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Hell's Pawn
John Grey is dead… and that’s just the beginning.
Purgatory should have been a safe haven for souls that belong neither in Heaven nor Hell, but instead John finds himself in a corrupt prison, one bereft of freedom or pleasure. Along with his decedent friend Dante, John makes a brave escape, only to fall straight down to Hell and into the arms of Rimmon, a handsome incubus.
John is soon recruited as Hell’s ambassador, visiting the afterlife realms of other cultures to enlist an army strong enough to stand against Heaven. As interesting as his new job is, John’s mind keeps returning to Purgatory and the souls still trapped there.
Somehow John must stop a war he doesn’t believe in and liberate Purgatory, all while desperately trying to attract the attention of an incubus whose heart belongs to another.
Purgatory should have been a safe haven for souls that belong neither in Heaven nor Hell, but instead John finds himself in a corrupt prison, one bereft of freedom or pleasure. Along with his decedent friend Dante, John makes a brave escape, only to fall straight down to Hell and into the arms of Rimmon, a handsome incubus.
John is soon recruited as Hell’s ambassador, visiting the afterlife realms of other cultures to enlist an army strong enough to stand against Heaven. As interesting as his new job is, John’s mind keeps returning to Purgatory and the souls still trapped there.
Somehow John must stop a war he doesn’t believe in and liberate Purgatory, all while desperately trying to attract the attention of an incubus whose heart belongs to another.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2011
39 people are currently reading
937 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
47 books2,217 followersJay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting www.jaybellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
August 6, 2011
I admit I was skeptical. While I enjoyed the heck out of "Language Lessons" and "Something Like Summer," they're both realistic stories, and I had no idea what to expect from something titled "Hell's Pawn." I'm not much of a fantasy guy, perhaps because fantasy can so easily slip into cliche. And a novel about the afterlife -- with talking gods -- would seem especially susceptible to silliness.
Well, not in Jay Bell's hands. He needed less than a chapter to knock me on my butt. Right from the start he piles on the coolness and the fun and the great, original concepts. Again and again I kept thinking, "How does he come up with this stuff?" The different realms of the afterlife -- from Hell to Mt Olympus to ancient Egypt -- are all richly described, and perhaps my biggest surprise was how "afterlifey" each one felt. This isn't the afterlife in name only -- Bell infuses every page with a feeling of otherworldliness that's really impressive. In that sense it's one of the most successful imaginings of the afterlife I've encountered.
The locales are secondary to the fantastic characters, though. From Rimmon the sexy incubus, to Bolo the dog (a refreshing, non-anthropomorphized portrayal), to Yi Yi the tiny and excitable terracotta soldier, to Asmoday the archduke of Hell who bathes in pools of vomit -- these are characters who'll stick in my mind, and I hope to see more of them someday. (We're also treated to a guest appearance by a character from an earlier Bell story that had me beaming with happiness.) Bell should be especially proud of his portrayal of the various gods. They're wise and commanding without ever seeming trite. That's an awesome feat.
All in all this is a fun, captivating novel with big ideas, and it's a great addition to Jay Bell's body of work.
Well, not in Jay Bell's hands. He needed less than a chapter to knock me on my butt. Right from the start he piles on the coolness and the fun and the great, original concepts. Again and again I kept thinking, "How does he come up with this stuff?" The different realms of the afterlife -- from Hell to Mt Olympus to ancient Egypt -- are all richly described, and perhaps my biggest surprise was how "afterlifey" each one felt. This isn't the afterlife in name only -- Bell infuses every page with a feeling of otherworldliness that's really impressive. In that sense it's one of the most successful imaginings of the afterlife I've encountered.
The locales are secondary to the fantastic characters, though. From Rimmon the sexy incubus, to Bolo the dog (a refreshing, non-anthropomorphized portrayal), to Yi Yi the tiny and excitable terracotta soldier, to Asmoday the archduke of Hell who bathes in pools of vomit -- these are characters who'll stick in my mind, and I hope to see more of them someday. (We're also treated to a guest appearance by a character from an earlier Bell story that had me beaming with happiness.) Bell should be especially proud of his portrayal of the various gods. They're wise and commanding without ever seeming trite. That's an awesome feat.
All in all this is a fun, captivating novel with big ideas, and it's a great addition to Jay Bell's body of work.
September 24, 2012
This Is Not MM-Romance
First things first, this book isn't a paranormal romance; it's urban fantasy. There's a love interest and a few sex scenes but ultimately the dude is in unavailable because Rimmon is still in love with his ex-boyfriend. Or current boyfriend depending on your interpretation; since that interpretation would mean the love interest is cheating and John, the protagonist, is the "other man," I don't apply to this interpretation.
I thought the love interest deluded himself that he was still in a relationship with his ex-boyfriend. He deluded himself on other issues too, one of which was the fact that he's an incubus and because of that he claim he is compelled to have sex with strangers. Not to mention it's his job as one of Hell's minions. Uh huh, right. Rimmon had this self-tormented persona going on, and it annoyed me.
I felt bad for John. I thought the "romance" subplot with the love interest could have been done away. I didn't think it add anything to the story except dashing readers of Romance's expectation.
The Shining Part of the Book
The world building was great! I love how the book used mythology from many parts of the world, especially when it included Eastern Asia. I could easily tell the research was done by the accurate way the gods and the afterlife worlds were depicted. The book didn't "reinvent" a facet of the mythology; it didn't have to. The book deftly tied multiple mythologies into one cohesive world.
The other fantasy part of the book, the non-mythology based part, was also well done. Keen readers might foresee the twist about the bad guys — — but the twist didn’t strongly impress me as a cliché.
Now For the Bad News
Why didn't I rate the book higher? The characters weren't flat, the pacing didn't drag, the plot had no holes (that I was aware of). The book was told in 1st PoV exclusively from the protagonist's side, a POV I most prefer. Except for the "romance," the book was a solid read. So why didn't I rate the book higher?
The reason was John. I cheered for him but I wasn't fully enamored with the protagonist as I could have been. He didn't annoyed me; he just didn't stand out to me. He was the kind of guy you see on the streets in a busy city, walk by him, and forget about him a second later.
There wasn't much character development for the protagonist. Once John became Hell's Pawn, he did whatever was demanded of him with little thought. Not to say he was mindless or stupid — far from it, John lacked a sense of resolve. This bogged down the book for me.
To be fair, John gained his sense of resolve and some needed character development in a scene near the end as part of the rising action. Unfortunately, it occurred too late and too little. I realized that missing piece of John's characterization was a deliberate part of the story, but that was no consolation.
In Conclusion
I rate the book 2-stars for it was okay. The book was plot-driven. While engaging and lacking any glaring flaw, the book simply didn't leave a lasting impression. I was happy to read the book, but it was kind of the book I read once and then not read it again.
Readers looking for a LGBT standalone urban fantasy with a tightly wrapped HEA will enjoy Hell’s Pawn. Readers looking for a paranormal romance should look elsewhere.
First things first, this book isn't a paranormal romance; it's urban fantasy. There's a love interest and a few sex scenes but ultimately the dude is in unavailable because Rimmon is still in love with his ex-boyfriend. Or current boyfriend depending on your interpretation; since that interpretation would mean the love interest is cheating and John, the protagonist, is the "other man," I don't apply to this interpretation.
I thought the love interest deluded himself that he was still in a relationship with his ex-boyfriend. He deluded himself on other issues too, one of which was the fact that he's an incubus and because of that he claim he is compelled to have sex with strangers. Not to mention it's his job as one of Hell's minions. Uh huh, right. Rimmon had this self-tormented persona going on, and it annoyed me.
I felt bad for John. I thought the "romance" subplot with the love interest could have been done away. I didn't think it add anything to the story except dashing readers of Romance's expectation.
The Shining Part of the Book
The world building was great! I love how the book used mythology from many parts of the world, especially when it included Eastern Asia. I could easily tell the research was done by the accurate way the gods and the afterlife worlds were depicted. The book didn't "reinvent" a facet of the mythology; it didn't have to. The book deftly tied multiple mythologies into one cohesive world.
The other fantasy part of the book, the non-mythology based part, was also well done. Keen readers might foresee the twist about the bad guys — — but the twist didn’t strongly impress me as a cliché.
Now For the Bad News
Why didn't I rate the book higher? The characters weren't flat, the pacing didn't drag, the plot had no holes (that I was aware of). The book was told in 1st PoV exclusively from the protagonist's side, a POV I most prefer. Except for the "romance," the book was a solid read. So why didn't I rate the book higher?
The reason was John. I cheered for him but I wasn't fully enamored with the protagonist as I could have been. He didn't annoyed me; he just didn't stand out to me. He was the kind of guy you see on the streets in a busy city, walk by him, and forget about him a second later.
There wasn't much character development for the protagonist. Once John became Hell's Pawn, he did whatever was demanded of him with little thought. Not to say he was mindless or stupid — far from it, John lacked a sense of resolve. This bogged down the book for me.
To be fair, John gained his sense of resolve and some needed character development in a scene near the end as part of the rising action. Unfortunately, it occurred too late and too little. I realized that missing piece of John's characterization was a deliberate part of the story, but that was no consolation.
In Conclusion
I rate the book 2-stars for it was okay. The book was plot-driven. While engaging and lacking any glaring flaw, the book simply didn't leave a lasting impression. I was happy to read the book, but it was kind of the book I read once and then not read it again.
Readers looking for a LGBT standalone urban fantasy with a tightly wrapped HEA will enjoy Hell’s Pawn. Readers looking for a paranormal romance should look elsewhere.
August 8, 2011
I choose Hell’s Pawn based on the author and the incredible cover art. The story lives up to both as a somewhat epic jaunt through afterlife complete with visitations from just about every major religion. This is perhaps the one hiccup to the story in that the philosophy of religion, belief, faith, and the afterlife is thoroughly discussed. The story doesn’t try to advocate one faith or belief system over any others but it does examine the concept of faith from many different angles and may not be what every reader is looking for. It’s important to read with an open mind and trust that the story is not trying to preach or condemn, but instead almost enlighten.
Hell’s Pawn begins with the hero, John Grey, waking up in Purgatory. He doesn’t exactly realize where he is at first but after remembering some startling details of the previous night, he’s pretty sure he’s dead. John is different though and seems to slip through the rules of Purgatory with distressing ease. When he encounters Dante, an Irishman content to drink his way through afterlife, the two decide to escape from Purgatory. Their escape lands them in Hell, which is just the beginning of their journey. Traveling through different realms and times, John, Dante, and Rimmon must try to recruit an army for Hell’s war. Yet John’s powers and intelligence mean he’ll only play by his rules.
The story is pretty intricate with a lot of detail and layers. The narrating duties are exclusively through John’s third person perspective. This works very well and I never really missed the PoV of the other characters. Instead John is a vibrant and attention getting character. The setting is equally as intriguing as the characters move from Purgatory to Hell to various other realms and times. This is where the story definitely picks up and takes off but also conversely gets into areas that may not be to each reader’s tastes. This is where the in depth examination of various religions and belief systems starts but to the writing’s credit it does try to highlight the various Gods without overwhelming the reader or turning the story into a philosophical debate.
This fast paced continues to the end, which is especially nice since the writing starts off pretty slow and choppy. The first few pages are alternatively confusing and rough as the reader is plunged into this new world with no information or clues and numerous distracting but unimportant details. I eventually understood what the author and story was trying to convey but the execution feels raw and unpolished in this part. The writing and story in general gets better as the various rules and limitations become more obvious in the new setting. The concepts of Purgatory, Heaven, Hell, and various afterlifes are all very fascinating, especially the spin the story puts on them all. It feels interesting and unique, something totally different than I’d read before.
I especially appreciated the level of detail and intellectual discussion about the various religions, although this is a technique used heavily in the story so if you’re not one for any kind of philosophy or debate in your fiction, this story may not satisfy. The writing tries to keep these debates light and more superficial to keep the story and characters moving but it does create a much slower pace while reading. There is a lot of information to absorb and numerous important details that are hidden so it’s clear you need to read thoroughly. I didn’t necessarily mind but I did re-read several sections and found this offering much slower to get through than similar novels of the same size.
That said the ingenuity and characterization are truly wonderful. The various characters from Gods to minions have a purpose in the story. There are very few, if any, superfluous characters and the main men are well crafted with a lot of subtly and nuance. The writing picks up speed and polish as it goes on with only a few obvious editing missteps. This is easily a fiction story I could recommend although the density makes it one I probably wouldn’t read again. However it’s a concept and idea I’ll remember and think about for a long time to come. One warning to readers – this story is fiction, maybe even gay fiction considering the lead narrator is gay, however, this isn’t a romance. There are romantic elements but these are very minor and could easily have been omitted without any detriment to the story. Instead pick this up if you’re looking for something absorbing, fascinating, and totally different. It’s well worth the investment.
Hell’s Pawn begins with the hero, John Grey, waking up in Purgatory. He doesn’t exactly realize where he is at first but after remembering some startling details of the previous night, he’s pretty sure he’s dead. John is different though and seems to slip through the rules of Purgatory with distressing ease. When he encounters Dante, an Irishman content to drink his way through afterlife, the two decide to escape from Purgatory. Their escape lands them in Hell, which is just the beginning of their journey. Traveling through different realms and times, John, Dante, and Rimmon must try to recruit an army for Hell’s war. Yet John’s powers and intelligence mean he’ll only play by his rules.
The story is pretty intricate with a lot of detail and layers. The narrating duties are exclusively through John’s third person perspective. This works very well and I never really missed the PoV of the other characters. Instead John is a vibrant and attention getting character. The setting is equally as intriguing as the characters move from Purgatory to Hell to various other realms and times. This is where the story definitely picks up and takes off but also conversely gets into areas that may not be to each reader’s tastes. This is where the in depth examination of various religions and belief systems starts but to the writing’s credit it does try to highlight the various Gods without overwhelming the reader or turning the story into a philosophical debate.
This fast paced continues to the end, which is especially nice since the writing starts off pretty slow and choppy. The first few pages are alternatively confusing and rough as the reader is plunged into this new world with no information or clues and numerous distracting but unimportant details. I eventually understood what the author and story was trying to convey but the execution feels raw and unpolished in this part. The writing and story in general gets better as the various rules and limitations become more obvious in the new setting. The concepts of Purgatory, Heaven, Hell, and various afterlifes are all very fascinating, especially the spin the story puts on them all. It feels interesting and unique, something totally different than I’d read before.
I especially appreciated the level of detail and intellectual discussion about the various religions, although this is a technique used heavily in the story so if you’re not one for any kind of philosophy or debate in your fiction, this story may not satisfy. The writing tries to keep these debates light and more superficial to keep the story and characters moving but it does create a much slower pace while reading. There is a lot of information to absorb and numerous important details that are hidden so it’s clear you need to read thoroughly. I didn’t necessarily mind but I did re-read several sections and found this offering much slower to get through than similar novels of the same size.
That said the ingenuity and characterization are truly wonderful. The various characters from Gods to minions have a purpose in the story. There are very few, if any, superfluous characters and the main men are well crafted with a lot of subtly and nuance. The writing picks up speed and polish as it goes on with only a few obvious editing missteps. This is easily a fiction story I could recommend although the density makes it one I probably wouldn’t read again. However it’s a concept and idea I’ll remember and think about for a long time to come. One warning to readers – this story is fiction, maybe even gay fiction considering the lead narrator is gay, however, this isn’t a romance. There are romantic elements but these are very minor and could easily have been omitted without any detriment to the story. Instead pick this up if you’re looking for something absorbing, fascinating, and totally different. It’s well worth the investment.
June 17, 2017
I've often wondered what will happen after I die, where my soul would travel, but the myriad of choices presented in Jay Bell's book 'Hell's Pawn' made me rethink the whole idea. John Grey takes an amazing journey beginning in Purgatory and ending in Heaven. During his traveling, he has the privilege of visiting several versions of the afterlife which he portrays in vivid detail. John has a special sort of energy which allows him to do things on the other side that others can't, and this is his key to success. John has a sense of purpose that others don't possess. John seems to be the only one with a drive to change, unlike his friend Dante who is comfortable being himself, being in the moment, without any desire for redemption. He wants to be productive and if the activity in which he's engaging isn't, he quickly loses interest. John's mission is to help Hell unite the different realms to free Purgatory from the domination it is under, but he's determined not to simply be Hell's pawn. The song 'I Did It My Way' kept filtering through my brain as John puts his special touch on negotiations between the realms, wheeling and dealing for their support. It was gratifying to watch John's confidence grow while he honed his diplomacy skills.
Rimmon is a fascinatingly complex character. With him, as with many other characters along the way, I see the theme 'don't judge a book by its cover', even if it has red skin, horns, and a tail and stereotypically speaking, looks like a demon which we associate with evil. However, it's the heart that counts and as John discovers, regardless of appearances, Rimmon has a good heart. He admires John and wants to love him, but his heart belongs to his estranged lover and he is unable to move on and get it back. Reconciliation with his lover is the only thing that will put his heart to rest.
One of the themes that I appreciate greatly is that animals have souls too, and if not inhibited by external sources, they have free reign and a much keener sense of direction than humans. So does John's traveling companion in spirit. Animals have the ability to travel in whatever realm they wish, which, to me, speaks to the purity of their spirit. Personally, I wouldn't want to be in any kind of afterlife that didn't include animals.
The amount of information Jay fits into two hundred and seventy six pages is amazing and a bit overwhelming; still the story flows so well. I can hardly begin to describe the plethora of ideas put forth in 'Hell's Pawn'. At the same time, Jay's incredible sense of humor shines through along with references to the past such as: Then the music changed, and his ridiculously bloodshot eyes widened. “Hey, who’s singing this?”“ Nirvana. They’re after your time.” “Man, they’re really good! Music is way better in the future.” John thought of the endless boy bands and sophomoric teenage pop stars that had dominated the music scene since the likes of Kurt Cobain had died, but kept his mouth shut. It was kinder to let Dante believe the lie.” It's a departure from Jay's usual storytelling, yet it still maintains his comfortable lyrical style, his passion and depth. Even though it's fantasy, it's a book that is best read at a slower, more deliberate pace, and perhaps even more than once, in order to grasp its significance, but in the end, it's worth it. Thanks, Jay for such a thought provoking look into the other side.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Rimmon is a fascinatingly complex character. With him, as with many other characters along the way, I see the theme 'don't judge a book by its cover', even if it has red skin, horns, and a tail and stereotypically speaking, looks like a demon which we associate with evil. However, it's the heart that counts and as John discovers, regardless of appearances, Rimmon has a good heart. He admires John and wants to love him, but his heart belongs to his estranged lover and he is unable to move on and get it back. Reconciliation with his lover is the only thing that will put his heart to rest.
One of the themes that I appreciate greatly is that animals have souls too, and if not inhibited by external sources, they have free reign and a much keener sense of direction than humans. So does John's traveling companion in spirit. Animals have the ability to travel in whatever realm they wish, which, to me, speaks to the purity of their spirit. Personally, I wouldn't want to be in any kind of afterlife that didn't include animals.
The amount of information Jay fits into two hundred and seventy six pages is amazing and a bit overwhelming; still the story flows so well. I can hardly begin to describe the plethora of ideas put forth in 'Hell's Pawn'. At the same time, Jay's incredible sense of humor shines through along with references to the past such as: Then the music changed, and his ridiculously bloodshot eyes widened. “Hey, who’s singing this?”“ Nirvana. They’re after your time.” “Man, they’re really good! Music is way better in the future.” John thought of the endless boy bands and sophomoric teenage pop stars that had dominated the music scene since the likes of Kurt Cobain had died, but kept his mouth shut. It was kinder to let Dante believe the lie.” It's a departure from Jay's usual storytelling, yet it still maintains his comfortable lyrical style, his passion and depth. Even though it's fantasy, it's a book that is best read at a slower, more deliberate pace, and perhaps even more than once, in order to grasp its significance, but in the end, it's worth it. Thanks, Jay for such a thought provoking look into the other side.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 26, 2011
Everyone should read everything that this new author, Jay Bell, has ever written. Simply amazing and it won't be long before the entire world hears of him!
August 13, 2012
This was quite a story to read. It definitely deserves 4.5 stars.
Overall, I was pleasantly impressed with the book and you can consider this a 5 star rating and ignore the subjective reasons why I gave the story 4 stars.
Overall, I was pleasantly impressed with the book and you can consider this a 5 star rating and ignore the subjective reasons why I gave the story 4 stars.
July 30, 2011
Jay Bell continues to surprise with his literary prowess.
Hell's Pawn is an incredible work of fantasy fiction. A roller coaster of a ride that dives head first into mythology and religion in its many guises and forms. Bell uses the differing constructs to weave a story that is both engaging but also, whether intentional or not, an education in its own right. Bell has a commanding grasp of his chosen subject matter and the research he has done in this field is obvious.
The story centres around John Grey, or more precisely his soul, caught in the no man's land of Purgatory, neither being Heaven nor Hell. All is not right in this world however John manages to escape only to find himself in Hell. Here he meets Rimmon, an Incubus who is sent to seduce John in order to win his favour in support of a task that Hell requires of him.
His task is to amass an army, rallying the Gods of other realms and religions to join the Legions of Hell in attempting to bring order back to Purgatory, however it soon becomes apparent that Purgatory may not be the final goal of Hells plan.
Those who are already familiar with Bells work, will find the style and pace of this book as equally familiar, however it is obvious that he is growing as a writer, and Hells Pawn is as polished a piece of writing as I have read from any commercial author..
Hell's Pawn is an incredible work of fantasy fiction. A roller coaster of a ride that dives head first into mythology and religion in its many guises and forms. Bell uses the differing constructs to weave a story that is both engaging but also, whether intentional or not, an education in its own right. Bell has a commanding grasp of his chosen subject matter and the research he has done in this field is obvious.
The story centres around John Grey, or more precisely his soul, caught in the no man's land of Purgatory, neither being Heaven nor Hell. All is not right in this world however John manages to escape only to find himself in Hell. Here he meets Rimmon, an Incubus who is sent to seduce John in order to win his favour in support of a task that Hell requires of him.
His task is to amass an army, rallying the Gods of other realms and religions to join the Legions of Hell in attempting to bring order back to Purgatory, however it soon becomes apparent that Purgatory may not be the final goal of Hells plan.
Those who are already familiar with Bells work, will find the style and pace of this book as equally familiar, however it is obvious that he is growing as a writer, and Hells Pawn is as polished a piece of writing as I have read from any commercial author..
July 19, 2014
Weird, strange, addictive. I really got into this. Writing was awesome and I felt like I was on a bizarre and awesome adventure. Definitely got a bit of a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy feel as I read it. Dante made me snigger and I liked how naughty he was, Bolo was the best dog, Rimmon had me most upset because he was in love with someone other than our main character John, who was simply, a very likable guy, who stood up and made a difference.
If there'd been a romantic ending to this book, it would have been five stars. It would have been four and a half if there hadn't have been the epilogue. I would have preferred to make up my own mind about who John would have eventually ended up with. Or even if it ended on him seeing his true love for the first time. But summarizing in a few pages that he met Scott and lived a great life with him. NO, NO, NO!!! :/
Still, the world building was so much fun!
If there'd been a romantic ending to this book, it would have been five stars. It would have been four and a half if there hadn't have been the epilogue. I would have preferred to make up my own mind about who John would have eventually ended up with. Or even if it ended on him seeing his true love for the first time. But summarizing in a few pages that he met Scott and lived a great life with him. NO, NO, NO!!! :/
Still, the world building was so much fun!
November 7, 2011
This book was really quite extraordinary. The theme of multiple pantheons dueling it out in the afterlife is not new, and is hard to do well. It requires skill to write in different voices, knowledge to do justice to the subtle differences and commonalities in the various religions, and imagination to come up with an original approach. The auction of Hell in Sandman's Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman is a wonderful example, and this book compares favorably with that work (and Gaiman is on of my idols, so this is the highest praise I can muster). The surprises and pacing of the revelations was well handled, and kept me guessing right up to the end. Even the romantic subplot left me in a completely different place than I was expecting to wind up. I heartily recommend this work to fans of comparative relgious fantasy and gay paranormal romance. Well done.
January 12, 2012
Exceptional bit of storytelling. Original, inventive, engrossing and imaginative. One of the best things I've read in a while.
August 23, 2015
3.5 STARS
Now that was a trip, WTF? It did sort itself out in the end but???
Now that was a trip, WTF? It did sort itself out in the end but???
January 1, 2021
Quirky
I only read this book because it was mentioned in a Note to a short story, Something Like Eternity, one of the short stories in Something Like Stories Volume One. This is such a departure from this author’s Something Like... series. I was expecting angst and instead received a surprisingly quirky tale about purgatory. As one raised in the Catholic Church I found this take on one of the churches formal doctrines amusing. I would have loved to hear Sister John Mary explain purgatory in this way rather than drone on about purification through punishment. No, spending time with John Gray would be much more preferable! 5 quirky stars!
I only read this book because it was mentioned in a Note to a short story, Something Like Eternity, one of the short stories in Something Like Stories Volume One. This is such a departure from this author’s Something Like... series. I was expecting angst and instead received a surprisingly quirky tale about purgatory. As one raised in the Catholic Church I found this take on one of the churches formal doctrines amusing. I would have loved to hear Sister John Mary explain purgatory in this way rather than drone on about purification through punishment. No, spending time with John Gray would be much more preferable! 5 quirky stars!
November 19, 2025
Time of death: 33% (Chapter 6 incl.)
For a relatively "short" novel this shouldn't take this much time (1 month) so I'm throwing the towel. I simply couldn't get into it... The characters are in Purgatory? Ha! It seemed as if I had joined them!
No but seriously, this novel is fine. The characters are fine, the premise is fine, the writing style... fine?
I'm genuinely puzzled by my own disinterest. I've made it through worse books, but I had to force myself to pick it up every time.
For a relatively "short" novel this shouldn't take this much time (1 month) so I'm throwing the towel. I simply couldn't get into it... The characters are in Purgatory? Ha! It seemed as if I had joined them!
No but seriously, this novel is fine. The characters are fine, the premise is fine, the writing style... fine?
I'm genuinely puzzled by my own disinterest. I've made it through worse books, but I had to force myself to pick it up every time.
May 10, 2020
This was wonderful, light and fluffy.
December 7, 2015
I believe without a doubt that besides the Something Like series, Hell's Pawn is my next favorite of all of Jay Bell's books. There are so many reasons why so having to squeeze it all in here is torturous. Well first of all, even though there are hints of a romance that we've all come to expect, it wasn't the predominant theme throughout the book. It wasn't even a romance in some aspects but more like unrequited love that I am unfortunately all too familiar with. It was unconventional in its delivery that's for sure. As a fan of the TV series Supernatural, I have a somewhat romanticized version of Hell, demons, souls, etc. so I went along with all that was presented in this book wholeheartedly. Falling in love with a demon, traveling to other realms of the afterlife, Purgatory, sure why not? There's John Grey, newly arrived in Purgatory. From the start he discovers that he's not your average soul which is then made known to new friend Dante & intoxicating incubus Rimmon. There's a lot that happens from here that further reinforces the fact that there is something peculiar about John that others seem to know about but can't tell him for fear of the consequences. Needless to say, John is needed to start a sequence of events that if successful, will fix what is wrong with Purgatory & the natural order of creation as a whole. There's religion, mythology, folklore & all of it is woven together so well that transition between the realms kept me reading faster. I started to like John more and more as he found a natural knack for gaining the trust of some all powerful gods in order to amass an army needed to storm Purgatory & then Heaven to right what was wrong. The enemies he had to go through, the props & ministers of order, were terrifying & as someone who already has an overactive imagination, they were easy to imagine & like I said, terrifying. Not enough to illicit nightmares mind you, I've seen much worse. Going further into the aforementioned romance with the incubus Rimmon, I liked how it was handled. Like I said, unrequited love is one I'm familiar with so when John realizes his feelings for Rimmon, I knew how he felt. He wanted desperately to be loved the way he wanted to be loved by a demon that unfortunately belonged to another. I have to admit, I didn't have any theories as to who this mysterious boyfriend who kept Rimmon's heart from loving John the way he wanted was. Not till I found out who it was did I truly understand all of the circumstances around Rimmon's separation from him. The ending of the overall conflict was I think, very cleverly done. I didn't expect what happened to happen. John's fate was so bittersweet. So so bittersweet. I'm glad he did find happiness after he let himself move on from what was not going to happen between him & Rimmon. Oh, and when John reaches Heaven & talks to one of its residents, that was such a LOW BLOW Jay Bell. When I first read the description of that resident's clothing, I couldn't help but skip a few sentences ahead to confirm my quite loud gasp. I almost cried from the elation of seeing this person again & their recently freed & arrived companion & their mention of two others from their past. Sorry to keep it vague but I realized that my reviews sometimes are annoyingly spoiler-centric. One last thing to mention is John Grey's name. I have to wonder if Jay Bell took some inspiration from the comic character Jean Grey. She died, helped those she loved from & in the afterlife, then like the proverbial phoenix she later took her codename from, she was reborn from the ashes & fire. Sound familiar? No? Well it does to me. I'm a comic nerd, so sue me. But believe me, it will once you finish this book.
October 31, 2012
One of the most unique stories I’ve ever read
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- Bell is a good descriptive writer. The imagery he uses caught my attention immediately (specifically with this sentence: “Only the two towers of the Golden Gate Bridge jutted out [of the fog], like enormous shark fins stripped down to the cartilage”), and his descriptions throughout the book of a variety of supernatural/mythological settings are spectacular.
- The plot is incredibly engaging: very unusual and full of intriguing elements that I’ve never seen anywhere else.
- The author has some interesting things to say about the afterlife and how the idea of an afterlife (or multiple afterlives) plays into different religious belief systems. I was also continually amused by Bell’s melding of elements from a number of vastly different religions and mythologies.
- I love that the main character goes through so many harrowing experiences that have destroyed other people but which leave him intact. His repeated victories do a great job of establishing him as a modern warrior with abilities and strengths that are uncommon.
CONS:
- There is a romantic/sexual element of the story that I think should have been left out completely. Aside from the fact that I wasn’t crazy about the way that part of the book ends up, I didn’t feel that it added much to the story; the relationship isn’t very well developed, and the sex scenes are brief and for the most part unnecessary.
- The ending seemed a bit patchy to me. I rarely like epilogues when they try to do all of the wrap-up necessary to bring the story to a close within the span of just a few pages.
Overall comments: If you’re looking primarily for either romance or sex, this is unlikely to satisfy you. But if you want to read a fantasy adventure, I think this is a great choice. Each new chapter brings with it a new situation that is foreign and extraordinary. This is one fantastically different fantasy journey.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- Bell is a good descriptive writer. The imagery he uses caught my attention immediately (specifically with this sentence: “Only the two towers of the Golden Gate Bridge jutted out [of the fog], like enormous shark fins stripped down to the cartilage”), and his descriptions throughout the book of a variety of supernatural/mythological settings are spectacular.
- The plot is incredibly engaging: very unusual and full of intriguing elements that I’ve never seen anywhere else.
- The author has some interesting things to say about the afterlife and how the idea of an afterlife (or multiple afterlives) plays into different religious belief systems. I was also continually amused by Bell’s melding of elements from a number of vastly different religions and mythologies.
- I love that the main character goes through so many harrowing experiences that have destroyed other people but which leave him intact. His repeated victories do a great job of establishing him as a modern warrior with abilities and strengths that are uncommon.
CONS:
- There is a romantic/sexual element of the story that I think should have been left out completely. Aside from the fact that I wasn’t crazy about the way that part of the book ends up, I didn’t feel that it added much to the story; the relationship isn’t very well developed, and the sex scenes are brief and for the most part unnecessary.
- The ending seemed a bit patchy to me. I rarely like epilogues when they try to do all of the wrap-up necessary to bring the story to a close within the span of just a few pages.
Overall comments: If you’re looking primarily for either romance or sex, this is unlikely to satisfy you. But if you want to read a fantasy adventure, I think this is a great choice. Each new chapter brings with it a new situation that is foreign and extraordinary. This is one fantastically different fantasy journey.
December 18, 2014
I am absolutely stunned by this book. At first, the book went at a very slow pace and I wasn't too keen on the whole concept (I'm don't typically find fantasy books appealing for me). After a couple of chapters, however, the book really picked up and had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. It was a very cerebral read-lots of big words and concepts that made me think. Lots of history and mythology. I found myself teary-eyed at some parts and sobbing at the end.
I really had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. I wish I could give 4.5 stars as I tend to give 5 stars to my favorites. The more I thought about this book and all that happened in it, the more I realized it is worth 5 stars just for the emotions, thoughts, and questions that this raised for me. It now sits on my favorites shelf. :-)
I really had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. I wish I could give 4.5 stars as I tend to give 5 stars to my favorites. The more I thought about this book and all that happened in it, the more I realized it is worth 5 stars just for the emotions, thoughts, and questions that this raised for me. It now sits on my favorites shelf. :-)
April 24, 2023
If you are looking for a MM romance, then this is NOT the book for you. If you are looking for a fun, unique urban fantasy then read this book. Basically, John Grey finds himself in a strange place and discovers he has died but he is not in either Heaven or Hell. He is in Purgatory. It's the place you go when you are not "good" enough for Heaven but not "bad" enough for Hell. To John, it's a prison.
John is not like everyone else in Purgatory. He is can to do things that others are not able to do. John and his new friend, Dante, manage to escape Purgatory but they end up in Hell. There he finds himself as Hell's new ambassador. His job is to recruit others from different realms to form an army to stand against Heaven.
While visiting these other realms, John can't stop his thoughts from going back to Purgatory and all of those people who are stuck there. Events unfold and John finds himself trying to free the people of Purgatory and stop a war. The ending was very sweet and I would loved to have the epilogue expanded.
Like I stated, this is no way a love story. John's doesn't get the guy he wants but he ends up with so much more.
John is not like everyone else in Purgatory. He is can to do things that others are not able to do. John and his new friend, Dante, manage to escape Purgatory but they end up in Hell. There he finds himself as Hell's new ambassador. His job is to recruit others from different realms to form an army to stand against Heaven.
While visiting these other realms, John can't stop his thoughts from going back to Purgatory and all of those people who are stuck there. Events unfold and John finds himself trying to free the people of Purgatory and stop a war. The ending was very sweet and I would loved to have the epilogue expanded.
Like I stated, this is no way a love story. John's doesn't get the guy he wants but he ends up with so much more.
June 11, 2013
What an incredible fantasy! This story is so rich with life and details that I had trouble keeping up with the amazing imagination of Jay Bell. There was a gradual build to the characters that kept me from growing too attached too quickly. But it also allowed me to really get into the details of the story and keep me interested in what's happening with each pantheon.
Twists and turns? Yuppers. Sexy demon scenes? Yuppers. Happy ending? Yuppers, (depending on your views).
There was a cameo of a character that I hold very very close to my heart. And seeing him again made me break down in tears. The epilogue and ending to eh book was astounding, I broke down in tears there as well.
I'm absolutely loving Jay Bell's novels, and they're leaving such a lasting impression on me that I'm grateful to have found an author that can inspire me so much.
Twists and turns? Yuppers. Sexy demon scenes? Yuppers. Happy ending? Yuppers, (depending on your views).
There was a cameo of a character that I hold very very close to my heart. And seeing him again made me break down in tears. The epilogue and ending to eh book was astounding, I broke down in tears there as well.
I'm absolutely loving Jay Bell's novels, and they're leaving such a lasting impression on me that I'm grateful to have found an author that can inspire me so much.
July 16, 2017
Somehow, Jay Bell's books are always more than I expect them to be after reading the blurb. This book one more example of how it doesn't matter what ideas you use, but the way you execute them. And here they were executed exceptionally well!
On a side (fangirling) note, one thing that particularly had me squealing in delight is when , more so because I hadn't expected it.
Word of warning though, if you're looking for a romance to read, this is not the book you want.
But if you want an adventure, read this and you definitely won't be disappointed!
On a side (fangirling) note, one thing that particularly had me squealing in delight is when , more so because I hadn't expected it.
Word of warning though, if you're looking for a romance to read, this is not the book you want.
But if you want an adventure, read this and you definitely won't be disappointed!
February 16, 2016
An amazing work of dichotomies. Words cannot even suitably describe it.
It's simple, yet strangely complex. It's straight forward in such a way that you can understand it, but there are also hidden depths that take much more thought and that one can get glimpses of on a cursory inspection. I've put it in my favorites, but I'm not quite sure if I like it, and for that, I like it all the more. It makes me think of a lot of things and brings up a lot of philosophical ideas that really have no answer. It's that strange almost-balance of conceptuality and functionality that philosophers strive for, yet it's not quite that either.
It's not perfectly ideal, but still leaves you with that vague feeling of hope. Beautiful in and of itself.
Something like that.
It's simple, yet strangely complex. It's straight forward in such a way that you can understand it, but there are also hidden depths that take much more thought and that one can get glimpses of on a cursory inspection. I've put it in my favorites, but I'm not quite sure if I like it, and for that, I like it all the more. It makes me think of a lot of things and brings up a lot of philosophical ideas that really have no answer. It's that strange almost-balance of conceptuality and functionality that philosophers strive for, yet it's not quite that either.
It's not perfectly ideal, but still leaves you with that vague feeling of hope. Beautiful in and of itself.
Something like that.
December 12, 2017
Re-read for the Re-Romancing Favorites Challenge and I loved it as much as I did the first time I read it.
Originally read Jan 27-29, 2012
This book is wonderfully written with a very interesting cast of characters and oh boy, what an awesome adventure John goes on. I loved this story! Jay's vision of Purgatory, Hell, Heaven and the Pantheons of the different Gods kept me glued to my Sony reader from beginning to end. The epilogue brings John's story to a sweet completion. This is one of the few books I've read where I wanted to read it again as soon as I finished. Definitely recommended!
Originally read Jan 27-29, 2012
This book is wonderfully written with a very interesting cast of characters and oh boy, what an awesome adventure John goes on. I loved this story! Jay's vision of Purgatory, Hell, Heaven and the Pantheons of the different Gods kept me glued to my Sony reader from beginning to end. The epilogue brings John's story to a sweet completion. This is one of the few books I've read where I wanted to read it again as soon as I finished. Definitely recommended!
March 22, 2013
I feel like a minority but, though I liked the story, I didn't find it the best story I ever read. Granted, the descriptions were amazing and the author's research very evident. In addition, I can honestly say his imagination knows no bounds.
However, I didn't get as drawn into the story as many others did and I really wouldn't describe this as an m/m romance.
I would recommend it to those who want to read a fantasy or to those who have any interest in world religions because they are surely all covered during this adventure.
However, I didn't get as drawn into the story as many others did and I really wouldn't describe this as an m/m romance.
I would recommend it to those who want to read a fantasy or to those who have any interest in world religions because they are surely all covered during this adventure.
November 19, 2016
Allah was playing chess with the Holy Spirit. Jehovah was siting up in bed and reading a book while Jesus was waiting by the window. Directly in front of them Yahweh was holding a tray laden with a humble tea service.
Boring story but i like the setting. All gods in mythology is present in the story, unfortunately why the mother of Mary not present in the story?
Boring story but i like the setting. All gods in mythology is present in the story, unfortunately why the mother of Mary not present in the story?
dropped-dnf
August 15, 2012Purchased it when was first released, but abandoned it shortly after I concluded there is no romance here as supposedly should have been according to the book's tags on Smashwords. Felt a bit cheated! No matter how good the book is I will not give it another chance.
August 18, 2011
highly recommended for all of my omni-theo-pagan brethren (those of us who choose to place our faith in the grey areas where the faiths of the world overlap, as opposed to the black and white areas where they conflict). A moving adventure of self-awakening across the greatest pantheons of history.
April 14, 2012
Unusual story with a colorful cast. A bit sad the love story didn't work out the way I wanted.
December 18, 2015
Amazing! A convoluted plot of epic proportions. I was sure Jay was high on something at the beginning, then bit by bit, the tapestry came together. I had tears of joy and sadness by the end.
March 9, 2024
3.5 stars
I am not the right person to read this book. It wasn’t much like the blurb at all and I think I should have loved it with all the religions and mythological pantheons. I have a Master’s degree in religion and culture which makes those topics very interesting to me, but there was so much that bothered me that I had a hard time.
There was a lot right about it though so let’s start there. The author clearly did a lot of research as the mythological deities and pantheons were fairly accurate as far as I remember. There were some interesting ideas and the overall plot was pretty interesting. There was a lot of action and danger and a huge final battle.
The goddesses were the only place females appeared and they were not main characters at all, mostly appearing in just a few sentences. They were strong at least but that went along with their roles in their respective traditions. Other mythos are way less sexist than Christianity which was the foundation of the book. More about that below.
A lot of it was contrived. When John asked why something was able to happen that wasn’t before, there was always a pretty silly reason. The ending was too good in some ways and even more contrived and one-god religions focused but it was a happy ending for everyone but the MC, not even an HFN. This is not a true romance.
I feel like the romance was thrown in to get it labeled M/M romance and put sex in so people would read it. It was sudden and one-sided and only appeared a couple of times in the story. The culmination of that was what I was right given the story but I didn’t like it.
Much of the story devolved into a dreamscape which I hate. There are no rules so you can make up anything you want. That’s boring to me. I want a new full world maybe with its own physical laws, fine, but have those laws not just change then as the mood fits. It eventually got to a point where the world’s laws were established sort of which improved the book but still was inconsistent.
In the beginning, Bell does a great job of setting up the world by showing and not talking. About twenty percent in, he completely info dumps to the point it sounds like a philosophical treatise designed to lecture. That continues through the rest of the story.
The scene in the triangular room reminded me of that scene in the Matrix where Neo is in that small room talking philosophy with Morpheus I think. (It was so long ago when I watched it.) But I always thought that Reeves did a terrible job and wasn’t at all believable. At least John made sense even if the rest was more random
Now here’s my rant why it’s racist, sexist, and religionist?
First, all the pantheons involved were fairly light skinned from well known mythologies. At one point other faiths were mentioned in a sentence or two but it would have been nice to include African and indigenous North American tribes, true pagans not just the copycats mentioned a couple of times in the story. Some of those tribes were great warriors. But the whole thing was basically based on the Judeo-Christian (and Islam) faiths, especially Christianity. The gods were all pulled into the Christian ideas of the afterlife.
“Why me? Why not an incubus or even yourself?” Couldn’t possibly be a male. No, another female, a succubus, and she was there to jump to the other man’s bidding and light his cigar. I get why the three main characters were men. And no women were important other than the gods. But he could have picked up a female to be part of their group or could have at least made the dog female. There are female gods and some are powerful but that’s part of the pantheons. Apollo is effeminate and therefore weak and melodramatic. The MC even says that women who hold their old age in regard by keeping their wrinkles would surely turn young again if they saw a hot man.
As for racial diversity, one god was dark in “almost every regard” so his skin was the “deep olive color of the Mediterranean.” Oh yeah, super dark (sarcasm in case you missed it). When talking about a racially diverse man’s family, they said—without saying his color, he was automatically white—had a “Yoko Ono wife.” The children were “Goodwill kids.” Seriously? In a couple of places a very dark skinned god was mentioned but they were almost exclusively light and “medium” skinned.
I laud the author for taking on such a huge storyline and I think he did pretty well considering how many people and faiths are in the world. He took what he could manage in the length of the novel. I just wish he’d chosen differently or at least added more in short scenes. Or one chapter for them.
Bell mostly writes young adult books which I’m not fond of so I’m not sure if I’ll read anything else by him. He does write well and I did like the characters, especially the dog, but I’m hesitant because of the unnecessary sexism and racism.
I am not the right person to read this book. It wasn’t much like the blurb at all and I think I should have loved it with all the religions and mythological pantheons. I have a Master’s degree in religion and culture which makes those topics very interesting to me, but there was so much that bothered me that I had a hard time.
There was a lot right about it though so let’s start there. The author clearly did a lot of research as the mythological deities and pantheons were fairly accurate as far as I remember. There were some interesting ideas and the overall plot was pretty interesting. There was a lot of action and danger and a huge final battle.
The goddesses were the only place females appeared and they were not main characters at all, mostly appearing in just a few sentences. They were strong at least but that went along with their roles in their respective traditions. Other mythos are way less sexist than Christianity which was the foundation of the book. More about that below.
A lot of it was contrived. When John asked why something was able to happen that wasn’t before, there was always a pretty silly reason. The ending was too good in some ways and even more contrived and one-god religions focused but it was a happy ending for everyone but the MC, not even an HFN. This is not a true romance.
I feel like the romance was thrown in to get it labeled M/M romance and put sex in so people would read it. It was sudden and one-sided and only appeared a couple of times in the story. The culmination of that was what I was right given the story but I didn’t like it.
Much of the story devolved into a dreamscape which I hate. There are no rules so you can make up anything you want. That’s boring to me. I want a new full world maybe with its own physical laws, fine, but have those laws not just change then as the mood fits. It eventually got to a point where the world’s laws were established sort of which improved the book but still was inconsistent.
In the beginning, Bell does a great job of setting up the world by showing and not talking. About twenty percent in, he completely info dumps to the point it sounds like a philosophical treatise designed to lecture. That continues through the rest of the story.
The scene in the triangular room reminded me of that scene in the Matrix where Neo is in that small room talking philosophy with Morpheus I think. (It was so long ago when I watched it.) But I always thought that Reeves did a terrible job and wasn’t at all believable. At least John made sense even if the rest was more random
Now here’s my rant why it’s racist, sexist, and religionist?
First, all the pantheons involved were fairly light skinned from well known mythologies. At one point other faiths were mentioned in a sentence or two but it would have been nice to include African and indigenous North American tribes, true pagans not just the copycats mentioned a couple of times in the story. Some of those tribes were great warriors. But the whole thing was basically based on the Judeo-Christian (and Islam) faiths, especially Christianity. The gods were all pulled into the Christian ideas of the afterlife.
“Why me? Why not an incubus or even yourself?” Couldn’t possibly be a male. No, another female, a succubus, and she was there to jump to the other man’s bidding and light his cigar. I get why the three main characters were men. And no women were important other than the gods. But he could have picked up a female to be part of their group or could have at least made the dog female. There are female gods and some are powerful but that’s part of the pantheons. Apollo is effeminate and therefore weak and melodramatic. The MC even says that women who hold their old age in regard by keeping their wrinkles would surely turn young again if they saw a hot man.
As for racial diversity, one god was dark in “almost every regard” so his skin was the “deep olive color of the Mediterranean.” Oh yeah, super dark (sarcasm in case you missed it). When talking about a racially diverse man’s family, they said—without saying his color, he was automatically white—had a “Yoko Ono wife.” The children were “Goodwill kids.” Seriously? In a couple of places a very dark skinned god was mentioned but they were almost exclusively light and “medium” skinned.
I laud the author for taking on such a huge storyline and I think he did pretty well considering how many people and faiths are in the world. He took what he could manage in the length of the novel. I just wish he’d chosen differently or at least added more in short scenes. Or one chapter for them.
Bell mostly writes young adult books which I’m not fond of so I’m not sure if I’ll read anything else by him. He does write well and I did like the characters, especially the dog, but I’m hesitant because of the unnecessary sexism and racism.
August 18, 2023
After a night out drinking John Grey finds himself in the bland world of Purgatory. Things aren't so bad at first: redemption seems fairly easy to achieve. But soon John learns that Purgatory is really just a corrupt prison. Along with his (honestly pretty evil-sided) friend Dante, John makes a brave attempt to escape and falls directly to Hell.
Once in Hell John is recruited as Hell's ambassador to the other afterlife realms (those of all other beliefs: the Norse gods, the Greeks, etc.) and must travel with the dashingly handsome incubus Rimmon, Dante and the dog Bolo to achieve Hell's goals. However he has goals of his own: to free the souls stuck in Purgatory and let them move on to their final resting places.
I read this exclusively because there is a story in Something Like Stories: Volume One where Bell mentions the story takes place directly after Hell's Pawn. So I grabbed this to read before continuing with that story. Holy crap am I happy that I did. This book was an incredible ride. I loved it deeply. Plus maybe a few cameos from other Bell works made me smile like crazy... *meaningful side eye*
While the characters are easy to love (even the deviant Dante) the "MM ROMANCE" part of this book isn't what you expect. The affection Rimmon has for John is that of a friend, and he is excited to finally have a friend and makes it obvious that that is all he wants with John (especially because he has a boyfriend who is is currently (and unfortunately) estranged from due to a disagreement about his profession as an incubus). This makes a lot of people think the romance tag doesn't apply.....I wasn't bothered by this at all. I enjoyed the plutonic love that John and Rimmon share, even when John is struggling with his true feelings for Rimmon.
Honestly I'm mad that it's taken me so long to discover Bell. He keeps giving me these absolute bangers to read. I know I'll read this one over and over.
Once in Hell John is recruited as Hell's ambassador to the other afterlife realms (those of all other beliefs: the Norse gods, the Greeks, etc.) and must travel with the dashingly handsome incubus Rimmon, Dante and the dog Bolo to achieve Hell's goals. However he has goals of his own: to free the souls stuck in Purgatory and let them move on to their final resting places.
I read this exclusively because there is a story in Something Like Stories: Volume One where Bell mentions the story takes place directly after Hell's Pawn. So I grabbed this to read before continuing with that story. Holy crap am I happy that I did. This book was an incredible ride. I loved it deeply. Plus maybe a few cameos from other Bell works made me smile like crazy... *meaningful side eye*
While the characters are easy to love (even the deviant Dante) the "MM ROMANCE" part of this book isn't what you expect. The affection Rimmon has for John is that of a friend, and he is excited to finally have a friend and makes it obvious that that is all he wants with John (especially because he has a boyfriend who is is currently (and unfortunately) estranged from due to a disagreement about his profession as an incubus). This makes a lot of people think the romance tag doesn't apply.....I wasn't bothered by this at all. I enjoyed the plutonic love that John and Rimmon share, even when John is struggling with his true feelings for Rimmon.
Honestly I'm mad that it's taken me so long to discover Bell. He keeps giving me these absolute bangers to read. I know I'll read this one over and over.
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