Stadt der Dämonen

Daniel Faust #1

by Craig Schaefer, Bernhard Kempen (Translator)

Las Vegas, Stadt der Sünde – und der Dämonen, wie Daniel Faust, Gangster und Magier, nur allzu gut weiß. Als er angeheuert wird, um Rache an den Mördern einer jungen Frau zu nehmen, gerät Daniel ins Netz einer Intrige, in deren Zentrum niemand geringeres als der Prinz der Hölle steht. Jemand, der Faust heißt, sollte eigentlich wissen, was passiert, wenn man sich mit Dämonen einlässt. Doch Caitlin, die rechte Hand des Höllenfürsten, ist klug und verführerisch – und so lässt er sich breitschlagen, einem uralten Artefakt nachzuspüren, für das jeder magisch Begabte in Las Vegas über Leichen gehen würde …

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Magic, Fiction, Demons

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 25, 2014

About the author

Craig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).

Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.

Reviews

[carol. · Rating 4 out of 5]

broken finger series #1
so, wednesday before thanksgiving i took my dog on an extra long walk, getting near the end, he was tired and sticking close, so i was sloppy about holding the leash. he saw a large black and white spotted dog; at first thought he wasn't going to react, then he changed his mind. his normal sharp pull and the flexible leash wrapped around my finger and twisted. i thought a dislocation, but no--a spiral fracture, which sounds rather pretty and looks rather remarkable.

so what do you do when you are in pain, taking painkillers, limited on activity, and unable to type or concentrate? the internet, of course.

this book popped up in my feed and my interest was piqued when Mr.Matt said it was one of the better UF books he's read. on sale at amazon, so why not?

why not, indeed.

feels like noir. Faust (haha) is a sorcerer working as a private eye in vegas--i know, i know; they all are---but also making ends meet as a street magician in vegas. a farmer from the sticks comes to him, asking him to find his granddaughter's murderers, not to bring them to the cops, but to punish them. Faust takes the job, becomes personally invested and manages to attract the attention of a local mobster who is half-demon. It gets worse--of course--from there.

you know what? i liked it. so much of it felt true to noir traditions that i didn't have problems with elements that might normally annoy me.

"I should have sent him away... All my instincts screamed at me to drop this one and walk. Looking at him though, I didn't have the heart. He needed some hope. Hell, he just needed someone to give a damn."

Noir axiom: detective can be swayed by sad tale. also gratuitous use of 'damn.'

"I tapped the envelope again and thought about my overdue rent"

noir axiom: detective is broke

"Jud nodded slowly, and I wondered how much I could trust him to hold to that"

noir axiom: detective expects to be screwed

Given all that, is it any surprise he'll be investigating a porn producer? Or that there will be a poker game in the future?

there's more, of course, but i think what i appreciated is that Schaefer stuck close to noir roots while writing a genuinely interesting story, while updating enough to be less piggish than the norm.

First in the series, world-building reminds me of Night Shift/Jill Kismet series. there's demons, things are occasionally dark, but generally the violence is in service of the plot, not just story-porn.

I recommend reading this if you are at all entertained by harry dresden or alex versus.

four narcotized stars

broken finger review for book #2: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
no-longer broken finger review for #3: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a couple of book group challenges and was pleasantly surprised that I liked it!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You were right about one thing,” I said softly. “See, I fooled myself. Thought I was some crusading hero for a while there. But that’s not who I am at all, is it?”
Tony looked up at me, mouth agape. His fingers, white from the pressure, began to slip.
“I’m the bad guy,” I told him, and kicked his fingers away.

➽ And the moral of this rerereread is: much to Danny's chagrin, he is indeed The Guy (if you know, you know 😬).

👋 Until next time and stuff.



[February 2020]

🃏 Get Those Magic Decks Of Cards Out of Storage We're Doing the Danny-Boy-IS-MINE⁠ Thingie Again Buddy Read (GTMDoCOoSWDtDBIMTABR™) with the MacHalos and Stuff 🃏

➽ And the moral of this rereread is: some novels/stories/books/series/whatever you can rerererereread over and over over and over over and over over and over and over again without ever getting tired or bored or both or whatever because they never ever fail to make you feel like…



P.S. There's a lot bloody shrimping more to modern-day demons than “backward Latin and slaughtered goats.” Just so you know. You're welcome and stuff.



[January 2018]

☢ Daniel Faust and Cait are Mine Mine Mine Buddy Reread with my MacHalo Wives and Daughters and Stuff (DFaCaMMMBRwmMWaSaS™) ☢

Previous rating: 4.5 stars. Please Craig Schaefer forgive this despicably low rating, I was ridiculously young and naive when I first read this book.
New rating: 5 stars. That's the beauty of inflation for you.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: ain't no stitches like Caitlin Stitches. Just ask Danny Boy.



Yep, that sounds about right.

Not sure what nursing school Caitlin went to but it sure looks like she took Creative Stitching 101 classes. I'm beginning to think I should have gone for a Nursing degree instead of studying towards a Nefarious Leader of the Universe PhD (NLotUPhD™). Damn. Looks like I totally missed my calling there.



[Original review]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

➽ Please excuse me for a minute my Little Barnacles, I need to have a Quick Self Pep Talk (QSPT™) with my little self here. Be right back.

*takes a deep breath, stands in front the mirror and repeats 10 times*

"Come on, Sarah! Put the two grey cells you have left together and write a stunningly amazing review for this book! You LOVED Danny Boy and his colleagues here! They deserve a gloriously fascinating review! Surely you have some inspiration left in you. Somewhere. Deep deep deep deeeeeeeep inside. Maybe. Come ON, you ruthless shrimp ruler! You're supposed to be nefarious and stuff! You can do this!"



In case you were wondering, NO this is not what I see when I look in the mirror. I might be a little bit on the loony side sometimes, but I'm not a total freak. Not most of the time, anyway. Besides, I'm a much better make-up technician than lovely Marilyn here. Just ask the crustaceans, they know all about it. I practice my amazing skills on them regularly.

Soooooooooo, introducing book boyfriend #12458, Mr Daniel Faust!!!!!!! Aka Danny Boy, aka the guy who makes Happy Dresden (aka book boyfriend # 8462) look like a bland I Always Stick to the Boring Rules Immature Good Guy (IaSttBRIGG™)! Danny Boy is uber cool! Danny Boy is uber awesome! Danny Boy is a hot magician, and I happen to luuuurrrvvve hot magic no, I am not talking about the fluffy-bunny-in-a-hat pathetic kind of magic here. Please don't insult me, people!! Danny Boy is a private investigator, which could have been boring as hell but is not!! Danny Boy is a Reformed Con Man or Gangster or Whatever and Who Cares What Counts is that he Has Deliciously Bendable Morals and is on the Selfish Side (RCMoGoWaWCwCithHDBMaisotSS™)!! Danny Boy is a survivor and a big, broken baby who needs me to fix his crappy life for him! I volunteeeeer!!!!!!!! Nurse Sarah to the rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



↑↑ Pointing this out just in case. You never know what silly ideas might go through your silly Little Barnacle heads.

Anything else apart from the fact that Danny-Boy-Is-Mine is MINE? Sure. Lots of cool stuff. Daaaarrrrkkkkkk stuff! This ain't no Pastel-Colored Rainbow World (PCTW™), Little Barnacles! We've got some downright gritty-grim-horrific (excuse my Turkish) shit happening here! Violence! Torture! Abuse! This ain't for the faint of heart, Little Barnacles ! This is Philip Marlowe on acid with magic and yummy demons and blood and gore and deviousness and perversion and Oh Bloody Hell this is so Cool I'm in Love Stuff (OBHtisCIiLS™)! And you know what else? This OBHtisCIiLS™ Bomb of Awesomeness (OBHtisCIiLSBoA™) is deliciously funny-snarky, too! It's a Humorous OBHtisCIiLSBoA (HOBHtisCIiLSBoA™)!! It's a dream come true!! This calls for an aerobic celebration, Little Barnacles!!!







Am I overdoing it a little? No? Oh, good.

And you want to know what the icing on the HOBHtisCIiLSBoA™ Cake (HOBHtisCIiLSBoAC™) is? My girl Caitlin, aka Caitlleanabruaudi, the Wingtaker, aka the mostest awesomest whip-wielding hell hound ever, aka book girlfriend #1248!! She's a super hot succubus!! She kicks serious ass! She isn't afraid that a little gore will ruin her oufit! She loves redecorating walls with delightful touches of blood! And she has a very personal way of tending to wounds! BOOM! KIDNAPPED! I'm in luuuurrrrrve, Little Barnacles!!!!!!!



»» And the moral of this Crappy Review is: I might have liked this one. Just a little bit. Not too much, mind you. It was just okay, really. It's not like I loved it or anything. Oh no. It was hardly bearable, come to think of it ← bullshitting. It's a gift.

· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★★
· Book 5: The Killing Floor Blues ★★★★★
· Book 6: The Castle Doctrine ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.1: A Drive in the Country ★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Locust Job ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★

[Orient · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy Reads with my friend Jokoloyo :) I’ve been waiting for this date with Daniel Faust over half a year now. My first encounter with Daniel Faust was when my awesome good recs godmother Milda recommended it to me as a great dark read. I wasn’t charmed then and after reading the blurb, I wasn’t succumbed either. Though I’ll admit, I was charmed by the cover! So why was I lured now? Because the group of cheerleaders for reading Faust was joined by more people and I felt outnumbered :D

I like gripping UF and I enjoy great villains. "The Long Way Down" has these for sure.

Characters: Mr. Schaefer presents the characters really well and shows their raw emotion and darkness. It got me involved in the story from the very start. There are different parties who are searching for power in this book: sorcerers, a succubus, half-bloods, demons and lords of hell. But none of them can match the cruelest monster of all — the human. What gripped me from the start is that Daniel Faust is not a fluffy hero, he’s a hero with no real moral compass just doing what is needed to be done. He’s down-to-earth kind of sorcerer for hire, who can do the job violently and bloodily if needed, but I don’t think he likes violence. My first thought was: OMG, Daniel and KD that would be AWESOME! Ok, back to fangirling for Daniel. It was hard for me to imagine him, but after several thousands of auditions, I found this tenor Charles Castronovo.



Daniel gets himself in trouble often and knows he’s damned. Charming <3 He has surrounded himself with people who are dear to him as a chosen family, the ones who saved him after the horrors of his past (the backstory of his childhood still makes me cringe). Also what’s peculiar is that Daniel has excessive way to discern wrong from right, not in the fashion we are used to.

“After what you endured at the hands of my kind, and knowing full well what I am, you still saved me. You not only saved me, you risked your life to do it. Why?”
I shrugged. The answer seemed obvious.
“Because what they were doing to you was wrong,” I said, “and it needed to be stopped. Doesn’t matter who you are. Doesn’t matter what you are. Wrong is wrong”

I can’t decide whom I like more, Daniel or Caitlin, as they have quite similar character features.

"Some traitorous would-be conquerors are going to be very surprised when they wake up in chains tomorrow. There will be punishment. Severe. Merciless. Punishment. Pain is so much more enjoyable when it’s inflicted on the truly deserving.” She paused, quirking an eyebrow. “Does that bother you?”
I thought about it for a second and shrugged.“You’re a career woman. I respect that.”



“We both knew,” I said, “this wasn’t going to be easy, you and me being together. This isn’t the first challenge we’ve faced, and it sure as hell won’t be the last. But I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. My friends will stand by me, and if they don’t, then fuck ’em because they weren’t really my friends to start with.”

Neither of the characters in this book is perfect. I liked that a lot. Oh there is lots of cruelty and rules in "The Long Way Down". If you are ready to outwit, outlast and are powerful enough – you’ll survive, if not – you’ll be discarded. Mr. Schaefer threw in some gore and blood, it was intense and gripping that it surprised me. I was put away by two factors, the cruel and quite picaresque crime scene for the porn girl and of course cruelty to kids, especially the death and causes of it of one little kid. That’s why I can’t give this book more than 4 stars.

The baddies were really well written, with peculiar backstories, skills and character features. I could imagine them clearly and some of them lived to entertain me in the next books (I hope so!)

Worldbuilding: The wordbuilding is great. I just swallowed the story as it gave me great climaxes and cliffhangers when I needed them, the action, tension and twists made me want to devour the story quickly and ask Daniel and Caitlin for a playdate again. Being the start to a series, "The Long Way Down" makes a fabulous introduction to the main characters, their POV’s, the story arc and reveals the great entertainment for future adventures. The story just flew, even with all the plot lines. There was a lot going on but the story was really rewarding and satisfying. Oh, and the ending was perfect, showing that there is always HEA if you just pick the right angle to look at.

All in all, it was a great dark fantasy read with great characters, who kick some serious ass. I was impressed with Schaefer’s writing skill from my first read: Harmony Black and I’m happy to find another exciting and thrilling UF series by this fab writer.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was good but leaning towards fine more than great. I had fun reading it and yes, I'd recommend it to any UF fan. The events happen in Las Vegas, and what starts with a murder investigation unravels a very dangerous grand scheme. The book was mostly fast-paced and full of action.

I couldn't help but compare some aspects to the Dresden Files at first but it wasn't right, I just rarely read UFs with a wizard male lead. I really liked Caitlin and found her interesting. I enjoyed Ghosts of Gotham more, however. I found it better structured and the characters more developed. I might have given it 4 stars if I haven't read Ghosts of Gotham first because the latter was very well done. The Long Way Down paled a bit in comparison.

What I appreciated in particular in this book is how Daniel had friends who always supported him. Usually, the H in any UF is a loner, I'm glad it wasn't the case here. Daniel had several people who had his back.

I might be continuing this series or I might not. It wasn't memorable. I liked the characters sure but the magic system didn't interest/make much sense to me. Although explained, I couldn't help feeling it was a bit random. It's probably going to be better developed in later books. I might go back to it when I'm in the mood for this genre and have no other books to read.

I will definitely check out the author's other series. I read two of his books (first in a series) and I haven't been disappointed.

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What you should know is this : I don't like Urban Fantasy, which is baffling, given that I love Fantasy and cities - there's just something in them that never really appeal to me, a feeling of something lacking even though I hardly can pinpoint why that is.

The Long Way Down is perhaps one of my best discoveries in that genre, so although it will probably never be a favorite of mine, I cannot hide how pleasantly surprised it made me. Well done, and here's why.

➊ The world building is vivid and horrific, spreading very noir vibes. Did I say that I loved thrillers? Because I do. These are dark times guys, and I should issue a trigger warning against violence, abuse and murder (including towards kids at some point). Abusive. Disgusting. Maddening. Welcome to Daniel's world. Granted, he has a pretty healthy way to look at it, and doesn't condone it by any means, but it was still hard to take on sometimes. Some graphic scenes of violence made me want to throw up, and I don't think I'm easily disturbed. You've been warned.

➋ The Long Way Down pictures a morally ambiguous - but likeable all the same - hero. I loved this sorcerer, alright? If he doesn't shy away from harsh decisions and actions sometimes, he stays in the good side of things as far as I'm concerned (I never disliked a hero ready to beat the fuck out of sociopaths, SUE ME). As for Caitlin, CAITLIN! The girl's a DEMON. A not-so-nice one at it - how awesome is that?! Despite my slight disbelief at the way their relationship evolved *cough* THIS IS TOO FAST! I DON'T BUY IT!! *cough* I still immensely enjoyed their banter and... hmm... differences? I also very much laughed at the stunts Caitlin pulled because... Reversal of genders, people. Seeing Daniel dumbfounded because she ordered his food for him - and understandably upset about it - was in my opinion a great way of denouncing stereotypical controlling behavior, even implicitly.

➌ For ONCE the plot kept me interested, which is so rare in everything UF. Indeed I genuinely wanted to know where the story would go and in the end, I'm pretty satisfied by the way Craig Schaefer wrapped its mystery. Note that I (almost) never read any UF, therefore I am not able to notice the similarities between this book and the other ones in that genre. Perhaps it's cliché. Perhaps it's been better done before. The thing is, I don't freaking know, and honestly? I don't care.

➍ Finally the perfect balance between grim and humor. Forget all the books where we don't know if we should laugh or be horrified - but think sparks of humor lightening the mood a little. I say yes to that.

Daniel, Daniel, what did you do to me?

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars

Admittedly, I just don't know if Urban Fantasy is a genre I can say I enjoy. In fact that only major Urban Fantasy I have enjoyed is the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, and even that puttered out for me around Shadowfever.

Now, I don't claim to be an expert in the genre, there's still a couple hugely popular authors I haven't explored yet (Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Anne Bishop, etc.)

But generally there's this feeling that comes along with Urban Fantasy and I still haven't decided if I am a fan of it.

It's like a "smell of rain & blood on asphalt" or a "leather jackets & blurry carnival lights" type of vibe. The premise almost always catches my attention, but sometimes the execution doesn't keep me enthralled.

This was kind of the case with The Long Way Down.

Sometimes I was really invested in where things were going, but sometimes I wasn't. I could've done with a more thorough explanation of the magic in this book, and perhaps a little more show of that magic in action.

I didn't mind the characters, but I didn't adore anyone really. I don't foresee myself thinking much about them outside of the book.

However, as it was pointed out to me by my crustacean-wielding friend, I didn't notice hardly any of the sexism that plagues this genre in Schaefer's work. Which is pretty refreshing.

But it seems that Schaefer's writing just doesn't grip me the way it should. It doesn't dig it's claws in and give me that sinking, dreadful, panicky feeling of anticipation. Instead it holds my hand gently while we stroll through the park, insistently tugging me back toward the path whenever I get distracted.

I do think this book will be a pleasure for Urban Fantasy fans, but it didn't capture me personally.

I have to wonder if perhaps I just enjoy this type of story better in visual form. I was really loving Supernatural before studying inevitably ended my affair with the show about 4 seasons in.

But actually seeing the magic & the monsters & the danger unfold on the television has had a much greater impact on me than any Urban Fantasy series I have read thus far.

So... I believe I will give the genre a couple more chances. Sadly I'm not sure I will be continuing with this particular series.

It's going firmly on the "Maybe" shelf!

♥♥♥ My first buddy read with the crazies over at BB&B! ♥♥♥

[Adina ( back from Vacay…slowly recovering) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I blame Carol and Milda for making me start this new Urban Fantasy series. I was planning to read something else entirely after finishing Kate Daniels series but after they both recommended this series as my next UF adventure and I already owned the book I somehow plunged straight in. I did not regret since I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Apparently The Long Way down has the elements of a noir detective story. I haven’t read any, I think, so I can neither confirm nor deny the affirmation. What I can say is that it is darker than other similar series. The crime victim is a porn star, of a particularly sick kind of porn to be more exact. It is more violent, there is more gore and the character has his moral compass a bit deranged but not completely gone.

“I’ve always felt that the mark of a man is his willingness to fight for his principles. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. It doesn’t matter if you ever had a chance to win in the first place. Even if the deck is rigged and the game’s against you, you keep fighting until the bitter end.”

Daniel Faust is a sorcerer for hire who used to do some dirty work for the Las Vegas underworld and has unorthodox methods of play. He gets hired by a suffering grandfather to discover and punish who murdered his granddaughter, the porn star I mentioned earlier. Against his better judgment, Faust accepts the case and from here all hell goes loose. Evil sorcerers, demons, half-demons, ghosts and all other sorts of bad things want to get our poor hero, all while he tries to save the world.

“There are two answers to evil,” she said. “The first is to justify it. The evil that you do is for a good cause, you’ll be validated in the end, it needed to be done, etcetera, etcetera. Of course, once you start walking that road, it’s all downhill “And the second answer?” “You own it. Be truthful and accept your own nature.”

As all Noir stories seems to have, there is also a femme fatale, in the flesh of a beautiful red-haired demon. Unfortunately, this is one of the reasons the book did not get 5 stars. Insta-love again, bleah.

Another thing I noticed was that Daniel based his work more on wits, planning, luck and less magic as it seemed that everyone else had more skill than he did. He could do some stuff with cards but he is not that invincible as other similar heroes. That can be an interesting feature and I am curious how the character will develop as a sorcerer and as a person.

The novel does not have a clear resolution so I have to read the next book in the series to see what happens. I am tired of UF for now but I will definitely come back to Daniel Faust soon.

[Jokoloyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read with lovely ladies: Orient, and Nadya.

This novel is the first on Daniel Faust series. It is blending noir mystery with dark fantasy. So, we expect a quite dim story here. Especially the first half when building the setting.

As I read this novel alongside The Automatic Detective, I compare the noir aspects of both novel first. For review of The Automatic Detective please check: here

Noir mystery-theme checklist:
First person POV: passed.

- Femme fatale: passed with distinction. One word: Succubus

- Smoking/drinking: passed.

- Complex far fetched plots: passed. It is a must to make noir theme.

- Bleak view of humanity: passed. There are corrupt cop, non consentual porn, snuff movie, to name a few at beginning

- Urban location: passed, Las Vegas.

- Witty dialogues: passed, but not so memorable.

Now, let's move on to the fun part, the fantasy setting. The story quickly grip me with creepy plot, combining with just enough explanation to moving the plot. The beginning is the strong point of this novel. The middle is good also, keeping up the good pace.

But I am sorry to say, when reaching the end I could feel this is a first novel of a series. The ending designed for readers to crave for the next novel, with throwing some unfinished issues.

The funny thing is, the climax and epilogue of this novel was also similar with The Automatic Detective. The protagonist and his friends attacked the building where the antagonists were doing their vital project..

==================
The first book I found in GR that all (six) my friends' rating have the same 4 star. The people I follow have one 4 star rating, and one 3 star rating - with review that the reviewer actually value this book as 3 and half star.

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 3.85 ***

A buddy read with the Demon-loving readers at BB&B!

Second read with my friends at the MacHalo's and it is even better this time around:):):)

*** 4.15 ***

"...“Of course, the best lies are always wrapped in verifiable truth. It makes the filling easier to swallow.”...

Daniel Faust, a man of magic, a broken, broke, and broken-up with magician detective, walking the streets of the seedier side of Las Vegas, looking for the criminals with "other" strengths, origins and powers... There is an empty refrigerator, a cold unmade bed, and a bottle of scotch waiting at his low-rent, low-class apartment, and the only thing missing for him to be another Marlow from the classic mystery noirs is the never ending cigarette between his sumptuous lips...

"...“You have to excuse the girls,” Nicky said. “They’re a little, uh—” “Sociopathic?” I offered. “I was gonna say high-spirited, but sure, that works too.” ...

This Urban Fantasy reads very much like one of those old mysteries, only with Demons, Half-demons, magicians, Voodoo practitioners, witches, and the reasons for all the murders have nefarious reasons of supernatural origins... We have a dead girl, her loving grandfather hires Faust to find out the culprit, and it leads to a conspiracy which would overturn the rule of Earth, Haven and Hell...

"...“I’ve always felt that the mark of a man is his willingness to fight for his principles. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. It doesn’t matter if you ever had a chance to win in the first place. Even if the deck is rigged and the game’s against you, you keep fighting until the bitter end.” ...

Faust has had a very torturous childhood, but has been lucky enough to have been found by a group of esoteric manipulators, who heal and raise him as part of their family. He has gone on many paths, some good, some very bad, but he tries to stay on the side of the right, as much as he can... As a magical detective he has seen many and dark crimes, he has lost faith in good, G-d, or love, but some hope still populates his being... Faust is a very imperfect, but well meaning dude and we could find parts in him that we can root for succeeding...

My favorite character is the Demoness Caitlleanabruaudi! Finally, a female character who knows how to avenge herself on a sick, perverted, despicable, and absolutely irredeemable asshole abuser!!! Vengeance is sweet, when so much wrongs can not be righted!!! I am quite found of Caitllean and will happily add her to my kick-ass favorite ladies!!!

"...“In a week marred by death and pain, I’d found a single red rose growing in the ruins. I’d take the thorns as they came.” ...

The book was very entertaining, the characters interesting, the only thing is, it really reminded me of some other books of this particular branch of the genre... I will continue reading the series, and I think it will only get better - after all, this is only the introduction book:):):) Recommend it to UF and Mystery Fans, but not for the very young - a bit too much violence...

I wish all of you Happy reading and may all the books you encounter enrich your lives!!!

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually fare poorly with male written UF books, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance as it turned out to be a very engaging and entertaining story. This Vegas set magical noir had a little bit of everything in the form of action, mystery, humor, and even some romance. Not that the inclusion of humor should lead you to believe this is a light read. It was pretty dark at times and the occasional bursts of humor stopped it from becoming to grim.

Daniel Faust, magician and ex-gangster, is now operating in Vegas as a sorcerer for hire. His latest client wants him to seek vengeance on the people who murdered his granddaughter. It seems a simple job on the surface, but it soon spirals out of control as Daniel discovers everything from police cover ups to occult sacrifices!

The story was fast paced and engaging. The world was pretty cool with its mix of magic, demons, and ghosts. Daniel proved to be a surprisingly likeable and easy to root for protagonist and he was supported by an eccentric and interesting supporting cast. The villains were are disparate bunch who were all twisted and evil in their own way.

I'm really looking forward to the next book to see what is next for Daniel.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Audio Note: I'm not entirely sure how to assess Adam Verner's performance as narrator of this one. He definitely got the tone of the story and his general narration was excellent, but he did struggle a tiny bit with the female voices. Also his chosen accent for Caitlain was horrific. She was supposed to be Scottish, not Irish!

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 The Darker Side of UF Stars

I read quite a bit of UF and I will say that usually when there is a male protagonist 2 different things tend to happen.

#1) There is a ton of fighting and I’m really bored cuz girl here or

#2) Way too much description of how the magic is working. *yawns*

But Daniel Faust sorta fell on the other side of that. I have no idea how any of the magic works in this world. Like absolutely none. I know he has playing cards and that his how he fights but other than that I couldn’t tell you anything else about it. Which is okay and didn’t really bother me at all. Also there aren’t a lot of intense and really drawn out fights in this. There is fighting but it doesn’t traverse multiple chapters for the same fight and I appreciate that.

This is a really solid first book of a series and it has a lot going for it.

A. Daniel is a pretty likeable guy and seems to be working for a greater good even if he himself is not all sunshine and Rainbows.

B. This has an interesting take on actual demonic princes carvng up territories in the world and governing them

C. There are demons. Some are nicer than others and Some are just badass… Caitlin I’m totally looking at you. She completely rocked and I will never get on her bad side EVER.

“Little magus,” she said, and I realized she was talking to me. I opened my eyes. She held Artie in her arms, coiled in a parody of a seductive embrace. “You should watch this,” she said, flashing a smile lined with shark teeth. Then she bit into his cheek. Slowly.

D. There are pop culture references and a lot of snarky dialogue. I enjoy that.

E. There is a pretty cool Scooby-doo squad for back up

“You forgot your line, by the way.” “What line?” Meadow demanded. “When you rant about your master plan for world domination, you’re supposed to end with ‘but it’s too bad you won’t live to see it.’ I mean, if you’re gonna act like an asshole pulp villain, at least show some commitment to the part.”
Her hands curled at her sides. “Funny. You won’t be laughing when—”
I leveled the shotgun and blew her head off.”

F. There is a love interest….and I really like her quite a bit even if it went a little fast (I like a slow burn) but they aren’t using the L-word yet just lusting a bit.

G. A clubhouse that won't let it in unless it wants you to find it.

H. The plot we decent and man there were a few unexpected twists in there. This book is a little darker than some of the other UF I’ve been reading.

My one and only issue is that it meandered a bit in the middle and seemed to go nowhere for a while. But this is Mr. Shaefer’s first book and I’ve really enjoyed the Harmony Black series so I think that we can only go up from here.

I am looking forward to a walk on the darker side of UF and see what the sorcerer has in store in the future. Plus that epilogue, I really thought it was going to go in one direction and then it took a sharp turn around the bend and plunged over a cliff and it exploded fantastically. I LOVED IT!!! This got and extra 0.5 Star just for what happened in the epilogue.

[Ɗẳɳ 2.☊ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Long Way Down, like so many books before it, first came onto my radar via a friend’s review that piqued my curiosity. Browsing through other reviews, I couldn’t help but notice all the comparisons to the hugely popular Dresden Files series. And since I hadn’t read that, or really any Urban Fantasy to speak of, I decided to hold off on reviewing this book until I had a chance to read the first of the Dresden Files as well, to gain a better understanding of the genre and some of its tropes. Now after reading both books, I can totally understand why the two were so often compared.

Here’s how things stack up, in my mind:

Faust is a magician with a deadly deck of cards. Dresden is a wizard with a blasting rod and staff. Both the cards and staff are used as a way to focus their magic, and both Faust and Dresden are private investigators. While Faust tends to color outside the lines, Harry is more of a stickler for the rules. Faust is more cutthroat, more interested in settling scores. He doesn’t mind destroying any wrongdoers, while Harry’s more inclined to catch the perp and hand him over to the proper authorities. Both stories have similar beginnings, with each detective being called to investigate a homicide. Daniel’s hired by the victim’s grandfather, while Dresden’s a police consultant for the paranormal. Both guys are flat broke, and both are strong-armed early on by a local gangster that attempts to threaten or bribe them into dropping their investigations.

So far the books are eerily similar, but their backstories differ quite a bit. Daniel was a street kid with a spark of raw magical abilities. He fell in with a cult whose twisted leader promised to help him develop his talent but instead tricked him into being used as a medium for demon possession. “What those demons did inside of him was unspeakable, his spirit was in tatters, scarred, and torn,” but he eventually escaped and was taken in by a couple of sorcerers that taught him the proper ways to harness his abilities. It’s implied that Harry’s mother died in childbirth. He grew up on the road, traveling with his kindhearted father who made a living as a small-time, fake magician working the back circuit of birthday parties, retirement centers, gymnasiums, grocery stores, etc. Sadly, Harry’s father died in his sleep, while he was still a boy, and it was never specified how Harry was educated in the ways of true magic afterward.

The magic system is not well-described in either book, but it’s explained a little better in the Dresden Files. Most electronics go haywire around Harry due to the magical energies he emits. Not so with Faust, who’s described as having the ability to see and feel a mystical realm—that sixth sense if you will. Dresden can do likewise, by opening his third eye, but he does so rarely because it tends to overwhelm the senses, making him dizzy and nauseous. Real names have power in both books and can be used as a way to manipulate that person or object. Harry also has the ability to gaze into your soul when he looks you in the eye.

The Faust story takes place in Las Vegas, and the setting and descriptions are well done. Vegas almost becomes a character unto itself. Dresden is based out of Chicago, but you’d never know it for all the detail, or lack thereof provided. There’s absolutely no sense of place in it whatsoever.

So which book is better?

Well, I suppose that depends on what kind of a mood you’re in. Would you rather read about that nerdy, chivalrous wizard, who falls all over himself around the ladies, plays mostly by the rules, but isn’t afraid of going toe to toe with the baddies when the situation dictates? Or do you prefer your stories with a little more bite, more dark and depraved? You’re intrigued by a lead that can seduce a demon, and has no problem destroying anyone and everyone that gets in his way on his quest for justice. Faust’s story had demons and hell-beast and some truly horrific, graphic scenes of torture, while Dresden’s was much lighter by comparison. Both were entertaining and often funny. Each has its merits and each was riddled with clichés. The stakes in Faust’s story were sky high, while Harry was more concerned with saving his own skin. Faust reads more like a fast-paced thriller, while Dresden’s more of a gumshoe mystery splashed with magic.

Based on my comparisons, it seems like Faust should be the clear winner for me. But, for some odd reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, I enjoyed Dresden slightly more.

My Dresden review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer and narrated by Adam Verner is an intriguing fantasy story that takes the reader down a crazy magic road. There is the main character, Daniel, who is a sorcerer and is asked to do a job. A girl is murdered and the cops are just blowing it off. An old man that is like a grandfather to the girl knows who killed her. This job leads to more than Daniel expected. Lots of ritual magic, demons, unleashing the end times if he can't stop it. Very exciting! Loved the characters! Stopped half way through the book long enough to buy several more of these in the series!
The narration is excellent! Female, males, creatures...all done wonderfully!

[Milda Page Runner · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are two answers to evil,” she said. “The first is to justify it. The evil that you do is for a good cause, you’ll be validated in the end, it needed to be done, etcetera, etcetera. Of course, once you start walking that road, it’s all downhill. I’m sure this xxx person didn’t start by drowning children. You have to work your way up to that kind of atrocity.”
“And the second answer?”
“You own it. Be truthful and accept your own nature.”
I leaned back, a line from Shakespeare crossing my mind. “‘It must not be denied that I am a plain-dealing villain,’” I quoted.

==========

A comfort read for any UF fan. I can’t say it is very original or brings anything new to the genre – but this book has a delicious blend of all the right components to make it irresistible for most readers. Beginning reminded me a bit of Dresden Files but darker with more mature main character and more intense plot from the start; later on – Sandman Slim - with all the depraved corrupt characters, casual gore and violence, demons and hell politics albeit not quite as dark and cynical. So all in all it’s very well balanced dark vs light with humour and plenty of intense action and plot twists. And did I mention? - it’s delightfully well written. References to movies and literature were so much fun.
The only weaker point in this book for me was Caitlin’s character. Transformation from bloodthirsty sadistic demon to a loving caring girlfriend was too quick and hard to swallow. That said – it’s not the end of the story and I suspect we will find the thorns on this rose.
Highly recommended for male-lead UF readers.

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 hours to the apocalypse:



3 hours to the apocalypse:



1 hour to the apocalypse:



No, but really? I LOVED the book. Come read my other reasons of why you should read it here on my blog.

Read Post on My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up after I realized that Schaefer's new book/series, Harmony Black, is a spin-off. Since I received Harmony Black as an ARC from Netgalley, I figured I better start at the beginning of the whole shebang.

I'm not a big fan of urban fantasy, and have only read a few books in this genre. I'm not saying I don't like it, but for some reason, I just don't hunt down books of this type. This one was pretty good, and if it's representative of this genre, I'll probably be looking for a lot more.

This one was well-written, and quite simply, a lot of fun. Good/bad guy Daniel Faust is a down-on-his-luck magician/PI in Las Vegas, when he's contacted by an older gentleman looking for closure in the horrific death of his granddaughter. Faust's investigations lead from one thing to another, all escalating to... the end of the world, or at least it's potential.

Magic of all sorts, demons, half-demons, plot twists, back-stabbing, hidden agendas, betrayals, snarky comments, all in a well-established noir setting (I never thought about "noir" in the 100+ temps of summertime Las Vegas!) makes this a series I'll be reading for a while, including the spin-offs.

Edit: I forgot to say how much I love the cover!

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Thanks, Sarah, for recommending this one to me. It was a lot of fun, and I'll definitely pick up book two.

That being said, this book had a few things -- the relationship between Faust and Caitlin seemed a little fast, and a lot of the characters felt kind of "cardboard cutout"-ish. I'm sure there will be more development for a lot of those though, so I'll be reading book two to get to know them a little better. Faust himself was pretty decently developed, which is enough to push me forward and give book two a shot.

Plus #twogaydads. So yay for that. :D

[Nafeeza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/12/17 Buddy Reading with the gang over @ BB&B!

[Mr. Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Faust is not a good man. He's not a bad man either. He's somewhere in between. He's a Vegas magician who is a little bit different from other Vegas magicians. He can actually perform real magic. He uses his powers to run scams, cheat people around the edges, and do some odd jobs as a private detective. When he's asked to investigate the death of a young woman, everything goes to hell.

I liked this book. A lot. Going in my expectations were very low. It was cheap on Amazon, I liked the cover, and it sounded like a decent premise, so I picked it up. I am very glad that I did. It starts with the ambiguity of the book. Yes, the bad guys are pretty villainous, but the core characters are not the "good" guys in this story. They are all shades of grey. This is, I think, closer to reality than many of the books that I read.

Faust epitomizes this ambiguity. He is a complex, well done character. Insightful, and often funny, he was an interesting character to follow through the story. That being said, I like his style, his sense of justice. When he finds out what really happened to this girl, he is furious. ("Tony Vance was going to answer for what he'd done. Not to the cops, not to God. He was going to answer to me.") I like complex characters.

And then there are unexpected plot twists. Yes, Faust does track down the truth behind the girl's fate. And, frankly, the story could have ended there. It would've made a neat little short story. It's only after he scratches at the initial mystery that the real action emerges. Like a magician, the author had my eyes were fixed over here, while the real action was going on over there. When I finally saw it, I was caught off guard and very, very entertained.

The book wasn't perfect, and, frankly, I struggled with giving the book a five star rating. (Spoiler alert). My problem with the story comes down to a logic problem with the world that the author created. In it there are demons and all sorts of magical creatures (thankfully no fairies that I'm aware of). One of those demons winds up being Faust's girlfriend. Now, I'm willing to buy into the author's vision of kinder, gentler demons, but I still a little bit of a problem when demons lecture about respecting demonic law ("I want you to think about what happens when people rebel against the law.") Aren't they all demons because they refused to obey the law in the first place? And Caitlin, Faust's girlfriend, alternates between being a blushing school girl (when she and Faust are initially feeling one another out), a kindly aunt (when lecturing her friend's daughter), and, finally, a complete murdering sadist when dishing out justice. I had a hard time buying all of those together.

Four and a half stars rounded up to five. Despite it's flaws, the book was loads of fun. It was really the best urban fantasy book I think I've read in a long time - great story, nice plot twists, interesting main character, unique setting. If I had the option, this definitely would've gotten the half star from me, but on Goodreads this was one of those books that I felt deserved the bump up to five.

Knocked down to 4 stars on reflection. Still a fun read.

[Sad Sunday (Books? Me?!? NEVER!!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

CV Of Sad Sunday
Position applying: Daniel's Faust side-kick

Summary:
Hello, Mr.Faust. I know you are a very busy man, but hearing about your adventures in Las Vegas, I thought that you might be looking for some help - because it seems that old Vegas is pretty packed with monsters and other supernaturals. Even if your adventures changed from some suspense-crime into action-packed, I still want to fill the position of your side-kick (even if you have a girlfriend that is almost a side-kick, I am still applying and keeping my fingers crossed) I evaluated all the risk and fun factors, and I feel more than ready for this job. In my previous jobs I got plenty of tools and knowledge that would make me an excellent side-kicker - dealing with monsters, manipulating people, napping, fighting zombies, writing, multitasking, communicating with souls, preparing cards, flying on the broom and etc.

Name: Sad Sunday
Aliases: DNFer, The Dark, The Sad, The Sunday, Third Sock.
Age: Old enough to drink and buy beer.
Address: Goodreads.
Favorite pet: Cat.
Languages: Lithuanian, English, a little French and Russian, some Dothraki, J.R.R.Tokien's elf, Newspeak, Na'vi, Parseltongue, Valyrian, Furbish, Simlish. I am also very good in Gibberish.
Education: Artsy primary school, a secondary school that looked like Hogwarts, I also have an university degree.
Weapon of choice: Magic (or magic wand).

Special skills: extensive knowledge in dragon, elf, vampire, cat lore, magic, everyday mechanics, art, photography, books, postcard collecting, telling magical creatures, dreaming, weapon cleaning (I am not good with horses thou), making stuff up, cooking.

I don't fight much, preferred form of exercise: Pilates.

I hope you will consider my candidacy.

Profile picture:

[Lo9man88 · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a first book it wasn't bad, and i think my love obsession with fantasy in general and urban fantasy in particular stood in the way of me liking it more , as a fan of Dresden i tend to hold all new works to that standard ,, a lot of series did good like the iron druid or Alex verus or .....
This book has a Sandman Slim feel to it, only it's in Vegas instead of LA ,not as crazy but going in that direction i think, i don't know ...
The writing is light and to the point ,the main character is coolish with a dark painful past, he's still developing and learning, a little naive and prone to judging prematurely but very brave,the magic is OK nothing grand...
So I'm reserving judgment but definitely reading the next one :)

[Zitong Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not the biggest reader of urban fantasy, and I’ve read little adult urban fantasy, so this was an interesting experience. I didn’t really know anything about this book at all going into it except for the fact that it was urban fantasy, and there were some things, and themes are were a bit more explicit and gruesome than I expected, but oh well. I wouldn’t say that it’s too dark, especially compared to some of the other fantasy that I’ve read, but there are a lot of pretty messed up things in here, that are just so, so wrong - to say the least.

Overall, while I didn’t love it, it was alright, with interesting characters and a plot line that came together neatly at the end, despite it being the first book in a series, which was fine by me.

Daniel Faust, the main character, is a pretty complex guy and he has an interesting, although backstory to his character that sort of makes him who he is in the novel. The entire book is told from the first-person perspective, which I’ll, I do prefer third person, simply because it gives me as the reader a broader view of all the characters and not just the viewpoint of one character. I probably would have preferred it if it was written in third person, but that is just preference, as I would have liked to have seen the thought process of some of the other characters.

For some reason, aside from Daniel, the other characters, like his friends, or Caitlin, who it the love interest, just almost fell sort of flat for me. They were ok, though hardly amazing and I just felt we didn’t really learn much about them at all throughout the course of this book. They sort of just acted as your typical friend/support crew and to me, it wasn’t much more than that.

I also personally found the romance to be underdeveloped, but that might also be a case of the fact that while I understand instant-attraction is obviously a real thing, I far prefer slow-burn romances. To me, there was a lack of proper chemistry before the two got together, and while Daniel is an adult, it’s always weird to me, when a human gets into a relationship with some sort of all-powerful immortal figure, but love is love I suppose. Maybe if there was more chemistry between the two, other than the fact that they are conventionally attractive and like how each other looks.

The worldbuilding was fine, though nothing amazing, and in a sense felt sort of standard compared to some of the other urban fantasies I have read, where there is all the normal assortment of creatures, like demons and all that sort of jazz, and there’s all these magical artifacts. I guess in a sense, it didn’t bring anything new to the table, though I did enjoy the worldbuilding and the plot based around it.

I found the plot to be ok, and what I originally thought was just a quest sort of thing at the start of the novel actually turned out to be the beginning of the actual plot, which was good. A lot of stuff does happen in this book and it does keep a fairly good pace during the entire course of the book, and there was a good amount of payoff at the end and at how everything managed to come together for an engaging ending. There are also some interesting plot twists here and some are made to be pretty dramatic - as they rightfully should be.

Anyway, I enjoyed most of this, though it wasn’t anything brilliant in my opinion. 5.5/10

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because this one really surprised me. I admit urban fantasy isn’t typically my cup of tea (give me high fantasy or sword and sorcery any day), but Craig Schaefer managed to pull me right into his gritty, magic-soaked version of Las Vegas and keep me glued to the pages.

Daniel Faust is the kind of protagonist that’s easy to root for despite his morally gray choices. He’s got that perfect blend of snark, vulnerability, and street-smart cunning that makes you want to follow him through whatever mess he’s stumbled into this time. His crew of fellow sorcerers adds depth to the world without overwhelming it. Each character feels distinct and purposeful rather than just filling space.

The story follows a pretty linear path, which worked well here. Schaefer doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary subplots or confusing timeline jumps. That said, this book doesn’t shy away from heavy themes. There’s some genuinely dark material woven throughout that gives the story real weight, but the author handles it all with skill, never letting it become gratuitous or overshadow the core narrative. I totally appreciated that.

The ending hit just the right notes: satisfying enough to feel complete while leaving me curious about what comes next. I’m already deep into book #2 (couldn’t help myself, and that was when I originally wrote this review. Now, six years after, this very month, I finished book #12 🥰), and I’m particularly excited to see how the character development continues to unfold. Faust and his crew have a lot of room to grow, and I’ve a hunch I won’t be disappointed (I confirm).

If you’re dubious about urban fantasy like I was, this might be worth a shot. It’s got enough grit and genuine storytelling chops to be very worth your time.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I’ve always felt that the mark of a man is his willingness to fight for his principles. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. It doesn’t matter if you ever had a chance to win in the first place. Even if the deck is rigged and the game’s against you, you keep fighting until the bitter end.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably 4.5 - few things that the author needs to work out but it’s fun so who cares?

I’m not even going to review the series today, I’m off sick and I’m just going to power though book by book. How many can i read before bedtime, I wonder?? 🤔

[Efka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, fast paced urban fantasy read. Very suitable, if you're into slippery, crooked anti-hero types of lead characters. Couldn't help but notice the whole humans/demons relations and worldsetting and general asemblance to, well, old school mafia.

Of course, this book is not a gold nugget, and it is a pretty much straightforward plot driven paged-turner. But sometimes, when one wants something on the easy side and has no false expectations, it is more of a pro, than a con. That was the case for me, too. I had a great time reading this book, so a well deserved 4* seems reasonable.

[Gergana]

Read the first 2 books and a novella. Conclusion:

My first thought once I finished book 1 was: Wow, that's pretty dark and different (in a good way). I love it when the world-building is more compact and well-structured, rather than having all the Clichés and so many magical creatures that you feel overwhelmed. I also enjoy more self-centered heroes, who are not afraid to put their own needs first. The demons are terrifying, the romance is unique and interesting and I was curious to know more.

But there was something missing... magic.

Around book 2 I realized that Daniel RARELY, IF EVER, used any magic! He is a magician, yet most of the fights were done either with punches, guns or by his girlfriend. One of the couple of times I saw him use magic during fights is to make a deck of cards fly around and hit people with it. THAT WAS IT! And I think that was in the novella.

Overall, it was a bit bland for me. Although I found the relationship between Daniel and his Demon girlfriend to be a page-turner, it wasn't enough.

[Pippa DaCosta · Rating 5 out of 5]

All kinds of awesome! Want a proper review? Tough. All you need to know is that it's urban fantasy at its best.

I'm diving into the next one...

[Fiona Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Faust is not just damaged - he's been broken, really and truly, and pieced back together without all the original pieces. In this first novel in his series, we're introduced to him just as yet another relationship blows up in his face; he's broke, broken, and desperate enough to take the kind of jobs that have trouble written all over them. And yet - he will crusade past all point of reason to save the innocent, the people who haven't had to travel through the dark places he's been.

It's definitely noir, which gave me some pause going in - I want to like noir novels, on paper they should work for me, and yet they just never do. But this was beautiful, heart-shattering, and bleak without sucking all the life out of me as I read. Absolutely stellar. The second read was even better than the first - this is easily one of my favourite series, and one of the best to come back to if I'm in a slump.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, fast paced noir magical urban fantasy set in Las Vegas. Very good start to a new (to me ) series. Recommended.