Between Heaven & Hell: Genesis

by Brandon M. Davis

When angels wage war on mankind, only the devil wins.

Gabriel is dead. The battle between angels that love and those that dispise humanity has spilled onto the Earth, dragging with it the blood soaked nightmare of divine war. The Guardians, human warriors and protectors of mankind, fight against Lucifer's demon horde for the safety of our souls. But in this heavenly war, these mere mortals must face down an army of deadly angels lead by the sword of God himself, Michael.
Now, with Gabriel's death, the Guardians must choose between complete domination at Lucifer's hands or utter annihilatioin at Michael's.

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2022

About the author

Born in McComb, MS but raised in New Orleans, LA I have been a child of duality all my life. Finding pride in the rigors of country living in Mississippi yet also joy in the relaxing tempo of city life in New Orleans. It's funny that it took this long for me to publish a book because for as long as I can remember I've been a writer. I have a collection of stories(some short, others not so much) archived in an old binder of mine with narrations dating back to when I was literally in elementary. My school once held a writer's contest to award the best and most frequent writer in class an award and I let my classmate win because I knew if I wanted to I would blow everyone else out of the water and my writing meant more to me than some award. Growing up I got into video games(Final Fantasy, Zelda, and Super Smash Bros to name a few and to show my age) and I mistakingly thought that my future lay in video game creation. I attended Jackson State University in Mississippi and majored in Computer Science for two years before dropping out. This was one of my lowest points in life, and all because I had somehow forgotten where my passion lay. My mother helped me remember that my heart has always been in storytelling and shortly after, she passed away. My fire had been reignited and I began the construction of the first book I intended to publish. I'm 35 now and I began writing my first published book at the age of 22. It has undergone many changes(much to the frustration of my friends) but I have finally arrived and I don't intend on giving up my passion ever again. Allow me to introduce myself my fellow avid book enthusiast: My name is Brandon M. Davis and I am a writer.

Reviews

[Luis Humberto Molinar Márquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

[English review + Reseña en español]

Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis, by Brandon M. Davis.
Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. 2020
442 pages
Fiction / Fantasy.

The war has been unleashed between the angels of heaven: on one side are those who accept that God's love is greater towards men than towards them and on the other are those who are willing to do everything possible to change the balance in favour of them. In this war has fallen Gabriel, angel of death, a fundamental element for the work of the seraphim and a close ally of a special group of human warriors, expert in fighting demons, known as The Guardians.

Daniel, who as a child was abducted by demons into the unimaginable torments of Sheol for decades, now works with The Guardians while he tries to protect his younger brother Adam from that horror.

Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis is an action-packed fantasy fiction novel in which The Guardians must face not only the infernal beings ravaging the earth, but also the celestial beings who, veering off course, have begun to attack men, crushing between their majestic wings whoever gets in the way of their vehement search for the predilection of a creator who seems to be conspicuous by her absence. As surprises are just around the corner and the time is short, there are hardly any moments left for personal matters.

I recommend this book if you like well-narrated action scenes, angels vs demons vs humans fantasy, large-scale conflict and scenes replete of violence. Everything in this novel is in its right place: the characters are well made, the plot is intense, the narration is precise, the pace is fast and the conclusion satisfactory. An excellent first novel by an author whose pen promises!

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Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis, de Brandon M. Davis.
Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. 2020
442 páginas
Ficción / Fantasía.

La guerra se ha desatado entre los ángeles del cielo: en un bando están aquellos que aceptan que el amor de Dios sea más grande hacia los hombres que hacia ellos y en el otro quienes están dispuestos a hacer todo lo posible por cambiar la balanza en favor de ellos. En esta guerra ha caído Gabriel, ángel de la muerte, un elemento fundamental para el trabajo de los serafines y aliado cercano de un grupo especial de guerreros humanos expertos en combatir demonios, conocido como Los Guardianes.

Daniel, quien de niño fuera abducido por demonios para conocer los inimaginables tormentos del Sheol durante décadas, trabaja ahora con Los Guardianes mientras trata de proteger de aquel horror a su hermano menor, Adam.

Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis es una novela de ficción fantástica llena de acción en la que Los Guardianes deben enfrentar no sólo a los seres infernales que asolan la tierra, sino también a los seres celestiales que, apartándose de su curso, han comenzado a atacar a los hombres, llevándose entre las alas a quien se interponga en su búsqueda vehemente de la predilección de un creador que parece brillar por su ausencia. Como las sorpresas están a la vuelta de la esquina y el tiempo apremia, apenas quedan momentos para los asuntos personales.

Te recomiendo este libro si te gustan las escenas de acción bien narradas, la fantasía de ángeles vs demonios vs humanos, el conflicto a gran escala y las escenas repletas de violencia. Todo en esta novela está en su justo lugar: los personajes están bien logrados, la trama es intensa, la narración precisa, el ritmo trepidante y la conclusión satisfactoria. ¡Excelente primera novela de un autor cuya pluma promete!

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis” by Brandon M. Davis is an exciting fusion of fantasy, supernatural, and horror in a world where the celestial and the earthly collide. The death of archangel Gabriel sets the stage for cosmic destruction immediately posing the question to readers: What hope is there for humans if the angels are fighting each other, and some are full of loathing for our species?

Enter the Guardians, a group of human warriors. As they navigate this treacherous battleground, they are torn between the looming threat of Lucifer’s dark tyranny and the archangel Michael’s ruthless celestial army. Their choices seem slim, and humankind can only hope the Guardians have what it takes to save humanity from crumbling under this cosmic clash.

Dark fantasy involving otherworldly conflict is an exciting genre for me. While I can’t watch movies or TV series of this scope, books in the same vein fascinate me, and “Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis” is spellbinding. This narrative puts a fresh spin on heavenly war with the added conflict of angels versus humans and the action is non-stop, gory, and chilling, offering a macabre yet captivating representation of a celestial struggle.

The author’s writing style is intense, and he brings the story to life with dramatic imagery and a sharp eye for detail. Davis excels in crafting fast-paced, gripping scenes that pull the reader into the middle of the action, each sentence designed to build tension and drive the narrative forward. I became so immersed in the experience, I realized at several points I was gritting my teeth while reading and had to remind myself to chill!

And the characters! Flawed and broken, beaten down but not defeated, each personality adds conflict and layers of intrigue. Daniel spent several years in hell and, as one might imagine, this had a significant impact on him. Now he must safeguard his younger brother Adam from the same fate. The problem is Adam is aggressive and acts impulsively, recklessly provoking demons, and disregarding the potential consequences. The brothers’ interplay adds complexity and risk, amplifying the suspense and deepening the emotional stakes for the reader. All the characters are clearly definable, the secondary cast adding wonderful balance and depth as well. I love the banter between the Guardians, and all the characters for that matter, but my favorite has to be Lucifer. He’s not what you’d expect, and his wit, cockiness, and overall demeanor made me wish he had a larger role in the plot. He’s a fabulous little devil!

My parting advice would be to prepare for sleepless nights with this book in hand. Whether you get lost in its pages past your bedtime or are jolted awake by its haunting intrusion into your subconscious, I guarantee “Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis” by Brandon M. Davis will leave a lasting impression. The best news is it sounds like there’s more to come in this epic otherworldly fantasy. 5 stars!

[angsaysroar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, it took me a long time to get into Between Heaven and Hell. I can't count on one finger how many times I restarted, ended up disappointed, and put the book down to try again later.

I'm not sure what forced me to stick with it this time, but I certainly don't regret my decision to do so. I found that once you understood the characters' underlying motivations, it was impossible to remain detached, as you finally found the context that was missing at the novel's start.

One thing that kept me detached and uninterested in the novel was my initial aversion to its main character, Daniel. I found him to be distasteful, arrogant, and generally unlikeable. And it wasn't until I glimpsed his past that my dislike for him turned into admiration given all that he endured.

Davis does a great job of constructing the character's past and tying into who and why a character is a way they are in the present. With Davis, everything comes full circle, which is what sucks you into the novel, to begin with.

He also does a great job of illustrating that humanity is nearly fully good or fully bad. He understands that life is lived in a set of grays and that while one might condemn someone for a specific action, another may applaud that same individual.

The novel starts out slowly, perhaps with too much information for the reader to process, however, Davis does a good job of catching the reader up, while also moving forward with the story. This allows the reader to understand the motivations each character has, and gain an understanding of the reasons each character is the way they are. This writing helps to draw the reader in as they are forced to understand the motivations behind each character and find sympathy for what those motivations made each character become.

The novel left me yearning to read more. I would put the book down to complete some task, only to find that within minutes I was picking up the book to find out what happened next. I will say that the book was a bit obvious in some points, especially with the introduction of the witch. If you read as many fantasy novels as I do, it is easy to draw the conclusion as to why she told Daniel what she did.

However, admittedly, I did not see the end of the book coming and it's because of that, that I can't wait for the next one to come out.

[Valarie Lovelight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit, it took me a minute to get into this book. This is a fantasy based on biblical names of people, angels, and demons. I think that’s what threw me off. I had to put the book down and remind myself that this is a fantasy to truly review it unbiased.

Once I did, I was able to continue and finish reading. This book was well written in terms of action because there was plenty of it. Also, the story in general was good. Sometimes it was a bit confusing because scenes either moved too fast or was choppy. For example... Daniel is a child, then he is grown. What happened? The time span is too long. What did he do all those years? Show more…

I would have liked to have known how Daniel’s brother Adam become involved. When did he go to hell or, did he? What happened to him? He just reappears at the end of the book. Who found him? Was he found? Was it supernatural that he appeared? Make the ground shake or rocks move and he rises up from the ashes…something.

Some scenes were too long like fight scenes with the need to list the different fighting styles, especially in the beginning. The author’s characters were obviously multicultural because he made a point of letting us know. I really wanted to give this book 5 stars but there were gaps and holes that left me trying too hard to figure things out or going back to see if I missed something.

I don’t regret choosing to read this book. It just lacked background information about the world around them. Surely the guardians weren’t the only humans on the planet. Were the battles fought in some remote part of the world away from people? The guardians were fighting to protect humanity…we should have seen more of humanity and their reactions.

With that said, the book has the potential to be a solid 5-star book. I choose to give it 4 stars instead of 3 stars despite some shortcomings because the overall book was good and kept my attention.

Thank you Booktasters for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book

[Chris Maddix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writers of dark fantasies have advantages and disadvantages, both of which are tied to their readers. Consumers of these fantasies have the advantage if they possess open minds, ready to accept scenarios regardless of the stories' attachment to any semblance to reality. If you are a reader willing to buy into any direction in which the story might go, the writer may include you among his captive audience. Stories about vampires, or witches, for example, may be among those in this genre. If, however, you feel a need to sense that there is some possibility that a story could actually take place, you have trouble maintaining interest in fantasies. Brandon Davis's Between Heaven and Hell:Genesis, is one of these types of stories. Before the setting of this tale is even established, the story begins with the death of Gabriel, the leader of a group called Guardians. Later, the principal protagonist, who goes by the name of Daniel, is killed in a car wreck as a ten-year-old, spends time in Sheol, or Hell, then gets "thrown back" into his youthful body. That same protagonist is later involved in a protracted battle with a demon who is larger and stronger than himself, a monster aptly named Obsidian. Daniel eventually conquers the demon with holy water. Some readers may enjoy such a story, picking a hero, anticipating superhuman action, marvelling at glorious feats. Others, myself included, may, through curiosity, stay with such a story for a while, but never get too excited about it.

Fans of Star Wars, Dracula, and Harry Potter will likely also embrace Davis's novel. If you enjoy stories with nonstop action and brash heroes, then Between Heaven and Hell: Genesis is for you. It is surely an adventure, replete with likable characters. It reads quickly, and, after the opening sequence, it's easy to follow.

[Timothy Dorr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two Worlds of Destiny
In this fast-paced novel of virtuosity versus maliciousness, Between Heaven and Hell Genesis, written by Brandon M. Davis, the protagonist, Daniel, who endures all the traps and pieces to fail in life, likes to show his emotions, while trying to find his place in the duo worlds during this breakneck spiritual battle of the upper paradise and lower nether world. Fun for the reader to decide and find the boundaries of the inferno and rapture we all hope to place in our mortal beings someday.

Some great character work and building throughout this wonderful story, especially, Ezekiel–the quick fisted one who knew how to fight and showed his manifestation instead of words, but could fix any part of the body, and also loved a good tattoo. Adam–the dedicated brother to Daniel, who might sometimes be edgy to his sibling, lover of the snack, throws a mean right hook, who sometimes fell into a mental fog, but also was emotionally present, never wanting to fail a cohort. Emmanuelle, a touching, soft, and sometimes sensuous woman, who can hold beasts with her cavities, and also toss a mean blade, horrific dagger or accurate knife, and has the depth within to make a great escape.

On the whole, the terrific read that held my eye to the very end. Action packed and a lot of twists and turns to keep the reader captivated, especially for the believers of the two worlds, and followers of the biblical history of the world.

[Lauren Cisneros · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all -- I'd like to thank the author and Book Tasters for sending me a copy of this book to read and review (:

Overall, I think it has the potential to become a solid series, there was a lot of action packed into this book and the cliffhanger leaves you with a lot of questions you want to find out the answers to.
I do think however, that the world building was a bit choppy in here, you're thrown right away into action without much background on any of the characters given aside from our main character, Daniel. It read too much action but not enough time spent building the world or characters imo, I understood the basic concept of there being a heaven and a hell and a battle, but not why or who the characters were in regards to this battle, nor how it started in the first place.
I also felt like the book was trying a bit too hard to be diverse, I think it's great that there's a lot of POC and diverse characters in here, but it was unnecessary to continuously describe them by their ethnicity or physical features because it reduced them to just a POC and not a person, making it seem as if they were simply for representation.
I did like the friendships that were shown in this book and would be interested in reading what happens to this unique group of friends next.

[Charletta Barksdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clap… Clap.. Clap.. Clapping
Action packed, every chapter, every page turned and I loved it. It felt like watching a action movie with subtitles while reading, from beginning until the end. This could definitely be on the big screen and I would totally go see it, twice. But on a serious note, the storyline was amazing. I felt every tear dropping, gut wrenching fight between each guardian and Angel. The role gender reversal was brilliantly delivered and some parts even cunningly funny, creative but appreciative.

I enjoyed reading this type of book on a spiritual level. To bring the story of Archangels Gabrielle, Michael and Raphael to life, told in a way that felt so believable. Not giving to many spoilers away, but It was even a little frightening to hear how badly the Archangels despised humans.

There was a very good message delivered at the end and I’m not going to spoil it. I truly believe that everyone has a life purpose, divine plan and blueprint. This book allows you to tap into different beliefs, but it also brings you back into the center of how we are all created with a purpose. I truly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to continue following Daniels story. Loved the cliffhanger and excited that there is more to come.

[Bhavesh Sahni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A war between Angels and Demons..
It was definitely an interesting concept when I first heard about it, so thought I'd give it my fair shot.
If you're new, don't be intrigued by the supernatural beings such as angels n all, cuz in novels, these things can vary from book to book.
The story was definitely interesting, and Daniel, the main character was the one I was into the most throughout the read.
I loved the fact that every character was so well described, first physically, and then their thoughts, their mindset and their feelings. So properly that for certain parts, I could feel what they'd do next. Cuz their character was so well laid out. It's a well thought out story for sure, and the end was also quite unexpected. I've been trying to speculate Daniel's plan for the longest amount of time, but never could've come to this conclusion.
It took me about a month of slow reading to finish, but would really recommend to interested readers. The concept is a really nice one, and I'd love a second volume of this.
Also I'd like to thank Booktasters for giving me a chance to read this.

[Numberedentity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brandon M. Davis' Between Heaven and Hell uses short-fuse tension and cinematic set piece after cinematic set piece, drawing you into his world of warring demons and angels. Demonic machinations entwine with angelic schemes in this urban fantasy, which layers modern tropes with the time-tested mythologies of the eternal battle between Heaven and Hell. High-octane, with barely time to take a breath, the book reads like the rising tension of the first part of a dark, superhero epic.

Humanity is protected by the Guardians, the weapon and shield against the forces of darkness, though brutality and temptation take their toll on any would-be saviours. In a universe of star-snuffing holy warriors, expect to be spun wildly through riveting action scenes and left exhilarated, though perhaps mildly dizzy and perplexed as to the motivations and consequences of the players in this cosmic game.

If you enjoy block-buster Marvel-fare, but wish for grittier characters, you will enjoy Between Heaven and Hell. Questions remain unanswered at the end, but sequels are surely planned to fill in the gaps.

[UnicatTheApple · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read with an amazing story!
It's not too long to get exhausted by long reads, nor too short to pan out an interesting set of developments.
While I do agree with other reviewers that the combat scenes well as they are written) to take quite long to play out, however that does not in the slightest take away from how captivating of a read it is.
The character thoughts and motivations are well portrayed as well, they seemed relatable and even those who's actions I would personally not agree with were written in a way where I could see and understand their line of thoughts that lead them to said action.
Furthermore I really enjoyed the concept of the war between angels and demons, the always lingering question where the kine between good and evil lingers and how intertwined they are in every choice we make...
As it has an open end I dearly hope to one day be able to read a sequel!

All and all I can only recommend this book!
I received my copy via Booktasters, though as soon as I can afford it I will definitely properly buy a copy of the book!

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me so long to finish because of school**!
This book was really impressive. I loved the intricate plotline, and the writing was well-executed. The dialogue was iffy at some parts but really realistic in others. There was a lot going on sometimes and it was hard to follow, but most of it was really good.
I love the relationships between the characters, and the ride-or-die type loyalty. The descriptions of events were well-written in a way that didn’t drag on or leave me wondering. The world that Brandon Davis has created is really in-depth and skilful :)

[Ellinor Hagberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it seemed like an interesting book but I'm going to be honest and say it was very confusing reading it. It was difficult for me to keep track of which character I was reading about. One minute you're reading about some kind of creatures you can't really understand what they actually are. The next you're reading about guardians. I think it could've been better and less confusing

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced,exciting book! Well built up characters. The most impressive of which are Jacob and Adam.
My favorite thing about this story is the ultimate melding of good and evil.
What could have been better about this story is if the back story had actually been,the epilogue.
An author to keep an eye on.

[Ray Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read that keeps you engaged from cover to cover. Easily one of my favorite books and has such an interesting view point on good and evil, it really makes you think.

[Lily Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading 'Between Heaven and Hell" By Brandon Davis for the second time and it was AMAZING! The book had a great plot/storyline and had great grammar and spelling! 10/10 recommended!

[KEZZY GEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a mysterious book, delved into the mystery of heaven and hell. It is an interesting novel. Trust you will want to this

[Elaine Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to start by saying that I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Those who have seen my reviews before, know I am exactly that; honest.
So here it is.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this at first. It's about a war between humans and Angels. And if it was going to start in with heavy religion, well, I wouldn't be reading past the first few chapters.
Straight off the bat I was like 'what the Hell' Literally!
I'm not going to go into the many plot twists, or who the main characters are, because there are too many and they are a little complex.
Suffice it to say, my whole 5 star review can be summed up by using the last two words in the book.

'Holy shit'

I'm not a religious person, but luckily for you, it's not a religious book.
So I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to route for the underdog.

And just let me add, the real reason that Lucifer rarely wins, that evil rarely wins, is that us humans are a tenacious bunch and we don't give up.
Knock us down and waddyaknow...... We get right back up again!!!

[Jonathan Sergotick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic urban fantasy story

This book is a fast exciting read. Very good action and story building. It’s a great take on the good vs evil/ angels vs demons set up. Mr Davis puts you in the head of the main characters so well you forget where you are at times.I finished the book in one sitting, I enjoyed it so much. I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here.

[Donatella Zuccaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENG I was very intrigued by what this story could bring, a war between Angels and that's why I picked it. By the way, be not afraid if you don't now anything about these supernatural creatures, as in any fantasy book such creatures can change – slightly or a lot – from what you may know, so you'll be able to follow.
I must say that I wasn't disappointed by the story. I liked it. The characters are well described, first physically but then through their actions or thoughts – the point of view change giving the chance to read into the characters mind, even for a little. I've found Daniel, the main character, a tormented man, an interesting one – in the first part of the book we have also a peek at his past, I would've liked to see more of that in the book (Daniel's past or any other character's background story).
What is making me giving to this book 3 stars is this: the fighting scenes. Too many and some are too long for my personal taste. The first one is good, even if it's a one-on-one fight I liked to see how the opponents had quickly to think of a/change strategy. But I've found the second one (Adam Vs Ezechiel) unnecessary and the third one... too long (there are other fight scenes after this). These kind of scenes are well described and I feel they would be superb in a movie, but somehow they don't work for me “in a book form”. I would've preferred to see more of the Guardians' stories or how the world around them works.
The finale is surprising – well done, I have tried to guessed Daniel's secret but would never aspect that – but it's open and leave many question unanswered (hopefully the answer will come in a second book?)

Copy of the ebook via Booktasters

ITA Ero molto incuriosita da cosa potesse comportare questa storia: una guerra fra Angeli, per questo ho scelto di leggere questo libro. A proposito, non abbiate paura se non siete ferrati su queste creature soprannaturali, perché come in molti libri fantasy creature del genere possono essere, più o meno, descritte in maniera diversa, e in questo caso non si rischia di non riuscire a seguire la storia.
Devo dire che non sono rimasta delusa dalla storia. Mi è piaciuta. I personaggi sono ben descritti, dapprima in maniera fisica e poi attraverso le loro azioni ed i loro pensieri – il punto di vista cambia dando l'occasione di leggere dentro le menti dei personaggi, anche se a volte per poco. Ho trovato Daniel, il protagonista, un uomo tormentato, un personaggio interessante – nella prima parte riusciamo anche a vedere un po' del suo passato, mi sarebbe piaciuto avere più dettagli a riguardo (sia sulla storia di Daniel che di altri personaggi).
Quel che mi fa dare 3 stelle a questo libro è questo: le scene di lotta. Troppe e alcune troppo lunghe per i miei gusti. La prima è buona, anche se è una lotta uno contro uno mi è piaciuto vedere come i due avversari dovevano trovar soluzioni per cambiare strategia. Ma ho trovato la seconda (Adam Vs Ezechiel) non necessaria e la terza... troppo lunga (e dopo questa ci sono altre scene simili). Questo tipo di scene sono ben descritte e credo che, cinematograficamente parlando, sarebbero spettacolari... ma su carta, per me, non vanno. Avrei preferito leggere qualcosa in più sui Guardiani o sul mondo intorno a loro.
Il finale mi ha sorpreso – eh sì, ho cercato di indovinare il segreto di Daniel e non mi sarei aspettata quello – ma è un finale aperto che lascia molte domande senza risposta (speriamo che le risposte vengano in un secondo libro)