What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dokimazo
From the minds of Kelvin V A Allison (Gomorrah series) and Lolly Sparrow (Deathless Death; Amartya’s story) comes a new tale of terror.
The Dokimazo, a mysterious hotel in Somerset, England, owned by demons, staffed by resurrected figures from Greek mythology, patronised by monsters, and hidden from the prying eyes of the archangels who seek the destruction of anything that does not fit Gods plan.
Yet the Dokimazo is far more than just a rest-stop, for human sinners who step within the double doors of the hotel soon find themselves meeting their sins head on.
It is a place of unbound horror, of eternal love, of torturous agony, and a cat called Captain Sushi.
The Dokimazo is a mosaic novel wherein each chapter tells its own unique tale while creating a greater story when placed together.
The Dokimazo, a mysterious hotel in Somerset, England, owned by demons, staffed by resurrected figures from Greek mythology, patronised by monsters, and hidden from the prying eyes of the archangels who seek the destruction of anything that does not fit Gods plan.
Yet the Dokimazo is far more than just a rest-stop, for human sinners who step within the double doors of the hotel soon find themselves meeting their sins head on.
It is a place of unbound horror, of eternal love, of torturous agony, and a cat called Captain Sushi.
The Dokimazo is a mosaic novel wherein each chapter tells its own unique tale while creating a greater story when placed together.
220 pages, Unknown Binding
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 19, 2025
Two great writers team to present the hotel Dokimazo hotel ran by demons and people from Greek mythology and the guests who have sinned are in for a nasty surprise! A well written story which I enjoyed immensely.
February 15, 2025
The Dokimazo: A Review
This hotel is not meant to be found, at least by those who aren't meant to pass through its doors. Protected by demons from God and the archangels, those who check in at Dokimazo find themselves either dead, staying permanently, or seeking asylum from the mortal world.
Mythological creatures, demons, an undead cat, constellations in human form, vampires, gorgons, and other creatures are punished or exact punishment against similar creatures or humans so vile they do not deserve to live again, and all happen within the walls of the hotel.
This is the first book I've read that is classified under the horror subgenre called mythpunk, which Kelvin V A Allison - author and Lolly Sparrow have coined, and it is unlike any other creature feature I've read.
I'm not done with it yet but damn, I'm encouraging all yall to read it. It is available on Amazon Kindle and as a paperback, and for 161 pages, it has a lot of lore that is at par with The Sandman. (Not mentioning the author because he is a degenerate a thief, go read Tanith Lee instead).
READ IT. Check in, but beware, you might never check out.
Edit: Dokimazo may sound like a Japanese word but it's actually Greek, which means to test or to examine, which the residents and guests of the hotel undergo. Even the demons who oversee it undergo such scrutiny.
This hotel is not meant to be found, at least by those who aren't meant to pass through its doors. Protected by demons from God and the archangels, those who check in at Dokimazo find themselves either dead, staying permanently, or seeking asylum from the mortal world.
Mythological creatures, demons, an undead cat, constellations in human form, vampires, gorgons, and other creatures are punished or exact punishment against similar creatures or humans so vile they do not deserve to live again, and all happen within the walls of the hotel.
This is the first book I've read that is classified under the horror subgenre called mythpunk, which Kelvin V A Allison - author and Lolly Sparrow have coined, and it is unlike any other creature feature I've read.
I'm not done with it yet but damn, I'm encouraging all yall to read it. It is available on Amazon Kindle and as a paperback, and for 161 pages, it has a lot of lore that is at par with The Sandman. (Not mentioning the author because he is a degenerate a thief, go read Tanith Lee instead).
READ IT. Check in, but beware, you might never check out.
Edit: Dokimazo may sound like a Japanese word but it's actually Greek, which means to test or to examine, which the residents and guests of the hotel undergo. Even the demons who oversee it undergo such scrutiny.
February 11, 2025
Dokimazo. The hotel for the supernatural. Each chapter is a different character.
These two authors when writing alone have amazing books so I definitely needed this one. Did I read it in one sitting? Yes. The reason I gave this 4 stars is because I'm upset with one character dying 😂 it was an easy to read, brutal, gore fest not holding back on anything. Early on there was a part I wasn't ready to read but thank God that got nipped in the bud. Absolutely loved that some characters came back into this like Amartya from deathless death and Jack and Sissy from Sissy. Loved seeing them back on pages! These authors work really well together and would love to see a future collab!
These two authors when writing alone have amazing books so I definitely needed this one. Did I read it in one sitting? Yes. The reason I gave this 4 stars is because I'm upset with one character dying 😂 it was an easy to read, brutal, gore fest not holding back on anything. Early on there was a part I wasn't ready to read but thank God that got nipped in the bud. Absolutely loved that some characters came back into this like Amartya from deathless death and Jack and Sissy from Sissy. Loved seeing them back on pages! These authors work really well together and would love to see a future collab!
March 23, 2025
The Dokimazo is a hotel owned by demons amd run by various mythological figures from Greek history. Hidden from God and archangels, this is where the monsters come to stay.....human and other kinds. Beware sinners.......if you stay here, it is unlikely you will make it out alive!
Each chapter has its own unique storyline but all are beautifully interwoven to create this monstrous universe. Stories of love, depravity, agony and death. And a cat called Captain Sushi!
An utterly joyful read and can be given nothing less than 5 stars
Each chapter has its own unique storyline but all are beautifully interwoven to create this monstrous universe. Stories of love, depravity, agony and death. And a cat called Captain Sushi!
An utterly joyful read and can be given nothing less than 5 stars
February 7, 2025
Let me start this review off by saying this was the one book I have been most excited for in 2025. Lolly Sparrow has become my favorite writer of more poetic flourishes in her work, and there is no one who does brutal kills in their work quite like Kelvin. I had an idea of what to expect going into this with their styles, but when they came together and merged their forces, I was not anticipating the masterful storytelling that was about to unfold.
Part Dark Urban Fantasy, part Romance, and part Splatterpunk, this mixing and melding of genres is a true blast of energy I needed to get invested back into reading.
If you are a fan of classical Greek mythology and Judeo-Christian demons, and want to see how that combination could work together, this story is for you. If you are a fan of sweeping romances that transcend time and mortality, this story is for you. If you are a fan of Splatterpunk novels having new animal mascots to root for and fall in love with -- think Merlin in DEATHLESS DEATH: AMARTYA'S STORY -- then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you! (Captain Sushi the cat and Merlin the mouse are absolutely going to get character sketches by me soon.)
The storytelling is vibrant and lush, written in such a way that captures your attention and doesn't let go (nor would you want it to do so). Both authors have this gift of knowing when to let the story take a pause to breathe, when to ramp the action up, and when to really twist the dagger into your heart. There were times I was literally left speechless, my heart pounding, tears welling up in my eyes for certain moments. It's grand, it's epic, and it is the kind of story that reminds me why I love the art form of the written word.
Harkening back to earlier in the review, Kelvin and Lolly's styles mash so well together. Both are incredible at gory scenes of violence and horror, but whereas Lolly wields words like a surgeon with a scalpel, Kelvin utilizes targeted blunt force trauma with pinpoint accuracy. They are the perfect mesh of heart and soul, two minds clearly adept at weaving a spellbinding tale that enchants the reader. I never wanted it to end, to be perfectly honest.
This story absolutely belongs on the shelf right next to CABAL by Clive Barker in terms of modern myth-making, and it also joins the hallowed rank of my favorite book of all time, tied with Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK as the go-to book I will pick up and read over and over again. There are so many little touches you can pick up on with multiple read throughs.
Part Dark Urban Fantasy, part Romance, and part Splatterpunk, this mixing and melding of genres is a true blast of energy I needed to get invested back into reading.
If you are a fan of classical Greek mythology and Judeo-Christian demons, and want to see how that combination could work together, this story is for you. If you are a fan of sweeping romances that transcend time and mortality, this story is for you. If you are a fan of Splatterpunk novels having new animal mascots to root for and fall in love with -- think Merlin in DEATHLESS DEATH: AMARTYA'S STORY -- then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you! (Captain Sushi the cat and Merlin the mouse are absolutely going to get character sketches by me soon.)
The storytelling is vibrant and lush, written in such a way that captures your attention and doesn't let go (nor would you want it to do so). Both authors have this gift of knowing when to let the story take a pause to breathe, when to ramp the action up, and when to really twist the dagger into your heart. There were times I was literally left speechless, my heart pounding, tears welling up in my eyes for certain moments. It's grand, it's epic, and it is the kind of story that reminds me why I love the art form of the written word.
Harkening back to earlier in the review, Kelvin and Lolly's styles mash so well together. Both are incredible at gory scenes of violence and horror, but whereas Lolly wields words like a surgeon with a scalpel, Kelvin utilizes targeted blunt force trauma with pinpoint accuracy. They are the perfect mesh of heart and soul, two minds clearly adept at weaving a spellbinding tale that enchants the reader. I never wanted it to end, to be perfectly honest.
This story absolutely belongs on the shelf right next to CABAL by Clive Barker in terms of modern myth-making, and it also joins the hallowed rank of my favorite book of all time, tied with Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK as the go-to book I will pick up and read over and over again. There are so many little touches you can pick up on with multiple read throughs.
February 13, 2025
This book is everything younger me was always looking for. As a child I was fascinated by Greek mythology, demons, angels and horror. And here we have the perfect mix of all of those things, very cleverly told by 2 amazing authors.
Each chapter having its own story, accompanied by a playlist which just seems to be perfectly selected. Each separate story coming together in a heart wrenching and explosive conclusion.
I loved the balance between horrific kills, justice, humour and beautiful love stories. The cameo appearances of some favourite characters from other books made me so happy.
I really hope these 2 authors work together again.
Sinners beware DOKIMAZO.
Each chapter having its own story, accompanied by a playlist which just seems to be perfectly selected. Each separate story coming together in a heart wrenching and explosive conclusion.
I loved the balance between horrific kills, justice, humour and beautiful love stories. The cameo appearances of some favourite characters from other books made me so happy.
I really hope these 2 authors work together again.
Sinners beware DOKIMAZO.
February 3, 2025
I was one of the lucky few to receive an ARC of this and I'm so glad I did. Blending mythos and legends from greek to Christian (with a great little cameo or two to boot) this was amazing.
Strong characters
Brutal gore scenes
And one hell of a tear jerker moment
I cannot rate this one high enough.
Strong characters
Brutal gore scenes
And one hell of a tear jerker moment
I cannot rate this one high enough.
April 23, 2025
The second book in March I read was The Dokimazo by Kelvin V.A Allison and Lolly Sparrow - what Allison describes as a ‘mosaic’ novel, comprising of several inter-linked stories about a very strange and mysterious hotel where, much like The Eagle’s Hotel California, you can check in but you can never leave.
The hotel is host to all manner of legendary beings, taken from Greek mythology, who run the hotel as staff - luring bad people, or those who have done unspeakable things and so far escaped being punished for them, between their doors so they can then finally face the justice that they so rightly deserve.
It’s an interesting concept, and one I really enjoyed, but I did feel like the fragmented style drew me a little out of the story in places - though whether or not that was also because I’ve been struggling to read this past month, I cannot say. That said, this was a personal observation and not a critical one because it would be unfair of me to say I didn’t enjoy the book - I did - I just found it to be a bit of a harder book to fully immerse myself in.
I’d love to read more about the hotel - and good news, because I hear a sequel is currently being written - but I’m definitely a bigger fan of Allison’s Gomorrah books, and I couldn’t help but be a bit on the fence with this one.
3 ☠️☠️☠️/ 5
The hotel is host to all manner of legendary beings, taken from Greek mythology, who run the hotel as staff - luring bad people, or those who have done unspeakable things and so far escaped being punished for them, between their doors so they can then finally face the justice that they so rightly deserve.
It’s an interesting concept, and one I really enjoyed, but I did feel like the fragmented style drew me a little out of the story in places - though whether or not that was also because I’ve been struggling to read this past month, I cannot say. That said, this was a personal observation and not a critical one because it would be unfair of me to say I didn’t enjoy the book - I did - I just found it to be a bit of a harder book to fully immerse myself in.
I’d love to read more about the hotel - and good news, because I hear a sequel is currently being written - but I’m definitely a bigger fan of Allison’s Gomorrah books, and I couldn’t help but be a bit on the fence with this one.
3 ☠️☠️☠️/ 5
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews