What do you think?
Rate this book
A powerful husk crosses the mountains, leaving a trail of the dead in its wake. When efforts to track the killer end in disaster, the task falls to a man not expected to succeed: Jebediah Skayne, Lothario, hustler, hunter of demons.
They call them ‘husks’, the demons that cross the Farfall Mountains, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. No incursion goes unmet; otherwise the cancer would spread until the whole world was consumed by nightmares.
That’s why the Maresmen were formed—trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule: Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there’s something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn’t have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes.
Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that’s seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core.
They call them ‘husks’, the demons that cross the Farfall Mountains, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. No incursion goes unmet; otherwise the cancer would spread until the whole world was consumed by nightmares.
That’s why the Maresmen were formed—trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule: Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there’s something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn’t have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes.
Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that’s seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core.
348 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2014
28 people are currently reading
733 people want to read
About the author
Derek Prior
79 books211 followersInternationally bestselling and award winning author Derek Prior excels in fast-paced, high stakes epic fantasy adventure stories in which good ultimately triumphs, but always at a cost.
Taking familiar fantasy tropes as a point of departure, Prior expands upon them to explore friendship, betrayal, loyalty and heroism in worlds where evil is an ever-present reality, magic is both a curse and a blessing, and characters are tempered in battle.
Winner of best fantasy novel 2012 (The Nameless Dwarf: The Complete Chronicles)
Fantasy Faction semifinalist for the SPFBO 2018 (Ravine of Blood and Shadow)
Website: www.derekprior.us
Twitter: @NamelessDwarf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dpprior
Taking familiar fantasy tropes as a point of departure, Prior expands upon them to explore friendship, betrayal, loyalty and heroism in worlds where evil is an ever-present reality, magic is both a curse and a blessing, and characters are tempered in battle.
Winner of best fantasy novel 2012 (The Nameless Dwarf: The Complete Chronicles)
Fantasy Faction semifinalist for the SPFBO 2018 (Ravine of Blood and Shadow)
Website: www.derekprior.us
Twitter: @NamelessDwarf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dpprior
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 17, 2017
They call them ‘husks’, the demons that cross the Farfall Mountains, leaving a trail of blood in their wake.
No incursion goes unmet; otherwise the cancer would spread until the whole of Aethir was consumed by nightmares.
That’s why the Maresmen were formed—trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule:
Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there’s something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn’t have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes. Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that’s seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core
my rating : 5 stars
Goodreads challenges:
2016 Choose Your Own Challenge: 28:a book based entirely on its cover
what did I think: I loved it , different then anything I've read before, like a western dystopian.
No incursion goes unmet; otherwise the cancer would spread until the whole of Aethir was consumed by nightmares.
That’s why the Maresmen were formed—trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule:
Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there’s something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn’t have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes. Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that’s seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core
my rating : 5 stars
Goodreads challenges:
2016 Choose Your Own Challenge: 28:a book based entirely on its cover
what did I think: I loved it , different then anything I've read before, like a western dystopian.
April 29, 2016
2.5
Meh, mediocre but not all out bad. There is an interesting world here, the idea is certainly engaging and the writing isn't bad, but the book drags as the main character spends too much time in his head and too little doing anything of significance. There are several surprise deaths that I thought were there just for the shock value. It was predictable and ultimately I didn't feel it wrapped up well.
Plus, I had an issue with Jeb's character. I don't know, maybe this is a personal quibble, but it seems to me that if his mother is a sucubus (a seducer of men)---as opposed to having an incubus father, I guess---his staunch heterosexuality seems a little contrived. Similarly, yes, his attitude toward sex and woman is given a context, but in a very real sense it feels a lot much like the author just gave him an excuse for pretty standard disrespect toward woman and women's sexuality. Jeb uses them for sex and tosses them away like garbage (literally in some cases), often still begging for more of his magic prick. Perhaps this was meant as an exploration into the male sexual psyche, but I'm thinking not.
It's like the prewritten male fantasy. Maybe because of this. Maybe because of the very male gaze. Maybe because all women are reduced to what they can contribute to the male protagonist---sex or food/drink. One is literally reduced to a walking womb whose only purpose in life is Jeb, her son. Maybe just because of Jeb's narrative voice, but the book simply feels very male to me. So maybe I'm just not the intended audience, in the end.
Meh, mediocre but not all out bad. There is an interesting world here, the idea is certainly engaging and the writing isn't bad, but the book drags as the main character spends too much time in his head and too little doing anything of significance. There are several surprise deaths that I thought were there just for the shock value. It was predictable and ultimately I didn't feel it wrapped up well.
Plus, I had an issue with Jeb's character. I don't know, maybe this is a personal quibble, but it seems to me that if his mother is a sucubus (a seducer of men)---as opposed to having an incubus father, I guess---his staunch heterosexuality seems a little contrived. Similarly, yes, his attitude toward sex and woman is given a context, but in a very real sense it feels a lot much like the author just gave him an excuse for pretty standard disrespect toward woman and women's sexuality. Jeb uses them for sex and tosses them away like garbage (literally in some cases), often still begging for more of his magic prick. Perhaps this was meant as an exploration into the male sexual psyche, but I'm thinking not.
It's like the prewritten male fantasy. Maybe because of this. Maybe because of the very male gaze. Maybe because all women are reduced to what they can contribute to the male protagonist---sex or food/drink. One is literally reduced to a walking womb whose only purpose in life is Jeb, her son. Maybe just because of Jeb's narrative voice, but the book simply feels very male to me. So maybe I'm just not the intended audience, in the end.
June 8, 2015
Husk: A Maresman Tale is the latest novel by D. P. Prior, the author of Deacon Shader and the Nameless Dwarf series, and also set in the same world as them. It’s an exciting and well-written story, with a gritty atmosphere, a carefully thought-out plot, and a memorable but flawed central hero. The world is diverse, the world-building top notch, and the twists surprising enough to keep you interested and guessing until the end. At certain times the novel reminded me of Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane tales, while in other instances it brought to mind Stephen King’s Dark Tower series or one of Clint Eastwood’s classic western flicks, if the latter were penned by H. P. Lovecraft.
The main antagonists of D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale are the aforementioned “husks”, a form of shape-shifting demons that cross between lands to fulfil their dark purposes, leaving a trail of blood and misery in their wake.
That's why the Maresmen were formed - trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule:
Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah ‘Jeb’ Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there's something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn't have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes. Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that's seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core.
D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale starts off a bit slow, taking time to establish the world our characters inhabit and to set up the small town of Portis, where most of the drama is to be played out. It’s pretty clear from the get-go that the author is intimately familiar with his world, unfolding it layer by layer before the readers’ eyes, while in the same time providing us with clues regarding the main mystery. The world-building is impressive, and the writing style witty and confident, thus offering an engrossing story.
Mind you, it’s not necessary to be familiar with either Shader or the Nameless Dwarf series to follow and enjoy the novel. It stands perfectly on its own.
Apart from the strong world-building, D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale also features a well-realised and developed protagonist. In correspondence with current and recent trends, Jeb is a flawed and somewhat damaged ‘hero’, who despite having a dark and haunted past still retains a sense of honour, duty and fairness. He’s in no way perfect, and in a couple of occasions does some really stupid things, but that only serves to show that he is only human…
Or rather, only half-human. The “husk” half of Jeb’s heritage gives him certain sex appeal that makes him somewhat more attractive than normal to members of the opposite sex. As a result, there’s a number of mildly erotic encounters which occur throughout the novel, but nothing overly-explicit, graphic, or offensive, if you prefer your fantasy chaste and Tolkienesque. If anything, the sexual content is similar to that of Anne Bishop’s novel Sebastian. And just as well-written.
Another character I need to mention here is Jeb’s horse Tubal, who, I confess, was a bit of a scene-stealer for me. It may sound a little odd, but you’ll know what I mean once you've read the novel. Tubal is awesome. And that includes his rather particular name.
Now, with all this in mind, I must point out that Husk: A Maresman Tale wasn’t without its faults. The pacing felt uneven at times and some of the secondary characters came off as underdeveloped. There are a couple of scenes I could only describe as cartoony, with the biggest offender being the introduction of the so-called Graceful Goddess and her cronies… er… Laurel and Hardy. I don’t know. Maybe I have a very poor sense of humour but this particular chapter really felt out of place to me.
