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Arcanum Faire #1
Camp Arcanum
“Witches, magick, demons, monsters, laughter and power tools. What more could anyone ask?”
Dennis L. McKiernan, author of STOLEN CROWN, a novel of Mithgar
"Ingenious and vivid."
Lois McMaster Bujold, multiple HUGO and NEBULA Award winning author of PALADIN OF SOULS
A comedy about sex, magick, and power tools. Marc Sindri, prankster and contractor, comes to Arcanum Ohio to build a renaissance faire in only seven months. A man with a reputation for delivering miracles and a bad history with crazy people who believe in magical conspiracies, he soon finds himself in a small town filled with magick and intrigue. In spite of the recurring pain in the back of his head that reminds him of what happens when pretty girls smile, he gets caught up in a love triangle between Brenwyn, head of the local Wiccan coven, and Jeremiah, her demonologist ex. As Marc tries to meet his impossible deadlines, he navigates a landscape of witches, demons, power tools and undead skinless bunnies.
Dennis L. McKiernan, author of STOLEN CROWN, a novel of Mithgar
"Ingenious and vivid."
Lois McMaster Bujold, multiple HUGO and NEBULA Award winning author of PALADIN OF SOULS
A comedy about sex, magick, and power tools. Marc Sindri, prankster and contractor, comes to Arcanum Ohio to build a renaissance faire in only seven months. A man with a reputation for delivering miracles and a bad history with crazy people who believe in magical conspiracies, he soon finds himself in a small town filled with magick and intrigue. In spite of the recurring pain in the back of his head that reminds him of what happens when pretty girls smile, he gets caught up in a love triangle between Brenwyn, head of the local Wiccan coven, and Jeremiah, her demonologist ex. As Marc tries to meet his impossible deadlines, he navigates a landscape of witches, demons, power tools and undead skinless bunnies.
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 22, 2014
16 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Josef Matulich
9 books48 followersJosef Matulich is an author, special effects artist and costumer. His Arcanum Faire trilogy, a horror/comedy of sex, magick, and power tools, was published by Cincinnati’s Post Mortem Press. The final novel “The Ren Faire at the End of the World” was released in late 2017.
His "Squirrel Apocalypse" was released by Hydra Publications Sept. 2019. His first steampunk novel, "The Silk Empress", was released December 11th, 2022.
His WIP, set in the same magickal Ohio as Arcanum, is titled "Dead People's Houses."
His flash fiction has appeared on the Wicked Library podcast and the compilation “44 Lies by 22 Liars” by Post Mortem. He won the Context Flash Fiction competition its last year. Josef’s short plays have been performed around Central Ohio and a horror/comedy screenplay of his is currently in Pre-Production Hell somewhere on the Coast.
When not making up funny/scary stories or manning the Help Desk of a Fortune 100 corporation, he assists his wife Kit in their semi-haunted vintage & costume shop.
His "Squirrel Apocalypse" was released by Hydra Publications Sept. 2019. His first steampunk novel, "The Silk Empress", was released December 11th, 2022.
His WIP, set in the same magickal Ohio as Arcanum, is titled "Dead People's Houses."
His flash fiction has appeared on the Wicked Library podcast and the compilation “44 Lies by 22 Liars” by Post Mortem. He won the Context Flash Fiction competition its last year. Josef’s short plays have been performed around Central Ohio and a horror/comedy screenplay of his is currently in Pre-Production Hell somewhere on the Coast.
When not making up funny/scary stories or manning the Help Desk of a Fortune 100 corporation, he assists his wife Kit in their semi-haunted vintage & costume shop.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 28, 2014
Marc, the main character, and his assistants were an interesting bunch, bringing craftiness, humor, and brawn to this colorful story. The writing was done well and flowed smoothly. I was able to coast through this read fairly quick.
I found the love aspect to be lacking as I thought there might have been some magic behind the attraction as it happened so quickly. Brenwyn had many secrets that she could not/would not share, making certain situations harder than they should have been.
While there was nothing really "wrong" with this read, I just didn't find myself doing back-flips. Maybe I just don't get horror with a comedic edge. Well, that's not true either because I love bizarro and you can find some wacky stuff there.
Camp Arcanum is a paranormal playground of magic. Give it a try and tell me what you think.
*I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I found the love aspect to be lacking as I thought there might have been some magic behind the attraction as it happened so quickly. Brenwyn had many secrets that she could not/would not share, making certain situations harder than they should have been.
While there was nothing really "wrong" with this read, I just didn't find myself doing back-flips. Maybe I just don't get horror with a comedic edge. Well, that's not true either because I love bizarro and you can find some wacky stuff there.
Camp Arcanum is a paranormal playground of magic. Give it a try and tell me what you think.
*I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
April 27, 2019
Marc Sindri and his two friends travel to Arcanum, their task to construct a renaissance faire in only seven months. With the deadline hanging over their heads, they try to work around the many distractions - from the mysterious woman who wants to hold a Wiccan celebration on their land, to the locals who seem to know their every move. Events escalate as Marc gains the attention of Jeremiah Stone, and with time closing in, conflict with the demonologist can only have severe consequences.
(WARNING: This review contains MAJOR spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Josef Matulich for giving me the opportunity.
A comedy about sex, magick, and power tools. That rather misleading label led to certain expectations; in my head, I imagined explicit sex scenes and nutty violence with said power tools, much like an old, low-budget horror movie that's lovable in its absurdity. I couldn't have been more wrong though, and my goodness, it was a struggle to get through this. I was aware romance would play a part, the synopsis said so, but it wasn't clear about how much would focus on the relationship. Answer: all of it. There's no question that this is a paranormal romance novel, complete with insta-love, the cliché argument that interrupts the lovey-dovey-mushy scenes, and the reunion to top it all off. I was once into the genre, and years ago I probably would have enjoyed this to some extent, but not today. I think it should be pretty clear that my tastes gravitate toward darker topics.
Pieces of action were few and far between - it took nearly fifty percent for something to happen. The majority focused on the budding couple, and for the life of me I couldn't find enjoyment in their dysfunctional back and forth. Marc was the definition of a macho man; he inwardly sized up every other male he met, asking himself if he could take them in a fight. He also didn't like to be told what to do, meeting such with aggressive behaviour. Brenwyn wasn't better, what with keeping secrets, and together they didn't make much sense. At times their treatment of each other was downright questionable. Obviously with a book like this, you should want the characters to come out the other side, overcome obstacles and have a happy ending. With me, I didn't care what happened to them. They didn't manifest like real people, and that goes for the remaining cast as well.
Despite not connecting with the book overall, I did like concept of Arcanum - a town heavily brimming with the magically inclined - and I believe it had a great deal of potential. It just wasn't what I thought it would be, and I was terribly underwhelmed by the plot. As far as the comedy went, I didn't find it funny. I consider myself having a sense of humour, but in this instance it felt forced to the point where I rolled my eyes at the juvenile games; they played a prank on the 'villain', and then were surprised he reciprocated by doing something evil. Seriously, a prank? They were fully aware of his abilities, so kicking the hornets nest screamed of a sacrifice in character intelligence for an attempt at comedic value.
In conclusion: It didn't work for me. Camp Arcanum consisted of lighthearted banter and romance, which just wasn't enough to appeal to my current reading tastes. I also didn't like the characters. It's a shame, as I love the idea of a town heavily involved in the occult, but I feel this didn't deliver.
© Red Lace 2019
Wordpress ~ Twitter
(WARNING: This review contains MAJOR spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Josef Matulich for giving me the opportunity.
A comedy about sex, magick, and power tools. That rather misleading label led to certain expectations; in my head, I imagined explicit sex scenes and nutty violence with said power tools, much like an old, low-budget horror movie that's lovable in its absurdity. I couldn't have been more wrong though, and my goodness, it was a struggle to get through this. I was aware romance would play a part, the synopsis said so, but it wasn't clear about how much would focus on the relationship. Answer: all of it. There's no question that this is a paranormal romance novel, complete with insta-love, the cliché argument that interrupts the lovey-dovey-mushy scenes, and the reunion to top it all off. I was once into the genre, and years ago I probably would have enjoyed this to some extent, but not today. I think it should be pretty clear that my tastes gravitate toward darker topics.
Pieces of action were few and far between - it took nearly fifty percent for something to happen. The majority focused on the budding couple, and for the life of me I couldn't find enjoyment in their dysfunctional back and forth. Marc was the definition of a macho man; he inwardly sized up every other male he met, asking himself if he could take them in a fight. He also didn't like to be told what to do, meeting such with aggressive behaviour. Brenwyn wasn't better, what with keeping secrets, and together they didn't make much sense. At times their treatment of each other was downright questionable. Obviously with a book like this, you should want the characters to come out the other side, overcome obstacles and have a happy ending. With me, I didn't care what happened to them. They didn't manifest like real people, and that goes for the remaining cast as well.
Despite not connecting with the book overall, I did like concept of Arcanum - a town heavily brimming with the magically inclined - and I believe it had a great deal of potential. It just wasn't what I thought it would be, and I was terribly underwhelmed by the plot. As far as the comedy went, I didn't find it funny. I consider myself having a sense of humour, but in this instance it felt forced to the point where I rolled my eyes at the juvenile games; they played a prank on the 'villain', and then were surprised he reciprocated by doing something evil. Seriously, a prank? They were fully aware of his abilities, so kicking the hornets nest screamed of a sacrifice in character intelligence for an attempt at comedic value.
In conclusion: It didn't work for me. Camp Arcanum consisted of lighthearted banter and romance, which just wasn't enough to appeal to my current reading tastes. I also didn't like the characters. It's a shame, as I love the idea of a town heavily involved in the occult, but I feel this didn't deliver.
© Red Lace 2019
Wordpress ~ Twitter
August 26, 2015
I'm struggling to put my thoughts on Camp Arcanum in to words - I've read it twice now, and given my extensive 'to read' list that's praise of the highest order to begin with.
Camp Arcanum is a paranormal/horror/suspense, with power tools, and a dash of romance (not the sappy kind). The humour is dark and deadpan, and the imagery is vivid.
As with all good horror stories, the tale begins innocently enough - three contractors arrive at the site of the renaissance faire they've been charged with building in the quirky town of Arcanum. Right from the get-go the characters are set up for further development within the book; Michael is fastidious, artistically flamboyant, and likes everything in its place. Eleazar is the joker, the jongleur, a 'rennie' full of jokes and tricks who loves making Michael's life difficult to the point where homicide would likely be justified, and Marc is the man-in-charge, the guy who holds everything together, and prevents Michael and Eleazar from killing each other on a daily basis.
Before they've had time for a cup of tea and a sit down, they meet Bronwyn, High Priestess of the local witches' coven, who seems to know a lot more than she should about, well, everything.
It's going to get stranger though, so hold on tight and prepare to encounter invisible monsters, naked dancing, satanic rituals, skinless zombie bunnies, and the many uses of a Craftsman shovel.
Marc will have to face his fears, and Michael and Eleazar will have to work together if they want to stay alive...They still have a faire to build, after all...
Camp Arcanum is a paranormal/horror/suspense, with power tools, and a dash of romance (not the sappy kind). The humour is dark and deadpan, and the imagery is vivid.
As with all good horror stories, the tale begins innocently enough - three contractors arrive at the site of the renaissance faire they've been charged with building in the quirky town of Arcanum. Right from the get-go the characters are set up for further development within the book; Michael is fastidious, artistically flamboyant, and likes everything in its place. Eleazar is the joker, the jongleur, a 'rennie' full of jokes and tricks who loves making Michael's life difficult to the point where homicide would likely be justified, and Marc is the man-in-charge, the guy who holds everything together, and prevents Michael and Eleazar from killing each other on a daily basis.
Before they've had time for a cup of tea and a sit down, they meet Bronwyn, High Priestess of the local witches' coven, who seems to know a lot more than she should about, well, everything.
It's going to get stranger though, so hold on tight and prepare to encounter invisible monsters, naked dancing, satanic rituals, skinless zombie bunnies, and the many uses of a Craftsman shovel.
Marc will have to face his fears, and Michael and Eleazar will have to work together if they want to stay alive...They still have a faire to build, after all...
August 25, 2017
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
So, Marc, MIchael and Eleazar come to the small, university town of Arcanum, OH to set up grounds for a new Renaissance Faire on behalf of their employer. They can tell straight-off, that this isn't your typical university town, but it takes awhile for them to understand why. Pretty much everyone in town practices magick in one form or another -- and those who don't seem pretty aware of it. This awareness seems to end around the city limits, however.
Early on, Brenwyn -- the head of the local coven -- stops by to ask if they can still use some of the grounds for a ritual. Seeing a way to accommodate the locals and maybe dress up the grounds, they agree. Sparks and pheromones fly between Marc and Brenwyen -- Marc's inherently leery of romantic entanglements, but his resistance starts faltering immediately and I can't imagine any reader being stunned when he abandons it entirely.
Marc is the super-responsible crew leader, a workaholic with issues. Michael is the artistic one, ready enough to do the brawny work required on the site, but who cares more about the design. Eleazar is their loyal friend and juggler -- who spends almost as much time with the prep work as he does ogling and fantasizing about the local co-eds and/or harassing Michael and Marc about their love lives/lack thereof/anything else he can think of. He's a lot of fun, really. Michael was fine, but I could've used some more time with him to really get a handle on his character. Marc is the readers point-of-entry into this world, it's his eyes that we see the world through.
Brenwyn is sassy, saucy and an outrageous flirt. The members of her coven are loyal, and just about as sassy as their Head. There's a warlock running around who is some sort of ex- to her, and that's the nicest thing that could be said about him, so we'll stop there. The thing is that in this world, magick exists, it's real, and many people live with knowing that (more without knowing that).
