Exile

The Flotsam Series #1

by Peter M. Ball

Hitman Keith Murphy is on the run after a botched job. He's bodypacking a magic bullet, fleeing an apocalyptic cult of necromancers, and wishing like hell his partner Danny Roark hadn't chosen to go AWOL. Flying solo, Keith's left with a single plan that might keep him return to the Gold Coast and do his best to lie low. Keith's not been home for sixteen years, but nobody's pleased to see him. His ex-boss Sabbath wants to torture Keith for leaving, his ex-girlfriend is running the club where local demons and fey trade in dark desires, and his best friend is threatening to break Keith's kneecaps just for crossing the city limits. When a cult sorcerer tracks him down, Keith's forced to cut a desperate deal that buys him a little time--he'll trade his skills as a killer for six months of sanctuary. Problem is, Keith doesn't work alone, and he's always let Danny Roark handle the magic. That means going up against dangerous sorcerers and demons with nothing but guns, gumption, and any reluctant allies Keith can scrape together to back him up.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2014

Reviews

[Patrick O'Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A punchy, fast-paced supernatural urban fantasy/supernatural thriller, short on unnecessary exposition and long on action and movement. The thing that really sets it apart for me, as a former Queenslander, is the Gold Coast setting - it made the story feel both local and foreign, like something familiar you nonetheless want to hold at arm's length. (Which is kind of how I feel about the Gold Coast in general.)

There's a slightly higher-than-I-would-expect number of typos, and I wished the novella had had a little more room to breathe at the climax, but those are minor issues with an otherwise compelling, pulpy read. Really looking forward to the rest of this trilogy.

[Alan Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent noir yarn with well interwoven demonic and supernatural aspects. Really good worldbuilding and I'm keen to read the next one. Really disappointing number of typos and editorial errors were a problem, but that's the fault of the publisher not the author. Highly recommended.

[Sean Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Murphy is running to a city filled with demons. What's following him is worse.

Exile is a fast-paced, urban fantasy thriller set on Australia's Gold Coast, with a heavy noir influence. Keith Murphy is on the run, having upset a powerful cult. He's heading back to the demon-infested Gold Coast, where the demons know him only too well.

I bought the full novella as soon as I finished the sample and then had trouble putting it down. It grabs you from the start and relentlessly pulls you through this tale of demons, sorcerers, cultists and ghosts from Murphy's past.

I grew up on the Gold Coast. It was a funny thing to see familiar locations filled with urban fantasy shadows.

If you like noir heroes, scheming demons and lots of shifty characters, give Exile a try.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 5 out of 5]

NB: free copy received in exchange for an honest review

Exile was originally published in 2014. I read and enjoyed it then and have recommended it to people on several occasions.

The rights recently reverted to the author, and he's taken the opportunity to revise the text, tightening things up, stamping out over-used phrases, and creating a sleeker, smoother reading experience.

This is a thoroughly entertaining noir-flavoured urban fantasy, where our hard-bitten but basically honourable protagonist tries to stay one step ahead of a multitude of past mistakes (while making a few more along the way). I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the other Keith Murphy books get their own facelift and re-release.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exile, by Peter M. Ball, is an exciting, action-packed, Urban Fantasy that takes you into a dark world that sits beside our own. You follow Keith Murphy after a job goes bad. He returns home to the Gold Coast in Australia hoping he can convince his old enemies to keep him safe. Keith must face monsters, betrayal and the unknown to unravel the tangled mess he's found himself in.

_______

I greatly enjoyed Exile. I found it a fast paced read that always kept the tension going. Peter M. Ball brought interesting ideas together in a non-typical setting. If you are looking for an urban fantasy that keeps you at the edge, give it a try. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Unlike many urban fantasy characters, Keith Murphy has to rely on his wits and determination as he's not a part of the super powered sect of UF heroes. The only power he has is the ability to see what's really going on around him. Unlike most people, he can see the creatures and monsters that go bump in the night.

Peter also brings us to an unusual location in Exile by setting this in the Gold Coast, Australia. It's an unusual setting; however, Peter excels in describing not only the features of the city but the underlying attitude of the area. From peaceful pockets to crowded streets, he tantalizes us with details.

So if you are looking for a unique setting, a tough (but likable) character, then check out Exile.

[Daniel Wynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 'Exile' as part of the Flotsam Trilogy, which features all three novellas in the series collected in one book. I was really impressed. As a former Gold Coast resident, I enjoyed the supernatural spin that Ball put on some very familiar locations (it's clear that he knows the Coast well, as every location is used in a fitting and clever way). The characters were well-developed and memorable, the story hooked me right in and the dialogue was a joy to read. The only thing I disliked was the number of typos I came across, as other reviewers here have pointed out. I'm just about to begin 'Frost', and I'm looking forward to seeing what trouble Keith Murphy gets into next.

[Dave Versace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant noir urban fantasy that exploits the brassy grime of its Gold Coast setting to great effect. Exile creates an enticing sense of the weary glamour of the Coast, and an even better sense of why you'd never want to live there - and that's without all the demons, organised crime and sordid conjurations laid across it.

A very quick read - it's novella length - that left me hungry for sequels.