Fortunately, all these minor annoyances aside, I have to admit that I really enjoyed reading Husk: A Maresman Tale. D. P. Prior is a very accomplished writer and storyteller, and the world he has created was a joy to explore and get to know. Jeb, too, made for some excellent company, and the action sequences and plot twists more than compensated for the (few and in between) slower sections. The ending was satisfactory as well, paving the way for further instalments in the (potential) series. I, for one, would gladly return to the world of Husk for a second Maresman Tale…
Husk: A Maresman Tale by D. P. Prior is another excellent offering from Ragnarok Publications and a must-read for fans of grimdark fantasy, Westerns, and everything else in between.
The main antagonists of D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale are the aforementioned “husks”, a form of shape-shifting demons that cross between lands to fulfil their dark purposes, leaving a trail of blood and misery in their wake.
That's why the Maresmen were formed - trackers and warriors charged with holding back the tide. Each of them is different, uniquely suited to the task in hand, but one thing they hold in common: they are half-breeds, part human, part husk; and they are bound by an inviolable rule:
Hunt the husks, or be hunted themselves.
Jebediah ‘Jeb’ Skayne has been hunting husks his entire adult life, but there's something different about the trail leading to the fishing town of Portis on the shores of the Chalice Sea: no spoor, no footprints; nothing save the unmistakable feeling of wrongness.
Finding a husk in Portis would be near impossible for someone who didn't have the sixth sense, but the instant Jeb arrives, all trace of the incursion vanishes. Forced to rely on more mundane methods of investigation, he starts to uncover a town rife with corruption, where a man will kill you for looking at a woman the wrong way; a town that's seen its share of incursions from the land of nightmares before.
As events start to slip from his control, he realizes the husk he's come to kill is one step ahead of the game, and it holds a secret that will shake his world to the core.
D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale starts off a bit slow, taking time to establish the world our characters inhabit and to set up the small town of Portis, where most of the drama is to be played out. It’s pretty clear from the get-go that the author is intimately familiar with his world, unfolding it layer by layer before the readers’ eyes, while in the same time providing us with clues regarding the main mystery. The world-building is impressive, and the writing style witty and confident, thus offering an engrossing story.
Mind you, it’s not necessary to be familiar with either Shader or the Nameless Dwarf series to follow and enjoy the novel. It stands perfectly on its own.
Apart from the strong world-building, D. P. Prior’s Husk: A Maresman Tale also features a well-realised and developed protagonist. In correspondence with current and recent trends, Jeb is a flawed and somewhat damaged ‘hero’, who despite having a dark and haunted past still retains a sense of honour, duty and fairness. He’s in no way perfect, and in a couple of occasions does some really stupid things, but that only serves to show that he is only human…
Or rather, only half-human. The “husk” half of Jeb’s heritage gives him certain sex appeal that makes him somewhat more attractive than normal to members of the opposite sex. As a result, there’s a number of mildly erotic encounters which occur throughout the novel, but nothing overly-explicit, graphic, or offensive, if you prefer your fantasy chaste and Tolkienesque. If anything, the sexual content is similar to that of Anne Bishop’s novel Sebastian. And just as well-written.
Another character I need to mention here is Jeb’s horse Tubal, who, I confess, was a bit of a scene-stealer for me. It may sound a little odd, but you’ll know what I mean once you've read the novel. Tubal is awesome. And that includes his rather particular name.
Now, with all this in mind, I must point out that Husk: A Maresman Tale wasn’t without its faults. The pacing felt uneven at times and some of the secondary characters came off as underdeveloped. There are a couple of scenes I could only describe as cartoony, with the biggest offender being the introduction of the so-called Graceful Goddess and her cronies… er… Laurel and Hardy. I don’t know. Maybe I have a very poor sense of humour but this particular chapter really felt out of place to me.
Fortunately, all these minor annoyances aside, I have to admit that I really enjoyed reading Husk: A Maresman Tale. D. P. Prior is a very accomplished writer and storyteller, and the world he has created was a joy to explore and get to know. Jeb, too, made for some excellent company, and the action sequences and plot twists more than compensated for the (few and in between) slower sections. The ending was satisfactory as well, paving the way for further instalments in the (potential) series. I, for one, would gladly return to the world of Husk for a second Maresman Tale…
Husk: A Maresman Tale by D. P. Prior is another excellent offering from Ragnarok Publications and a must-read for fans of grimdark fantasy, Westerns, and everything else in between.
May 13, 2015
This is another highly recommended and enjoyable urban fantasy tale from Ragnarok Publications. "Husk" by D.P. Prior follows Jeb (Jebediah) who is half-human and half-"husk," which is basically the equivalent of a demonic entity, but like Blade (half-human/half-vampire), Jeb is part of a group called the Maresmen. They hunt husks. So Jeb goes after his own kind (other husks) and in this book, he finds possibly the most difficult husk he has ever had to face.
If you're a fan of the previously mentioned "Blade" or even the Anita Blake vampire hunter books, "Supernatural" the tv show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, give "Husk" a try. From Ragnarok's other books, if you liked Seth Skorkowsky's "Damoren" and "Hounacier," you're definitely going to get a kick out of this Jim Butcher meets weird western urban fantasy.
If you're a fan of the previously mentioned "Blade" or even the Anita Blake vampire hunter books, "Supernatural" the tv show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, give "Husk" a try. From Ragnarok's other books, if you liked Seth Skorkowsky's "Damoren" and "Hounacier," you're definitely going to get a kick out of this Jim Butcher meets weird western urban fantasy.
October 14, 2016
I hope there's a sequel.
January 18, 2016
Husk is a fantasy Western taking place on another planet far in the future where demons, called Husks, now menace the world. Much like dhampyrs or Witchers, Maresmen are supernaturally-powered inhuman warriors who prowl the cities in search of these monsters.
Jebediah Skayne is one of the most formidable Maresmen alive, the only one better being his mentor Mortis, and he's tracked a particularly foul Husk to a small port-side city on the edge of civilization. This Husk is more cunning and powerful than most of their kind, having killed a number of Jebediah's fellow Maresemen, and is currently hiding amongst the hundreds of citizens around him.
Jebediah must unravel the secrets of the community, from corruption to sex to supernatural shenanigans, in order to determine who the hidden Husk is. He must also figure out if he's going to pursue it at all once he discovers that the creature may have a far more intimate tie to him than he ever expected.
Husk lives and dies dependent on the perspective of Jebediah Skayne and I very much enjoy what a complete bastard our protagonist is. He's ruthless, cunning, and kind of a scumbag. Yet, he's also incredibly observant as well as well-realized. We understand why he's the way he is as well as why he looks down on the whole world--which is the mark of good writing. I also like that while he's incredibly tough, Jeb's kind of crap at his job.
For all of Jebediah's skill, he's not all that motivated to kill Husks due to having been recruited at gunpoint as a child by the sociopathic Mortis. As a result, he oozes contempt for the townsfolk who impede his investigation into the Husk's activities and you can tell he'd just as soon let them deal with the murdering beast themselves.
I've seen many a ruthless capable antihero in fiction but it's actually kind of awesome to see one who'd rather play cards and have sex with the local women than hunt demons. Jeb is a lazy hunter and that attitude makes him go unexpected directions when you'd think he'd follow the typical heroic path. No, that would require him to care about the townsfolk and, honestly, given how they treat him, it's no wonder he's barely on team humanity.
D.P. Prior has a gift for prose, making the act of reading about his world a lush and intriguing experience. Jeb may not be the most likable protagonist but having dumped yourself into his head, you experience what it's like to live in this world in ways both big and small. The Western feel is everywhere despite the fact D.P. frequently sees when a typical western would saw. It takes place in a smelly wet fishing village versus a dry desert, guns are useless versus swords, and the hero's skill with cards is non-existent.
Yet, a Western it is.
A fantasy Western that manages to give us insight into how the people live, their government operates, and their attitudes on just about everything. We learn about what they believe in the future and how they deal with demons. I also like the fact that all of this is done with a minimum of exposition. D.P. Prior doesn't tell you facts about his world, they arise organically from his character interaction.
The book isn't without flaws. I think it would have been stronger if he'd skipped the first chapter, which is from the perspective of a small chapter rather than Jeb, and gotten to our antihero. I also think the ending was a little uneven due to the fact we're expected to sympathize with a character I really think Jeb would have just killed and called it a day with. I am curious where the story goes next, though.
This is a fun story with a lot of atmosphere. The plot moves at a slow, somewhat language pace, but the whole appeal of the book is that it is transporting you to another planet. As such, I'm willing to take my time. A warning for those of sensitive natures, Jeb is kind of a pig when it comes to women but at least the book acknowledges it.
9/10
Jebediah Skayne is one of the most formidable Maresmen alive, the only one better being his mentor Mortis, and he's tracked a particularly foul Husk to a small port-side city on the edge of civilization. This Husk is more cunning and powerful than most of their kind, having killed a number of Jebediah's fellow Maresemen, and is currently hiding amongst the hundreds of citizens around him.
Jebediah must unravel the secrets of the community, from corruption to sex to supernatural shenanigans, in order to determine who the hidden Husk is. He must also figure out if he's going to pursue it at all once he discovers that the creature may have a far more intimate tie to him than he ever expected.
Husk lives and dies dependent on the perspective of Jebediah Skayne and I very much enjoy what a complete bastard our protagonist is. He's ruthless, cunning, and kind of a scumbag. Yet, he's also incredibly observant as well as well-realized. We understand why he's the way he is as well as why he looks down on the whole world--which is the mark of good writing. I also like that while he's incredibly tough, Jeb's kind of crap at his job.
For all of Jebediah's skill, he's not all that motivated to kill Husks due to having been recruited at gunpoint as a child by the sociopathic Mortis. As a result, he oozes contempt for the townsfolk who impede his investigation into the Husk's activities and you can tell he'd just as soon let them deal with the murdering beast themselves.
I've seen many a ruthless capable antihero in fiction but it's actually kind of awesome to see one who'd rather play cards and have sex with the local women than hunt demons. Jeb is a lazy hunter and that attitude makes him go unexpected directions when you'd think he'd follow the typical heroic path. No, that would require him to care about the townsfolk and, honestly, given how they treat him, it's no wonder he's barely on team humanity.
D.P. Prior has a gift for prose, making the act of reading about his world a lush and intriguing experience. Jeb may not be the most likable protagonist but having dumped yourself into his head, you experience what it's like to live in this world in ways both big and small. The Western feel is everywhere despite the fact D.P. frequently sees when a typical western would saw. It takes place in a smelly wet fishing village versus a dry desert, guns are useless versus swords, and the hero's skill with cards is non-existent.
Yet, a Western it is.
A fantasy Western that manages to give us insight into how the people live, their government operates, and their attitudes on just about everything. We learn about what they believe in the future and how they deal with demons. I also like the fact that all of this is done with a minimum of exposition. D.P. Prior doesn't tell you facts about his world, they arise organically from his character interaction.
The book isn't without flaws. I think it would have been stronger if he'd skipped the first chapter, which is from the perspective of a small chapter rather than Jeb, and gotten to our antihero. I also think the ending was a little uneven due to the fact we're expected to sympathize with a character I really think Jeb would have just killed and called it a day with. I am curious where the story goes next, though.
This is a fun story with a lot of atmosphere. The plot moves at a slow, somewhat language pace, but the whole appeal of the book is that it is transporting you to another planet. As such, I'm willing to take my time. A warning for those of sensitive natures, Jeb is kind of a pig when it comes to women but at least the book acknowledges it.
9/10
May 5, 2016
Husk by D.P. Prior is a fantastic thrill ride of a book! It is a fantasy about a husk hunter, a demon-type hunter, that is unwanted by everyone. You would think people would want to see him coming but instead they blame the hunters for the deaths in town and not the husk. What makes Jeb, our hunter, so good, fast, and strong, is that he is half husk himself. His mother was a succubus so it causes women to be attracted to Jeb and him to be attracted to them, but only physically. His downfall, gets him in a lot of trouble sometimes. The story revolves around him tracking a husk into this small town and finding that they have two husks there. The story his very creative, the characters are unique and very interesting, and Jeb is the main character but has his faults too. The writer builds the setting so you feel you are in an old west on a different planet where magic and demons are common place. Exciting with lots of surprises and twist. Love the cover! Picked up another book by this author after reading this book, it was that good. Loved it. Won this book on LibraryThing but that had no effect on my rating or review content.
December 1, 2014
Husk isn't deep, but it offers a twist on the Weird West genre by moving the setting to another world, a long time after settlers first colonized it, in which "Maresmen" battle the inhuman nightmares that cross over into settled lands from the wild — shapeshifters, demons, vampires, and the like. Nothing too odd there, but most Maresmen are themselves half-inhuman, their duty to hunt down and kill their kin the only way they can keep themselves alive — a Maresman who fails in his duty will be considered a sympathizer and find himself hunted down by his former colleagues. If you like Old West horror with a slight extraterrestrial flavor, this book's worth a look.
October 3, 2014
Little short but I loved the atmosphere this story takes place in...dark, gritty, almost western like. Main character bothered me a bit, I mean, for a hardened hunter he gets taken advantage of quite a bit. Chasing down a evil serial murderer - oh, lets stop and play a game of poker.
I kinda wish the first book would of been him growing up and learning to become a Maresmen, would of been a cool journey...Wasn't a fan of the ending, but all in a solid book.
I kinda wish the first book would of been him growing up and learning to become a Maresmen, would of been a cool journey...Wasn't a fan of the ending, but all in a solid book.
May 16, 2019
Very well-written and gripping read. It's like a Western on another planet with demons. Which I thought was really cool. Definitely a different read. My only issue was where the author chose to go with MC at the end. Despite his flaws, I would've liked a happier outlook for Jeb. Maybe it'll all be redeemed in subsequent books, but I was left feeling a little bummed.
October 4, 2014
Good stuff
This was good, I really liked his other book, the Nameless Dwarf, and I was not disappointed by this one, definitely looking forward to the next one.
This was good, I really liked his other book, the Nameless Dwarf, and I was not disappointed by this one, definitely looking forward to the next one.
May 5, 2019
Complete different
Truly a story that keeps you reading to the end. Nicely described and characters drawn well. Enough back plot to set the scene.
Truly a story that keeps you reading to the end. Nicely described and characters drawn well. Enough back plot to set the scene.
April 10, 2025
Husk
I just love how in strange wonderful ways the story continues. I really enjoy the strength of the characters in Prior’s books.
My only complaint (a small one) is that I have found it difficult to follow which next book by Prior is the one I should read. I want to read all of his books and I will eventually.
Thank you for a great read.
I just love how in strange wonderful ways the story continues. I really enjoy the strength of the characters in Prior’s books.
My only complaint (a small one) is that I have found it difficult to follow which next book by Prior is the one I should read. I want to read all of his books and I will eventually.
Thank you for a great read.
December 31, 2016
A novel set in a grim and gritty fantasy realm reminiscent of the Old West. An order of half-demons, dedicated to hunting down and eradicating demonic predators. An unashamedly masculine hero who finds himself tracking a demon with some unexpected and…personal…connections, while fighting more mundane and mendacious outlawry and corruption?
An immersive experience in a world so real you can almost feel it, and a history that slowly reveals itself as the action plays out?
What more could a reader ask for?
How about an amazing ending, hinting that this is but the first chapter in an incredible series?
Heck, how about some more books?
Write faster, man! Write faster!
An immersive experience in a world so real you can almost feel it, and a history that slowly reveals itself as the action plays out?
What more could a reader ask for?
How about an amazing ending, hinting that this is but the first chapter in an incredible series?
Heck, how about some more books?
Write faster, man! Write faster!
October 6, 2016
Wasn't my cup of tea
Didn't get into characters. Didn't like ending. Depressing book. The horse was the smartest character. Won't be continuing series. Sorry.
Didn't get into characters. Didn't like ending. Depressing book. The horse was the smartest character. Won't be continuing series. Sorry.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews