The Revenant Road

by Michael Boatman

see drolleriepress.com

Genres: Horror, Urban Fantasy, Humor, Fiction, Monsters, Ebooks

ebook

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Ms. Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Obadiah Grudge, a writer, has just learned of his father's death and that's he's been living a secret life. His father was a monster hunter and now, so is he, whether he wants to be or not.

This reminded me a bit of a Gregory Lamberson without the depth. There was wit. There was random action. There were some funny one-liners. There was some WTH moments, but most of all, the main character was either in denial or just wimping-out for 73 percent of the book which did not make you sympathetic to his plight. He only manned-up at the end and I laughed when he did because it didn't fit. I'm guessing this is supposed to be a "funny" book, and me and funny horror don't do too well (unless it's on the big screen), especially when it's spoof-y like this one.

It was a little better than "okay."

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this original story, our main character is Obidiah Grudge--an arrogant, self-centered writer--finds himself confronted with a previously unknown (to him) legacy of his family in dealing with supernatural entities. Grudge's personality, while at times quite witty and laugh-out-loud funny is countered by his contempt for just about everyone and everything around him, throughout most of the novel. If I'd noticed a change in his attitude earlier in the book (say, about half way in), I could see myself liking him more as a character. For a first-person narrative, this can be very important. As it was, I didn't see much in the way of redeeming qualities until the last quarter of the book.

Other than this aspect, I really enjoyed the storyline. The beginning sucks you in relentlessly, and the rest was well-paced and flowed along consistently. The story was laced with humorous interludes and comments that really made it stand out more. Personally, I loved what Boatman did with the idea of how supernatural entities/monsters find a place here on Earth. The writing style was vivid and compelled me to read on. I would have liked to know more about the past of Grudge's partner, Kowalski, but perhaps that is part of a tale for another day....

Other than my "mostly" dislike for the main character during the first 3/4 of the novel, it was a very fun--yet gruesome--trip.

Recommended.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Obadiah Grunge is a successful author of hard-boiled novels. His life is going fairly well until he learns that his estranged father has passed away. At the funeral, he meets his dad's business partner Kowalski. Although Obadiah doesn't know it yet, his father was in the monster hunting business with Kowalski and now it's Obadiah's turn.

I didn't really connect with this book. The book started out with several typos which is unusual for a Darkfuse book. There's a lot of short chapters about monsters attacking other people that didn't add very much to the story for me. I found Obadiah to be whiny and cowardly for most of the book before straightening up in the end. I do understand that the author intended him to be this way as part of the story. I do like how the ending is left open for a sequel.

[Todd Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revenant Road has one of the best opening chapters of any DarkFuse novel I've read to date, an outstanding character name, Obidiah Grudge, and monsters, yes, lots of different types of monsters! It also closes with a few great sentences (which I won't spoil). The fleshy bits between? Let's talk.

I'm not on the monster hunter reading wagon, although I know many people are and that's great. Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter definitely ratcheted up interest in this subgenre, spawning a bunch of knock-off '___ Hunter' books. Revenant Road isn't completely of that ilk (also a nice attempt to be more irreverent and funny), but the storyline treads into the supernatural superhero type subgenre, and that isn't a good reading fit for me. For those of you who love these type of stories, I hope by mentioning this, you'll be excited and curious to check this story out.

Characterization? I found Obidiah Grudge's sardonic wit as a first person narrator to be humorous at first with such gems as, "I mean, how many Nicholas Cage pictures can civilization take?" And yet Obidiah grated on me after a few chapters. His personality only turned out likable enough for me to root for him way too late in the story. Making matters worse, toward the middle of the story, there is a reader-writer prophetic moment, "The universe didn't give a shit." That's how I felt about Obidiah Grudge at that precise moment in the story.

