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Demon Net: (A supernatural fantasy adventure)
In the shadowy streets of Port Haven, former detective Sarah Reid thought she'd left the supernatural world behind. But when a string of gruesome murders bears impossible similarities to the case that ended her police career, she's drawn back into a realm where reality itself bends to the will of those with power.
Tech billionaire Vincent Drake's AI system is revolutionizing the corporate world - but his success hides a darker truth. Ancient symbols appear at crime scenes, the dead refuse to stay buried, and something otherworldly lurks within the machine itself.
As Sarah investigates with her former partner Marcus Blackwood, she must confront the supernatural presence she's carried since childhood. Caught between ancient magic and modern technology, Sarah's greatest weapon may be the very darkness she's spent her life fighting.
Tech billionaire Vincent Drake's AI system is revolutionizing the corporate world - but his success hides a darker truth. Ancient symbols appear at crime scenes, the dead refuse to stay buried, and something otherworldly lurks within the machine itself.
As Sarah investigates with her former partner Marcus Blackwood, she must confront the supernatural presence she's carried since childhood. Caught between ancient magic and modern technology, Sarah's greatest weapon may be the very darkness she's spent her life fighting.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2025
1 person want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 24, 2025
The premise of a detective dealing with the boundary between tech billionaires and the occult covers a couple of areas I knew I'd be interested in.
What to Expect
An interesting case that starts with bodies mutilated with arcane symbol, a former-police-currently-private detective with a shady past, tech moguls with Rampant AI, ancient demons, and the inevitable shenanigans at the intersection of them all.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, mostly Sarah but many others too, mostly in first-person.
What I liked
I liked the story arc and the intersection of technology and demonology. There's some good world-building there that doesn't fall into the "can't mix" trope, even through other genre tropes are present (secret supernatural world, detective with a past, etc). The occult side isn't fully detailed but intriguing, while the tech side is surprisingly good (so many fantasy novels completely miss how the tech world operates).
What to be aware of
The writing is immature. This covers anything from occasional tense shifts to present tense, to how most chapters are in first-person POV, but then random chapters jump to 3rd (not just interludes with inconsequential characters, but for characters who've previously been 'talking' in 1st).
There are also some other issues (from minor plot holes, to motivations and emotions, to the internet's favourite 'a breath I didn't realise I was holding' meme) that a good editor would have fixed.
Felix's and Jack's Reviews
Felix had his fair share of dealing with oligarchs and supernatural beings, and generally appreciates solutions at the point of a sword. He found some of the literary devices annoying, but overall approves of the 'plucky rebels' attitude to problem-solving.
Jack found the concept of demons and spirits travelling through computer networks highly disturbing. He objected to the tropie-ish ineffectual police more than the grammatical issues, and was generally grateful the ghosts he has to deal with don't mess up his phone (or his official case reports).
Summary
Read this for the promise of a good plot, with a few interesting takes on how fantasy and tech can interact in a modern urban fantasy. It's an early work, so be patient with linguistic and storytelling issues.
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck are those Felix and Jack fellows? Glad you asked! Felix is the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome, and Jack is the police detective running the Unusual Crimes Squad, dealing in occult crimes in modern-day Australia.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
An interesting case that starts with bodies mutilated with arcane symbol, a former-police-currently-private detective with a shady past, tech moguls with Rampant AI, ancient demons, and the inevitable shenanigans at the intersection of them all.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, mostly Sarah but many others too, mostly in first-person.
What I liked
I liked the story arc and the intersection of technology and demonology. There's some good world-building there that doesn't fall into the "can't mix" trope, even through other genre tropes are present (secret supernatural world, detective with a past, etc). The occult side isn't fully detailed but intriguing, while the tech side is surprisingly good (so many fantasy novels completely miss how the tech world operates).
What to be aware of
The writing is immature. This covers anything from occasional tense shifts to present tense, to how most chapters are in first-person POV, but then random chapters jump to 3rd (not just interludes with inconsequential characters, but for characters who've previously been 'talking' in 1st).
There are also some other issues (from minor plot holes, to motivations and emotions, to the internet's favourite 'a breath I didn't realise I was holding' meme) that a good editor would have fixed.
Felix's and Jack's Reviews
Felix had his fair share of dealing with oligarchs and supernatural beings, and generally appreciates solutions at the point of a sword. He found some of the literary devices annoying, but overall approves of the 'plucky rebels' attitude to problem-solving.
Jack found the concept of demons and spirits travelling through computer networks highly disturbing. He objected to the tropie-ish ineffectual police more than the grammatical issues, and was generally grateful the ghosts he has to deal with don't mess up his phone (or his official case reports).
Summary
Read this for the promise of a good plot, with a few interesting takes on how fantasy and tech can interact in a modern urban fantasy. It's an early work, so be patient with linguistic and storytelling issues.
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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck are those Felix and Jack fellows? Glad you asked! Felix is the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome, and Jack is the police detective running the Unusual Crimes Squad, dealing in occult crimes in modern-day Australia.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
Displaying 1 of 1 review