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Brodie Wade #1
Death Has a Name
There is a Truth that exists. It is active.
Alive.
It fights the bounds of reality to make itself known. It's not my truth. It's not anyone's truth. It is The Truth.
There are times when select individuals can see and interact with The Truth, but Brodie Wade has been able to interact with it since he was a child. It has scarred his mind and body, but it also gives him the ability to know things that he shouldn't know. Thus, he has taken employment as a psychic detective.
Working together with Detective Phil Dawson, Brodie must summon all of his will to go head-to-head with The Truth to solve the latest string of murders. It appears that Dominick Fredrickton -- the Midnight Killer -- has returned from the grave, beheading the unfortunate few that get in his way.
When The Truth confronts Brodie and tells him that he must protect the Third Key, Brodie must discover what - or who - The Third Key is.
Can Brodie stop Death from obtaining the Third Key and regaining his physical form?
Alive.
It fights the bounds of reality to make itself known. It's not my truth. It's not anyone's truth. It is The Truth.
There are times when select individuals can see and interact with The Truth, but Brodie Wade has been able to interact with it since he was a child. It has scarred his mind and body, but it also gives him the ability to know things that he shouldn't know. Thus, he has taken employment as a psychic detective.
Working together with Detective Phil Dawson, Brodie must summon all of his will to go head-to-head with The Truth to solve the latest string of murders. It appears that Dominick Fredrickton -- the Midnight Killer -- has returned from the grave, beheading the unfortunate few that get in his way.
When The Truth confronts Brodie and tells him that he must protect the Third Key, Brodie must discover what - or who - The Third Key is.
Can Brodie stop Death from obtaining the Third Key and regaining his physical form?
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2010
37 people are currently reading
710 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 21, 2011
Death Has a Name by Jerry Hannel is a lovely bit paranormal mystery. Several other reviewers of this book claimed they couldn't put it down, and while that wasn't literally true for me, it was as close to being true as I ever get with a book.
So, what is so wonderful about this little gem? Brodie Wade.
There's a term from fan fiction that has crept into the world of original fiction: Mary Sue (or if male, Gary Stu). A Mary Sue is a character that can do anything. She's got amazing powers, gorgeous looks, a winning personality, there's no problem she can't solve, and she's probably kind to animals as well. She's just perfect. And, she's annoying as hell. Unfortunately she has a tendency to show up a lot in fantasy because it's just too easy to write a story where Mary Sue has the magical power that just saves the day. Now, in good storytelling, if a character has some sort of great power, it also has to have some sort of flaws or weaknesses. Brodie is an example of good storytelling.
He is described as a psychic. The Truth (not an Obi Wan Kenobi-your-point-of-view-my-point-of-view-truth, but the literal, Platonic Ideal, imagine it standing next to the rest of Neil Gaiman's Endless, TRUTH) is real and wants people to know it. Brodie, for whatever reason, can see the Truth, and it can see him. It's very insistent about getting its message across. To the point of beating it into Brodie when need be, and it defines need as pretty much whenever Brodie doesn't immediately hop to and do whatever it wants. So, Brodie has great power; he knows what's really going on, even when he doesn't want to. He knows he's sane. He knows what he sees is real. But he's jumpy, nervous, and constantly on the edge of institutionalization. Every day of his life is a struggle to hold onto a thin veneer of normal. And, of course, as a result of this, he doesn't exactly have a booming social life.
Characters like that make me especially happy. When I see real world set paranormal/fantasy I want to see characters struggling with the fact that the rest of the world doesn't believe in what they see. I want to see a cost to great power. Brodie is a broken mess of a man, but he's a very appealing mess. The kind of character that encourages a desire to take him home, clean him up, and try to protect him from the big, bad world. If Hannel had marketed this to the YA world, Brodie would have a huge collection of devoted teen girls swooning over him.
Okay, before I get too far into fan-girl-mad-crush squeeing, let me get back to being a critical reviewer. In addition to Brodie, is Detective Phil Dawson. Brodie uses his skills to freelance investigate cold cases. Detective Phil is actually a member of the LAPD. We don't get a lot of backstory, (Actually, we get no backstory on this.) but somehow these two are friends. Maybe they worked a case together and just clicked. Maybe Phil also finds Brodie's mess of a life appealing. For whatever reason, Phil actually likes Brodie; believes, as much as he can, in Brodie's talents; and supports him. Phil is the guy Brodie calls when he's missing his cat and jonesing for a cigarette to deal with the stress. (Brodie is very attached to his cat. If he's got a love of his life, it's the cat. Hear that sound? It's a thousand teen girls sighing.)
Brodie wakes up in the middle of the night, his cat is covered in blood, and the Truth wants him to investigate a murder. The next morning, Phil gets a call: a horrible murder has just happened. And thus the plot is set in motion, because, of course, those cases are one in the same.
The pacing is quick, hence the 'couldn't put it down' reviews, and the dialog is sharp. Without dialog tags you can tell Phil from Brodie. The plot is interesting, but not overwhelmingly complex, which also aids in keeping the pacing quick. Though this isn't the greatest comparison, not the least because they spend no time in a lab, this book reads a lot like an episode of CSI. There's not a ton of background on the characters, the case is the primary motive aspect of the plot, and the writing is tight.
