Armageddon Bound

Demon Squad #1

by Tim Marquitz

SUPERNATURAL meets DEADPOOL!
Half-devil and miles from anything resembling heroic, perpetual underdog Frank "Triggaltheron" Trigg is the last man standing against Armageddon.
As the favorite nephew of the Devil, Frank has led a troubled life, but he'd always had his uncle's influence to fall back on. Now, with God and Lucifer coming to terms and leaving existence to fend for itself, his once exalted status of Anti-Christ-to-be does little to endear him to the hordes of angels and demons running amok in the Godless world.

With help from the members of DRAC, an organization of wizards, psychics, telepaths, and low-end supernatural beings, Frank must thwart the pro-Armageddon forces and rescue an angel in whose life rests the fate of humanity.

Better luck next time, humanity.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Demons, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Angels

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Tim Marquitz is the author of the Demon Squad series, The Enemy of My Enemy series (Kurtherian Gambit) along with Michael Anderle, the Blood War Trilogy, co-author of the Dead West series, as well as several standalone books, and numerous anthology appearances alongside the biggest names in fantasy and horror. Tim also collaborated on Memoirs of a MACHINE, the story of MMA pioneer John Machine Lober.

"Horror becomes art when it flows from the pen of Tim Marquitz." ~ Bobby D. Whitney - BookWenches

"Witty, sarcastic and hilarious." Michelle - Publishers Weekly

Reviews

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EDIT 05/06/12: Stop by The Nocturnal Library to read a guest post by Tim Marquitz about my favorite underdog, Frank Trigg, and enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of Armageddon Bound (INT).

Sometime not too long ago, God and Lucifer sat down to talk and concluded that they’d had enough of the never-ending battle between Good and Evil. They decided to abandon ship altogether, and as they did, they left no instructions for either of their armies. With their disappearance, the supernatural community fell into a huge turmoil. There were those who felt that it’s time to bring about the Armageddon, and those who were ready to do anything to defend humanity.

Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg is Lucifer’s favorite nephew, also known as the idiot who was offered the position of new Anti-Christ by Lucifer himself and who smoothly turned him down. Not very powerful in his own right, he has to rely on the few vials of his uncle’s blood to stay alive and in one piece. Despite his nefarious heritage, Trigg is a member of DRAC – Demonic Resistance and Containment, a group of supernatural beings determined to stop the Armageddon. As the threat becomes more serious, Frank has to work with his angel cousin Scarlett and the vampire Katon, and he might just have to sell his soul twice in order to save the world.
My entire devilish life had been built around the premise of getting screwed and not in a fun, porn star way. It was most often in the prison kind of way, getting sucker punched and waking up with a sore ass and with some big guy named Bubba sitting on the bunk smoking a cigarette and heating up a branding iron.

Here’s a very important thing you need to know about Frank: he’s a pig. He only cares about three things in life: preventing the Armageddon, sex and, well… sex! He makes sexual innuendos and horrible puns all the time. He even shamelessly lusts after his cousin Scarlett, who insists on distracting him from his very important tasks with her leather-clad ass. In the constant battle between Frank’s human side and his devilish instincts, his crotch usually overrides both. He was married to a succubus after all, knowing full well the consequences. In words of his cousin Scarlett, directed to him: "If we have to rely on what's inside your head that doesn't relate to porn, we're screwed."

I think Urban Fantasy (or dark UF or horror or whatever you want to call it) needs more male author – male protagonist combos. It was almost like I was reading another genre altogether. Everything was there: action, an amazing set of characters, incredible humor, but no emotional struggles whatsoever (unless you count the war between Frank’s brain and that other thing he thinks with). Trigg isn’t just a breath of fresh air, he is a damn hurricane, and he certainly swept me off my feet. It didn’t take long for him to become my favorite underdog ever, despite all his flaws. What can I say? I have a soft spot for jerks.

Even though I’m only now reviewing book 1, I’d already finished book 2 (and loved it!) and I just downloaded the free short story about Scarlett and got the third novel from Amazon. I do believe that I won’t rest until I read every single word about Frank Marquitz has written so far.

I definitely need to thank Bastard @Bastard Books for giving me a chance to win both Armageddon Bound and Resurrection. I’m officially hooked.

For this review and more, please visit The Nocturnal Library

[seak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read. Like a hilarious Harry Dresden mixed with the movie Constantine. Review here

I first heard about Armageddon Bound by Tim Marquitz on SFFworld and through Fantasy Book Critic. Everything I read seemed to be really good and I have to say, I was not disappointed. I also happened to win an ebook copy from the author and then it was only a matter of time.

The cover threw me off at first glance; I both love it and think, is this Vice City or San Andreas. But really, you can't go wrong with guns and skulls.

The Setup

Frank "Triggaltheron" Tigg is just your average demon who also happens to be Lucifer's nephew. This worked well for him until God and Lucifer call it quits and get out of the game. To coin a phrase, all Hell proceeds to break lose.

In a world where demons dress and act like mobsters and angels have lost their purpose in life, the line is drawn between those who are for and against the coming of Armageddon. Frank and the DRAC team, made up of psychics, telepaths, and other supernatural beings, are doing everything in their power to stop the end of the world and keep the peace.

As the blurb on the back says, "Better luck next time, humanity."

My Take in Brief

Armageddon Bound is a hilarious Harry Dresden meets the movie Constantine (with Keanu Reeves). And that's pretty much what makes this novel so great; it never takes itself too seriously and there's always another bit of sarcasm around the corner (or should I say page). Although, maybe I should add that's it's a very ADULT Harry Dresden with sex jokes a mile a minute, so you've been warned.

Here's a bit of what I mean:

"I heard my nose snap and felt a warm gush explode from it. Lightning bolts of pain shot through my eyes and I flew backwards and landed in a heap. My head felt like used Jell-o.
"You figure it out."

And as Frank attempts to reason with a low-level demon,

"Baalth smiled so wide I could count his teeth. I stopped at five. I get bored easy."

These quick one-liners pop up right and left and I seriously couldn't get enough of them. Marquitz has a great sense of humor and it shows throughout. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out because I'm lining up already.

The whole story is told in first person and Frank Tigg is a great companion to have. Frank goes from messy situation to messy situation, and keeps trucking even though he only sees himself as a constant screw up. I could really relate to him, and all the while he pushes through only to land in an even worse situation

When Should You Read This?

If you're in the mood for something light, that will keep you turning pages from the very first, Armageddon Bound is right up your alley. If you liked the Dresden Files, you will have a good time with this one as well.

Rating and Links

My Rating: 5/5 (Loved it, Get yourself a copy right now!)

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This book is simply too much fun for me to not give it full marks. It contains so much of my favorite things that I am having trouble as to where to begin. This is a very dark, dirty, and at times vulgar urban fantasy. This story is centered by a badass, very hard to kill antihero protagonist named Frank (Triggaltheron), who is a partial devil and he just happens to be the nephew of Lucifer himself. Oh did I mention that he was supposed to be the AntiChrist??? He works for the DRAC (Demonic Resistance and Containment) and ends up as partners with Humans, Sorcerers, Angels, and a Vampire too. He has an exwife that is so hot that she is a literal “Man Eater”…you see, she is a Succubus.

A passage from the book that best explains the problems and the setup:

“You see, about fifty years ago, the Almighty and Lucifer had a sit down. Weary of the battle for the hearts and souls of humanity, they decided they’d had enough. They wanted an end to the war. Rather than raze existence and start fresh, they decided humanity had, for the most part, come into its own and had too much history and character to simply be wiped away. I guess they felt pity for the chess board pieces they battled over for so long. So instead, they chose to abandon it, letting it evolve as it would. An instant after they made their decision, they disappeared into the void, leaving the whole of creation behind.”

This is an action novel, an urban fantasy, and a bit of satire mixed up as one. It reminded me of a cross between a Sandman Slim novel, Harry Dresden, and Highlander… Sure, there are many faults with this book and it does not try to excel on its literary merits, but it is successful at delivering an awesome ride. This book could have used more character stories, and some more world building but it can be forgiven. The single first person point of view of Frank’s, is not the most eloquent or complex, but who cares…It kicks ass!!

Marquitz utilizes a tremendous amount of humor, satire, and dark witty one liners to make this a laugh out loud, chuckle inducing, and shout out cheering type book, that will leave you wanting more. He calls a fat man a limbed bowling ball.

He remarks about his constant inevitability to “muck” things up: ““Frank Trigg, professional mucker. He’s one bad mucker-trucker.””

In the midst of a battle, Frank can be quite a smartass too: ““It’s the combination of charming good looks and my midseventy IQ that throws people off. It’s hard to cope with a complete package like this.””

This book is filled with sexual overtones: “A million and one fantasies flashed through my head in the span of an instant. Every one of them had something to do with her naked and a metric shit-ton of Astroglide. I just smiled.”

Marquitz uses this book as the setup to the trilogy but it does have a complete and satisfying ending. It is a novel not suited for the YA crowd as it is too over the top and sexual to be recommended by me. Marquitz did give us enough world building to make this book work, but I look forward to more character backstories in the other novels. If you like your Urban Fantasy on the dark side, and enjoy dark potty humor, this series is for you. If you like books about Angels, Devils, and Demons, this book is for you. If you like your heroes origins to be possibly be from underneath some rocks, this book is for you. I loved it, it is a blast to read, and I cannot wait to read the next.

[Julia Sarene · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a very entertaining story, with lots of humor, and an interesting plotline.

The stars missing is for the main character thinking and behaving like a 15 year old high on hormones, and thinking about boobies most of the time. There's plenty of phrases like this:

"Back home I stumbled inside, manacles in hand. Certain they'd come in handy at some point, I stashed them where they would be the most useful; he bedroom. I placed them in a box beneath the bed for safekeeping and quick access, right beside the jumbo tube o'lube and my inflatable Jenna Jemson doll. One could never tell when the need to restrain a supernatural being might arise. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Just thinking about how I'd use them got my blood flowing. Unfortunately it wasn't just my crotch that was throbbing"

Once or twice that would be funny, but having him think "BOOOBIES" or "SEX!" every two pages, often in the midst of dire circumstances really got on my nerves after a while.
I learned that it gets toned down in the later books, so I might go and pick them up sometime later! Besides that I really did enjoy it a lot.

Other than that it was fast paced, I liked the rest of the characters, there was lots of gore and detailed bloody parts, the writing was fluent and the idea behind the book a really good one.

Definitely a recommendation for readers who like it on the bloody side! ;)

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

If you are anything like me, you'll need this advice - when you start reading this book, stick with it. It gets way better than what at first seems.

God and Lucifer got bored of humanity and agreed to leave. There are two factions left behind: pro-Armageddon and those fighting it. And the lines aren't that clear either. Most humans don't know what's going on.

Frank Triggaltheron Trigg is only half devil and it seems his other, human half got him involved in this fight, mostly against demons. I like his character. he doesn't exactly fight his demon side. His way of thinking is not what you'd expect from the usual type of a hero. It's what makes him funny at times.
Trigg is also one of the most incompetent protagonists I've ever encountered. Most things that happen to him and around him in this story happen completely by accident. And every time he gets assaulted that he barely stays alive. Only his insane luck and the fact he is Lucifer's nephew saves him. Weirdly enough, this is not a critique. Somehow it works.

As the story progresses, it becomes even better. The twists are well plotted. The ending is pretty good too, since you probably won't expect it with all the action going on before that.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rating
There are rumors there is another demon planning to rise to be the next Lucifer and to bring about Armageddon. Baalth is the demon this new power needs to overcome first and Frank, the DRAC, and Frank's Angel cousin Scarlett need to protect Baalth and stop this new threat to the world. The catch, Scarlett has been after Baalth for some time to stop his bad doings. Baalth isn't cooperating as willingly with Frank, without some deals. Oh, and Franks succubus ex-wife has returned to town sending assassins after him.

Frank Triggaltheron, or Trigg, starts the story on his kester bleeding, and visits this position often through out the book. But he keeps fighting. Trigg is a man of all men. And a pig from time to time as well. But that is what makes this character memorable. I don't mind the thoughts he has about women, or even the smart remarks to the one delivering the punches (actually many of the quick remarks are funny). But some people might. I do have to mention the only thing about Trigg that gave me the willies were his thoughts about his voluptuous cousin. They just weren't right, but Trigg is the person he is... and I don't think he was made to be loved so dearly. I think this book is what many male readers would enjoy. It's fast moving and full of action and fights. There are loads of blows exchanged and a story that works wonderfully with it.

I liked the story telling style. This book is told by Frank. We get the story as it's happening, then there are interjections by Trigg of his inner opinions and thoughts, the ones he keeps to himself although just as smart as the ones he says. This technique of inner thoughts gives me the feel of the old style mystery gumshoe movies where the detective gives an inner thought or meaning to things as the story goes. I really liked that feel. It seemed to me the book is very story driven, and we get a very good story here.

The characters. Goodness! There is a large cast of characters. Well, maybe not that big. But it felt like many when I was reading the book. They are not hard to keep straight, which is the surprise to me with as many there are.

The world is our world with a few extras which people don't really know about. But the difference here is God and Lucifer have come to a truce and left, letting humanity play out as they are and grown to do. I like this twist a lot. I like how there are two views to this through out the book. That God didn't want Armageddon or he would have exterminated the race and started over. OR. That Armageddon needs to come about to bring God and Lucifer back. This seems to be the arguing views in a nut shell. People don't know their gods are no longer around, only the Angels and Demons are aware, and seem slightly lost with their leaders gone. Neat take here.

I went into the book aware there where some editing errors, which there are. But knowing that I was prepared for them. But I do want to let you know this to as well, in case you go purchase the book, they are there. I hate to see editing slow down a good book.

I think more men might enjoy this book than women, but I'm not saying don't read it if it sounds like something you might enjoy. Please go at it.

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Armageddon Bound" with its alluring yet familiar book blurb and rather different cover does not do much to entice the reader. I almost gave this book a pass; however since I like urban fantasy the blurb had enough in it for me to give this book a go and boy, am I glad I did so!

The first chapter introduces us to the main character Frank Trigg who gets roughed around a bit thanks to the unknown whereabouts of his angelic cousin Scarlett. It's from here that we are introduced to the setting in which the mundane earthly world & the magical realms have collided and combined. We are also told about the back-story as nearly half a century ago God & Lucifer both decided to call it quits and leave Heaven, hell & Earth to their underlings; suffice to say it has not been a smooth ride.

The plot thickens as we are introduced to the world of DRAC [Demonic Resistance And Containment:] of which Frank is a member and which is now trying to keep the balance between the pro & anti Armageddon forces and maintain the status quo; learning about the actions of a certain demon who has taken the onus upon himself to hasten the apocalypse, the DRAC members have to make a Faustian pact for their safety and the world's survival as well. Frank is stuck in the middle of all this as he's chosen to be the messenger for reasons revealed in the book and while he's also trying to get the deal smoothed, there's someone taking an active interest in making sure he's been deactivated completely.

The writing is clear and makes for a fun read. Dialogue is a bit clunky in places but the reader will not notice the bumps because of the constant plot shifts. The plot makes for a fast read as the action just seems to ant up and never let go of the reader. The author is a big fan of Jim Butcher & this shows as we get a close feel of the Dresden books structure. However Frank Trigg, the protagonist is his own man; while his perverse sense of humor & his horniness might be construed as inappropriate by certain readers, it constantly kept me chuckling throughout the book.

The only minor issues I saw in this book were that of minimal world-building & lascivious humor. The world-building is done just about enough to placate the story needs and with all the magical happenings, I was surprised to see the omission of the humanity's response to it. The humorous monologues of the main character reveal a very saucy side to him & this might be a turn off for a few readers however I somehow ended up enjoying this thoroughly irascible rogue who though clearly an anti-hero is the central focus of the story. The book is a mix of urban fantasy, dark comedy & noir-thriller. The best analogy I can come up with is Jim Butcher's Dresden files meets Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series meets Steven Erikson's Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas.


This book turned out be another excellent read for me and was easily one of the best debuts I have ever read recently. If Tim Marquitz continues to improve upon his writing, I can see a bright future for him; for the many readers who are always on the lookout for the next breakout series, the Demon Squad IMHO is the answer for all you folks.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armageddon Bound is fairly straightforward. The plot is quick and that quick pace serves to not only absorb the reader in the tale being told, but also keeps them from noticing some awkward dialogue. Armageddon Bound is a solid start to a series that is promising to be a lot of fun. I’m not exactly sure why this series hasn’t reached the heights of the Dresden Files. Marquitz sets the stage for an edgy and unique series packed full of action, with characters that are sure to make you laugh. Though there might be some awkward dialogue, it doesn’t really matter. Marquitz is a unique voice in a genre dominated by the same-old-same-old.

Read my full review here:

http://www.bookwormblues.net/2012/06/...

[J.M. (Joe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mihir wrote in a Goodreads review about ARMAGEDDON BOUND: "The best analogy I can come up with is Jim Butcher's Dresden files meets Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series meets Steven Erikson's Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas."

That's pretty daggone accurate. Me? I read AB back-to-back with Richard Kadrey's KILL THE DEAD, and for anyone who has read one or the other, you'll pick up on a veritable ton of similarities. But I don't think either one of these guys has read the other. Marquitz and Kadrey have both poured the same drink is all, and I'm quaffing it down. It's win-win for this reader. Both Marquitz and Kadrey have this reader on board for life.

I'm not going into particulars or summaries of the story/plot/character/what-have-you, because both Mihir and Seak have written bang-on reviews that hit every sweet spot Marquitz serves up in ARMAGEDDON BOUND. I'll just leave you with the comparisons. If you like Jim Butcher, if you're a fan of Richard Kadrey, if you're into devils and angels and vampires and wizards and blood-sugar-sex-magick noir-style with spells and guns and violent, world-shattering frivolity, then Marquitz's ARMAGEDDON BOUND is your thing. I understand the next book in the series, RESURRECTION, has zombies. Yup. Zombies. Yummy.

ARMAGEDDON BOUND comes highly recommended! A solid four-star read. Can't wait to pick up more from Marquitz. Go get some for yourself.

[Jagged · Rating 2 out of 5]

"You killed Santa Claus"

This was hard to finish. I really couldn't get into it.
I hated Frank. Now, I am not a crazy fem-nazi by any means, but he had absolutely no respect for women--at all. After a while it got really old.
I wasn't offended by it or anything, it was just annoying.
He also took a lot of shit considering how cocky he was. I did enjoy that he took one hell of a beating throughout the book.

I laughed at Frank continuing his shootout with his head shot open. That was something new.

I got the impression this was supposed to be packed with humour, but it was not well received by me. It was just awkward. Though, I suppose a 14 year old boy might find it entertaining and chuckle worthy.

A lot of conveniences were just thrown in along the way, for example: Lucifer not keeping his lieutenants in the loop about what Frank was in the know about.

I will say that I was disgusted and surprised to be subjected to Frank mind fucking his cousin--the WHOLE book! Ew, was that really necessary? It wasn't funny to me, it was just distasteful.

There also needed to be a bit more character development and back sorties so the story would have read smoothly. This was very disjointed and lacked details that would have made for a smooth reading experience.

Over all: I really liked the premise. It could have been a very interesting story, indeed. I even liked the explanation for magical signatures, and how it is drawn. I just wasn't impressed with the delivery of this book. There was plenty of action, and lots of fumbles on Frank's behalf, but it was lacking in the ability to keep me engrossed. I finally made myself sit down and finish it. I don't think I will be reading the others any time soon.

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes:

Currently on Audible Plus

- Snarky & sort of interesting UF.
- Constant commentary works well in audio format but I'm not sure if I would enjoy reading it.
- The story ran like a corny, dark humor action movie. Writing was okay but nothing about the story setting or characters hooked my attention.

[Ryan Lawler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I have been hearing a lot that the creative process is best defined as taking two established ideas and mixing them together in a way that feels familiar yet refreshing at the same time. As someone who struggled for a long time trying to be creative, stuck on the belief that can only be defined by original thought, this simple yet elegant definition really revolutionised the way I looked at creativity and is now creeping into the way I am reading and reviewing books. Armageddon Bound by Tim Marquitz is a great example of this definition in action, with Marquitz taking established ideas from Christianity such as Heaven, Hell, God, Lucifer, angels and demons, mixing them together with the monster hunter genre, and then adding his own twist to create a unique experience that was loads of fun to read.

Armageddon Bound tells the story of the demon Frank, nephew of Lucifer, who had become quite accustomed to his life on Earth when God and Lucifer decided to up and go, leaving Earth to its own devices. As the angels try to come to terms with God’s departure the demons, now free from Lucifer’s rule, are already starting to play power games, vying for their own little piece of Earth and wreaking havoc in the process. This is the first novel from Marquitz and he has done a very thorough job of outlining a complete story arc told through a series of action packed scenes that entertains from start to finish. As I said before its a familiar story with a lot of familiar elements, but through the addition of just one twist, this story becomes quite fascinating with so many elements just begging to be explored. Unfortunately, we only get to explore a small subset of these elements as our main character has a very narrow vision and follows the well defined story arc with little variation. The elements that are explored are done very well, but I just want to know a bit more about this fascinating world and the dynamics that govern how it runs.

