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The DeathSpeaker Codex #1
Wrong Side of Hell
"The dead never bothered me. That honor was reserved for the living."
Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day's work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it's simple enough.
Until the corpses start talking back.
When Gideon accidentally rescues a werewolf in Central Park, he's drawn into the secret world of the Others. Fae, were-shifters, dark magic users and more, all playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Milus Dei, a massive and powerful cult dedicated to hunting down and eradicating them all.
Then a dead man speaks to him, saying that Milus Dei wants him more than any Other. They'll stop at nothing to capture him and control the abilities he never knew he had.
He is the DeathSpeaker. He is the key. And he's not as human as he thought...
Life was a whole lot easier when the dead stayed dead.
Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day's work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it's simple enough.
Until the corpses start talking back.
When Gideon accidentally rescues a werewolf in Central Park, he's drawn into the secret world of the Others. Fae, were-shifters, dark magic users and more, all playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Milus Dei, a massive and powerful cult dedicated to hunting down and eradicating them all.
Then a dead man speaks to him, saying that Milus Dei wants him more than any Other. They'll stop at nothing to capture him and control the abilities he never knew he had.
He is the DeathSpeaker. He is the key. And he's not as human as he thought...
Life was a whole lot easier when the dead stayed dead.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2016
610 people are currently reading
1615 people want to read
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September 16, 2025
Wrong Side Of Hell
by Sonya Bateman
This was certainly a fun and entertaining fantasy adventure with plenty of creatures and action. Great characters and wonderful plot that kept the story at a good pace and constantly interesting. Would like to keep following this series.
by Sonya Bateman
This was certainly a fun and entertaining fantasy adventure with plenty of creatures and action. Great characters and wonderful plot that kept the story at a good pace and constantly interesting. Would like to keep following this series.
February 20, 2016
Few years ago, I read Sonya Bateman's "Gavyn Donatti" urban fantasy series (Master of None and Master and Apprentice) and I really enjoyed it. So I was bummed when I discovered that the series didn't continue -- probably the publisher decided that it wasn't selling enough? Then I found out that she released a NEW one (totally by coincidence! I saw the cover at Lou Harper's Gallery) and I was so excited! It wasn't a continuation to Donatti, but I didn't care. It is a NEW book (and hopefully new series) !!
Well, I enjoyed this one too!!! The beginning had a tortured Fae, saving his haffling baby brother then the story starts 26 years later with Gideon Black, whose job is transporting corpses to the city morgue. Only this time, with a corpse that seems to be mangled by a big animal, well, the corpse TALKS to Gideon!!
Apparently, it is a start of a 'new life' for Gideon when he finally finds out about supernatural beings as well as his own heritage. Of course, what's an urban fantasy series without some life-threatening actions to our heroes, right? Because Gideon must also stand up and fight against Milus Dei, an ancient cult dedicated to hunt down and destroy non-human beings.
It was a fast-paced read, and I LOVE the characters introduced here. I loved Gideon, I liked that he embraces his power and heritage quite well, and when push comes to shove he doesn't hesitate. The villain is not a big mystery here, it's the adventure and finding a new-set of family for Gideon that just warmed me over.
So yep, I loved it!!
The book mentioned a title for second book already, so I hope, with this being self-published and everything, that it will have better 'life' than the Donatti series.
Yay for new urban fantasy to follow!
Well, I enjoyed this one too!!! The beginning had a tortured Fae, saving his haffling baby brother then the story starts 26 years later with Gideon Black, whose job is transporting corpses to the city morgue. Only this time, with a corpse that seems to be mangled by a big animal, well, the corpse TALKS to Gideon!!
Apparently, it is a start of a 'new life' for Gideon when he finally finds out about supernatural beings as well as his own heritage. Of course, what's an urban fantasy series without some life-threatening actions to our heroes, right? Because Gideon must also stand up and fight against Milus Dei, an ancient cult dedicated to hunt down and destroy non-human beings.
It was a fast-paced read, and I LOVE the characters introduced here. I loved Gideon, I liked that he embraces his power and heritage quite well, and when push comes to shove he doesn't hesitate. The villain is not a big mystery here, it's the adventure and finding a new-set of family for Gideon that just warmed me over.
So yep, I loved it!!
The book mentioned a title for second book already, so I hope, with this being self-published and everything, that it will have better 'life' than the Donatti series.
Yay for new urban fantasy to follow!
Want to read
May 3, 2016Kindle freebie 5/3/16!
October 28, 2019
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Wrong Side of Hell is your standard UF tale. It has the MC who didn’t realize how special they were, with a mysterious past. Something nasty trying to kill/capture them and then the potential love interest(s) off to the side. The biggest difference here is the cast of characters include Fae and the MC can commune with the dead.
Gideon had a semi normal childhood, that is if by normal, you mean his parents despised him and his siblings tried to kill him occasionally. He grew up learning how to be small and unnoticed. Now he stays off the radar and his job is to pick up the dead and haul them to wherever they are going next. Usually that is the morgue. He is so off the grid, his job is cash work mostly and he lives in his van.
Gideon has always felt a little different, he gets feelings about things and has a cop buddy he sometimes helps to solve crimes. He doesn’t learn just how different he is until he saves a girl from the man trying to kill her one night. She just happens to be a werewolf and introduces Gideon to the world of the Fae and to the Milus Dei, a group who tortures and tries to exterminate all of the fae on this side of the veil.
Gideon’s origins and story are interesting enough. He is a halfling fae that was secreted away. His mother is dead and his father, well the Milus Dei caught him long ago. His journey to discover his roots and the truth of how he came to be in the family of ‘hunters’ long ago was probably the best part of the book for me.
There is the hint of a promise of romance down the road with one of the female characters in the book. There isn’t much romance in Wrong Side of Hell as most of the time the characters are in the middle of some action trying to stay alive.
Overall, this is a pretty standard UF. I enjoyed it, and will probably check out the next book now that the world has been set up, to see if the next book can delve a little deeper into character development and fleshing out the world.
Narration:
Tristan Morris reminded me a little of William Shatner in his delivery for Wrong Side of Hell. It was sometimes a little over dramatized in the telling, with pauses that definitely reminded me of Shatner’s delivery style. I did get used to it over the story, but it made everything seem just a smidge cheesy. I listened to this at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Wrong Side of Hell is your standard UF tale. It has the MC who didn’t realize how special they were, with a mysterious past. Something nasty trying to kill/capture them and then the potential love interest(s) off to the side. The biggest difference here is the cast of characters include Fae and the MC can commune with the dead.
Gideon had a semi normal childhood, that is if by normal, you mean his parents despised him and his siblings tried to kill him occasionally. He grew up learning how to be small and unnoticed. Now he stays off the radar and his job is to pick up the dead and haul them to wherever they are going next. Usually that is the morgue. He is so off the grid, his job is cash work mostly and he lives in his van.
Gideon has always felt a little different, he gets feelings about things and has a cop buddy he sometimes helps to solve crimes. He doesn’t learn just how different he is until he saves a girl from the man trying to kill her one night. She just happens to be a werewolf and introduces Gideon to the world of the Fae and to the Milus Dei, a group who tortures and tries to exterminate all of the fae on this side of the veil.
Gideon’s origins and story are interesting enough. He is a halfling fae that was secreted away. His mother is dead and his father, well the Milus Dei caught him long ago. His journey to discover his roots and the truth of how he came to be in the family of ‘hunters’ long ago was probably the best part of the book for me.
There is the hint of a promise of romance down the road with one of the female characters in the book. There isn’t much romance in Wrong Side of Hell as most of the time the characters are in the middle of some action trying to stay alive.
Overall, this is a pretty standard UF. I enjoyed it, and will probably check out the next book now that the world has been set up, to see if the next book can delve a little deeper into character development and fleshing out the world.
Narration:
Tristan Morris reminded me a little of William Shatner in his delivery for Wrong Side of Hell. It was sometimes a little over dramatized in the telling, with pauses that definitely reminded me of Shatner’s delivery style. I did get used to it over the story, but it made everything seem just a smidge cheesy. I listened to this at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
January 6, 2017
I really wanted to like this.
My first problem with the book was Gideon. Gideon was an alright fellow, but he exhibited too much of this Chosen One mentality where the stereotype seemed to define him more than anything else. He has this great power, but no explanation for why. He also has a tragic past being hunted by a crazy family, but doesn't exhibit any kind of mental trauma. Sure, he tells us it sucked, but this is a clear example of "telling, not showing" that left me feeling very detached from him as a character. The supporting cast of characters also fell nicely in specific molds that didn't really catch my attention.
The plot was also very straight forward, very clearly defined good and bad. It was almost comical. Even the violence felt like watching a B movie.
Overall, Wrong Side of Hell just wasn't for me. I think the idea of speaking to the dead was interesting, but it wasn't executed very well in my opinion.
My first problem with the book was Gideon. Gideon was an alright fellow, but he exhibited too much of this Chosen One mentality where the stereotype seemed to define him more than anything else. He has this great power, but no explanation for why. He also has a tragic past being hunted by a crazy family, but doesn't exhibit any kind of mental trauma. Sure, he tells us it sucked, but this is a clear example of "telling, not showing" that left me feeling very detached from him as a character. The supporting cast of characters also fell nicely in specific molds that didn't really catch my attention.
The plot was also very straight forward, very clearly defined good and bad. It was almost comical. Even the violence felt like watching a B movie.
Overall, Wrong Side of Hell just wasn't for me. I think the idea of speaking to the dead was interesting, but it wasn't executed very well in my opinion.
March 12, 2016
I liked this UF version of paranormals and trying to live among humans. I really look forward to reading the in the series.
April 1, 2018
This was an okay read and I enjoyed it well enough, but I read a lot of urban fantasy and overall it was just incredibly standard. Like I could probably look through my TBR and find 50 books that are almost exactly like this with only minor plot / characterization changes. And when you have an incredibly formulaic urban-fantasy-chosen-one-with-traumatic-family-past-must-save-the-world plotline you really have to wow me with the characters. Unfortunately while all the characters were likable enough, they were still basically the same archetypes you are going to find in a hundred series like this so I didn't end up actually connecting with any of them. If you don't read a lot of urban fantasy then I think this could be a very enjoyable series, but I needed a little bit more out of it if I was going to be convinced to continue and unfortunately I didn't get it. Still, it was a pretty fun and quick read so that's why I gave it 3 stars instead of 2.
April 11, 2018
I had previously read the author's djinn books so I was interested in seeing what she was going to do with the Fae as they are not my favourite magical creature. I was not disappointed!
The book starts with a prologue, featuring a Fae who is trying to find his dead father's human lover before she falls victim to their enemies but he finds her dead. He is able to save her child, his half brother and vows to put him with a human family to keep him safe from the hunters. Intriguing start, and the reader knows that this will form the basis of our MC's back story, even though he doesn't know it yet. I like prologues that set up a story rather than give spoilers so this was fine.
Gideon is nicknamed the Corpse Whisperer by cop Abe Strauss as he is the one who removes bodies from crime scenes and takes them to the mortuary, and can also learn about the crime by touching the body. This time, he realises that the second shredded body in the city was killed by a female and both bodies had the same tattoo. When Abe starts to dig, he is taken off the case. Gideon however, ends up in it up to his neck when he noses about the park and sees a female werewolf being hunted and is almost killed by the man trying to shoot her. When Sadie wolfs out and kills the hunter, his dead body tells Gideon that they are Milus Dei, supernatural hunters and they want Gideon, the Deathspeaker. The plot thickens. Gideon realises that being able to compel dead bodies to answer his questions could be something these hunters would kill to get hold of but he has no idea what to do about it. Sadie decides that they need to get her Fae friend Taeral to help.
I very much liked the characters in this book. Gideon is down on his luck and somewhat anti-social (which I can relate to!), living in his van and quietly getting on with his job. He likes the fact that the dead don't bother him and the only one who knows that he can coax information from the dead is his only friend Abe. Abe is the honest cop who is willing to open his eyes to the supernatural, all be it reluctantly and is happy to get help from Gideon on these strange cases. I would like to see a bit more of his character in later books in the series. Sadie is tough and capable, which I always like in an urban fantasy female MC. I was also very pleased to see that Taeral was a Fae I could actually like. Usually the Fae are cold characters with few redeeming qualities but Taeral is a good character who forms a relationship with his friends.
The bad guys are as bad as you would want. Milus Dei are hunters who kidnap supernaturals to make use of their power. They have sought the Deathspeaker for a long time but have never been able to find him because Gideon was living safe amongst humans. Sadie was able to kill a few of those hunting her but there were too many to evade for long. the Chief of police Foley ensures that Abe is taken off the case when he links the so called wolf attacks to a female killer, so Abe knows to warn Gideon to stay away from Foley who seems anxious to find him.
I liked the way magic was used in the book. Sadie used purchased magic to be able to turn into her wolf whenever she needs to, which has helped to keep her alive so far. Gideon's power comes from compelling the dead to answer his questions but with it being a new skill, he finds that each use takes it toll on him. It was also fun to go into the magical world where Taeral lives, seeing all the people who live there and see a totally different side to the world. We meet some really interesting characters here who choose to ally against the Milus Dei when their home is invaded and their people are taken.
This was a very promising start to a new urban fantasy series and I have snapped up the other books published so far. I liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other as a disfunctional team, and I loved the introduction of the zany sidekicks which added a bit of humour. There was plenty of action in evading the enemy and then plotting to break into their stronghold on a rescue mission. There really was a lot to enjoy about this book. The writing was good, pulling you into the story without the need to be over-descriptive but still drawing you into the world we are visiting. It was an excellent urban fantasy read and I very much look forward to reading more in the series when time allows!
The book starts with a prologue, featuring a Fae who is trying to find his dead father's human lover before she falls victim to their enemies but he finds her dead. He is able to save her child, his half brother and vows to put him with a human family to keep him safe from the hunters. Intriguing start, and the reader knows that this will form the basis of our MC's back story, even though he doesn't know it yet. I like prologues that set up a story rather than give spoilers so this was fine.
Gideon is nicknamed the Corpse Whisperer by cop Abe Strauss as he is the one who removes bodies from crime scenes and takes them to the mortuary, and can also learn about the crime by touching the body. This time, he realises that the second shredded body in the city was killed by a female and both bodies had the same tattoo. When Abe starts to dig, he is taken off the case. Gideon however, ends up in it up to his neck when he noses about the park and sees a female werewolf being hunted and is almost killed by the man trying to shoot her. When Sadie wolfs out and kills the hunter, his dead body tells Gideon that they are Milus Dei, supernatural hunters and they want Gideon, the Deathspeaker. The plot thickens. Gideon realises that being able to compel dead bodies to answer his questions could be something these hunters would kill to get hold of but he has no idea what to do about it. Sadie decides that they need to get her Fae friend Taeral to help.
I very much liked the characters in this book. Gideon is down on his luck and somewhat anti-social (which I can relate to!), living in his van and quietly getting on with his job. He likes the fact that the dead don't bother him and the only one who knows that he can coax information from the dead is his only friend Abe. Abe is the honest cop who is willing to open his eyes to the supernatural, all be it reluctantly and is happy to get help from Gideon on these strange cases. I would like to see a bit more of his character in later books in the series. Sadie is tough and capable, which I always like in an urban fantasy female MC. I was also very pleased to see that Taeral was a Fae I could actually like. Usually the Fae are cold characters with few redeeming qualities but Taeral is a good character who forms a relationship with his friends.
The bad guys are as bad as you would want. Milus Dei are hunters who kidnap supernaturals to make use of their power. They have sought the Deathspeaker for a long time but have never been able to find him because Gideon was living safe amongst humans. Sadie was able to kill a few of those hunting her but there were too many to evade for long. the Chief of police Foley ensures that Abe is taken off the case when he links the so called wolf attacks to a female killer, so Abe knows to warn Gideon to stay away from Foley who seems anxious to find him.
I liked the way magic was used in the book. Sadie used purchased magic to be able to turn into her wolf whenever she needs to, which has helped to keep her alive so far. Gideon's power comes from compelling the dead to answer his questions but with it being a new skill, he finds that each use takes it toll on him. It was also fun to go into the magical world where Taeral lives, seeing all the people who live there and see a totally different side to the world. We meet some really interesting characters here who choose to ally against the Milus Dei when their home is invaded and their people are taken.
This was a very promising start to a new urban fantasy series and I have snapped up the other books published so far. I liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other as a disfunctional team, and I loved the introduction of the zany sidekicks which added a bit of humour. There was plenty of action in evading the enemy and then plotting to break into their stronghold on a rescue mission. There really was a lot to enjoy about this book. The writing was good, pulling you into the story without the need to be over-descriptive but still drawing you into the world we are visiting. It was an excellent urban fantasy read and I very much look forward to reading more in the series when time allows!
March 14, 2016
Excellent story, and I rarely say that.
I also rarely give five stars. I'm so pleased I found this author and the DeathSpeaker Codex. I'm am avid reader and authors like Patricia Briggs, Seanon McGuire and Kim Harrison, among others, have set the bar pretty high for urban fantasy. I've read more than my share of UF/PR books that failed to hit the mark, sometimes painfully so.
I'm pleased to say The DeathSpeaker book 1 had everything I like and nothing I didn't like. Budding romance that does NOT take over the plot or stop the action. A hero who isn't a badass, who muddles along and gets hurt, but keeps trying to do the right thing. Secondary characters who are fully realized, not just props. World building that is believable and intriguing.
Yes, I would recommend. Yes, I'm going after book 2 now.
I also rarely give five stars. I'm so pleased I found this author and the DeathSpeaker Codex. I'm am avid reader and authors like Patricia Briggs, Seanon McGuire and Kim Harrison, among others, have set the bar pretty high for urban fantasy. I've read more than my share of UF/PR books that failed to hit the mark, sometimes painfully so.
I'm pleased to say The DeathSpeaker book 1 had everything I like and nothing I didn't like. Budding romance that does NOT take over the plot or stop the action. A hero who isn't a badass, who muddles along and gets hurt, but keeps trying to do the right thing. Secondary characters who are fully realized, not just props. World building that is believable and intriguing.
Yes, I would recommend. Yes, I'm going after book 2 now.
June 15, 2018
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.com/2...
Un premier tome vraiment très sympathique et une lecture très fun. J'ai été agréablement surprise parce que tenter de l'urban fantasy en auto édition est toujours un pari risqué et ici il est en grande partie gagné.
Gideon Black travaille comme ambulancier indépendant à Manhattan. Son métier plus spécifiquement est de transporter les cadavres d'un lieu à un autre, principalement d'une scène de crime ou de mort au locaux du médecin légiste ou d'une maison de retraire à une entreprise funéraire. Métier solitaire si il en est il a pris l'habitude de discuter avec les corps qu'il transporte histoire de faire semblant d'avoir des relations humaines de temps en temps. Jusqu'au jour ou un corps lui répond...
Mais Gideon n'a pas le temps de se poser trop de questions car une série de meurtres atroces ont eu lieu dans Central Parc, comme si les victimes, qui ont toutes le même tatouage bizarre, avaient été tuées par des animaux. Et voila qu'un jour en revenant du boulot il sauve la vie d'un loup garou pourchassé par une personne avec le même tatouage !
Décidément le monde n'est plus ce qu'il était et Gideon commence à découvrir qu'il est peut être bien plus impliqué qu'il aurait pu l'imaginer car il se retrouve poursuivi à son tour sans trop comprendre pourquoi ...
Dit comme ça on pourrait s'imaginer que c'est un peu fouillis avec tout ces éléments différents rassemblés en une seule intrigue, mais en fait non pas vraiment, tout semble logique dans le livre, c'est juste moi qui ai du mal à faire un résumé de cette histoire qui donne envie de lire sans trop en dévoiler histoire de garder un peu de suspense.
En urban fantasy, finalement le plus important dans un premier tome de série est d'abord d'avoir un personnage principal intéressant et qui nous convienne, qu'on a envie de suivre dans de nombreuses aventures. Et ici ça a totalement été le cas. Dés le tout début j'ai apprécié Gideon, j'ai eu de l’empathie pour son histoire. En gros il m'a vraiment bien plu.
C'est un personnage qui est à la fois fragile et combatif. On est loin du guerrier mais pourtant il n'hésite pas à aller de l'avant et à se jeter au devant du danger si il le faut, notamment pour sauver des gens. Il cache aussi de grosses blessures qui sont très loin d'être refermée même si il a tout quitté pour s'éloigner de leur source. En gros il est loin d'être le mec parfait, mais il est très sympathique.
Je pense que ce que j'ai particulièrement apprécié dans cette intrigue a été le rythme de ce roman. On n'a vraiment pas le temps de s'ennuyer car il se passe toujours quelque chose d’intéressant et on est vraiment pris dans cette histoire alors que les scènes s'enchainent. L'auteur arrive à caser une intrigue relativement complexe dans peu de pages, du coup tout va vite.
Le style est relativement simple mais vu qu'il correspond bien avec le personnage principal finalement ça se tiens. On n'a pas besoin de plus pour aller avec le reste du livre.
Parmi les points qui au contraire pourrait être améliorés je pense qu'il y avait certains passages qui aurait pu être bien plus fort émotionnellement si ils avaient été présentés différemment. Et la on avait des fois l'impression qu'on passait dessus trop rapidement, sans avoir le temps de s'y faire avant d'avancer, ce qui était un peu dommage. En plus ça donne des fois un sentiment de facilité car on n'a pas le temps de appesantir trop sur des événements qui auraient mérité réflexion.
Je pense qu'en fait ce qui manquait à ce livre pour en faire un très bon début d'urban fantasy est un éditeur professionnel derrière pour réarranger certains passages et approfondir un peu le texte (en lui rajoutant 50 pages par exemple). Mais même sans on sent tout le potentiel de cette histoire pour le futur de la série, et c'est déjà vraiment pas mal. Au final j'ai trouvé l'ensemble assez impressionnant pour un auto-édité, il ne manquait pas grand chose pour passer au niveau au dessus.
16/20
Un premier tome vraiment très sympathique et une lecture très fun. J'ai été agréablement surprise parce que tenter de l'urban fantasy en auto édition est toujours un pari risqué et ici il est en grande partie gagné.
Gideon Black travaille comme ambulancier indépendant à Manhattan. Son métier plus spécifiquement est de transporter les cadavres d'un lieu à un autre, principalement d'une scène de crime ou de mort au locaux du médecin légiste ou d'une maison de retraire à une entreprise funéraire. Métier solitaire si il en est il a pris l'habitude de discuter avec les corps qu'il transporte histoire de faire semblant d'avoir des relations humaines de temps en temps. Jusqu'au jour ou un corps lui répond...
Mais Gideon n'a pas le temps de se poser trop de questions car une série de meurtres atroces ont eu lieu dans Central Parc, comme si les victimes, qui ont toutes le même tatouage bizarre, avaient été tuées par des animaux. Et voila qu'un jour en revenant du boulot il sauve la vie d'un loup garou pourchassé par une personne avec le même tatouage !
Décidément le monde n'est plus ce qu'il était et Gideon commence à découvrir qu'il est peut être bien plus impliqué qu'il aurait pu l'imaginer car il se retrouve poursuivi à son tour sans trop comprendre pourquoi ...
Dit comme ça on pourrait s'imaginer que c'est un peu fouillis avec tout ces éléments différents rassemblés en une seule intrigue, mais en fait non pas vraiment, tout semble logique dans le livre, c'est juste moi qui ai du mal à faire un résumé de cette histoire qui donne envie de lire sans trop en dévoiler histoire de garder un peu de suspense.
En urban fantasy, finalement le plus important dans un premier tome de série est d'abord d'avoir un personnage principal intéressant et qui nous convienne, qu'on a envie de suivre dans de nombreuses aventures. Et ici ça a totalement été le cas. Dés le tout début j'ai apprécié Gideon, j'ai eu de l’empathie pour son histoire. En gros il m'a vraiment bien plu.
C'est un personnage qui est à la fois fragile et combatif. On est loin du guerrier mais pourtant il n'hésite pas à aller de l'avant et à se jeter au devant du danger si il le faut, notamment pour sauver des gens. Il cache aussi de grosses blessures qui sont très loin d'être refermée même si il a tout quitté pour s'éloigner de leur source. En gros il est loin d'être le mec parfait, mais il est très sympathique.
Je pense que ce que j'ai particulièrement apprécié dans cette intrigue a été le rythme de ce roman. On n'a vraiment pas le temps de s'ennuyer car il se passe toujours quelque chose d’intéressant et on est vraiment pris dans cette histoire alors que les scènes s'enchainent. L'auteur arrive à caser une intrigue relativement complexe dans peu de pages, du coup tout va vite.
Le style est relativement simple mais vu qu'il correspond bien avec le personnage principal finalement ça se tiens. On n'a pas besoin de plus pour aller avec le reste du livre.
Parmi les points qui au contraire pourrait être améliorés je pense qu'il y avait certains passages qui aurait pu être bien plus fort émotionnellement si ils avaient été présentés différemment. Et la on avait des fois l'impression qu'on passait dessus trop rapidement, sans avoir le temps de s'y faire avant d'avancer, ce qui était un peu dommage. En plus ça donne des fois un sentiment de facilité car on n'a pas le temps de appesantir trop sur des événements qui auraient mérité réflexion.
Je pense qu'en fait ce qui manquait à ce livre pour en faire un très bon début d'urban fantasy est un éditeur professionnel derrière pour réarranger certains passages et approfondir un peu le texte (en lui rajoutant 50 pages par exemple). Mais même sans on sent tout le potentiel de cette histoire pour le futur de la série, et c'est déjà vraiment pas mal. Au final j'ai trouvé l'ensemble assez impressionnant pour un auto-édité, il ne manquait pas grand chose pour passer au niveau au dessus.
16/20
August 22, 2016
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/08/2...
Publisher: Sonya Bateman
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN: 9781523672127
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.9/5
Publishers Description: Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day’s work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it’s simple enough.
Review: Boy, am I late to the party on this one. Scads of reviews out there already, that are mostly glowing. I think each reviewer nuzzled up to the authors butt in order to get some brown time. “Was that necessary?”. Yeah, maybe…….well whenever every reviewer spans the critical chasm without discernment (jumps on band wagon) I am immediately suspect. So I sorted the reviews and found that there were 16 chicken shits that ranked it as a two, but not a one written review. What we can generally learn from reviews prior to reading the novel is a sense of what will either interest us or repel. Say, if I am perusing a Scifi novel and find that there is a gushy love tribangle (yes, triBangle) between humans with no alien element, then meh. Add in that if it is forbidden that a Fookyarnian female in the throes of Markya avail herself of the nearest male in order to relieve her tentacled naughty bits without the Rangled Foo, then I am all in.
So where does that leave us with Wrong Side of Hell? Viscerally, I liked it. Technically it was ok. Believability ….pushing it. Character development, average in its entirety. Storyline pretty good. So lets shjtpick this fooker like a real critic so every writer out there can hate me even more as I trample upon their identities.
Gideon was a well developed character, and as you move with him through the story line, the self-discovery is a tangible thing where you can almost at times be the character. Gideon more than makes up for the lack of development of the supporting cast that seemed like they were assigned roles in a play. “You, yeah the tall skinny kid. You’re gonna play the bogey man…why? Cause you’re skinny and scary looking. No need to try out for anything else.”. Initially the story line was great and moved at a good pace. Then at about 2/3 of the way through, the story line begins to become compressed and a bit rushed. Gideon’s self discovery goes from a well paced and driven novel to a random assortment of events tied to a rushed ending. A substantial portion of Gideon’s story is based on his adoptive family torturing him his entire life. This Hillbilly poacher-hunter clan regularly hunts Gideon and shoots him with real bullets for sport. They burn him and generally behave badly in his direction. For the moment forget the ludicrous idea that he has been getting shot since he was a little child. Wouldn’t Gideon be fucked up as an adult as the result of this mistreatment? Like, serial killer type fucked up? But what we find is a rather glib and deeply caring person that will risk his life for others he doesn’t know. Gideon now lives in a van mostly to avoid being found by the Hillbilly clan. Really? How are the Hillbilly’s going to find him let alone do anything to him, and why would they care since they wanted to drown him as an infant?
This was a solid three stars. It had upsides and downsides, mainly with story line compression and character development. As an independently published author this is amazing work and really needs a major publisher in order to take advantage of a professional editor. Or maybe she just needs an honest professional assessment of the novel entire. This work was an easy 4 stars with a cohesive story line.
Publisher: Sonya Bateman
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN: 9781523672127
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.9/5
Publishers Description: Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day’s work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it’s simple enough.
Review: Boy, am I late to the party on this one. Scads of reviews out there already, that are mostly glowing. I think each reviewer nuzzled up to the authors butt in order to get some brown time. “Was that necessary?”. Yeah, maybe…….well whenever every reviewer spans the critical chasm without discernment (jumps on band wagon) I am immediately suspect. So I sorted the reviews and found that there were 16 chicken shits that ranked it as a two, but not a one written review. What we can generally learn from reviews prior to reading the novel is a sense of what will either interest us or repel. Say, if I am perusing a Scifi novel and find that there is a gushy love tribangle (yes, triBangle) between humans with no alien element, then meh. Add in that if it is forbidden that a Fookyarnian female in the throes of Markya avail herself of the nearest male in order to relieve her tentacled naughty bits without the Rangled Foo, then I am all in.
So where does that leave us with Wrong Side of Hell? Viscerally, I liked it. Technically it was ok. Believability ….pushing it. Character development, average in its entirety. Storyline pretty good. So lets shjtpick this fooker like a real critic so every writer out there can hate me even more as I trample upon their identities.
Gideon was a well developed character, and as you move with him through the story line, the self-discovery is a tangible thing where you can almost at times be the character. Gideon more than makes up for the lack of development of the supporting cast that seemed like they were assigned roles in a play. “You, yeah the tall skinny kid. You’re gonna play the bogey man…why? Cause you’re skinny and scary looking. No need to try out for anything else.”. Initially the story line was great and moved at a good pace. Then at about 2/3 of the way through, the story line begins to become compressed and a bit rushed. Gideon’s self discovery goes from a well paced and driven novel to a random assortment of events tied to a rushed ending. A substantial portion of Gideon’s story is based on his adoptive family torturing him his entire life. This Hillbilly poacher-hunter clan regularly hunts Gideon and shoots him with real bullets for sport. They burn him and generally behave badly in his direction. For the moment forget the ludicrous idea that he has been getting shot since he was a little child. Wouldn’t Gideon be fucked up as an adult as the result of this mistreatment? Like, serial killer type fucked up? But what we find is a rather glib and deeply caring person that will risk his life for others he doesn’t know. Gideon now lives in a van mostly to avoid being found by the Hillbilly clan. Really? How are the Hillbilly’s going to find him let alone do anything to him, and why would they care since they wanted to drown him as an infant?
This was a solid three stars. It had upsides and downsides, mainly with story line compression and character development. As an independently published author this is amazing work and really needs a major publisher in order to take advantage of a professional editor. Or maybe she just needs an honest professional assessment of the novel entire. This work was an easy 4 stars with a cohesive story line.
August 21, 2016
Gideon, transporter of corpses across New York City, does not lead a conventional life and he certainly hasn’t has a conventional upbringing
But even he wasn’t prepared for the corpses to talk back, a werewolf stalking central park and finding a whole world of Fae, magic and more
And a team of hunters dedicated to wiping them all out – and ready to use him to do it.
This book has a lot of wonderful elements I always love.
We have a very wide world of various supernatural creatures – with lots of hints of complex cultures and histories and different interactions which is definitely something I look for. There’s also a lack of info dumping (though that may be due to other issues later)
I really love how the werewolves are linked to moonlight which is a really original touch which I always appreciate. And bogeypeople? I love the bogeypeople. That’s a scary addition to the supernatural menagerie of this world. It’s fun, it’s broad and it has vast potential.
I also like the twist of the bad guys, the fear of the power they have not from just money and resources – but their knowledge of the supernatural. Normal humans who are determined to figure out every last weakness of the supernatural are considered utterly, unassailably powerful which is definitely different from what I’ve read before
The pacing of this book barely pauses for a second. The action starts very early, there’s very little delay or even introduction before we race into the story. We have lots of action, lots of information and this huge wonderful broad world to absorb as soon as possible. It’s a book that quickly drags you in then has you sprinting none stop all to the end.
We do have a little bit of a Chosen One scenario – because there really is no real explanation for why Gideon has the world changing super woo-woo. To say nothing to the pretty terrible magical-world-building of having Gideon master impossible-for-him-faerie powers with the power of imagination. I generally like Gideon a lot, I like his attitude, his humour, his resilience, his determination and the fact he’s been outspoken without being ridiculously foolish and annoying with it. But super powers just ‘cos is never something that I’m a fan of.
I do think this book was perhaps a little rushed in many way which, in turn, made some elements of it far too hurried.
For example, we get insights into Gideon’s past which was sad and tragic. Of course it was sad and tragic. Isn’t it ALWAYS sad and tragic? But rather than just abusive parents he actually has brothers who hunted and shot him for fun.
Shot him. With a gun. A real gun. Not an air rifle. A gun. Isn’t that just… a bit too quick and extreme? And why is he afraid of having an actual address to hide from, what, 3 poor hunters who kill animals? What, they have access to FBI databases or something? They’re going to hunt you down and shoot you with rifles in New York City?
Or his relationship with Taeral which goes form “cursed human begone” to “brother mine we are united and loyal forever”
Or there’s Gideon’s reaction to the supernatural which is like 2 seconds of blinking (and a really nice shocked reaction to actual werewolves existing) to kind of taking it all in stride
Or there’s the way he gets really really really used to actually killing people.
Read More
But even he wasn’t prepared for the corpses to talk back, a werewolf stalking central park and finding a whole world of Fae, magic and more
And a team of hunters dedicated to wiping them all out – and ready to use him to do it.
This book has a lot of wonderful elements I always love.
We have a very wide world of various supernatural creatures – with lots of hints of complex cultures and histories and different interactions which is definitely something I look for. There’s also a lack of info dumping (though that may be due to other issues later)
I really love how the werewolves are linked to moonlight which is a really original touch which I always appreciate. And bogeypeople? I love the bogeypeople. That’s a scary addition to the supernatural menagerie of this world. It’s fun, it’s broad and it has vast potential.
I also like the twist of the bad guys, the fear of the power they have not from just money and resources – but their knowledge of the supernatural. Normal humans who are determined to figure out every last weakness of the supernatural are considered utterly, unassailably powerful which is definitely different from what I’ve read before
The pacing of this book barely pauses for a second. The action starts very early, there’s very little delay or even introduction before we race into the story. We have lots of action, lots of information and this huge wonderful broad world to absorb as soon as possible. It’s a book that quickly drags you in then has you sprinting none stop all to the end.
We do have a little bit of a Chosen One scenario – because there really is no real explanation for why Gideon has the world changing super woo-woo. To say nothing to the pretty terrible magical-world-building of having Gideon master impossible-for-him-faerie powers with the power of imagination. I generally like Gideon a lot, I like his attitude, his humour, his resilience, his determination and the fact he’s been outspoken without being ridiculously foolish and annoying with it. But super powers just ‘cos is never something that I’m a fan of.
I do think this book was perhaps a little rushed in many way which, in turn, made some elements of it far too hurried.
For example, we get insights into Gideon’s past which was sad and tragic. Of course it was sad and tragic. Isn’t it ALWAYS sad and tragic? But rather than just abusive parents he actually has brothers who hunted and shot him for fun.
Shot him. With a gun. A real gun. Not an air rifle. A gun. Isn’t that just… a bit too quick and extreme? And why is he afraid of having an actual address to hide from, what, 3 poor hunters who kill animals? What, they have access to FBI databases or something? They’re going to hunt you down and shoot you with rifles in New York City?
Or his relationship with Taeral which goes form “cursed human begone” to “brother mine we are united and loyal forever”
Or there’s Gideon’s reaction to the supernatural which is like 2 seconds of blinking (and a really nice shocked reaction to actual werewolves existing) to kind of taking it all in stride
Or there’s the way he gets really really really used to actually killing people.
Read More
August 1, 2018
Wrong side of he'll by Sonya Batsman.
The dead never bothered me. That honor was reserved for the living."
Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day's work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it's simple enough.
Until the corpses start talking back.
When Gideon accidentally rescues a werewolf in Central Park, he's drawn into the secret world of the Others. Fae, were-shifters, dark magic users and more, all playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Milus Dei, a massive and powerful cult dedicated to hunting down and eradicating them all.
Then a dead man speaks to him, saying that Milus Dei wants him more than any Other. They'll stop at nothing to capture him and control the abilities he never knew he had.
He is the DeathSpeaker. He is the key. And he's not as human as he thought…
Life was a whole lot easier when the dead stayed dead.
Omg. This was an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I just couldn't put it down. It had action from the first page right the way through to the last page. Absolutely brilliant. Loved the characters apart from the baddies. Foley was the worst of them. Am looking forward to next book. 5*. Highly recommended.
The dead never bothered me. That honor was reserved for the living."
Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day's work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it's simple enough.
Until the corpses start talking back.
When Gideon accidentally rescues a werewolf in Central Park, he's drawn into the secret world of the Others. Fae, were-shifters, dark magic users and more, all playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Milus Dei, a massive and powerful cult dedicated to hunting down and eradicating them all.
Then a dead man speaks to him, saying that Milus Dei wants him more than any Other. They'll stop at nothing to capture him and control the abilities he never knew he had.
He is the DeathSpeaker. He is the key. And he's not as human as he thought…
Life was a whole lot easier when the dead stayed dead.
Omg. This was an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I just couldn't put it down. It had action from the first page right the way through to the last page. Absolutely brilliant. Loved the characters apart from the baddies. Foley was the worst of them. Am looking forward to next book. 5*. Highly recommended.
October 7, 2016
This is an urban fantasy. No cliffhanger, no sex, lots of violence but nothing overly descriptive. It’s part of a series and there isn’t exactly a HEA, but everybody lives so that’s a plus.
This story was pretty straight forward. It wasn’t hard to figure out the players and the plot was simple enough. The whole story was an adventure – kind of a death at every turn kind of adventure. This world focused on the OtherWorld. Gideon is the main character and though he is clueless to begin with, it was a sink or swim sort of scenario. If he didn’t figure out the puzzle, he was dead.
The secondary characters were ok. They were put together well enough, but I did have a tough time picturing them. I liked the story and it wasn’t complicated. If you want a good book that is 98% action and adventure, this story would be right up your alley.
This story was pretty straight forward. It wasn’t hard to figure out the players and the plot was simple enough. The whole story was an adventure – kind of a death at every turn kind of adventure. This world focused on the OtherWorld. Gideon is the main character and though he is clueless to begin with, it was a sink or swim sort of scenario. If he didn’t figure out the puzzle, he was dead.
The secondary characters were ok. They were put together well enough, but I did have a tough time picturing them. I liked the story and it wasn’t complicated. If you want a good book that is 98% action and adventure, this story would be right up your alley.
August 29, 2016
Review to come.
*eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
*eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 13, 2019
Audiobook review
I was in the mood to start a new to me urban fantasy series when my eye was caught by this one's series title. Deathspeaker, eh? Why not! And, there are fae and he's a body transporter in NYC who doesn't know he's half-fae or that there is a supernatural world out there.
So, I dove enthusiastically into Gideon's life that starts out as a day in the life of a body transporter. Gideon works with a certain old-style, true blue detective with NYPD now and then who trusts in Gideon's little gift that allows him to get a reading on the corpses to help nudge the investigation. But, now there are a string of gutted, ravaged bodies in Central Park and everyone thinks there is a wolf loose there. Gideon and the coroner are struck by the fact that the 'wolf' seems to be targeting people with a mysterious tattoo on them labeling members of some weird cult.
Not long after that, Gideon comes eyeball to fangs with his first werewolf and does the unthinkable when he protects the werewolf by getting her away after she guts another tattooed guy who happens to be a member of the police. Sadie is reluctant, but gives Gideon a glimpse into the supernatural world she inhabits and side eyes him when he declares he's only human. But, then corpses start responding to his questions and he's on the radar of this Milos Dei group who want to wipe out all supernaturals even while capturing some and stealing their power. And, guess who is at the top of their power stealing shopping list?
The learning curve is huge as Gideon evades the cult and figures out who and what he is while aided by a rag tag team of Sadie and her friends along with Abe his cop friend.
I had a good time with this one. Gideon and Sadie swap some wry one-liners and it was fun getting introduced to the series world and characters especially Sadie's fae friend who joins them. Gideon had an unusual upbringing with a murderous clan of humans who want him dead, but through the tough life he lead before, taught him how to stay on the down lo and survive a ton. It helps him adjust to the idea there are really things that go bump in the night and they aren't necessarily the bad guys. There's a whiff of romance, but this is urban fantasy so it will probably develop slowly over the course of the series.
I listened to this story and it was my first encounter with Tristan Morris. I liked how he voiced Gideon and the other characters. I did have to bump up the speed a tad because I thought the pace was a little slow, but then it was great. He had a nice wry sense of humor that matched the dialogue and how Gideon and the others approached the situation they were in. I hope he ends up narrating the rest of the series.
All in all, my first encounter with the DeathSpeaker Codex series was splendid and I look forward to more. Those who enjoy action-packed urban fantasy with a humorous tone should give this one a go.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was in the mood to start a new to me urban fantasy series when my eye was caught by this one's series title. Deathspeaker, eh? Why not! And, there are fae and he's a body transporter in NYC who doesn't know he's half-fae or that there is a supernatural world out there.
So, I dove enthusiastically into Gideon's life that starts out as a day in the life of a body transporter. Gideon works with a certain old-style, true blue detective with NYPD now and then who trusts in Gideon's little gift that allows him to get a reading on the corpses to help nudge the investigation. But, now there are a string of gutted, ravaged bodies in Central Park and everyone thinks there is a wolf loose there. Gideon and the coroner are struck by the fact that the 'wolf' seems to be targeting people with a mysterious tattoo on them labeling members of some weird cult.
Not long after that, Gideon comes eyeball to fangs with his first werewolf and does the unthinkable when he protects the werewolf by getting her away after she guts another tattooed guy who happens to be a member of the police. Sadie is reluctant, but gives Gideon a glimpse into the supernatural world she inhabits and side eyes him when he declares he's only human. But, then corpses start responding to his questions and he's on the radar of this Milos Dei group who want to wipe out all supernaturals even while capturing some and stealing their power. And, guess who is at the top of their power stealing shopping list?
The learning curve is huge as Gideon evades the cult and figures out who and what he is while aided by a rag tag team of Sadie and her friends along with Abe his cop friend.
I had a good time with this one. Gideon and Sadie swap some wry one-liners and it was fun getting introduced to the series world and characters especially Sadie's fae friend who joins them. Gideon had an unusual upbringing with a murderous clan of humans who want him dead, but through the tough life he lead before, taught him how to stay on the down lo and survive a ton. It helps him adjust to the idea there are really things that go bump in the night and they aren't necessarily the bad guys. There's a whiff of romance, but this is urban fantasy so it will probably develop slowly over the course of the series.
I listened to this story and it was my first encounter with Tristan Morris. I liked how he voiced Gideon and the other characters. I did have to bump up the speed a tad because I thought the pace was a little slow, but then it was great. He had a nice wry sense of humor that matched the dialogue and how Gideon and the others approached the situation they were in. I hope he ends up narrating the rest of the series.
All in all, my first encounter with the DeathSpeaker Codex series was splendid and I look forward to more. Those who enjoy action-packed urban fantasy with a humorous tone should give this one a go.
My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 25, 2017
I don't give many 5 star reviews, and I was a little hesitant doing so with this one, but I decided to round up because it's a well-written, thoroughly enjoyable book from beginning to end. The narrative and dialogue are well-written without a wasted, superfluous word. This is not a roller coaster story with its slow up and crazy, exciting downs. It's more like a rocket car the blasts off and pushes you back in your seat for the entire ride. Editing is very good. I caught a missing opening quotation mark near the end of the book, and that's the only oops I recall seeing. Was it perfect? Of course not. Haven't met the book that is. I felt a slight decline near the end. The enemy is described as this huge, powerful paramilitary force bent on eradicating all non humans. This made the ending a little implausible as it was wrapped up neatly and with relative ease. The bad guys have this big noise machine (I assume it blasts a combination of gangsta rap and jazz) that's supposed to turn non human brains into mush, but they don't bother to use it until the hero is nearby and able to shut it off before it makes his kind extinct. It's also only briefly mentioned and isn't really part of the story until the end. A bit of a plot hole.
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June 11, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/11/2019)! 🎁
February 3, 2016
This was a really fun book. A man who makes a living transporting dead bodies, who sometimes seem to talk to him, discovers there is a whole other world filled with dark magical creatures. He also discovers that he is part of their world as much as he'd like to remain just a lonely body mover who lives in his van. This book was an amazing page turner. I was hooked from page one and was not disappointed until I finished the last chapter. Oh man was this book awesome.
I loved the main character. His attitude when facing off against the supernatural creatures in the book was surprising and awesome. He was often understandably scared of them but would also sometimes get angry at them and give it right back to them after they kept threatening him simply because he was a human.
The story world of this book is really cool. It's modern day but all of the dark creatures of myths and legends exist. Discovering this dark magic underground world with the main character was really cool.
There were tons of awesome fight scenes in this book and they could get pretty gruesome. They were really exciting and the author always did a good job of having the good guys leave a fight with a lot of damage that many times really slowed them down or even took them out of commission for a while. Everything cost a lot in this book. Nothing was easy for the characters. I think that's one of the reasons the book was so good. It was a blast cheering for the characters as they fought a very dark evil.
I loved the way the magic worked in this book. It was amazing and could do incredible things, but it always took a lot out of the characters and once they used their magic a little bit it was all they had and their "spark" was spent until they recharged it. That part made the magic feel so much more real than if the characters would of had an unending supply of magic to wield. Then everything would have been easy for them and the way everything went down in the story would have been much less believable or the way they could have accomplished their goals would have been a lot more boring to read because it would have been so easy for them.
The author did a great job of making everything hard for the characters. They had to push themselves to their limits to achieve their goals. They had to get creative and think on their feet. They got beat up, really bad, lots of times. All these things and the wonder of all the cool magical world made for one thrilling read. I can't wait to see what these crazy characters are up to in the next book. I'm so glad I picked this one up.
I loved the main character. His attitude when facing off against the supernatural creatures in the book was surprising and awesome. He was often understandably scared of them but would also sometimes get angry at them and give it right back to them after they kept threatening him simply because he was a human.
The story world of this book is really cool. It's modern day but all of the dark creatures of myths and legends exist. Discovering this dark magic underground world with the main character was really cool.
There were tons of awesome fight scenes in this book and they could get pretty gruesome. They were really exciting and the author always did a good job of having the good guys leave a fight with a lot of damage that many times really slowed them down or even took them out of commission for a while. Everything cost a lot in this book. Nothing was easy for the characters. I think that's one of the reasons the book was so good. It was a blast cheering for the characters as they fought a very dark evil.
I loved the way the magic worked in this book. It was amazing and could do incredible things, but it always took a lot out of the characters and once they used their magic a little bit it was all they had and their "spark" was spent until they recharged it. That part made the magic feel so much more real than if the characters would of had an unending supply of magic to wield. Then everything would have been easy for them and the way everything went down in the story would have been much less believable or the way they could have accomplished their goals would have been a lot more boring to read because it would have been so easy for them.
The author did a great job of making everything hard for the characters. They had to push themselves to their limits to achieve their goals. They had to get creative and think on their feet. They got beat up, really bad, lots of times. All these things and the wonder of all the cool magical world made for one thrilling read. I can't wait to see what these crazy characters are up to in the next book. I'm so glad I picked this one up.
August 27, 2016
It's always great when you take a chance on a book and a new author only to find yourself pleasantly surprised. That is the case with "Wrong Side of Hell." The concept of the storyline was unique and I really enjoyed the main character, Gideon.
Gideon Black was raised by the Valentines, a family of sadistic rednecks until one day he walked away. Now, he lives off the grid, working as a body carrier for the morgue, living out of his van and paying cash for everything.
After picking up two bodies from Central Park that were apparently mauled by a large wolf Gideon discovers that the wolf is female. How does he know? The dead man told him of course. It seems that Gideon is a death speaker. When he informs his favorite detective friend, Abe about the suspect's gender his friend is suspended.
Then, Gideon stumbles upon what at first seems like a crime scene when he encounters a woman who warns him to run. However, he comes in the line of fire from SWAT and he finds that not only are they the bad guys, they want bothered he and the girl dead. She changes into a werewolf and attacks the team. Gideon refuses to abandon her and takes her to safety in his van. He discovers her name is Sadie and she wants nothing to do with him.
As Gideon struggles with the concept that werewolves are real, he also can't clear his mind of the last things a fallen SWAT officer told him: he was a death speaker and he would be captured. Then, Abe calls him and warns him to stay away from the station and the Chief of police, Foley. Now Gideon is about to enter a world that he never knew existed and we will come face to face with his past.
There are plenty of interesting creatures, intrigue, action and humorous moments. Most importantly Gideon has a way of rallying support and loyalty from those you would least expect. This is definitely one of those reads that will grab your attention from the start to the finish..I will definitely be going on to read the next book in this series.
Gideon Black was raised by the Valentines, a family of sadistic rednecks until one day he walked away. Now, he lives off the grid, working as a body carrier for the morgue, living out of his van and paying cash for everything.
After picking up two bodies from Central Park that were apparently mauled by a large wolf Gideon discovers that the wolf is female. How does he know? The dead man told him of course. It seems that Gideon is a death speaker. When he informs his favorite detective friend, Abe about the suspect's gender his friend is suspended.
Then, Gideon stumbles upon what at first seems like a crime scene when he encounters a woman who warns him to run. However, he comes in the line of fire from SWAT and he finds that not only are they the bad guys, they want bothered he and the girl dead. She changes into a werewolf and attacks the team. Gideon refuses to abandon her and takes her to safety in his van. He discovers her name is Sadie and she wants nothing to do with him.
As Gideon struggles with the concept that werewolves are real, he also can't clear his mind of the last things a fallen SWAT officer told him: he was a death speaker and he would be captured. Then, Abe calls him and warns him to stay away from the station and the Chief of police, Foley. Now Gideon is about to enter a world that he never knew existed and we will come face to face with his past.
There are plenty of interesting creatures, intrigue, action and humorous moments. Most importantly Gideon has a way of rallying support and loyalty from those you would least expect. This is definitely one of those reads that will grab your attention from the start to the finish..I will definitely be going on to read the next book in this series.
May 25, 2016
Well paced, fun read.
Gideon Black is reminiscent of the Harry Dresden books, but without a lot of the angst and over description of gore. It was really fun to ride along as Gideon got to know more about who he really is and start to play around with powers he never knew he had. The secondary characters were also fun to get to know as they formed a loose sort of team of frenemies. Other reviewers mentioned those characters not being fully fleshed out, but I thought we got to know them just enough for them to still contribute fun elements to the story while leaving you wanting to get to know them better in future books.
The brief romantic elements threw me a little bit because the main love triangle felt a little like it came out of nowhere while a secondary love interest seemed the more real feeling relationship, yet that one was only touched on very briefly. This story isn’t a romance, though, and overall I would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy with constant action, a likeable hero who’s just now getting to know his heritage, and a rag tag group of reluctant friends that are sure to make for lots more interesting stories. I’ll be reading the next in the series.
Gideon Black is reminiscent of the Harry Dresden books, but without a lot of the angst and over description of gore. It was really fun to ride along as Gideon got to know more about who he really is and start to play around with powers he never knew he had. The secondary characters were also fun to get to know as they formed a loose sort of team of frenemies. Other reviewers mentioned those characters not being fully fleshed out, but I thought we got to know them just enough for them to still contribute fun elements to the story while leaving you wanting to get to know them better in future books.
The brief romantic elements threw me a little bit because the main love triangle felt a little like it came out of nowhere while a secondary love interest seemed the more real feeling relationship, yet that one was only touched on very briefly. This story isn’t a romance, though, and overall I would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy with constant action, a likeable hero who’s just now getting to know his heritage, and a rag tag group of reluctant friends that are sure to make for lots more interesting stories. I’ll be reading the next in the series.
August 4, 2016
Urban Fantasy is a bit like fast food. While it isn’t haute cuisine, it is fast, and if well done can be quite tasty. Sonya Bateman isn’t the next Neil Gaiman, but she is a good storyteller, able to put a slightly different twist on the human vs other scenario.
One nice difference is that she uses a male lead. Gideon has an amiable nature and an easy charm that keeps him from coming across too powerful. He is also clever, but pleasantly lacking ego. Also unlike the female leads in many urban fantasies, he does not have a harem of potential mates. All of this makes it easier to focus on the story. Various supernatural creatures have long been hunted by Milus Dei, a cult whose influence is wide reaching. Gideon is of interest because of his newly awakened ability to speak to the dead. His ability draws him into the conflict.
The story is pretty straightforward, but is nicely done. The writing is also quite professional. If you like urban fantasy, Wrong Side of Hell is a good choice, a pleasant change from the vast quantity of mediocre choices. It may not be great literature, but it is a fun read.
4/5
I received a copy of Wrong Side of Hell from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
One nice difference is that she uses a male lead. Gideon has an amiable nature and an easy charm that keeps him from coming across too powerful. He is also clever, but pleasantly lacking ego. Also unlike the female leads in many urban fantasies, he does not have a harem of potential mates. All of this makes it easier to focus on the story. Various supernatural creatures have long been hunted by Milus Dei, a cult whose influence is wide reaching. Gideon is of interest because of his newly awakened ability to speak to the dead. His ability draws him into the conflict.
The story is pretty straightforward, but is nicely done. The writing is also quite professional. If you like urban fantasy, Wrong Side of Hell is a good choice, a pleasant change from the vast quantity of mediocre choices. It may not be great literature, but it is a fun read.
