Book 1 in the Demon Squad series. Dark urban fantasy.
Excerpt
I could see the strain in Scarlett's eyes, their perfect green suffering from the loss of her Lord; herself. Her hand shook as it clutched the pommel of her sword, her knuckles white. I could see the tenseness in her shoulders, the quivering of her lip. Under the circumstances, I did what any gentleman would do for a woman whose whole world, whose life, whose very existence was crumbling down around her.
I changed the subject.
Professional Reviews
One of the most under-rated debuts of the year!
"ARMAGEDDON BOUND" is the first in the Demon Squad series. It is a self-contained story with a proper conclusion. The book is a mix of urban fantasy, dark comedy & noir-thriller. The best analogy I can come up with is Jim Butcher's Dresden files meets Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series meets Steven Erikson's Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas.
ANALYSIS: "Armageddon Bound" with its familiar yet alluring book blurb and rather sedate cover does not do much to entice the reader. I almost gave this book a pass; however since I like urban fantasy the blurb had enough in it for me to give this book a go and boy, am I glad I did so!
The first chapter introduces us to the main character Frank Trigg who gets roughed around a bit thanks to the unknown whereabouts of his angelic cousin Scarlett. It's from here that we are introduced to the setting in which the mundane earthly world & the magical realms have collided and combined. We are also told about the back-story as nearly half a century ago God & Lucifer both decided to call it quits and leave Heaven, hell & Earth to their underlings; suffice to say it has not been a smooth ride.
The plot thickens as we are introduced to the world of DRAC [Demonic Resistance And Containment] of which Frank is a member and which is now trying to keep the balance between the pro & anti Armageddon forces and maintain the status quo; learning about the actions of a certain demon who has taken the onus upon himself to hasten the apocalypse, the DRAC members have to make a Faustian pact for their safety and the world's survival as well. Frank is stuck in the middle of all this as he's chosen to be the messenger for reasons revealed in the book and while he's also trying to get the deal smoothed, there's someone taking an active interest in making sure he's been deactivated completely.
The writing is clear and makes for a fun read. Dialogue is a bit clunky in places but the reader will not notice the bumps because of the constant plot shifts. The plot makes for a fast read as the action just seems to ant up and never let go of the reader. The author is a big fan of Jim Butcher & this shows as we get a close feel with the Dresden books structure. However Frank Trigg, the protagonist is his own man; while his perverse sense of humor & his horniness might be construed as inappropriate by certain readers, it constantly kept me chuckling throughout the book.
The only minor issues I saw in this book were that of minimal world-building & lascivious humor. The world-building is done just about enough to placate the story needs and with all the magical happenings, I was surprised to see the omission of the humanity's response to it. The humorous monologues of the main character reveal a very saucy side to him & this might be a turn off for a few people however I ended up enjoying this thoroughly irascible rogue who though clearly an anti-hero is the central focus of the story.
This book turned out be another surprise yet excellent read for me and was easily one of the best debuts I have ever read recently. If Tim Marquitz continues to improve upon his writing, I can see a bright future for him; for the many readers who are always on the lookout for the next breakout series, the Demon Squad IMHO is the answer for all you folks.
A very entertaining dark urban fantasy
Tim Marquitz's novel Armageddon Bound is a trip into a world gone all to Hell. This is a fast-paced and exciting story keeps the pages turning as our hero tries to help save the world - and, of course, himself - from the End of Days. It features magical beings of both biblical and monstrous origins: power-hungry demons, kick-ass angels, magicians, vampires, and more. As I read this story, I found myself pulled in to this grim and hopeless world, wondering if the protagonists could possibly prevail over the powerful forces against them. They seem almost guaranteed failure.
The action in Armageddon Bound is pretty much non-stop, and the interaction between the angels, the demons, and the other characters is fascinating. We get a glimpse into a Heaven and a Hell that are unique in that they are almost abandoned. I'm not sure that I've ever read a story where angels weren't completely the good guys. In Armageddon Bound, Mr. Marquitz gives us angels who are certainly beautiful but who are not necessarily the perfect heavenly creatures that they were when God was around. And demons who are not all bad but perhaps just want to continue their existence unmolested. Or, as in Frank's case, to just get laid.
The narrator, Frank Trigg, is a strong and well-developed character. He has a irresistible, dry, self-deprecating humor that makes him completely personable. Rescuing angels, romancing succubi, saving the world, he moves from one dangerous situation to another, and although he gets his butt kicked repeatedly, he always comes back for more. Frank would tell you that this is a sign that he is less than intelligent; I say it shows his stubborn devotion to his cause. Blessed with a healthy libido, Frank is always looking down the ladies' shirts, but he admits cheerfully to being something of a dog.
There is a good amount of grim humor in this entertaining story. Sure, there is also much graphic violence and bloodshed, but it is appropriate to the high adrenaline factor of the story. Readers looking for nonstop action, a good-versus-evil struggle where the lines between "good" and "evil" are so blurred as to be almost nonexistent, and well-drawn, interesting, and offbeat characters may wish to give Armageddon Bound a shot. I'm glad I did, because it was definitely a good time.
Excellent Debut
Armageddon Bound turned out to be a very entertaining read! It's the story of Earth abandoned by God and the Devil, leaving demons and angels without guidance. Some demons just want to cut out a slice of Hell on Earth for themselves, while others are trying to bring about Armageddon. Some angels, lost without divine guidance, would welcome the end of times.
Standing against the forces of Armageddon is Frank Trigg. Part demon, part human, he and his friends (Members of DRAC - a group of wizards and mystics. Also his angel cousin, Scarlett, comes to his aid) fight against the forces of evil. Written in first person, Frank comes across as the classic anti-hero, always getting in way over his head. He takes a tremendous amount of physical abuse throughout the book, and he just keeps coming back for more. The story and the world created within it are well crafted. The author does a good job of rounding out the characters, at least enough for the first book. It starts off being a small story about a power grab between two demon criminals (ex-lieutenants of Lucifer himself), but quickly escalates to heights described by the title - Armageddon! The story is action packed, with each confrontation nastier than the last. There's a good amount of back story laid out involving Frank, his friends, and the rest of the supporting cast. It's well done, and always through Franks point of view so it doesn't bog down the flow of the story.
In short, this novel is an action thrill ride involving the end of the world and a wise-cracking half demon trying to stop that from happening. A fun read that I loved and I know you will too.
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