While work progresses on the Faire-grounds, a rivalry of sorts gets underway -- with Brenwyn, Marc and the others on one side, and Drenmwyn's ex- and his acolytes on the other. And it all seems to be focused on Marc, which he can't seem to figure out. Oh, and there are demons, and other assorted supernatural beings flitting around. Our working men, and the coven leader, have to unite to try to stop the ex- (as well as other nefarious beings in the area).
Early on, I felt like Matulich was trying just a little too hard with the quasi-sibling rivalry between Michael and Eleazar, and even with the flirtation between Marc and -- well, everyone. It was like he was insecure about things and was trying to make sure his readers understood things were amusing, rather than trusting his writing. If he'd dialed back about 10-20% early on, it would've helped me appreciate things. I either acclimated to his writing style, or he dialed back, I'm not sure which -- not sure it matters. It didn't take too long to settle in to Matulich's style and start chuckling at his characters and writing.
This was a fun read -- off-beat, humorous, with some characters you want to spend time with, with an interesting magic -- sorry, magick -- system. There's a sequel to out there, and after reading this, you'll probably be hoping that there's more in progress, too. A thoroughly enjoyable, light read, with just a hint of darkness.
---
So, Marc, MIchael and Eleazar come to the small, university town of Arcanum, OH to set up grounds for a new Renaissance Faire on behalf of their employer. They can tell straight-off, that this isn't your typical university town, but it takes awhile for them to understand why. Pretty much everyone in town practices magick in one form or another -- and those who don't seem pretty aware of it. This awareness seems to end around the city limits, however.
Early on, Brenwyn -- the head of the local coven -- stops by to ask if they can still use some of the grounds for a ritual. Seeing a way to accommodate the locals and maybe dress up the grounds, they agree. Sparks and pheromones fly between Marc and Brenwyen -- Marc's inherently leery of romantic entanglements, but his resistance starts faltering immediately and I can't imagine any reader being stunned when he abandons it entirely.
Marc is the super-responsible crew leader, a workaholic with issues. Michael is the artistic one, ready enough to do the brawny work required on the site, but who cares more about the design. Eleazar is their loyal friend and juggler -- who spends almost as much time with the prep work as he does ogling and fantasizing about the local co-eds and/or harassing Michael and Marc about their love lives/lack thereof/anything else he can think of. He's a lot of fun, really. Michael was fine, but I could've used some more time with him to really get a handle on his character. Marc is the readers point-of-entry into this world, it's his eyes that we see the world through.
Brenwyn is sassy, saucy and an outrageous flirt. The members of her coven are loyal, and just about as sassy as their Head. There's a warlock running around who is some sort of ex- to her, and that's the nicest thing that could be said about him, so we'll stop there. The thing is that in this world, magick exists, it's real, and many people live with knowing that (more without knowing that).
While work progresses on the Faire-grounds, a rivalry of sorts gets underway -- with Brenwyn, Marc and the others on one side, and Drenmwyn's ex- and his acolytes on the other. And it all seems to be focused on Marc, which he can't seem to figure out. Oh, and there are demons, and other assorted supernatural beings flitting around. Our working men, and the coven leader, have to unite to try to stop the ex- (as well as other nefarious beings in the area).
Early on, I felt like Matulich was trying just a little too hard with the quasi-sibling rivalry between Michael and Eleazar, and even with the flirtation between Marc and -- well, everyone. It was like he was insecure about things and was trying to make sure his readers understood things were amusing, rather than trusting his writing. If he'd dialed back about 10-20% early on, it would've helped me appreciate things. I either acclimated to his writing style, or he dialed back, I'm not sure which -- not sure it matters. It didn't take too long to settle in to Matulich's style and start chuckling at his characters and writing.
This was a fun read -- off-beat, humorous, with some characters you want to spend time with, with an interesting magic -- sorry, magick -- system. There's a sequel to out there, and after reading this, you'll probably be hoping that there's more in progress, too. A thoroughly enjoyable, light read, with just a hint of darkness.
November 5, 2018
Josef Matulich’s Camp Arcanum is unique and fun! When a group of maintenance workers at a camp encounter a neighboring witch’s coven, all heck breaks loose! Matulich’s writing is fun and witty, and I enjoyed the quirkiness of everything. Very entertaining for anyone looking for a bit of humor and adventure.
January 7, 2015
Marc Sindri, our plucky hero, is a tenacious contractor who builds fairgrounds across the nation. He's commissioned to build renaissance fairground in Arcanum, Ohio, with his partner Eleazor. Arcanum seems like a sleepy little town (don't they all at first), but of course it has a deep hidden secret. It's as if the very forces of the underworld have converged in this one area, and every monstrous thing you can think of, lives under the calm facade.
Marc is a tool guy. He seems almost to have a romantic fetish for his tools, but all this comes in handy when the evil is unleashed. Arcanum is home to witches, demons, monsters, and ghouls, some of which only Marc can see which makes him think his family history of schizophrenia has caught up to him. And a tentacle monster that would scare the devil.
As Marc prepares to clear the land, the head of the local witches coven, Brenwyn (great name for a witch), tries to intervene. It seems, the land where the fair is meant to be built is where the coven practices their Sabbats, and Brenwyn, and her coven, would like to keep it that way. When interacting with Marc, she finds an irresistible power within him that she'd like to get her hands on. Marc, in turn, would like to get a hold of her.
Another witch (or warlock, I guess), Jeremiah, is also keen on Marc's hidden power, and the two covens fight for the rights to the poor contractor. Marc ends up battling the fall-out with his handy tools.
The best part about this novel was the zany characters from town. Mr. Matulich has quite the imagination, I'll give him that.
If you like the old comedy/horror mix, you'll probably love this. I'm not a fan, but I was still fairly entertained with the story. The plot is actually really good. The characters are unique and consistent. The writing was good, but some of the phrasing was weird to me, especially Eleazor's dialog. The action was fast enough to keep you interested, but not so overwhelming that you didn't know what was going on.
Marc is a tool guy. He seems almost to have a romantic fetish for his tools, but all this comes in handy when the evil is unleashed. Arcanum is home to witches, demons, monsters, and ghouls, some of which only Marc can see which makes him think his family history of schizophrenia has caught up to him. And a tentacle monster that would scare the devil.
As Marc prepares to clear the land, the head of the local witches coven, Brenwyn (great name for a witch), tries to intervene. It seems, the land where the fair is meant to be built is where the coven practices their Sabbats, and Brenwyn, and her coven, would like to keep it that way. When interacting with Marc, she finds an irresistible power within him that she'd like to get her hands on. Marc, in turn, would like to get a hold of her.
Another witch (or warlock, I guess), Jeremiah, is also keen on Marc's hidden power, and the two covens fight for the rights to the poor contractor. Marc ends up battling the fall-out with his handy tools.
The best part about this novel was the zany characters from town. Mr. Matulich has quite the imagination, I'll give him that.
