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Hellgate: London #1
Изходът
Лондон. Процъфтяващият някога град сега лежи в руини. Светът — такъв, какъвто го познаваме, няма бъдеще. Адска порта е зейнала към нашата реалност и бълва демони — създания, които сме виждали само в кошмарите си. На прага на Апокалипсиса, човечеството е принудено да потърси убежище под земята.
Сред оцелелите са войнствените тамплиери, очаквали от години нашествието, и кабалистите, които се опитват да подчинят тъмните сили, за да усъвършенстват човешката природа. Сега всички те, въоръжени с футуристични оръжия или със силата на тайнствена магия, се събират в мрака, обединени от обща цел — спасяването на света от демонските орди.
Сред оцелелите са войнствените тамплиери, очаквали от години нашествието, и кабалистите, които се опитват да подчинят тъмните сили, за да усъвършенстват човешката природа. Сега всички те, въоръжени с футуристични оръжия или със силата на тайнствена магия, се събират в мрака, обединени от обща цел — спасяването на света от демонските орди.
496 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2008
28 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Mel Odom
281 books273 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
aka Jordan Gray
Mel Odom is a bestselling writer for hire for Wizards of the Coast's Forgotten Realms, Gold Eagle's Mack Bolan, and Pocket's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel book lines. His debut SF novel Lethal Interface made the Locus recommended list . The Rover was an Alyx Award winner. He has also written a scientific adventure of the high seas set in the 19th century entitled Hunters of the Dark Sea. He lives in Oklahoma.
aka Jordan Gray
Mel Odom is a bestselling writer for hire for Wizards of the Coast's Forgotten Realms, Gold Eagle's Mack Bolan, and Pocket's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel book lines. His debut SF novel Lethal Interface made the Locus recommended list . The Rover was an Alyx Award winner. He has also written a scientific adventure of the high seas set in the 19th century entitled Hunters of the Dark Sea. He lives in Oklahoma.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 16, 2009
Important thing before I begin my review... you do NOT need to know the game in order to get sucked into the atmosphere of this book. It is not necessary.
Hellgate: London is an MORPG that has died down since it first came out in... well hell I don't even know. It's not exactly the crown jewel of computer games so I don't know much of it. I picked up this book on a whim at a Borders and did a quick scan of the first chapter. That was enough to have me glued to the pages. Mel Odom doesn't ease the reader into the setting of Hellgate but rather pushes the reader off a cliff straight into the confusing mass of burning buildings and hordes of invading monsters overpowering a group of tachno savvy knights known as the Templar. you follow one of these characters as he fights for his life beside his ever diminishing comrades. You then delve deeper into the Hellgate territories as the story splits in two and one side is a Templar warrior while the other is a young man that's learning more and more about an odd power he posesses. The only down side is that the pace is very erratic at best and at times you'll reach a mini climax only to have the story switch on you to the other character and come back to a mundane action after what should have been a very thrilling moment. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for an action/suspense novel. It's a 1 of 3, but I have no interest in the other 2.
Hellgate: London is an MORPG that has died down since it first came out in... well hell I don't even know. It's not exactly the crown jewel of computer games so I don't know much of it. I picked up this book on a whim at a Borders and did a quick scan of the first chapter. That was enough to have me glued to the pages. Mel Odom doesn't ease the reader into the setting of Hellgate but rather pushes the reader off a cliff straight into the confusing mass of burning buildings and hordes of invading monsters overpowering a group of tachno savvy knights known as the Templar. you follow one of these characters as he fights for his life beside his ever diminishing comrades. You then delve deeper into the Hellgate territories as the story splits in two and one side is a Templar warrior while the other is a young man that's learning more and more about an odd power he posesses. The only down side is that the pace is very erratic at best and at times you'll reach a mini climax only to have the story switch on you to the other character and come back to a mundane action after what should have been a very thrilling moment. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for an action/suspense novel. It's a 1 of 3, but I have no interest in the other 2.
October 9, 2007
I picked this book up because of my massive excitement for the soon to be released game Hellgate: London. I must admit I was skeptical when I found out Mel Odom wrote a bunch of Sabrina the Teenage Witch books, and was anxious to see how this book would read. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I was hooked.
This unique near-modern sci-fi/fantasy setting is wonderfully entertaining. Odom's style is clean, crisp, and appropriately brutal at times. His characters are quite deep and interesting, the cabalist Warren in particular.
My only complaint about the book. It was too short! I blew through it in no time.
This unique near-modern sci-fi/fantasy setting is wonderfully entertaining. Odom's style is clean, crisp, and appropriately brutal at times. His characters are quite deep and interesting, the cabalist Warren in particular.
My only complaint about the book. It was too short! I blew through it in no time.
September 19, 2007
This book portrays an interesting twist to the more apocalyptic humanity sci - fi, instead of aliens wiping us out, it was demons, and just in case ur wondering about angels (since theortically demons are th opposites of angels, hell to heaven, etc) they are no where to be seen at the current time.
Its about humanity trying to survive hell on earth, and it also portrays human nature, our stubborness and intolerance prevents the 3 main factions of humans form uniting againist a common enemy. The book itself is made of unique characters with interesting backgrounds and an extensive plot that draws in the readers. Readers that are interested in characters, plot lines, action, deeper meaning, or just for the game itself will probably get a good run for this book.
Link to a trailer for the game:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/22...
Its about humanity trying to survive hell on earth, and it also portrays human nature, our stubborness and intolerance prevents the 3 main factions of humans form uniting againist a common enemy. The book itself is made of unique characters with interesting backgrounds and an extensive plot that draws in the readers. Readers that are interested in characters, plot lines, action, deeper meaning, or just for the game itself will probably get a good run for this book.
Link to a trailer for the game:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/22...
April 3, 2010
If you ever played the computer game and wondered what it's all about story wise, read this and the other two books, then the whole thing makes sence!. I loved this trilogy and found it impossable to put down.
July 7, 2016
Gripping until the end. Easy to follow even if I'm unfamiliar with the game.
June 25, 2021
Hellgate: Exodus by Mel Odom is a video game tiein novel based of the 2007 post-apocalyptic PC game “Hellgate: London”. Set in a Near future earth, in the year 2038. A rift in reality has opened in the skies over London, England, and in comes a horde of horrifying creatures that methodically and rapidly devastate the city, killing anyone they catch and transforming areas of London into a nightmarish swamp of bubbling acid pools. They seem unstoppable.
But is it true that no was prepared for this to happen? It turns out that at least two groups were indeed prepared. During the time of the Crusades, there were stories of demons appearing and joining the battle between the Christians and the Moslems, capitalizing on the existing mayhem and killing participants on both sides. In response, the Knights Templar, entrusted with finding and guarding the Holy Grail, also began preparing for a possible return of these demons. Even though the Templars were officially disbanded centuries ago, they did not just cease to exist. Instead, they went underground, continued to train in battle skills, studied what little was known of the demons and worked on enhancing their skills and their weapons with religiously-based magic.
The Knights Templar were not alone, though, in their interest in the demons. Another group, the Cabalists, were fascinated with them. The Cabalists did not view the demons as evil opponents of humanity, but as powerful beings from another realm that were highly dangerous but could also be the source of powerful information that might elevate humanity to a new stage of development. The Cabalists also studied the demons, practiced dark magics and awaited their coming.
When the demons began pouring through the rift, nicknamed the Hellgate, the Knights Templar emerged from hiding and tried to defeat them along with the conventional military forces. Neither was successful, but neither was eliminated. The Cabalists also stepped out of the shadows to some extent and began avidly studying the demons, as much as they could without getting mangled, dismembered and eaten.
Hellgate: London: Exodus is the first book in a trilogy, telling the tale of the arrival of the demons and humanity's varying responses to their presence. The story focuses mainly on two main characters: Simon, a young Templar Knight who had forsaken his vows and training, but returns when the arrival of the demons proves his years of training were not pointless, as he had thought; and Warren, a basically good young man with a troubled past and significant emotional baggage, who initially spends time with the Cabalists but is eventually wooed by a powerful demon who wants to use Warren in exchange for tremendous power and status.
The Templars do not trust the Cabalists, as they see them as sympathetic toward the demons and naively over-confident about trying to learn from and maybe even control them. The Cabalists distrust the Templars, whom they see as too willing to throw away a potential boon to mankind. The Templars do not fully trust Simon, as he once turned from them, and Simon sees the Templar hierarchy as too rigid and not focused enough on saving the innocent. Warren initially sides with the Cabalists; he does not want to be totally seduced by the evil of the demon that seeks to use him, but can he ignore what the demon can give him in return?
Even amongst the demons, there is not a uniform force. There are hints of internal power-plays, sectarian conflicts and the underlying questions of where they are from and whether they came here or were sent, and why.
I have read several of Mel Odom's books, including The Quest for the Trilogy and several Rogue Angel books (written under the name Alex Archer), and all of them feature interesting, non-standard characters who have definite quirks. All of the books feature complex plots involving different factions that are not clearly good or evil. Hellgate: London: Exodus fits these descriptions well, but with no feel of being formulaic or worked from a template.
Overall, Odom provides a complicated plot, rich with detail and populated by three-dimensional characters, yet the pace remains quite fast, with no slow spots. Some of the action scenes are almost overwhelming, especially near the end of the book. Another aspect I like is the characters have moments of reflection during which they work to reconcile what they are doing with what they believe.
But is it true that no was prepared for this to happen? It turns out that at least two groups were indeed prepared. During the time of the Crusades, there were stories of demons appearing and joining the battle between the Christians and the Moslems, capitalizing on the existing mayhem and killing participants on both sides. In response, the Knights Templar, entrusted with finding and guarding the Holy Grail, also began preparing for a possible return of these demons. Even though the Templars were officially disbanded centuries ago, they did not just cease to exist. Instead, they went underground, continued to train in battle skills, studied what little was known of the demons and worked on enhancing their skills and their weapons with religiously-based magic.
The Knights Templar were not alone, though, in their interest in the demons. Another group, the Cabalists, were fascinated with them. The Cabalists did not view the demons as evil opponents of humanity, but as powerful beings from another realm that were highly dangerous but could also be the source of powerful information that might elevate humanity to a new stage of development. The Cabalists also studied the demons, practiced dark magics and awaited their coming.
When the demons began pouring through the rift, nicknamed the Hellgate, the Knights Templar emerged from hiding and tried to defeat them along with the conventional military forces. Neither was successful, but neither was eliminated. The Cabalists also stepped out of the shadows to some extent and began avidly studying the demons, as much as they could without getting mangled, dismembered and eaten.
Hellgate: London: Exodus is the first book in a trilogy, telling the tale of the arrival of the demons and humanity's varying responses to their presence. The story focuses mainly on two main characters: Simon, a young Templar Knight who had forsaken his vows and training, but returns when the arrival of the demons proves his years of training were not pointless, as he had thought; and Warren, a basically good young man with a troubled past and significant emotional baggage, who initially spends time with the Cabalists but is eventually wooed by a powerful demon who wants to use Warren in exchange for tremendous power and status.
The Templars do not trust the Cabalists, as they see them as sympathetic toward the demons and naively over-confident about trying to learn from and maybe even control them. The Cabalists distrust the Templars, whom they see as too willing to throw away a potential boon to mankind. The Templars do not fully trust Simon, as he once turned from them, and Simon sees the Templar hierarchy as too rigid and not focused enough on saving the innocent. Warren initially sides with the Cabalists; he does not want to be totally seduced by the evil of the demon that seeks to use him, but can he ignore what the demon can give him in return?
Even amongst the demons, there is not a uniform force. There are hints of internal power-plays, sectarian conflicts and the underlying questions of where they are from and whether they came here or were sent, and why.
I have read several of Mel Odom's books, including The Quest for the Trilogy and several Rogue Angel books (written under the name Alex Archer), and all of them feature interesting, non-standard characters who have definite quirks. All of the books feature complex plots involving different factions that are not clearly good or evil. Hellgate: London: Exodus fits these descriptions well, but with no feel of being formulaic or worked from a template.
Overall, Odom provides a complicated plot, rich with detail and populated by three-dimensional characters, yet the pace remains quite fast, with no slow spots. Some of the action scenes are almost overwhelming, especially near the end of the book. Another aspect I like is the characters have moments of reflection during which they work to reconcile what they are doing with what they believe.
July 5, 2024
As a fan of the game, my opinion is very bias. I would say I only give it 3 stars because I enjoyed the game and subject matter, the 4th star is for the journey, outside the book, it took me on.
Mel Odom can write some extremely entertaining fight/combat/battle scenes all throughout the series. During all the action scenes I had a blast reading every bit of it. During most of the first two books I found myself googling and cross-referencing some of the things talked about in the series and found out it was all based on a lot of "real" events and literature in the real world. I very much enjoyed that!
That being said, the story all throughout this series kind of felt like it was unsure where it wanted to go. There were several plot lines that were abandoned, and even the ending of the series didn't feel like an ending. I almost feel like they should have ended the series with, "for the epic conclusion, play the game!".
If you are a fan of the game, the series is worth the read. If you like the occult, the first two books might hold your interest. If you like neither however, this is an action packed fantasy book with well written combat scenes with a story that ultimately goes nowhere.
Mel Odom can write some extremely entertaining fight/combat/battle scenes all throughout the series. During all the action scenes I had a blast reading every bit of it. During most of the first two books I found myself googling and cross-referencing some of the things talked about in the series and found out it was all based on a lot of "real" events and literature in the real world. I very much enjoyed that!
That being said, the story all throughout this series kind of felt like it was unsure where it wanted to go. There were several plot lines that were abandoned, and even the ending of the series didn't feel like an ending. I almost feel like they should have ended the series with, "for the epic conclusion, play the game!".
If you are a fan of the game, the series is worth the read. If you like the occult, the first two books might hold your interest. If you like neither however, this is an action packed fantasy book with well written combat scenes with a story that ultimately goes nowhere.
January 6, 2022
I wanted to love this book but I couldn't get past one major error. Without spoiling it, the main character has a difficult relationship with his dad and the Templars due to something that happens to his mother, and in the space of some 75 pages, there are two different and conflicting stories given by that character for what in fact happens to his mother. Glaring plot hole. It felt like the author forgot he wrote that part of the story already and had reimagined it before deciding to put it later in the book. Probably more of an editing problem to be fair.
Admittedly it has been a long while since I've read the book and I put it down about halfway through largely due to these sorts of problems. I remember vividly thinking that Mel Odom was to books what Uwe Bol is to movies. Might not be fair, but I couldn't shake the thought.
Admittedly it has been a long while since I've read the book and I put it down about halfway through largely due to these sorts of problems. I remember vividly thinking that Mel Odom was to books what Uwe Bol is to movies. Might not be fair, but I couldn't shake the thought.
April 25, 2025
I can not give it more than 3 stars, I'm sorry. It was just okay. Nothing more, nothing less than that.
Originally I am a fan of the video game (London, not the Korean version Global/Tokyo). Then I read the comic which was also enjoyable. So I finally decided to give the prequel book a try.
As I said, it was just fine. The templar side of the story was mostly boring and kinda samey. Cabalist chapters were the only ones that were of interest to me.
Since I wasn't as invested into this as I expected to be, I don't think I'll pick up the next two books. At least not instantly. Maybe one day when I am in the mood for something that's just "fine" and have nothing else to read I'll come back to this series.
Originally I am a fan of the video game (London, not the Korean version Global/Tokyo). Then I read the comic which was also enjoyable. So I finally decided to give the prequel book a try.
As I said, it was just fine. The templar side of the story was mostly boring and kinda samey. Cabalist chapters were the only ones that were of interest to me.
Since I wasn't as invested into this as I expected to be, I don't think I'll pick up the next two books. At least not instantly. Maybe one day when I am in the mood for something that's just "fine" and have nothing else to read I'll come back to this series.
January 18, 2025
I've read this book a few times since getting my hands on it in 2009, and have enjoyed it thoroughly each time. Despite agreeing with some complaints i've read from other reviews, the setting and world building manages to suck me in. Mel Odom writes masterfully for action and manages to paint each scene as though from a movie.
However, I've never managed to get my hands on the sequels and have yet to put the series to rest, I was a young teen when i first read this, and have only just placed an order (as an adult) for the last two to arrive soon.
For me this is a 9.5/10 as far as scratching an itch I never thought I had.
However, I've never managed to get my hands on the sequels and have yet to put the series to rest, I was a young teen when i first read this, and have only just placed an order (as an adult) for the last two to arrive soon.
For me this is a 9.5/10 as far as scratching an itch I never thought I had.
October 8, 2018
Post-apo, fantasy a sci-fi v jednom. Měl jsem strach, že to bude přeplácané a že se to bude bít, ale opak je pravdou. Všechno fo se sebe dobře zapadá. Chvíli to vypadalo, že bude i další "detektivní" linka o tom jak lidé zkoumají templáře, ta se ale vytratila. Kdyby nebylo v překladu tolik chyb, dal bych i plný počet hvězd.
August 19, 2019
I was very surprised at how good it was. The characters were well done, had some very interesting character development. The action was near cinematic in my mind at times. I noticed a few grammer errors but not a lot and they were minor.
So far I recommend to any who like the themes.
So far I recommend to any who like the themes.
September 20, 2018
great read
February 2, 2019
For fans of his style this book is pretty good.
The story is interesting and the character development does not end .
The story is interesting and the character development does not end .
April 21, 2020
Enjoyable story will look for next book
April 17, 2022
Story was moving without any lag, quite engaging. Has me looking forward to getting my hands on Part 2 of the series.
March 9, 2025
The world building and extent of details from templars to analysts was phenomenal
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2017
I don't know if I should read the second and third novel of this book. There are a couple of questions to be answered but... It just don't appeal to me.
But first things first.
The Setting :
London in the near future is invaded by some hellish demons that the Templars have warned that they would come butthe Church had other thoughts and instead of that they burned them in the stakes nearly 700 years ago. The Templars even if most of them were burned at the stake some escape and proliferate hidden from society. They married only within their "fate" and try to live underground. But as the hellish demons attack London as the arm forces try to strike they are butchered because their weapons don't do sh*t to them. Only the weapons from the Templars.
Praises
- The Setting as I said above is quite good. Even if at the same time is a criticism. See below.
- The Mysticism / The Factions / The Faith.
So you've got the templars and the cabals. The Templars just want them destroy but the Cabals want to study them so they control them. But even after one party of "Cabalists" destroyed by the Demons, still they don't change their ways. The Knights Templar are quite interesting bunch of guys. I really like them. And the magic within the book is also quite good. This is quite a book about Magic vs Technology.
- Warren, the daemon-marked human. This character develops as hell (sorry the pun). He starts being a fragile man and after several incidents he transforms into am evil (maybe anti-hero) character.
-Merrihim the daemon. I really like his lines. I felt that he was undoubtly an evil being. Nothing good or humane came from him/it.
- Knights Templar - Quite interesting bunch of guys. I really like their society.
Criticism
- The setting. It's a praise but... Why London? Why only london attack? So they butchered every single army guy from britain? They went in mass and died? What a heck are the other countries doing? I don't believe that USA or the European Union would do nothing to stop the daemons and help the englishmen. It to far fetch. The only attack was in England. What are they doing? It's just like there is only one nation and the rest of the world is just sitting watching. But as someone says in the book that if the demons left England the USA would nuke them. Right!
- The battle between the main force of the daemons and the Templars. All templars were killed but... Why? Why did they do it? In the story the rest of the templars say that it was done so the demons stop searching the Templars. Just stupid, senseless battle.
- Leah... she is more than meets the eye.
Side Notes
- Our Main Character - Templar Simon. He is just there. So he must go back to find his father then he turned into a white knight. Yes... Our other main character, if you can call it that, is far interesting that him.
Final Thoughts / Advisable
I can't reccommend this book to anyone in particular. If I don't know If I am ending it how can I recommend it? This book has one good interesting dark sided character that fells from grace. You've got some interesting setting with a gigantic flaw and the story don't evolve. If not for Warren I would say - I won't be reading the second and third book of this trilogy. But Warren really is a nice character. Let us see what time will tell me about finish the trilogy. I sure don't like starting a book and don't finish.
Nevertheless if you enjoyed the game and miss that world - go for it.
But first things first.
The Setting :
London in the near future is invaded by some hellish demons that the Templars have warned that they would come butthe Church had other thoughts and instead of that they burned them in the stakes nearly 700 years ago. The Templars even if most of them were burned at the stake some escape and proliferate hidden from society. They married only within their "fate" and try to live underground. But as the hellish demons attack London as the arm forces try to strike they are butchered because their weapons don't do sh*t to them. Only the weapons from the Templars.
Praises
- The Setting as I said above is quite good. Even if at the same time is a criticism. See below.
- The Mysticism / The Factions / The Faith.
So you've got the templars and the cabals. The Templars just want them destroy but the Cabals want to study them so they control them. But even after one party of "Cabalists" destroyed by the Demons, still they don't change their ways. The Knights Templar are quite interesting bunch of guys. I really like them. And the magic within the book is also quite good. This is quite a book about Magic vs Technology.
- Warren, the daemon-marked human. This character develops as hell (sorry the pun). He starts being a fragile man and after several incidents he transforms into am evil (maybe anti-hero) character.
-Merrihim the daemon. I really like his lines. I felt that he was undoubtly an evil being. Nothing good or humane came from him/it.
- Knights Templar - Quite interesting bunch of guys. I really like their society.
Criticism
- The setting. It's a praise but... Why London? Why only london attack? So they butchered every single army guy from britain? They went in mass and died? What a heck are the other countries doing? I don't believe that USA or the European Union would do nothing to stop the daemons and help the englishmen. It to far fetch. The only attack was in England. What are they doing? It's just like there is only one nation and the rest of the world is just sitting watching. But as someone says in the book that if the demons left England the USA would nuke them. Right!
- The battle between the main force of the daemons and the Templars. All templars were killed but... Why? Why did they do it? In the story the rest of the templars say that it was done so the demons stop searching the Templars. Just stupid, senseless battle.
- Leah... she is more than meets the eye.
Side Notes
- Our Main Character - Templar Simon. He is just there. So he must go back to find his father then he turned into a white knight. Yes... Our other main character, if you can call it that, is far interesting that him.
Final Thoughts / Advisable
I can't reccommend this book to anyone in particular. If I don't know If I am ending it how can I recommend it? This book has one good interesting dark sided character that fells from grace. You've got some interesting setting with a gigantic flaw and the story don't evolve. If not for Warren I would say - I won't be reading the second and third book of this trilogy. But Warren really is a nice character. Let us see what time will tell me about finish the trilogy. I sure don't like starting a book and don't finish.
Nevertheless if you enjoyed the game and miss that world - go for it.
November 27, 2016
I wasn't familiar with the Hellgate: London video game when I picked up Hellgate: London - Exodus, but I enjoy a good post-apocalyptic tale so I took a chance on this novel, the first in Mel Odom's trilogy. Besides, it has modern day knights battling demons. How could I resist?
It's 2020 and London is in ruins, overrun by demons that came pouring out of the Hellgate, a massive portal to their home dimension. In short order, the demons have destroyed the British military and have turned London into their own personal playground. Only the Templars, an ancient brotherhood of knights now equipped with high-tech battle suits and magic-enhanced weaponry, stand in their way. Further complicating things are the Cabalists, a group of people with special abilities who are trying to use the demons to enhance their own power, and a shadowy CIA-type outfit whose goals are not made clear. The main characters are Simon, a young Templar with his own ideas of how to serve the cause, Warren, a powerful but troubled loner who comes under the thrall/protection of a major demon, and Leah, a member of the secret CIA-type group.
The premise is interesting enough, and left a ton of potential for interesting developments. Unfortunately the book never seemed to take off. First off, key questions like where the Hellgate came from and what the international community's response to the crisis was, were never addressed. At minimum you'd expect a NATO blockade and UN-coordinated relief efforts, but instead the fate of London's citizens was left to privateers, scavengers and a handful of rogue Templars. Speaking of the Templars, they seemed to die at an astronomical rate. Was their order really large enough to sustain such losses? If so, I have a hard time seeing how it could have been kept secret. I suppose asking for logic in a book about magic and demons is pushing it a bit, but it was hard to overlook these omissions.
I also found it hard to get a feel for any of the characters. Simon in particular came across as one of those generic heroes you'd find in a Michael Bay movie. Warren was a bit more interesting, but his development was extremely predictable.
Hellgate: London - Exodus was a fast-paced and entertaining read, but it mostly seemed like a missed opportunity. It could have been a great post-apocalyptic saga, but instead seems like just another action/adventure story. Perhaps it will resonate more with fans of the game. I don't think I'll stick around for the rest of the trilogy.
It's 2020 and London is in ruins, overrun by demons that came pouring out of the Hellgate, a massive portal to their home dimension. In short order, the demons have destroyed the British military and have turned London into their own personal playground. Only the Templars, an ancient brotherhood of knights now equipped with high-tech battle suits and magic-enhanced weaponry, stand in their way. Further complicating things are the Cabalists, a group of people with special abilities who are trying to use the demons to enhance their own power, and a shadowy CIA-type outfit whose goals are not made clear. The main characters are Simon, a young Templar with his own ideas of how to serve the cause, Warren, a powerful but troubled loner who comes under the thrall/protection of a major demon, and Leah, a member of the secret CIA-type group.
The premise is interesting enough, and left a ton of potential for interesting developments. Unfortunately the book never seemed to take off. First off, key questions like where the Hellgate came from and what the international community's response to the crisis was, were never addressed. At minimum you'd expect a NATO blockade and UN-coordinated relief efforts, but instead the fate of London's citizens was left to privateers, scavengers and a handful of rogue Templars. Speaking of the Templars, they seemed to die at an astronomical rate. Was their order really large enough to sustain such losses? If so, I have a hard time seeing how it could have been kept secret. I suppose asking for logic in a book about magic and demons is pushing it a bit, but it was hard to overlook these omissions.
I also found it hard to get a feel for any of the characters. Simon in particular came across as one of those generic heroes you'd find in a Michael Bay movie. Warren was a bit more interesting, but his development was extremely predictable.
Hellgate: London - Exodus was a fast-paced and entertaining read, but it mostly seemed like a missed opportunity. It could have been a great post-apocalyptic saga, but instead seems like just another action/adventure story. Perhaps it will resonate more with fans of the game. I don't think I'll stick around for the rest of the trilogy.
January 11, 2009
-Second review of the book. The first is on the bottom. I must admit, I liked this book better than I thought I would.
Kudos to the writer for the attention paid to the
action scenes. They are detailed and fast paced.
I read some of those scenes and felt as if I was in the fight.
So much attention was paid to the fight details,
choreographed and written word for word like a hand-to-hand
battle manual, that I have an urge to find a sparring partner
and try them out.
The second thing I like about the book is the description of the
knights. The men are not all tall and muscular. The women are not petite waifs, or chesty sex-kittens. They come in different
heights and shapes with varying personalities.
And they are as competant as the men. The fight scene in the shower
with Temperance Cain and Simon is one of those moments.
Another thing I like about this book is the magically enhanced weapons and technology.
This book definitely has all the elements of a modern book;
Women in the military, speculative technology, sorcery, conspiracy
theories and history woven together, fast-paced action, surivalist mentalities, characters to love or hate, sub-plots and over-sized demons...what more could you want on a wintry Sunday Afternoon.
The first review....
I never thought I would find myself reading these
video to books type fantasy but I find it difficult to
find books that are straight up Scifi...
Thankfully it isn't boring or dry.
But it really isn't my cup of tea.
Kudos to the writer for the attention paid to the
action scenes. They are detailed and fast paced.
I read some of those scenes and felt as if I was in the fight.
So much attention was paid to the fight details,
choreographed and written word for word like a hand-to-hand
battle manual, that I have an urge to find a sparring partner
and try them out.
The second thing I like about the book is the description of the
knights. The men are not all tall and muscular. The women are not petite waifs, or chesty sex-kittens. They come in different
heights and shapes with varying personalities.
And they are as competant as the men. The fight scene in the shower
with Temperance Cain and Simon is one of those moments.
Another thing I like about this book is the magically enhanced weapons and technology.
This book definitely has all the elements of a modern book;
Women in the military, speculative technology, sorcery, conspiracy
theories and history woven together, fast-paced action, surivalist mentalities, characters to love or hate, sub-plots and over-sized demons...what more could you want on a wintry Sunday Afternoon.