To summarize: awesome beginning--seriously, I was sucked in fast--good writing throughout, a generally unlikable first person narrator, a primary plot that didn't really click with this reader, and an ending which brought back some of the magic in the opening chapter. 3 stars. 3,763 Kindle locations. Approximately 199 pages.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a little above a meh, mainly on the basis of style points. I tend to like these types of stories a bit darker and scarier. I read a ton of horror and this novel/novella didn’t really have anything that for me made it stand out from the lots of other similar stories out there.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

ames are important to me. Especially names in fiction. I’m of the opinion that you can tell a lot about a fictional character on name alone and that a bad name can ruin a good a character. So when I came across the name Obadiah Grudge a huge smile spread across my face. I’ve come across few names that are as evocative, original, and fun as Obadiah Grudge; it is a name that fits the character like a glove. The Revenant Road is humorous and over-the-top action/horror novel filled with great dialogue and creative world-building.

The story begins with the death of Obadiah’s father, Marcus. It is quickly revealed to Obadiah, first by his mother Lenore (another great name!) and then by his father’s former partner Neville (the “crusty prophet;” a description that somehow manages to work to surprising effect) that Marcus comes from a long line of monster hunters. Obadiah, a successful if somewhat hacky writer of crime thrillers, of course doesn’t believe, or at least doesn’t want to believe, in this new world. As it happens Obadiah is constantly thrust, kicking and screaming, into a world he doesn’t want to believe and is forced to confront the presence of the weird in his life since a very young age.


Perhaps the best thing about The Revenant Road is the original language and surprising detailed world that Boatman manages to craft. I don’t want to ruin for potential readers but the cosmology that Boatman creates is impressively cohesive bit of fiction and while not completely detailed feels complete. Boatman takes things a step further utilizing some creative terms to describe things in his world such as the term “bent” to refers to some of the mystical powers that a few monster hunters manifest. As a fan of fantasy I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that I latch on to the more fantastical elements of Boatman’s tale, and the world-building in particular, but it was some really great stuff that takes familiar concepts and crafts them into a unique whole.

While not really a bad thing the action and drama (and gore) of monster attacks plaguing the Seattle area and Obadiah’s own (mis)adventures detracts a little from the world building while simultaneously keeping the plot moving at a rapid pace. I think that, in the end, the quick pace and constant action work in the novel’s favor and allows for Boatman to sprinkle little bits of his world’s mythology here and there; typically revealed through our seasoned veteran Neville. We get glimpses of other hunters but by-and-large the novel stays tightly focused on Neville and Grudge. For all it’s fast pacing The Revenant Road does an excellent job of giving readers a in depth look at Grudge and what makes him tick. I thoroughly enjoyed Grudge’s ruminations/flashbacks on his childhood and was intrigued and chilled by the action figure that spoke to him about when people would die.

Boatman also shows a particular flair for some truly grotesque monsters and doesn’t flinch from gore, violence, and truly horrific scenery. Grudges encounter with a vampire is some nasty stuff as she sheds her human skin in order to take on her true form, or the evil worm-filled pigeon, or the alter of human corpses, or the mutilated ghosts that visit Grudge. The list goes on. Boatman typically chooses to juxtapose these horrific monsters with bits of humor since it is quickly revealed that vampires have OCD, the ghosts are almost a glorified and highly critical peanut gallery, and well an evil pestilence filled pigeon is pretty humorous in its own right. And I shouldn’t forget that Grudge is assailed by murderous book critics…more than once. That isn’t to say there are some places where the humor falls flat. I was not particularly impressed by the use of an Indian born owner of a convenience store; a stereotype that I’ve only ever found funny via The Simpsons. However, these parts are few and far between and overall found the humor genuinely funny.

In the end I found The Revenant Road to be a thoroughly enjoyable ride full of humor, horror, and excitement. Boatman’s world is both horrific and believable and, while it borrows from various mythologies, displays a mile-wide streak of originality. While relatively few copies appear to be left over at Amazon, Drollerie Press offers the novel up in various electronic forms and even has a sample to whet your appetite. If you’re looking for a fun, unflinching, well-written, thrill-a-minute ride then you should do yourself a favor and check out The Revenant Road.

[Frank Errington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Fuse Publishers knows how to present a book. What a great cover for this first novel from Michael Boatman, yeah, that Michael Boatman. The same man who played Carter Heywood for the entire run of the Spin City TV series. No, he hasn't given up acting, he's still busy as an actor, but he's been writing Dark Fiction for a number of years and is now a published novelist.

Revenant Road is a strong debut, the story of a reluctant monster hunter and his introduction into life on the road. In the protagonist's own words, "My name is Obadiah Grudge...This is a chronicle no one will ever believe...I'm rich, black, thirty-eight years old...Let me tell you about a demon I once met."

At the outset the story bounces around a bit, but once the various pieces of the overall tale have been established, Boatman does a good job of weaving the pieces together into a cohesive work filled with likable characters who play their parts well. Obadiah's mother, Lenore, for one, "she can decapitate a man at twenty paces with one slash of her tongue" and Neville Kowalski, for another.

Obadiah learns of Neville and his father's partnership after his father's funeral. What he learns changes the direction of his life and as much as he protests draws him into the family business.

There are plenty of creatures, blood and some snarky dialog, "'Shouldn't we call the police?' I whispered. 'And tell 'em what?' Kowalski said. 'That an ancient Chinese forest spirit that walks like a man and devours human beings only to vanish mysteriously, leaving behind a skunklike stench and a haunting scream is stalking an abandoned Lutheran church in Northwest Seattle?'"

Although bumpy at times, Revenant Road is worth the trip, particularly if you love a good monster story.

For more on titles from Dark Fuse you can visit them online at DarkFuse.com. Revenant Road is available now, in various formats, from Amazon.com. BTW, if you are a member of Amazon Prime, this is one you can borrow for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.

Another read I can definitely recommend.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Boatman's The Revenant Road is another Drollerie Press novel, one which by rights I should stay impartial about, but that's tough to do when the novel is just that good. This one straddles the line between horror and dark fantasy, as it has a lot of elements in it that live under the aegis of urban fantasy these days. For my money, though, it's more properly horror.

Obadiah Grudge is a best-selling horror author, but for some time now he's been discontent with the lack of life and depth in his work. But when his long-estranged father is killed, he discovers a huge reason for the flatness of his writing, one he's been in denial about for most of his life: there are real monsters in the world, and it's been his father's job to hunt them.

Now that his father is dead, that job is to be his.

As you might expect, Obadiah fights this fate tooth and claw for a while. As you might also expect, he possesses certain powerful and highly rare abilities that mark him to be hunted by the monsters once tracked by his father. Eventually, though, he joins forces with his father's partner to stop a string of supernatural killings in Seattle, where he must not only face his destiny, but also the thing that killed his dad.

This is all around a solid read, and I got a particular snicker out of the monsters gunning for Obadiah taking on the forms of critics who'd previously savaged his work. If you'd like to check out the book for yourself, it's one of Drollerie's print titles, so you can ask your local bookstore to order it today! Four stars.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a tear between worlds. The Hunters are our only protection. With their Talents they try and seal the gap when The Hallowed Ones tear thru to take a human form as their vessel and to devour flesh.

This story was a very well written monster romp that was able to entertain and hold my attention throughout. Like a few of my esteemed collegues mentioned in their reviews, the main character Obidiah, while interesting, was not a very likable character and only started to redeem himself toward the end of the story.

Overall, a good mix of humor and horror that definitely leaves some story threads hanging out there for a possible sequel. Bring it on. 3+ Stars.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely loved this. Very fast paced with some well-developed characters. The world definitely seems alive with people you will recognize, though the names have been changed to protect the not so innocent. And the rules of The Revenant Road seem very well developed. I particularly loved the last chapter which brought back to mind Friday nights in my childhood watching Darren McGavin in Kolchak: The Night Stalker.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. A fun read and a lot of action. Its about a writer who kind of inherits the family business, which turns out to be monster hunting and struggles with what he wants to do. I liked the way he left the ending open and maybe we will get another book to follow. I gave this book 4 stars.

[Alastor Moopy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tone of this novel was all over the place but I really liked the story, hence the 4 stars. The reluctant monster hunter forced into the family business by the wise cracking partner trope has been so definitively done by Supernatural that it feels cliched now. Still, the author does add some fresh flourishes which spice it up. Obadiahs mother is one of those and she is a hoot as is Kowalskis ball-breaker wife. The nature of the monsters themselves is better fleshed out than most stories of this type bother with, as well as the various ghosts and remnants who are on the side of the good.
The cutting of the narrative into 3 parts is what affected my enjoyment of it. The distraction lasts longer than it takes the reader to finish the portion. That is not to say that the portions themselves aren't interesting, the story of Kowalskis childhood encounter with the Wraithing is the most terrifying thing I've read this year. Maybe this should have been marketed as a series of short stories instead of a novel. At any rate I wish there were more tales of the Grudge-Kowalski monster hunting duo.

[D.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the characters aren't particularly likable, the story is entertaining and written with a cinematic pace and style. It's clear that Michael Boatman intended to create a series, and if he wrote another book, I would definitely read the next installment.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obadiah Grudge is special. After his father dies, Obadiah inherits his monster killing business. Of course, Obadiah has a lot to learn. A humorous and fun look at fighting monsters.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my kind of book... I hope this is not the one and only appearance of Grudge & Kowalski, especially after reading the bonus short story featured in the edition I have.

Recommended. 4.5 stars

[David Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Revenant Road begins with a man and a woman being torn apart by a nine foot creature covered in hair with teeth like a shark. The woman’s name was Jeanie. After her death her story lives on, because she haunts Obidiah Grudge. Obidiah is an author who writes dark, twisted stories about death and anything else that gives people nightmares. He hears voices and sees things that inspire his writing, but he doesn’t fully understand his own powers.

Obidiah is on the road promoting his latest book when he gets a call from his mother Lenore telling him that his mostly absent father Marcus has just died. Obidiah goes to the funeral and meets friends of his father that he has never seen before, including Marcus’s partner of 30 years, Neville Kowalski. Obidiah then learns the truth about why his father was gone for most of his life. Marcus was a sixth generation monster hunter and its up to Obidiah to take over the family business.

As if his life wasn’t bad enough with his critics trying to kill him, now he has to worry about monsters trying to destroy him also. Kowalski shows Obidiah the monster hunter’s headquarters called Kalakuta. Inside Kalakuta Obidiah learns that monster hunters are called Bents and they have special abilities to help them hunt. In Obidiah’s case he can talk to the recently deceased and any weapon he shoots becomes more powerful in his hands. Bents are given their assignments and weapons by the Nolane who protects earth from a parallel dimension called The Wraithing. The Wraithing is where the spirits that give people nightmares live and they’re trying to cross over to our world.

The Revenant Road is an action packed thrill ride filled with comedy, gore and over the top characters. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Obidiah is in Kalakuta learning about the life of monster hunters and sees first hand the Nolane stopping an evil spirit from escaping The Wraithing. This book does a great job setting up a mythology of monster hunters and showing how monsters such as vampires and werewolves fit into it. My favorite part was when a popular talk show host invites Obidiah to her home to discuss his latest book and we find out that she is not human. There was also a battle scene with a minotaur that was really good. There was a lot of humor in the book as well such as when Obidiah gives a speech on why he hates bread and the interaction between Kowalski and Obidiah before the final battle is very funny.

I did had some problems with the book though, there we’re a a couple of items that we’re not explained right away such as the reason why book critics are trying to kill Obidiah and no reason is given behind why an action figure is talking to Obidiah in the beginning. The author does explain who is behind the action figure talking but not how its happening. Also there are quite a few characters introduced towards the end that I would have liked more about background information on including Neville Kowalski. (I’ve heard if you buy the paperback of The Revenant Road, there is a short story explaining Kowalski’s orgin more, but unfortunatley I read the e-book.)

There are some unanswered questions at the end of this book along with some new questions that get raised about the main characters after the final battle. So my guess is that The Revenant Road is going to be just the first book in a series of adventures based on Obidiah Grudge (which I think is a perfect name for a monster hunter) and Neville Kowalski. I can think of quite a few good stories that can be told within the universe that Michael Boatman has created and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Sander Hendriks · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is this stereotype that gets under my skin a bit. The reluctant hero who hates their life being disrupted and “suffers” because they gained superpowers or learned of their heritage or discovered that there is a whole different world hidden in the shadows of our own. But Obadiah Grudge (what’s in a name right) is so reluctant and un-enthusiastic when he learns he comes from a long line of bad-ass monster hunters, it’s almost endearing. And can you really blame him? As a successful writer of super violent, somewhat pulpy novels, he has better things to do. Like people telling him how awful his books are on live tv.

