropes (an outclassed supernatural detective protagonist who is always fighting above his weight class, a hidden society of magic creatures, a beautiful woman with a ridiculous stubborn streak and a chip on her shoulder about everything... and pretty much anything else you can think of). It's so generic that almost as soon as you get started you can see where it's all going to end. It's paint-by-numbers fantasy at best.

However, that being said, at least it's easy-reading. You can zone out reading this and just let the pages go by in a blur.

Usually, I only write a review about a book if it has moved me in some way (either in a good direction or a bad), and I usually don't bother with generic books. However, there was one thing I wanted to mention here because it really bugged me, and that's the love interest (only minutes after finishing reading this and I've already forgotten her name).

For as long as I live, I will never get why this particular character type is used so often that it has become a trope in urban fantasy. I am talking about the woman who acts in no way other than a bitch to the protagonist right from the start, usually going out of her way to humiliate and emasculate him for no other reason than... well... maybe it makes the author feel good... I don't know.

As always she's written as some kind of impossible beauty, which is her only redeeming feature, and somehow that's enough for the protagonist to fall in love with her. Life doesn't work that way. Guys may want to sleep with beautiful women, even if they're bitches, but that's lust, not love. Guys who would be attracted to this sort of treatment aren't the kind of guys who are badass hero types. If you want to have a beautiful love interest, that's fine, this is fantasy after all. But that can't be the only thing positive about her character.

There, mini rant over. That aside, I'm neither going to recommend or warn people away from this book. It's a run of the mill urban fantasy and you can have a good time with it if you want to shut off your brain. Think of it as a Michael Bay movie; lots of pretty people along with dumb fun action, without any real storyline and plenty of plot holes.

A 2.5-star book then, and that's being generous.
Profile Image for Lene Blackthorn .
1,853 reviews7 followers
November 16, 2016
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author.
Roy is a cop in Atlanta that is quite unique – he is half warlock, half demon. His demonic half requires to be satiated by killing, but Roy is loyal to his opinions and attitude and as a cop, he only kills those who commit awful crimes. Surrounded by many magical creatures with the main protagonist being a hybrid of races that are mortal enemies, and excellent supernatural antagonist, the story is like a hurricane.
This book is full of action and suspense, fast pacing, and introduces the reader into a fantastic world sparkling with magic. The plot is developing quickly, complemented with witty and sharp dialogues and some truly funny scenes. The whole is bested with complex and quite believable characters spiced with a bit of romance.
I found the characters the most outstanding part of the book. Roy is a tough man, handling well his uneasy situation of being a half-breed of enemy races and forced to kill to survive. Renee is an intelligent and capable woman, strong, and equal match for Roy. Add the hilarious character of Gary, and you won’t be able to stop reading once you open the book.
Great fast read, looking forward to the future stories!
Profile Image for Mercedes Hightower.
135 reviews20 followers
January 1, 2018
I started off liking this about the first 3-4 chapters but it was all down hill from there. It started off as a light-hearted ridiculous detective mystery that could be funny but then it turned into a misogynists playground and by the end I completely hated everything about it. First and foremost the women in this book are so one dimensional and just eye/ear-candy with no real purpose or depth even the main villain is so pointless and unexplored. Renee, Jesus is so objectified by every male character that interacts with her I could barely stomach it. The way the main character talks about her and decides he loves her is so borderline creepy and intrusive it's just gross there are no other words. The main character is controlling, shallow and awkward (in the non-endearing way). The word "bitch" is used to insult a female character so regularly it actually started to make me uncomfortable. To be clear I have absolutely no problem with cursing but in this book it is unmistakably clear that the insult is used because they are women not just unlikable people in general. Overall, by the end of this book I felt gross, unsatisfied and weirded out. I can't get away from this series and authors fast enough.
Profile Image for Stefan Bogdanski.
Author 12 books12 followers
July 7, 2017
the first book in this series. I'm desperate for new urban fantasy material, since Harry Dresden is either taking his time, or has succumbed to other books of his creator...

anyway, the title in itself would have me put that book down quite quick. half demon, half warlock - sounds like "overpowered hero 101".

But the book is better than I gave the title credit for, and it is a solid piece of work. But it seems to be lacking the taste of the new, at one point or another. But it is a good start, and I will see if the second installment keeps me going strong for this series or not. all in all, "raw power" had been the better debut for a demon centered urban fantasy novel. But if you like urban fantasy, give it a chance. just expect our hero to be of the sassy kind (that seems to be the current trend in urban fantasy)
670 reviews9 followers
February 21, 2018
I think this book had some unexplored potential, but overall it was fun and packed with action. I would have liked more depth in the female characters, them came across as eye candy a lot of the time.

There were some inconsistencies as well, when Roy feeds, sometimes his meal ends up dust and other times there's a body, this isn't explained. OR why eating sugar means he can hold off on eating people.

But overall I found the story enjoyable and I'll be reading the next book to see what happens next and if it will answer any of the questions I'm left with.

The narration was well done, the character voices were clear and distinct and the delivery was a good match for the story.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
2 reviews
February 22, 2018
Audio Book

Quick Synopsis: Roy Morgan is a half-demon, half warlock detective working in Atlanta. He is hunting down a serial killer and catches him mid-robbery. This leads him to meet the Assistant District Attorney Renee something. Little does he know that the Atlanta supernatural mob boss wants to kidnap the ADA and sell her to the highest paid bidder.

Quick thoughts- It was a generic sexist male urban fantasy story. A good looking, smart-ass guy meets a beautiful, "bitchy" damsel in distress in a world with hidden supernatural creatures. He would do anything to protect her because he's never felt this way about a woman before. Its was full of cliches but also has some very funny one-liners and great pop culture references. Pick it up if you want a fast-paced generic urban fantasy story but skip it if you want anything more.
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,327 reviews2,364 followers
December 18, 2016
Pound of Flesh: An Urban Fantasy Novel (The Half-Demon Warlock Book 1) by J.A. Cipriano and Conner Kressley is such an awesome book I didn't want it to end! I loved it! Our hero is a cop, half warlock, half demon but don't hold that against him because he only feeds on those that really need to be fed on like child killers! This book is action packed, fun, (yes I said fun, demons can be fun too) full of fantasy, great dialogue, witty, great plot, wonderful characters too-esp his special friend an imp named Gary. Yes, his name is Gary. Not everyone can see Gary so it makes for some interesting times. This is an awesome read so I can't wait for book 2 to come out! I would give it more than 5 stars if possible! Loved it!
Profile Image for Mandy (MP Book Reviews).
5,080 reviews46 followers
November 10, 2016
Roy Morgan is an Atlanta cop, however as a half demon and half warlock he is rather special even if both sides don't really get on. He has to fuel his demon side by killing people (he only kills the bad guys).

He decides to stop a robbery in progress and gets himself into a whole lot of mess around demons and other supernatural beings with a plot to catch the assistant district attorney. Roy tries to do the right thing and save the ADA but there are demons, supernaturals, and magic a over the place as everyone tries to collect the reward by capturing her.

I really enjoyed this book. In places it was funny yet also dramatic with lots of action. I found myself reading it faster as I got further into the book and wanted to know what happens next.
Profile Image for Beverly Laude.
2,307 reviews46 followers
July 31, 2020
I listened to this as an audiobook and it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Ron Morgan is a half demon/half warlock working as a police detective in Atlanta. He soon finds himself drawn into a fight for humanity against a being knows as Fulton. Of course, our hero happens to meet a beautiful female ADA named Renee Cyprus and has to come to her rescue.

Nothing really that unique or exciting, but entertaining. Roy is fairly foul-mouthed and has an imp named Gary as a best friend. Thrown in a bunch of demons, witches, fairies, vampires and other supernatural beings and you have a good mix.

Throughout most of the book, I felt like I was listening to a screenplay for "Supernatural", even down to Roy's Impala.

The narrator does a good job and kept my interest.
6 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2017
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

That said, I will gladly pay for the second book when its available. The best way I can describe this book is a young adult version of the Dresden files (but with much more R-rated language, a lot). If you're a fan of Dresden, this is a no brainer. Story was fun and kept a good pace. Definitely a good first book for a series; solid story to develop the main character, touched on his past but still a lot to learn, and the ending definitely sets up for a second book. Looking forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Ceola.
1,208 reviews
September 14, 2017
Forced myself to finish this audio version. I drive a lot so i listen. This was painful. Wasn't so bad at the start. The reader sounds so bored. There wasn't any excitement in his voice even when he was swearing. Ifound myself yellling at the story! I would not bother with the 2 book in the series. Its the same reader. I was glad when it was over. Had it been the physical book i wold have skipped to the end. Thee is a lot of internal monologue. He was nearly killed and he forgot,forgot! He was half demon and he could defend himself. Some may read this and think what is she talking about it was excellent. Well to each its own!
Profile Image for Kimberly.
147 reviews5 followers
August 25, 2017
This book is a pretty good start to a hard-boiled, detective/dark fantasy story with a touch of “Quincy.” The main character is an Atlanta cop trying to do good. He is also a killer and therefore a criminal. This is due to his mixed blood. He is half demon and half warlock. Two species that traditionally don’t peacefully co-exist in the world that authors, J.A. Cipriano and Conner Kressley created. If that wasn’t enough, his demon half requires human life force to survive. Oh and there's a gimp so whats not good about that lol I say take a chance on this one if you have the time.
15 reviews
August 27, 2017
this book has the superman problem the author is fast and loose with the characters power level on one hand you paralyze a guy just by saying a word on the other hand you have a angry chick laying on top of you threatening you and he can't do anything about it bullshit. The half demon thing is handled very funny as well, instead of him being a half demon the narrative treats the demon side almost like its another being and not just himself which to me seems ridiculous i could give examples of said ridiculousness but ill pass. 1/5
Profile Image for Wolfgarr.
346 reviews20 followers
September 4, 2017
The book was ok... Not OH MY F$#@ GOD that was good.. Nor was it OMG that was really really bad.

No..It was Just "OK"

Nothing stood out, nothing new was learned, The author did not make me care/feel one way or the other about any of the characters in the book or the story for that matter. This was one of those rare neutral books i come across. At least for me. Some will love this and others will hate it.

Would not recommend or not NOT recommend lol Read it and make up your own mind :)
Profile Image for Marcus.
765 reviews4 followers
February 2, 2018
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was a book that was a surprise. It was filled with the supernatural creatures that you grew up with and have known, but it also had a few unknowns thrown in. The situation quickly developed into a free for all battle, with new characters constantly filling in and being eliminated. There were plot twists, constant action, a romantic angle, and an interesting cliff hanger
Profile Image for Holly Lenz.
928 reviews2 followers
June 29, 2018
Pound of Flesh is a cool supernatural adventure with lots of action and humor. The main character is a half demon, half warlock police detective whose best friends are an imp and a horny fairy. Get the idea?

The narrator of the audio book does a great job, though I spent far too much time pondering what actor his voice reminded me of with its slight twang, and never did really decide.

Contains lots of violence and adult language.
Profile Image for Stephanie Bolen.
2,172 reviews28 followers
June 14, 2019
Dresden meets Morgan

Rachel Morgan of the Hollows series is a blundering smartass who just winds up winning in the end. She's a rat terrier who just keeps yapping at the bad guys til they try to kill her. Dresden is a really powerful bull in a china shop that cleverly gets himself out of impossible odds. Roy is a bull who blunders his way through the carefully constructed plot and then cleverly gets himself out of trouble.
408 reviews7 followers
May 5, 2017
I can't say I loved this, however, it has its moments and the action is worth the read. the theme is refreshing but the story moves super fast and the back story seems a bit rushed.
I received this free book, in return for an unbiased review
552 reviews
June 3, 2017
Roy the Demon

Roy is a detective new to Atlanta. He is also a half-demon half-warlock. He meets an asst district attorney, Renee. Complications follow. Good plotting and characterization.
Profile Image for Cathleen.
738 reviews19 followers
June 5, 2017
Interesting twist on the paranormal genre

Interesting and fun to read. Kept my interest as I was curious to see how it would all work out. The cliffhanger ending gives just enough of a twist to make you interested in reading book 2.
15 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2016
Good fast read

An engaging hero, vulnerable and kind, meets implacable villain with exciting results. The roller coaster ride with great highs and lows keeps you glued
Profile Image for Larry.
19 reviews
May 24, 2017
Loved it. Can't wait to read the next one!!
Profile Image for Tabitha Morgan.
25 reviews
July 9, 2017
This book got better as it went along. Very surprised by how good it was.
Profile Image for Jay Paparella.
166 reviews10 followers
September 8, 2017
An interesting first book in a new series.

I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

The main character has an interesting power set, and the enemies are suitably evil.

Profile Image for Eric Loflin.
386 reviews2 followers
March 13, 2018
3.5 Stars. Enjoyable but doubt if I will follow up with Book 2. Lot of plot holes.
Profile Image for Bookwyrm Speaks.
303 reviews18 followers
March 12, 2017
Roy Morgan is a new detective on the Atlanta PD. He's also a sould sucking half Demon, half Warlock, which is a strange combo, since Witches and Warlocks exorcise demons. To keep the demon in check, Roy feeds it the worst of the worst: Rapists, murderers, pedophiles. People the world is better off without. When he tries to take down a spree killer who targets mini marts, he is interupted in his feeding and the killer lives. What follows is a wild, action packed ride through the city of Atlanta, as a supernatural conspiracy involving demons, witches, vampires and a slew of other supernaturals threatens the security of Atlanta and maybe more. The local ADA trying the spree killer case becomes the target for the conspiracy, and its all Roy can do to keep her alive before the clock strikes 12 and all hell breaks loose, this time literally!

With characters like Roy, who could become a cliche rage monster but instead a comlex, flawed character, with a lot of snark to offset the demon inside him, the cast of characters really grabs a hold of you. The villain reveal is a shock, and is both tragic and electrifying in turn.

James Foster really took it to another level with his narration. This may be his best work, and does he do an incredible job bringing the story and characters to life!
Definitely a must listen, and I can't wait to see what happens in book 2!

I was voluntarily given a review copy of this audiobook by the narrator.
Profile Image for Tammy Johnson-brazeau.
34 reviews2 followers
March 19, 2017
Pound of Flesh is a book filled with adventure.
Roy Morgsn is a cop in Atlanta that is different – he is half warlock, half demon. His demonic half requires to be satiated by killing, but Roy only kills those who commit awful crimes.
This audio book is full of action and suspense, fast pace, and introduces the reader into a unreal world sparkling with magic.
There were many lol spots in this book,
you won’t be able to stop reading once you open the book.
If you like Urban Fantasy you'll want to get this book.
The narrator did a great job with the story and different voices.
I was gifted this audio ARC from the author for a honest and unbiased review.
325 reviews
March 24, 2017
WTF...she is in danger and it takes him 17 minutes to get to her and the second time he stops to apologize to the receptionist, I think the writer has ADD, they tend to lose focus from the ball.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews