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An Agreement With Hell
In the divine struggle between good and evil, humans are hardly noticeable to the mal'akhim, but when an ancient seal is broken on the grounds of a California college campus, beings from dimensions beyond the balance of holy and unholy erupt from the earth. A retired priest and an ailing magickian must trust the mysterious Walker Between the Worlds and his skin-eating demon familiar as they step through Heisenbergian passages of probability and battle forces that are so far beyond demon they cannot be fully seen in earthly dimensions. Amidst the earthquakes and interdimensional intruders, the students and staff of California Hills University step across the boundaries of their knowledge and faith, revealing their true natures as the night erupts in earth and blood.
206 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Dru Pagliassotti
19 books84 followersDru Pagliassotti is a writer in the genres of steampunk, horror, and fantasy. She's also a professor of communication at California Lutheran University, where she keeps her colleagues guessing by teaching courses on Venetian culture and comic books and by researching subjects such as yaoi and steampunk webcomics.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 11, 2011
This was a gusty work, quite interesting and different. Probably one of the most overtly Christian dark fantasies I've read thus far, although I don't think it will find favor with a person who is fairly fundamental in their Christian beliefs (ie. avoid anything related to the occult). I was scratching my head at some of the physics concepts, since they were over my head, also some of the occult elements. Either the author did some heavy-duty research or she has a great imagination. Even though I'm not sure it was successful on all levels, I felt impressed with this novel, even as I acknowledge that it won't be for everyone. Thus the 3.75/5.0 star rating.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
January 16, 2022
3.5⭐️
* Biblical horror novel
* Dark academia and monster movie vibes
* Set on a college campus that is ripped apart by giant serpents
* Weird as shit
This book follows an ex priest turned college professor, a magician, and a man who walks between heaven and hell. The beginning was a little slow but once the action picked up I was hooked. The religious mystery elements and the world building were really interesting but also went over my head a bit.
There were a lot of character POVs so we didn’t get to know any of them that well. My favorites were Dr. Todd, a college professor with a pet demon who takes a neutral stance between heaven and hell and does physics based magic. I also enjoyed Ally, who was basically the plucky teen heroine in a horror movie but was self aware about it.
If you want to read a lesser known biblical horror book, this might be worth a look.
Book source: I purchased a previous ebook of this a decade ago but the version pictured here is on kindle unlimited.
CW: Violence and gore (explicit).
* Biblical horror novel
* Dark academia and monster movie vibes
* Set on a college campus that is ripped apart by giant serpents
* Weird as shit
This book follows an ex priest turned college professor, a magician, and a man who walks between heaven and hell. The beginning was a little slow but once the action picked up I was hooked. The religious mystery elements and the world building were really interesting but also went over my head a bit.
There were a lot of character POVs so we didn’t get to know any of them that well. My favorites were Dr. Todd, a college professor with a pet demon who takes a neutral stance between heaven and hell and does physics based magic. I also enjoyed Ally, who was basically the plucky teen heroine in a horror movie but was self aware about it.
If you want to read a lesser known biblical horror book, this might be worth a look.
Book source: I purchased a previous ebook of this a decade ago but the version pictured here is on kindle unlimited.
CW: Violence and gore (explicit).
June 8, 2011
An Agreement with Hell is an early comer in the new Biblical-mythos trend in fiction. Pagliassotti pits an aging priest, an aging Christian magician (in the Solomon sense) and a Walker Between Worlds (think a magical version of Neo. He sees reality different than others and can use the doorways between worlds) against, not demons, but creatures outside our dimension. These leviathans are summoned to a college campus when, of course, the seal holding them back is broken. From there Agreement is a voyage in shattered or horrific landscapes, where even the angels are creatures humans would not want to meet.
The concept of Pagliassotti's world is interesting, and that the "bad guys" aren't the demons or the angels is wryly amusing in a very bibical-themed tale. But about halfway through the book character advancement seems to just stop and what started as an interesting mystery jumps into standard horror novel fare. The addition of ineffective characters stumbling their way to heroism, and worse, the climactic scene of the whole book being told from the point of view of a character who not only has no clue about the mythos behind the story, but also cannot perceive the magic battle going on, just leaves a taste of ineffective storytelling in reader mouths. Given the stellar opening I just expected more out of the second half of the book than what was delivered.
Fans of unique horror and those fascinated by the juxtaposition of religion and horror will find this book to their tastes. Its place in libraries is difficult to determine. The subject matter makes it likely fuel for certain censor-happy types who will not appreciate the dark side of Christian legends. Also if angels and demons are what readers want there are better stories out there, such as the Hellblazer graphic novel series.
Contains: gore
The concept of Pagliassotti's world is interesting, and that the "bad guys" aren't the demons or the angels is wryly amusing in a very bibical-themed tale. But about halfway through the book character advancement seems to just stop and what started as an interesting mystery jumps into standard horror novel fare. The addition of ineffective characters stumbling their way to heroism, and worse, the climactic scene of the whole book being told from the point of view of a character who not only has no clue about the mythos behind the story, but also cannot perceive the magic battle going on, just leaves a taste of ineffective storytelling in reader mouths. Given the stellar opening I just expected more out of the second half of the book than what was delivered.
Fans of unique horror and those fascinated by the juxtaposition of religion and horror will find this book to their tastes. Its place in libraries is difficult to determine. The subject matter makes it likely fuel for certain censor-happy types who will not appreciate the dark side of Christian legends. Also if angels and demons are what readers want there are better stories out there, such as the Hellblazer graphic novel series.
Contains: gore
July 5, 2011
3 Stars
The first half of this book is stellar, as is the subject matter. The mystery behind the events of the first half are filled with suspense, horror, and gore.
The main characters are great prototypes for this genre that I really adore. This horror genre that blends christanity beliefs with apocalyptic heroes and bad guys is a genre that I wish was explored more. In this one Dru Pagliassotti gives us a priest, a holy magician, and a neutral planes walker that happens to have a demon as a companion. The beginning presents us with some cool and interesting background stories and mythology about angels and demons, God and the Devil, and stories about Satan himself. This world building could have been a fabulous beginning to a longer novel or series of novels.
The book takes a Hollywood turn halfway through. We have to read many chapters about obligatory college students that decide that they are going to be heroes. These chapters not only cheapened the story, they detracted from the great bit of world building that had previously taken place. I really did not like these characters and feel that they brought this book down.
The ending felt very rushed to me...This novel needed another hundred pages or even follow up books to make this story work. If not for the subject matter I would only rate this book as a star or two. I can only hope that Dru Pagliassotti has future biblical horror mishmashes in her to write. I only recommend this one to those that crave this genre.
The first half of this book is stellar, as is the subject matter. The mystery behind the events of the first half are filled with suspense, horror, and gore.
The main characters are great prototypes for this genre that I really adore. This horror genre that blends christanity beliefs with apocalyptic heroes and bad guys is a genre that I wish was explored more. In this one Dru Pagliassotti gives us a priest, a holy magician, and a neutral planes walker that happens to have a demon as a companion. The beginning presents us with some cool and interesting background stories and mythology about angels and demons, God and the Devil, and stories about Satan himself. This world building could have been a fabulous beginning to a longer novel or series of novels.
The book takes a Hollywood turn halfway through. We have to read many chapters about obligatory college students that decide that they are going to be heroes. These chapters not only cheapened the story, they detracted from the great bit of world building that had previously taken place. I really did not like these characters and feel that they brought this book down.
The ending felt very rushed to me...This novel needed another hundred pages or even follow up books to make this story work. If not for the subject matter I would only rate this book as a star or two. I can only hope that Dru Pagliassotti has future biblical horror mishmashes in her to write. I only recommend this one to those that crave this genre.
April 4, 2014
A classic horror novel, Dru Pagliassotti’s An Agreement with Hell blends science, spirit and magic into a multiverse tale of horrific leviathan vs angels, demons and more. Teen college students are shocked when earthquakes destroy their campus. But the night is dark, and horrors rise from the pit where construction workers removed the seal from an ancient tomb. This horror’s neither demonic nor natural, and a strange alliance might be needed to send it back where it belongs.
An aging former priest and his magickian friend have received an angelic vision (with delightful hints of Biblical munching on scrolls). Meanwhile the Walker, balanced between worlds, and his demon have read the signs. And earth hangs in the balance.
Blending fascinating theological concepts, well-argued pauses for thought, and haunting glimpses of Biblical imagery, Dru Pagliassotti’s horrors are extra-dimensional, his angels and demons are dangerously detached from a world that’s not entirely real to them, and redeeming power is pleasingly real but well-hidden.
Teen bravery, blood and fire, together with the inevitable "no, don’t go there," anchor this story firmly in the realms of traditional horror. But theological debate and the Walker’s strange paths "between" offer readers a unique and haunting viewpoint, making the story much more than it seems.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free copy and I’m sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it.
An aging former priest and his magickian friend have received an angelic vision (with delightful hints of Biblical munching on scrolls). Meanwhile the Walker, balanced between worlds, and his demon have read the signs. And earth hangs in the balance.
Blending fascinating theological concepts, well-argued pauses for thought, and haunting glimpses of Biblical imagery, Dru Pagliassotti’s horrors are extra-dimensional, his angels and demons are dangerously detached from a world that’s not entirely real to them, and redeeming power is pleasingly real but well-hidden.
Teen bravery, blood and fire, together with the inevitable "no, don’t go there," anchor this story firmly in the realms of traditional horror. But theological debate and the Walker’s strange paths "between" offer readers a unique and haunting viewpoint, making the story much more than it seems.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free copy and I’m sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it.
Read
June 6, 2011An Agreement with Hell is an early comer in the new Biblical-mythos trend in fiction. Pagliassotti pits an aging priest, an aging Christian magician (in the Solomon sense) and a Walker Between Worlds (think a magical version of Neo from the Matrix, who sees reality differently than others and can use the doorways between worlds) against, not demons, but leviathans, creatures outside our dimension. These leviathans are summoned to a college campus when the seal holding them back is broken. From there Agreement is a voyage in shattered or horrific landscapes, where even the angels are creatures humans would not want to meet.
The concept of Pagliassotti's world is interesting, and that the "bad guys" aren't the demons or the angels is wryly amusing as this is a biblically-themed tale. But about halfway through the book character advancement seems to just stop, and what started as an interesting mystery jumps into standard horror novel fare. The addition of ineffective characters stumbling their way to heroism, and worse, the climactic scene of the whole book being told from the point of view of a character who not only has no clue about the mythos behind the story, but also cannot perceive the magic battle going on, just leaves a taste of ineffective storytelling in reader mouths. Given the stellar opening, I expected more out of the second half of the book than what was delivered.
Fans of unique horror and those fascinated by the juxtaposition of religion and horror will find this book to their tastes. Its place in libraries is difficult to determine. The subject matter makes it likely fuel for certain censor-happy types who will not appreciate the dark side of Christian legends. If angels and demons are what readers want, there are better stories out there, such as the Hellblazer graphic novel series.
Contains: gore
Reviewed by: Michele Lee
The concept of Pagliassotti's world is interesting, and that the "bad guys" aren't the demons or the angels is wryly amusing as this is a biblically-themed tale. But about halfway through the book character advancement seems to just stop, and what started as an interesting mystery jumps into standard horror novel fare. The addition of ineffective characters stumbling their way to heroism, and worse, the climactic scene of the whole book being told from the point of view of a character who not only has no clue about the mythos behind the story, but also cannot perceive the magic battle going on, just leaves a taste of ineffective storytelling in reader mouths. Given the stellar opening, I expected more out of the second half of the book than what was delivered.
Fans of unique horror and those fascinated by the juxtaposition of religion and horror will find this book to their tastes. Its place in libraries is difficult to determine. The subject matter makes it likely fuel for certain censor-happy types who will not appreciate the dark side of Christian legends. If angels and demons are what readers want, there are better stories out there, such as the Hellblazer graphic novel series.
Contains: gore
Reviewed by: Michele Lee
September 24, 2011
(This review first appeared at So I Read This Book...)
http://www.soireadthisbook.com/2011/09/bitty-reviews.html
Dru Pagliassotti wrote one of the first steampunk books (Clockwork Heart), that I read when I started dipping my toes back into the fantasy genre. While not a perfect book, it was still one I enjoyed and put Pagliassotti on my writers-to-watch list. So when I saw that she had a new book out, I was determined to read it. In An Agreement with Hell, Pagliassoti has switched gears from steampunk to horror and given us a story about the divine struggle between good and evil on a college campus. An ancient seal has been broken, allowing creatures from another dimension into our world and it's up to a priest, a magician and a Walker Between Worlds (sounds like the beginning of a joke), to stop interdimensional evil from destroying the world.
The book started out strong but quickly devolved into a series of action/horror scenes that I wasn't invested in. The good elements in this book never came to fruition and there was something slight about the story. It read more like a sketched out tale than a fully realized novella. I didn't hate this story... partly because there wasn't enough of it for me to feel strongly about it but I think this is one that can be easily skipped. Despite that, I'll still be keeping an eye on Pagliassotti's endeavors.
http://www.soireadthisbook.com/2011/09/bitty-reviews.html
Dru Pagliassotti wrote one of the first steampunk books (Clockwork Heart), that I read when I started dipping my toes back into the fantasy genre. While not a perfect book, it was still one I enjoyed and put Pagliassotti on my writers-to-watch list. So when I saw that she had a new book out, I was determined to read it. In An Agreement with Hell, Pagliassoti has switched gears from steampunk to horror and given us a story about the divine struggle between good and evil on a college campus. An ancient seal has been broken, allowing creatures from another dimension into our world and it's up to a priest, a magician and a Walker Between Worlds (sounds like the beginning of a joke), to stop interdimensional evil from destroying the world.
The book started out strong but quickly devolved into a series of action/horror scenes that I wasn't invested in. The good elements in this book never came to fruition and there was something slight about the story. It read more like a sketched out tale than a fully realized novella. I didn't hate this story... partly because there wasn't enough of it for me to feel strongly about it but I think this is one that can be easily skipped. Despite that, I'll still be keeping an eye on Pagliassotti's endeavors.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews