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Dien Hostain was never meant to lead. She wasn't meant to survive.
Kind of heart and quick in temper, Dien expects to lead a simple life, learning her father's trade. But unbeknown to her, he was not always a carpenter. He's an exile, a traitor once known as the Peace Breaker.
When nightmarish demons attack the village of Berrywhistle, her father is murdered. Dien and the survivors are taken as thralls to live out the rest of their days in squaller and back-breaking labour. But Dien's blood boils with the need to escape and take her revenge.
They try to break her body. They try to break her spirit.
Will Dien take up her father's hammer and unite her people?
On wings of vengeance, a Saint shall rise.
A new epic fantasy saga full of angels, demons, heroes, and mystery, from award-winning author Rob J. Hayes. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, John Gwynne, and Ryan Cahill.
Kind of heart and quick in temper, Dien expects to lead a simple life, learning her father's trade. But unbeknown to her, he was not always a carpenter. He's an exile, a traitor once known as the Peace Breaker.
When nightmarish demons attack the village of Berrywhistle, her father is murdered. Dien and the survivors are taken as thralls to live out the rest of their days in squaller and back-breaking labour. But Dien's blood boils with the need to escape and take her revenge.
They try to break her body. They try to break her spirit.
Will Dien take up her father's hammer and unite her people?
On wings of vengeance, a Saint shall rise.
A new epic fantasy saga full of angels, demons, heroes, and mystery, from award-winning author Rob J. Hayes. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, John Gwynne, and Ryan Cahill.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2024
78 people are currently reading
1905 people want to read
About the author
Rob J. Hayes
45 books1,913 followersWinner of Mark Lawrence's 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) with Where Loyalties Lie
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
May 10, 2024
4.5/5 stars
Wow. Demon was short, impactful, dark, and brutal.
First things first. I will repeat this in my review of Deathless and Herald as well. The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes is a big series divided into three trilogies. Herald is the first book in Age of the God Eater trilogy. Deathless is the first book in Annals of the God Eater trilogy, and it takes place a thousand years before the events of Herald. Finally, Demon is the first book in Archive of the God Eater trilogy, and the story begins three thousand years before the events of Herald. These three surmised the first phase of The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes. Hayes wrote the three first volumes concurrently, and he’s currently writing the second phase of The God Eater Saga, the respective sequel to these three books.
I did not plan to start Demon this soon. Hayes’ recommended reading order for The God Eater Saga is to read Herald, Deathless, and Demon in that order. This is an understandable and valid reading order. Herald is the main novel, and it is far bigger compared to Deathless and Demon. My original plan was to follow that recommendation. But seeing that other readers have read Demon first without feeling like they’ve lost anything from doing it, I decided to read the first chapter of Demon for the purpose of sampling Hayes’ writing in The God Eater Saga. Little did I know it would absorb me into finishing the 60,000-word novel in a single day. It was that compelling. And honestly, I needed to read a fantasy novel as dark as Demon again.
The story in Demon revolves around Dien Hostain. Kind of heart and quick in temper, Dien expects to lead a simple life, learning her father's trade. But unbeknown to her, her father was not always a carpenter. He's an exile, a traitor once known as the Peace Breaker. When nightmarish demons attack the village of Berrywhistle, her father is murdered. Dien and the survivors are taken as thralls to live out the rest of their days in squaller and back-breaking labor. But Dien's blood boils with the need to escape and take her revenge. As you can tell from the premise here, it did not take long for Demon to turn a wrong turn into the territory of darkness. Dien’s life is a harsh one. And if you are squeamish about explicit violence in your fantasy books, Demon will be challenging to read. I, personally, felt like I needed to read Demon first ahead of Deathless and Herald. Yes, I haven’t read Deathless and Herald yet, but lately, the feeling of danger from the epic fantasy books I read this year is frequently missing. The books are great. The world-buildings are immersive. But I did not feel scared for the main characters. Demon reminded me of that feeling of danger again. To feel the fear for the character's fate, to know Hayes is not shy of putting the characters through insanely brutal ordeals.
The entire story in Demon is told from the perspective of Dien alone. And having been a fan of The Mortal Techniques by Hayes, I know the fast-paced and accessible writing style I'd get. And Hayes did not disappoint on this. It has been a while since I read anything by Hayes, and I had a blast reading Demon. Dien is a supportable main character. As violent as the story gets, I still refuse to call Demon a grimdark fantasy novel. Dien is a kind-hearted character who cares about her family and friends. Her friendship with Helena, in particular, felt genuine. There was a bit of a slow-down in the middle portion of Demon, but it was a minor distraction to the overall reading experience. The action sequence at the end and how far Dien is willing to go to save herself and her friends made me incredibly excited to read the rest of The God Eater Saga.
I won't be able to tell yet whether it is the correct decision to begin my journey in The God Eater Saga from reading Demon instead of Herald. However, for now, Demon worked well as a standalone novel that does not require you to read Deathless or Herald first. I'm sure some elements in the world-building and the appearance of angels would be imbued with greater impact if I had done that, but right now, I am satisfied with starting Demon as my starting point. It is a short fantasy novel, and I am sure one day I will read Demon again after I finished Deathless and Herald.
In such a short epic fantasy novel, Hayes ensured Demon is not lacking in vivid intensity, darkness, hope, and both likable/despicable characters. The themes of kindness, determination, pride, and the nature of evil were explored efficiently. Hayes has mentioned The God Eater Saga is his magnum opus and most ambitious project yet. If Deathless and Herald end up being as good or superior to Demon, then I believe The God Eater Saga will become the author's best series in his career.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
Wow. Demon was short, impactful, dark, and brutal.
“On wings of vengeance and blood set ablaze, freedom for all mankind!”
First things first. I will repeat this in my review of Deathless and Herald as well. The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes is a big series divided into three trilogies. Herald is the first book in Age of the God Eater trilogy. Deathless is the first book in Annals of the God Eater trilogy, and it takes place a thousand years before the events of Herald. Finally, Demon is the first book in Archive of the God Eater trilogy, and the story begins three thousand years before the events of Herald. These three surmised the first phase of The God Eater Saga by Rob J. Hayes. Hayes wrote the three first volumes concurrently, and he’s currently writing the second phase of The God Eater Saga, the respective sequel to these three books.
“Consequences are like your shadow. Sometimes they’re before you, and sometimes behind, but they’re always there. You can never escape your shadow, no matter how far you try to run from it.”
I did not plan to start Demon this soon. Hayes’ recommended reading order for The God Eater Saga is to read Herald, Deathless, and Demon in that order. This is an understandable and valid reading order. Herald is the main novel, and it is far bigger compared to Deathless and Demon. My original plan was to follow that recommendation. But seeing that other readers have read Demon first without feeling like they’ve lost anything from doing it, I decided to read the first chapter of Demon for the purpose of sampling Hayes’ writing in The God Eater Saga. Little did I know it would absorb me into finishing the 60,000-word novel in a single day. It was that compelling. And honestly, I needed to read a fantasy novel as dark as Demon again.
“Pride is a tool like any other, little bug. In the wrong hands, it can be a terrible thing. But it can also be used to inspire good in people. If you can retain enough pride to do the right thing, even in the face of scorn and ridicule, you can inspire that same pride in others.”
The story in Demon revolves around Dien Hostain. Kind of heart and quick in temper, Dien expects to lead a simple life, learning her father's trade. But unbeknown to her, her father was not always a carpenter. He's an exile, a traitor once known as the Peace Breaker. When nightmarish demons attack the village of Berrywhistle, her father is murdered. Dien and the survivors are taken as thralls to live out the rest of their days in squaller and back-breaking labor. But Dien's blood boils with the need to escape and take her revenge. As you can tell from the premise here, it did not take long for Demon to turn a wrong turn into the territory of darkness. Dien’s life is a harsh one. And if you are squeamish about explicit violence in your fantasy books, Demon will be challenging to read. I, personally, felt like I needed to read Demon first ahead of Deathless and Herald. Yes, I haven’t read Deathless and Herald yet, but lately, the feeling of danger from the epic fantasy books I read this year is frequently missing. The books are great. The world-buildings are immersive. But I did not feel scared for the main characters. Demon reminded me of that feeling of danger again. To feel the fear for the character's fate, to know Hayes is not shy of putting the characters through insanely brutal ordeals.
“The true measure of a man isn’t what they do when life is easy, it’s what they’re capable of when things get hard. But Dien was starting to think he had it backwards. The true measure was what a person was unwilling to do, no matter how tough life was. That was what defined them, what raised them above the demons. The codes they lived by, each and every one of them.”
The entire story in Demon is told from the perspective of Dien alone. And having been a fan of The Mortal Techniques by Hayes, I know the fast-paced and accessible writing style I'd get. And Hayes did not disappoint on this. It has been a while since I read anything by Hayes, and I had a blast reading Demon. Dien is a supportable main character. As violent as the story gets, I still refuse to call Demon a grimdark fantasy novel. Dien is a kind-hearted character who cares about her family and friends. Her friendship with Helena, in particular, felt genuine. There was a bit of a slow-down in the middle portion of Demon, but it was a minor distraction to the overall reading experience. The action sequence at the end and how far Dien is willing to go to save herself and her friends made me incredibly excited to read the rest of The God Eater Saga.
“It takes a person of rare courage to stand when everyone else kneels. And it takes a person of ever rarer heart to inspire others to stand with them.”
I won't be able to tell yet whether it is the correct decision to begin my journey in The God Eater Saga from reading Demon instead of Herald. However, for now, Demon worked well as a standalone novel that does not require you to read Deathless or Herald first. I'm sure some elements in the world-building and the appearance of angels would be imbued with greater impact if I had done that, but right now, I am satisfied with starting Demon as my starting point. It is a short fantasy novel, and I am sure one day I will read Demon again after I finished Deathless and Herald.
“You’re wrong. There is always hope as long as you have the courage to hold on to it. It’s the one thing they can never take from us.”
In such a short epic fantasy novel, Hayes ensured Demon is not lacking in vivid intensity, darkness, hope, and both likable/despicable characters. The themes of kindness, determination, pride, and the nature of evil were explored efficiently. Hayes has mentioned The God Eater Saga is his magnum opus and most ambitious project yet. If Deathless and Herald end up being as good or superior to Demon, then I believe The God Eater Saga will become the author's best series in his career.
“My da told me real strength doesn’t come from the arms or from any muscle. It comes from the spirit. It comes from the will to do what is right. He said it comes from having the guts to stand there and say no even when someone is beating on you, screaming at you to say yes. My da said he knew from both sides that being good to those who mean you harm isn’t real strength but being willing to stand up and say no more even under threat… that’s strong.”
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew S, Annabeth, Anne, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, James, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Nick, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
December 4, 2024
Wow, this was messed up 😅
This is arguably the darkest fantasy story I've read. I was totally hooked though!
4.5 stars
This is arguably the darkest fantasy story I've read. I was totally hooked though!
4.5 stars
March 25, 2024
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
Bloody, gory, and relentlessly dark and disturbing, Demon is a monstrous tale of survival and vengeance unlike any you have read before.
In true Rob J. Hayes fashion, it took exactly one chapter for things to go to utter shit. And the funny thing is, that brutal start truly seems like a jolly good time when you look back on it at the end of the book. Hayes truly doesn't hold back on the brutality in Demon, throwing all kinds of dark shit our way; enslavement, emotional and physical torture, starving, and even (forced) cannibalism. And you know what, I was here for it.
The feisty main character, Dien Hostain, immediately crept her way into my heart the moment I met her. After losing all she holds dear in the demon attack on her village, she commits to a path of defiance and vengeance that honestly brought me chills. Her resilience is truly unmatched, and I loved seeing how she held true to her plans and ideals no matter how dire the situation got.
And believe me, things get unspeakably dire. I really appreciated that Hayes didn't pull any punches in showing the absolute cruelty and savagery that the capured villagers had to endure. Not only cruelty from the deliciously hateable and vicious demon captors, but also from some despicable fellow human prisoners who have clearly lost their moral compass (if they even had one in the first place). The raw exploration of how far different people are willing to go to survive and the exploration of how much emotional and physical trauma people can endure before they completely break was extremely well-written, and I felt so deeply for all the innocent souls that got crushed along the way.
All that said, I do have to admit that I almost started to get a bit numbed out to all the brutality at a certain point, causing supposedly heartbreaking scenes to fall a bit flat for me personally.
Though at the same time, there's no denying that the inescapable sense of darkness and despair made for a morbidly captivating reading experience, not unlike watching a trainwreck that you simply can't pull your eyes away from.
Especially considering that this feels so much like a set-up novel with a very small-scope setting and contained plot, Demon has no business being this inexplicably compelling and unputdownable; and yet it totally is. Hayes creates an alluring air of intrigue by weaving just the most tantalising threads of hidden destinies, shocking backstories (I need to know more about Dien's father, thank you please!!) and rich lore into the narrative, which makes both the characters and the wider world feel so realistic and wonderfully well-realised.
And with the shockingly exciting way that Demon ended, I am so eager for this world to fully blow open and explore all the new dangerous paths that all my favourite broken souls (you know, the ones that survived this first novel) will go down. What's more, I am dying to see how the legacies and legends of these characters will continue to live on in this world as I dive into the later trilogies that make up the wider God Eater Saga; a trilogy of trilogies being released concurrently. There is simply so much potential here, and I think this epic journey has gone off to an amazingly strong start with Demon.
So, I would highly encourage you to pick up Demon and embark on this deliciously dark adventure for yourself as soon as possible, if you dare. Just make sure to be mentally prepared for Hayes' disturbingly dark imagination (can someone please make sure he is okay and give him a hug?), and you should be in for a hell of a bloody wild ride.