4/5
I received a copy of Wrong Side of Hell from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
December 9, 2016
The market seems to be flooded with cookie-cutter books in which an ordinary young woman discovers that the supernatural is real, and she's a key part of it, whereupon drama ensues. I don't bother with them, since there's nothing to make any of them stand out from the vast pack of other books with the exact same premise - a premise that has limited appeal to me.
Sometimes, though, genderflipping a trope is enough to make it different, so I took a chance on this book, and was glad I did. It's a well-executed dark fantasy with a damaged-but-decent (male) protagonist, a supporting cast with some depth to them, and a fast-moving thriller-style plot.
Apart from one use of "may" in past tense narration (instead of "might") and three very minor typos, the editing is clean, and reaches an unusually high standard.
Although I enjoyed it, it is darker than I personally prefer, and I don't intend to continue with the series solely for that reason. If a bit of the old ultraviolence doesn't put you off, I recommend it highly for its all-around professional execution and appealing characters.
Sometimes, though, genderflipping a trope is enough to make it different, so I took a chance on this book, and was glad I did. It's a well-executed dark fantasy with a damaged-but-decent (male) protagonist, a supporting cast with some depth to them, and a fast-moving thriller-style plot.
Apart from one use of "may" in past tense narration (instead of "might") and three very minor typos, the editing is clean, and reaches an unusually high standard.
Although I enjoyed it, it is darker than I personally prefer, and I don't intend to continue with the series solely for that reason. If a bit of the old ultraviolence doesn't put you off, I recommend it highly for its all-around professional execution and appealing characters.
June 5, 2017
This was an amazon freebie, the start of another urban fantasy series - a genre I enjoy when the focus is on action rather than romance. This had the same plot as virtually every other fantasy: lonely young person with a painful childhood discovers they have magical powers and a family they knew nothing about, and are destined for a key role in the fight against evil. So far so Harry Potter/Star Wars/every other YA adventure of the last 20 years. This does have a likeable hero in Gideon, who collects dead bodies for the police, and his particular skill - talking to the dead, who cannot lie to him, was original (to me at least.) There was a good cast of characters, including some unusual "others" and thankfully no vampires for once, although the love interest - feisty werewolf Sadie - and the baddies - religious cult Milus Dei-were also very generic. Definitely enjoyable enough to continue the series if they're reasonably priced.
December 21, 2017
A curious thing happened on the way to the morgue
For a man who obviously had an abusive childhood which he managed to escape and survive, Gideon Black was leading a quiet if not entirely normal live, doing a job few are suited for. But all that changed the night he hauled a body to the morgue and the body talked to him, albeit in his mind. From that point on any semblance to normal flies right out the window.
What takes place in what I assume is a time period of six days ( maybe less) turns his entire world back to front, inside out, and up side down! I'm not exactly sure what a deathspeaker is, but it seems that being a fae_human hybrid with power even he didn't know he had is going to change the rules of the game for all sides. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this series.
For a man who obviously had an abusive childhood which he managed to escape and survive, Gideon Black was leading a quiet if not entirely normal live, doing a job few are suited for. But all that changed the night he hauled a body to the morgue and the body talked to him, albeit in his mind. From that point on any semblance to normal flies right out the window.
What takes place in what I assume is a time period of six days ( maybe less) turns his entire world back to front, inside out, and up side down! I'm not exactly sure what a deathspeaker is, but it seems that being a fae_human hybrid with power even he didn't know he had is going to change the rules of the game for all sides. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this series.
January 11, 2017
I really quite enjoyed this. I found it a fun, action-packed romp through NYC's paranormal population. Now, I also found it unrealistic, in that a group of seven took on an almost limitless enemy organization but, well, that's part of the fun isn't it? Who doesn't love rooting for the underdog?
I thought Gideon an interesting character and I liked his narrative voice quite a lot. Similarly, I liked the side characters, though I thought some of them could have been a little more fleshed out and the villainous cult they pitted themselves against could have done with a bit more depth. They felt evil for the sake of evil, instead of dedicated to a cause. All in all, however, I will happily read more of Bateman's books.
I thought Gideon an interesting character and I liked his narrative voice quite a lot. Similarly, I liked the side characters, though I thought some of them could have been a little more fleshed out and the villainous cult they pitted themselves against could have done with a bit more depth. They felt evil for the sake of evil, instead of dedicated to a cause. All in all, however, I will happily read more of Bateman's books.
February 2, 2019
Pretty good book but lacks a bit of worldbuilding. There's holes in the story and things are going a bit too well and I also have a bit timeline questions. Other than that it was a great read. Will continue reading the next book and see if it gets better.
November 6, 2018
***4 STARS***
A great start to this series with a lot of colorful characters and my first Sonya Bateman read.
A great start to this series with a lot of colorful characters and my first Sonya Bateman read.
March 19, 2019
Body movers are basically taxi drivers for the dead.
----------------
You are the DeathSpeaker. You are the key.
Gideon is a body mover. He takes care or New York City's dead...makes sure they get where they need to go. But an encounter with the city's latest serial killer leaves him with a new the-dead-talk type talent and a lot of questions. Unfortunately, he, and his unwanted talent, were exactly what the bads were looking for.
Milus Dei [Latin, “Soldiers of God”]: Roman in origin and founded alongside the birth of Christianity, this ancient cult is thought to have been formed to “root out evil that is not of man, yet walks the earth” [Ref. The Scrolls of Gideon].
Oh yeah...there's a cult! Turns out that there is a whole world of strange out there.
Fairies? Check.
Vampires? Check.
Weres? Check.
Bogeyman? Check.
Swamp sucking voodoo creatures? Check.
Magic? Double Check.
And where their is strange, there are zenophobic a**holes who hate and want to destroy it. In this case, it's an ancient order of bads that torture their prey before the kill....but they are the "good" guys. So what is Gideon, our neighborhood dead taxi going to do now that he is the choicest morsel on the bads' hunting list?
In the past two days I’ve operated on a werewolf, been threatened at knifepoint by a fairy, and bashed a leprechaun with a shovel. A bunch of cult assholes are hunting me, I don’t know any of the goddamned rules—and you’re making small talk about a ring that won’t turn you into somebody else anymore. I’m losing my mind, is what it means.
Get involved. Suddenly he is the unlikely, untrained, and largely untrusted hero in for the stranges in NYC. Throw in a surprise (for him) family connection and a past full of human monsters, Gideon may be just the hero the stranges have been waiting for.
Fun.
That's it. That's the word for this book. It's a hoot and a pleasure to read. The pace is fast, the world surprisingly well built, and the zany crew of characters are well developed and full bodied. All while somehow remaining a light, fun read. Sonya Bateman worked her own magic to manage so much in a first book.
My one problem...my tiniest of tinsy problem...is that Gideon went from zero to hero with little to no training or understanding of what was going on. But since I am now a Gideon fan-girl (SOCIALLY AWKARD UNITE!) I'm going to overlook this for a 4.5/5 rating.
Overall this was a thrilling, fun read into a world of monster's and monstrous men. From the magic to the characters, this series is zany fun. Would rec for those who love fun character fantasies that don't weight them down.
----------------
You are the DeathSpeaker. You are the key.
Gideon is a body mover. He takes care or New York City's dead...makes sure they get where they need to go. But an encounter with the city's latest serial killer leaves him with a new the-dead-talk type talent and a lot of questions. Unfortunately, he, and his unwanted talent, were exactly what the bads were looking for.
Milus Dei [Latin, “Soldiers of God”]: Roman in origin and founded alongside the birth of Christianity, this ancient cult is thought to have been formed to “root out evil that is not of man, yet walks the earth” [Ref. The Scrolls of Gideon].
Oh yeah...there's a cult! Turns out that there is a whole world of strange out there.
Fairies? Check.
Vampires? Check.
Weres? Check.
Bogeyman? Check.
Swamp sucking voodoo creatures? Check.
Magic? Double Check.
And where their is strange, there are zenophobic a**holes who hate and want to destroy it. In this case, it's an ancient order of bads that torture their prey before the kill....but they are the "good" guys. So what is Gideon, our neighborhood dead taxi going to do now that he is the choicest morsel on the bads' hunting list?
In the past two days I’ve operated on a werewolf, been threatened at knifepoint by a fairy, and bashed a leprechaun with a shovel. A bunch of cult assholes are hunting me, I don’t know any of the goddamned rules—and you’re making small talk about a ring that won’t turn you into somebody else anymore. I’m losing my mind, is what it means.
Get involved. Suddenly he is the unlikely, untrained, and largely untrusted hero in for the stranges in NYC. Throw in a surprise (for him) family connection and a past full of human monsters, Gideon may be just the hero the stranges have been waiting for.
Fun.
That's it. That's the word for this book. It's a hoot and a pleasure to read. The pace is fast, the world surprisingly well built, and the zany crew of characters are well developed and full bodied. All while somehow remaining a light, fun read. Sonya Bateman worked her own magic to manage so much in a first book.