The first review....
I never thought I would find myself reading these
video to books type fantasy but I find it difficult to
find books that are straight up Scifi...
Thankfully it isn't boring or dry.
But it really isn't my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2007
This book took me a long time to finish. Don't get me wrong, it's a good one. But it didn't really pull me in, it didn't "make" me read it from cover to cover in one day.
The premise is quiet simple. In London, a Hellgate opens. No one can get out of the town anymore, military can't do anything against the demons that invade the city. But there are the Templar who have been preparing for this invasion since the 14th century. Then there are the Cabalists who want to study the demons and rule them. And then there is the secret organisation who has its own goals.
The main characters are the Templar Simon and the demon-marked Warren who are antagonists from the moment they meet. Even though Simon tries to avoid killing Warren, Warren - to whom the demon Merrihim lent his power - does whatever he can to kill of Simon. The story is told from their 3rd person POV that switches, usually from chapter to chapter.
What bored me and made me roll my eyes was the character of Leah. Sure, the other characters didn't know her, didn't suspect that there was anything funky about her but the reader who knew about the Lawrence Fishburn wannabe baddie from the secret organisation knew exactly what was going on from the moment she popped up on the scene. The author really could have been more subtle there...
Overall, a good book but not one that I would have to necessarily own.
The premise is quiet simple. In London, a Hellgate opens. No one can get out of the town anymore, military can't do anything against the demons that invade the city. But there are the Templar who have been preparing for this invasion since the 14th century. Then there are the Cabalists who want to study the demons and rule them. And then there is the secret organisation who has its own goals.
The main characters are the Templar Simon and the demon-marked Warren who are antagonists from the moment they meet. Even though Simon tries to avoid killing Warren, Warren - to whom the demon Merrihim lent his power - does whatever he can to kill of Simon. The story is told from their 3rd person POV that switches, usually from chapter to chapter.
What bored me and made me roll my eyes was the character of Leah. Sure, the other characters didn't know her, didn't suspect that there was anything funky about her but the reader who knew about the Lawrence Fishburn wannabe baddie from the secret organisation knew exactly what was going on from the moment she popped up on the scene. The author really could have been more subtle there...
Overall, a good book but not one that I would have to necessarily own.
December 4, 2014
As with some other books I've read, I have never played any of the games related to this series. I just happened to find the complete trilogy at Wonderbook while roaming the aisles and figured I should give it a go.
In this story, a rift opens in London and hordes of demonic creatures pour through. An ancient order of Templars stands ready and trained for the invasion. It should be noted that the Templars in this story are not like the Templars of our reality (a fraternal society filled with men who can most likely not do much fighting).
A rogue Templar returns to London to do his part to stop the invasion. He finds he is less than welcome at first and has much to prove to regain the trust of his former people.
This one started a bit slow for me. The Templars' super armor and weapons simply did not grip me at first. I guess the whole armor enhancement sci-fi thing has never been for me.
A few chapters in and I found myself hooked. The story moved along nicely with a group of cultists attempting to control the demons and the demons vying among themselves for higher positions. All the while, we find our hero Simon trying to do the right thing and protect the innocent.
Not a bad read at all. Nice and smooth. I'm glad I picked up the other two in the series.
In this story, a rift opens in London and hordes of demonic creatures pour through. An ancient order of Templars stands ready and trained for the invasion. It should be noted that the Templars in this story are not like the Templars of our reality (a fraternal society filled with men who can most likely not do much fighting).
A rogue Templar returns to London to do his part to stop the invasion. He finds he is less than welcome at first and has much to prove to regain the trust of his former people.
This one started a bit slow for me. The Templars' super armor and weapons simply did not grip me at first. I guess the whole armor enhancement sci-fi thing has never been for me.
A few chapters in and I found myself hooked. The story moved along nicely with a group of cultists attempting to control the demons and the demons vying among themselves for higher positions. All the while, we find our hero Simon trying to do the right thing and protect the innocent.
Not a bad read at all. Nice and smooth. I'm glad I picked up the other two in the series.
March 28, 2014
This book was my first introduction in the world of science fiction and I have been hooked ever since. This book is based off the video game however one doesn't have to be familiar with the game to read the book. I have never once played the game never the less the Hellgate: London series is one of my all time favourite book series.
So Hellgate: London is essentially about an evasion of demons in (you guessed it) London. For centuries the Templar (believed destroyed long ago) have been hiding underground below London, living in an advanced technological society that is constantly preparing to fight in an eventual demon invasion. The book mostly follows the endeavors of Simon Cross. Cross is a skilled former Templar. He left the underground organization as he believed there would never be an invasion. Much to Simon's shock a Hellgate opens and he must find a way to get back to London and try save his city.
This book is exciting from start to finish thanks to the excellent writing of Mel Odom. I have never stopped loving this book series as well as the characters. I recommend this book for anyone who likes action, sci-fi, fantasy, and wants to read a great book.
So Hellgate: London is essentially about an evasion of demons in (you guessed it) London. For centuries the Templar (believed destroyed long ago) have been hiding underground below London, living in an advanced technological society that is constantly preparing to fight in an eventual demon invasion. The book mostly follows the endeavors of Simon Cross. Cross is a skilled former Templar. He left the underground organization as he believed there would never be an invasion. Much to Simon's shock a Hellgate opens and he must find a way to get back to London and try save his city.
This book is exciting from start to finish thanks to the excellent writing of Mel Odom. I have never stopped loving this book series as well as the characters. I recommend this book for anyone who likes action, sci-fi, fantasy, and wants to read a great book.
June 4, 2016
This book actually surprised me. It is based on a video game, and I expected, like most books that are based on a game, that it would be focused more on the action and the characters would be more like a game, with little or no depth to them. This book was not at all like that. While it didn't go into as much detail about the supporting characters as it could have (which is rather standard for game based books), the main character had much more of a backstory behind him. Even in the midst of an action scene, the thoughts and motivations of the characters was obvious, often more creative than the action itself, and the character was nothing like the hack and slash style that I expected. every action he took, both in battle and out of battle, was based on what he thought his father would have wanted him to do. Simon (the main character) was hard on himself because of the decisions he had made, and everything he did, even going against orders, were to try to make his deceased father proud of him. For those of you that like good sci-fi action and a good story, I think you will enjoy this book.
October 1, 2011
Hellgate London es un MMORPG que sufrió grandes dificultades durante su salida, sin embargo ahora ha renacido como un Free2Play.
Mel Odomfue el encargado de darle forma al universo del juego a través de esta trilogía de la que Exodus es la primera parte.
El libro nos narra la historia de tres personajes, Simon un joven criado dentro de la sociedad secreta de los templarios, Leah, agene de los secretos cuerpos de inteligencia de la Gran Bretaña, y Warren, un desgraciado quien tiene la mala suerte de poseer poderes paranormales.
el libro nos narra de forma magnífica el inicio de las historias de estos personajes. Está LLENO de acción a raudales, las descripciones de las peleas son geniales, y no tienen principio ni fin.
Mel Odomfue el encargado de darle forma al universo del juego a través de esta trilogía de la que Exodus es la primera parte.
El libro nos narra la historia de tres personajes, Simon un joven criado dentro de la sociedad secreta de los templarios, Leah, agene de los secretos cuerpos de inteligencia de la Gran Bretaña, y Warren, un desgraciado quien tiene la mala suerte de poseer poderes paranormales.
el libro nos narra de forma magnífica el inicio de las historias de estos personajes. Está LLENO de acción a raudales, las descripciones de las peleas son geniales, y no tienen principio ni fin.
September 27, 2011
I've always been a lover of heroic action book, and Hellgate series is not a bad book. This review is a combination review of all 3 books.
The book is fast paced and full of action. the story world is interesting, although not that original. The story and relation between the 3 main faction is interesting, and the character is well written.
However, the book also suffer from being a tie-in of a game (online game which has ceased its operation some time ago). Character development is slow, and by the end of book 3 (which in the book, span several years), there are no significant progress of the main story. Perhaps this is because this book is a tie-in product, either way, since the game is no more available, the story hanged without a satisfactory ending. I wish Mel would continue the series though
The book is fast paced and full of action. the story world is interesting, although not that original. The story and relation between the 3 main faction is interesting, and the character is well written.
However, the book also suffer from being a tie-in of a game (online game which has ceased its operation some time ago). Character development is slow, and by the end of book 3 (which in the book, span several years), there are no significant progress of the main story. Perhaps this is because this book is a tie-in product, either way, since the game is no more available, the story hanged without a satisfactory ending. I wish Mel would continue the series though
January 11, 2015
Wasn't too much of a bad book, just got the feeling nothing really happened through it, apart from lot of people dying. Armor and battles were cool, but most characters lacked dept and something to make the reader like them, or feel any emotion about them whatsoever. Had the main character ogle over every good-looking female, but that's nothing new... 3 out of 5 because it was ok for wasting time and getting some, even if vague game representation in book form. Got it for free actually, so wouldn't recommend buying it if you have something better to choose from and its not discounted.
October 3, 2009
A nicely written tale of returning to one's roots and then living one's purpose. The Hellgate game brings a setting that is rich with potential and this book does not disappoint in its utilisation of it. The main characters are very nicely fleshed out, with clear and consistent motivations. One flaw with book is that it has had less than satisfactory proof-reading.
July 7, 2014
really enjoyed the story, hated the poor editing that that made you have to guess what words were supposed to be typed. The typesetter, editor and publisher really let the author down in what should have been a 4 to 5 star book. I would have to say, if you want to read this series make sure you get the latest version.
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