This review is based on the Kickstarter edition. Demon will be up for general sale on 23 July 2024.
Bloody, gory, and relentlessly dark and disturbing, Demon is a monstrous tale of survival and vengeance unlike any you have read before.
In true Rob J. Hayes fashion, it took exactly one chapter for things to go to utter shit. And the funny thing is, that brutal start truly seems like a jolly good time when you look back on it at the end of the book. Hayes truly doesn't hold back on the brutality in Demon, throwing all kinds of dark shit our way; enslavement, emotional and physical torture, starving, and even (forced) cannibalism. And you know what, I was here for it.
The feisty main character, Dien Hostain, immediately crept her way into my heart the moment I met her. After losing all she holds dear in the demon attack on her village, she commits to a path of defiance and vengeance that honestly brought me chills. Her resilience is truly unmatched, and I loved seeing how she held true to her plans and ideals no matter how dire the situation got.
And believe me, things get unspeakably dire. I really appreciated that Hayes didn't pull any punches in showing the absolute cruelty and savagery that the capured villagers had to endure. Not only cruelty from the deliciously hateable and vicious demon captors, but also from some despicable fellow human prisoners who have clearly lost their moral compass (if they even had one in the first place). The raw exploration of how far different people are willing to go to survive and the exploration of how much emotional and physical trauma people can endure before they completely break was extremely well-written, and I felt so deeply for all the innocent souls that got crushed along the way.
All that said, I do have to admit that I almost started to get a bit numbed out to all the brutality at a certain point, causing supposedly heartbreaking scenes to fall a bit flat for me personally.
Though at the same time, there's no denying that the inescapable sense of darkness and despair made for a morbidly captivating reading experience, not unlike watching a trainwreck that you simply can't pull your eyes away from.
Especially considering that this feels so much like a set-up novel with a very small-scope setting and contained plot, Demon has no business being this inexplicably compelling and unputdownable; and yet it totally is. Hayes creates an alluring air of intrigue by weaving just the most tantalising threads of hidden destinies, shocking backstories (I need to know more about Dien's father, thank you please!!) and rich lore into the narrative, which makes both the characters and the wider world feel so realistic and wonderfully well-realised.
And with the shockingly exciting way that Demon ended, I am so eager for this world to fully blow open and explore all the new dangerous paths that all my favourite broken souls (you know, the ones that survived this first novel) will go down. What's more, I am dying to see how the legacies and legends of these characters will continue to live on in this world as I dive into the later trilogies that make up the wider God Eater Saga; a trilogy of trilogies being released concurrently. There is simply so much potential here, and I think this epic journey has gone off to an amazingly strong start with Demon.
So, I would highly encourage you to pick up Demon and embark on this deliciously dark adventure for yourself as soon as possible, if you dare. Just make sure to be mentally prepared for Hayes' disturbingly dark imagination (can someone please make sure he is okay and give him a hug?), and you should be in for a hell of a bloody wild ride.
This review is based on the Kickstarter edition. Demon will be up for general sale on 23 July 2024.
March 26, 2024
I was pleasantly surprised by how dark this story got. It is not what I expected even with the name "demon" and I loved it so much. I was uncomfortable, and screaming "wtf" constantly.
For me this story started VERY strong, and then dragged for a bit due to a too long traveling sequence. But when we got to the location that's when the story truly had me in its grips.
Dien made a wonderful female lead to follow, she was smart and truly ready to burn the world down in her vengeance. My favourite kind.
The last 50% was an easy 5 star from me, so I settled in a 4 due to the traveling part.
I'm not sure HOW I'm supposed to wait for book two. But at least I can head on over to the other book ones in the mean time.
For me this story started VERY strong, and then dragged for a bit due to a too long traveling sequence. But when we got to the location that's when the story truly had me in its grips.
Dien made a wonderful female lead to follow, she was smart and truly ready to burn the world down in her vengeance. My favourite kind.
The last 50% was an easy 5 star from me, so I settled in a 4 due to the traveling part.
I'm not sure HOW I'm supposed to wait for book two. But at least I can head on over to the other book ones in the mean time.
April 15, 2024
4.0 stars—-
Demon might be the darkest book I’ve ever read..I can’t say the dark parts were entertaining, but Hayes’ writing paired with the strong characters and interesting world is enough to make it a good book. I feel like this origin story of the Saint is the foundation of the whole series, it reminded me of Eskara’s time in the Pit from “Along the Razor’s Edge”. Dien is a compelling character and I’m looking forward to learning more about the demon culture and mysterious bear rider.
(content warning: forced cannibalism)
Demon might be the darkest book I’ve ever read..I can’t say the dark parts were entertaining, but Hayes’ writing paired with the strong characters and interesting world is enough to make it a good book. I feel like this origin story of the Saint is the foundation of the whole series, it reminded me of Eskara’s time in the Pit from “Along the Razor’s Edge”. Dien is a compelling character and I’m looking forward to learning more about the demon culture and mysterious bear rider.
(content warning: forced cannibalism)
May 29, 2024
A brutal kickoff to the Godeater saga, as one village does everything it can to stay alive after its home is raided by demons and the survivors are captured as thralls.
Dien has a nice growth arc, from a bashful and curious forest peasant to a — well, read the story. It isn’t for the faint of heart, as there are some pretty dark themes that push at the boundaries of what it means to remain human under the harshest of circumstances.
If this is your first Godeater book, as it was mine, it takes an unexpected direction near the finale, and opens a lot more questions than it answers. This propelled me to start Deathless right away to try and figure out the connections between A and B.
Hayes has kicked off yet another interesting series with this ambitious release format and I’m ready to tear through the next.
Dien has a nice growth arc, from a bashful and curious forest peasant to a — well, read the story. It isn’t for the faint of heart, as there are some pretty dark themes that push at the boundaries of what it means to remain human under the harshest of circumstances.
If this is your first Godeater book, as it was mine, it takes an unexpected direction near the finale, and opens a lot more questions than it answers. This propelled me to start Deathless right away to try and figure out the connections between A and B.
Hayes has kicked off yet another interesting series with this ambitious release format and I’m ready to tear through the next.
March 27, 2024
I ended up really enjoying this one. It is DARK and gruesome, so know that about the imagery going in. But I loved that. The ending goes out with a bang. The main reason for the 4 star was my interest really waned in the middle during the travelling portion.
For my full review: https://youtu.be/qCU4uyirm-I
For my full review: https://youtu.be/qCU4uyirm-I
April 3, 2024
This review was originally posted on SFF Insiders.
4.5 stars, rounded up
It would be a bit of an understatement to call Rob J. Hayes’ new series, The God Eater Saga, an ambitious endeavor. After all, any attempt to release a trilogy of trilogies spanning three millennia—while releasing each trilogy’s first entry simultaneously—would be considered insane in lesser hands. Thankfully, Hayes’ hands are more than capable. And maybe he is insane.