If you like the old comedy/horror mix, you'll probably love this. I'm not a fan, but I was still fairly entertained with the story. The plot is actually really good. The characters are unique and consistent. The writing was good, but some of the phrasing was weird to me, especially Eleazor's dialog. The action was fast enough to keep you interested, but not so overwhelming that you didn't know what was going on.
Read
January 16, 2015Marc Sindri is a contractor who has been hired to build a renaissance faire in Arcanum, Ohio, in seven months. Marc has no time for the magickal or fantastical, especially in light of his brother’s mental illness. However, the magickal is what Arcanum, Ohio is all about as the whole town is populated by magick users of one ilk or another. Marc is of interest to the head of the local coven, Brenwyn, and to the local demonologist, Jeremiah, as well as the other magick users in the area for a very special reason. Even though Marc doesn’t believe, he’s drawn into situations which scare him to his very soul and questioning all those around him as he fights to finish the renaissance faire on schedule. CAMP ARCANUM combines humor and horror, with a dash of romance thrown in for spice. The author’s writing style is unique, as is the setting and characters. I liked Marc, but I wished he was able to take a chance when the opportunity arose. Set in a small town, we are introduced to many characters who all stand out in one way or another. CAMP ARCANUM has a solid foundation, but I think it could benefit from a little polishing. Still, CAMP ARCANUM is a fun and fast read.
May 9, 2014
It has been a long time since I parted with money for a book, and all it took was the classic cover art for the book for me to take a ride to Camp Arcanum. It takes a lot of hard work to write a novel and this author put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to make it happen, I could tell by the story telling that the author, although never before published, has earned this publication. This novel was a very good story, the characters could be related to and come in all variations: the whimsical, the artist, the macho man and the witch, not to mention the plethora of others in the bizarre town of Arcanum. I have always been a fan boy of an author's mythos and feel that Arcanum was a mythos with a lot of back story that could potentially be more stories from the author. I commend Josef Matulich on his debut novel and encourage him to keep up the great work with the genre and on his craft of storytelling. Well done. If you want a great read, download or buy this book today, it's the furthest thing from a let down.
May 28, 2014
This is a fun horror comedy. What I loved most about this story where the three men that were getting ready for a Renaissance faire. They had such distinct and different personalities you really got a sense of their unique personalities. At times some of the jokes seemed a little forced, but would have probably come off better to me if there was just a little more cheese. I loved laughing at the characters!! Three guys in the woods you know they are going to get into trouble.I also enjoyed how it seemed not just the town people had a mysterious history, but the town itself. I hope to find out more about that!!
August 12, 2016
Smarter and funnier than any book about a Renn Faire taking shape in the Ohio wilderness has any right to be, I want to mainline more of this series like it's Friday night and Netflix is going to pull it off the shelves tomorrow. It is going to be a series right? RIGHT??
Bonus points for the nerdy Easter egg-like references and nods to the literary, cinematic and cultural heavy hitters of horror, humor, the occult and life in the American Heartland.
Can't wait for the next one...maybe it'll come sooner rather than later--especially if we can enlist the help of some Elfin magic?
Bonus points for the nerdy Easter egg-like references and nods to the literary, cinematic and cultural heavy hitters of horror, humor, the occult and life in the American Heartland.
Can't wait for the next one...maybe it'll come sooner rather than later--especially if we can enlist the help of some Elfin magic?
July 19, 2014
I have to admit, I started reading this because I know the author. I *kept* reading it because it's pretty damn good - I got sucked in by the characters and the plot early on....
Occult humor, a protagonist you can readily identify with, a supporting cast that is colorful and humorous, fannish/gaming references - what more can you ask? Easily on par with Charles Stross' "Laundry Files" series, Josef Matulich might be on his way to becoming the next Jim Butcher ("The Dresden Files") if he delivers like this on a regular basis.
Occult humor, a protagonist you can readily identify with, a supporting cast that is colorful and humorous, fannish/gaming references - what more can you ask? Easily on par with Charles Stross' "Laundry Files" series, Josef Matulich might be on his way to becoming the next Jim Butcher ("The Dresden Files") if he delivers like this on a regular basis.
July 21, 2014
I started this book because Josef is a friend and I wanted to see what he had done. I kept going because it was good - then it was very good. The characters were well drawn, the plot was well thought out, and the humor was nice and dry. We have a saying in my house - "Put-The-Book-Down", usually said around bedtime or before leaving for work, or when other chores need to get done. It wasn't a phrase I expected to have to use with this one, but found myself saying it more than once.
Well done, and I am eagerly anticipating Book II!
Well done, and I am eagerly anticipating Book II!
July 27, 2014
An intriguing tale
This book was as intriguing as it was enjoyable. I found it difficult to put down. I just had to find out what happens next. The main ‘players’ showed character and finesse. I could not help rooting for them. Good on you Eleazar for not being faced by anything Marc might suggest. Marc and his team where trying to build a fair in the oddest place possible. Things turned against them from the word go. Good witches’ bad witchcraft, they survive it all. I hope there is a follow on, Surely ! ENJOY !!!!
This book was as intriguing as it was enjoyable. I found it difficult to put down. I just had to find out what happens next. The main ‘players’ showed character and finesse. I could not help rooting for them. Good on you Eleazar for not being faced by anything Marc might suggest. Marc and his team where trying to build a fair in the oddest place possible. Things turned against them from the word go. Good witches’ bad witchcraft, they survive it all. I hope there is a follow on, Surely ! ENJOY !!!!
January 31, 2018
I received a free copy of this book series to give my candid opinion for each entry. Camp Arcanum is the start of a book series that combines witches, romance, and power tools. It reminded me very much of The Evil Dead movies. (Full disclosure, I do not like those movies). The Evil Dead fans who want Twilight romance will greatly enjoy this book series. Those who like one or the other franchise should give it a try. Many elements will complement your tastes. The first book goes into great detail to establish the world that involves magic and renaissance fairs. The relationships between the main characters are explored ad nauseum. The blurb made me think that the witchcraft and demon battles was the primary focus. I think the romance is actually the focus. I am not a fan of romance. I’d say that 75-80% deals with romantic relationships. The book moves very slowly, but it never fully loses your interest. This book spends a great deal setting up the relationship between two characters. It dedicates so much, that this first book feels like a paranormal romance novel. However, despite that, I did find myself curious to determine if everyone is just playing Marc because of what he can do for them. The book ends without giving any of these answers, yet I want to know them. Edit: I’ve now read all three books. The trilogy should have been a single novel. Some of the side issues are simply filler. A lot of the romance also falls into this category. I believe a single book could have been closer to a four-star review, but the three separate installments all come in as three-star. The rest of this review will contain spoilers.
The Good.
Marc, the main character, has two questions he asks himself when he sees other people. I also mentally prepare for a fight with literally anyone I come across. I easily related with this attitude.
The Samhain ceremony was hilarious because Marc kept trying to look away from dozens of naked women.
The male side of the Samhain ceremony had the first of two magical fights. The fact that Marc uses a shovel to defend himself was great.
Marc gets banged up in the fight and can’t endure the pain of rubbing bodies. Therefore, he is once again denied the intimacy he wants with Brenwyn.
I also liked the competition of cutting down trees to get cookies.
The office “prank” against Jeremiah was awesome. I was also glad that he attacked immediately after.
Eleazar was a unique character. I went back and forth on whether I liked him, but his actions in the last battle cemented my opinion that he was a great character. He’s actually the best character of the book because of his combination of loyalty and perversion.
The Bad.
The book has a very slow start. The book was half finished before I finally saw the traces of the story I wanted. I’ll say again that when romance is the main focus of a story, I find myself scoffing a lot. Romance is a big part. Too much more than I usually tolerate.
The book uses a lot of dream sequences. I don’t like dream sequences or flashbacks. I know they’re popular, but I prefer a linear tale in the real world.
The book never really tells me what the big deal with Jeremiah is. He’s the big bad. He does (and has done) awful things, but we never find out what his motivation is. I assume it will come in later books, but I don’t recall any hints either. Right now, it just looks like a pissing match between “good” witches and “bad” witches.
The Technical.
The book has swearing, violence, and sexual scenes.
The book is part of a series. This is not a standalone adventure. You will need to read them all to get the full story.
The Good.
Marc, the main character, has two questions he asks himself when he sees other people. I also mentally prepare for a fight with literally anyone I come across. I easily related with this attitude.
The Samhain ceremony was hilarious because Marc kept trying to look away from dozens of naked women.
The male side of the Samhain ceremony had the first of two magical fights. The fact that Marc uses a shovel to defend himself was great.
Marc gets banged up in the fight and can’t endure the pain of rubbing bodies. Therefore, he is once again denied the intimacy he wants with Brenwyn.
I also liked the competition of cutting down trees to get cookies.
The office “prank” against Jeremiah was awesome. I was also glad that he attacked immediately after.
Eleazar was a unique character. I went back and forth on whether I liked him, but his actions in the last battle cemented my opinion that he was a great character. He’s actually the best character of the book because of his combination of loyalty and perversion.
The Bad.
The book has a very slow start. The book was half finished before I finally saw the traces of the story I wanted. I’ll say again that when romance is the main focus of a story, I find myself scoffing a lot. Romance is a big part. Too much more than I usually tolerate.
The book uses a lot of dream sequences. I don’t like dream sequences or flashbacks. I know they’re popular, but I prefer a linear tale in the real world.
The book never really tells me what the big deal with Jeremiah is. He’s the big bad. He does (and has done) awful things, but we never find out what his motivation is. I assume it will come in later books, but I don’t recall any hints either. Right now, it just looks like a pissing match between “good” witches and “bad” witches.
The Technical.
The book has swearing, violence, and sexual scenes.
The book is part of a series. This is not a standalone adventure. You will need to read them all to get the full story.
July 31, 2023
I got this from the author several Ohioana book fests ago and it should have been right up my alley with a renn setting (kind of) and Paganism but I had some serious issues with some of this. Marc Sindri is a contractor hired to clear a large wooden area in Arcanum Ohio which has a large pagan population to make a renn fair. He has a very short time frame for this project and he's assisted by his two employees (friends?) Michael the gay artist and Eleazar, the over-sexed jongleur. As they set up their encampment of Airstream campers, they run into Brenwyn the head witch in town.
The first half of this book is the budding relationship between Brenwyn and Marc where he doesn't believe in magic but the reader knows her magic is very much real. What we learn quickly is Marc fears schizophrenia which claimed the life of his brother (content warning, suicide) It doesn't help that Brenwyn starts talking about Qliphotic beings which is what his brother was terrified of. they are from Kabbalah but Marc didn't know that. Also in town is the wealthy wizard Jeremiah, who wants to bring some cosmic horror into the world.
I almost wished Matulich had spent more time on Jeremiah and his plans because it would have been more interesting that way. I didn't care for Brenwyn and Marc's relationship and I think that's down to some heavy duty stereotypes especially for Marc. He's a 'man's man' that rough and rugged 'real man' vibe that I find so off-putting. I really wanted to slap him into next week. He's all about power tools but really he IS a tool.
In both senses of the word and that's the problem. In the jerk sense of it, he drives me nuts and in the working side of things, Marc is a magically tool. His noumena acts like a magically booster which is why Jeremiah wants to use but and taunts Marc that that is the reason Brenwyn wants him.
Naturally rather than talk to her about whether or not this is true, he tells her to piss off and nearly dooms everyone. Eye roll. And honestly if any man spoke to me like he did, I wouldn't be hiding out in my shop/home weeping and moaning about it like she did. That would be a man I'd cut out viciously. Also the blurb calls this a love triangle. I disagree (or at least it's only in Jeremiah's head) because Brenwyn is 100% over him. Speaking of love, Brenwyn and Marc start saying it way too fast for me, like after one true (and disastrous) date.
I can also see hints of Ash (Evil Dead) in Marc, especially with his choice of a shovel to go after demons and cosmic horrors. There is supposed to be humor in this, and there is some, especially if you like bro-humor. It wasn't a bad story, more like not-a-me story.
The first half of this book is the budding relationship between Brenwyn and Marc where he doesn't believe in magic but the reader knows her magic is very much real. What we learn quickly is Marc fears schizophrenia which claimed the life of his brother (content warning, suicide) It doesn't help that Brenwyn starts talking about Qliphotic beings which is what his brother was terrified of. they are from Kabbalah but Marc didn't know that. Also in town is the wealthy wizard Jeremiah, who wants to bring some cosmic horror into the world.
I almost wished Matulich had spent more time on Jeremiah and his plans because it would have been more interesting that way. I didn't care for Brenwyn and Marc's relationship and I think that's down to some heavy duty stereotypes especially for Marc. He's a 'man's man' that rough and rugged 'real man' vibe that I find so off-putting. I really wanted to slap him into next week. He's all about power tools but really he IS a tool.
In both senses of the word and that's the problem. In the jerk sense of it, he drives me nuts and in the working side of things, Marc is a magically tool. His noumena acts like a magically booster which is why Jeremiah wants to use but and taunts Marc that that is the reason Brenwyn wants him.
Naturally rather than talk to her about whether or not this is true, he tells her to piss off and nearly dooms everyone. Eye roll. And honestly if any man spoke to me like he did, I wouldn't be hiding out in my shop/home weeping and moaning about it like she did. That would be a man I'd cut out viciously. Also the blurb calls this a love triangle. I disagree (or at least it's only in Jeremiah's head) because Brenwyn is 100% over him. Speaking of love, Brenwyn and Marc start saying it way too fast for me, like after one true (and disastrous) date.
I can also see hints of Ash (Evil Dead) in Marc, especially with his choice of a shovel to go after demons and cosmic horrors. There is supposed to be humor in this, and there is some, especially if you like bro-humor. It wasn't a bad story, more like not-a-me story.