But fate has other things in store for mister Grudge. An absent father who spent his day hunting ghouls and ghosts across the country. The entire literary review-world out to kill him and the scariest facsimile of Oprah I’ve ever read about. Obadiah doesn’t get a cool car, doesn’t get the cool classic rock soundtrack or supportive brother. He gets a grumpy unstable old guy who begrudges (haha get it, it’s his last name, oh I slay myself) him that Obadiah is in fact nothing like his father.
This book is extremely gory and over the top in places. It has all the cool and scariness combined with action packed scenes straight out of a late 90’s / early 2000 action movie like Blade, Hellboy or the more recent Last Witch Hunter. It's a super fun book that you can read in an evening or two. I wish more people did.

I’m not gonna lie, part of why this book was recommended to me at the time was because of Michael Boatman. I remember the guy at the bookstore telling me; “remember that guy from Spin City? Would you expect him to write an awesome horror book dripping with gore?”. But honestly, I loved this book regardless, the novely of an actor writing a book is not enough to get me through the entire thing, but this was an entertaining and exciting read start to finish.

It was the only book I re-read in 2020 and the least popular book of my 73 reads of the past year with only 173 people who also shelved this. This book deserves so much more, give it a chance if you can!

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Dark Fuse and the author for the copy of this novel via netgalley.


First of all I want to say the main character in this novel has the best name I've ever come across. Obadiah Grudge. Rolls of the tongue, absolutely loved it. Well, perhaps having a great character name isnt the main point of a novel so lets be a bit more specific...



Obadiah is a best selling writer with a drinking problem. After a death in the family his life takes a turn for the worse...discovering Daddy was a monster hunter and now said monsters would like nothing better than to kill his son in the most horrible way imaginable is not the greatest thing to realise...and so Obadiah faces a fight for survival...



The opening chapter is superb and hooks you straight into the story. Obadiah as a character is hilarious - but also, well, not that nice! I didnt like him much, in fact occasionally I was rooting for the monsters. He doesnt want to believe these things exist and yet ultimately he doesnt have a choice. The world Mr Boatman has created is a terrific one - not a lot I can say without spoilers but its cleverly done and with plenty going on I think this would make a great series..and certainly thats how it reads.



Its not for the faint hearted. Mr Boatman has a truly gifted eye to the horrific and the ironic...no glowing lovesick vampires in this novel thank heavens..just an adventurous, dark, often hilariously funny tale of a world barely imaginable and a man who suddenly finds himself thrust into a very different kind of limelight. The "supporting cast" are all wonderful as well...so all in all a terrific read.



Compelling stuff for a genre that I don't read nearly enough of...certainly this novel has made me determined to find more. It was a bit of a rollercoaster ride but one that I would certainly take again! One tip - don't start reading it unless you have some time. I sat up until 3am this morning because once I started I didnt want to stop!



Happy Reading Folks!

[Anthony Hains · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the blurb: Bestselling crime writer Obadiah Grudge has got it all: money, fame and a heavy drinking problem. But when he learns of a violent death in the family, his otherwise predictable life ignites in a firestorm of supernatural violence. Everything Grudge thought he knew about his estranged father was wrong, his only legacy one of darkness and horror. His father was the world's greatest monster-hunter, and now creatures from humanity's darkest nightmares are coming for him, even though he wants nothing to do with the "family business." But with the supernatural community determined to destroy the son of their greatest enemy, Obadiah Grudge's survival becomes his first priority.

Revenant Road by Michael Boatman is a curious mix of horror, noir, and what I guess is urban fantasy. The novel is an enjoyable and fast read, and the author juggles the genres pretty well. His monsters are nicely drawn, the characters stand out well, and there are some genuinely funny moments. Regarding the latter, there is an Oprah-like character that Mr. Boatman uses to give the narrative a huge jolt. The passage at her mansion was one of my favorites in the book. Another creative section has Obadiah inadvertently crashing a monster-hunter survivor support group at his mother’s house which had me laughing aloud.

I wasn’t too fond of the author’s portrayal of his main character, Obadiah Grudge. By necessity, Obadiah must begin the novel as a self-centered and whiny character who denies the very existence of monsters, monster-hunting, and the fact that he is destined to be one himself. I understand the need for this portrayal in order to enhance the narrative arc as Obadiah transforms from a selfish jerk to hero. But, the “act” goes on much too long. I found the character’s denial and whining grating after a while and thought ‘enough already” on more than one occasion.

That said, I basically enjoyed the pace and the thrills (and humor) of Revenant Road. Not the best from Darkfuse, but certainly above average for the genre. Recommended.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Revenant Road is very entertaining. It's funny, gross, macabre, imaginative, brutal, silly, and all those other adjectives that describe a good read. Urban fantasy is so very often so very serious, centered around some doomed love between our beautiful heroine and the even more beautiful abusive boyfriend she comes to worship. It tends to be tiresome and disappointing, especially because I associate the genre with people like Charles deLint and Emma Bull who tell great stories. The Revenant Road meets at the intersection of urban fantasy and horror and it's a fun place to be.

Our hero, Obadiah Grudge (best name ever), learns while on book tour that his father has died. The funeral follows with a series of uncomfortable revelations and even more uncomfortable new friends - dead and alive. Here be monsters, lots of monsters, and our hero and friends battling it out with them to save the world - cuz that's what heroes do, right? They save the world.

Despite a few missteps, The Revenant Road is all fun and games - until someone gets their eye put out - then it's just plain fun.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

DarkFuse, the publisher, is more typically known as a horror publisher, but Revenant Road is predominantly urban fantasy. And it is amazing.

This is the story of Obadiah Grudge and how he was introduced to the world of vampires and werewolves and other nasty monsters from human folklore. A successful writer of crime fiction, Grudge was thrust into this world after the death of his father, entirely against his wishes. And that introduced probably the biggest problem with the story: Grudge is not a likable character for most of the time the reader spends with him. He is rude and obnoxious to everyone he meets, without exceptions, and that gets old after a while.

Even with a protagonist trying to put the brakes on at every turn, the story moves along briskly for the most part; a handful of scenes drag on a bit too long, but never to the point of distraction. The ending leaves room for a sequel, and according to Boatman's Twitter, he has just such a story kicking around in his head. I, for one, can't wait.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obadiah Grudge is a writer of fictional crime novels; believable stories. He returns to his roots upon learning of his father’s death in a plane crash, a father who had walked out on he and his mother many years before.

Grudge soon finds that the ‘plane crash’ story was a complete lie and that his father hunted monsters for a living. He also comes to the horrifying realization that werewolves, vampires, and even the bogeyman are as real as you and I. Because ‘hunting’ has been the family legacy for many generations, these creatures now are coming for him – to stop him before he can learn of his gifts.

A compelling story from the very beginning. Take a walk with Obadiah Grudge down a path filled with horror, anger, frustration, and even a few tears. And, enjoy a few hearty laughs along the way.

[Kim (Wistfulskimmies Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Obidiah Grudge. One minute he is writing successful horror stories, the next he hears of the death of his estranged father. He goes to the funeral and there he meets his father's so-called partner. Soon he learns that a far different path has been chosen for him than the one he is on...

I enjoyed this but not as much as I thought I would. I loved the dark humour, and there were some seriously funny moments, believe me. I just couldn't feel anything for the protagonist. He seemed to spend the entire book griping and moaning and not really getting on with things. There were times when I seriously wanted to slap him! That being said, the story itself was excellent and really good fun. The pace was good, and the ending was brilliant. If you can get past the ever complaining main character, then this is an enjoyable romp.

[Charleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an extremely imaginative story, and there were parts I enjoyed, but overall it just didn't work for me. The main character was an interesting one, but I wanted more explanation on some parts of the story and could have used less on others. Fans of dark fantasy and horror should give it a try, though; you may enjoy this book more than I did.

(review copy received via NetGalley)

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, although I enjoyed the book more than my rating reflects. It was a fun read, urban fantasy/horror with lots of monsters. Boatman has created a very interesting alternate world. I'd like to go back.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm "reading" this one on mp3.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, funny, well-written. Very much enjoyed this novel.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it. Hope to see a sequel about monster hunters Kowalski and Grudge.