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Primal Patterns #1
Lucifer's Odyssey
What if Earth was not the only planet Jehovah cared about? What if humanity was not the only intelligent race that Jehovah had created? What if the war between angels and demons had a much more ancient history that spanned three universes and many billions of light years of space?
The Lucifer’s Fall trilogy of the Primal Patterns series is the story of the most celebrated demon warrior and king in history, and the birth of a moral and intellectual renaissance in the Chaos Universe. The first book, “Lucifer’s Odyssey”, traces the demon prince Lucifer from his imprisonment by Jehovah on Earth to the betrayal of his parents in Chaos and a shaky alliance with the Elven people. Filled with irreverent humor and fast paced action, Lucifer’s Odyssey beckons you to take a journey through space and time into a story where elven technology meets the ruthlessness of the demon race and the potential of Jehovah’s great creations.
The Lucifer’s Fall trilogy of the Primal Patterns series is the story of the most celebrated demon warrior and king in history, and the birth of a moral and intellectual renaissance in the Chaos Universe. The first book, “Lucifer’s Odyssey”, traces the demon prince Lucifer from his imprisonment by Jehovah on Earth to the betrayal of his parents in Chaos and a shaky alliance with the Elven people. Filled with irreverent humor and fast paced action, Lucifer’s Odyssey beckons you to take a journey through space and time into a story where elven technology meets the ruthlessness of the demon race and the potential of Jehovah’s great creations.
372 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2011
271 people are currently reading
790 people want to read
About the author
Rex Jameson
15 books38 followersRex Jameson is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Primal Patterns series, the Age of Magic series, and half a dozen short stories. An avid history buff and an unabashed nerd with an appetite for science fiction and fantasy, he loves to create complex speculative fiction with layered characters. He earned a PhD in Computer Science at Vanderbilt University and researches distributed artificial intelligence in robotics at Carnegie Mellon University. Rex and his wife Jenny live in Pittsburgh where they enjoy hosting family and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 15, 2012
Book Info: Genre: Dark Fantasy Reading Level: Adult
Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this text through the LibraryThing Member’s Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Lucifer languishes in an earthly prison, awaiting the apocalypse that will finally free him after 200,000 years. Before breaking loose, he discovers that the armageddon he set in motion will destroy the capital of Chaos, his home universe.
He travels back to Chaos and stumbles upon a bloody civil war devastating his homeland. The realm's magic wielders are firmly under the control of a rival clan, and without their protection, Lucifer's family is in mortal peril. As old demon clan rivalries blossom and a new hostile universe expands across the known multiverse, Lucifer is faced with not only protecting Chaos from annihilation but also saving his rightful place on the throne.
My Thoughts: Imagine that everything you thought you know about good and evil, demons and angels, even elves was completely wrong. Imagine that everything you thought you knew about the war between heaven and hell was wrong. I believe it was from this perspective that Rex Jameson wrote this book, Lucifer’s Odyssey.
There is not much I can tell you about this book plot-wise – if I even start to try, I’ll end up spoilering all over the place. So, I’ll comment on the elements of the novel instead. First of all, I loved the characters and characterization. While the book is primarily action-oriented, whenever they had the opportunity to take main stage, the characters would shine. I particularly liked Sariel – his combination of a sort of grazed, psychopathic glee and absolute horn-doggedness was a never-ending source of amusement. The plot flowed smoothly, for the most part, and while this is very obviously the first book in a series, with plenty of plot threads left untied for the next book, at the same time it is a complete and satisfying story within itself. That said, it really didn’t grab me like I had hoped it would – while it really isn’t a terribly long book – less than 300 pages – it felt like it took me a long time to read it. I wouldn’t say it actually did, since I read it within a 12-hour time period, including a nap of several hours, but it seemed even longer. It’s not a bad story, not by any means, and my rating reflects it – it just didn’t haul me in like I had hoped it would.
The sequel to this, The Goblin Rebellion, has been available since January. There are two novellas that are based in the same universe as well, Elves and Goblins and Angels and Demons. I have not decided whether I will finish reading the whole thing, but I do have Elves and Goblins, so will at least read that one. If you like dark fantasy, speculative fiction, you should enjoy these stories, so don’t hesitate to check them out.
Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this text through the LibraryThing Member’s Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Lucifer languishes in an earthly prison, awaiting the apocalypse that will finally free him after 200,000 years. Before breaking loose, he discovers that the armageddon he set in motion will destroy the capital of Chaos, his home universe.
He travels back to Chaos and stumbles upon a bloody civil war devastating his homeland. The realm's magic wielders are firmly under the control of a rival clan, and without their protection, Lucifer's family is in mortal peril. As old demon clan rivalries blossom and a new hostile universe expands across the known multiverse, Lucifer is faced with not only protecting Chaos from annihilation but also saving his rightful place on the throne.
My Thoughts: Imagine that everything you thought you know about good and evil, demons and angels, even elves was completely wrong. Imagine that everything you thought you knew about the war between heaven and hell was wrong. I believe it was from this perspective that Rex Jameson wrote this book, Lucifer’s Odyssey.
There is not much I can tell you about this book plot-wise – if I even start to try, I’ll end up spoilering all over the place. So, I’ll comment on the elements of the novel instead. First of all, I loved the characters and characterization. While the book is primarily action-oriented, whenever they had the opportunity to take main stage, the characters would shine. I particularly liked Sariel – his combination of a sort of grazed, psychopathic glee and absolute horn-doggedness was a never-ending source of amusement. The plot flowed smoothly, for the most part, and while this is very obviously the first book in a series, with plenty of plot threads left untied for the next book, at the same time it is a complete and satisfying story within itself. That said, it really didn’t grab me like I had hoped it would – while it really isn’t a terribly long book – less than 300 pages – it felt like it took me a long time to read it. I wouldn’t say it actually did, since I read it within a 12-hour time period, including a nap of several hours, but it seemed even longer. It’s not a bad story, not by any means, and my rating reflects it – it just didn’t haul me in like I had hoped it would.
The sequel to this, The Goblin Rebellion, has been available since January. There are two novellas that are based in the same universe as well, Elves and Goblins and Angels and Demons. I have not decided whether I will finish reading the whole thing, but I do have Elves and Goblins, so will at least read that one. If you like dark fantasy, speculative fiction, you should enjoy these stories, so don’t hesitate to check them out.
January 30, 2012
Lucifier's Odyssey begins like a bad joke. Four demons and one angel (or was that wizards) walk into a bar.
Violence ensues. Then Lucifier takes off in a space-ship, shredding imprisonment like bad dialogue (if only the reader could.)
The story doesn't get much better. Satan's trip reads like a collection of cool ideas rather than a coherent plot. Characters are introduced and perish at the same rate. Poor old Azezal whose immenent death prompts Lucy's space flight dies on route without a bare mention later.
Rex appears is place more importance is numbers than literary skill. Tens of thousands die, hundreds of thousands of years pass, millions die again.
Despite the incrediable ages of these guys, they still appear incredibly juvenille. Hey could happen, but would they drop lines like "Haters gonna hate"?
Well this hater is going to hate for the most part. There are some genuinely funny parts in this book (not enough to recommend ploughing through it) and Rex needs to be commended for creating such a thoroughly bizarre universe. Unfortunately this book can't seem to keep to one tone, theme, plot or character for long enough to be taken seriously.
Violence ensues. Then Lucifier takes off in a space-ship, shredding imprisonment like bad dialogue (if only the reader could.)
The story doesn't get much better. Satan's trip reads like a collection of cool ideas rather than a coherent plot. Characters are introduced and perish at the same rate. Poor old Azezal whose immenent death prompts Lucy's space flight dies on route without a bare mention later.
Rex appears is place more importance is numbers than literary skill. Tens of thousands die, hundreds of thousands of years pass, millions die again.
Despite the incrediable ages of these guys, they still appear incredibly juvenille. Hey could happen, but would they drop lines like "Haters gonna hate"?
Well this hater is going to hate for the most part. There are some genuinely funny parts in this book (not enough to recommend ploughing through it) and Rex needs to be commended for creating such a thoroughly bizarre universe. Unfortunately this book can't seem to keep to one tone, theme, plot or character for long enough to be taken seriously.
June 13, 2018
Enjoyable
While I love all things Lucifer, I found until about halfway through the book, that I wasn't drawn in by Lucifer. When I was though, I really enjoyed it
While I love all things Lucifer, I found until about halfway through the book, that I wasn't drawn in by Lucifer. When I was though, I really enjoyed it
September 14, 2017
****I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review****
Despite the name, this is NOT a creation myth retelling. In fact, if you go in thinking that the names are more of a coincidence then this is actually Lucifer, fallen archangel, and devil sent to plague humanity, then I think you’d be happier. Think of this as a science-fiction meets dark fantasy where fantasy creatures/aliens and world building gods clash over the right to live, rule, create, and who has access to knowledge. Think of this as the journey of one immortal prince (who is only immortal as long as he doesn’t get killed) as he goes to avenge his twin brother, only to learn that his brother’s death was perhaps not so murderous, and the being responsible has plans to destroy the prince’s world to power his own designs. Then, as the prince rushes home through light years of space after being trapped for thousands of years, he learns that another has taken his place, and he must now take back everything that was stolen from him, and also save his primal pattern (or, world really) from being destroyed. Get rid of the name Lucifer and Jehovah and apocalypse, and this book gets a bit closer to a better told story. But unfortunately, you can’t do that, either.
I always get a little sad when a book makes such interesting promises and can’t deliver on them for one reason or another. There is so much promise in “Lucifer’s Odyssey”! It’s a good effort, Jameson is a smart writer and he knows his stuff when trying to explain the science between the space travel side of the book, but there’s just So. Much. Going. On. Angels and demons that are also wizards, and wizards that are goblins and also elves, and a demonic version of a constitutional monarchy plus royal coups, not to mention the past feuds between other primals (that feel like kingdoms given their relationship with the other species), and epic love stories that never feel that epic because they never truly got much attention to begin with. It’s a lot to keep track of, and some of these points would be fabulous all on their own. But ultimately, the world building just falls apart and it feels like the author is making things up as he goes, and loses the thread of what the real conflict was supposed to be, as so many colossal threads are left for the reader to grasp, and attach an importance to.
I had a hard time deciding if this book was satirical, there are some funny moments, and Sariel (er, Loki I guess?) is a funny guy, and I enjoyed his quips. But the way he and Lucifer interact, it’s hard to get a sense of time, as (supposedly) hundreds of thousands of years are passing, but these guys and their worlds never alter. And they ALWAYS say things that are the equivalent of “you mad, bro?” While funny, it felt out of place in this kind of story, and left me confused as to what was meant to be serious, or make me feel things other than “oh, well then, was that necessary? These guys sure do like to kill people pretty casually…” Making it was hard to root for them, or feel sympathetic when characters meet untimely ends. Oh, and speaking of casual killing, this book has a lot of violence and a lot of swearing, so if you aren’t into that, be forewarned. I'd say anyone under 16 probably shouldn't read it...
Jameson does really need to be given credit for coming up with such a unique concept, but it could have used a bit more refining and world building, so the tangents stayed focused, the necessary characters received the appropriate amount of page time in relevant situations that gave the reader an idea of if they were meant to be sympathetic (or missed when they were gone), and a consistent tone could be established. This book could merely be suffering from the symptoms of being the first book in a trilogy, where the author is trying to set up everything necessary so that books 2 and 3 are where the reader will truly “get” what’s happening. Which is unfortunate, because this story did hold promise.
Again, if you can 100% ignore that this has nothing to do with the characters and creatures you know as Lucifer and Jehovah (god) then I think you’ll be better served, but Jameson clearly doesn’t want the reader to do that, so I can’t really give it a pass, either. I wanted to like this more than I did, I really did, but given well, everything, I’m can only give it a 2.5 stars.
Despite the name, this is NOT a creation myth retelling. In fact, if you go in thinking that the names are more of a coincidence then this is actually Lucifer, fallen archangel, and devil sent to plague humanity, then I think you’d be happier. Think of this as a science-fiction meets dark fantasy where fantasy creatures/aliens and world building gods clash over the right to live, rule, create, and who has access to knowledge. Think of this as the journey of one immortal prince (who is only immortal as long as he doesn’t get killed) as he goes to avenge his twin brother, only to learn that his brother’s death was perhaps not so murderous, and the being responsible has plans to destroy the prince’s world to power his own designs. Then, as the prince rushes home through light years of space after being trapped for thousands of years, he learns that another has taken his place, and he must now take back everything that was stolen from him, and also save his primal pattern (or, world really) from being destroyed. Get rid of the name Lucifer and Jehovah and apocalypse, and this book gets a bit closer to a better told story. But unfortunately, you can’t do that, either.
I always get a little sad when a book makes such interesting promises and can’t deliver on them for one reason or another. There is so much promise in “Lucifer’s Odyssey”! It’s a good effort, Jameson is a smart writer and he knows his stuff when trying to explain the science between the space travel side of the book, but there’s just So. Much. Going. On. Angels and demons that are also wizards, and wizards that are goblins and also elves, and a demonic version of a constitutional monarchy plus royal coups, not to mention the past feuds between other primals (that feel like kingdoms given their relationship with the other species), and epic love stories that never feel that epic because they never truly got much attention to begin with. It’s a lot to keep track of, and some of these points would be fabulous all on their own. But ultimately, the world building just falls apart and it feels like the author is making things up as he goes, and loses the thread of what the real conflict was supposed to be, as so many colossal threads are left for the reader to grasp, and attach an importance to.
I had a hard time deciding if this book was satirical, there are some funny moments, and Sariel (er, Loki I guess?) is a funny guy, and I enjoyed his quips. But the way he and Lucifer interact, it’s hard to get a sense of time, as (supposedly) hundreds of thousands of years are passing, but these guys and their worlds never alter. And they ALWAYS say things that are the equivalent of “you mad, bro?” While funny, it felt out of place in this kind of story, and left me confused as to what was meant to be serious, or make me feel things other than “oh, well then, was that necessary? These guys sure do like to kill people pretty casually…” Making it was hard to root for them, or feel sympathetic when characters meet untimely ends. Oh, and speaking of casual killing, this book has a lot of violence and a lot of swearing, so if you aren’t into that, be forewarned. I'd say anyone under 16 probably shouldn't read it...
Jameson does really need to be given credit for coming up with such a unique concept, but it could have used a bit more refining and world building, so the tangents stayed focused, the necessary characters received the appropriate amount of page time in relevant situations that gave the reader an idea of if they were meant to be sympathetic (or missed when they were gone), and a consistent tone could be established. This book could merely be suffering from the symptoms of being the first book in a trilogy, where the author is trying to set up everything necessary so that books 2 and 3 are where the reader will truly “get” what’s happening. Which is unfortunate, because this story did hold promise.
Again, if you can 100% ignore that this has nothing to do with the characters and creatures you know as Lucifer and Jehovah (god) then I think you’ll be better served, but Jameson clearly doesn’t want the reader to do that, so I can’t really give it a pass, either. I wanted to like this more than I did, I really did, but given well, everything, I’m can only give it a 2.5 stars.
February 9, 2012
This book was a bit of fun, if annoying - and confusing - in places.
I loved the concept and the ideas, the whole twist on the creation myth was great, but for me the idea that an immortal with a fair amount of power wanted to spend a great deal of his time either drunk, getting drunk, hung-over or having sex grated, especially when these scenes happened just after some new and devastating incident. So although these scenes were often laugh out loud funny, I started wanted to slap some sense into him.
My other issue was that after I reached the end of the book, I was still unsure of what the main character looked like. I'm assuming humanoid, but the number and type and abilities of winged appendages seemed to change (loved the concept of wings as energy fields though) throughout - and for me, every time I thought I had the mental image, it would flip again.
Overall though, a fun read.
I loved the concept and the ideas, the whole twist on the creation myth was great, but for me the idea that an immortal with a fair amount of power wanted to spend a great deal of his time either drunk, getting drunk, hung-over or having sex grated, especially when these scenes happened just after some new and devastating incident. So although these scenes were often laugh out loud funny, I started wanted to slap some sense into him.
My other issue was that after I reached the end of the book, I was still unsure of what the main character looked like. I'm assuming humanoid, but the number and type and abilities of winged appendages seemed to change (loved the concept of wings as energy fields though) throughout - and for me, every time I thought I had the mental image, it would flip again.
Overall though, a fun read.
December 12, 2017
Thank you Goodreads and Rex Jameson for the whole Primal Patterns series! That being said, even though I got this in a giveaway, it will not affect my review.
I will admit, it took a bit to get into this book. I was very confused very fast, but I persevered and I really did enjoy this book! I went to a Catholic grade/middle school growing up, so the stories of the Bible are not new to me. I did have to suspend that belief to enjoy this novel (and as someone who is now nonpracticing, it didn't bother me at all). And enjoy it I did! There were quiet a few laugh out loud moments and I was really rooting for Lucifer throughout.
Let's talk about characters for a hot minute. Yeah, Lucifer is the main character, but Sariel was my favorite. I don't know why, but the playboys are always my favorite; well that and he was the funniest. Not that Luke isn't funny, but he needs to lighten up! I enjoyed that we followed so closely to Lucifer, so that I felt the anger he did, the sadness he did, the joy he did. I thought the characters were very well thought out.
Plot, not going to lie, is a little all over the place. At first, I thought we'd stay on Earth, but that was a chapter at best. Then we were here, then there, then there, and kept jumping around. You really can't skim this novel without risk of missing some big plot points. But those intricacies of the plot really made this a wild ride.
(Quick edit: I forgot to talk about the prose! -gasp-) The writing in this novel is so beautiful, I thought I was there with the characters. This would make a fantastic TV show because I could clearly envision the novel and it's so thoughtful, I think it'd be a hit. The world building is UNREAL, like it's just so creative, lyrical, and just WOW. Major author envy at the Rex Jameson's skill.
There are a few things I didn't like. The pace is off, way too slow at time and way too fast at others. Some of the jokes didn't land right for me (Lucifer makes a kitchen joke, and while the recipient says she can still whoop his ass, it disappointed me to hear it come from him at all... and there are a few others). But overall, I think this first book was a lot of fun and I'll have to get around to the others soon!!
I will admit, it took a bit to get into this book. I was very confused very fast, but I persevered and I really did enjoy this book! I went to a Catholic grade/middle school growing up, so the stories of the Bible are not new to me. I did have to suspend that belief to enjoy this novel (and as someone who is now nonpracticing, it didn't bother me at all). And enjoy it I did! There were quiet a few laugh out loud moments and I was really rooting for Lucifer throughout.
Let's talk about characters for a hot minute. Yeah, Lucifer is the main character, but Sariel was my favorite. I don't know why, but the playboys are always my favorite; well that and he was the funniest. Not that Luke isn't funny, but he needs to lighten up! I enjoyed that we followed so closely to Lucifer, so that I felt the anger he did, the sadness he did, the joy he did. I thought the characters were very well thought out.
Plot, not going to lie, is a little all over the place. At first, I thought we'd stay on Earth, but that was a chapter at best. Then we were here, then there, then there, and kept jumping around. You really can't skim this novel without risk of missing some big plot points. But those intricacies of the plot really made this a wild ride.
(Quick edit: I forgot to talk about the prose! -gasp-) The writing in this novel is so beautiful, I thought I was there with the characters. This would make a fantastic TV show because I could clearly envision the novel and it's so thoughtful, I think it'd be a hit. The world building is UNREAL, like it's just so creative, lyrical, and just WOW. Major author envy at the Rex Jameson's skill.
There are a few things I didn't like. The pace is off, way too slow at time and way too fast at others. Some of the jokes didn't land right for me (Lucifer makes a kitchen joke, and while the recipient says she can still whoop his ass, it disappointed me to hear it come from him at all... and there are a few others). But overall, I think this first book was a lot of fun and I'll have to get around to the others soon!!
October 31, 2017
If you enjoy the ‘what-if’ structure of alternate history novels, you’ll be thrilled by Lucifer’s Odyssey by Rex Jameson, which is alternate theology. This tale of the fall of Lucifer, the angel who defied Jehovah and was exiled to earth, where he ruled the Underworld, is an eclectic combination of science fiction, fantasy, and alternate theology that, while it will probably be disturbing to those who adhere to more traditional religious beliefs, will entertain readers who are willing to read with an open mind.
An epic start to a series that explores the religious cosmos with an astonishing array of ‘what-if’ scenarios, it is filled with excitement and humor, with an underlying tone of ‘this is just as possible as the traditional explanations.’ If you like to be challenged, this is a simply must-read book.
An epic start to a series that explores the religious cosmos with an astonishing array of ‘what-if’ scenarios, it is filled with excitement and humor, with an underlying tone of ‘this is just as possible as the traditional explanations.’ If you like to be challenged, this is a simply must-read book.
May 3, 2020
I'm not sure when i downloaded this to my kindle but I am glad I did. This was such a different take on the old Lucifer and Jehovah story. This Lucifer is dfferent than most takes of the character that I've read, he's not a smooth talker or super persuasive. Has an anger issue, but he's not inherently evil. He has a twin, Jehovah is not exactly god, and definitely not the creator of the universe, nor is he Lucifer's father. I was intrigued enough to continue reading. There's demons, demon wizards, angels, and elves. There's political intrigue and some racism. A few references to different mythologies, but this seems like a universe all unto itself and a very interesting one. I intend to continue reading more into the series to see where it goes
June 20, 2017
The Earth where Lucifer and his companions are confronted by Michael and set on a path that takes them to their home the Chaos Pattern. Upon arriving they learn that terrible things have happened and all of the people blame Lucifer's father who sits upon the throne. With conflict between the clans being imminent Lucifer must flee to seek help from an old goblin friend in order to ensure his proper place on the throne.
February 7, 2023
This is far from my usual choice or taste by a long way but I must admit that I absolutely loved it. The fact that the devil’s part of a MC club on earth and causing chaos, etc just appeals to my sense of humour. In fact the humour that runs through this story is one of the best parts of the whole tale. The devil in this is not always the bad guy and there are plots and twists throughout as you would expect when dealing with the devil and his family. Read and enjoy.
July 6, 2023
Although it uses Biblical characters to build the story, the story is in no way biblical. So if you're looking for Christian Fiction, skip this. I waded through the entire book, but I found the elevation of Lucifer to a sympathetic hero, and Jehovah as a villain to be objectionable.
From the title, I guess I was looking for a fictionalization of how Lucifer fell. That's not what this first book of a trilogy does.
So for me, quite a disappointment.
From the title, I guess I was looking for a fictionalization of how Lucifer fell. That's not what this first book of a trilogy does.
So for me, quite a disappointment.
June 23, 2017
An interesting perspective on Lucifer, The sci-fi fantasy themes drew me into this book right away. It contains magic, immortals, and complex relationships. A bit of a classical mythology spin (gods and goddesses are related and have family issues) combined with speculative/alternative history. An interesting read.
November 12, 2017
Interesting concept
Interesting concept with a lot of action! It has a lot of symbolism with not only characters such as Lucifer but Jehova as well and not in the traditional ways we would picture them
Interesting concept with a lot of action! It has a lot of symbolism with not only characters such as Lucifer but Jehova as well and not in the traditional ways we would picture them
May 4, 2020
This was an impressively complex sci-fi/fantasy. I enjoyed how far away from the norm the author traveled, stretching the way the reader must understand reality in order to follow the plot. Time was fluid, and magic melded with science beautifully.
June 10, 2017
WOW
What a truly amazing read. An extraordinary take on creation, angles, demons and elves. Read this book if you like stories that make you think
What a truly amazing read. An extraordinary take on creation, angles, demons and elves. Read this book if you like stories that make you think
June 24, 2017
I did not finish this book. In my opinion it is loaded with sacrilege and blasphemy.
August 2, 2017
Epic, sprawling science fantasy unashamedly in the style of Zelazny.
February 17, 2018
Great twist on the old testament
What a great book. Moves very quickly. A very interesting twist on the biblical story. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
What a great book. Moves very quickly. A very interesting twist on the biblical story. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
July 11, 2018
I really liked this one, unique and great for the authors first major attempt at a novel in this vein!
February 26, 2018
Wonderful book!! Now, it takes a little getting used to you have a Christian upbringing, but is very worth it.
The hero, Lucifer, has to defeat the villain, Jehovah. Chaos vs Order. Trust me this book is a highly entertainer and very much worth reading.
Now I am starting the second book, The Goblin Rebellion.
The hero, Lucifer, has to defeat the villain, Jehovah. Chaos vs Order. Trust me this book is a highly entertainer and very much worth reading.
Now I am starting the second book, The Goblin Rebellion.
February 22, 2012
Overall:
I am much happier with reading this book; there are no cheesy names, settings, or plotlines that make the book not worth a read. After reading the first three chapters, there was a serious engagement that this author has cleverly weaved to pull my interests where I felt compelled just to read more of the book. Normally, finding self-published authors who study the craft of writing are like finding diamonds in the rough. Fortunately, I think Jameson can make it on his way to success if he tries hard enough and pulls the right strings. If there one thing I can definitely say about the book, Rex Jameson has done an excellent job in pulling his readers into his series. Personally, I highly recommend for the author to take his book a step further by entering the book into a self-publishing contest for further publication. Although I am not entire sure if he has done that already, I am quite positive he might have a chance at winning the contest or getting among the top 100 books.
The Good:
As mentioned previously, the mixture of future Christian topics (e.g. apocalypse, angels, demons, God, etc) are one of the few things that will grab an audience’s attention. However, making a synthesis of these elements to create an interesting storyline to captivate the readers into reconsidering their faiths from a different perspective is something hard to do. In this case, that is what the author has attempted to do and successfully done a pretty good job with the idea altogether. One other that makes the book worth reading is the fact that there seems to be a few interesting characters and aspects about Satan and his demons that make the book worth taking about.
The Really Good:
The best part of this book is the fact I felt quite engaged in the book for the first fifteen chapters of the book; the plot line tends to slowdown after that a bit, but then speeds up later in the series. Unlike other writers, I did not have to worry about the need about sappy melodrama, boring dialogue, and perhaps cheesy characters. There seems to be a fine balance between who is important and who is not important in the ‘demonic order.’ What makes me quite pleased about this book overall is that the author has conveyed an imagery similar to C.S. Lewis’s book The Screw- tape Letters. Though I am not entirely sure whether the author intended to make the book feel that way or convey an alternative message that was the impression I received from reading this book.
Tweaks:
There are a couple of things I would like to mention that probably is lacking in the series overall and that is verisimilitude. If there intends to be an impact upon the nature of Christianity, then the author needs to stick to make his or her character realistic and stick to the original storyline. In order to offer some kind of ‘alternative aspect’ to any kind of traditional view whether these involve vampires, werewolves, witches or (in this case) involve biblical characters, there needs to be a kind of discussion that either affirms or dismisses a common stereotype. The problems I find with the characters are how they are conveyed. According to scripture, angels bear no relations with God and cannot die. The novel’s idea that immortality among angels can be revoked or restored does not sound realistic in any sense of the term. There is some low humor that is conveyed in the book, especially with the words like “Hell” and “Demon.” However, much of its overuse can become detrimental for readers who think the book can tremendously entertaining.
The last thing I want to touch upon is that the book needs to clarify the plotline and dramatis personae i.e., the characters involved. For some reason, I began to lose track of who’s who almost toward the middle of the book and I did not figure out what was going on until the very end of the book. Hopefully, the author will try to clarify and make the book clearer.
Overall Grade:
A
I am much happier with reading this book; there are no cheesy names, settings, or plotlines that make the book not worth a read. After reading the first three chapters, there was a serious engagement that this author has cleverly weaved to pull my interests where I felt compelled just to read more of the book. Normally, finding self-published authors who study the craft of writing are like finding diamonds in the rough. Fortunately, I think Jameson can make it on his way to success if he tries hard enough and pulls the right strings. If there one thing I can definitely say about the book, Rex Jameson has done an excellent job in pulling his readers into his series. Personally, I highly recommend for the author to take his book a step further by entering the book into a self-publishing contest for further publication. Although I am not entire sure if he has done that already, I am quite positive he might have a chance at winning the contest or getting among the top 100 books.
The Good:
As mentioned previously, the mixture of future Christian topics (e.g. apocalypse, angels, demons, God, etc) are one of the few things that will grab an audience’s attention. However, making a synthesis of these elements to create an interesting storyline to captivate the readers into reconsidering their faiths from a different perspective is something hard to do. In this case, that is what the author has attempted to do and successfully done a pretty good job with the idea altogether. One other that makes the book worth reading is the fact that there seems to be a few interesting characters and aspects about Satan and his demons that make the book worth taking about.
The Really Good:
The best part of this book is the fact I felt quite engaged in the book for the first fifteen chapters of the book; the plot line tends to slowdown after that a bit, but then speeds up later in the series. Unlike other writers, I did not have to worry about the need about sappy melodrama, boring dialogue, and perhaps cheesy characters. There seems to be a fine balance between who is important and who is not important in the ‘demonic order.’ What makes me quite pleased about this book overall is that the author has conveyed an imagery similar to C.S. Lewis’s book The Screw- tape Letters. Though I am not entirely sure whether the author intended to make the book feel that way or convey an alternative message that was the impression I received from reading this book.
Tweaks:
There are a couple of things I would like to mention that probably is lacking in the series overall and that is verisimilitude. If there intends to be an impact upon the nature of Christianity, then the author needs to stick to make his or her character realistic and stick to the original storyline. In order to offer some kind of ‘alternative aspect’ to any kind of traditional view whether these involve vampires, werewolves, witches or (in this case) involve biblical characters, there needs to be a kind of discussion that either affirms or dismisses a common stereotype. The problems I find with the characters are how they are conveyed. According to scripture, angels bear no relations with God and cannot die. The novel’s idea that immortality among angels can be revoked or restored does not sound realistic in any sense of the term. There is some low humor that is conveyed in the book, especially with the words like “Hell” and “Demon.” However, much of its overuse can become detrimental for readers who think the book can tremendously entertaining.
The last thing I want to touch upon is that the book needs to clarify the plotline and dramatis personae i.e., the characters involved. For some reason, I began to lose track of who’s who almost toward the middle of the book and I did not figure out what was going on until the very end of the book. Hopefully, the author will try to clarify and make the book clearer.
Overall Grade:
A
October 10, 2011
From: Lilac Wolf and Stuff
When Rex asked me to read this book, the name Lucifer was enough for me. Come on, who doesn't love a great scary Satan novel?
So wrong. Rex has done something so unique I'm actually giddy as I write this. He took some spiritual names we are familiar with, characters even and put them in new roles and new places.
Lucifer is the crowned prince of Chaos, trapped on Earth. Remember the archangel Michael? He's Lucifer's twin brother. And Jehovah? He's Lucifer's cousin...a rule-breaking scholar who left the Chaos Primal to create Order. And I LOVE that Jehovah, kind of an arrogant tool, is married to Gaea. And yes, she is mother earth to his cool scientific God.
There are also Goblins Elves...they don't like to be called Goblins. They live in a 3rd Primal. The Elvin and Chaos primals were created by Archimedes. They can speak with him and also with the primals. Well in theory, in the book only the Chaos one speaks.
It's all so intense. There is magic, immortals, and really no holds barred on theories or physical laws.
Lucifer has to fight to win back the respect of the elves, to get back his rightful place on the throne, to save his kingdom and the elves. To stop not only Jehovah, but Eranos. And as much as a egotistical and evil as he seems in the beginning, you end up rooting for the demon. And yes, he is a demon, wings and all.
So get a copy, it's a fascinating and fun read!
When Rex asked me to read this book, the name Lucifer was enough for me. Come on, who doesn't love a great scary Satan novel?
So wrong. Rex has done something so unique I'm actually giddy as I write this. He took some spiritual names we are familiar with, characters even and put them in new roles and new places.
Lucifer is the crowned prince of Chaos, trapped on Earth. Remember the archangel Michael? He's Lucifer's twin brother. And Jehovah? He's Lucifer's cousin...a rule-breaking scholar who left the Chaos Primal to create Order. And I LOVE that Jehovah, kind of an arrogant tool, is married to Gaea. And yes, she is mother earth to his cool scientific God.
There are also Goblins Elves...they don't like to be called Goblins. They live in a 3rd Primal. The Elvin and Chaos primals were created by Archimedes. They can speak with him and also with the primals. Well in theory, in the book only the Chaos one speaks.
It's all so intense. There is magic, immortals, and really no holds barred on theories or physical laws.
Lucifer has to fight to win back the respect of the elves, to get back his rightful place on the throne, to save his kingdom and the elves. To stop not only Jehovah, but Eranos. And as much as a egotistical and evil as he seems in the beginning, you end up rooting for the demon. And yes, he is a demon, wings and all.
So get a copy, it's a fascinating and fun read!
September 20, 2013
"A civil war rages across the heavens between Lucifer and Jehovah, but it's not the story you thought you knew..."
That statement found in the description is absolutely true. I was excited to see a unique perspective on that war between these religious figures. I was even relieved. And it's a premise that can stick, mind you. After the first shock of excitement I was left with very little to carry on. The author managed to paint such a majestic picture of our world in the beginning that boomeranged back at the chapters that followed.
Because after the initial plunge into the premise, which artfully and right away, everything slows down and the characters turn mundane.
Note to the author, for all that it's worth: There's one thing that would have helped the story move along better, and it should have been part of the concept (spoiler) from the scene with Eve and on. The Battle that rages on since the beginning of time (for us mortals) is fought *through* us. Even in the case of the premise as is decsribed in Lucifer's Odyssey, his cause/plan to leave (trying not to spill spoilers allover the place) would have been achieved better if the whole plot revolved around the minds of the mortals and not some GobTech.
That's my take.
Good read overall, with a couple weak points that prevented me from rating higher. Recommended to readers of christian fantasy with an open mind and a knack for space-scifi (yeah, I know, right? it's still Lucifer's story though!), or just people looking for something new in the fantasy genre.
That statement found in the description is absolutely true. I was excited to see a unique perspective on that war between these religious figures. I was even relieved. And it's a premise that can stick, mind you. After the first shock of excitement I was left with very little to carry on. The author managed to paint such a majestic picture of our world in the beginning that boomeranged back at the chapters that followed.
Because after the initial plunge into the premise, which artfully and right away, everything slows down and the characters turn mundane.
Note to the author, for all that it's worth: There's one thing that would have helped the story move along better, and it should have been part of the concept (spoiler) from the scene with Eve and on. The Battle that rages on since the beginning of time (for us mortals) is fought *through* us. Even in the case of the premise as is decsribed in Lucifer's Odyssey, his cause/plan to leave (trying not to spill spoilers allover the place) would have been achieved better if the whole plot revolved around the minds of the mortals and not some GobTech.
That's my take.
Good read overall, with a couple weak points that prevented me from rating higher. Recommended to readers of christian fantasy with an open mind and a knack for space-scifi (yeah, I know, right? it's still Lucifer's story though!), or just people looking for something new in the fantasy genre.
February 4, 2012
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up Lucifer’s Odyssey by Rex Jameson, but I know what I got was a thousand times better than anything I could’ve been expecting!
From the start of the book, Jameson drops the reader right into the action. We follow Lucifer, the Prince of the universe Chaos, as he returns home from Earth and fights to reclaim his kingdom. By this point, you’ve probably realized that this is NOT your standard Lucifer story. Rather, Jameson uses Christian mythology and modifies it to craft this complex and incredible universe. And when I say complex, I mean really, really complex! I was impressed throughout the entire book at just how much thought obviously went into the world-building for this novel.
The characters are all just as intriguing. My personal favorite was Sariel, Lucifer’s decidedly scuzzy brother. And Lucifer himself is a hero you’ll easily find yourself rooting for. Milton would be proud.
Other than an occasional unevenness in tone, the book is superbly written, sometimes outrageously funny, sometimes action-packed, sometimes even heartbreaking. I highly recommend Lucifer’s Odyssey to anyone looking for a great read that’s not your standard fare.
From the start of the book, Jameson drops the reader right into the action. We follow Lucifer, the Prince of the universe Chaos, as he returns home from Earth and fights to reclaim his kingdom. By this point, you’ve probably realized that this is NOT your standard Lucifer story. Rather, Jameson uses Christian mythology and modifies it to craft this complex and incredible universe. And when I say complex, I mean really, really complex! I was impressed throughout the entire book at just how much thought obviously went into the world-building for this novel.
The characters are all just as intriguing. My personal favorite was Sariel, Lucifer’s decidedly scuzzy brother. And Lucifer himself is a hero you’ll easily find yourself rooting for. Milton would be proud.
Other than an occasional unevenness in tone, the book is superbly written, sometimes outrageously funny, sometimes action-packed, sometimes even heartbreaking. I highly recommend Lucifer’s Odyssey to anyone looking for a great read that’s not your standard fare.
August 30, 2011
The story begins on Earth where Lucifer and his companions are confronted by Michael and set on a path that takes them to their home the Chaos Pattern. Upon arriving they learn that terrible things have happened and all of the people blame Lucifer's father who sits upon the throne. With conflict between the clans being imminent Lucifer must flee to seek help from an old goblin friend in order to ensure his proper place on the throne.
Rex Jameson does a wonderful job telling this story in a completely unexpected way. Lucifer is a good character and while I didn't really relate to him much (he is still a bit of a sociopath at times) there are parts where it is easy to sympathize with his problems. There only real issue I had with the book was the magic system. Pattern magic is spoken of and used throughout the story, but I never really understood much about it. One of the things I love about fantasy novels is the unique twists that so many people bring to magic, and I would have liked to understand this one a little bit better. That really doesn't affect they story however it is more of a personal preference in a book.
Review based on ARC from author.
Rex Jameson does a wonderful job telling this story in a completely unexpected way. Lucifer is a good character and while I didn't really relate to him much (he is still a bit of a sociopath at times) there are parts where it is easy to sympathize with his problems. There only real issue I had with the book was the magic system. Pattern magic is spoken of and used throughout the story, but I never really understood much about it. One of the things I love about fantasy novels is the unique twists that so many people bring to magic, and I would have liked to understand this one a little bit better. That really doesn't affect they story however it is more of a personal preference in a book.
Review based on ARC from author.
October 15, 2016
Lucifer's Odyssey
by Rex Jameson (book 1 in the Primal Patterns series) is definitely not your typical epic paranormal fantasy science fiction novel. It is also not likely to be appreciated by fundamentalist Christian Evangelicals lacking an open mind when it comes to such biblical characters as Lucifer, Jehovah, and Michael. Covering three parallel universes and hundreds of millions of years, this book combines supernatural creatures (demons, angels, and goblins/elves), a mixture of magic and advanced science, political intrigue, war, and cosmology to create an epic, action/adventure romp that will make you think while keeping you turning the pages. It's not every day you read a novel written from the demon Lucifer's point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written book and look forward to reading book two. So if you are interested in reading something more than the typical science fiction space opera, then you could do far worse than this first book in the primal patterns series.
November 4, 2011
First of a scheduled trilogy, "Lucifer's Odyssey" is aptly named. The author conjures an imaginary history of Lucifer's rise to prominence among other demons and god-like characters. I found the idea very good using the idea of primal patterns based on the Forms of Plato's Socrates dialogs, but the core thread was held in check by wildly variable descriptions of action that borrowed heavily on an irrational mix of human-like vulnerabilities and supernatural powers attributed to the characters. The story is in no way irreligious unless the reader is bothered by an alternate suggestion as to Lucifer's ascendency to power, which would seem to be the basis of Jameson's trilogy. In short, a good book, and perhaps a better rating for fantasy fans than I've given it.
This book was received as an eBook in exchange for an honest review.
This book was received as an eBook in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2011
Never in a million years did I think I'd be rooting for Lucifer! This book has a whole new take on the relationships between Lucifer, Michael, Jehovah and the rest of the gang. Lucifer, by the way, is the Crown Prince of Chaos and he's stuck on Earth. This was an amazing story. At first, when I began reading, I thought Lucifer was just what I would expect the devil to be like. After reading further into the book, he became more likeable-yes likeable. No I'm not crazy, Nor am I a Satan worshipper. This book just was that good! The magic part kind of threw me for a loop. Not enough really explained about magic--maybe in the later books. (This is book one of a series) Read it, you'll be surprised and amazed. I received this book from LibraryThing Member giveaways. I was looking forward to reading about Lucifer getting his butt kicked. This was much better! READ THIS BOOK!!
September 6, 2016
The fantasy I read is usually more of the sword-and-sorcerer variety and doesn't have sci-fi tones, so I don't know if I would generally be the target audience for this book. However, I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review, so here goes! Perhaps my perspective might be helpful since this *isn't* my normal subgenre to read.
Even though at first I was apprehensive about being able to become involved/engrossed with the characters and plot, I was intrigued by the "magic" system and the alternate way of viewing the conflict between angels and demons, and I really liked all the interesting little details that crept into the story as it continued. The pacing was well-done and the story wasn't predictable or boring. I truly can't think of anything to complain about, especially as this is the first book by the author (that I'm aware of).
Even though at first I was apprehensive about being able to become involved/engrossed with the characters and plot, I was intrigued by the "magic" system and the alternate way of viewing the conflict between angels and demons, and I really liked all the interesting little details that crept into the story as it continued. The pacing was well-done and the story wasn't predictable or boring. I truly can't think of anything to complain about, especially as this is the first book by the author (that I'm aware of).
March 5, 2012
I received a copy from Firstreads.
I couldn't decide whether the author intended this novel to be a comedy or if he wanted the reader to take it seriously. When I first signed up to receive a copy from the author, I assumed the story was going to be an epic fantasy tale with horror undertones involving Lucifer. Having this expectation in my mind, I was quite excited to begin reading it as soon as I got it in the mail. However, I was incredibly disappointed when the book started off like a bad joke that refused to end.
In addition, I had a very hard time not only imagining the characters, but half the time I had to stop and Google who most of the characters were. I was raised Catholic, although now i'm Agnostic, but even having a background in Christianity, I still had a giant question mark hovering over my head 90% of the time.
I couldn't decide whether the author intended this novel to be a comedy or if he wanted the reader to take it seriously. When I first signed up to receive a copy from the author, I assumed the story was going to be an epic fantasy tale with horror undertones involving Lucifer. Having this expectation in my mind, I was quite excited to begin reading it as soon as I got it in the mail. However, I was incredibly disappointed when the book started off like a bad joke that refused to end.
In addition, I had a very hard time not only imagining the characters, but half the time I had to stop and Google who most of the characters were. I was raised Catholic, although now i'm Agnostic, but even having a background in Christianity, I still had a giant question mark hovering over my head 90% of the time.
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