April 16, 2019
Owned this book for a year or two before I finally got around to reading it and I regret waiting as long as I did. I spent my entire childhood jumping from book series to book series and I can say that never has a book transported me into it's world quite like Josef's camp arcanum trilogy. So far I just finished book 1: Camp Arcanum, and am now beginning book 2: Power Tools in the Sacred Grove and I am dying of anticipation to finish and reach book 3: The RenFaire at the End of the World. Camp Arcanum was entirely captivating from page 1 all the way through to page 289. I want so badly to call this a masterpiece but I think that would be too belittling to Josef's future works and current & obvious talent. I could write a million words in response to his book but I do not wish to spoil a single paragraph of this remarkable literary piece so instead I will end this speaking on the author himself. I have had the honor of meeting Josef Matulich in person and he is the kindest, most creative man, and has what I proclaim to be one of the greatest imaginations to ever be shared with the world. I hope to one day be able to sit with him and have an unending conversation with him about his talent in literary arts so hopefully I can one day reach even half the level of talent he possesses. In conclusion I believe everyone should give him and his books a chance to make your world just a little more interesting. I hope to see many more chapters come from the mind of a great man.
April 22, 2018
I'm a little torn on this one. I really wanted to love it because of the author's picture. He just looks so boisterous and friendly!
What I adored about the book is that it's unique. The characters are beautifully created and each has wonderful quirks. The town that's been created is the same way. Most of the time, the humor in the book has your head cocked to the side with a smile on your face. Slightly quizzical, but definitely amused.
Where I had trouble is that I just couldn't figure out why I was reading it. It was sort of like a comedic Downton Abbey. You keep going on through the story but you can't figure out what's keeping you there. You just know you have to keep going. After deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that the villain and rivalry weren't built up quite enough. You know what's going on, but it's not quite strong enough to really make you feel emotional over it.
I've already begun the second book. I love the characters, other than the two main ones, and the town, but I'm still struggling for that strong plot-line. I'm sure in this second book, or the third one, it will all be clear to me.
What I adored about the book is that it's unique. The characters are beautifully created and each has wonderful quirks. The town that's been created is the same way. Most of the time, the humor in the book has your head cocked to the side with a smile on your face. Slightly quizzical, but definitely amused.
Where I had trouble is that I just couldn't figure out why I was reading it. It was sort of like a comedic Downton Abbey. You keep going on through the story but you can't figure out what's keeping you there. You just know you have to keep going. After deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that the villain and rivalry weren't built up quite enough. You know what's going on, but it's not quite strong enough to really make you feel emotional over it.
I've already begun the second book. I love the characters, other than the two main ones, and the town, but I'm still struggling for that strong plot-line. I'm sure in this second book, or the third one, it will all be clear to me.
Read
January 12, 2021I don't do the star ratings, but would recommend for readers in search of humor, romance, and shenanigans. An easy read, engaging. I could see where it was going (romance), but curious how we would get there. Lots of farce and humor, this tale doesn't take it self too seriously. A stranger comes to an even stranger town to clear a forest and build a ren faire. Love, magic, and mayhem ensue. Magic and construction practices seemed well researched. The relationship between some side characters kind of got on my nerves, but by the end of the story I was 'shipping them, hard. Maybe in the sequel!
July 5, 2017
I am biased in that I am an old acquaintance of Josef and his family and try to make it into their wonderful store whenever possible. That being said, this was a great book!
It has a little bit of everything, action, suspense, romance, comedy, (oh the chuckles!) And anything set at a Renaissance Fair gets my vote nearly automatically!
I don't want to leave spoilers, But suffice to say this is a book I will be reading again and hope you do to.
It has a little bit of everything, action, suspense, romance, comedy, (oh the chuckles!) And anything set at a Renaissance Fair gets my vote nearly automatically!
I don't want to leave spoilers, But suffice to say this is a book I will be reading again and hope you do to.
November 5, 2017
Unfortunately, I did not like this book. It started off strong, but then it seemed to try too hard. It wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be.
In addition, the love story just did not connect with me. It happened so fast. There was no natural progression to it all and, I found that I didn't really care about the couple.
I did think the book was well-written, but I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel. :(
In addition, the love story just did not connect with me. It happened so fast. There was no natural progression to it all and, I found that I didn't really care about the couple.
I did think the book was well-written, but I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel. :(
November 26, 2017
This book is funny, has great characters, and perhaps more important, great character relationships. The central characters are all interesting and funny, and the town of Arcanum is like some kind of funhouse mirror version H.P. Lovecraft's Dunwich. If you like this kind of thing, horror with humor, (a film version would have to be directed by an early 80's era John Landis) you'll have a great time with "Camp Arcanum!"
July 2, 2025
as an arcanum ohio native, i reached for this book to enjoy some small town references like street or restaurant names but the only thing this arcanum and the real one have in common is the name. otherwise a totally ridiculous read but the signed copy has been on my bookshelf since its release so i thought i ought to pick it up! i rock with Marc, the protagonist. i bet darke counties 2 witchy girls would be into this.
November 30, 2017
Camp Arcanum is, at its core, a unique mix of horror and humor. The plot is brisk, the writing flows smoothly, and there is a colorful cast of characters to keep the reader engaged. Magic and fantasy combine for a fun romp with touches of romance and humor. The author has an appealing writing style, and this book is an entertaining read. *I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*
January 3, 2021
Interesting story and great characters. I really loved the writing and how the story progress. I just really got too hung up on how long exactly they were spending setting up this faire. XD
September 19, 2025
a bit of Rennassance Faire and alot of Magick. it's right up my alley.
April 13, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(Spoilers within)
The basic story is three men, Marc and his two employees, Eleazar and Michael, go to a new town in order set up a renaissance faire. This new town is full of witches and such, though, and they end up dealing with magical forces. Marc falls for a pretty witch, Brenwyn, but she has a sleazy ex-boyfriend who wants her back (Jeremiah). It's well-written. The author puts in amusing asides and keeps a sense of humor throughout the book.
Marc said nothing, but he said nothing in a very churlish and hostile manner.
(In response to demons being summoned on the property, Marc says:)
Steve would never get liability coverage if the insurance companies found out.
The flow is generally good and its easy to read the majority of it. The banter between characters is good. I thought the personality clash between Eleazar and Michael was handled well, and even when Eleazar was insensitive (Michael is gay) it felt like it would fit his character, and he probably wouldn't even understand what was wrong with his actions (trying to make Michael appreciate women).
Action was written well and there were a lot of clever set-ups.
There are some errors, though not enough that it took me out of the story. The biggest one I saw was "We're men with power tools and were not scared!" because the line was copy and pasted several times with the typo in it.
So, why the rating?
It didn't always work for me. I was fine with Marc's movie date with Brenwyn at first, but when flipped out he dealt with it the worst way possible just for the sake of hurting Brenwyn and causing tension. In that situation, where he thinks he might be having a delusion, I understand why he would want to leave, but shouting that he didn't want to be near her wasn't necessary. He didn't even try to make an excuse, which seems like something most people would do. Not even a "I'll explain later, I just really need to go now". He went straight to yelling at her. At the same time, she really doesn't take the hint here or later.
