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Grey Days #1
Red Sky Blues
Evil books. Ancient powers. Zombie pigs?
Thomas Grey, occult scholar and reclusive mage, is having a terrible day. Down on his luck and facing a looming electrical bill, he is hired by the supernatural overlord of his hometown to track down a magical book of colossal cosmic evil: The Libro Nihil. The hunt leads Thomas on an adventure across the sleepy cow town of Hanford steeped with mystery, magic, and an absurd amount of mayhem.
Aided by his crotchety, spell-slinging mentor as well as his friend and sometimes bodyguard, Thomas finds himself embroiled in a bizarre and terrifying conspiracy to awaken a sleeping evil that promises to push his magical prowess and threshold for pain to their limits.
It looks like a bad, bad day to have gotten out of bed. But a guy’s got to get paid.
Red Sky Blues includes a collection of short stories, and interior art by comic artist Will Kirkby.
Thomas Grey, occult scholar and reclusive mage, is having a terrible day. Down on his luck and facing a looming electrical bill, he is hired by the supernatural overlord of his hometown to track down a magical book of colossal cosmic evil: The Libro Nihil. The hunt leads Thomas on an adventure across the sleepy cow town of Hanford steeped with mystery, magic, and an absurd amount of mayhem.
Aided by his crotchety, spell-slinging mentor as well as his friend and sometimes bodyguard, Thomas finds himself embroiled in a bizarre and terrifying conspiracy to awaken a sleeping evil that promises to push his magical prowess and threshold for pain to their limits.
It looks like a bad, bad day to have gotten out of bed. But a guy’s got to get paid.
Red Sky Blues includes a collection of short stories, and interior art by comic artist Will Kirkby.
- GenresHorror
341 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2015
7 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Davis
572 books22 followersNote: There are multiple authors in the GR system with this name. This profile is for Matthew^Davis.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 11, 2019
GREY SKY BLUES fits that perfect niche in urban fantasy, with a character who is chronically over his head when it comes to trouble, bad guys that are compelling, and a plot that moves at an almost breakneck pace. Davis does an excellent job developing his supporting characters and making his not-quite-our-world feel fresh and interesting. Definitely worth picking this up.
Plus, well, there are zombie pigs, angels of death, cantankerous old men and badass housekeepers. What's not to love?
Plus, well, there are zombie pigs, angels of death, cantankerous old men and badass housekeepers. What's not to love?
March 30, 2019
I’m going to give this a 5 because it made me smile ... often ... it’s a solid read.
June 17, 2018
At first I wanted to compare this book with Felix Castor and Frank ‘Triggaltheron’ from the Demon Squad series but then I saw what made it different; wisps of realism. I’ll get to that down the page. The main character, Thomas Grey, is a mage of probably the lowest order. You could probably peg him for a one or two-ringer (if you’ve read The Fifth Season). He has an ability to ‘see’ a layer of the world superimposed on top of reality that normal people can’t see. The Other side.
This book has a decent amount of action that involves zombified farm animals, supernatural entities, seemingly gang-related characters, and other oddities. Which is great! I can never have enough imagination and Davis’ writing really takes you away from the present and into his world. The first 10-15% of the novel was a little slower going for me but then it ended up being a page turner and I devoured the book over the weekend.
What sets the protagonist, Thomas Grey, apart from others is his realistic, often crushing anxiety. You can feel it. Davis does not simply describe anxiety, he compels it into you. Grey battles his own demons throughout the novel, be it anxiety driven, hopelessness, or even sometimes it can feel like loneliness. Helping Grey throughout the story though is his crazy (uncle?) Hack and this hardcore angel named Swift. I really came to enjoy these two side kicks of Grey’s because they aren’t omnipotent. Nobody really is. They assist each other through their hardships as a team and you definitely sense the relationships building and becoming more than just three independent buttkickers; the Grey Squad! Their mission: save the world.
If you’re looking for a quick action-packed book that includes some light horror and an occasional comedic line, get Red Sky Blues! I will say that the novel did not appear to be 100% proofed. There was an occasional spelling issue, grammatical missup, and sometimes Grey’s conversation or thoughts did not ring true but I was quite glued to the story. Where is the pre-order link for book 2 already?
This book has a decent amount of action that involves zombified farm animals, supernatural entities, seemingly gang-related characters, and other oddities. Which is great! I can never have enough imagination and Davis’ writing really takes you away from the present and into his world. The first 10-15% of the novel was a little slower going for me but then it ended up being a page turner and I devoured the book over the weekend.
What sets the protagonist, Thomas Grey, apart from others is his realistic, often crushing anxiety. You can feel it. Davis does not simply describe anxiety, he compels it into you. Grey battles his own demons throughout the novel, be it anxiety driven, hopelessness, or even sometimes it can feel like loneliness. Helping Grey throughout the story though is his crazy (uncle?) Hack and this hardcore angel named Swift. I really came to enjoy these two side kicks of Grey’s because they aren’t omnipotent. Nobody really is. They assist each other through their hardships as a team and you definitely sense the relationships building and becoming more than just three independent buttkickers; the Grey Squad! Their mission: save the world.
If you’re looking for a quick action-packed book that includes some light horror and an occasional comedic line, get Red Sky Blues! I will say that the novel did not appear to be 100% proofed. There was an occasional spelling issue, grammatical missup, and sometimes Grey’s conversation or thoughts did not ring true but I was quite glued to the story. Where is the pre-order link for book 2 already?
August 16, 2018
This was a pretty fun urban fantasy/paranormal detective novel with a slacker protagonist. Unlike a lot of the genre's heroes who feel like flagrant self-inserts, Thomas is a bit of a schlub who's totally unprepared to handle Ancient Unspeakable Evil. He doesn't even have plot armor -- the guy bruises as easily as anybody, and the actions scenes feel all the more tense when you know you're following someone with bruised ribs and zero training in any sort of athletic activity. (Not that battles against a herd of zombie pigs, or a sentient nightclub interior, necessarily need help in that department.)
Neat characters, interesting descriptions of magic, awesome illustrations. Check it out if you want less Robert E Howard and more Clerks in your Lovecraftian fiction.
Neat characters, interesting descriptions of magic, awesome illustrations. Check it out if you want less Robert E Howard and more Clerks in your Lovecraftian fiction.
May 8, 2019
Read the original review here.
Recalling famous magical detectives, like Harry Dresden and others, Matthew Davis' RED SKY BLUES goes in a completely different direction with occult mysticism, zombie pigs, and clouds of cockroaches. Not your thing? Well, it isn't exactly Thomas Grey's thing either, but he has had quite a day.
Thomas, short on cash, is hired by the magical "mayor" of his hometown to track down a book that contains world ending powers. Aided by his ancient, grumpy mentor and his rather kind, but ruthless muscle, Thomas finds himself in an ever twisting mystery that will only make the day become worse.
Davis has managed to create characters who are memorable right from the start and remain the strongest part of this entire story. The idea of a main character who isn't as skilled as his sidekicks isn't new, but the plot is sure to throw curve-ball after curve-ball to keep all of them on their toes, no matter how "well equipped" they are. Combined with smooth prose, it makes for an entertaining and fast-paced read.
Diving into Thomas' thoughts, doubts, and wishes, but effortlessly fleshes out the secondary characters as well, is not a common talent, which Davis nails. Swift, Rosa, and Hack all bring unique flavors and fun, engaging dialogue(and conflict) to each scene. The plot only covers just about a day, but by the end I was left wishing for more. These urban fantasy, magical sleuths usually follow a certain formula, but RED SKY BLUES is not your typical mystery nor is Thomas Grey your typical mage.
Any reader who is familiar with Dresden or wants a magically infused cosmic noir read should pick this up without a second thought.
Recalling famous magical detectives, like Harry Dresden and others, Matthew Davis' RED SKY BLUES goes in a completely different direction with occult mysticism, zombie pigs, and clouds of cockroaches. Not your thing? Well, it isn't exactly Thomas Grey's thing either, but he has had quite a day.