My one problem...my tiniest of tinsy problem...is that Gideon went from zero to hero with little to no training or understanding of what was going on. But since I am now a Gideon fan-girl (SOCIALLY AWKARD UNITE!) I'm going to overlook this for a 4.5/5 rating.
Overall this was a thrilling, fun read into a world of monster's and monstrous men. From the magic to the characters, this series is zany fun. Would rec for those who love fun character fantasies that don't weight them down.
January 22, 2018
I read a lot of books that are the first in a series, and Wrong Side of Hell by Sonya Bateman is the next addition to that particular section on my bookshelves. When I read the first book in a series, I’m looking for the author to satisfy a few specific requirements and convince me that continuing to read the series is going to be worth an investment of my time and my book budget (this is always an important factor for me, because I’m a woman who does have a book budget and though I love my public library, there are so many titles that are simply not available; I’m always disappointed when I spend my money on a book and end up with buyer’s remorse). I won’t bury the lede here—I really enjoyed Wrong Side of Hell and am looking forward to reading the second book in Bateman’s The DeathSpeaker Codex series. Let me tell you why.
If I’m trying out a new series and a new author, the most important thing the author must do is give me a compelling protagonist. I have to like the protagonist and I must want to continue following him or her through the story. Bateman offers Gideon Black as the protagonist. He’s twenty-six years old and lives out of the back of his van, which he parks in the garage attached to his gym. Gideon works as a body mover—meaning, he’s the person who gets a phone call requesting that he pick up a corpse and deliver the dead from the places where they died to what Gideon calls their next stop—be that a funeral home or a morgue. He works primarily during the night and sleeps during the day. When we first meet him, the person he seems to be closest to is Abe, who we come to learn is the mentor figure in his life and who works as an NYPD homicide detective. What makes Gideon compelling? Well, he’s your typical loner and he overcame an early life filled with adversity. But he’s just a guy, working in the city, doing a job few would be willing to do to make ends meet. He’s drifting through life, but of course, that changes dramatically when he saves a young woman from a group of men intent on killing her. Why else am I willing to follow him through the book that amounts to his origin story? He’s resourceful, compassionate, and knows that sometimes doing the right thing means doing the hard thing. Considering this is just the first introduction to Gideon Black, Bateman has given me enough reasons to want to see how he will evolve as he settles into his new normal now that the veil of innocent ignorance has been ripped from his eyes.
In addition to a compelling protagonist, I also need the supporting cast of characters to be sketched out and developed to the point that I can see how each character will fit into the protagonist’s life as he navigates his new world but also are interesting in their own right. Sometimes what I find is that I like the protagonist well enough, but the supporting cast are annoyances to be tolerated or are somehow obstacles to get through. Again, Bateman succeeds here in not giving me a reason to stop at the end of the first book in the series. The supporting cast is a strong one. First there is Sadie, a werewolf who is initially drawn to Gideon because of a talisman in his possession. She is his first source of information into this new world he has been thrust into and at least at the beginning serves as his first guide. Second there is Taeral, a Fae cut off from his home world of Arcadia. Taeral stands as Gideon’s protector and a reluctant teacher, and in many ways he is established as Gideon’s opposite. From his “normal” life, there is Viv, the medical examiner with whom Gideon has worked to solve murders in the past, as well as the aforementioned Abe, Gideon’s mentor and an NYPD homicide detective. Rather than existing as carbon copies of a particular character type, all of the characters are distinct in their identities, at least this is the case in book one. Taeral is probably the character I’m most intrigued by, and I will be interested to see how he is developed as well as how his relationship with Gideon unfolds as the series continues.
The third aspect I’m going to be analyzing when I’m reading the first book in a series is the world building. Bateman doesn’t diverge here in terms of what you might expect from an urban fantasy novel. We have the unknowing human world moving alongside the hidden supernatural world. Bateman locates her world in New York City, and well that’s fine if a bit unoriginal. One thing that does standout about this world in regard to the supernatural is that in this book, the Others (as Bateman calls them) exist on the fringes of society. They are not the wealthy, powerful individuals passing as human as you frequently see in other urban fantasy worlds. Instead, the Others in this world are hunted by the Milus Dei—a secret faction of humans intent upon eradicating the Others from the planet. Of course, this secret society of hunters is not original either, and to be honest, I’m at capacity when it comes to the conventional trope of secret societies hunting paranormal beings. The one reason I wasn’t turned off by the appearance of this trope is that at least it was introduced in the first book of the series. Meaning, I expect to see Milus Dei as a recurring antagonist, instead of being brought in out of nowhere during the middle of the series. Also, from my perspective at the end of the first book of the series, I am setup to cheer on the eventual overthrow and destruction of Milus Dei, but of course, we’ll have to see where Bateman takes it. Overall, though, the world building is enough to keep me interested and there’s nothing that makes me want to stop reading.
Indeed, the book ends in such a way that I want to keep reading the further adventures of Gideon Black. Once I finished the book, I added the next book, Fields of Blood, to my to-be-read list. I’m glad I stumbled upon this book, and it was worth my time and money. If you enjoy urban fantasy and have been looking for a new series to read, I recommend reading Wrong Side of Hell.
Looking for more book reviews? Visit my book blog at doctorlisawrites.com
If I’m trying out a new series and a new author, the most important thing the author must do is give me a compelling protagonist. I have to like the protagonist and I must want to continue following him or her through the story. Bateman offers Gideon Black as the protagonist. He’s twenty-six years old and lives out of the back of his van, which he parks in the garage attached to his gym. Gideon works as a body mover—meaning, he’s the person who gets a phone call requesting that he pick up a corpse and deliver the dead from the places where they died to what Gideon calls their next stop—be that a funeral home or a morgue. He works primarily during the night and sleeps during the day. When we first meet him, the person he seems to be closest to is Abe, who we come to learn is the mentor figure in his life and who works as an NYPD homicide detective. What makes Gideon compelling? Well, he’s your typical loner and he overcame an early life filled with adversity. But he’s just a guy, working in the city, doing a job few would be willing to do to make ends meet. He’s drifting through life, but of course, that changes dramatically when he saves a young woman from a group of men intent on killing her. Why else am I willing to follow him through the book that amounts to his origin story? He’s resourceful, compassionate, and knows that sometimes doing the right thing means doing the hard thing. Considering this is just the first introduction to Gideon Black, Bateman has given me enough reasons to want to see how he will evolve as he settles into his new normal now that the veil of innocent ignorance has been ripped from his eyes.
In addition to a compelling protagonist, I also need the supporting cast of characters to be sketched out and developed to the point that I can see how each character will fit into the protagonist’s life as he navigates his new world but also are interesting in their own right. Sometimes what I find is that I like the protagonist well enough, but the supporting cast are annoyances to be tolerated or are somehow obstacles to get through. Again, Bateman succeeds here in not giving me a reason to stop at the end of the first book in the series. The supporting cast is a strong one. First there is Sadie, a werewolf who is initially drawn to Gideon because of a talisman in his possession. She is his first source of information into this new world he has been thrust into and at least at the beginning serves as his first guide. Second there is Taeral, a Fae cut off from his home world of Arcadia. Taeral stands as Gideon’s protector and a reluctant teacher, and in many ways he is established as Gideon’s opposite. From his “normal” life, there is Viv, the medical examiner with whom Gideon has worked to solve murders in the past, as well as the aforementioned Abe, Gideon’s mentor and an NYPD homicide detective. Rather than existing as carbon copies of a particular character type, all of the characters are distinct in their identities, at least this is the case in book one. Taeral is probably the character I’m most intrigued by, and I will be interested to see how he is developed as well as how his relationship with Gideon unfolds as the series continues.
The third aspect I’m going to be analyzing when I’m reading the first book in a series is the world building. Bateman doesn’t diverge here in terms of what you might expect from an urban fantasy novel. We have the unknowing human world moving alongside the hidden supernatural world. Bateman locates her world in New York City, and well that’s fine if a bit unoriginal. One thing that does standout about this world in regard to the supernatural is that in this book, the Others (as Bateman calls them) exist on the fringes of society. They are not the wealthy, powerful individuals passing as human as you frequently see in other urban fantasy worlds. Instead, the Others in this world are hunted by the Milus Dei—a secret faction of humans intent upon eradicating the Others from the planet. Of course, this secret society of hunters is not original either, and to be honest, I’m at capacity when it comes to the conventional trope of secret societies hunting paranormal beings. The one reason I wasn’t turned off by the appearance of this trope is that at least it was introduced in the first book of the series. Meaning, I expect to see Milus Dei as a recurring antagonist, instead of being brought in out of nowhere during the middle of the series. Also, from my perspective at the end of the first book of the series, I am setup to cheer on the eventual overthrow and destruction of Milus Dei, but of course, we’ll have to see where Bateman takes it. Overall, though, the world building is enough to keep me interested and there’s nothing that makes me want to stop reading.
Indeed, the book ends in such a way that I want to keep reading the further adventures of Gideon Black. Once I finished the book, I added the next book, Fields of Blood, to my to-be-read list. I’m glad I stumbled upon this book, and it was worth my time and money. If you enjoy urban fantasy and have been looking for a new series to read, I recommend reading Wrong Side of Hell.
Looking for more book reviews? Visit my book blog at doctorlisawrites.com
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