Then he was cutting down trees and pretending they were the witches, including Brenwyn. I get why he would pretend they were the other witches, but why her? Brenwyn hadn't done anything to make him mad. She invited him out, he had a panic attack, and she tried to comfort him doing it. There's nothing rageworthy that she did (yet). She invited him to a rowdy movie event with witches. He was warned it would be rowdy and crazy. It turned out to be rowdy and crazy, then he gets mad that it was exactly what he was told it would be.
About Brenwyn herself - at first I was fine with her. Although they had some decent banter, I was never charmed with her, and I pinpointed the reason why after a bit and it got much worse later.
The main thing is that she presents herself as a mind reader, and not a tactful one. She's constantly saying or doing things that, if she isn't reading your mind, make it seem like she is. This isn't charming. Imagine, for a second, if someone hopped onto your computer and started reading all your private e-mails, then came over to you and started reciting things from your e-mails. Would you be thrilled? Probably not. It's a huge invasion of privacy, and even if you had someone who couldn't help reading minds they would still have to learn how to handle that in a graceful, less creepy way that wouldn't send off alarm bells.
Here's an example: Privately, while discussing with his employees how to hire some workers, Marc says he wants people with "Strong backs and weak minds". This doesn't get put in the ad. Later, when he visits Brenwyn, she says that he's looking for "strong back and weak minds", the exact same thing he said in private.
Now, let's give a different scenario. Say you knew a woman who went into a town to do some work. She meets and attractive guy. That guy starts very blatantly mentioning things that she said in private. Would you suggest:
1) She be charmed by his odd behavior.
2) She put on her running shoes and run, run, run as far as she can from the creepy stalker.
Just because it's reversed and it's a woman saying creepy, stalker-like things to a man doesn't make it better. She doesn't have the right to invade his privacy, and if she can't help it then she could easily try to at least seem normal. She could have told him the same information without using the exact phrasing that he said in private. It's like she's rubbing it in his face that she knows things she shouldn't, and the book gives her a free pass because she's 'hot'.
I mostly overlooked that part of it and could still enjoy the book just fine "because story", but then she did something that was just heinous to me.
Read the rest here.
(Spoilers within)
The basic story is three men, Marc and his two employees, Eleazar and Michael, go to a new town in order set up a renaissance faire. This new town is full of witches and such, though, and they end up dealing with magical forces. Marc falls for a pretty witch, Brenwyn, but she has a sleazy ex-boyfriend who wants her back (Jeremiah). It's well-written. The author puts in amusing asides and keeps a sense of humor throughout the book.
Marc said nothing, but he said nothing in a very churlish and hostile manner.
(In response to demons being summoned on the property, Marc says:)
Steve would never get liability coverage if the insurance companies found out.
The flow is generally good and its easy to read the majority of it. The banter between characters is good. I thought the personality clash between Eleazar and Michael was handled well, and even when Eleazar was insensitive (Michael is gay) it felt like it would fit his character, and he probably wouldn't even understand what was wrong with his actions (trying to make Michael appreciate women).
Action was written well and there were a lot of clever set-ups.
There are some errors, though not enough that it took me out of the story. The biggest one I saw was "We're men with power tools and were not scared!" because the line was copy and pasted several times with the typo in it.
So, why the rating?
It didn't always work for me. I was fine with Marc's movie date with Brenwyn at first, but when flipped out he dealt with it the worst way possible just for the sake of hurting Brenwyn and causing tension. In that situation, where he thinks he might be having a delusion, I understand why he would want to leave, but shouting that he didn't want to be near her wasn't necessary. He didn't even try to make an excuse, which seems like something most people would do. Not even a "I'll explain later, I just really need to go now". He went straight to yelling at her. At the same time, she really doesn't take the hint here or later.
Then he was cutting down trees and pretending they were the witches, including Brenwyn. I get why he would pretend they were the other witches, but why her? Brenwyn hadn't done anything to make him mad. She invited him out, he had a panic attack, and she tried to comfort him doing it. There's nothing rageworthy that she did (yet). She invited him to a rowdy movie event with witches. He was warned it would be rowdy and crazy. It turned out to be rowdy and crazy, then he gets mad that it was exactly what he was told it would be.
About Brenwyn herself - at first I was fine with her. Although they had some decent banter, I was never charmed with her, and I pinpointed the reason why after a bit and it got much worse later.
The main thing is that she presents herself as a mind reader, and not a tactful one. She's constantly saying or doing things that, if she isn't reading your mind, make it seem like she is. This isn't charming. Imagine, for a second, if someone hopped onto your computer and started reading all your private e-mails, then came over to you and started reciting things from your e-mails. Would you be thrilled? Probably not. It's a huge invasion of privacy, and even if you had someone who couldn't help reading minds they would still have to learn how to handle that in a graceful, less creepy way that wouldn't send off alarm bells.
Here's an example: Privately, while discussing with his employees how to hire some workers, Marc says he wants people with "Strong backs and weak minds". This doesn't get put in the ad. Later, when he visits Brenwyn, she says that he's looking for "strong back and weak minds", the exact same thing he said in private.
Now, let's give a different scenario. Say you knew a woman who went into a town to do some work. She meets and attractive guy. That guy starts very blatantly mentioning things that she said in private. Would you suggest:
1) She be charmed by his odd behavior.
2) She put on her running shoes and run, run, run as far as she can from the creepy stalker.
Just because it's reversed and it's a woman saying creepy, stalker-like things to a man doesn't make it better. She doesn't have the right to invade his privacy, and if she can't help it then she could easily try to at least seem normal. She could have told him the same information without using the exact phrasing that he said in private. It's like she's rubbing it in his face that she knows things she shouldn't, and the book gives her a free pass because she's 'hot'.
I mostly overlooked that part of it and could still enjoy the book just fine "because story", but then she did something that was just heinous to me.
Read the rest here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2015
Three men arrived in Arcanum Ohio with a pick up truck, a camper and seven months to build a renaissance faire. Little did they know that Arcanum is a town where most of the population practices magick and the woods are filled with supernatural creatures. The man in charge is Marc, who along with a love of power tools, has a family history of mental health issues and he doesn’t believe in magick. His beliefs soon change though when he meets a woman named Brenwyn who is head of the local wiccan coven.
Marc is forced to reexamine his views on magick and he has to deal with Jerimiah who is a powerful warlock and Brenwyn’s ex lover. Jerimiah has plans to finish off Marc but not before he uses him to become more powerful. Between the witches, demons and undead skinless bunnies, it’s going to take more than power tools to get the renaissance faire open in time.
Camp Arcanum by Josef Matulich is a comedy with horror elements and an interesting love story. When Marc and Brenwyn meet you see that they are exact opposites but right away their relationship clicks. One of my favorite scenes in this book was when Marc who has a history of schizophrenia sees magick spells being done and believes that he is loosing his mind. He starts to freak out and Brenwyn tries to come to his aide but at the time Marc doesn’t want her help and leaves Brenwyn feeling heart-broken. Eventually they start to accept their differences and work at becoming a couple. What really stuck out for me about this love story is that it didn’t seem too perfect and despite their differences I was rooting for them to stay together.
I also loved how witchcraft was represented in this book, I admit I don’t know a lot about covens, wicca or magick but this book made me want to find out more. All of the witches and warlocks in this book came across as people you might meet in everyday life and were nothing like the stereotypes that I’ve seen in other books and movies. In fact this book makes fun of those stereotypes. Though it’s not a big part of this book I have to say that I loved how schizophrenia is dealt with in this story. Marc spent a period of time taking care of his brother who has schizophrenia and I liked how he points out that people who have it can’t help how they act. In many books you see people who have mental health issues as being a villain, so I liked that this book treated it like it wasn’t a bad thing.
Camp Arcanum was kind of a mixed bag for me. I thought the story was slow-moving and even though I liked the villain he didn’t seem to come across as very threatening. All of the characters in the book were interesting and I liked the love story between Brenwyn and Marc. This book has some great moments such as Marc using tools to battle a coven of witches and there was a hilarious scene where all the local wiccans gather at a movie theater to watch and make fun of bad movies based on witches. This book is definitely worth your time and the ending is left wide open for a sequel.
Marc is forced to reexamine his views on magick and he has to deal with Jerimiah who is a powerful warlock and Brenwyn’s ex lover. Jerimiah has plans to finish off Marc but not before he uses him to become more powerful. Between the witches, demons and undead skinless bunnies, it’s going to take more than power tools to get the renaissance faire open in time.
Camp Arcanum by Josef Matulich is a comedy with horror elements and an interesting love story. When Marc and Brenwyn meet you see that they are exact opposites but right away their relationship clicks. One of my favorite scenes in this book was when Marc who has a history of schizophrenia sees magick spells being done and believes that he is loosing his mind. He starts to freak out and Brenwyn tries to come to his aide but at the time Marc doesn’t want her help and leaves Brenwyn feeling heart-broken. Eventually they start to accept their differences and work at becoming a couple. What really stuck out for me about this love story is that it didn’t seem too perfect and despite their differences I was rooting for them to stay together.
I also loved how witchcraft was represented in this book, I admit I don’t know a lot about covens, wicca or magick but this book made me want to find out more. All of the witches and warlocks in this book came across as people you might meet in everyday life and were nothing like the stereotypes that I’ve seen in other books and movies. In fact this book makes fun of those stereotypes. Though it’s not a big part of this book I have to say that I loved how schizophrenia is dealt with in this story. Marc spent a period of time taking care of his brother who has schizophrenia and I liked how he points out that people who have it can’t help how they act. In many books you see people who have mental health issues as being a villain, so I liked that this book treated it like it wasn’t a bad thing.
Camp Arcanum was kind of a mixed bag for me. I thought the story was slow-moving and even though I liked the villain he didn’t seem to come across as very threatening. All of the characters in the book were interesting and I liked the love story between Brenwyn and Marc. This book has some great moments such as Marc using tools to battle a coven of witches and there was a hilarious scene where all the local wiccans gather at a movie theater to watch and make fun of bad movies based on witches. This book is definitely worth your time and the ending is left wide open for a sequel.
November 17, 2014
2.5 Stars
Marc Sindri is a contractor who comes to Arcanum Ohio to build a renaissance faire in only seven months. He soon finds himself in a strange town that is full of magic and intrigue. As Marc tries to
meet his impossible deadlines, he navigates a landscape of witches, demons, power tools and undead skinless bunnies.
Within the first paragraph there was a sentence that no matter how many times I read, I couldn’t make sense of it. ‘There always was a woman involved when he came to connect to tubes and wires.’ Admittedly it took me a while to get into the story after that. It revolves around Marc who has an unrealised power that the wiccans can’t wait to get their hands on and he finds himself in the middle of two fighting covens. One who happens to be a beautiful, strong woman who charms him into submission, the other Jeremiah, who does nothing to make himself likeable. When they are around him, their magic increases and they wish to drink in the power.
The style of writing took a little getting used to and the use of the word ‘milady’ by one of Marc’s friends annoyed me, of course this is a purely a personal opinion. There was the odd editing mistake but the story did move. The pace kept things flowing as we followed Marc as he unleashed his power. The fight scenes were good and I liked the idea of the shadow type demons that only he could see. Overall the book could do with a little more work but there is potential here and I have no doubt that the writer will grow and develop.
Copy supplied for review
Marc Sindri is a contractor who comes to Arcanum Ohio to build a renaissance faire in only seven months. He soon finds himself in a strange town that is full of magic and intrigue. As Marc tries to
meet his impossible deadlines, he navigates a landscape of witches, demons, power tools and undead skinless bunnies.
Within the first paragraph there was a sentence that no matter how many times I read, I couldn’t make sense of it. ‘There always was a woman involved when he came to connect to tubes and wires.’ Admittedly it took me a while to get into the story after that. It revolves around Marc who has an unrealised power that the wiccans can’t wait to get their hands on and he finds himself in the middle of two fighting covens. One who happens to be a beautiful, strong woman who charms him into submission, the other Jeremiah, who does nothing to make himself likeable. When they are around him, their magic increases and they wish to drink in the power.
The style of writing took a little getting used to and the use of the word ‘milady’ by one of Marc’s friends annoyed me, of course this is a purely a personal opinion. There was the odd editing mistake but the story did move. The pace kept things flowing as we followed Marc as he unleashed his power. The fight scenes were good and I liked the idea of the shadow type demons that only he could see. Overall the book could do with a little more work but there is potential here and I have no doubt that the writer will grow and develop.
Copy supplied for review
May 28, 2018
Not sure how I feel about this story. It kept my interest, it was like nothing I have ever read before, and I did laugh, but it just was not my favorite story. Marc, Michael, and Eleazar go to Camp Arcanum to build a Renaissance Faire. While there they learn that the town of Arcanum Ohio is inhabited by witches, warlocks, and other things that go bump in the night. Brenwyn, the leader of the local coven falls in love with Marc almost instantly as does Marc with her. This is one of my issues with the story. No, I am not a romantic and love this quick in a story tends to turn me off. Then they start using terms like my beloved. Witch lingo? Perhaps, but I found it a bit awkward. Marc fights zombie squirrels and invisible dragons, of course! All-in-all I give this book a 3.5 star and will round to a 4 because it did make me laugh and Marc did have an impressively large vocabulary. (wink, wink)
February 29, 2016
Once I got over my issue with one character's name, I flew through this book.
It was fun and without a doubt offering something different from what I have been reading.
I loved the character Marc as I could see him in detail in my mind.
Very well written.
It was fun and without a doubt offering something different from what I have been reading.
I loved the character Marc as I could see him in detail in my mind.
Very well written.
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