Thomas, short on cash, is hired by the magical "mayor" of his hometown to track down a book that contains world ending powers. Aided by his ancient, grumpy mentor and his rather kind, but ruthless muscle, Thomas finds himself in an ever twisting mystery that will only make the day become worse.
Davis has managed to create characters who are memorable right from the start and remain the strongest part of this entire story. The idea of a main character who isn't as skilled as his sidekicks isn't new, but the plot is sure to throw curve-ball after curve-ball to keep all of them on their toes, no matter how "well equipped" they are. Combined with smooth prose, it makes for an entertaining and fast-paced read.
Diving into Thomas' thoughts, doubts, and wishes, but effortlessly fleshes out the secondary characters as well, is not a common talent, which Davis nails. Swift, Rosa, and Hack all bring unique flavors and fun, engaging dialogue(and conflict) to each scene. The plot only covers just about a day, but by the end I was left wishing for more. These urban fantasy, magical sleuths usually follow a certain formula, but RED SKY BLUES is not your typical mystery nor is Thomas Grey your typical mage.
Any reader who is familiar with Dresden or wants a magically infused cosmic noir read should pick this up without a second thought.
April 1, 2019
Simply put, I’m jealous I didn’t write this book. I absolutely love it, and it’s one of my new favorites. Adventurous cosmic horror full of its own lore and unique characters, a tale both brutal and hysterical. Matthew Davis has created a wonderfully insane Mythos all his own. I highly recommend for fans of everything from Charles Stross and Brian Lumley, to Simon R. Green and Neil Gaiman.
April 15, 2019
Excellent book
I loved this book. The main character's sense of humor and personality made him relatable and warm. The plot was so well executed and fast paced that I found myself reading a chapter or two every chance I got. I'll definitely be picking up the other books in the series.
I loved this book. The main character's sense of humor and personality made him relatable and warm. The plot was so well executed and fast paced that I found myself reading a chapter or two every chance I got. I'll definitely be picking up the other books in the series.
October 4, 2016
A pretty straightforward, occasionally tongue-in-cheek slice of Lovecraftian horror. The author provides a fantastic impression of Lovecraft, slightly updated to accommodate some more modern terminology, and thankfully a little less racist than old H.P.
That said, the story did feel pretty predictable from start to finish; an old-fashioned Save The World From Cosmic Abominations tale with a sort of action movie panache. The cast tends to fall into neat little pre-packaged character molds we're all familiar with, and skews very dominantly to one gender (guess which one). The character of Rosa the cleaning lady is a saving grace here, she adds a unique "outside" perspective that helps keep the story grounded when it needs to be, and gives us readers a realistic personality to identify with against the Otherworldly Horror backdrop.
My favorite part of the whole story was actually the short vignettes at the end that tie up some of the loose ends after the big movie finish. Most of them play out like a little bonus scene after the credits, bringing a much-needed dose of comedy after so much ephemeral horror bombast. The Mad Cow bit was the best!
Recommended for fans of Lovecraft-esque prose, or people who like movies about cosmic horrors and old magic books in a vaguely modern setting. 3 stars.
That said, the story did feel pretty predictable from start to finish; an old-fashioned Save The World From Cosmic Abominations tale with a sort of action movie panache. The cast tends to fall into neat little pre-packaged character molds we're all familiar with, and skews very dominantly to one gender (guess which one). The character of Rosa the cleaning lady is a saving grace here, she adds a unique "outside" perspective that helps keep the story grounded when it needs to be, and gives us readers a realistic personality to identify with against the Otherworldly Horror backdrop.
My favorite part of the whole story was actually the short vignettes at the end that tie up some of the loose ends after the big movie finish. Most of them play out like a little bonus scene after the credits, bringing a much-needed dose of comedy after so much ephemeral horror bombast. The Mad Cow bit was the best!
Recommended for fans of Lovecraft-esque prose, or people who like movies about cosmic horrors and old magic books in a vaguely modern setting. 3 stars.
April 23, 2021
An entertaining urban fantasy that left me wanting more (in a good way).
The writing is easy to follow, engaging, entertaining, and filled my mind with visualizations of characters and scenes effortlessly.
That last part, visualization: Matthew Davis’ descriptive writing style is just a joy to read. It’s poetic at times, more than once leaving me saying, “D***...”, and other times just bringing a grin to my face. Kind of a juxtaposition when you factor in it’s an urban fantasy about mages and supernatural beings and occult books...but it works!
As for the story, it follows Thomas Grey, a modern day mage who can see the world through a magical spectrum which allows him to see things such as monsters and other supernatural elements. He makes money by taking jobs in the magical and occult. His new contract is to find a book that, if landed in the wrong hands, could spell disaster for the world.
Along his journey he’s joined by a couple friends/acquaintances who have their own mysteries and oddities about them. The three of them together make for some fun banter, but one of the friends is a little too...unstoppable, even though they are up against very strong beings. I like the character, but I feel I missed out on their growth or progression — maybe some backstory...though I’m thinking it’ll be touched on more in the next book so I can’t dwell on it too much.
But overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit and look forward to more from Matthew Davis.
If you’re an urban fantasy fan you need to add this one to your list.
The writing is easy to follow, engaging, entertaining, and filled my mind with visualizations of characters and scenes effortlessly.
That last part, visualization: Matthew Davis’ descriptive writing style is just a joy to read. It’s poetic at times, more than once leaving me saying, “D***...”, and other times just bringing a grin to my face. Kind of a juxtaposition when you factor in it’s an urban fantasy about mages and supernatural beings and occult books...but it works!
As for the story, it follows Thomas Grey, a modern day mage who can see the world through a magical spectrum which allows him to see things such as monsters and other supernatural elements. He makes money by taking jobs in the magical and occult. His new contract is to find a book that, if landed in the wrong hands, could spell disaster for the world.
Along his journey he’s joined by a couple friends/acquaintances who have their own mysteries and oddities about them. The three of them together make for some fun banter, but one of the friends is a little too...unstoppable, even though they are up against very strong beings. I like the character, but I feel I missed out on their growth or progression — maybe some backstory...though I’m thinking it’ll be touched on more in the next book so I can’t dwell on it too much.
But overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit and look forward to more from Matthew Davis.
If you’re an urban fantasy fan you need to add this one to your list.
July 24, 2019
Urban fantasy with underdog protagonist
This was a free Kindle book. I tend to like first person narratives with underdog protagonists, and this is basically a humorous take on the kind of urban fantasy setting with eldritch horrors unknown to the general public and the kind of protagonist who gets beaten up on a regular basis and never seems to have enough money. He also has somehow acquired one of those overpowered (in this case supernatural) and sarcastic sidekicks that are standard issue with hardboiled detectives since Spenser and Hawk.
It seems like a fun read, and mostly it is. Only it doesn't seem as fleshed out as I would have liked. The side characters feel more like placeholders than people, and the whole apocalyptic scenario that the heroes fight to prevent seems a bit much for a first book.
This was a free Kindle book. I tend to like first person narratives with underdog protagonists, and this is basically a humorous take on the kind of urban fantasy setting with eldritch horrors unknown to the general public and the kind of protagonist who gets beaten up on a regular basis and never seems to have enough money. He also has somehow acquired one of those overpowered (in this case supernatural) and sarcastic sidekicks that are standard issue with hardboiled detectives since Spenser and Hawk.
It seems like a fun read, and mostly it is. Only it doesn't seem as fleshed out as I would have liked. The side characters feel more like placeholders than people, and the whole apocalyptic scenario that the heroes fight to prevent seems a bit much for a first book.
August 4, 2019
Ok, I'm hooked...
...and that should say a lot!
Reminiscent of the Dresden Files but on the wilder side of the spectrum. Thomas Grey is an entirely relatable character; a reclusive mage dragged into a helluva day to save the world. It's a wild ride. Definitely will be adding subsequent titles to my library.
...and that should say a lot!
Reminiscent of the Dresden Files but on the wilder side of the spectrum. Thomas Grey is an entirely relatable character; a reclusive mage dragged into a helluva day to save the world. It's a wild ride. Definitely will be adding subsequent titles to my library.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews