Dämoren (Valducan, #1) by Seth Skorkowsky

Jul 14, 2017 Michael Britt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Milestone achieved! This is officially my 100th review. I am ecstatic that this is the book that I get to review for said milestone.

Update: the lovely ladies over at Bookspren were so kind as to feature this review on their blog. You can check it out here!

This is easily a 5 star book. It has cemented itself in the top 3 spot for my favorite debut novels. Right with Malice by John Gwynne and Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. Don't ask me to rank them, because I'm not sure I could make that cho Milestone achieved! This is officially my 100th review. I am ecstatic that this is the book that I get to review for said milestone.

Update: the lovely ladies over at Bookspren were so kind as to feature this review on their blog. You can check it out here!

This is easily a 5 star book. It has cemented itself in the top 3 spot for my favorite debut novels. Right with Malice by John Gwynne and Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. Don't ask me to rank them, because I'm not sure I could make that choice. Not to mention this spectacular cover!! US covers tend to not be, in my opinion, very aesthetically pleasing. And man, I love this cover!

Damoren is an awesome blend of urban fantasy, horror and paranormal. It is pretty low fantasy. The characters don't really wield any magic, besides a "gift" Matt was gifted to heal when he touches demon blood and one of the characters has tattoos that can sense demons and do a few other things. We follow Matt Hollis in a first person point of view. He and his family was attacked by a pack of wendigos fourteen years before our story begins. That was the day that changed everything for him. That was the day his family was slaughtered, he became "possessed" by the demon that attacked him, and that was also the day that he met the demon hunter armed with the Holy revolver, Damoren, that he would later become the owner of. Fast forward fourteen years later and Matt has taken up his mentor's mantel. After a violent series of murders leaves only fifty Holy weapons in the world, Matt is approached by 2 men, from the holy order known as the Valducans, and recruited into their ranks. Due to his possession fourteen years earlier (it's not the type of possession we're thinking of, it's more like a watermark has been left behind) he is widely untrusted by the other members of the Valducan. Once sabotage and assassinations begin, the Valducan know they have a traitor in their midst. All adds up to Matt possibly being the culprit, so he has to prove himself and gain their trust, all while protecting Damoren and trying to uncover the true traitor among their ranks. The plot is full of so many twists and turns that it is truly tough to feel like anyone is ever really safe. Maybe not even our protagonist.

Skorkowsky's characters are all so unique and feel so real. They each have their strengths and plenty of weaknesses. This helped me really connect with a lot of them. I hated them when I was meant to hate them, and might have even liked a few of those same characters by the ending. There was just enough character development there to make me excited for the future books, since each book is going to feature a different character and weapon. The weapons are actually characters just as much as any of the people. One thing that I thought was really cool was how we got these little snippets in between some of the chapters that kind of gave us some insight into Damoren and her past owners. It really makes you feel a connection with the weapon, which is something truly unique.

Speaking of weapons, they were part of what made me love this book so much! I'm used to fantasy books that only feature a few different types of weapons. Mainly swords. Which is always understandable due to the setting of the book. So here we get a huge variety of (Holy) weapons, since it's set in present day. We get your run of the mill medieval sword, a revolver, a katana, khopesh, machete, toki poutangata, saber, mace, and so much more that I can't even recall right now. This made the story feel even more unique.

The demons and mythology in this book was yet another thing that had a lot of variety. I'm a sucker for a book with demons, so this was the selling point for me. I was pleasantly surprised at just how many demons and monsters we got. We had vampires, werewolves, ghouls, wendigos, oni, hellhounds, incubi, ifrit, lamia, rakshasas, crimson strutters, and even a dragon. I was blown away at just how extensive his list of demons and monsters was. He really held nothing back!

The only thing I would say that could make this book better would have been a glossary in the front. Mainly just because of how extensive the cast of demons and monsters is. And it seemed each monster/demon has their own colors of flames when they're killed, so a glossary explaining what each type of demon/monster looks like, a brief summary of their lore, color of flame when extinguished would've been really cool. Some of that is explained throughout the book, but glossaries are always a cool touch! It in no way made me enjoy the book any less, but I thought it worth addressing. Also, kind of a disclaimer, there is quite a lot of gun porn in this book. He gets very detailed at different points and I know that some people aren't fans of that stuff, so I thought I'd add that here too. There was a bit of a lull once Matt, our protagonist, gets to the Valducan base and the gun stuff gets pretty descriptive. It wasn't but maybe one chapter, and the only time that I felt the book fell into a lull. Luckily it's a very short period so it's really easy to get through.

This is such a strong debut novel in a series that keeps growing and growing. It encompasses so many elements that I think it will really satisfy a wide range of readers. You have demons, monsters, demon hunters, huge variety of weapons, urban fantasy elements, horror, gore, some great action, moments of humor that help to lighten the story a bit, and a spectacular ending that I don't think anyone will be able to predict. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys even just a few of these elements. You won't be disappointed. ...more

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Apr 05, 2014 Dan Schwent rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014

When Matt Hollis, a lone demon hunter with a magical pistol, is approached to join the ancient order of Valducan knights, he warily accepts. Can the Valducans put aside their suspicions and accept Matt before they are overwhelmed by a demonic force bent on ridding the world of holy weapons?

I got this ARC from Ragnarok Publications, the fine folks responsible for the Dead West series.

Firstly, Damoren, a magical pistol with an equally magical bayonet attacked, was forged from a shattered magical s ...more

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Oct 07, 2014 Mike (the Paladin) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

Interesting book. It's a pretty good addition to the UF universes. Here we have a mythology that centers around magic weapons or as the book refers to them "holy weapons" (though the use of the word is somewhat subjective and means something different in this fictional universe than it might elsewhere). Anyway...as noted the story revolves around weapons, primarily Damoren. Lest I'm unclear there, Damoren is one of these weapons, a revolver with a knife blade under the barrel.

See...monsters can Interesting book. It's a pretty good addition to the UF universes. Here we have a mythology that centers around magic weapons or as the book refers to them "holy weapons" (though the use of the word is somewhat subjective and means something different in this fictional universe than it might elsewhere). Anyway...as noted the story revolves around weapons, primarily Damoren. Lest I'm unclear there, Damoren is one of these weapons, a revolver with a knife blade under the barrel.

See...monsters can be, "killed" by whatever is their weakness, silver for werewolves, gold for Rakshasas (though I never heard of that one so it's probably unique to the book.) etc. But it takes one of the "holy weapons" or magic weapons to kill the creature inside the possessed human. If you just kill a werewolf with a silver bullet then the "actual" werewolf floats around in the "Aether" (so to speak) till it can possess another body. The "holy weapons" kill the "thing inside". There are various kinds of weapons and the monsters want to destroy them. Once a weapon is broken it's dead. See the weapons "bond" to a hunter and it's apparently a very intense relationship...I mean,"VERY INTENSE". So the hunters are badly shaken up if their weapon dies and as I said if a weapon gets broken or smashed it's dead...

Except for Damoren.

Damoren was at one time a sword. Dameron was broken. But Damoren didn't die.

Damoren's hunter had Damoren reforged as a cap and ball revolver.

I'd say that if you like Urban Fantasy in general and/or the Monster Hunter motif then you'll like this book. We have the protagonist who isn't trusted by his allies, traditional monsters, nontraditional monsters, a twist at the end that while not wholly original isn't one we've seen overworked and it's got a good lead in.

There are also some openings for interesting characters to come, or possibly "reappear" might be a better word. There's a lot of room for expansion in the "world" and it's magic system. There are of course some big internal logic holes in the novel but we live in hope that kind of thing will get handled.

I mean for example, if the only way the actual "monsters" can be dispatched permanently (so to speak) is with one of the "holy weapons" then there must be more holy weapons somewhere or we'd be hip deep in lycanthropes, vampires and other nasties. Still instead of looking at that as a drawback I choose to see it as an opportunity for Mr. Skorkowsky.

I like the book. Maybe not the "best" Urban Fantasy out there and not one I'll be counting the days till the next installment is available, but a pretty good UF/action read.

Recommend (mostly though with a few caveats). Enjoy. ...more

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Apr 15, 2014 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

To tell the truth, Dämoren didn’t start off high on my priority list of books to read when I received it for review, though it did hook my attention when I was told there would be wendigos (seriously, more books need wendigos). The cover, while very pretty, also did nothing to draw me in, showing a partial image of a bladed revolver. Hey, gunblades are neat and all -- but that also tells me very little.

Then a couple weeks 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...

To tell the truth, Dämoren didn’t start off high on my priority list of books to read when I received it for review, though it did hook my attention when I was told there would be wendigos (seriously, more books need wendigos). The cover, while very pretty, also did nothing to draw me in, showing a partial image of a bladed revolver. Hey, gunblades are neat and all -- but that also tells me very little.

Then a couple weeks ago, while trying to choose my next read, I was struck by a sudden surge of spontaneity and decided to pick up Dämoren and give the first few pages a shot. An hour later, I realized with a jolt that I was still reading, and that I was already almost a third of the way in. The weird thing about that hour, is that it honestly felt like a mere few minutes. Dämoren simply took me by surprise. I’ve read my fair share of stories about demon slayers and monster hunters, so admittedly I wasn’t expecting this first book of Seth Skorkowsky’s new urban fantasy/horror series to be that much different.

Once again, I am sorry to have underestimated the dark fiction of Ragnarok Pub. Rest assured Dämoren will satisfy all your needs in the action and thrills department, but what I was most impressed with was the world building and unique body of lore Skorkowsky has created, which offered a fresh new take on the angel/demon mythos.

Central to the novel is the concept of holy weapons. In the world of Dämoren, these weapons are sentient entities that if you’re not careful you may actually grow to care for them and even start thinking of them as characters themselves! Somehow the author has managed to imbue unmoving, unspeaking objects with personalities of their own. For when these holy weapons form a bond with a wielder, he or she becomes irrevocably aware that their weapons are alive and that they speak to their souls. No one knows how a holy weapon comes to be, but they are the only way to kill a demon. And the love a wielder feels for their weapon can be even more powerful than any attachment to another human being.

It is so with Matt Hollis, the main protagonist and owner of Dämoren, the name of his holy sword pistol. As a child, Matt was the only survivor of a wendigo attack on his family, making it out alive thanks to a man named Clay Mercer who killed the monsters and rescued the young boy. The former wielder of Dämoren, Clay had resigned from a secret order of demon hunters called the Valducan, and left his holy weapon to Matt after he died. But many years later, the Valducan leadership has taken an interest in Matt’s activities and asked him and Dämoren to rejoin their ranks, due to a sudden influx of coordinated monster attacks and attempts to destroy holy weapons. Unfortunately, this was not a decision welcomed by all, as some of the Valducan see Matt as corrupted. For while Matt had survived his childhood wendigo attack, he was also bitten by one of the creatures.

So, get this: In the world of this novel, all monsters – everything from werewolves to vampires, ghouls to lamia – are all essentially humans, but possessed by the souls of the different kinds of demons inhabiting them, giving rise to their physical and characteristic traits. A bite is how a demon “marks” a person, making them an available vessel to possess if or when their old body perishes. Now you can see why the other Valducans might be giving Matt the shifty eyes.

The book is just filled to the brim with cool ideas like these, not to mention the fact Matt’s special condition gives him some rather handy powers (blood compasses! Can you say awesome?) or the sheer variety of terrifying monsters, both new and familiar, that you’ll come face to face with within these pages. There’s certainly no shortage of action. I also classified this book as an urban fantasy, but in reality the plot will take you to many places across the globe, from the wilds of western Canada to the outskirt villages of Florence. So not only does it take place in variety of environments, Dämoren is a truly international adventure.

Although it will read perfectly fine as a self-contained novel, I was also happy to see that it is a “book one” implying that there will be more in the future. When the Valducan Order expands, one thing I'd love to see is more kickass female knights like Luiza. As one of the only two major female characters, I wasn't surprised that the role of "love interest" fell to her as well, but more to the point, I think the special relationship between a holy weapon and its owner is one of the most intriguing aspects of Dämoren and I would love to see this uncanny bond further explored with an even greater diversity of characters. Really looking forward to see what else Seth Skorkowsky has in store for us.
...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Derpa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series, sidechars-of-awesome, my-jam, protag-love, cover-love

More of this kinda stuff on Tome Raider.

I guess I am becoming more willing to give unknown, small books a go and so far I'm not regretting it at all. Then again, Michael loved this and our taste is fairly similar with fun, action packed stuff, so I guess I should have known. (To my family; if you find my mummified body under a collapsed pile of books, Michael is to blame.)

When you hear 'holy weapon' you most likely imagine it as this one single item that is so special that no other can ever r ...more

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Apr 09, 2014 Mihir rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: With urban fantasies nowadays, there’s only so much being done. Faced with the usual bandwagon of vampires, werewolves, faeries, elves and other tropes, it can get a tad disappointing for an urban fantasy fan like me. Of course we have authors like Ilona Andrews, Liz Williams, Myke Cole, Tim Marquitz, and Rachel Aaron who dare to stretch the limits and pave new ground.

Seth Skorkowsky’s Dämoren was a book, which after reading the blurb, I was hop
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: With urban fantasies nowadays, there’s only so much being done. Faced with the usual bandwagon of vampires, werewolves, faeries, elves and other tropes, it can get a tad disappointing for an urban fantasy fan like me. Of course we have authors like Ilona Andrews, Liz Williams, Myke Cole, Tim Marquitz, and Rachel Aaron who dare to stretch the limits and pave new ground.

Seth Skorkowsky’s Dämoren was a book, which after reading the blurb, I was hoping that would also be different. The blurb details a world wherein there’s a series of holy weapons that have been wielded by men and women to defeat all sorts of unnatural and nasty creatures. Matt Hollis is our protagonist who is also the current wielder of Dämoren and he’s been doing his job (of sorts) since he learnt what the world truly is. In his teenage years when he went by Spencer Mallory, he came to know what a wendigo is and what savagery a group of them can inflict. Saved by a stranger who wielded Dämoren, Matt/Spencer is drawn to the gun with a mind of its own. Fastforward fourteen years to the attack, we encounter Matt investigating a strange phenomenon in Canada.

That’s where he meets the Valducans, a strange group of people who wield similar weapons and who request him for his help. There’s much more to the weapons than Matt knows but the only way he can get information is if he decides to join this motley bunch. The spanner in the works is that Matt has a secret of his own and it might endanger everyone.

description

You have to admit Seth Skorkowsky has gotten a nice hook with this story. There’s a magical weapon,a freaking revolver with a blade. It’s sentient as are other weapons and a mystery organization is holding them to battle with all sorts of nasty creatures. The author does really go out of his way to make this tale an international one by having the story move around from locale to locale and doesn’t conform to any one specific mythology either. Utilizing a whole gamut of creatures from European, Native American and Hindu mythos, he keeps the story and the readers on an even keel. There’s also a strong undercurrent of horror that the author utilizes effectively within the action sequences and with certain plot points.

The story also moves at a very fast pace and has some terrific action sequences interspersed. Additionally the author also has some neat twists reserved for the end, which go on to explain some exciting hints about the mythology of the holy weapons. The author also gives some important information about the world between chapters as book excerpts and other such, which really helps the reader without going into unnecessary exposition. The story is nicely streamlined as the Valducans are constantly hammered on all fronts and Matt has to figure it out before the suspicions against him turn violent. The story also ends on a big climax that should satisfy most of the readers and points excitingly towards a sequel.

Now to the points that didn’t make this it a five star read, in regards to the characterization of the protagonist. We are given enough of a clue about him and his past however the circumstances with which he grew up would have been exciting to explore. A boy who has been savaged by wendigos is saved by something beyond his control and yet looked on with hostility by his savior. That’s a terrific origin story right there! Of course with regards to the story he wanted to tell, I can imagine why the author directly jumped to the present. Also in regards to the other characters, we don’t get much background on them but they aren’t cardboard cutouts either.

Another thing I would have enjoyed is that if the author had explored as to how all the world religions and mythologies tie in together, there are a few things mentioned here and there. But nothing concrete is offered, this is what usually ruffles the read for me. I would have liked to see how the world religions have been affected or atleast some hypothesis in regards to it. But with this being book one in a series, it can be understood if the author didn't want to reveal all his cards. Lastly one more interesting thing the author manages is that he very effectively sidesteps the question of which brand of belief is the correct one. I thought that was a very smooth move.

CONCLUSION: Dämoren is an exciting debut, as it offers the best of both urban fantasy and thrillers have to offer. Seth Skorkowsky writes a story that is an excellent combination of horror, action and mythology, furthermore his writing flows smoothly and makes for a damned good read as well. Check out Dämoren if you like Jim Butcher's works mixed in with a strong dash of James Rollins' thrillers. ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Anton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: also-strongly-recommended-fiction, urban-mystery

4.5 ⭐️ my first audiobook (ever)

My experience with 'urban fantasy' genre has always been a hit & miss (with a heavy weighting on the 'miss' part). Last year I was delightfully surprised by Dresden Files that, whilst with its flaws, has quickly climbed up to my 'favourite' shelf. I have tried other books since but ended up disappointed (not to name any names)...

Anyhow, Damoren is clearly breaking this 'urban fantasy is a meh' tide for me! If you like Harry Dresden - you should enjoy Matthew Holli ...more

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Aug 06, 2017 Soo rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

I tried this story in two formats: audio and ebook. If I could have managed to listen to the story, certain things would not have annoyed me as quickly as they did by reading the story. To my surprise, I did not like the way Bray narrated the story and returned the audiobook after trying to listen to it several times. I got about 20 minutes into the audio before I stopped listening.

The story comes off like a bad attempt at an anime style story. For no particular reason, different aspects of the ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Sade rated it liked it · review of another edition

Not bad, not bad at all. Blown away i was not, but i didn't want to chuck my Kindle across the room (not literally of course) while reading.
So Damoren is basically a book about people who call themselves knights/hunters who get boners (again not literally) for their weapons and also who have taken it upon themselves -such selfless humans - to rid the world of demons.
First off i think this book really pushed it with the whole i love my weapon ish. It was, as far i'm concerned a cringe fest..It wa

Not bad, not bad at all. Blown away i was not, but i didn't want to chuck my Kindle across the room (not literally of course) while reading.
So Damoren is basically a book about people who call themselves knights/hunters who get boners (again not literally) for their weapons and also who have taken it upon themselves -such selfless humans - to rid the world of demons.
First off i think this book really pushed it with the whole i love my weapon ish. It was, as far i'm concerned a cringe fest..It was just too much.. TOO MUCH!!

Then the demons-For anyone who's conversant with monster folklore -that's a thing right?- you probably wouldn't have a problem with all the demon names the book kept throwing at you and what their powers were, but if the extent of your folklore stops at ware wolves, vampires, Djinns let's throw in succubus too, the demon names just start to blur.. Plus there's only so many times i want to check google for what the heck these creatures are..rakshasas, lamia, ifrits, wendigo, a horned frog like beast with gold skin, an oni, a pair of giant black dogs with eyes glowing like embers...you get the picture.

GUNS GUNS GUNSSSS & Damoren's shells- I think this author is a gun nut or well likes guns a whole lot. Not necessarily a bad thing really i just didn't expect so much specific gun talk. Like there was this part where they in an armory sort of and they started talking about using the reloading press, i honest to God had to YouTube what that was and see how it works -Bonus point, I learnt something new, so yay- On the other hand, did i really really need all that info. On to Damoren's shells, first off, Shout out to Michael Britt for the whole gun shell explanation thing 😁 much appreciated.
Right so apparently Damoren's (view spoiler) It just didn't gel for me really. It felt like the author just picked a convenient time to make him care about the shell casings just so he could conveniently work the angle in the story he was going for. Sometimes i think authors maybe think readers forget certain stuffs that happen earlier in the book.

The love thing - One word. WHY??? I don't understand why authors feel the need to pair characters up really.. but hey, if it must be done, definitely not like it was in this book.. so awkward and very insta-lovey.. yuck!! i really don't want to see insta love if it isn't smut.

Anyways i saved the best for last.. The fight scenes were awesome, like really awesome!!! it was like
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but with monsters!! so yeah i could live with the other negatives.

All in all looking forward to a much improved Book 2..hopefully with less hard ons for their weapons.

...more

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Nov 13, 2018 Eric rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

4.5 Stars

That was awesome. Damoren started off a new series with a bang, introducing a fantastic world of demons and the secret order of knights who hunt them.

Damoren follows Matt Hollis, a demon hunter who comes into contact with the Valducans, an ancient holy order dedicated to hunting and destroying demons, using holy weapons to wage their secret war. A new treat has risen against the order, and the hunters are banding together to find out what’s behind this new evil and destroy it.

This boo 4.5 Stars

That was awesome. Damoren started off a new series with a bang, introducing a fantastic world of demons and the secret order of knights who hunt them.

Damoren follows Matt Hollis, a demon hunter who comes into contact with the Valducans, an ancient holy order dedicated to hunting and destroying demons, using holy weapons to wage their secret war. A new treat has risen against the order, and the hunters are banding together to find out what’s behind this new evil and destroy it.

This book was just plain fun. The pacing was fantastic, I can’t remember a single time it lagged. There is TONS of phenomenal action, but the author did a great job balancing that with character interactions and world building. One gripe I sometimes have with action heavy books is that it seems like the action takes the place of things like dialogue, but that thankfully wasn’t the case here.

I loved the premise. A secret order of knights waging war against demons with sentient weapons? Sign me up. And the author delivered on the promise, creating a world full of varied and interesting creatures.

The closest comparison I have for Damoren is the Monster Hunter International series by Larry Correia (which I love). Both have monster hunters and are fast paced, have lots of action, and are wildly entertaining. That said, this series stands on it owns, with some great worldbuilding and plenty of unique touches.

The story is told entirely from the POV of Matt, though there are a couple other short chapters in the form of archive record entries that do a god job of adding some backstory. The author handled that trick well, that type of things isn’t always easy to pull off.

The book wasn’t perfect, with a couple small knocks against it. I noticed several typos/grammatical errors, though not enough to pull me out of the story. The writing is polished, but at times I wished it was a touch more descriptive. And I have just a tiny issue with part of the ending that seemed a bit convenient. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, and rounded up the 4.5 rating to a full 5.

I read this book in just over a day, and immediately bought the next book. If you like action heavy urban fantasy with a touch of horror, you need check out this book. ...more

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Apr 05, 2014 Seregil of Rhiminee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Originally published at Risingshadow.

Dämoren is the first part of the Valducan series. It's Seth Skorkowsky's debut novel.

Dämoren was a pleasant surprise for me, because it was a good and entertaining urban fantasy novel. I don't normally read urban fantasy, because there are plenty of novels which have failed to impress me. The problem with most urban fantasy novels is that there isn't anything interesting in them. This novel is fortunately different from most urban fantasy novels, because it's ...more

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Oct 21, 2014 Rob Hayes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One Line Review:

Tragic back story (yes we start with it), BANG, hunting hunting just keep hunting, distrust, BANG, death, death, death, death, twist, death, death, eclipse, pain, twist, ROAAAAAARRRR, history, giggedy.

So Damoren took me a while to read. It's not that its slow but more that it starts off with A LOT of questions and takes it sweet time answering any of them (and some of them it never answers which serves the narrative quite well). When I did get into it though I really got into it! One Line Review:

Tragic back story (yes we start with it), BANG, hunting hunting just keep hunting, distrust, BANG, death, death, death, death, twist, death, death, eclipse, pain, twist, ROAAAAAARRRR, history, giggedy.

So Damoren took me a while to read. It's not that its slow but more that it starts off with A LOT of questions and takes it sweet time answering any of them (and some of them it never answers which serves the narrative quite well). When I did get into it though I really got into it! I'm not generally a fan of urban fantasy but the world Seth has created struck some deep notes with me and I found myself eager to devour more (seriously if you read this, Seth, finish Hounacier NOW!).

Structurally the book is set out from a single point of view (Matt Hollis), a demon hunter wielding the holy weapon Damoren (a gun blade) as he kills demons and joins up with an order of folk (the Valducans) who all wield holy weapons. We don't really get a lot of back story for Matt because we basically see it all right at the beginning and it's fairly tragic. Matt's character is solidly fleshed and easy to read and quite likeable most of the time, the same cannot be said of all the other characters. At the end of many chapters Seth gives us information in the form of reports and old diary entries and the like. I loved this way of delivering information about various demon breeds and what not and truly hopes he continues it for the sequels.

So I don't like to give too much away but the story whips along at a blinding pace and there's equal amounts of action, exposition, and twisting plots. At no time did reading it feel like a chore and I finished the final 50% or so in 2 sittings and that was only because my 1st sitting was interrupted by that pesky need to sleep.

I do have a couple of gripes with the book and that's that many of the supporting cast felt unfleshed. The story is told from a single point of view so it's not that surprising as we only really know what the protagonist knows and he was pretty focused on the love interest, but I found it hard to connect with many of the other demon hunters. And that brings me to my other issue: There is a high turnover of characters as tension is ramped up by Seth killing off hunters in a variety of gruesome ways (none of the deaths feel forced though)... It works well for its purpose but I never really connected to any of those that died and honestly I found myself almost reading back through it at times to figure out WHO had died and WHO they were.

Not much in the way of negatives is it. Damoren is an awesome novel and I would happily recommend it. Definitely worth the 5 stars it's getting here. ...more

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Apr 07, 2014 Clay Sanger rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In a genre wildly over-populated by cheesy vampire/demon/werewolf love stories and bad supernatural detective schtick, Damoren is a breath of fresh air from the first chapter to the last.

From the start, the reader is treated to a very fresh take on the monster-hunter concept and the monstrous foes themselves -- a thread which is enjoyably woven non-stop throughout the book.

The idea of monster-slaying weapons imbued with holy or magical properties has been a staple of legendary storytelling since ...more

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Nov 28, 2014 Jack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, recent-reads

I had this novel for awhile but did not read it until a "goodread's" member recommended it. thank's
I started reading and after the evening became morning and the following day this was a finished read... I could not stop, the novel flows very well,bringing you right into the world and fills in the pieces as the story progress's (I like when the novels just have a flow to them).
My enjoyment of this novel should be obvious as it was started and finished then I went back to my world, this has the I had this novel for awhile but did not read it until a "goodread's" member recommended it. thank's
I started reading and after the evening became morning and the following day this was a finished read... I could not stop, the novel flows very well,bringing you right into the world and fills in the pieces as the story progress's (I like when the novels just have a flow to them).
My enjoyment of this novel should be obvious as it was started and finished then I went back to my world, this has the demon and hunters but add's a whole new background that fits so well and is at the same time mysterious and left to the readers choice to add-lib and think on his own about the structure of how "monster's/demons" are created and brought to this world.
Also has a scene straight from Hieronymus Bosch's paintings of hell , with people bowing to these monster's really got me as I ran to the computer bringing up imagery and old painting's.
the hierarchy of the well "spoiler" If I say.... well I wont and get back to just my enjoyment of this novel,
There are a few main characters in this novel and parts that make it very unique , and this is getting more difficult to pull off as more and more great authors are showing up, but this novel was just a smooth enjoyable read from start to finish, One thing I did not want to read the prologue to the next novel as I hate the waiting but in the end could not resist.
Handing down skill's and weapons through the ages to battle with these evil "monsters" brings a feeling of a much bigger picture, and the multiverse and never ending battle between good and evil is explored and again the author lets the reader explore this for himself, with a few words he makes a stage where anything is possible and does not over explain , but gives hints of a greater picture, and for this I push it too 5 star's.
I love the multiverse God's, Demons, men and reincarnation or just a continuance and a never ending life that continues on in some form or another.

"Had it only been just a few minute's? He'd seen lifetimes,eons, memories like an endless ocean,He could spend the rest of his life exploring..." "quote from the novel, I appreciate when these author's give me a key to my imagination, a door' that I didn't see and once its opened it never get's closed'

Thanks for the recommendation, this is what this "goodreads" is all about, I might have pushed the novel aside once more ( got into a reading ...slump and this pulled me right back into exploring this unimaginable vast universe that we really know nothing about, and to join fantasy with such a amazing place is a wonderful thing'

Great novel, recommended. ...more

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Feb 28, 2018 Lukasz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

While I consider myself a pacifist and have no interest in guns, I have to admit I wouldn’t mind having Dämoren at hand. Just in case. You know how it is with werewolves, vampires, and daemons – you never know when they’ll come to get you.

The thing is, the moment I took the Holy Weapon would be my last. Matt would kill me. No one, except him, can touch his beloved one.

Dämoren is an impressive debut. I came late to the party as the series is already or almost finished. That’s, actually, good – I ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 C.T. Phipps rated it it was amazing

Shelves: urban-fantasy, grimdark, valducan

http://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/10...

4.5/5

DAMOREN by Seth Skorkowsky is the first volume of the Valducan series of urban fantasy novels. Urban fantasy has become something of a winding road in recent years as it has become deluged with endless knock-offs of the same basic character types: a snarky wizard with a bad attitude or a beautiful (but doesn't know it) spunky paranormal heroine. Call them the "Harry Dresden" or "Mercy Thompsons" of the world. They're awesome but it's nice when a serie http://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/10...

4.5/5

DAMOREN by Seth Skorkowsky is the first volume of the Valducan series of urban fantasy novels. Urban fantasy has become something of a winding road in recent years as it has become deluged with endless knock-offs of the same basic character types: a snarky wizard with a bad attitude or a beautiful (but doesn't know it) spunky paranormal heroine. Call them the "Harry Dresden" or "Mercy Thompsons" of the world. They're awesome but it's nice when a series adds something new to the genre.

The Valducan series is nothing like Harry Dresden, albeit Matt Hollis is a snarky man with a bad attitude. He's also not even the protagonist of the entire series. Instead, each volume stars a different member of the titular order of monster hunters. All of them are equipped with magical weapons which possess the power to slay demons as well as their offspring. These weapons have a strange affect on their owners which is halfway between the One Ring and a marriage. I've very much enjoyed each volume and am glad to talk about the first which started it all.

The premise? Matt Hollis is a victim of a monster attack who has been infected in the process. This is normally a death sentence for humans found by members of the Valducan but he ends up being saved and getting the magical pistol which gives the book its title. Receiving Damoren means he's a gunslinger akin to Roland but comes with the cost of having to spend the rest of his life hunting down monsters. Worse, he doesn't have the support of the Valducan because they think he's a monster. Well, until there's a threat which requires all hands on deck, including the ones they hate.

This is weirdly akin to the Avengers in the majority of the book is Matt meeting the other oddball members of the organization as well as finding out about their abilities. There's Malcolm the Voodoo priest with a magical machete, Allan the Englishman with a khopesh, and Luiza with a conquistador blade. All of them have odd but memorable personalities and a few of them are willing to give Matt the benefit of the doubt.

The fact this is a monster hunter book about an organization rather than a person, Matt more or less serving as our viewpoint character, makes it different than most urban fantasy out there. It's also a bit darker as there's no romance in the story and it's a terrible world with monsters treating human beings as supper with no possible recourse. Demons can't be killed by conventional weapons and if you destroy their offspring, then they can make more. It's a neat little set up and the fact the group looks like a bunch of domestic terrorists from the outside (crazy secretive religious group that is always nearby violent incidents) means they have a good reason to keep under the radar.

Damoren is full of action from start to finish with a horde of disgusting and terrible monsters slaughtering their way across Europe as well as America. These are purely unsympathetic creatures and come in impossible varieties due to the fact vampires, werewolves, naga, and other creatures are "merely" the physical expressions of the demon within. That was a neat little bit of world-building there.

Ironically, my biggest complaint is the fact I liked Matt Hollis enough that I was disappointed to find out he wasn't the protagonist for the entire series. He had an excellent "voice" which I became accustomed to. I also note the depiction of the demons is a bit one-dimensional (aside from a surprising revelation). They're completely feral and monstrous creatures which can only be dealt with by the use of weapons. It rather limits storytelling in the future even if our heroes' quest is justified by such a terrible foe. Either way, the books are great fun. ...more

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Aug 07, 2017 Veronica rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, urban-fantasy

There's nothing terribly new here but it's an enjoyable, monster hunting tale with cool characters. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator only helped to add to the enjoyment level for me. There are additional books in the series but this one ends on a solid note (i.e. no cliffhanger) that doesn't require any additional investment for those who opt out of moving on.

...more

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Oct 22, 2014 C.T. Phipps rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, grimdark, valducan

So what if Harry Dresden was a foul-mouthed gunslinger?

That's sort of what I think about Damoren. This is somewhat unfair to the author as the character of Matt Hollis isn't that similar to Harry Dresden. He's not a pop cultured badass, for example, but a grizzled veteran with a dozen years of demon hunting. The book does make me think of Harry, though, and Stephen King's Dark Tower series to some extent. If for no other reason there's not that many demon-hunting gunslingers around.

Damoren is So what if Harry Dresden was a foul-mouthed gunslinger?

That's sort of what I think about Damoren. This is somewhat unfair to the author as the character of Matt Hollis isn't that similar to Harry Dresden. He's not a pop cultured badass, for example, but a grizzled veteran with a dozen years of demon hunting. The book does make me think of Harry, though, and Stephen King's Dark Tower series to some extent. If for no other reason there's not that many demon-hunting gunslingers around.

Damoren is the first book in the Valducan series, which is about a group of demon-hunting soldiers who wield holy weapons capable of slaying them. Each demon-hunter is fanatically protective of their weapon, treating it like their partner in a marriage. This may not be wrong, either, as each weapon chooses its wielder and possesses some form of sentience. The Valducan aren't terribly happy about Matt possessing a weapon, though, because he's possessed.

Or so it seems.

A demon marked Matt Hollis in the past and the demon-hunter who was ordered to kill him, adopted him instead. Matt has since bonded with Damoren, the holy revolver which provides the book its title, and gone on to be a successful independent demon hunter. The Valducan have come to make amends, however, due to the fact someone is trying to destroy all of the holy weapons in the world. Thus, the Valducan need every holy weapon holder in their service, even if most of them would like to see Matt killed.

The book is an entertaining collection of action scenes and Matt dealing with a centuries-old organization of which he has no relationship but everyone else is almost family within. Some of them want Matt dead, some of them think he's alright, and others are suspicious but all of them are speaking to each other like they've known each other for decades. Which they have.

Honestly, Seth Skorkowsky is a little too effective in making Matt Hollis feel like an outsider since I really wanted him to kill them all at various points. Unfortunately, this series is about acclimating Matt to this group rather than showing he's a better hunter than all of them combined. What can I say? I'm a big fan of the lone badass who doesn't play by the rules and gives the middle finger to the arrogant blockheads who think they can tell him what to do.

The parts of the book which aren't about Matt Hollis fitting in like a square peg in a round-shaped hole are excellent action scenes where the demon-slaying badass finds himself up against a host of vile fiends. Vampires, werewolves, Lamia, dragons, and more are all products of demonic possession in this universe. They're all completely evil and almost unkillable since they can jump to new bodies unless slain with a holy weapon. I like unromanticized monsters and find this book provides me with plenty.

The mythology is well-developed in the book and there's a selection of writings from past-demon hunters interspersed with the book's present-day adventures. I like it when authors take time to develop how the supernatural "rules" of their setting work. Honestly, if I have a complaint about the mythology it's the fact the author reveals too much about the setting by the end. I think a lot of the book's last-minute revelations could have been saved for future volumes.

In conclusion, Damoren is a top-quality urban fantasy novel. If it's not up there with the Dresden Files' latter volumes then it's certainly above the first couple of them. Matt Hollis is an enjoyable character and the villains are reprehensible. This would work quite well as a stand-alone volume but I'm eager to see where this series goes.

8/10 ...more

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Feb 24, 2015 Dee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-2015, read-2015

Review Copy Provided by Audible Inc

I’ll be the first to admit that if Damoren hadn’t been nominated for an Audie (audiobook awards) in the Paranormal category, I likely never would have picked me up. None of my friends on Goodreads have it shelved (and I get probably 90% of my recommendations from there) and it likely isn’t a book that I would have come across easily in a bookstore or browsing on Audible, but now that I have listened to it, I’m glad I did and am waiting for the next book in the Review Copy Provided by Audible Inc

I’ll be the first to admit that if Damoren hadn’t been nominated for an Audie (audiobook awards) in the Paranormal category, I likely never would have picked me up. None of my friends on Goodreads have it shelved (and I get probably 90% of my recommendations from there) and it likely isn’t a book that I would have come across easily in a bookstore or browsing on Audible, but now that I have listened to it, I’m glad I did and am waiting for the next book in the series to be available in audio (it was just released in print), so that I can get a hold of it.

I’m probably one of the few people in the world who can’t listen to music while suffering on the treadmill, but for some reason audiobooks work for me and I started Damoren at the same time I jumped on the treadmonster for a 4 mile run (I am totally sick of winter which is a whole nother story) – and my run just blew on by – I was so sucked into the story, that I glanced down and I was at 3.5 miles, it had just flown by (normally, I would have been like huffing/puffing and watching the distance count down). But Damoren sucked me in so quickly that I was done before I knew it and the ride just continued from there. For the most part, I limited my listening to the gym and occasionally part of my commute because I wanted something to look forward to (which of course, added a significant amount of time to how long it would normally take me to listen to an audiobook but it was worth it).

It is really hard to pinpoint what exactly I liked about Damoren – it was full of adventure, encompassing at least 4 different countries (maybe 5); there was lots of bloods, guts and killing as well as a plethora of mythical creatures – not just your normal run of the mill vampires and werewolves that dominate the fantasy landscape. I really liked the idea of the holy weapon’s that could kill these creatures – that was probably the biggest hook for me, Damoren being only one of them. One of my favorite parts were the flashbacks between the current day and the historical when Damoren was being created. I really hope that there are more books in the series based on the other holy weapons, especially the Samurai sword!!

The narration (by the fantastic R.C. Bray) was near flawless. I’ve raved about how much I’ve enjoyed his stuff before (see my review of The Martain) and Damoren didn’t disappoint. In fact, with 2 other nominations in the paranormal category (one as a single narrator, and other in a cast), this audie category is his to lose (but hopefully that doesn’t jinx him). While my previous experience with R.C. Bray was primarily American accents, with Damoren, you got the chance to see the breadth of his skill, with Russian accents, german, male and female – it was honestly astounded how well he did in distinguishing between all the different characters and how well he transitioned between them during the course of the story.

Do yourself a favor – just listen to Damoren – you won’t regret it – if I had to try to provide context – take an author like James Rollins or Matt Reilly, mix in some Jim Butcher and you have a pretty good idea of where Damoren fits in the canon. 4.5 stars for the narration and 4 for the story. Now to hurry up and wait for the next book to be released in audio format. ...more

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Apr 16, 2014 Jorge Soto rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I realize it is a hard sell to say that a book about vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and other creatures is brilliantly original, but Damoren is just that.

Seth doesn't reinvent the vampire, he embraces it. (BTW real vampires don't sparkle.) He cleverly depicts vampires and other monsters as demons having possessed humans and animals giving them the traits we are familiar with.

The story of Damoren is the story of demons, holy weapons of power, and friendship. In a world where demons exist and pre I realize it is a hard sell to say that a book about vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and other creatures is brilliantly original, but Damoren is just that.

Seth doesn't reinvent the vampire, he embraces it. (BTW real vampires don't sparkle.) He cleverly depicts vampires and other monsters as demons having possessed humans and animals giving them the traits we are familiar with.

The story of Damoren is the story of demons, holy weapons of power, and friendship. In a world where demons exist and prey on the human populace, the only weapons that will truly kill them are holy weapons. Just as the holy weapons can destroy these demons, so too can the holy weapons be destroyed.

Damoren is told from the point of view Matt who is bonded to the holy weapon Damoren. It is a 7 shot revolver cast from the broken remains of an ancient holy sword. He is approached by the Valducans, an organization of knights sworn to protect the holy weapons and destroy demons.

The pace of this book is excellent and the character development unfolds in way that has you grow to love some characters, while gradually hating others. It is refreshing to have a band of heroes who don't always get along, and even quarrel among themselves. People are not perfectly friendly with each other all the time. They fight, and make up, and their friendship gains strength. These heroes are actually believable as real people.

One of my favorite things about Damoren is that all the supposed heroes, and unique holy weapons are not safe. In the fashion of George R.R. Martin, Seth does not hesitate to destroy weapons, or kill characters. Knowing this leaves you anxious at every battle both for the heroes and their precious weapons. The fight sequences, with the unique powers of the holy weapons, are imaginative and fun.

Another thing I loved about this book was how Seth interwove excerpts from diaries, and old texts adding well placed explanations about the holy weapons. You gradually learn about the characters, weapons, and their unique powers. As the story unfolds you learn bits and pieces adding to the overall enjoyment of the story while urging you figure out what will happen next.

Damoren is an excellent story. It draws you in to a familiar world with an original twist that ties together everything you already know about creatures of fantasy. It gives you heroes to cheer for, heroes to hate, and villains that are clever and devious. You will finish the book having everything explained to you, but leaving you with unanswered questions. You will want more.

I would highly recommend this book! ...more

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Dec 12, 2019 SapphireRose26 rated it it was amazing

This book starts you out right in the middle of the action, and there is plenty more action all throughout. I love all the intricate world building, and the segments of journal entries and letters in between chapters were really interesting and immersive. I also enjoyed all the real-world details, like the lovers' locks in Florence. It made me believe the author had really been there, and you could tell he loved it. The whole idea of the weapon choosing the knight was pretty cool, and I loved th ...more

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Sep 04, 2020 Paul rated it it was amazing

I've been watching a lot of Seth on You tube and he really is an outstanding Gm/Dm/Keeper. Consequently I thought I'd give one of his books ago, expecting a simple, light story which read like a DM had written up a play through.

However, it was so much better than I was expecting! Much more in depth, well written, and with excellent characters - not a Mary Sue in sight!

Thank Seth, now I'm going to work my way through the rest of your library! ...more

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Nov 30, 2016 AudioBookReviewer rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My original Damoren audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Young Spencer and his family are attacked by flesh eating monsters. His family is lost, but luckily for him, a stranger named Clay had been tracking the demons and saves the boy’s life. With nowhere to go, Clay takes Spencer under his wing and trains him as a tracker and killer of the many hidden creatures living among us.

Demons can’t be killed by ordinary weapons, which will only kill the host body they po My original Damoren audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Young Spencer and his family are attacked by flesh eating monsters. His family is lost, but luckily for him, a stranger named Clay had been tracking the demons and saves the boy’s life. With nowhere to go, Clay takes Spencer under his wing and trains him as a tracker and killer of the many hidden creatures living among us.

Demons can’t be killed by ordinary weapons, which will only kill the host body they possess; it takes a holy weapon, one blessed with special and rare properties. Clay’s ancient pistol, called Damoren, is such a weapon. When he killed the demons attacking Spencer’s family, one of the bullets passed through the monster, killing it, but also lodging itself into Spencer’s body. Instead of killing the boy, it gave him some special abilities: almost instant healing, the ability to understand and speak any language as well as use his own blood to track demons.

The Valducan are an ancient order of demon hunters who have vowed to protect the blessed weapons which can kill demons. One by one, hunters and their precious weapons are being killed and destroyed. Now they need Spencer and his unique abilities to help them as they become the hunted.

Damoren, Valducan is an exceptionally entertaining book. There are many familiar themes in the novel, but the author has made them uniquely his. He introduces many characters in addition to Spencer (now Matt as an adult), and each is given unique and appealing qualities. They are flawed, make mistakes, but are loyal to each other and to their blessed weapons like lovers.

R. C. Bray performs the story in his unique baritone and could read a dictionary and make it exciting. He is just that good. There are many different accents for him to contend with in the story and he handles all of them well. He has a way of conveying a character’s emotions in his voice that adds greatly to the novel. It doesn’t get better.

Damoren, Valducan book 1 is the first in a series of unknown length. The novel wraps up well enough to stand alone, but exciting enough you will want to continue on to the next in the series. If you enjoy demon hunters, occult, action, adventure with a touch of romance, you will love this series. Highly recommended.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author. ...more

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Apr 13, 2014 Jesse rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I approach the fantasy genre in order to fill one of two specific needs as a reader. The first need is to explore an author’s new imagined world from the broad strokes to the nooks and crannies to absorb each and every bit of wonder the writer has managed to evoke. The second is more primal: to be carried along at whitewater pace through a ripping tale. In general, an author can meet one of those needs (for which I am grateful) but only occasionally do they meet both.
Damoren fulfills and then so ...more

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Apr 14, 2014 Frank Errington rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Review copy

The story begins with 11-year old Spencer Mallory surviving an attack in his home by a group of monsters that kill the rest of his family. He's saved by a demon hunter named Clay Mercer who wields a special weapon named Dämoren.

Years later, Spencer, now known as Matt Hollis, has become a demon Hunter himself, bonded with Dämoren. As if his life isn't strange enough, he gets the following letter...

Dear Mr. Hollis,

As you can see, we have been aware of you for some time. While we have al ...more

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Aug 29, 2018 Guy Wheatley rated it it was amazing

5 of 5 stars.
This is not my preferred genre, so I was surprised to be so thoroughly enthralled by it. The sensation is similar to my discovery of “The Lord of the Rings,” also not my genre. I think the reason for my enjoyment of both works falls to similar reasons.
First of all, the tapestry of the world in which this tale takes place is full and rich. It comes with an extensive history and lore which the author seems to have planned out. He carefully reveals it in a logical progression throughou 5 of 5 stars.
This is not my preferred genre, so I was surprised to be so thoroughly enthralled by it. The sensation is similar to my discovery of “The Lord of the Rings,” also not my genre. I think the reason for my enjoyment of both works falls to similar reasons.
First of all, the tapestry of the world in which this tale takes place is full and rich. It comes with an extensive history and lore which the author seems to have planned out. He carefully reveals it in a logical progression throughout the first book, leaving the reader with the impression there is much more to come. This mythos is the thread (or solid rope) the tale follows, and anchors disparate components into a unified story with satisfying goals.
The author doesn’t shy away from violence and gore, but at the same time doesn’t use it simply for shock effect. He simply acknowledges that when people (or demons) start killing each other, things will get messy. He places many weapons in the hands of his protagonists. Most of them are blade weapons and I, having no expertise in this field, can’t say with any certainty that the depiction is accurate. But, there are a few firearms in the mix, and I can say that this author demonstrates an unusual knowledge of them. It was refreshing to not have to blunder through the typical errors and misconceptions of most writers.
— — —
The story follows Spencer Mallory, aka Matt Hollis, aka … well, some other names as well. The young man’s family is killed by demons when he is still a child. He survives, but not without wounds. Normally the bite of a demon condemns a human, but in Spencer’s case, the Holy Weapon Damoren demands that he be spared. Clay, Damoren’s current owner/protector, adopted and mentored him to become a Hunter. But Clay was forced to leave the Valducan order when he refused the order to kill his new charge.
We jump fourteen years later to find Spencer, now going by the name Matt, has taken the place of the man who saved him and become the next owner/protector of Damoren. He has independently been hunting and killing demons, but his path crosses the old order that had expelled his mentor. Times, and demons, are changing and the hunters are becoming the hunted. The order has suffered many losses and finds their number diminishing. They reach out to Matt, hoping to join forces to face this new threat.
The book is well thought out, and follows a stable story arch that promises consistent action and satisfaction.
The first book is titled after one of the Holy weapons and I notice that the second is titled for another. I would guess that subsequent books may follow others as well, once again indicating that this series is based on a consistent, solid and well planed foundation.
Even though it is not my preferred genre, I can and do enthusiastically recommend it. ...more

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Nov 09, 2018 Paul Jones rated it it was amazing

A great read

This story just rattles along nicely. There are some interesting characters and there are even clues leading to the reveal if you put them together. All in all a fun read and I will definitely be getting books 2 to 4.

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Apr 06, 2018 Kevin Brown rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

A strong opening with a young hero wielding an unusual holy weapon to fight demons. The introduction of the Valducan group of demon fighters and their history is really well done. It feels natural because they are driven to contact our main character as part of the overall plot of the book. The members of the demon fighting group are very diverse and feel like their own people.

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Aug 27, 2020 William Humble rated it it was amazing

I caught this book on Audible and was just blown away. Demon hunters always worried about role-reversals? Who wouldn't want that?
The author creates interesting characters who lead us into a world of blood and intrigue. A great addition to any horror library! ...more

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Dec 10, 2014 Paul Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“Fourteen years ago a pack of wendigos killed Matt Hollis’ family and damned his soul. Now, Matt is a demon hunter armed with a holy revolver named Dämoren.”

Dämoren: the first book in The Valducan series and the urban fantasy debut of Seth Skorkowsky, it is fair to say, is one hell of a ride! As Skorkowsky’s novel begins with the aforementioned Wendigo attack on Hollis’ family, two things are immediately apparent: there is going to be some no holds barred gruesomeness going down; and Skorkowsky “Fourteen years ago a pack of wendigos killed Matt Hollis’ family and damned his soul. Now, Matt is a demon hunter armed with a holy revolver named Dämoren.”

Dämoren: the first book in The Valducan series and the urban fantasy debut of Seth Skorkowsky, it is fair to say, is one hell of a ride! As Skorkowsky’s novel begins with the aforementioned Wendigo attack on Hollis’ family, two things are immediately apparent: there is going to be some no holds barred gruesomeness going down; and Skorkowsky is a very, very talented new writer.

Fast-forward fourteen years from the prologue, and we’re dropped into something that feels similar in style to an episode of Supernatural. Hollis, the hunter, has traveled across the Canadian border on the trail of a demon armed with his holy revolver, when rather than meeting said demon, he is introduced to a couple of members of The Valducans, descendants of a Holy Order. It turns out that the holy weapon-wielding order are facing a crisis like never before, and weapons and members are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Hollis being the current owner of the holy weapon, Dämoren, is persuaded to join the battle, and with the assistance of the Valducans the fight is taken to their demonic nemesis.

Skorkowsky’s tale proceeds to pick you up by the seat of your pants and take you from North America to major cities of Europe, as clashes occur and members fall; the enemy always seemingly one step ahead. As Dämoren concludes in Italy the action peaks, and I can honestly say I thought I had an idea of where it was all going, and how things would be tied up. It turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong. The ending to this book is nothing short of totally superb.

Dämoren as a whole is very accomplished piece of work. Skorkowsky skilfully avoids the need to make his protagonist either overly whiney or so full of himself it’s nauseating. Matt Hollis is fully aware of who he is and what he does, and that takes away the need to make half of the book one of self-discovery.

That Mr. Skorkowsky’s debut release is so utterly consuming, leads me to believe that before too long bookshelves across the globe will be accosting and brutalizing their owners if his name does not reside on their shelves…

***** 5 STARS! ...more

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