DEMON DAYS

by Richard Finney

RANDOM EVENTS…

An excavation reveals ancient books prophesying a foreboding future.
An assassin strikes out at a leader seeking world peace.
An accident involving a loving couple triggers a Near-Death Experience.

...OR A SATANIC CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY HUMANITY?

Sandy Travis and her fiancé Tom get in a horrendous helicopter accident. During the episode, Tom has an NDE – a Near-Death Experience. He believes he’s spoken to God. But instead he has become possessed by Satanic forces who want to control his every action. Now Sandy must track a sinister group attempting to orchestrate events and trigger Armageddon.

The DEMON DAYS saga started here with this fast-paced and intricately plotted thriller that has kept readers spellbound. It is a nerve wracking tale of puzzles, prophecy and Satanic possession. Don’t let anyone spoil the shocking climax! It has left every reader gasping for air!

"Those who want to know about Satan or the Devil ... What is Satan? What is Satanism? They'll find the clues in this book!!!!"

Genres: Horror

199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2009

About the author

The amazon bestselling "DEMON DAYS" Book Series was launched in 2009. Originally, the three sequels to "DEMON DAYS" were published as one book – “DEMON DAYS: Angel of Light," but have since been re-published as "DEMON DAYS - Book Two;" "DEMON DAYS - Book Three;" and "DEMON DAYS - Book Four."

I am also author of the PS Series of e-books on Professional Screenwriting.
All the books have become amazon.com bestselling books!

I reside in Southern California because this is where my three dogs have decided they want to live.

Reviews

[Bunny]

I was actually sent the second book DEMON DAYS – Angel of Light by Richard Finney & DL Snell for review and since this was a prequel (or the start) of the story the authors were kind enough to include it for me. I have not read the second book yet. This review is of Demon Days by Richard Finney & DL Snell.

World Building – This story takes place in modern times, and in various locations around the world. It is the “real world” so there is not a lot
of “world building” needed to get the jist of where we are.

The book starts out in Har Megiddo, and then jumps to the main characters in New York and follows them to various locations such as Hawaii.

Characters – The main characters in this story are:
Father Olsen is a priest who gains the knowledge that the “end of days” is coming.
Sandy Travis is a reporter in New York. Unlike most “vanity” reporters, Sandy “hard nosed” and is interested in bringing the hard hitting stories.
Tom Hanson is a struggling artist who has just landed his first gallery exhibit. He is also Sandy’s fiance.

Plot – As the synopsis states, this book is primarily about Sandy and Tom. Tom has a “near death” experience and afterwards is just not the same. Sandy, who is friends with a Father Olsen, notices the changes and begins to wonder if the changes in Tom’s behavior is more then just a coincidence with the events the Father has related to her.

What the synopsis doesn’t tell you, and I wont either because I refuse to SPOIL it for you, are the moments in which I sat on the edge of my seat biting my nails while reading – stopping only long enough to turn the page. There is a church “scene”, in particular, that had me reading with my mouth hanging open (and then I abruptly closed it!).

In Conclusion:
I enjoyed Demon Days, a lot. Like I said on my goodreads updates, this book reminded me of Constantine + End of Days + the Prophecy movies, all rolled into one tiny book. Would definitely recommend, especially if you like the afore mentioned movies. I am looking forward in picking up the second book DEMON DAYS – Angel of Light by Richard Finney & DL Snell.

Mom Notes:
Contains violence

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Olsen has traveled to Har Megiddo to seek information on an ancient text that has been discovered – one that has prophecies regarding the End Times: The Demon Days. He brings this information to Sandy Travis, who works for a news show in New York City called 24/7. Sandy brushes him off; she is a logical person and does not believe in metaphysical nonsense such as this. Besides, she has enough problems of her own – she and her fiancé Tom Hansen have just returned from a vacation in Hawaii during which they were involved in a helicopter accident. Tom died briefly before being resuscitated, during which time he had a Near Death Experience (N.D.E.) – he claims he saw a being of beauty and light, which called itself the Angel of Light and told Tom that he had to go back, he still had work to do on the Earth. Tom believes he had an experience with a heavenly agent; Tom believes he has been touched by God. Tom couldn’t be more wrong …

A harrowing and fast-paced horror novel, “Demon Days” serves as an appetizer for the upcoming book “Demon Days: Angel of Light,” which is being released 12/1/11. Involving aspects of Christian prophecy, demons, possession and the near-deaths of many people, this book packs a significant wallop into a relatively small package (188 pages as compared to 928 in the complete “Angel of Light” novel). I enjoyed this book immensely; it is eminently readable and those who enjoy a good, psychologically suspenseful horror novel should revel in this one! Don’t miss it!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank the authors for providing a copy of this book for me to read and review.

Demon Days is a short novel about the beginning of the End of Days. We've seen this before, right? Not so fast...it is put together so differently than all the other books out there about the Apocalypse.

The main character is a journalist who gets caught up in a supernatural plot soon after a helicopter accident in which her fiance experiences a NDE (Near Death Experience). the plot involves the Middle East, Satan, and possessed assassins. No more spoilers though...on to my thoughts about this book.

At the beginning of the book, I got distracted by the choppy dialogue sequences, but it did not take long to forget any awkward sentences and get immersed in the action. The pace of Demon Days is 'break-neck' and does not let up at all. At times, the speedy pace hindered scene development. Interestingly enough, this began to create an atmosphere of desperate urgency. This urgency made every scene a harrowing tightrope walk that made me, as the reader, feel like I had as much at stake as the characters.

This book is only the beginning. I have begun reading the next book in this sequence. I could not wait to start because Demon Days really sent my appetite for apocalyptic, supernatural, conspiracy fiction into overdrive!

It is a fast read that is worth every minute! Pick it up and try it out. I think you will like it!

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through a Good Reads First Read giveaway. Thanks!

Even though, at first glance, this is a type of book I would normally gravitate towards (thriller with religious overtones), I was somewhat reluctant to start this title. As listed, this is a special edition of 'Demon Days'. It has the first book, 'Demon Days' itself and then its sequel 'Angel of Light'.

I'm glad I gritted my teeth and took the plunge, because, as it turns out, there was gritting of the teeth involved. Only, it was gritting of the teeth due to wanting to know what happens as the story steamrolled along.

Yes, folks, this is a book you will find yourself reading well into the wee hours of the morning. I found myself still up at 2AM. I can't remember the last book I read that would prompt me to stay up so late past my bedtime that gallons of coffee the next morning would be a necessity to function.

I won't do a synopsis here because I don't want to give anything away. However, I will say that if you're a fan or student of medieval history, in the 'Angel of Light' half of the book, a certain 11th Century German Abbess plays a role. That's right -- the nerd in me was ecstatic over reading a book where Hildegard von Bingen played a significant role.

Because of the special edition of this book, the 'Angel of Light' section of this book that was included was truncated. And you can BET I will be trying to track down a copy of that title once it is officially published.

[David Lomax · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Do you really truly know how crazy this sounds? Because that would make me feel a whole lot better? “
I wanted a fast-paced thriller that I could read on an airplane flight across country. “Demon Days” was certainly the book to answer the bell. I cracked it open on my lap top… had to wait until the plane took off to continue… then read the entire book before we landed. And that is a compliment because flight was a “Red Eye.”
Rather than sleeping I got involved with Sandy Travis and her boyfriend, Tom. At first I thought they were going to be on a wild adventure together, but it turns out Tom is not himself after a helicopter accident. At least Sandy is the perfect person to figure out what’s behind Tom’s strange behavior.
This is a little bit like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” but it definitely has a vibe all of its own. This book is obviously kicking off something bigger, and yet the authors got the ball definitely headed in the right direction. I definitely want to read more.

I admit to having met one of the authors (Richard Finney), through a friend of mine, but don’t know anything about him. Now I want to get to know him better. He and his partner can sure write.

[Kitty Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: "Demon Days & Angel of Light”
Author: Richard Finney & D.L. Snell
Published By: Lono Publishing
Age Recommended: 18+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: Never have I read a book so full of intriguing plot changes that can keep you guessing ‘til the very end. Finney and Snell have the kind of collaborating ability that writing teams everywhere only wish they could have. This dual novel scared me! The simple fact that this story could hold even an inkling of truth is profound. A conspiracy theory of the greatest volume this is one series you do not want to miss out on.
You must get a copy you will enjoy this series immensely and beg for more. This is one well worth staying up to read!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the Demon Days Special Edition and I must have more. This saga has great potential. I anxiously await the next book. This book is fantastic.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review soon to follow...

[Robert Beveridge]

Richard Finney and D. L. Snell, Demon Days (Ape Entertainment, 2009)

Messrs. Finney (The Chimes Before Midnight) and Snell (Roses of Blood on Barbed Wire Vines, viz. review 2Jun2010) turn in this slim novel, the first in a series (the second novel of which, Angel of Light, has already been released). There's not a great deal here you haven't seen before, but the authors throw in some interesting twists and adopt the globe-hopping tactic of keeping the reader interested with fun descriptions of, let's face it, places you and I are probably never going to travel to. It must be an effective ploy, thriller writers have been using it for decades, and as far as I'm concerned at least, I always buy into it one hundred percent. An armchair traveller is me!

Plot: a number of seemingly unrelated events are pointing Biblical scholars to the conclusion that humanity is entering the last days. Not that this is anything new; every generation believes in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, am I wrong? But as we open, we discover that this generation's beliefs may have something a little more concrete to back them up. Tom and Sandy, an engaged couple vacationing in Hawai'i, get into a helicopter accident, during which Tom is gravely injured. He believes he sees, and talks to, God, who sends him back because his work on Earth is not yet done—but as time goes on, Sandy starts believing that the being Tom encountered while he was clinically dead was anything but holy. After unsuccessfully attempting to figure out what Tom is doing during his mysterious nights out on her own, Sandy begins assembling a ragtag band of folks to help her figure out whether Tom is an agent of a being set on bringing about the End of Days. One wouldn't call any of them the best in their field, or even average, really... but something's better than nothing, right?

Well, no, but the foibles of the good guys make for good reading, and once we get where we're going and hit the Big Reveal(TM), we find that... well, that would be a major spoiler, but let's say that Finney and Snell set up a couple of fake floors for the reader to fall through on the way to that Big Reveal that make it more interesting than it would otherwise be. It's not a bad little book, though it is a bit on the short side (~150pp.) for a series entry, IMO, and it would have strengthened the book considerably if the authors had given us another, say, fifty pages of character development. I'm all for plot-based work, but three-dimensional characters will still make a plot-based book work better, since the reader can empathize with one (or more) of them, something I found very difficult here.

Still, it's good enough that I'm planning on following the rest of the series. ** ½

[Michael Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This supernatural political thriller is really more of a set-up for what it to follow in a separate book than a complete novel in and of itself. Still, "Demon Days" is a gripping read with an intriguing central premise: that those people who suffer near death experiences and "see God" are actually encountering a different entity altogether. The story moves at a lightning pace, which is perhaps understandable, since there is not much in the way of descriptive narration, character development, or subplots to slow it down. This is why I can't give it more stars; it actually reads like a thriller screenplay rendered in prose form, complete with chase scenes, visual clues, and dark cellars for the heroine to creep down. It also contains echos of any number of other horror films and stories. But despite all of the caveats, this is an entertaining, and occasionally thought-provoking, page-turner.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Demon Days follows a reporter's quest to figure out why her fiance has changed so much since a near-death experience . What she discovers is a plot that reads like a mix of The Omen and The Exorcist.

The writing is good and the dialogue is informative without being intrusive. The plot is also decent and it has a few truly creepy moments. The issue that I had (in part, I'm sure, because this is the first in a series) was that things took a bit too long to get going. The action and how things advanced kept my interest, but the pace felt sluggish. Additionally, I did not really get an in-depth feeling of any of the characters. They were all dimensional enough not to feel fake, but I didn't get a very good sense of who they were.

This is not a bad book, but I will not likely pick up the others in the series.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The scene in the church with the old ladies and the church pews was awesome, I could 'see' it. Great description without being too too much. But maybe I missed something, or the politics threw me, I don't know. It was a little too jumpy/murky in spots. This is a pretty good horror thriller though.

[Eddie Mullins]

Review coming soon

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was kind of borning to me.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Badly written and badly edited. I gave up a few chapters in as I couldn't concentrate on the plot. Boo.

[Abc]

I won this book in a giveaway. Thank you.