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The Golem Chronicles #1
MudMan
Levi Adams is a soft spoken, middle-aged Mennonite man—at least he tries to be when he’s not murdering people.
Levi’s a golem, a Mudman, crafted from the muck, mire, and corpses of a World War II concentration camp—killing is just a part of his DNA. He doesn’t like it, but unfortunately he’s been saddled with a divine commission to dole out judgment on those who shed innocent blood. After seventy years as a cold-blooded murder machine, however, Levi’s trying to change his grisly nature. And the AA meetings and church services are helping. A little. But when he runs across a wounded girl, Sally Ryder, during one of his “hunting expeditions,” he realizes self-help may have to go on the back burner.
Someone is attempting to revive a pre-Babylonian murder god, and the road to rebirth is paved with dead bodies. Lots and lots of them.
Now, Levi must protect Ryder—the key to an unspeakable resurrection—and defeat a Nazi mage from Levi’s murky past. But the shadowy mage holds a terrible secret about the Mudman’s unorthodox birth, one offering insight into Levi’s morbid compulsion for bloodshed. It’s a secret Levi would pay anything to uncover: maybe even Ryder’s life. If Levi isn’t careful, he may end up turning into the monster he always imagined himself to be.
Levi’s a golem, a Mudman, crafted from the muck, mire, and corpses of a World War II concentration camp—killing is just a part of his DNA. He doesn’t like it, but unfortunately he’s been saddled with a divine commission to dole out judgment on those who shed innocent blood. After seventy years as a cold-blooded murder machine, however, Levi’s trying to change his grisly nature. And the AA meetings and church services are helping. A little. But when he runs across a wounded girl, Sally Ryder, during one of his “hunting expeditions,” he realizes self-help may have to go on the back burner.
Someone is attempting to revive a pre-Babylonian murder god, and the road to rebirth is paved with dead bodies. Lots and lots of them.
Now, Levi must protect Ryder—the key to an unspeakable resurrection—and defeat a Nazi mage from Levi’s murky past. But the shadowy mage holds a terrible secret about the Mudman’s unorthodox birth, one offering insight into Levi’s morbid compulsion for bloodshed. It’s a secret Levi would pay anything to uncover: maybe even Ryder’s life. If Levi isn’t careful, he may end up turning into the monster he always imagined himself to be.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2016
33 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
James A. Hunter
86 books1,114 followersJames Hunter is a full-time ink slinger, a member of SFWA, and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Bibliomancer (The Completionist Chronicles Expanded Universe), and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, an industry leader that specializes in publishing LitRPG, Fantasy, and selection Science Fiction.
James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.
Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com
James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.
Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 18, 2021
3.5 stars. it was violent and pretty nuts. hunter makes use of a lot of different ideologies and ideas to pull this world together. Pretty interesting and different.
Wondering what will happen to Levi next.
Wondering what will happen to Levi next.
March 23, 2016
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/03/2...
Publisher: Shadow Alley
Publishing Date: March 2016
ISBN: 9781530093250
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.4/5
Publishers Description: Levi Adams is a soft spoken, middle-aged Mennonite man—at least he tries to be when he’s not murdering people. Levi’s a golem, a Mudman, crafted from the muck, mire, and corpses of a World War II concentration camp—killing is just a part of his DNA. He doesn’t like it, but unfortunately he’s been saddled with a divine commission to dole out judgment on those who shed innocent blood. After seventy years as a cold-blooded murder machine, however, Levi’s trying to change his grisly nature. And the AA meetings and church services are helping. A little. But when he runs across a wounded girl, Sally Ryder, during one of his “hunting expeditions,” he realizes self-help may have to go on the back burner.
Review: This was a dam fun read with plenty of movement coupled with robust characterization. The fight scenes while long, were varied enough in depth to maintain interest. Sally is a great addition and provides some comic relief in the form of just plain being ornery. The Outworld denizens are creative in design and implementation as is the landscape of that domain.
“So why you no give 5 stars?!” The backstory montage shtick with Sally and Levi got rather lengthy and consistent and IMO, did not contribute to the story line in any meaningful way. You can still create emotional impact with a brief interlude of someone’s past and oftentimes works better than belaboring their past woes. Plus it adds a bit of mystery to the character.
The author asks that if you want to read more about conflicted Muddy, then write about it in a review. I say, “Hell yah!” Bring back Sally Ryder as his hunting partner and lets just see how Cain affected her “being”. Get….IT…NOW!!
Publisher: Shadow Alley
Publishing Date: March 2016
ISBN: 9781530093250
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.4/5
Publishers Description: Levi Adams is a soft spoken, middle-aged Mennonite man—at least he tries to be when he’s not murdering people. Levi’s a golem, a Mudman, crafted from the muck, mire, and corpses of a World War II concentration camp—killing is just a part of his DNA. He doesn’t like it, but unfortunately he’s been saddled with a divine commission to dole out judgment on those who shed innocent blood. After seventy years as a cold-blooded murder machine, however, Levi’s trying to change his grisly nature. And the AA meetings and church services are helping. A little. But when he runs across a wounded girl, Sally Ryder, during one of his “hunting expeditions,” he realizes self-help may have to go on the back burner.
Review: This was a dam fun read with plenty of movement coupled with robust characterization. The fight scenes while long, were varied enough in depth to maintain interest. Sally is a great addition and provides some comic relief in the form of just plain being ornery. The Outworld denizens are creative in design and implementation as is the landscape of that domain.
“So why you no give 5 stars?!” The backstory montage shtick with Sally and Levi got rather lengthy and consistent and IMO, did not contribute to the story line in any meaningful way. You can still create emotional impact with a brief interlude of someone’s past and oftentimes works better than belaboring their past woes. Plus it adds a bit of mystery to the character.
The author asks that if you want to read more about conflicted Muddy, then write about it in a review. I say, “Hell yah!” Bring back Sally Ryder as his hunting partner and lets just see how Cain affected her “being”. Get….IT…NOW!!
February 29, 2016
What I like about James A. Hunter's books are that they start at a lumber and pick up speed until you're really in the swing of things, so you know exactly what's going to happen next. That's when he does something completely unexpected.
If you've already read books like Cold Hearted or Wendigo Rising, you know what to expect. Broken, badass character goes through life crushing bad guys - literally. But while the world of rubes, the Hub, and the preternatural world is the same, Levi isn't Yancy. Levi works for himself and he likes killing. He likes it a lot.
But like all of Hunter's characters, he's got some curves to him, starting with AA meetings, some memory problems, and a host of different mythologies crammed coherently into one epic timeline. It's really not like anything else you've read.
So if you liked Yancy Lazarus, or you're tired of the same old urban fantasy tropes, pick MudMan up. He's more Gospel than Blues and more down to earth than Yancy (for those who've read it, this is a hilarious pun), but you'll find the same originality and introspective honesty that made the Lazarus books so viscerally fun to read.
If you've already read books like Cold Hearted or Wendigo Rising, you know what to expect. Broken, badass character goes through life crushing bad guys - literally. But while the world of rubes, the Hub, and the preternatural world is the same, Levi isn't Yancy. Levi works for himself and he likes killing. He likes it a lot.
But like all of Hunter's characters, he's got some curves to him, starting with AA meetings, some memory problems, and a host of different mythologies crammed coherently into one epic timeline. It's really not like anything else you've read.
So if you liked Yancy Lazarus, or you're tired of the same old urban fantasy tropes, pick MudMan up. He's more Gospel than Blues and more down to earth than Yancy (for those who've read it, this is a hilarious pun), but you'll find the same originality and introspective honesty that made the Lazarus books so viscerally fun to read.
October 10, 2017
I will say first off that I am a huge fan of of this author's Yancy Lazarus urban fantasy books, so when I heard there was a spinoff in the same universe, I just had to check it out. I am glad I did, because this one went in some wild directions even Yancy Lazarus doesn't go! I am now a huge fan of this character as well, and hopefully, you will check it out and discover how good it is!
Levi Adams is trying to be a good person. He goes to church, tries to live a simple Mennonite life, and keeps under the radar. Unfortunately, he has an unfortunate addiction: murder. Well, not just any murder. You see, since awakening in a shallow pit grave in a death camp in Nazi Germany, Levi, who is a stone golem, has been killing bad guys ever since, starting with the Nazi scum murderers. Levi just want to live in peace now, to atone for his "sins", but sometimes he just needs to kill bad guys. To do that, he goes into The Sprawl , the secret home of the supernatural. There, he can find monsters aplenty doing evil deeds they need to be killed for.
While doing a little seasonal cleanup by murder of some Kobocs, some evil little blue skinned monsters, Levi, also known as Mudman, comes across their shaman about to perform a human sacrifice. The sacrifice, Sally Ryder, is on deaths doorstep when Levi uses his own blood, the elixir of life, to save her. After a hair raising escape, Levi and Sally are off to try and figure out whey Sally was being sacrificed. The answer is terrifying. Someone is trying to break a hugely powerful biblical baddie from the ancient high tech prison in the far end of the Sprawl's wasteland. This does lead to the origin of Atlantis, which was a great shock of a scene. After Sally is recaptured and the ritual is then attempted, Levi and some new allies break in to attempt to stop what will basically lead to an apocalyptic event. Levi also discovers who his creator was, and it is not at all who he expected, although if you have read the Yancy Lazarus books, you will know who it is. Levi has to make some sacrifices if he want to have any chance of stopping these threats, and its a close run thing. Levi has to determine if he will be what he was truly created to be, or if he is a free thinking creature, regardless of instincts. The climactic battle basically determines Levi's course for the rest of his existence.
Like all his book, James Hunter really lavishes attention on his characters. Well described and drawn out, you can really get into their thoughts and motivations. Especially with Levi, you can feel his struggle to fight his instincts to be a monster killing machine, that he feels true guilt and remorse for all those he has killed since he was created. OK, maybe not the Nazis so much, but the others. Their physical descriptions are also top notch. You can really see Levi in his multiple forms in your head, as if he was standing right next to you, as well as Sally, or Dr. Hogg.
The setting, the world building, is an extension of the Yancy Lazarus books, taken in new directions. The prison setting was especially creative, as were its guardians. The underground Koboc Warrens are well described, and not something you'd see in the Lazarus books, because no way would a human, even a mage, want to go down there. Levi, though, can go where others can't. All in all, an excellent addition to this universe.
The narration was handled by Armen Taylor, who also narrated the author's Viridion Gate LitRPG series. He brings a real voice to the monster that is Levi. Speaking without a lot of inflection without becoming monotone is tough, but he hits just the right notes bringing Levi to life. His voice work with the other characters, whether it be Sally Ryder, Dr. Hogg or even the
villain, was all spot on, and really got you into what the characters were doing. Definitely a top notch effort.
If you have read the Yancy Lazarus books, this book should have a familiar feeling, while bringing in all new elements that flesh out the universe. It hits all the right notes, and makes you want to see what comes next, something every author should hope for. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Levi Adams is trying to be a good person. He goes to church, tries to live a simple Mennonite life, and keeps under the radar. Unfortunately, he has an unfortunate addiction: murder. Well, not just any murder. You see, since awakening in a shallow pit grave in a death camp in Nazi Germany, Levi, who is a stone golem, has been killing bad guys ever since, starting with the Nazi scum murderers. Levi just want to live in peace now, to atone for his "sins", but sometimes he just needs to kill bad guys. To do that, he goes into The Sprawl , the secret home of the supernatural. There, he can find monsters aplenty doing evil deeds they need to be killed for.
While doing a little seasonal cleanup by murder of some Kobocs, some evil little blue skinned monsters, Levi, also known as Mudman, comes across their shaman about to perform a human sacrifice. The sacrifice, Sally Ryder, is on deaths doorstep when Levi uses his own blood, the elixir of life, to save her. After a hair raising escape, Levi and Sally are off to try and figure out whey Sally was being sacrificed. The answer is terrifying. Someone is trying to break a hugely powerful biblical baddie from the ancient high tech prison in the far end of the Sprawl's wasteland. This does lead to the origin of Atlantis, which was a great shock of a scene. After Sally is recaptured and the ritual is then attempted, Levi and some new allies break in to attempt to stop what will basically lead to an apocalyptic event. Levi also discovers who his creator was, and it is not at all who he expected, although if you have read the Yancy Lazarus books, you will know who it is. Levi has to make some sacrifices if he want to have any chance of stopping these threats, and its a close run thing. Levi has to determine if he will be what he was truly created to be, or if he is a free thinking creature, regardless of instincts. The climactic battle basically determines Levi's course for the rest of his existence.
Like all his book, James Hunter really lavishes attention on his characters. Well described and drawn out, you can really get into their thoughts and motivations. Especially with Levi, you can feel his struggle to fight his instincts to be a monster killing machine, that he feels true guilt and remorse for all those he has killed since he was created. OK, maybe not the Nazis so much, but the others. Their physical descriptions are also top notch. You can really see Levi in his multiple forms in your head, as if he was standing right next to you, as well as Sally, or Dr. Hogg.
The setting, the world building, is an extension of the Yancy Lazarus books, taken in new directions. The prison setting was especially creative, as were its guardians. The underground Koboc Warrens are well described, and not something you'd see in the Lazarus books, because no way would a human, even a mage, want to go down there. Levi, though, can go where others can't. All in all, an excellent addition to this universe.
The narration was handled by Armen Taylor, who also narrated the author's Viridion Gate LitRPG series. He brings a real voice to the monster that is Levi. Speaking without a lot of inflection without becoming monotone is tough, but he hits just the right notes bringing Levi to life. His voice work with the other characters, whether it be Sally Ryder, Dr. Hogg or even the
villain, was all spot on, and really got you into what the characters were doing. Definitely a top notch effort.
If you have read the Yancy Lazarus books, this book should have a familiar feeling, while bringing in all new elements that flesh out the universe. It hits all the right notes, and makes you want to see what comes next, something every author should hope for. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
October 29, 2023
A golem has been created out of the dead body parts of the victims of WW2, and he wakes up in a mass grave surrounded by those whose souls now reside in him, and he is angry and out for vengeance for those who have been so cruelly slaughtered. However though this is what Levi has been created for he is fed up of being just a crazy killing machine, and he seeks redemption in order to save his own soul. He becomes a Mennonite and works hard at community work and attending bible services, however he often gets flashbacks of torture those inhabiting his body suffered at the hands of the Nazis, and his bloodlust rises once again demanding murder. Then he happens upon a ritual being carried out by Kabocks, and he sees a young woman tied to an altar of the evil God those of the Kabock Nation worship. He knows he has to intervene to save the woman, Ryder, and that his redemption has to wait, as he feels that answers he has been seeking might very well be tied to this woman and this ritual. I loved this book so much, as Levi works so hard to become a good creature and to fight his own creator who was behind all the evil, and who was doing his utmost to unleash upon the world an evil God who was best left incarcerated forever. Can Levi keep Ryder and the rest of the world safe from what was being planned for all of them? I hope there is a follow up to this book as I really love this Golem and the fantastical adventures he embarked on in the outworld!
August 7, 2019
This book has a lot to love in it, which is marred by a few (quite fixable) flaws. The magic system, wider world, combat and descriptions are all great. They allowed me to finish this book and check for book two, which sadly has not been written yet. I love the guide.
What would benefit from another draft here:
1. Remove the preface
2. Eliminate one of the two early scenes of waking in the camp for the first time, they are redundant.
3. Go over the sizes of the Golem and monsters again to make the scales make sense, the Golem should be larger than 7 feet tall for the story to make sense.
4. Make the Golem's quests more puzzle pieces coming together like Davinci Code/a detective story.
5. Give Sally agency, she makes almost no decisions.
6. The narration is not different enough between Golem and other POVs. The narration flits between omniscient and 3rd person.
Good work!
Please write sequels :)
What would benefit from another draft here:
1. Remove the preface
2. Eliminate one of the two early scenes of waking in the camp for the first time, they are redundant.
3. Go over the sizes of the Golem and monsters again to make the scales make sense, the Golem should be larger than 7 feet tall for the story to make sense.
4. Make the Golem's quests more puzzle pieces coming together like Davinci Code/a detective story.
5. Give Sally agency, she makes almost no decisions.
6. The narration is not different enough between Golem and other POVs. The narration flits between omniscient and 3rd person.
Good work!
Please write sequels :)
February 26, 2024
I really like Hunter's Yancy Lazarus series, but the MudMan fell just a bit flat because Levi, the MudMan, is not nearly as likeable as Yancy. If I had to nitpick more, I would say the story got a little wordy in places, almost like the author knew Levi needed more character development to try and make him more human/likeable.
December 4, 2018
Levi's story
This was not just a tale for us to learn about how Levi came to be, but a journey for Levi to find the truth behind his existence and for him to learn from past mistakes.
This was not just a tale for us to learn about how Levi came to be, but a journey for Levi to find the truth behind his existence and for him to learn from past mistakes.
May 6, 2017
Very creative story with plenty of action and intrigue. First rate storytelling I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to more stories from the Mudman!
November 14, 2017
Good read
James Hunter has again created a very lovable character in a very good novel. I look forward to reading more about Levi the mudman
James Hunter has again created a very lovable character in a very good novel. I look forward to reading more about Levi the mudman
March 2, 2018
a little preachy, gives good back ground for his other story
February 13, 2019
Vengence and redemption
Great storytelling with some very interesting characters. Dark and violent, funny and engaging.
Great storytelling with some very interesting characters. Dark and violent, funny and engaging.
September 8, 2016
***This book was reviewed via Netgalley***
Hunter’s Mudman is a timeless tale of striving against evil. Levi is a mudman- a golem- who was created in the death camps of Nazi Germany, infused with the desire to kill those who torment and torture the innocent. Sixty years on, Levi still lives, continuing to carry out his grim task wherever it takes him.
