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American Paladin
American Paladin
Not yet published
Expected 23 Jun 26One Man to Step Into the Darkness
Mike Spears is a drifter, a vigilante, an expert in taking down the evil in our world one monstrous incursion at a time. He’s anonymous and low profile because he needs to be. A man with a name only whispered in legend and only spoken aloud in desperate straits.
Welcome to the dark places of the modern American west—a west where mythic worlds roam the landscape like so many weather fronts. And when those fronts collide, horror often spills out. Blood-soaked ground. Vanished neighbors. Towns gutted by monstrous horrors no one dares name. The so-called authorities won’t touch this stuff. Most won’t even admit it’s real.
But when the last shred of hope is nearly spent, there’s one man who will step into that darkness—and deal with it.
Now a true-crime podcaster is closing in on the truth about Spears and the strange world he navigates. Too close. She’s drawn something demonic through the door between worlds—a kill team from another deeply twisted reality. And, if Spears is right, these techno-Aztec operators are only the tip of an apocalyptic invasion set to bathe our land in blood.
But first they’ll have to get past Spears.
Mike Spears is a drifter, a vigilante, an expert in taking down the evil in our world one monstrous incursion at a time. He’s anonymous and low profile because he needs to be. A man with a name only whispered in legend and only spoken aloud in desperate straits.
Welcome to the dark places of the modern American west—a west where mythic worlds roam the landscape like so many weather fronts. And when those fronts collide, horror often spills out. Blood-soaked ground. Vanished neighbors. Towns gutted by monstrous horrors no one dares name. The so-called authorities won’t touch this stuff. Most won’t even admit it’s real.
But when the last shred of hope is nearly spent, there’s one man who will step into that darkness—and deal with it.
Now a true-crime podcaster is closing in on the truth about Spears and the strange world he navigates. Too close. She’s drawn something demonic through the door between worlds—a kill team from another deeply twisted reality. And, if Spears is right, these techno-Aztec operators are only the tip of an apocalyptic invasion set to bathe our land in blood.
But first they’ll have to get past Spears.
- GenresUrban Fantasy
264 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 23, 2026
About the author
Larry Correia
117 books4,461 followersLarry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy
This is a 3.5 star review which is a fair appraisal of my experience with the book. But Goodreads doesn't allow 3.5 stars. So why did I go with 3?? I acquired the book via the author's Kickstarter campaign.
Here we go. The book is centered around Mike Spears. As a teen, he went to "the other side" or "the other world". A world populated by people who would make the Aztecs and their murderous religious practices seem almost peaceful. Normal people are kept as slaves there. Used for labor, food, and/or religious sacrifices based on the whims of the "gods" and those who worship them.
There are other creatures there as well. Equally dangerous and perhaps a bit more so.
Mike randomly made it back to our world and lost his family, lost his girlfriend, and lost pretty much every human/family connection in the process. He now lives and trains for the day when he encounters the monsters from the other world again.
We pick up with Mike after he has spent years training, wandering from place to place, and killing the human monsters from our world who our justice system sees fit to release back out into the world to victimize others once again. Mike has a code. So far, he hasn't killed anyone who was innocent.
Then he runs across someone being hunted by the monsters from the other side. The story is about hunting those monsters and saving the girl. If you can shut off certain critiques, then this is a fine book. Give it a try. It might scratch a certain literary itch for you.
If you are a fan of Larry's Monster Hunter novels, then I suspect that this book might be for you. I've not read those books for reasons that I think this book confirms. Alternatively, if you like Alistair MacClean novels, then this might be up your alley. It's not quite as good as Mr. MacClean's books but it's close enough.
I have read his Saga of the Forgotten Warrior Series and the first book of Servants of War series. I heartily recommend both as being outstanding on their own merit and vastly superior to this book.
I also want to point out that I have followed the author's career and controversies within the genre. His perspective is generally pointed in the right direction in most cases, IMO.
So why the round down to 3 stars??
- Gun porn. The author has a penchant for describing guns and ammo in loving detail. I'm familiar enough with weapons to know what he is describing, but it's really just wasted detail, in my opinion.
- Putting the subtext ahead of the text. Almost every author includes some sort of underlying theme or moral value in their story. But that subtext is covered by the text; the story narrative. Early on, the author discards the text of the story in favor of trashing Joe Biden, leftist judges, and the leftist modern politics. Again, I think his personal perspective is generally correct, but in 15-20 years, no one will know or care about those specific issues. He could have been a bit more generic and still served the interests of the narrative.
- Modern cultural references. One or two major references are probably fine. Anything more than that and the book will not stand the test of time. I have a hard time believing that all of our modern cultural references will survive the next 50 years.
- Too much showing, not enough telling. We learn about Spears' history and development via a series of brief vignettes at the start of each chapter. We are told that he has done a ton of training. We are told he experienced horrors. We are rarely shown either of them.
- Over competent character. Spears is a one-man wrecking crew. He can pick locks, shoot accurately with every weapon he encounters, is an expert grappler, and knows how to make bodies disappear. The only challenges he experience are when facing multiple humans or something from "the other side". He is The Terminator. He pursues relentlessly.
- Which leads to the lack of character development. There is no hero's journey. We are dropped into a crisis where the main character's major challenge is how to use the skills and resources he has already developed.
I was disappointed. I am a sometime Hugo nominator and I was hoping this book would make the cut. I know he doesn't want one. That doesn't mean that his superior writing (when it occurs) shouldn't be recognized. This one didn't measure up.
Here we go. The book is centered around Mike Spears. As a teen, he went to "the other side" or "the other world". A world populated by people who would make the Aztecs and their murderous religious practices seem almost peaceful. Normal people are kept as slaves there. Used for labor, food, and/or religious sacrifices based on the whims of the "gods" and those who worship them.
There are other creatures there as well. Equally dangerous and perhaps a bit more so.
Mike randomly made it back to our world and lost his family, lost his girlfriend, and lost pretty much every human/family connection in the process. He now lives and trains for the day when he encounters the monsters from the other world again.
We pick up with Mike after he has spent years training, wandering from place to place, and killing the human monsters from our world who our justice system sees fit to release back out into the world to victimize others once again. Mike has a code. So far, he hasn't killed anyone who was innocent.
Then he runs across someone being hunted by the monsters from the other side. The story is about hunting those monsters and saving the girl. If you can shut off certain critiques, then this is a fine book. Give it a try. It might scratch a certain literary itch for you.
If you are a fan of Larry's Monster Hunter novels, then I suspect that this book might be for you. I've not read those books for reasons that I think this book confirms. Alternatively, if you like Alistair MacClean novels, then this might be up your alley. It's not quite as good as Mr. MacClean's books but it's close enough.
I have read his Saga of the Forgotten Warrior Series and the first book of Servants of War series. I heartily recommend both as being outstanding on their own merit and vastly superior to this book.
I also want to point out that I have followed the author's career and controversies within the genre. His perspective is generally pointed in the right direction in most cases, IMO.
So why the round down to 3 stars??
- Gun porn. The author has a penchant for describing guns and ammo in loving detail. I'm familiar enough with weapons to know what he is describing, but it's really just wasted detail, in my opinion.
- Putting the subtext ahead of the text. Almost every author includes some sort of underlying theme or moral value in their story. But that subtext is covered by the text; the story narrative. Early on, the author discards the text of the story in favor of trashing Joe Biden, leftist judges, and the leftist modern politics. Again, I think his personal perspective is generally correct, but in 15-20 years, no one will know or care about those specific issues. He could have been a bit more generic and still served the interests of the narrative.
- Modern cultural references. One or two major references are probably fine. Anything more than that and the book will not stand the test of time. I have a hard time believing that all of our modern cultural references will survive the next 50 years.
- Too much showing, not enough telling. We learn about Spears' history and development via a series of brief vignettes at the start of each chapter. We are told that he has done a ton of training. We are told he experienced horrors. We are rarely shown either of them.
- Over competent character. Spears is a one-man wrecking crew. He can pick locks, shoot accurately with every weapon he encounters, is an expert grappler, and knows how to make bodies disappear. The only challenges he experience are when facing multiple humans or something from "the other side". He is The Terminator. He pursues relentlessly.
- Which leads to the lack of character development. There is no hero's journey. We are dropped into a crisis where the main character's major challenge is how to use the skills and resources he has already developed.
I was disappointed. I am a sometime Hugo nominator and I was hoping this book would make the cut. I know he doesn't want one. That doesn't mean that his superior writing (when it occurs) shouldn't be recognized. This one didn't measure up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"A wise man once told me that the main reason evil men prosper is because decent folks don't want to serve time."
I'm not usually someone who harps on "prose" when writing a review, because when people talk about the prose it's usually because that's the best part of the story. However, "American Paladin" draws you in so quickly and the writing is so smooth and professional that you'll feel like you've been reading this series for years. Correia hooks you effortlessly, and the story whisks you away on a nearly non-stop adventure through an America that's equal parts "I'm glad this stuff isn't real" and "wow I need to go out and see all these sights."
The characterization in this is fantastic. Unlike your typical book where an angsty teenager or snarky woman learns how to do everything in the span of weeks, we're presented with a protagonist, Mike Spears, who's spent his entire life training to hunt down and take revenge on the supernatural terrors that once kidnapped him and slaughtered his entire family. He's a well-rounded hero, proficient if not expert in many different forms of combat, and yet believably so. He's put in the years, he's suffered the losses, and he's honed the instincts he'll need to survive ever encountering the forces that harmed him again. And despite all the training and ability, he remains an everyday guy with a compassion that he keeps tightly under wraps but uses to fuel his moral code.
More than that, even the antagonists are not just nameless jobbers thrown in to get shot or have their necks broken or whatever else. They, too, are a team of warriors who've spent their lives training for the opposite reasons as Mike Spears, and we get to see a good deal of the action and plot buildup through their eyes. They're not stupid, they're well trained, and they have the benefit of an entire stable of monsters that are on "their side" to help.
The action scenes are excellent, highlighted by Correia's knowledge of weaponry, mixed martial arts, and close-quarters combat that allows him to present high-stress, high-octane fights that remain grounded and real. Wounds hurt. Explosions knock people senseless. Actions have consequences. How much and how far can a man push and be pushed and still function? Well, consider Lone Survivor and now superimpose that on an American vigilante hunting down predators, whether human or supernatural.
This promises to be a long and creative series, and as much as you see packed into American Paladin, it barely scratches the surface of what's out there. If something akin to a cross of Supernatural, The Terminal List, and Lone Survivor sounds like it would interest you, grab this and have a blast.
I received an advanced copy of this through the Kickstarter campaign.
I'm not usually someone who harps on "prose" when writing a review, because when people talk about the prose it's usually because that's the best part of the story. However, "American Paladin" draws you in so quickly and the writing is so smooth and professional that you'll feel like you've been reading this series for years. Correia hooks you effortlessly, and the story whisks you away on a nearly non-stop adventure through an America that's equal parts "I'm glad this stuff isn't real" and "wow I need to go out and see all these sights."
The characterization in this is fantastic. Unlike your typical book where an angsty teenager or snarky woman learns how to do everything in the span of weeks, we're presented with a protagonist, Mike Spears, who's spent his entire life training to hunt down and take revenge on the supernatural terrors that once kidnapped him and slaughtered his entire family. He's a well-rounded hero, proficient if not expert in many different forms of combat, and yet believably so. He's put in the years, he's suffered the losses, and he's honed the instincts he'll need to survive ever encountering the forces that harmed him again. And despite all the training and ability, he remains an everyday guy with a compassion that he keeps tightly under wraps but uses to fuel his moral code.
More than that, even the antagonists are not just nameless jobbers thrown in to get shot or have their necks broken or whatever else. They, too, are a team of warriors who've spent their lives training for the opposite reasons as Mike Spears, and we get to see a good deal of the action and plot buildup through their eyes. They're not stupid, they're well trained, and they have the benefit of an entire stable of monsters that are on "their side" to help.
The action scenes are excellent, highlighted by Correia's knowledge of weaponry, mixed martial arts, and close-quarters combat that allows him to present high-stress, high-octane fights that remain grounded and real. Wounds hurt. Explosions knock people senseless. Actions have consequences. How much and how far can a man push and be pushed and still function? Well, consider Lone Survivor and now superimpose that on an American vigilante hunting down predators, whether human or supernatural.
This promises to be a long and creative series, and as much as you see packed into American Paladin, it barely scratches the surface of what's out there. If something akin to a cross of Supernatural, The Terminal List, and Lone Survivor sounds like it would interest you, grab this and have a blast.
I received an advanced copy of this through the Kickstarter campaign.
Review of advance copy
Mike Spears is the kind of good guy that has a freshly, permanently neutered pedophile in his flatbed and still keeps both hands on the steering wheel when the cops pull him over.
Perfect is a hard label to slap on a piece of entertainment. Your perfection might not mirror mine, and mine might be your definition of utter schlock. But as far as real-life narratives that blend the supernatural for some high-impact horror and mystery thrills, it’s hard to beat American Paladin…
There’s enough of the real there to keep it grounded, much of it stemming from Correia’s great use of down to earth dialogue and mannerisms – as well as his extensive knowledge of guns and grappling. This solid base allows for plenty of weird shit to be lathered in ever-thickening layers on top without dilluting the us versus them feeling. Humanity versus the demons. Guy with gun versus Nigel Gorman and his dark tower’s worth of alleged sins.
This juicy cake of bullets, badassdom, and berserk fury from another dimension is not served in slices. Rather it piles itself into your drooling, gaping mouth wholesale, that you may choke on the multitude of flavours and textures while your strained jaw is struggling to form the words “Please, sir, may I have another?”.
The bottom line is, Correia’s done it again. After so many years in the business and so many genres tackled, it’s a wonder he can keep reinventing himself at every corner and deliver something that is at once recognisable but also fresh enough, especially for longtime fans. He’s the Chris Jericho of the writing world.
Full thoughts: https://gunghogeeksblog.wordpress.com...
Perfect is a hard label to slap on a piece of entertainment. Your perfection might not mirror mine, and mine might be your definition of utter schlock. But as far as real-life narratives that blend the supernatural for some high-impact horror and mystery thrills, it’s hard to beat American Paladin…
There’s enough of the real there to keep it grounded, much of it stemming from Correia’s great use of down to earth dialogue and mannerisms – as well as his extensive knowledge of guns and grappling. This solid base allows for plenty of weird shit to be lathered in ever-thickening layers on top without dilluting the us versus them feeling. Humanity versus the demons. Guy with gun versus Nigel Gorman and his dark tower’s worth of alleged sins.
This juicy cake of bullets, badassdom, and berserk fury from another dimension is not served in slices. Rather it piles itself into your drooling, gaping mouth wholesale, that you may choke on the multitude of flavours and textures while your strained jaw is struggling to form the words “Please, sir, may I have another?”.
The bottom line is, Correia’s done it again. After so many years in the business and so many genres tackled, it’s a wonder he can keep reinventing himself at every corner and deliver something that is at once recognisable but also fresh enough, especially for longtime fans. He’s the Chris Jericho of the writing world.
Full thoughts: https://gunghogeeksblog.wordpress.com...
Review of advance copy
American Paladin by Larry Correia- 3.5/5
I was *very* worried about this book. For one, I had heard Baen passed on it due to quality and feeling it was an inferior Monster Hunter International. Two, Larry is a very mixed author for me. Luckily, some early political cringe lines aside, this book is mostly very good. The main character actually reminded a bit of Oathbreaker, in a good way. He’s a man in over his head with quick thinking skills who can take a punch and has just enough little extra magic to be helpful. He even fails to identify the make and model of a firearm at a certain point, which for Larry is downright progress.
This book has a few elements I really like but can’t talk about without spoilers. One thing I can is I love how the characters from our world view things as tech and ones from the fantasy world view things as magic. I also think, right at the end, Larry introduces a few elements I hope to see explored in future books that add some surprising depth and subtlety to the whole “evil magic Aztecs from a fantasy dimension fight modern gunslingers” thing. Sons of the Black Sword ended really great, hopefully Larry can pull off the same thing with American Paladin as we go forward.
I was *very* worried about this book. For one, I had heard Baen passed on it due to quality and feeling it was an inferior Monster Hunter International. Two, Larry is a very mixed author for me. Luckily, some early political cringe lines aside, this book is mostly very good. The main character actually reminded a bit of Oathbreaker, in a good way. He’s a man in over his head with quick thinking skills who can take a punch and has just enough little extra magic to be helpful. He even fails to identify the make and model of a firearm at a certain point, which for Larry is downright progress.
This book has a few elements I really like but can’t talk about without spoilers. One thing I can is I love how the characters from our world view things as tech and ones from the fantasy world view things as magic. I also think, right at the end, Larry introduces a few elements I hope to see explored in future books that add some surprising depth and subtlety to the whole “evil magic Aztecs from a fantasy dimension fight modern gunslingers” thing. Sons of the Black Sword ended really great, hopefully Larry can pull off the same thing with American Paladin as we go forward.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
9/10
John Wick vs. Monsters (human and otherwise)
This book is terrifying, brutal, epic, and awesome. This new series has a tonal shift and is quite distinct from all of his other books. It certainly has some elements of Monster Hunter, but this book takes itself more seriously. Monster Hunter is a bit more light-hearted, pulpy, and fun. This book, on the other hand, is dark, gritty, and brutal.