Frank is an interesting character, reminding me of the perpetual 17 year old who is defined almost entirely by his hyperactive sexuality. He also reminds me a lot of Nathan Drake from the Uncharted video game series, the happy-go-lucky hero who can never catch a break. While Frank has a number of other strengths and weaknesses that should define him as a very strong lead character, this one particular vice is so insistent that it becomes hard to see past it. Sex is on his brain all the time, to the point where Frank is making some sort of sexual reference on nearly every page. And when he is not talking about sex, Frank is trying to crack a witty joke, often by breaking the fourth wall and interacting with the reader. He is a character with so much untapped potential, and if Marquitz can just dial back the sex and jokes for future installments, I am sure we will see the rest of Frank start to shine through for the good of the story. While Frank more than steals the show, the supporting cast are fantastic and far from the copy and paste characters that seem to litter other books that have such a strong lead character. Each character is struggling with their own personal demons cause by the departure of God and Lucifer, and it makes for some fascinating conflicts and relationships between characters, notably the relationship between Frank and his angel cousin Scarlett.

The writing itself is pretty solid for a first novel but there were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors in the copy I reviewed. The pacing was just about right, the language was slightly verbose but seemed to be appropriate, and I rarely felt bogged down by infinite detail which allowed me to really become immersed in the story. These are issues that vastly improve as the author continues to write, and I have already seen the results of this improvement in Marquitz’s recently released novel Skulls.

Armageddon Bound is all about the charm, all about the wit, all about fighting and winning against impossible odds, and all about the sex. There are some big issues here that Marquitz needs to resolve for the next book in the series, more world building and less of an emphasis on sex would be a good start, but he needs to be careful that he doesn’t make too many changes that compromises the identity established by this book. I had a lot of fun reading this book, and I expect the fun to continue in the future installments.

[Courtney Schafer]

If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy with plenty of demons, angels, and attitude, this is the book for you. (Fair warning: if you're not okay with a protagonist who pretty much has a nonstop porn movie going on in his head every time he interacts with a woman, you may want to steer clear. I wasn't too bothered because despite the constant lewd thoughts, Trigg doesn't condescend to the female characters or otherwise treat them as less than his equals. That, and he's half demon, so it makes sense that he's no purehearted saint. But still, some may find it offputting.)

[Carl Alves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armageddon Bound is the first book in the Demon Squad series featuring Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg and his demonic and angelic cohorts where the fate of the world is at stake. Frank Trigg is a prototypical anti-hero, the nephew of Lucifer. Frank spurned his uncle’s offer to became the anti-Christ and now spends his time battling demons and stemming Armageddon. In Armageddon Bound, the demon Asmoday makes an alliance with the angel Gabriel. Frank works for DRAC (think Homeland Security battling supernatural forces) with his cohorts of angels, wizards and psychics.

Frank is invariably less powerful than the foes he has to battle and takes a hellacious beating whenever he tangles with them. The good thing is that Frank can take a solid butt whoopin’ with the best of them. He also has a libido that goes into overdrive twenty-four-seven. As if things aren’t bad enough for Frank, his ex-wife, a succubus, has hired assassins to take him out . Our beloved anti-hero has to literally go to hell and back in order to fight the forces of evil and save the Earth. What I especially liked about this novel is the voice that Marquitz has captured. It becomes very easy to picture Frank and the other characters. Marquitz also has done an exceptional job of creating life-life memorable characters. The book takes place at a frenetic pace and the action never lets up. The climactic ending delivers where victory seems impossible for Frank Trigg and DRAC. Armageddon Bound is a must read and I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.

Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[Seth Skorkowsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Armageddon Bound, God and the Devil have called a truce and agreed to leave the world. Now, fifty years later, all the angels and demons left abandoned have broken into factions. Some are chiseling out their own heavens or hells, trying to regain what was lost. Others are seeking to drive the world into Armageddon, believing that it will either give them godly power or appease their absent masters into returning. What stands between mortals and these forces is DRAC (Demonic Resistance and Containment) a band of wizards, demons, and angels.

Among them is Frank Trigg, the favored nephew of Lucifer, and once tapped to be the Anti-Christ. Frank is about what you’d expect from a spoiled, favored, demon. He’s rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. And he has no real issue with that. But Frank isn’t a bad guy, he’s just rough, and a perpetually sex-obsessed teenager. (Remember, this guy was hand-picked by Lucifer to be the Anti-Christ, so he’s not the type that’s going to be a purely lovable hero.)

Armageddon Bound has a whole lot of action, humor, and some good dashes of horror. It’s a first-person story, so we get to spend a lot of time inside Frank’s head (which is both creepy and hilarious). While the first of a series (Seven Novels as of now), it’s a good stand-alone, so readers don’t have to feel that they need to commit to an enormous series before picking it up.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this novel in a giveaway hosted by http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com


One day God and Satan got bored of humans and decide to leave then and the rest of creation to themselves.

Angels, demons and humans remained behind. Some demon adapted and become criminals, some decided to pursue Armageddon. An organization called DRAC that has the purpose to prevent Armageddon had been created. Now a demon seems to have found a way to destroy the world.

Frank is an half demon, even if his half demon part seem not able to give him much power. And he work for DRAC. He is sarcastic and self-deprecating. Necessary quality for a narrator.
The story is full of action, maybe too full, but well built and interesting.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stars for paranormal urban fantasy without romance.
One more for the good (not great, but solidly good) writing.
One more star for the total amount of FUN this was.
Great read.
There were a few things a good copy-edit and proofread could have picked up, but I was having so much fun with the characters that I didn't care.
I will definitely be reading more in this series.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, action packed, and immersive. Marquitz has something incredibly special on his hands with this series. I can't wait to read the next instalment!

If you dig urban fantasy you'll love this.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Triggaltheron, or Frank Trigg as he prefers to be called, is the half-devil, favorite nephew and chosen heir of Lucifer. He has the thoughts of a grumbling, whiny, pervy, masturbatory teenager. He even has constant lascivious fantasies about his angel-cousin, Scarlett. Before anyone starts getting offended and registers a protest, Trigg is a --say it with me-- devil. D-E-V-I-L. Of course he will embody self-interest, malice, mischief, violence and lust. He is, however, more than all these unideal characteristics. If you truly object to profanity and sexual references, this book will be … challenging. But if you can put aside such sensitivities and consider the subject matter of this book, ARMAGEDDON BOUND is fast-paced, entertaining and hilarious. We can't read WAR AND PEACE all the time. Wait, this is about war and peace. Consider this WAR AND PEACE LITE then.

Once again, we have a book that plays around with Christian mythology-- angels and demons, heaven and hell, virtue and sin, salvation and damnation. It is also a good example of the human penchant for personification-- in this case, assigning human values and frailties to non-humans such as angels and demons. Marquitz plays around with their nature-- not-so-angelic angels and demons with a soft spot. Trigg is a devil with friends (ironic and oxymoronoic, I know), friends whose well-being he actually cares about. He refused Lucifer's offer to be the next Anti-Christ and is working with Demonic Resistance and Containment (DRAC), a group of supernatural beings and humans with special abilities working together to save the world and humanity from Armageddon. While preventing the end of days also works in his favor, Trigg's participation in the endeavor is not without considerable altruism and active opposition to the principles of the purveyors of doom.

Tim Marquitz marshals a host of fascinating characters, human and otherwise. The members of DRAC have varied natures and backgrounds, each one distinct and captures interest. It would certainly be worth reading the rest of the books just to find out more about these characters. Most notable is Scarlett, Trigg's sword-wielding militant angel-cousin, seemingly aware of her lust-inciting physical attributes and isn't afraid to showcase them. She is a study in contrast, steadfast in her belief in the Almighty but with enough mischief in her to antagonize the evildoers with not a small amount of glee. She also gives Frank a run for his money in the one-liners department.

Noteworthy are the villains as well. There are several factions of evildoers all operating on earth. They undertake machinations against each other as much as against humanity and DRAC. The bands of evildoers operate like a sort of demon mafia with fingers in every sordid pot, practically crying out for a RICO indictment. They are as villains should sometimes be-- intrinsically evil, brilliant strategists and powerful. Also, just when you think the lines have been drawn, Marquitz has some surprises in store.

ARMAGEDDON BOUND invites hearty chuckles, often poking fun at itself. It is a lighter fare, a fun read, full of witty one-liners, pop culture and modern references. It is a noteworthy urban fantasy offering. God and Lucifer may have called it quits and taken up exile in places unknown but Tim Marquitz is here to tell us that the world lives on and is no less engaging. And pervy. Let's not forget pervy.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastically fun read!

From the first page as 'hero' Frank is getting pounded on by some meaty goon named Marcus D'antello, Tim's clever narration pulled me in quickly. It was everything it promised to be - gritty, engaging, and non-stop story-telling. Well worth the paperback cost, an absolute steal on Kindle or Nook.

Why 5-stars? All my reviews are personal. All of them are based on how the artist conveyed their story and how I received it. This one hit me at a time when I was waiting to get my first novel, The Wrong Way Down into print. This first book in Tim's series, although flawed, it was mind-bendingly different from anything else I'd read. It was fresh and stimulating and I couldn't put it down.

This book gets 5-stars because it changed the way I write fiction, that is the why of all 5-stars ratings in my collection. They either changed my life, or altered the way I view and write fiction. When you see my second novel, Crossing Mother's Grave (due to be released after September 2012,) there is huge influence from Tim Marquitz.

This whole series is fantastic. I'm about to start book 4, Echoes of the Past.

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2014 March 21st

I need to state that I have read the 'Damnation Books 1st edition.' Damnation Books is notorious for doing shitty edits on books and Tim Marquitz is now free of DB as a publisher. I'd bet the 2nd Edition is much cleaner than the 1st edition. I'm just guessing.

[Gary Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark urban fantasy is a subgenre I've grown a taste for in recent years. Life in a packed city environment seems tailor made for stories mixing dark urges, tension, suspense, action, and the right amount of humor. Simon R. Green and Jim Butcher have both successfully mined this territory in their respective series (The Nightside series and the Dresden Files). Now Tim Marquitz has done the same, unleashing a fast, furious, and compelling story in the opening volume of his Demon Squad series.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding on display throughout, positing a world in which God and the Devil have both abandoned the Earth, leaving angels and demons and humanity to get on as best they can. Naturally, this results in scheming and plotting that brings the world to the brink of armageddon (hey, there's a reason the book isn't called "Puppies and Ice Cream Bound"...). It falls to Frank Trigg and his occult-wise, heavily-armed allies to somehow figure out how to derail it.

There is a lot of action in this book, and Marquitz does a very good job at keeping it clear and focused without lots of 'telling.' I also enjoyed the personality of Frank Trigg, who, while hardly an angel (part-demon, actually, and at times all-libido), has his limits, and knows when it's time to take a stand against impossible odds. I expect I'll very much enjoy the following books in the series.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this novel (couple days read) this not really my first "urban fantasy" of so many out there so I cant compare to others... I really enjoyed this book , you are dropped right in the middle of an on-going battle for survival in the "real" world of wizards demons and angels: vampires goons zombies ect.
This is a non-stop action filled novel picks you up and keeps going till last page, love the main character relate him similar to Joe pitt' if your familiar with charlie huston's series, this character fits right along with his life of getting beat to #$%@ almost all through... well All through this story, it has a sicj humor that I really enjoyed as well as the battle between the factions that are set against each other for the fate of the world without its major player's.
I am moving on to the next in the series as this book is just plain fun to read'
5 stars with a bit more depth to the world ( I'm sure will be explored in further novels) but at the same time it might take away from the pure adrenaline rush and fun of the (gun and run) pace this first novel has set!
I look for more of the same in this and other author's 4.5 stars just plain fun'

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really review books. Normally I keep my opinions to myself and allow anyone that might read my reviews an opportunity to spare themselves from the suffering, but this book deserves a little bit of a review.

In short this book, and the series as a whole, is just plain fun. Frank Trigg, just doesn't take himself all the seriously and doesn't expect you to either. The world created by the author explains itself well and allows the reader to join in the fun. Angels, demons, vampires and a whole bunch of other likable Hellions are all inside.

The dark humor and overall attitude of the book makes it worth the time. If you are looking for a deep and philosophical explanation of today's world do not read this, but if you do read it don't be surprised when you are done that you can see the authors intelligent point of view on things.

A good book and series that is worth the money and the time.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After God and the Devil leave, all the supernaturals: Angels, demons, vampires, and wizards fight each other-for or against Armageddon-- including the D. R. A. C. squad, which isn't as cute as it sounds, no glitter, promise. Trigg, is a member of DRAC, and strictly against the big climax, seeing how he turned down a cushie job with his Uncle Lucifer long ago, so the end of the world for him would really suck. The showdown between the warring factions is violent, fast-paced, twisted and funny as hell. Cool cast of supporting characters and some great baddies, I loved it.

[Tyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review here

[Lyndi W.]

Can I just say this sounds like something starring Vin Diesel?

"Better luck next time, humanity." ROFLMAO

[atmatos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh.

[Babette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept. It would be better if the main character wasn't as dumb and horny as a 14-year old boy with two broken arms.

[Coco.V]

FREE on Amazon today (10/18/2017)!

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come...