During one such escapade, Levi finds Ryder, a young woman in need of rescue. This sets Levi on a path that takes him from Inworld Earth to the parallel dimensions of the Hub and Outworld, on a quest to stop the release of a dangerous elder demigod, and to find answers to his own existence.
Levi is the quintessential anti-hero. Initially, there's not much to love about this gruff man with a tortured path. He's an antisocial killer. Granted he's driven to kill by the commands of his creation, yet, like Hannibal Lecter and Dexter Morgan, Levi kills those who deserve it. Shadowing his path, the reader walks the grim darkness with an avatar of vengeance. Or be it justice truly? Who can say? For me, Levi is an avatar of personal destruction, fueled by fierce, consuming nauthiz energy.
Dexter finds his victims through his job as a forensics analyst. Levi finds them because he can sense the evil staining their auras. Thanks to his ability to work with earth and to shift his form, it's easy for him to get away with the murders he himself carries out. As the story progresses, Levi’s interactions with Ryder begin to humanise him in ways his previous attempts could not have. Besides Levi's growth, his dubious guide Chuck also goes through a psychological shift that gives him a boost of courage, and a measure of loyalty to people fast becoming friends of a sort.
I found Hunter’s descriptions to be fresh, rather than falling back on comparisons more common, which added to my reading pleasure. There were also several descriptions that terrified me, especially the flesh golem and the human-bred homunculus. They actually found their way into my dreams.
There were a few small grammar/spelling errors. Most were unnoticeable unless you are reading with an eye to that. The only biggy is a misspelling of Birkenau in chapter 5. Also, in chapter 9 is a reference to the heart replenishing blood, an error only noticeable to picky med people- bone marrow is responsible for replenishing blood lost. In chapter 11, there is a part where the text goes all bolded for no reason
Hunter’s Mudman is a timeless tale of striving against evil. Levi is a mudman- a golem- who was created in the death camps of Nazi Germany, infused with the desire to kill those who torment and torture the innocent. Sixty years on, Levi still lives, continuing to carry out his grim task wherever it takes him.
During one such escapade, Levi finds Ryder, a young woman in need of rescue. This sets Levi on a path that takes him from Inworld Earth to the parallel dimensions of the Hub and Outworld, on a quest to stop the release of a dangerous elder demigod, and to find answers to his own existence.
Levi is the quintessential anti-hero. Initially, there's not much to love about this gruff man with a tortured path. He's an antisocial killer. Granted he's driven to kill by the commands of his creation, yet, like Hannibal Lecter and Dexter Morgan, Levi kills those who deserve it. Shadowing his path, the reader walks the grim darkness with an avatar of vengeance. Or be it justice truly? Who can say? For me, Levi is an avatar of personal destruction, fueled by fierce, consuming nauthiz energy.
Dexter finds his victims through his job as a forensics analyst. Levi finds them because he can sense the evil staining their auras. Thanks to his ability to work with earth and to shift his form, it's easy for him to get away with the murders he himself carries out. As the story progresses, Levi’s interactions with Ryder begin to humanise him in ways his previous attempts could not have. Besides Levi's growth, his dubious guide Chuck also goes through a psychological shift that gives him a boost of courage, and a measure of loyalty to people fast becoming friends of a sort.
I found Hunter’s descriptions to be fresh, rather than falling back on comparisons more common, which added to my reading pleasure. There were also several descriptions that terrified me, especially the flesh golem and the human-bred homunculus. They actually found their way into my dreams.
There were a few small grammar/spelling errors. Most were unnoticeable unless you are reading with an eye to that. The only biggy is a misspelling of Birkenau in chapter 5. Also, in chapter 9 is a reference to the heart replenishing blood, an error only noticeable to picky med people- bone marrow is responsible for replenishing blood lost. In chapter 11, there is a part where the text goes all bolded for no reason
March 25, 2016
Mud maketh the man.
Set in a world where magic and the supernatural hide just out of view, Mudman is a dark and suspenseful tale of rage, hatred, and bloody revenge. But, perhaps, more importantly, it is the tale of one creature’s struggle to break that cycle, and find peace.
I say creature, because Levi Adams isn’t human. He’s a Golem – a construct given life by the sacrifice and death of countless others, and, oh yeah, he’s addicted to murder. Able to take human form, he’s trying to rehabilitate himself. He attends church, tries to do good things in order to atone, but he was built to kill.