I won't get too far into it to avoid spoilers, but, in my opinion, this is my favorite of Larry's books thus far. I think this is where Larry's strengths really shine.
Speaking objectively, I loved practically everything about it, but did have a couple of minor nit-picks. There were 2 instances where Larry was critical of our former president, and while I may agree with him, it felt a bit unnecessary and pulled me out of the story for a moment, but then I was right back in.
Overall, excellent story that has left an unlimited amount of opportunities for the future. Really looking forward to the next one!
John Wick vs. Monsters (human and otherwise)
This book is terrifying, brutal, epic, and awesome. This new series has a tonal shift and is quite distinct from all of his other books. It certainly has some elements of Monster Hunter, but this book takes itself more seriously. Monster Hunter is a bit more light-hearted, pulpy, and fun. This book, on the other hand, is dark, gritty, and brutal.
I won't get too far into it to avoid spoilers, but, in my opinion, this is my favorite of Larry's books thus far. I think this is where Larry's strengths really shine.
Speaking objectively, I loved practically everything about it, but did have a couple of minor nit-picks. There were 2 instances where Larry was critical of our former president, and while I may agree with him, it felt a bit unnecessary and pulled me out of the story for a moment, but then I was right back in.
Overall, excellent story that has left an unlimited amount of opportunities for the future. Really looking forward to the next one!
Review of advance copy
Got the book as a Kickstarter backer.
It is an interesting read. The concept that there is another dimension that connects to ours with sometime places. The other side can find and use those doors. Our side has not a clue unless we stumble upone them. This has been going on for 100s if not 1000s of years. That is until a teenager and his family go through, but only the teenager gets back. Of course no one believes him, so he spends his life trying to find out what happened and preparing to fight them when he finds them on this side. Eventually they are over here and the encounter between him and the Kultec happen
I really enjoyed how the mystery and the Kultec were tied into Mexico and Navtive American culture.
So that is the jist of the the story. It is very well written and is compelling enough to keep me reading to find out how it will end. I was a bit disappointed by the end, it just seemsd a bit rushed to me. The final fights seemed rather quick compared to the overall story. But all in all very good read.
It is an interesting read. The concept that there is another dimension that connects to ours with sometime places. The other side can find and use those doors. Our side has not a clue unless we stumble upone them. This has been going on for 100s if not 1000s of years. That is until a teenager and his family go through, but only the teenager gets back. Of course no one believes him, so he spends his life trying to find out what happened and preparing to fight them when he finds them on this side. Eventually they are over here and the encounter between him and the Kultec happen
I really enjoyed how the mystery and the Kultec were tied into Mexico and Navtive American culture.
So that is the jist of the the story. It is very well written and is compelling enough to keep me reading to find out how it will end. I was a bit disappointed by the end, it just seemsd a bit rushed to me. The final fights seemed rather quick compared to the overall story. But all in all very good read.
Review of advance copy
Excellent book, another great start to a new series by Larry Correia. Not Monster Hunter, not like other series by the author. Quite different from his other books as this was more of an action thriller with some supernatural thrown in. Luckily, I also love these types of books. Fans of other urban fantasy will enjoy this book. Having had his parents and the rest of his family killed by otherworlders when he was younger, Mike Spears works hard to make him better for the revenge he seeks. A friend sends him a link to social media that tends to point to him. A woman is in danger, and it appears the otherworlders are after her. Now he's got a chance for that revenge and now he's got a chance.
I was a Kickstarter supporter. That's the source of this book. I paid for it. It was not provided to me without charge. And yes, I read a real book. This was not an audiobook.
I was a Kickstarter supporter. That's the source of this book. I paid for it. It was not provided to me without charge. And yes, I read a real book. This was not an audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I wanted more of this novel when it ended. There is a tied in graphic novel "Dust Sacrifice" that takes place after the novel, but can be read independently. Highly recommended for the readers of MHI.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I got my copy early from the Kickstarter. What a ride.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dean Winchester + upside down from Stranger Things with the warrior culture in the Predator
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this new story and new characters.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews