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Dark Halo
In a town besieged by shadowy, demonic forces, a father races against time to save his family.
Thirty-five-year old Landon Paddock has deserted his wife and daughter, abandoned his business, and secluded himself in his late parent’s southern Indiana ranch. But he’s barely lapsed into a drunken coma when a mysterious, winged stranger appears during a violent lightning storm, chasing him out into the maddening night with his estranged 15-year old daughter.
As layer after layer of reality is dissolved by a series of violent encounters, the only way to survive might be for Landon to band together with the family he destroyed to make one last stand against a sinister army of unthinkable magnitude.
Hope, family and redemption lay in the outcome.
Thirty-five-year old Landon Paddock has deserted his wife and daughter, abandoned his business, and secluded himself in his late parent’s southern Indiana ranch. But he’s barely lapsed into a drunken coma when a mysterious, winged stranger appears during a violent lightning storm, chasing him out into the maddening night with his estranged 15-year old daughter.
As layer after layer of reality is dissolved by a series of violent encounters, the only way to survive might be for Landon to band together with the family he destroyed to make one last stand against a sinister army of unthinkable magnitude.
Hope, family and redemption lay in the outcome.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2012
7 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 17, 2012
This was non-stop action! My nephew pats his chest and says “scawy, scawy” when something freaks him out. When I started this book my heart was racing and it was SCAWY!!! Tense! Eeeeek! Holy smokes, it pulls you and you go willingly, into the dark room, only to be jumping at noises, shadows and who knows what?! It seems the apocalypse is upon us. Landon, a man whose father had believed in UFOs, keeps second guessing himself when he sees outrageous things lest he follow the same delusions his father did. But with the evidence of evil all around him, angels falling from the skies and demons and dead bodies, he and his family find themselves back together and fighting for their lives. Something happened two years before so Landon has been living in an alcoholic haze away from his wife and daughter.
It reminded me a little of a Christopher Golden book, or The Taking by Dean Koontz. Chilling. The action is intense and keeps you reading so that this book moves quickly. People die, there are angels, demons, satanists and disgusting rat things. And a huge crazy storm. The only thing that gets a little old is that Landon has seen angels, demon rats and ghosts and he keeps saying "what was that thing?" like the new crazy vision/evil thing is so unbelieveable. I don't know, I hope I am never in this situation, but after a ton of nutty things don't you start to roll with it? Quit shuttering your mind and go into survival mode already! So, after a while I wasn't too sympathetic with his difficulties processing the crazy. But then he gets back into the swing of things, so it was good.
The paragraphs are relatively short, so it is easy to keep reading "just one more" until the book flies by before you know it. If you are looking for non-stop paranormal action of the good vs evil variety, look no further. It is horror (paranormal horror?), so there is blood and death and nasty stuff, you lose both good and bad guys, bummer! 4 stars.
Awesome quote describing the evil "camp" - "Clotted arteries of darkness looped and bulged between tents, bonfires bleeding heat over the masses." (59%)
It reminded me a little of a Christopher Golden book, or The Taking by Dean Koontz. Chilling. The action is intense and keeps you reading so that this book moves quickly. People die, there are angels, demons, satanists and disgusting rat things. And a huge crazy storm. The only thing that gets a little old is that Landon has seen angels, demon rats and ghosts and he keeps saying "what was that thing?" like the new crazy vision/evil thing is so unbelieveable. I don't know, I hope I am never in this situation, but after a ton of nutty things don't you start to roll with it? Quit shuttering your mind and go into survival mode already! So, after a while I wasn't too sympathetic with his difficulties processing the crazy. But then he gets back into the swing of things, so it was good.
The paragraphs are relatively short, so it is easy to keep reading "just one more" until the book flies by before you know it. If you are looking for non-stop paranormal action of the good vs evil variety, look no further. It is horror (paranormal horror?), so there is blood and death and nasty stuff, you lose both good and bad guys, bummer! 4 stars.
Awesome quote describing the evil "camp" - "Clotted arteries of darkness looped and bulged between tents, bonfires bleeding heat over the masses." (59%)
December 22, 2012
This book was intense, not in a bad way but in a grip the book with both hands and hold on tight. It was non-stop action from the first word to the last. After I finished this book it felt like I had run a marathon. The book is set in Small Town Indiana and the author does a really amazing job painting a picture of places and people and events. This book was so complex and wonderful and beautiful. It had demons, angels, mystery, and so much more. The cover art is amazing. The Characters are awesome. I look forward to reading this author again and highly recommend this book to anyone who is up for and action packed intense ride.
June 25, 2017
Five years ago Blackwyrm asked me to write a pre-release review of a book, this book--and I did, but it took me five days to read it and by then the book had gone to press. That review was posted at Gaming Outpost, and now exists only in the archives of my computer files. Reading it over, I would say that the summary of that review is that I thought the book extremely well written in many ways, but did not care for it because I am not fond of horror stories.
Blackwyrm subsequently had a free books day during which I obtained copies of a score or so of their e-books, and this was one of them. It sat idly in an Amazon cloud until very recently I was able to access such books, and began reading them. Working through them in order of publication (largely to protect against the possibility that I might unwittingly read a sequel before its prequel) I came back to it this week. However, I had somewhat higher expectations: I had recently read and reviewed the author's book Past Lives, and recognized some genuinely skillful writing, and I've consumed quite a bit of horror of late thanks to Blackwyrm's collection. So I went forward with it.
The action is relentless, and the skillful use of language to maintain color and mood is remarkable. His skill is enviable in that regard. The editing was well above the norm for e-books, and the cover, not available when I reviewed the book previously, was well done, capturing the essence of the book without giving away the twists.
The scenario is Armageddon-like; demons are assaulting a small Midwest town and the surrounding farms. The core character, Landon, is confronted by unexplained trouble on his farm as an unprecedented storm front moves in, and in the middle night and the storm his teen-aged daughter Katie appears in the house, having gotten her boyfriend to help her slip away from her mother and drive her back to the farm where she grew up. Mother/wife Lucy is estranged from Landon and seeing a cop in the city named George. When Lucy discovers Katie's disappearance, she heads into the storm to find her, and George follows her, and they all wind up together. For about half the story they are trying to reach the church in town; eventually they are trying to escape from it.
The other significant character is an angel, who has been watching over the town for centuries, and particularly over Katie, of whom he apparently has a hidden fondness since he managed to get her rescued from falling in a well a decade before. He is a big part of the solution, but an even bigger part of the problem.
The battle against the spiritual forces of wickedness takes a very physical dimension in this story, and Kokoski makes it come alive in madness. Yet it is a local Armageddon, and although a lot of good people are killed, good wins in the end, and in a way that was almost surprising. It was worth reading again. I don't think I recognized quite how good it was the first time through.
I'm still not a horror fan, though.
Blackwyrm subsequently had a free books day during which I obtained copies of a score or so of their e-books, and this was one of them. It sat idly in an Amazon cloud until very recently I was able to access such books, and began reading them. Working through them in order of publication (largely to protect against the possibility that I might unwittingly read a sequel before its prequel) I came back to it this week. However, I had somewhat higher expectations: I had recently read and reviewed the author's book Past Lives, and recognized some genuinely skillful writing, and I've consumed quite a bit of horror of late thanks to Blackwyrm's collection. So I went forward with it.
The action is relentless, and the skillful use of language to maintain color and mood is remarkable. His skill is enviable in that regard. The editing was well above the norm for e-books, and the cover, not available when I reviewed the book previously, was well done, capturing the essence of the book without giving away the twists.
The scenario is Armageddon-like; demons are assaulting a small Midwest town and the surrounding farms. The core character, Landon, is confronted by unexplained trouble on his farm as an unprecedented storm front moves in, and in the middle night and the storm his teen-aged daughter Katie appears in the house, having gotten her boyfriend to help her slip away from her mother and drive her back to the farm where she grew up. Mother/wife Lucy is estranged from Landon and seeing a cop in the city named George. When Lucy discovers Katie's disappearance, she heads into the storm to find her, and George follows her, and they all wind up together. For about half the story they are trying to reach the church in town; eventually they are trying to escape from it.
The other significant character is an angel, who has been watching over the town for centuries, and particularly over Katie, of whom he apparently has a hidden fondness since he managed to get her rescued from falling in a well a decade before. He is a big part of the solution, but an even bigger part of the problem.
The battle against the spiritual forces of wickedness takes a very physical dimension in this story, and Kokoski makes it come alive in madness. Yet it is a local Armageddon, and although a lot of good people are killed, good wins in the end, and in a way that was almost surprising. It was worth reading again. I don't think I recognized quite how good it was the first time through.
I'm still not a horror fan, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2012
This book was different for me, but not in a bad way. It was for sure interesting, and at times strange. This book is so action-packed from the very start. Christopher Kokoski doesn’t waste any time getting us hooked, and really pull us readers in. We never even get a moment to take a breath. Not good “Stopping spot” to be found.
The writing of this book was really good, I had no trouble getting into it.
I was pretty surprised with this book, it’s not just Paranormal, there is so much more, there is mystery, romance, suspense, death, heartbreak, angels, demons, Satanist and more. It was packed with action, non-stop. I was confused at times, but for the most part was able to keep up. We do encounter what the Angel calls “the devil’s army,” but not how we would expect it to be. The spiritual battle is going on, and the surprise is, its happening along, but not just in the Heavens, but right here on this planet, and that is where we get lots of fatalities. I went through this book fast, as its so intriguing, and just had to know what was to happen.
There are a lot of characters in this book, but the author pulls them out just right, we get to know them all, and connect, for the most part.
We also get some from the angel’s POV Chrysanthium, which I connected a little better with. He was interesting, but not what I expected.
Landon is a character of strength, and he has something worth fighting for, his daughter, Katie. He sure was not going to stop until it was all over. He is caring, passionate and had a lot on his shoulders too. He does have some weaknesses but he uses them to keep him going.
Lucy at first I wasn’t sure about (Katie’s Mom) but she proved she would stand her ground and never back down, even though she was scared to death.
Katie who is 15 got on my nerves a bit, she just didn’t really act her age, and some reactions just were not right to me.
This is not some love story of an angel and a human, don’t let the paranormal cover fool you. I have seen this same angel on other paranormal angel love stories, and this is not one of them. This is a horror story for sure, where people die, and not just the bad guys! But no worries, I wont spoil it by telling you who. This had a little more of the religious stuff that I wasn’t expecting, but it’s not the over the top religious rants you get sometimes with angel books. But overall, this story is of survival.
I am not much for horror type books, in fact the descriptions are so vivid that I had to stop reading late at night, and pick up a book that is fun and non spooky to get this out of my head to sleep, or I would have nightmares, which I always will, it almost worked, lol.
Here is a cute part with Chrysanthium when he rescued some kids, it made me laugh.
The boy slung one arm around his sister and looked up at Chrysanthium. He sucked in a quick breath. “I know who you are.”
Chrysanthium regarded him curiously. “Do you?”
His tiny head bobbed up and down. “Don’t worry,” the boy said. “Your secret’s safe with us, right, sis?” His sister nodded on cue, but the angel noticed the vacant, faraway look in her eyes.
Did the boy somehow know the truth of what he was? Of what he would become?
“It took me a little while, but I figured it out,” the boy boasted proudly.
The angel shifted his hulking weight.
“And who am I?” he asked.
“Batman.”
Despite himself, Chrysanthium chuckled. The laugh echoed strange and hollow in their cramped quarters.
This book is worth reading for sure. If your one who likes more of the horror side of book, then this is for you. I am not one to punish myself with too much horror, but was still able to get it read, and wanted to know what happened.
I do recommend this book, I give it 4 ½ stars, but most places won’t let me choose that, so will do 5 for those.
I was provided a copy of this book for the book tour for my honest review.
October 22, 2012
Landon Paddock appears to be a broken man who has broken relationship with his wife Lucy and teenage daughter Katie. He lives in a plantation house alone without his family. He has good neighbors in Frank and Gina Metzger. Landon is startled by the suddenness of a thunderstorm like he's never seen before. Landon thinks he sees something out in the storm that just couldn't be possible~a flash of yellow eyes that strike terror into Landon's heart. He calls his neighbor's to see if they seen anything strange with the storm yet they reassure him they haven't. Landon gets unexpected surprise in the form of his teenage daughter and her boyfriend two whole days earlier than expected. Landon is worried about what Lucy will think with Katie arriving two days before planned. Landon is curious as to why Katie arrived this early and is not happy with the answer she provides him. Something very spooky is going on with the weather that has no real explanations yet Landon can't worry about that just now. Katie and Landon go in search of answers at the Metzger's home and run into unexpected trouble. They are rescued by a winged man, who tells them that they are still in danger, is willing to help them out. Katie declares the winged man an angel and wants to know his name. Angel says his name is Chrysanthium that he is the guardian of Wicker Hollow. Chrysanthium tells them that they must go to the catholic church where they will be safe from the devil's army. Chrysanthium is hiding something from the people that he's trying to protect. Lucy is worried about Katie. Lucy is thrown for a loop finding that Katie isn't at home. Lucy is determined to find her whether it's storming outside or not. Katie is rendered unconscious by unknown means before they all head into town. What is going on in Wicker Hollow? Can Landon get Katie to safety? What is the truth surrounding Chrysanthium? Will Lucy find Landon and Katie? Will Katie regain consciousness? Are they really safe at the church? Your answers await you in Dark Halo.
I would never have expected the battle for good and evil would take place in small town America. Yet that is exactly what happened in this story. Each of the characters had both strength and weakness in spades. The characters were likable, realistic, honest, and willing to show true emotion. I have a favorite quote from the book:“Our willingness to forgive each other.” I was really impressed with the dynamics of the characters and story telling. Look forward to reading more of the authors work.
I would never have expected the battle for good and evil would take place in small town America. Yet that is exactly what happened in this story. Each of the characters had both strength and weakness in spades. The characters were likable, realistic, honest, and willing to show true emotion. I have a favorite quote from the book:“Our willingness to forgive each other.” I was really impressed with the dynamics of the characters and story telling. Look forward to reading more of the authors work.
November 26, 2012
This was an intense and very dark horror story. Don’t let the moody paranormal angel cover fool you, this is horror story where people die. And not just the bad guys! I was so upset over some of the events that happened, but no way will I ruin it for you but revealing the victims.
More than a paranormal adventure, this isn’t the religious rant that some angel stories become. There are more religious aspects than I was expecting, but more than anything, this story was about survival. It was suspenseful and scary and a lot of fun to read.
There were a few questions that weren’t answered for me, but the only problem that bothered me was why Lucy went out at all. Why? Who would do that? It didn’t make any sense. It coloured my opinion of her early (DUMB!) and made it hard for me to like her. Luckily, I did connect with Landon and his daughter, which made me root for them to survive whatever craziness was descending on their lives. And craziness there was!
Overall, this was an entertaining horror story that had me guessing about what the outcome would be. At one point I was certain that the story would end with the end of the world, and I wasn’t sure if I would be upset or delighted. The ending wasn’t as dramatic as the rest of the story, but it was a good conclusion.
More than a paranormal adventure, this isn’t the religious rant that some angel stories become. There are more religious aspects than I was expecting, but more than anything, this story was about survival. It was suspenseful and scary and a lot of fun to read.
There were a few questions that weren’t answered for me, but the only problem that bothered me was why Lucy went out at all. Why? Who would do that? It didn’t make any sense. It coloured my opinion of her early (DUMB!) and made it hard for me to like her. Luckily, I did connect with Landon and his daughter, which made me root for them to survive whatever craziness was descending on their lives. And craziness there was!
Overall, this was an entertaining horror story that had me guessing about what the outcome would be. At one point I was certain that the story would end with the end of the world, and I wasn’t sure if I would be upset or delighted. The ending wasn’t as dramatic as the rest of the story, but it was a good conclusion.
December 9, 2012
Reviewing for Free Book Dude; will post review on Dec. 8
Review of Dark Halo
5 stars
This was a really surprising book. By the lovely cover art, I assumed there would be an angel involved. The surprise is that the novel is remarkably multi-layered. It’s not “just” a paranormal. There’s mystery, suspense, romance, heartbreak, life, death, angels, demons, Satanists, friends, neighbours, strangers, wise individuals, shallow individuals, and more. Certainly it is far more than I expected going in; in some senses, this story is about “angelic evolution.” (Or perhaps, “angelic devolution.”) Yes, Constant Readers, our characters do encounter what the Angel calls “the devil’s army,” but it sure is nothing like we’ve been led to expect. Yes-the Spiritual battle is ongoing, but the surprise is, it happens frequently, and it’s not just in the Heavens, but right here on this planet, and behold, there occur fatalities. In any event, I raced through it in one sitting; it’s that intriguing. My heart stayed in my throat the entire time, because I just never knew in advance what would happen next, and who would live or die. So go get this one. This is a stand-alone novel, but it would be wonderful as the first in a series, because the imaginative reader wants to go on with the story.
Review of Dark Halo
5 stars
This was a really surprising book. By the lovely cover art, I assumed there would be an angel involved. The surprise is that the novel is remarkably multi-layered. It’s not “just” a paranormal. There’s mystery, suspense, romance, heartbreak, life, death, angels, demons, Satanists, friends, neighbours, strangers, wise individuals, shallow individuals, and more. Certainly it is far more than I expected going in; in some senses, this story is about “angelic evolution.” (Or perhaps, “angelic devolution.”) Yes, Constant Readers, our characters do encounter what the Angel calls “the devil’s army,” but it sure is nothing like we’ve been led to expect. Yes-the Spiritual battle is ongoing, but the surprise is, it happens frequently, and it’s not just in the Heavens, but right here on this planet, and behold, there occur fatalities. In any event, I raced through it in one sitting; it’s that intriguing. My heart stayed in my throat the entire time, because I just never knew in advance what would happen next, and who would live or die. So go get this one. This is a stand-alone novel, but it would be wonderful as the first in a series, because the imaginative reader wants to go on with the story.
July 4, 2014
Dark Halo starts as a classic horror story, with scary storm, strange lights in the night, the urgent need to phone a friend and find out what’s going on, and then... When the lights go out and the house still creaks, there are shocks and surprises to come. “What you have experienced,” says Chrysanthium, “is only the beginning. It gets worse. Much worse.” And the reader will soon be wondering, what if all the world’s disasters are something else entirely.
Okay, I’m too scientifically minded to buy that theory, but good storytelling invites a suspension of disbelief, and the fast-moving action, quest-like travel, and truly scary city, hell and heaven-scapes of this novel keep the reader guessing. There’s an adrenaline-driven angel whose halo may be dark, some horrifying images with haunting recollections of movies, lots of snap decisions—not all of them wise—and more than one lost soul searching for redemption.
Natural disaster rendered supernatural, redemption offered and denied, faith-driven hope, a falling church, and more, make this an exciting, intriguing tale. There are certainly some inconsistencies and typos, but I happily suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ride.
Disclosure: I think I got this in a free deal. I offer my honest review.
Okay, I’m too scientifically minded to buy that theory, but good storytelling invites a suspension of disbelief, and the fast-moving action, quest-like travel, and truly scary city, hell and heaven-scapes of this novel keep the reader guessing. There’s an adrenaline-driven angel whose halo may be dark, some horrifying images with haunting recollections of movies, lots of snap decisions—not all of them wise—and more than one lost soul searching for redemption.
Natural disaster rendered supernatural, redemption offered and denied, faith-driven hope, a falling church, and more, make this an exciting, intriguing tale. There are certainly some inconsistencies and typos, but I happily suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ride.
Disclosure: I think I got this in a free deal. I offer my honest review.
August 1, 2012
I gave the book 3 stars because one major element - to me - was never addressed: Why? Why did the angel rebel and how? Why did his action, ehatever it was, cause the demons to appear? I also found the human characters either clinched (the gung-ho, shoot first ask questions later cop), trite (15 year old girl who is the crux - supposedly - of the story given visions so she can lecture a fallen angel), or just, well, uninteresting. The best chapters are the ones in Heaven, and I wished the author had started the book with the angel's plight and why it brought such devestation on a small town. I agreed with everything the angel said to the humans (geez, but they were a thick-headed, annoying lot)... and I don't think I was supposed to... The 'family redemption' was quickly glossed over and came out of the blue as more or less as a tag line at the end.
December 4, 2012
The Storm Rages
Recently I have been reading a lot of horror-type books with revolting creatures, heart-racing scenes and moments that have the ability to take your breath away. It is a genre of books that I have always loved but not one I have read for a long while. So, when I heard about Dark Halo, I knew that it was one I would enjoy and would want to share my thoughts with you. Fortunately, this book had everything I could have wanted from this genre and by the end of the story, I found it incredibly difficult to put the book down. It is full of action, full of tension, and has some really powerful messages hidden within it as well. It is a book that kept me entertained and I would easily recommend others to read it. Carry on reading here to find out why.
Recently I have been reading a lot of horror-type books with revolting creatures, heart-racing scenes and moments that have the ability to take your breath away. It is a genre of books that I have always loved but not one I have read for a long while. So, when I heard about Dark Halo, I knew that it was one I would enjoy and would want to share my thoughts with you. Fortunately, this book had everything I could have wanted from this genre and by the end of the story, I found it incredibly difficult to put the book down. It is full of action, full of tension, and has some really powerful messages hidden within it as well. It is a book that kept me entertained and I would easily recommend others to read it. Carry on reading here to find out why.
September 21, 2014
Review coming soon!
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January 5, 2013couldn't finish it. That rarely happens to me.
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