The story starts in ‘Outworld’, a realm, or dimension, connected to Earth and yet hidden from the likes of you and I. Levi needs a fix. But his drug of choice is not the innocent, he prefers his victims tainted. Levi hunts evil, and Outworld is full of murderous, inhuman monsters, which to Levi, is like bread to a staving man. During a hunt, a binge to slake his thirst for death, Levi stumbles upon a sick ritual. Among the littered corpses, one survivor – a young woman with her own demons, by the name of Sally Ryder – lies bound to an altar raised to dark forces.
The ritual sparks a memory buried deep inside Levi, one which may hold the chilling secret of his grim creation. And, together with Ryder, he sets out to uncover the truth. Levi’s journey takes him to some dark, dark places, not just in Outworld, but also within himself.
Mudman is set in the same world as J. A. Hunter’s Yancy Lazarus series. But where Yancy’s a fast-talking, irreverent, good-time-kind-of-guy, Levi is a more stoic man of bloody business. Definitely one for the adults, I would recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of fantasy, action, horror, or just good writing. With superb characters full of pathos, and rich vivid settings that show a truly great imagination at work, Mudman is, I hope (HINT, HINT!), the start of a fantastic new series, by an excellent author.
Set in a world where magic and the supernatural hide just out of view, Mudman is a dark and suspenseful tale of rage, hatred, and bloody revenge. But, perhaps, more importantly, it is the tale of one creature’s struggle to break that cycle, and find peace.
I say creature, because Levi Adams isn’t human. He’s a Golem – a construct given life by the sacrifice and death of countless others, and, oh yeah, he’s addicted to murder. Able to take human form, he’s trying to rehabilitate himself. He attends church, tries to do good things in order to atone, but he was built to kill.
The story starts in ‘Outworld’, a realm, or dimension, connected to Earth and yet hidden from the likes of you and I. Levi needs a fix. But his drug of choice is not the innocent, he prefers his victims tainted. Levi hunts evil, and Outworld is full of murderous, inhuman monsters, which to Levi, is like bread to a staving man. During a hunt, a binge to slake his thirst for death, Levi stumbles upon a sick ritual. Among the littered corpses, one survivor – a young woman with her own demons, by the name of Sally Ryder – lies bound to an altar raised to dark forces.
The ritual sparks a memory buried deep inside Levi, one which may hold the chilling secret of his grim creation. And, together with Ryder, he sets out to uncover the truth. Levi’s journey takes him to some dark, dark places, not just in Outworld, but also within himself.
Mudman is set in the same world as J. A. Hunter’s Yancy Lazarus series. But where Yancy’s a fast-talking, irreverent, good-time-kind-of-guy, Levi is a more stoic man of bloody business. Definitely one for the adults, I would recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of fantasy, action, horror, or just good writing. With superb characters full of pathos, and rich vivid settings that show a truly great imagination at work, Mudman is, I hope (HINT, HINT!), the start of a fantastic new series, by an excellent author.
March 10, 2016
Dude, did you not read the description? Why are you reading reviews when you could be reading this book?!
The cover calls Levi "a different kind of hero," and there's no doubt that he has some totally nuts powers that UF junkies have never seen before. He's for darn sure not your standard suave anti-hero flipping his pretty-boy hair out of his eyes and slinging some fancy, sparkly magic at the problem. Levi is all mud and earth and ichor. He's not afraid to get dirty. He did, after all, crawl out of a muddy mass grave in a WWII concentration camp ready to give murderers a taste of their own medicine.
Is that a smile on your face? It's one on mine. And just wait 'til you meet Ryder and Chuck. You're going to love them!
In Mudman, Hunter's writing clicks in a way that's incredibly satisfying. The prose in Levi's chapters reflect the element he comes from—steadfast, solid, and straightforward. The prose in Ryder's sections reflect her personality--scattered, scared, but with a backbone of steel. It's beautiful on a technical level and, by the end, on an emotional level.
Mudman contains some nastier than nasty bad guys, crazypants fight scenes, and some freaking incredible lore from every religion and corner of the globe—there are even a few cameos by some of Yancy Lazarus's old allies and enemies—but at its heart, Levi's story is about redemption. He wants to be good, he wants to do what's right. He just has to figure out what right is and how to reconcile that with his desire to clobber murderers to death. For a story about a golem, it's surprisingly human.
There are a ton of satisfying character arcs in Mudman, and so much of the expected unexpected that I don't want to say too much and spoil anything for you. But I will say this: If you read this book and come away completely unchanged and unmoved, then you'd better check your pulse.
The cover calls Levi "a different kind of hero," and there's no doubt that he has some totally nuts powers that UF junkies have never seen before. He's for darn sure not your standard suave anti-hero flipping his pretty-boy hair out of his eyes and slinging some fancy, sparkly magic at the problem. Levi is all mud and earth and ichor. He's not afraid to get dirty. He did, after all, crawl out of a muddy mass grave in a WWII concentration camp ready to give murderers a taste of their own medicine.
Is that a smile on your face? It's one on mine. And just wait 'til you meet Ryder and Chuck. You're going to love them!
In Mudman, Hunter's writing clicks in a way that's incredibly satisfying. The prose in Levi's chapters reflect the element he comes from—steadfast, solid, and straightforward. The prose in Ryder's sections reflect her personality--scattered, scared, but with a backbone of steel. It's beautiful on a technical level and, by the end, on an emotional level.
Mudman contains some nastier than nasty bad guys, crazypants fight scenes, and some freaking incredible lore from every religion and corner of the globe—there are even a few cameos by some of Yancy Lazarus's old allies and enemies—but at its heart, Levi's story is about redemption. He wants to be good, he wants to do what's right. He just has to figure out what right is and how to reconcile that with his desire to clobber murderers to death. For a story about a golem, it's surprisingly human.
There are a ton of satisfying character arcs in Mudman, and so much of the expected unexpected that I don't want to say too much and spoil anything for you. But I will say this: If you read this book and come away completely unchanged and unmoved, then you'd better check your pulse.
March 9, 2016
***for full review go to www.onebooktwo.com***
First of all, this is a urban fantasy adventure. No sex and no cliffhanger. The bad guys are vanquished…for now. There is lots of death and dismemberment, but when in Levi’s world, it takes a lot to survive.
The cover says it all. The MudMan is a new kind of hero. From his beginnings, Levi was made for revenge. Somewhere along the way he developed a sentience. He doesn’t want to kill, so he tries to make himself abandon instinct and move toward a cleaner way of living. That takes strength and a lot of determination.
Levi has an enormous amount of humility. He doesn’t present himself as a savior, he’s just doing the right thing. He’s uncovering a nasty plot of a recurring enemy in the Yancy Lazarus world, Hogg. Levi is very serious but the author threw Chuck in the mix to add levity. Chuck MacLeti, the leprechaun, quickly attracted my attention from the first fist bump (don’t worry Yancy, my heart still belongs to you..) The situation is dire and something has to be done. Levi could leave the problem for someone else, but he teams up to take down the bad guys. He saves who he can from the horrible experimentation that is reminiscent of the people that were used together to create him. It’s not a funny story. It’s not a fluffy story, but it’s a darn good action adventure story with a unsuspecting superhero. Levi is a great character with plodding intensity and fierce reputation. I would like to see more from his world, his exploits and his fight to maintain his focus.
First of all, this is a urban fantasy adventure. No sex and no cliffhanger. The bad guys are vanquished…for now. There is lots of death and dismemberment, but when in Levi’s world, it takes a lot to survive.
The cover says it all. The MudMan is a new kind of hero. From his beginnings, Levi was made for revenge. Somewhere along the way he developed a sentience. He doesn’t want to kill, so he tries to make himself abandon instinct and move toward a cleaner way of living. That takes strength and a lot of determination.
Levi has an enormous amount of humility. He doesn’t present himself as a savior, he’s just doing the right thing. He’s uncovering a nasty plot of a recurring enemy in the Yancy Lazarus world, Hogg. Levi is very serious but the author threw Chuck in the mix to add levity. Chuck MacLeti, the leprechaun, quickly attracted my attention from the first fist bump (don’t worry Yancy, my heart still belongs to you..) The situation is dire and something has to be done. Levi could leave the problem for someone else, but he teams up to take down the bad guys. He saves who he can from the horrible experimentation that is reminiscent of the people that were used together to create him. It’s not a funny story. It’s not a fluffy story, but it’s a darn good action adventure story with a unsuspecting superhero. Levi is a great character with plodding intensity and fierce reputation. I would like to see more from his world, his exploits and his fight to maintain his focus.
March 31, 2016
MudMan by James A. Hunter is a fantastic new book, I hope the first in a series, about a golem made for revenge and destruction but developed a conscience. There is lots of action, adventure, fantasy, humor, great dialogue, and surprises along the way. Levi, the golem, is trying to stay good by not killing bad things but is on a killing binge when he finds a girl being tortured by a sorcerer. He rescues her, twice, and then wants to get to the bottom of why they are after her. He asks for the aid of a Leprechaun, who can turn invisible, a black, over 6' Leprechaun! This is his team now to solve the riddle. Levi is also a shape-shifter which helps to live a daily life when in this world when he isn't bingeing. It is great. I can't wait to read book 2. I won this book on Goodreads and boy am I glad I did! Thanks!!! Great stuff.
May 11, 2016
Levi Adams is a shape shifting golem who in his human form goes to AA meetings and church services trying to rid himself of his cold-blooded murdering ways. It's not an easy thing to do. When his path crosses that of Sally Ryder a wounded girl in need of saving from some nasty creatures they start on a mission with the aid of Chuck a street wise six and a half foot tall black guy who is a halfie one half of which is leprechaun makin him the tallest leprechaun ever. They hope to find out why these creatures want Sally and maybe some how and why about Levi who doesn't know how he came to be, they find much more. Didn't think I would like this book that much when I started it but turns out I liked it a lot. Great characters, good story. You can't judge a book by only reading part of it!
June 17, 2016
MudMan is an urban fantasy about a golem trying to fit in to the world of humans, struggling against his nature to be an exterminator of evil-doers. There are a lot of comic book style battles that are well described and exciting. On the surface this sounds like something I would love. While I liked parts of it, on the whole it felt very long and overwritten. As an example, there is one battle that is described twice from two different characters point of view. There was nothing new learned in the second description and it became tedious.
As a fast paced action film or comic book MudMan would have worked better for me. As a novel, I found myself checking how much I had left to read quite often. 2.5 stars.
As a fast paced action film or comic book MudMan would have worked better for me. As a novel, I found myself checking how much I had left to read quite often. 2.5 stars.
April 19, 2016
Fulfilling read
There are tons of books written about supernatural beings, the majority currently focusing on zombies and vampires, so it was intriguing to come across this little gem.
It's about a golem. And it is a very fun little read. Nice characterization, interesting world and mechanics that form the structure of the story. A quarter of the way through the book I started hoping that the author would add on to the world and flesh out the other creatures and characters and places that are part of this story.
Mr. Hunter......I NEED more of the Hub and Chuck! Not to mention Levi, the Mudman.
There are tons of books written about supernatural beings, the majority currently focusing on zombies and vampires, so it was intriguing to come across this little gem.
It's about a golem. And it is a very fun little read. Nice characterization, interesting world and mechanics that form the structure of the story. A quarter of the way through the book I started hoping that the author would add on to the world and flesh out the other creatures and characters and places that are part of this story.
Mr. Hunter......I NEED more of the Hub and Chuck! Not to mention Levi, the Mudman.
March 10, 2016
The narration was so damn epic and amazing. Words can't express, how I got to enjoy the life of a killing machine with a conscience. MudMan or Levi gets to struggle himself, just to be humane. That's the thing that I like about him and the story. Likewise, I am expecting more stories of the Mudman or the Golem Chronicles within the days to come. Thanks, James.
May 31, 2020
Fantastic New series
Mudman is the first book in this creative New series. I liked it very much. Great characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing all the way to the end. This is an outstanding, innovative effort. Looking forward to more.
I have purchased all of James Hunters books and am a fellow Shellback initiant.
Mudman is the first book in this creative New series. I liked it very much. Great characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing all the way to the end. This is an outstanding, innovative effort. Looking forward to more.
I have purchased all of James Hunters books and am a fellow Shellback initiant.
June 17, 2016
This book couldn't be further away from my usual reading material. I'm not even sure why I asked to read it. That said, Wow! I will definitely be giving this genre a good looking at and reading some more. It was far fetched, fantastical totally believable all rolled into one. I really enjoyed it.
Curtesy of NetGalley
Curtesy of NetGalley
August 1, 2016
Unusual hero (?)... nothing else noteworthy
Protag et al should be killed endless times, but arent, because... dunno...just arent. Sue me. Plot blah blah, Nazis, blah...free Kindle Unlimited, still barely finished, Klotsa religious references, no real contribution to plot, characters... another mediocre effort...
Protag et al should be killed endless times, but arent, because... dunno...just arent. Sue me. Plot blah blah, Nazis, blah...free Kindle Unlimited, still barely finished, Klotsa religious references, no real contribution to plot, characters... another mediocre effort...
November 19, 2023
Fast paced urban fantasy with golem as a hero. Characters' ethical dilemmas and non stereotypical behavior make them feel real and connectable enriching readers' enjoyable adventure experience even further.
March 20, 2016
Couldn't put it down.
Interesting story. I Don't think I've run across one like this before. Hope to see more Levi in the future.
Interesting story. I Don't think I've run across one like this before. Hope to see more Levi in the future.
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