The lack of background is my main quibble with this story. I would have liked to have seen a deeper backstory. I would have liked to know why Phil believes in Brodie. I would have liked more information about The Apprentice (the bad guy), Contego Veritas (the mysterious organization protecting the world from Death), how the whole Death thing worked (Death is trapped in a box kept safe by Contego Veritas, and trying to get The Apprentice to get him out.) You've probably seen someone say a book is only as good as its villain? Well, that's not necessarily true. This is a good book, but the villain is very sketchy. An extra fifty pages spent following him, showing us how he got to where he was, what was motivating him, how he was finding his victims, all would have been welcome. More than welcome, that would have made this very good book a great one.
Brodie is the only character we get any real backstory on. I would have liked to know more about him as well, but I think the level we got was appropriate. There are mysteries left to solve and quirks left to discover for later novels.
My other quibble with the book was the ending seemed rushed. Phil's storyline gets dropped. We leave him hanging, having to prove his case is right under penalty of losing his job. The reader knows he's correct, but we never find out if he's able to convince his supervisor he was right, soon enough to not get fired. I understand why it was left out, after all, we already know how the story ended, but a bit of extra wrap up on him would have been nice. Likewise Brodie's storyline also felt a little rushed. Not bad, but very quick. All the plot lines converged in a matter of minutes (literally, in story time the climax takes maybe fifteen minutes tops) into the climax of the story.
All in all Death Has a Name made me very happy. I'll call it an extremely well recommended four star. Brodie will be back soon, and I'm looking forward to it.
So, what is so wonderful about this little gem? Brodie Wade.
There's a term from fan fiction that has crept into the world of original fiction: Mary Sue (or if male, Gary Stu). A Mary Sue is a character that can do anything. She's got amazing powers, gorgeous looks, a winning personality, there's no problem she can't solve, and she's probably kind to animals as well. She's just perfect. And, she's annoying as hell. Unfortunately she has a tendency to show up a lot in fantasy because it's just too easy to write a story where Mary Sue has the magical power that just saves the day. Now, in good storytelling, if a character has some sort of great power, it also has to have some sort of flaws or weaknesses. Brodie is an example of good storytelling.
He is described as a psychic. The Truth (not an Obi Wan Kenobi-your-point-of-view-my-point-of-view-truth, but the literal, Platonic Ideal, imagine it standing next to the rest of Neil Gaiman's Endless, TRUTH) is real and wants people to know it. Brodie, for whatever reason, can see the Truth, and it can see him. It's very insistent about getting its message across. To the point of beating it into Brodie when need be, and it defines need as pretty much whenever Brodie doesn't immediately hop to and do whatever it wants. So, Brodie has great power; he knows what's really going on, even when he doesn't want to. He knows he's sane. He knows what he sees is real. But he's jumpy, nervous, and constantly on the edge of institutionalization. Every day of his life is a struggle to hold onto a thin veneer of normal. And, of course, as a result of this, he doesn't exactly have a booming social life.
Characters like that make me especially happy. When I see real world set paranormal/fantasy I want to see characters struggling with the fact that the rest of the world doesn't believe in what they see. I want to see a cost to great power. Brodie is a broken mess of a man, but he's a very appealing mess. The kind of character that encourages a desire to take him home, clean him up, and try to protect him from the big, bad world. If Hannel had marketed this to the YA world, Brodie would have a huge collection of devoted teen girls swooning over him.
Okay, before I get too far into fan-girl-mad-crush squeeing, let me get back to being a critical reviewer. In addition to Brodie, is Detective Phil Dawson. Brodie uses his skills to freelance investigate cold cases. Detective Phil is actually a member of the LAPD. We don't get a lot of backstory, (Actually, we get no backstory on this.) but somehow these two are friends. Maybe they worked a case together and just clicked. Maybe Phil also finds Brodie's mess of a life appealing. For whatever reason, Phil actually likes Brodie; believes, as much as he can, in Brodie's talents; and supports him. Phil is the guy Brodie calls when he's missing his cat and jonesing for a cigarette to deal with the stress. (Brodie is very attached to his cat. If he's got a love of his life, it's the cat. Hear that sound? It's a thousand teen girls sighing.)
Brodie wakes up in the middle of the night, his cat is covered in blood, and the Truth wants him to investigate a murder. The next morning, Phil gets a call: a horrible murder has just happened. And thus the plot is set in motion, because, of course, those cases are one in the same.
The pacing is quick, hence the 'couldn't put it down' reviews, and the dialog is sharp. Without dialog tags you can tell Phil from Brodie. The plot is interesting, but not overwhelmingly complex, which also aids in keeping the pacing quick. Though this isn't the greatest comparison, not the least because they spend no time in a lab, this book reads a lot like an episode of CSI. There's not a ton of background on the characters, the case is the primary motive aspect of the plot, and the writing is tight.
The lack of background is my main quibble with this story. I would have liked to have seen a deeper backstory. I would have liked to know why Phil believes in Brodie. I would have liked more information about The Apprentice (the bad guy), Contego Veritas (the mysterious organization protecting the world from Death), how the whole Death thing worked (Death is trapped in a box kept safe by Contego Veritas, and trying to get The Apprentice to get him out.) You've probably seen someone say a book is only as good as its villain? Well, that's not necessarily true. This is a good book, but the villain is very sketchy. An extra fifty pages spent following him, showing us how he got to where he was, what was motivating him, how he was finding his victims, all would have been welcome. More than welcome, that would have made this very good book a great one.
Brodie is the only character we get any real backstory on. I would have liked to know more about him as well, but I think the level we got was appropriate. There are mysteries left to solve and quirks left to discover for later novels.
My other quibble with the book was the ending seemed rushed. Phil's storyline gets dropped. We leave him hanging, having to prove his case is right under penalty of losing his job. The reader knows he's correct, but we never find out if he's able to convince his supervisor he was right, soon enough to not get fired. I understand why it was left out, after all, we already know how the story ended, but a bit of extra wrap up on him would have been nice. Likewise Brodie's storyline also felt a little rushed. Not bad, but very quick. All the plot lines converged in a matter of minutes (literally, in story time the climax takes maybe fifteen minutes tops) into the climax of the story.
All in all Death Has a Name made me very happy. I'll call it an extremely well recommended four star. Brodie will be back soon, and I'm looking forward to it.
February 10, 2011
I did like the book a bit more than 3 stars but 3 1/2 isn't an option. I found the book well written with a novel plot dealing with detectives and a universe beyond what mere mortals experience. There was subtle humor, mystery, suspense, and paranormal activities throughout. I would have enjoyed a little deeper character development beyond our hero, the likable Brodie Wade. I also thought that the ending wrapped up very quickly and could have been developed a bit stronger. I don't like to give away spoilers in my review, so I'll close by simply saying that if you enjoy mystery and you enjoy paranormal intrigue, I can recommend this book as one to add to your read shelf.
January 23, 2016
DEATH HAS A NAME is a smart inventive story that puts a unique spin on The Truth, not my truth or your truth, but THE TRUTH. For Brodie Wade, The Truth is something he can see and must obey unquestioningly or suffer the consequences. And suffer he does—from traumatizing physical abuse to being declared insane in his childhood. The author does an excellent job of slowly revealing Brodie’s back-story throughout the book and it only makes you root more for this damaged young man.
Brodie has channeled his psychic abilities into a semi-permanent job with the local police department. His contact, Detective Phil Dawson, believes in Brodie and his ability even though he doesn’t understand it. Brodie cannot reveal how he knows the things he does because frankly, who would believe him—“oh, by the way, I see phantoms who speak to me and wisps of gray fog everywhere demanding I listen to its whispers.” The whole situation reminds me of the famous Jack Nicholson line in ‘A Few Good Men’, “You can’t handle the truth!”
When Detective Dawson calls Brodie in on another gruesome murder scene, Brodie gets his bad tingling feeling about it. When the investigation takes a horrible turn and another body turns up, Brodie finds himself the prime suspect for the murders and lands in jail. What The Truth reveals to him next is something far worse than two dead men. If Brodie cannot follow the clues and solve the murders, a lot more than his freedom is at stake. If the Angel of Death is freed, life on Earth as we know it will be destroyed.
The story is fast-paced and kept my attention throughout. I would have loved for the author to reveal some back-story on how Phil and Brodie met, but I suppose that’s more material for another novel. The copy I received, however, could use the eyes of a good editor. There were a few typos that jarred me out of the story. All and all, this is a very good book and I highly recommend it.
Brodie has channeled his psychic abilities into a semi-permanent job with the local police department. His contact, Detective Phil Dawson, believes in Brodie and his ability even though he doesn’t understand it. Brodie cannot reveal how he knows the things he does because frankly, who would believe him—“oh, by the way, I see phantoms who speak to me and wisps of gray fog everywhere demanding I listen to its whispers.” The whole situation reminds me of the famous Jack Nicholson line in ‘A Few Good Men’, “You can’t handle the truth!”
When Detective Dawson calls Brodie in on another gruesome murder scene, Brodie gets his bad tingling feeling about it. When the investigation takes a horrible turn and another body turns up, Brodie finds himself the prime suspect for the murders and lands in jail. What The Truth reveals to him next is something far worse than two dead men. If Brodie cannot follow the clues and solve the murders, a lot more than his freedom is at stake. If the Angel of Death is freed, life on Earth as we know it will be destroyed.
The story is fast-paced and kept my attention throughout. I would have loved for the author to reveal some back-story on how Phil and Brodie met, but I suppose that’s more material for another novel. The copy I received, however, could use the eyes of a good editor. There were a few typos that jarred me out of the story. All and all, this is a very good book and I highly recommend it.
March 28, 2011
Death Has a Name by Jerry Hanel is the griping tale of Death and the lengths people must go to in order to keep him at bay. We are introduced to Brodie Wade who knows all to well that there are things that can't easily be explained all around us. As a child he was thought to be insane and did his time in the nut house. Finally given a clean bill of sanity at sixteen, Brodie used his gift to help the police solve cases that were unexplainable. Brodie's gift tests him daily as he fights to lead a normal life. This gift allows him to see what is known as The Truth. Manifestations can appear at any time and demand Brodie to listen. So when a headless man comes to Brodie for some help and Brodie finds himself in jail for murder, he will have to rely on the gift he wishes he could ignore to save not only his life, but life on Earth as well. Jerry Hanel gives us an intriguing look into Death, what he represents, and the league sworn to protect humanity. There is some mild gore description during some crime scenes, but nothing that can't be handled by a mature audience. From the excerpt at the end of Death Has a Name, it looks as though there is another book in the Brodie Wade series and I am interested to see what situation Brodie finds himself in next.
March 7, 2011
A very solid detective / paranormal story. Death Has a Name centers around a psychic detective named Brodie Wade. I like the universe that Jerry created here. At least with Brodie, he just doesn’t see visions or touch and know things, like your typical psychics. In this he deal with the Truth. The Truth is like a universe mirrored onto our own, with apparitions and entities, and Wade can communicate in that realm. But if he doesn’t listen to what they have to say, they can actually harm him.
It was a very fast paced read, very entertaining. The only thing I could really find at fault was that I wanted to learn more about these characters. How did Wade and Dawson meet? Was there ever going to be anything between Wade and the police office he befriended, Jamie? Or even between him and his lawyer, Emily?
Despite these few shortcomings, all this does is tell me that Jerry created a cool world and characters I would like to learn more about, and that is a good thing.
Strengths:
Fast paced read, no fluff.
Interesting settings and characters.
I liked the tie in to Passover.
Weaknesses:
Would like to have known more about the characters.
It was a very fast paced read, very entertaining. The only thing I could really find at fault was that I wanted to learn more about these characters. How did Wade and Dawson meet? Was there ever going to be anything between Wade and the police office he befriended, Jamie? Or even between him and his lawyer, Emily?
Despite these few shortcomings, all this does is tell me that Jerry created a cool world and characters I would like to learn more about, and that is a good thing.
Strengths:
Fast paced read, no fluff.
Interesting settings and characters.
I liked the tie in to Passover.
Weaknesses:
Would like to have known more about the characters.
March 17, 2011
Death Has a Name, by Jerry Hanel, is a very engrossing, entertaining, paranormal mystery. Brodie Wade, the reluctant psychic, is a novel character, well written and believable, and fun to follow!
I thought the descriptions of "The Truth," which would appear as white wisps of smoke coming from certain items and people, and which would occasionally manifest itself as benign OR dangerous beings, was fascinating. I also really liked reading about the Guardians and their special script. I would like to have learned more about that, but perhaps more will be revealed in further episodes.
All in all, I would definitely recommend Death Has a Name to anyone looking for a cool story!
I thought the descriptions of "The Truth," which would appear as white wisps of smoke coming from certain items and people, and which would occasionally manifest itself as benign OR dangerous beings, was fascinating. I also really liked reading about the Guardians and their special script. I would like to have learned more about that, but perhaps more will be revealed in further episodes.
All in all, I would definitely recommend Death Has a Name to anyone looking for a cool story!
February 12, 2011
I enjoyed this book. It's nice to see something different in Urban Fantasy for a change instead of the usual kick ass hero or heroine. But I would have liked to have had more character development for some of the secondary characters. If another Brodie Wade book comes out I'd read it.
March 20, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very interesting paranormal story about THE TRUTH. This is not to mean, what we think the truth is; but the actual truth. The author best shapes this story around the protagonist who happens to be a psychic and who happens to just get into a lot of trouble being able to discern THE TRUTH. The story takes off early and continues with several plot twists combined with a little police procedures and paranormal situations thrown in, and the book is a quick and entertaining read.
This is a very interesting paranormal story about THE TRUTH. This is not to mean, what we think the truth is; but the actual truth. The author best shapes this story around the protagonist who happens to be a psychic and who happens to just get into a lot of trouble being able to discern THE TRUTH. The story takes off early and continues with several plot twists combined with a little police procedures and paranormal situations thrown in, and the book is a quick and entertaining read.
March 26, 2019
Good read!
May 20, 2011
Brodie Wade is unlike the typical example of a "psychic detective". For one thing, he is neither debonair nor overtly creepy. For another, The Truth, a strange combination of a spiritual realm and an abstract concept, is more of a handicap than a gift, one that has physically tortured him and inadvertently removed him from a loving mother's care. In a twisted form of symbiosis, it has also put a roof over his head.
It is difficult to pin this novel into any one genre. First and foremost, it's a mystery: who is after the orbs, and what is The Truth attempting to convey? The story also brings in elements of the supernatural, what with Death and magical orbs hanging over Brodie's head for the duration. The atmosphere has somewhat of a gritty feel, one that would be at home in a thriller. What this hodgepodge of categories means is that Death Has A Name can appeal to a wide range of readers.
It certainly had me hooked. I actually had to set it aside until I could devote a good chunk of time to its consumption. The story moves along at a smart clip, giving readers just enough time to absorb their surroundings before moving onto the next locale. Nearly every scene was important for plot development, which means that readers who are easily bored will find themselves paying rapt attention. Unfortunately, it also means that a lot of "nice to have" information is missing, most noticeably decent background information about our protagonist. We learn that he was institutionalized, but the book offers no details as to how he became involved as a consultant for the police. This is something that is highly relevant, given that his occupation is how he became involved in this whole sordid mess to begin with.
As far as characterizations go, I found that this story fell a bit short. Michaels, for instance, is rather one-dimensional, while Phil falls neatly into the role of "skeptical friend". The pacing of the storyline compensates well for this deficiency, but it was unable to cover the inconsistency in writing quality. On several occasions, key words would be repeated two or three times within the same paragraph, and mentions of Death and his "bonds" soon became wearisome.
Redundancies aside, Death Has A Name is an engrossing read that I would recommend to those who like idiosyncratic protagonists and storylines that move.
Stimulated Outlet Book Reviews
(Review copy provided by the author)
It is difficult to pin this novel into any one genre. First and foremost, it's a mystery: who is after the orbs, and what is The Truth attempting to convey? The story also brings in elements of the supernatural, what with Death and magical orbs hanging over Brodie's head for the duration. The atmosphere has somewhat of a gritty feel, one that would be at home in a thriller. What this hodgepodge of categories means is that Death Has A Name can appeal to a wide range of readers.
It certainly had me hooked. I actually had to set it aside until I could devote a good chunk of time to its consumption. The story moves along at a smart clip, giving readers just enough time to absorb their surroundings before moving onto the next locale. Nearly every scene was important for plot development, which means that readers who are easily bored will find themselves paying rapt attention. Unfortunately, it also means that a lot of "nice to have" information is missing, most noticeably decent background information about our protagonist. We learn that he was institutionalized, but the book offers no details as to how he became involved as a consultant for the police. This is something that is highly relevant, given that his occupation is how he became involved in this whole sordid mess to begin with.
As far as characterizations go, I found that this story fell a bit short. Michaels, for instance, is rather one-dimensional, while Phil falls neatly into the role of "skeptical friend". The pacing of the storyline compensates well for this deficiency, but it was unable to cover the inconsistency in writing quality. On several occasions, key words would be repeated two or three times within the same paragraph, and mentions of Death and his "bonds" soon became wearisome.
Redundancies aside, Death Has A Name is an engrossing read that I would recommend to those who like idiosyncratic protagonists and storylines that move.
Stimulated Outlet Book Reviews
(Review copy provided by the author)
May 12, 2011
Storyline: Gah! I have no puns! Death Has a Name by the talented Jerry Hanel is great – puns or no puns!
Poor Brodie Wade. He’s had a rough go with life. From being taken from his mother to institutionalized to dealing with his psychic abilities. The Truth (as Brodie knows it) is always trying to tell him its story and guide him into helping those around him.
After a couple of beheadings, he and Det. Dawson must work together to figure out if the Midnight Killer is back from the grave or if this is a whole new set of problems. What is the meaning behind the mysterious writing on the wall? What do the necklaces have to do with the murders? Does the Angel of Death really exist? And can it be stopped?!
Grammar/Spelling: I noticed some minor spelling errors. I’d suggest another read through by a beta reader.
Character Development: As you all know, I was able to interview Brodie before I read his story and wow…what a character. Brodie is as every bit paranoid and nervous in the book as he is in his interview. He seems to cope pretty well for someone who can see The Truth manifesting everywhere and around everybody. (Not sure if I’d be that “calm.” I’d probably fixate on my cat too.) I am curious to know more about his relationship with his mother – if he was even able to maintain one after they took him from her for the alleged child abuse. Maybe Mr. Hanel will let us in on more of poor Brodie’s life story as the series progresses.
Writing Style: The writing style is wonderful and moves a great pace. I started reading this right when I first got to work (around 8 a.m. or so) and finished up right after lunch and I didn’t even notice that much time has passed! I loved Mr. Hanel’s attention to detail and the idea that normal – though specially trained – every day people are standing between humanity and the Angel of Death was pretty awesome. A tad unnerving – but still a very cool concept.
Continuity: No issues with continuity.
Overall Rating: 5+
With a title like, Death Has a Name, I was unable to think of any clever puns, but that does not take away from the well written and thoroughly entertaining story. Mr. Jerry Hanel has created a unique and endearing character with Brodie.
Mr. Hanel also included a preview for Thaloc Has a Body and I’m almost positive that it will be as enjoyable as Death Has a Name.
Poor Brodie Wade. He’s had a rough go with life. From being taken from his mother to institutionalized to dealing with his psychic abilities. The Truth (as Brodie knows it) is always trying to tell him its story and guide him into helping those around him.
After a couple of beheadings, he and Det. Dawson must work together to figure out if the Midnight Killer is back from the grave or if this is a whole new set of problems. What is the meaning behind the mysterious writing on the wall? What do the necklaces have to do with the murders? Does the Angel of Death really exist? And can it be stopped?!
Grammar/Spelling: I noticed some minor spelling errors. I’d suggest another read through by a beta reader.
Character Development: As you all know, I was able to interview Brodie before I read his story and wow…what a character. Brodie is as every bit paranoid and nervous in the book as he is in his interview. He seems to cope pretty well for someone who can see The Truth manifesting everywhere and around everybody. (Not sure if I’d be that “calm.” I’d probably fixate on my cat too.) I am curious to know more about his relationship with his mother – if he was even able to maintain one after they took him from her for the alleged child abuse. Maybe Mr. Hanel will let us in on more of poor Brodie’s life story as the series progresses.
Writing Style: The writing style is wonderful and moves a great pace. I started reading this right when I first got to work (around 8 a.m. or so) and finished up right after lunch and I didn’t even notice that much time has passed! I loved Mr. Hanel’s attention to detail and the idea that normal – though specially trained – every day people are standing between humanity and the Angel of Death was pretty awesome. A tad unnerving – but still a very cool concept.
Continuity: No issues with continuity.
Overall Rating: 5+
With a title like, Death Has a Name, I was unable to think of any clever puns, but that does not take away from the well written and thoroughly entertaining story. Mr. Jerry Hanel has created a unique and endearing character with Brodie.
Mr. Hanel also included a preview for Thaloc Has a Body and I’m almost positive that it will be as enjoyable as Death Has a Name.
April 30, 2012
I don't usually gush. And I don't usually have high expectations of free kindle books. But this book was fantastic and much better developed that I would have hoped for.
I absolutely LOVE a good character driven story, and this book was propelled by the fact that Brodie is one of the most interesting characters I have ever read. Many times paranormal books ignore the fact that they are set in the "real world" and focus solely on the paranormal aspect figuring that you'll just suspend your disbelief. I loathe that. This book goes in the complete opposite direction.
Brodie reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from Stieg Larsson's works. Brodie sees the Truth and this has fucked up his life in ways that are completely real. I mean, what do you think we'd really do with a kid who could see ghosts? With a kid with unexplained bruises and cuts? With a kid who spouts shit that just sounds crazy? Of course we'd take him away from his mom and of course we'd put him in a psychiatric hospital. In our society we would be remiss if we didn't label him as schizophrenic and ply him with psychotropic drugs.
In any case, Brodie has had a difficult life, and still has one. Its hard for him to go to certain locations because the Truth (yes, its a live palpable thing and it has needs ) is much stronger there. He has a hard time relating to other people since they think he's fucking nuts. But he's made a sort of life for himself by consulting on cold cases as a psychic. It doesn't earn him many friends and frankly makes him more suspicious when evidence points to him. I mean, I'd be pretty quick to suspect the guy with police ties who has a pretty serious psychotic mental illness, wouldn't you?
In any case, the plot moves quickly and there isn't a lot of back story. There is almost no filler in this book and it feels a little anorexic. The plot isn't super twisty. You know that Brodie is being set up from the beginning and nothing is shocking. That doesn't mean it isn't well written because it is. Its just a really plot driven novel with a great main character. I will absolutely read another novel by Hanel.
I absolutely LOVE a good character driven story, and this book was propelled by the fact that Brodie is one of the most interesting characters I have ever read. Many times paranormal books ignore the fact that they are set in the "real world" and focus solely on the paranormal aspect figuring that you'll just suspend your disbelief. I loathe that. This book goes in the complete opposite direction.
Brodie reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from Stieg Larsson's works. Brodie sees the Truth and this has fucked up his life in ways that are completely real. I mean, what do you think we'd really do with a kid who could see ghosts? With a kid with unexplained bruises and cuts? With a kid who spouts shit that just sounds crazy? Of course we'd take him away from his mom and of course we'd put him in a psychiatric hospital. In our society we would be remiss if we didn't label him as schizophrenic and ply him with psychotropic drugs.
In any case, Brodie has had a difficult life, and still has one. Its hard for him to go to certain locations because the Truth (yes, its a live palpable thing and it has needs ) is much stronger there. He has a hard time relating to other people since they think he's fucking nuts. But he's made a sort of life for himself by consulting on cold cases as a psychic. It doesn't earn him many friends and frankly makes him more suspicious when evidence points to him. I mean, I'd be pretty quick to suspect the guy with police ties who has a pretty serious psychotic mental illness, wouldn't you?
In any case, the plot moves quickly and there isn't a lot of back story. There is almost no filler in this book and it feels a little anorexic. The plot isn't super twisty. You know that Brodie is being set up from the beginning and nothing is shocking. That doesn't mean it isn't well written because it is. Its just a really plot driven novel with a great main character. I will absolutely read another novel by Hanel.
April 6, 2014
Goodreads Synopsis: There is a Truth that exists. It is active.
Alive.
It fights the bounds of reality to make itself known. It's not my truth. It's not anyone's truth. It is The Truth.
There are times when select individuals can see and interact with The Truth, but Brodie Wade has been able to interact with it since he was a child. It has scarred his mind and body, but it also gives him the ability to know things that he shouldn't know. Thus, he has taken employment as a psychic detective.
Working together with Detective Phil Dawson, Brodie must summon all of his will to go head-to-head with The Truth to solve the latest string of murders. It appears that Dominick Fredrickton -- the Midnight Killer -- has returned from the grave, beheading the unfortunate few that get in his way.
When The Truth confronts Brodie and tells him that he must protect the Third Key, Brodie must discover what - or who - The Third Key is.
Can Brodie stop Death from obtaining the Third Key and regaining his physical form?
My Review: This book was crazy to read. Crazy in a good way. Though I wasn't so interested at first, it grew on me. Like, after the prologue I started getting interested in it. Brodie is a likeable character, and I even started to feel bad for him for a while. It's an awesome murder mystery kind of thing, and I loved reading it. It kept me on my toes, always guessing who the real suspect was. I haven't read anything like this before, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it. Do you know anyone that's psychic? I sure don't. But if I did, I'm sure that they'd be a lot like Brodie was. A little shy, a little out of his mind crazy, and smarter than anyone you know. He's cute. And I'd like to know someone like him in real life. I didn't guess that the person helping out death was who they were until it was right in front of my face, and I liked that. I'd read the next book in the series, when I find it. definitely check it out at least if you come across it. (':
Thanks for reading, here's a link to my blog! :D
radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com
Alive.
It fights the bounds of reality to make itself known. It's not my truth. It's not anyone's truth. It is The Truth.
There are times when select individuals can see and interact with The Truth, but Brodie Wade has been able to interact with it since he was a child. It has scarred his mind and body, but it also gives him the ability to know things that he shouldn't know. Thus, he has taken employment as a psychic detective.
Working together with Detective Phil Dawson, Brodie must summon all of his will to go head-to-head with The Truth to solve the latest string of murders. It appears that Dominick Fredrickton -- the Midnight Killer -- has returned from the grave, beheading the unfortunate few that get in his way.
When The Truth confronts Brodie and tells him that he must protect the Third Key, Brodie must discover what - or who - The Third Key is.
Can Brodie stop Death from obtaining the Third Key and regaining his physical form?
My Review: This book was crazy to read. Crazy in a good way. Though I wasn't so interested at first, it grew on me. Like, after the prologue I started getting interested in it. Brodie is a likeable character, and I even started to feel bad for him for a while. It's an awesome murder mystery kind of thing, and I loved reading it. It kept me on my toes, always guessing who the real suspect was. I haven't read anything like this before, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it. Do you know anyone that's psychic? I sure don't. But if I did, I'm sure that they'd be a lot like Brodie was. A little shy, a little out of his mind crazy, and smarter than anyone you know. He's cute. And I'd like to know someone like him in real life. I didn't guess that the person helping out death was who they were until it was right in front of my face, and I liked that. I'd read the next book in the series, when I find it. definitely check it out at least if you come across it. (':
Thanks for reading, here's a link to my blog! :D
radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com
March 7, 2013
This is the first self-published book I've ever read. I started it with misgivings -- I've heard the horror stories about self-pub -- but was pleasantly surprised.
Brodie Wade is a psychic who works with the police. Unlike a lot of urban fantasy heroes, he isn't a bad ass. He's almost an anti-hero in places, a bit neurotic and unsure of himself in public (for good reason), although he comes through in the end. I started out thinking he was an annoying wuss, but he ended up rather endearing. I even warmed to the cat bit.
Like many reviewers of this book have said, I agree that it could benefit from the help of a good editor. The prologue was confusing and totally unnecessary. I think with the opening bit about the cat he was trying to establish how emotionally fragile he was, but instead it just came across as inane. Only later in the book did I get it.
After this rough beginning, it was solid throughout. This book was short and the pace was fast. I gave Death Has a Name four stars because I couldn't wait to pick it up again whenever I had to stop reading.
Oh, and I downloaded 37 free fantasy books and picked this one first because of the title and a really cool cover.
Brodie Wade is a psychic who works with the police. Unlike a lot of urban fantasy heroes, he isn't a bad ass. He's almost an anti-hero in places, a bit neurotic and unsure of himself in public (for good reason), although he comes through in the end. I started out thinking he was an annoying wuss, but he ended up rather endearing. I even warmed to the cat bit.
Like many reviewers of this book have said, I agree that it could benefit from the help of a good editor. The prologue was confusing and totally unnecessary. I think with the opening bit about the cat he was trying to establish how emotionally fragile he was, but instead it just came across as inane. Only later in the book did I get it.
After this rough beginning, it was solid throughout. This book was short and the pace was fast. I gave Death Has a Name four stars because I couldn't wait to pick it up again whenever I had to stop reading.
Oh, and I downloaded 37 free fantasy books and picked this one first because of the title and a really cool cover.
August 7, 2012
Once again, a story where the concept is more interesting than the execution. I can't quite remember what I first thought upon hearing that The Truth spoke to Brodie and helped him solve mysteries; just that my expectations did not match the book.
A man who hears The Truth, who must solve the mystery of how an executed serial killer has escaped from the grave, and must in the meantime protect a woman who seems to know too much from the forces after her... It has all the makings of a truly fascinating story, and yet it disappoints.
We are told of Brodie's struggles with being deemed "crazy", but there is little payoff here: at worst he is treated as unreliable by the police with whom he works--a fate no worse than any normal person would face.
And therein lies the problem, I suppose; too much telling, not enough showing to do justice to what is a truly fascinating premise.
A man who hears The Truth, who must solve the mystery of how an executed serial killer has escaped from the grave, and must in the meantime protect a woman who seems to know too much from the forces after her... It has all the makings of a truly fascinating story, and yet it disappoints.
We are told of Brodie's struggles with being deemed "crazy", but there is little payoff here: at worst he is treated as unreliable by the police with whom he works--a fate no worse than any normal person would face.
And therein lies the problem, I suppose; too much telling, not enough showing to do justice to what is a truly fascinating premise.
April 9, 2011
Jerry Hanel's Death Has A Name is a captivating novel that seamlessly blends fantasy elements with a real world setting to create a story that is both intriguing and compelling. It follows the plight of Brodie Wade, a man with psychic abilities driven by a force simply known as The Truth.
What I enjoyed the most about Mr. Hanel's book was the descriptions of Brodie's interaction with The Truth. Sometimes sudden, sometimes gradual, sometimes creepy, sometimes funny, The Truth made itself known in a variety of ways. I particularly enjoyed a scene involving a flashback to Brodie's youth.
While I don't usually enjoy murder-mysteries, this book drew me in quickly and held me right through to the final page. A great read for anyone!
What I enjoyed the most about Mr. Hanel's book was the descriptions of Brodie's interaction with The Truth. Sometimes sudden, sometimes gradual, sometimes creepy, sometimes funny, The Truth made itself known in a variety of ways. I particularly enjoyed a scene involving a flashback to Brodie's youth.
While I don't usually enjoy murder-mysteries, this book drew me in quickly and held me right through to the final page. A great read for anyone!
August 4, 2011
This is actually a pretty good story about Brodie Wade who sees an apparition called "The Truth". Police use him to investigate homicide cases that the police have trouble solving. "The Truth" comes to Brodie and gives him clues as to whats going on and it basically up to him to figure out what "The Truth" means. The plot thickens when one of the characters gathers a collection of ancient keys to release and command the power of the Angel of Death to basically do what he pleases. Ruler of the world type stuff. "The Truth" warns Brodie of this plan and it is up to him to piece the puzzle together and save humanity. Can he do it? "The Truth" is out there. Jerry has done a great job with this book and it is a intriguing read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2015
Brodie Wade is psychic and can see The Truth as an alternate reality, and he sees it as beings who come to him to get his attention to solve their murders, etc. He works with national and international police agencies to solve cold case files. In this case he is assisting NYPD Detective, and personal friend, Dawson to solve a series of beheadings. The Truth informs him that he has to solve this to prevent the release of Death upon the Earth.
Lots of action, well-developed characters and plot. Great interaction between characters. Needs just a touch of editing and proofreading to be a really fantastic read. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
Lots of action, well-developed characters and plot. Great interaction between characters. Needs just a touch of editing and proofreading to be a really fantastic read. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
March 15, 2015
Brodie Wade is psychic and can see The Truth as an alternate reality, and he sees it as beings who come to him to get his attention to solve their murders, etc. He works with national and international police agencies to solve cold case files. In this case he is assisting NYPD Detective, and personal friend, Dawson to solve a series of beheadings. The Truth informs him that he has to solve this to prevent the release of Death upon the Earth.
Lots of action, well-developed characters and plot. Great interaction between characters. Needs just a touch of editing and proofreading to be a really fantastic read. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
Lots of action, well-developed characters and plot. Great interaction between characters. Needs just a touch of editing and proofreading to be a really fantastic read. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
April 16, 2013
I would have given this 3 1/2 stars, but that wasn't an option so it got 3.
I'm torn on whether or not I loved this book. I didn't really love it , but at the same time, I finished it in 2 evenings. So it must have had something that kept me interested, right?
I didn't really like the main character at first, but he grew on me especially after we learn more of his background.
It's free right now for Kindles, maybe other ereaders too, so I would recommend downloading it, and giving it a try.
I'm torn on whether or not I loved this book. I didn't really love it , but at the same time, I finished it in 2 evenings. So it must have had something that kept me interested, right?
I didn't really like the main character at first, but he grew on me especially after we learn more of his background.
It's free right now for Kindles, maybe other ereaders too, so I would recommend downloading it, and giving it a try.
December 16, 2012
A quick read and not too cluttered with sub-plots. Great title, because it's what pique my interest in the first place, aside from the fact it was a free book at iTunes. Conclusion...good title + good story...what else is there to say. Oh..oh.. must not forget about the cat! Yeah, this one, I give extra kudos because it has a cat...;) and the male protagonist love his cat (I can relate to it). I don't know many guys whether fictional or real life who likes cats. LOL...
March 2, 2014
This book started out slow for me. I was thinking about putting it on the back burner to try again later. I decided to pick it back up and finish it...so glad that I did. I liked the different personalities of the characters. I loved the spiritual innuendos. It was like reading a story within a story for me. I got a whole different spiritual perspective about death. In the end? Good stuff, good book. I look forward to reading book two.
July 26, 2016
This was not the worst kindle freebie that I have read. The writing style was tolerable but the plotting needed some work. Admittedly, the plot device which involves the framing of the protagonist is a personal no-no but there did seem to be some issues with what the story was really all about. It was kind of like the 'mists of Truth' that the story kept mentioning. unable to recommend at this time.
February 8, 2011
Death Has a Name by Jerry Hanel was just okay for me. Brodie Wade is a physic police detective who has a really bad smoking problem and loves his cat Sophie. Brodie sees "The Truth" which is death that's happened or will happen. Some parts were over the top, but kept my interest. Will most likely try reading another Brodie Wade installment if one comes out.
December 20, 2011
Interesting. I thought it was a unique idea: not much is ever said in the Bible of the Angel of Death after he's let loose in Genesis, so the idea of him having to be locked up somewhere was quite new. I really liked Brodie Wade as well, he makes for a good hero in the story. I have the second part downloaded on my Kindle too, so I'll definitely be following the series.
August 29, 2013
First book? Nicely done. I admit my fascination with these otherworldly kind of books kept me interested. Hanel writes simply, but with enough intrigue to keep you hooked. While not necessarily a literary masterpiece, I found Hanel's style to be engaging and a great first venture. I'll definitely read the next.
August 26, 2016
Easily one of the best books I've read in a while. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to read a book about a very likable psychic bloodhound with a bit of Law and Order thrown in for good measure. Do yourself a favor and check this one out. I'm off to read the sequel.
July 20, 2016
Brodie the psychic and Phil Dawson the homicide detective are trying to determine if a psychopath has somehow come back to life. The mystery developed well, but the ending was a little flat. I'll be interested to see how the characters age in the next book.
July 23, 2014
This book sucked. Main character is a whiner and uninteresting. He and the other characters are flatter than a one shot guest star in an episode of Murder She Wrote. Plot was predictable and less complex than a comic book.
February 10, 2013
Quite a good little urban fantasy with an intriguing main character.
I liked Brodie and his cat.
The Truth was alien and almost too cryptic.
The writing style was a bit spare for my taste. I like a bit more background, detail, explanation around events.
I liked Brodie and his cat.
The Truth was alien and almost too cryptic.
The writing style was a bit spare for my taste. I like a bit more background, detail, explanation around events.
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