If he is, goddamn, am I happy about it. Demon absolutely rules.
Chronologically the first in the God Eater Saga and the first entry in the Archive of the God Eater, Demon follows Dien Hostain, the daughter of a carpenter who loses everything in a demonic raid—including her family—and is forced to endure horrors and hard labor as a thrall to the pack of demons. As she toils in the demons’ labor camp with hope for survival growing slimmer and slimmer, she searches for escape and vengeance—but against the inhuman might against the demons, vengeance is not so easy a thing to achieve.
Right from the shoot, this book pulls absolutely zero punches. It is heavy, it is violent, and it is absolutely not for the faint of heart. People die, and horribly so. There’s torture, forced cannibalism, gore. I consider myself well adjusted to some of the grimmest of grimdark, and even I felt my stomach turn at some descriptions.
And yet, it’s to the strength of Hayes’ skills as a writer that he’s able to depict these horrors without it coming across as overly edgy or violent simply for the sake of. What he achieves is a hopelessly oppressive atmosphere where you feel all semblance of hope slipping away just as Dien and her companions do. You want them to escape, you want them to succeed, but you feel just as apprehensive about it all as they do. It’s marvelously crafted, and one of the biggest successes of the book.
But where Demon shines, as is typically the case of Hayes’ books, is in the character work. Dien is a fantastically realized character, even within the limitations of the book’s short page length. She is given great dimension that expands her beyond the narrowness of wanting to seek revenge against those who robbed her of everything. She’s crafty, strong-willed, unwilling to give up even in the face of all the brutality around her, no matter how many times she’s knocked down, and she’s only bolstered by an excellent supporting cast of various walks of life, good and bad. The complexity of enslavement is explored quite well here, from the captives from other villages who have been held by the demons for years and have resigned themselves to their fate, to those whose morals are so far gone that they could be considered no better than the demons themselves. It helps flesh out the brutal nature of the book; had it only been the demons as the antagonists, this could have ended up more of a one-dimensional tale, but having humans, people who Dien has known her whole life, acting in the same demonic manner only heightened the tension and left me fearing for what more could happen.
The pace of Demon is relentless, letting shit hit the fan right from the get-go and not stopping until the bloody conclusion. But despite that, things did tend to drag a little bit toward the middle as the horrors temporarily ceased. As a reader, it was certainly a welcomed reprieve from the carnage that preceded it before the carnage that was soon to come. The mundanity of those middle chapters was good for the blood pressure, at the least, and it still helped complete the fuller picture that Hayes was trying to paint. But for the rapid pace of the rest of the book, the wonky pacing of the middle was just enough to knock it down a tick for me. Thankfully, though, that ends quickly, and we are treated(?) to the horrors again in short order, so it’s really a minor complaint.
Demon is a heavy hitter in all the best ways. It’ll enthrall you right from the beginning and will refuse to let you go until the last drops of blood fall. It’s Rob J. Hayes at his grimmest and bloodiest, but it’s also him at some of his absolute best.
4.5 stars, rounded up
It would be a bit of an understatement to call Rob J. Hayes’ new series, The God Eater Saga, an ambitious endeavor. After all, any attempt to release a trilogy of trilogies spanning three millennia—while releasing each trilogy’s first entry simultaneously—would be considered insane in lesser hands. Thankfully, Hayes’ hands are more than capable. And maybe he is insane.
If he is, goddamn, am I happy about it. Demon absolutely rules.
Chronologically the first in the God Eater Saga and the first entry in the Archive of the God Eater, Demon follows Dien Hostain, the daughter of a carpenter who loses everything in a demonic raid—including her family—and is forced to endure horrors and hard labor as a thrall to the pack of demons. As she toils in the demons’ labor camp with hope for survival growing slimmer and slimmer, she searches for escape and vengeance—but against the inhuman might against the demons, vengeance is not so easy a thing to achieve.
Right from the shoot, this book pulls absolutely zero punches. It is heavy, it is violent, and it is absolutely not for the faint of heart. People die, and horribly so. There’s torture, forced cannibalism, gore. I consider myself well adjusted to some of the grimmest of grimdark, and even I felt my stomach turn at some descriptions.
And yet, it’s to the strength of Hayes’ skills as a writer that he’s able to depict these horrors without it coming across as overly edgy or violent simply for the sake of. What he achieves is a hopelessly oppressive atmosphere where you feel all semblance of hope slipping away just as Dien and her companions do. You want them to escape, you want them to succeed, but you feel just as apprehensive about it all as they do. It’s marvelously crafted, and one of the biggest successes of the book.
But where Demon shines, as is typically the case of Hayes’ books, is in the character work. Dien is a fantastically realized character, even within the limitations of the book’s short page length. She is given great dimension that expands her beyond the narrowness of wanting to seek revenge against those who robbed her of everything. She’s crafty, strong-willed, unwilling to give up even in the face of all the brutality around her, no matter how many times she’s knocked down, and she’s only bolstered by an excellent supporting cast of various walks of life, good and bad. The complexity of enslavement is explored quite well here, from the captives from other villages who have been held by the demons for years and have resigned themselves to their fate, to those whose morals are so far gone that they could be considered no better than the demons themselves. It helps flesh out the brutal nature of the book; had it only been the demons as the antagonists, this could have ended up more of a one-dimensional tale, but having humans, people who Dien has known her whole life, acting in the same demonic manner only heightened the tension and left me fearing for what more could happen.
The pace of Demon is relentless, letting shit hit the fan right from the get-go and not stopping until the bloody conclusion. But despite that, things did tend to drag a little bit toward the middle as the horrors temporarily ceased. As a reader, it was certainly a welcomed reprieve from the carnage that preceded it before the carnage that was soon to come. The mundanity of those middle chapters was good for the blood pressure, at the least, and it still helped complete the fuller picture that Hayes was trying to paint. But for the rapid pace of the rest of the book, the wonky pacing of the middle was just enough to knock it down a tick for me. Thankfully, though, that ends quickly, and we are treated(?) to the horrors again in short order, so it’s really a minor complaint.
Demon is a heavy hitter in all the best ways. It’ll enthrall you right from the beginning and will refuse to let you go until the last drops of blood fall. It’s Rob J. Hayes at his grimmest and bloodiest, but it’s also him at some of his absolute best.
November 14, 2024
Oh man... this was cringe. Especially the beginning and the end, that very last line. I don't think I ever want to read this author again. Once again, the lore is stellar. The execution terrible.
Demon has to have one of the dumbest villains ever and I'm not talking about demons. Imagine whole mankind is hunted and afraid to even have fires lit during nights because demons might find you. Then imagine a villain that lights a torch 30 minutes before sunrise just to go beat somebody he doesn't like. Couldn't even wait for dawn. Then when the village is attacked instead of running or protecting his loved ones he goes to kill that person. Btw large part of the feud was that his daughter broke her leg. Are you getting the picture? He's real bad, just so you know. I hate when characters do dumb shit that makes no sense for the sake of plot.
The last third of the book has some shockingly brutal scenes that made it more interesting. But I didn't care about the characters so I wasn't invested. The cringe shout that is the last sentence of this book was the cherry on top. Beside getting closest to deus ex machina ending as humanly possible.
I wanted to love this series but after having read approximately 1111 pages and going through the worst reading slump in years caused by Herald I'm tapping out.
Demon has to have one of the dumbest villains ever and I'm not talking about demons. Imagine whole mankind is hunted and afraid to even have fires lit during nights because demons might find you. Then imagine a villain that lights a torch 30 minutes before sunrise just to go beat somebody he doesn't like. Couldn't even wait for dawn. Then when the village is attacked instead of running or protecting his loved ones he goes to kill that person. Btw large part of the feud was that his daughter broke her leg. Are you getting the picture? He's real bad, just so you know. I hate when characters do dumb shit that makes no sense for the sake of plot.
The last third of the book has some shockingly brutal scenes that made it more interesting. But I didn't care about the characters so I wasn't invested. The cringe shout that is the last sentence of this book was the cherry on top. Beside getting closest to deus ex machina ending as humanly possible.
I wanted to love this series but after having read approximately 1111 pages and going through the worst reading slump in years caused by Herald I'm tapping out.
September 22, 2024
Wow...that was about as dark and demonic way to start a journey that anyone could craft! The Brutal, Agonizing, Horrific introduction to the start of Hayes grand Epic will grab you in a violently dark embrace that will have you burning through pages and praying for retribution! Welcome to "Demon" Archive of the God Eater book 1.
2000 years before Herald and 1000 before Deathless, Demon follows Dien Hostain and the human civilization during a time of hiding and surviving. Demons exist in this timeframe and our kind (Humans) eek out our lives hidden deep in the woods. Living as secretive as possible to avoid attack from the monsters, even open fire isn't permitted...but in this world Rob is crafting us, we know this will be an existence that just isn't sustainable.
Dien, her family, friends and the rest of the village enjoy their quaint, quite lives of relative peace...until Hell finds them. In the span of one horrific night, Dien's family and most of the village in torn apart before her very eyes, and so begins the painful and relentlessly torturious journey as a captured thrall in the hands of the Demons. This is the bloody, brutal and emotional ride we are driven on and exposes us to the Saint Dien we will come to read about in Herald. Prepare yourself for a dark and unfathomable brutal story of death, survival, relentless strength and slivers of hope...this is not anything your ready for, but good god did Hayes pen this horror filled entry with a level of storytelling that has us morbidly begging for more!!
Slower, emotion building pace sets us perfectly for a buffet of grim, unrelenting Brutality that begs for vengeance and retribution...how does one endure and persevere? On the back of unwavering strength and hope! Dien has captured the very essence of heroism and has me dying for her full story! Wow, this might be my top read of this Saga yet...and it's only 207 pages, what a project Mr Hayes...you sir have a gem in the making! With an ending that will have you holding your breath and your blood pressure climbing, steel your emotions...this will take you to the very edge of crazy!
4.5⭐ and only lacking the 5 because I needed another 200 pages of this! Bravo!! This is a must read people!! 😈🔥🤯
2000 years before Herald and 1000 before Deathless, Demon follows Dien Hostain and the human civilization during a time of hiding and surviving. Demons exist in this timeframe and our kind (Humans) eek out our lives hidden deep in the woods. Living as secretive as possible to avoid attack from the monsters, even open fire isn't permitted...but in this world Rob is crafting us, we know this will be an existence that just isn't sustainable.
Dien, her family, friends and the rest of the village enjoy their quaint, quite lives of relative peace...until Hell finds them. In the span of one horrific night, Dien's family and most of the village in torn apart before her very eyes, and so begins the painful and relentlessly torturious journey as a captured thrall in the hands of the Demons. This is the bloody, brutal and emotional ride we are driven on and exposes us to the Saint Dien we will come to read about in Herald. Prepare yourself for a dark and unfathomable brutal story of death, survival, relentless strength and slivers of hope...this is not anything your ready for, but good god did Hayes pen this horror filled entry with a level of storytelling that has us morbidly begging for more!!
Slower, emotion building pace sets us perfectly for a buffet of grim, unrelenting Brutality that begs for vengeance and retribution...how does one endure and persevere? On the back of unwavering strength and hope! Dien has captured the very essence of heroism and has me dying for her full story! Wow, this might be my top read of this Saga yet...and it's only 207 pages, what a project Mr Hayes...you sir have a gem in the making! With an ending that will have you holding your breath and your blood pressure climbing, steel your emotions...this will take you to the very edge of crazy!
4.5⭐ and only lacking the 5 because I needed another 200 pages of this! Bravo!! This is a must read people!! 😈🔥🤯
January 4, 2025
This book felt like a major step down from other of this authors works. The book was extremely violent but lacked any tone or atmosphere to make the writing feel gritty and bleak apart from the explicit events happening on the page. IMO this book is a great example of telling and not showing in writing. I got tired of the main character talking about what her da taught her and then explicitly not following his teachings or advice. The main character is an archetype that I usually really enjoy (fiery strong female) but she felt like a cardboard cutout here, lacking much real depth. I also felt gaps in the continuity of the novel. One moment the humans are incapable of fighting back, weaklings who have been beat into the ground and the next they are strong and harden by their struggles, capable of fighting back. I like the principle but the sudden switch just didn't make sense to me. The writing and themes were lacking here. Good premise but I wanted so much more from this. Even the depictions of what trauma does to the human mind felt surface level.
July 17, 2024
4.5
I'll do a full review soon but damn it's been a while since a book hooked me this much
I'll do a full review soon but damn it's been a while since a book hooked me this much
November 11, 2024
Solid 4 stars. This was an amazingly bloody, dark, savage book that will satisfy your grimdark little black heart.
I really wish i would have read this 1st before Herald. That being said, I was left wanting more of the ending plot threads...
Great writing, characters to love and hate, and the end paper illustrations. Rob Hayes is such an amazing, vivid writer. 👌🔥
Starting Deathless tomorrow!
I really wish i would have read this 1st before Herald. That being said, I was left wanting more of the ending plot threads...
Great writing, characters to love and hate, and the end paper illustrations. Rob Hayes is such an amazing, vivid writer. 👌🔥
Starting Deathless tomorrow!
April 11, 2024
I’m planning on reviewing this and the other short story together and then closer to wide release date I’ll review the full novel.
This book is brutal and heartbreaking and full of violence and a great introduction to the larger series if I understand what it’s supposed to be about.
Dien is a girl in her late teens who lives in a village that has oriented its life around remaining undetected from the demons who have overrun the world. This is Chapter 1. Chapter 2 the demons find them and it is 180 pages of brutal treatment at the hands of the demons who try to break their will. Some will falter but some will remain defiant until the end.
This book is brutal and heartbreaking and full of violence and a great introduction to the larger series if I understand what it’s supposed to be about.
Dien is a girl in her late teens who lives in a village that has oriented its life around remaining undetected from the demons who have overrun the world. This is Chapter 1. Chapter 2 the demons find them and it is 180 pages of brutal treatment at the hands of the demons who try to break their will. Some will falter but some will remain defiant until the end.
February 20, 2025
4.75⭐️ This one might be my favorite of all three of the current godeater books. So dark, so disturbing, so much hate. It’s so good! 😭 I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here.
September 13, 2024
The demons came and it made all so much darker.
What a grim and gloomy book. Very graphic and bloody. i liked it .. A LOT. really good start to the Archive of the Godeater Trilogy. I am very pleased I started with this one. Gives a view into the world and whats about to come in terms of tone and atmosphere.
What a grim and gloomy book. Very graphic and bloody. i liked it .. A LOT. really good start to the Archive of the Godeater Trilogy. I am very pleased I started with this one. Gives a view into the world and whats about to come in terms of tone and atmosphere.
November 19, 2024
For me the best of the three novels in the first set of books released.
This is a lot darker and bleak than the other books and is more a story of survival and hope.
We jump back 3000 years (I believe) to follow Dien Hostain who is through the other books talked about as a saviour of humankind and a saint. This is her origin story if you will and it’s a dark and grim one.
I do hope with the next set of books we get a longer novel to spend in these earlier time periods as they are brilliant and Rob J Hayes has done a great job of crafting a deep lore that goes through the ages !
This is a lot darker and bleak than the other books and is more a story of survival and hope.
We jump back 3000 years (I believe) to follow Dien Hostain who is through the other books talked about as a saviour of humankind and a saint. This is her origin story if you will and it’s a dark and grim one.
I do hope with the next set of books we get a longer novel to spend in these earlier time periods as they are brilliant and Rob J Hayes has done a great job of crafting a deep lore that goes through the ages !
Want to read
August 23, 2025 On Sale .99 in the U.S.
August 23, 2025 - August 25, 2025
August 23, 2025 - August 25, 2025
November 23, 2024
5⭐️
Rob J. Hayes, the man that you are 🙏
Rob J. Hayes, the man that you are 🙏
September 8, 2024
I've read all 3 of the God Eater books now, and can only impatiently wait on book 2 of each series. It's still a puzzle as to what to think of the angels in the series. I love having a puzzle to figure out, and my thoughts are that I won't really know until all the third books are out. Great writing with characters to love and hate, with lots of gray.
August 8, 2024
Very...uhhh...good story? Well, I was glued to the page but "good" may not be the best description. It's dark, gritty, yet filled with the strength of the human spirit. Demon is the story of Dien Hostain, who historically looms large in Deathless and Herald.
Demons adds a tremendous amount of background into Dien's history, character, and motivations. This is a great addition to God Eater world!
Demons adds a tremendous amount of background into Dien's history, character, and motivations. This is a great addition to God Eater world!
October 3, 2024
This book made me angry and equally interested to read more of this world. My experience of Rob J Hayes book has been mixed as he tends to go towards darker aspects but equally brilliant world building and characters as well. Onwards to the next book and exploring this unique trilogy set up.
April 3, 2025
Solid 4-Stars
Demon by Rob J. Hayes is the last book one of the three trilogies released all at once last year. As I've mentioned in my recent review of Deathless, I plan to circle back around to Herald when the time comes for the second books in each series to be released. I feel I'll have a very different perspective and understanding of the world and it's characters now that I've completed all three book ones.
If you haven't seen my other reviews yet, it was explained to me that all three series are in the same world but in different timelines. Demon goes back the further in time before both Deathless and Herald and gives us even more background and understanding of this world.
For another shorter book similar to Deathless, the pacing is still very solid. This one also sits around the 200 pages mark. I only had a day or two before kicking off a readathon so I picked up a copy of the audio just to get through it a little quicker as I knew I wouldn't have as much time to sit down and visual read through this one in that short of time.
This means I've done the audio for both Herald and Demon which were enjoyable and visual read Deathless which was equally enjoyable for me. The two audiobooks were narrated by different individuals. I'm hoping the same individuals continue to narrate their perspective series in the future. I just like that continuity in most cases. Though there are plenty of cases where a change of narrator did fit better for the given book. In this case Demon is narrated by Annalee Scott who I felt did an excellent job brining this dark and almost hopeless tale to life.
The world building is really good in Demon when looking at it on it's own. But when you take the step back and look at it in combination of Herald and Deathless, this world is simply phenomenal. As mentioned this is a very dark storyline as we go even further back in the timeline and learn yet more information about the Hostain family. I mean with a title like Demon, you'd have to assume at least a bit of darkness. But who are the demons? Where did they come from? You'll just have to dive into this world and series to find out.
The character development is probably the strongest aspect of Demon when looking at it on it's own. Sure the pacing and world building are both really good especially with the connection to the other two books in the saga. But Dien's character and her family in general just has such an amazing story arc to experience. She is honestly learning about her family's past right along with us the reader.
One take away I have at this point is we rarely know who are really the good guys and the bad guys in history. It's very true that history is written by the victors. Rob has taken on that fight to peel back the layers of history one generation at a time with this epic saga.
I've mentioned in several reviews in past that I love a story with a great history and background to it and each of these reads has just added more and more depth to this story and I'm here for it!
On thing I found myself more than once saying out loud while listening to this story was "Weak meat, slow meat!" And mmm meat soup! This story definitely had some demented twists but it has it's place in this dark tale.
I've finish reiterating that I was hesitant on this format of release the author chose for this saga, but damn if it don't seem to be working perfectly for me. I'll concur with the reading order of Herald, Deathless then Demon as it was top notch in my experience.
Demon by Rob J. Hayes is the last book one of the three trilogies released all at once last year. As I've mentioned in my recent review of Deathless, I plan to circle back around to Herald when the time comes for the second books in each series to be released. I feel I'll have a very different perspective and understanding of the world and it's characters now that I've completed all three book ones.
If you haven't seen my other reviews yet, it was explained to me that all three series are in the same world but in different timelines. Demon goes back the further in time before both Deathless and Herald and gives us even more background and understanding of this world.
For another shorter book similar to Deathless, the pacing is still very solid. This one also sits around the 200 pages mark. I only had a day or two before kicking off a readathon so I picked up a copy of the audio just to get through it a little quicker as I knew I wouldn't have as much time to sit down and visual read through this one in that short of time.
This means I've done the audio for both Herald and Demon which were enjoyable and visual read Deathless which was equally enjoyable for me. The two audiobooks were narrated by different individuals. I'm hoping the same individuals continue to narrate their perspective series in the future. I just like that continuity in most cases. Though there are plenty of cases where a change of narrator did fit better for the given book. In this case Demon is narrated by Annalee Scott who I felt did an excellent job brining this dark and almost hopeless tale to life.
The world building is really good in Demon when looking at it on it's own. But when you take the step back and look at it in combination of Herald and Deathless, this world is simply phenomenal. As mentioned this is a very dark storyline as we go even further back in the timeline and learn yet more information about the Hostain family. I mean with a title like Demon, you'd have to assume at least a bit of darkness. But who are the demons? Where did they come from? You'll just have to dive into this world and series to find out.
The character development is probably the strongest aspect of Demon when looking at it on it's own. Sure the pacing and world building are both really good especially with the connection to the other two books in the saga. But Dien's character and her family in general just has such an amazing story arc to experience. She is honestly learning about her family's past right along with us the reader.
One take away I have at this point is we rarely know who are really the good guys and the bad guys in history. It's very true that history is written by the victors. Rob has taken on that fight to peel back the layers of history one generation at a time with this epic saga.
I've mentioned in several reviews in past that I love a story with a great history and background to it and each of these reads has just added more and more depth to this story and I'm here for it!
On thing I found myself more than once saying out loud while listening to this story was "Weak meat, slow meat!" And mmm meat soup! This story definitely had some demented twists but it has it's place in this dark tale.
I've finish reiterating that I was hesitant on this format of release the author chose for this saga, but damn if it don't seem to be working perfectly for me. I'll concur with the reading order of Herald, Deathless then Demon as it was top notch in my experience.
November 20, 2024
So that the first 3 books read - enjoyed all of them immensely and looking forward to the kickstarter for the next 3.
December 17, 2024
Well then.
A great book to compliment the others. A tale of suffering and finding freedom, but the larger implications leave me with so many questions. I can’t wait for all of the book two’s to come out!
A great book to compliment the others. A tale of suffering and finding freedom, but the larger implications leave me with so many questions. I can’t wait for all of the book two’s to come out!
July 8, 2024
"Demon" is the best place of entry for "The Godeater Saga".
I read the first book of each trilogy in the reverse order, as sugested by the author, but I decided to read each trillogy individualy in the chronological order as that is the type of reader that I am. I don't want to be spoiled.
I realy enjoyed the protagonist of this story, Dien.
I read the first book of each trilogy in the reverse order, as sugested by the author, but I decided to read each trillogy individualy in the chronological order as that is the type of reader that I am. I don't want to be spoiled.
I realy enjoyed the protagonist of this story, Dien.
September 19, 2024
Oh my god! I absolutely inhaled this. Yes, granted, it's only 200 pages, but still!
This is super dark, grim and brutal. It has torture, abuse, forced cannibalism, it is horrific, but it's so good. The determination and drive Dien has to escape is amazing character, and what Rob J Hayes can do in just a few chapters is also amazing.
I NEED to get Dein's next book please 🙏
This is super dark, grim and brutal. It has torture, abuse, forced cannibalism, it is horrific, but it's so good. The determination and drive Dien has to escape is amazing character, and what Rob J Hayes can do in just a few chapters is also amazing.
I NEED to get Dein's next book please 🙏
July 13, 2025
4.5 stars
...that was so...BRUTAL?!
Demon is the first entry in Rob J. Hayes’ Archive of the Godeater, part of his ambitious trilogy of trilogies being released in parallel. In this earliest series (set 3,000 years before Herald and 2,000 years before Deathless), we follow Dien, a young girl captured by demons after a brutal attack on her small village. From there, it only gets worse...
Honestly, this was one grotesque scene after another, one gut punch after another. It's dark. But, it's not for nothing. There is a satisfying payoff, and it's place is established in the overall canon. I really can't give much more detail than that without spoilers.
To say I loved this would be akin to saying I love being tortured, but it was very well done. I didn't have any major critiques. The plot was tight and made it impossible to put down. The characters were well-developed. I actually have more questions than answers about a few of the revelations, so I guess Hayes has firmly enticed me to keep coming back for more (I was going to anyway).
I think my next read will be the coziest and sweetest book I can possibly get my hands on.
Series Ratings:
Age of the Godeater:
Herald 4.5 stars
Annals of the Godeater:
Deathless 4 stars
Archive of the Godeater:
Demon 4.5 stars
4.5 stars
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read! It will be burned into my brain. If there were any flaws, I didn't care. I would recommend to everyone.
▌4.5 —I loved this! It was very memorable. There weren't many flaws. I would recommend to anyone.
4.0 —I really liked this. It probably will be memorable. There may have been some minor flaws. I'd recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —I mostly liked it. It might be memorable. There were some notable flaws. I'd recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —I somewhat liked it. It might be memorable. There were significant flaws. I might recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —I was underwhelmed or unimpressed. It wasn't memorable. It had significant flaws. I might recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —I was disappointed. It wasn't memorable or it was memorable for the wrong reasons. It had major flaws. I probably wouldn't recommend.
1.5 —I did not like this at all. It was memorable for the wrong reasons. It had so many flaws. I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
1.0 —I hated this. I wish I never wasted my time on it. I would actively dissuade people from reading this.
...that was so...BRUTAL?!
Demon is the first entry in Rob J. Hayes’ Archive of the Godeater, part of his ambitious trilogy of trilogies being released in parallel. In this earliest series (set 3,000 years before Herald and 2,000 years before Deathless), we follow Dien, a young girl captured by demons after a brutal attack on her small village. From there, it only gets worse...
Honestly, this was one grotesque scene after another, one gut punch after another. It's dark. But, it's not for nothing. There is a satisfying payoff, and it's place is established in the overall canon. I really can't give much more detail than that without spoilers.
To say I loved this would be akin to saying I love being tortured, but it was very well done. I didn't have any major critiques. The plot was tight and made it impossible to put down. The characters were well-developed. I actually have more questions than answers about a few of the revelations, so I guess Hayes has firmly enticed me to keep coming back for more (I was going to anyway).
I think my next read will be the coziest and sweetest book I can possibly get my hands on.
Series Ratings:
Age of the Godeater:
Herald 4.5 stars
Annals of the Godeater:
Deathless 4 stars
Archive of the Godeater:
Demon 4.5 stars
4.5 stars
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read! It will be burned into my brain. If there were any flaws, I didn't care. I would recommend to everyone.
▌4.5 —I loved this! It was very memorable. There weren't many flaws. I would recommend to anyone.
4.0 —I really liked this. It probably will be memorable. There may have been some minor flaws. I'd recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —I mostly liked it. It might be memorable. There were some notable flaws. I'd recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —I somewhat liked it. It might be memorable. There were significant flaws. I might recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —I was underwhelmed or unimpressed. It wasn't memorable. It had significant flaws. I might recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —I was disappointed. It wasn't memorable or it was memorable for the wrong reasons. It had major flaws. I probably wouldn't recommend.
1.5 —I did not like this at all. It was memorable for the wrong reasons. It had so many flaws. I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
1.0 —I hated this. I wish I never wasted my time on it. I would actively dissuade people from reading this.
May 23, 2024
This review was originally posted on SFF Insiders
This was the last Book 1 of the God Eater Saga that I read. Now I can officially say that Rob J Haye’s trilogy of trilogies is off to a power-packed start. Every single entry had lived up to the hype, each one unique in its own way.
Demon follows Dien Hostain, an ordinary village woman who is destined to become Saint Dien. Her legacy is the Sant Dien empire, which is the setting for the other two trilogies. Set 3000 years before Herald, Demon’s world is almost alien, its treatment unflinchingly brutal, and its ending deeply satisfying, with a bittersweet taste.
I am glad I ended my run of book 1s with this story. After the epic classic adventure of Herald, and the intriguing political thriller of Deathless, Demon was the perfect tale of perseverance to end on.
WHAT I LIKED:
Unlike Herald and Deathless, Demon was a straightforward story of survival. We once again start off in a quaint village. But something is quite off. This isn’t your regular village, it’s a village where lighting fires is forbidden, where they make bug-bread and subsist on whatever they can forage from the forest, because the village is not secure. Unlike the other two books, this one is set in a world where demons still ruled. Humanity is not the apex species, and it becomes clear in a bloody, gut-wrenching episode of demons raiding the village.
What follows is a deeply personal tale of Dien Hostain as she struggles against all odds to survive, fights to within an inch of her life just to maintain her humanity, never letting go of that faint sliver of hope. Her trials and tribulations are just as difficult to swallow as the stringy broth that the demons force their human slaves to eat. And Hayes does not hold back from the brutality. The few times that there seems to be some hope of escape, Hayes in true sadistic fashion twists the narrative, and crushes our will to keep going. For almost 70-75% of the book, I was left wondering if this is going to be a tragedy.
Dien’s perseverance is impressive to say the least. Despite all odds, despite the crushing failures, she keeps going. She is an inspiration, and it completely makes sense why she ended up as the Saint of all humanity. Seeing the first part of her origin story was just the perfect way to end the first set of God Eater books.
I’ll admit, there were moments throughout the novel when I was starting to get bogged down. Reading this novel reminded me of Hearts of Darkness, Apocalypse Now, and other tales where I could mentally feel the struggle and torment of the protagonist, with little to no hope in sight. But, that is the point of the novel. It takes you to the extremes of human limits but refuses to give up no matter what.
And then the final sequence. In case you’ve read my Herald review, you know how brilliantly that sequence was handled. With Demon, Hayes does the same, albeit with a relatively smaller build-up and almost equal stakes. The finale was as satisfying as it was fascinating.
After trudging through 150 pages of torture-porn, fever-dream-level suffering, Hayes weaves a finale that will leave you on the edge of your seat, screaming for victory as our heroes finally stand up to their demon oppressors.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
My only issue—similar to my Herald review—was the lack of Angels. We mostly see the world through the eyes of slaves. Although we got a glimpse of demon culture, with name drops and hints at lore, we don’t see the Angels in all their glory like I would have expected. Also, the limited exploration of the world. I was really excited to see what the world would look like 3000 years ago, but we don’t get as much of the world.
Again, Demon is just book 1, so I assume this was done by design. Yet, like Herald, I felt a little disappointed at the limited interactions with the divine.
----
All in all, this book is yet again a 5-star read for me. Having read Herald and Deathless first made Demon a satisfying conclusion to the book 1s.
TL;DR:
WHAT I LIKED: brutal tale of perseverance, Dien Hostain, satisfying conclusion
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: fewer scenes featuring Angels, not enough world-exploration
This was the last Book 1 of the God Eater Saga that I read. Now I can officially say that Rob J Haye’s trilogy of trilogies is off to a power-packed start. Every single entry had lived up to the hype, each one unique in its own way.
Demon follows Dien Hostain, an ordinary village woman who is destined to become Saint Dien. Her legacy is the Sant Dien empire, which is the setting for the other two trilogies. Set 3000 years before Herald, Demon’s world is almost alien, its treatment unflinchingly brutal, and its ending deeply satisfying, with a bittersweet taste.
I am glad I ended my run of book 1s with this story. After the epic classic adventure of Herald, and the intriguing political thriller of Deathless, Demon was the perfect tale of perseverance to end on.
WHAT I LIKED:
Unlike Herald and Deathless, Demon was a straightforward story of survival. We once again start off in a quaint village. But something is quite off. This isn’t your regular village, it’s a village where lighting fires is forbidden, where they make bug-bread and subsist on whatever they can forage from the forest, because the village is not secure. Unlike the other two books, this one is set in a world where demons still ruled. Humanity is not the apex species, and it becomes clear in a bloody, gut-wrenching episode of demons raiding the village.
What follows is a deeply personal tale of Dien Hostain as she struggles against all odds to survive, fights to within an inch of her life just to maintain her humanity, never letting go of that faint sliver of hope. Her trials and tribulations are just as difficult to swallow as the stringy broth that the demons force their human slaves to eat. And Hayes does not hold back from the brutality. The few times that there seems to be some hope of escape, Hayes in true sadistic fashion twists the narrative, and crushes our will to keep going. For almost 70-75% of the book, I was left wondering if this is going to be a tragedy.
Dien’s perseverance is impressive to say the least. Despite all odds, despite the crushing failures, she keeps going. She is an inspiration, and it completely makes sense why she ended up as the Saint of all humanity. Seeing the first part of her origin story was just the perfect way to end the first set of God Eater books.
I’ll admit, there were moments throughout the novel when I was starting to get bogged down. Reading this novel reminded me of Hearts of Darkness, Apocalypse Now, and other tales where I could mentally feel the struggle and torment of the protagonist, with little to no hope in sight. But, that is the point of the novel. It takes you to the extremes of human limits but refuses to give up no matter what.
And then the final sequence. In case you’ve read my Herald review, you know how brilliantly that sequence was handled. With Demon, Hayes does the same, albeit with a relatively smaller build-up and almost equal stakes. The finale was as satisfying as it was fascinating.
After trudging through 150 pages of torture-porn, fever-dream-level suffering, Hayes weaves a finale that will leave you on the edge of your seat, screaming for victory as our heroes finally stand up to their demon oppressors.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
My only issue—similar to my Herald review—was the lack of Angels. We mostly see the world through the eyes of slaves. Although we got a glimpse of demon culture, with name drops and hints at lore, we don’t see the Angels in all their glory like I would have expected. Also, the limited exploration of the world. I was really excited to see what the world would look like 3000 years ago, but we don’t get as much of the world.
Again, Demon is just book 1, so I assume this was done by design. Yet, like Herald, I felt a little disappointed at the limited interactions with the divine.
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All in all, this book is yet again a 5-star read for me. Having read Herald and Deathless first made Demon a satisfying conclusion to the book 1s.
TL;DR:
WHAT I LIKED: brutal tale of perseverance, Dien Hostain, satisfying conclusion
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: fewer scenes featuring Angels, not enough world-exploration
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