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ONSET #1
To Serve and Protect
This is an alternate cover edition of ASIN B01MXSN5IA
A small town cop with an unexpected gift
A shadowy government agency on the side of justice
A call no good man could turn away
When vampires attack David White’s small town, only luck, firepower, and the intervention of an elite government task force save his life. The aftermath of the attack leaves him in the middle of the world’s biggest secret: the existence of government agencies that regulate the supernatural.
They insist that David’s “luck” is actually a supernatural gift, and he’s immediately recruited into ONSET, the most shadowy part of America’s thin blue line of police protectors.
Questioning both his gifts and the agency he now serves, David is drawn into an escalating battle that threatens all of humanity. If he isn’t what ONSET thinks he is, the entire world may pay the price.
A small town cop with an unexpected gift
A shadowy government agency on the side of justice
A call no good man could turn away
When vampires attack David White’s small town, only luck, firepower, and the intervention of an elite government task force save his life. The aftermath of the attack leaves him in the middle of the world’s biggest secret: the existence of government agencies that regulate the supernatural.
They insist that David’s “luck” is actually a supernatural gift, and he’s immediately recruited into ONSET, the most shadowy part of America’s thin blue line of police protectors.
Questioning both his gifts and the agency he now serves, David is drawn into an escalating battle that threatens all of humanity. If he isn’t what ONSET thinks he is, the entire world may pay the price.
366 pages, ebook
First published November 29, 2019
686 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Glynn Stewart
115 books1,747 followersGlynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
February 24, 2020
Notes:
I've tried this author before and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this one or not. I gave it a shot because Ray Porter is the narrator. Cool ideas but poor execution. The elements that would have made story more enjoyable are skimmed over and the characters are not well developed. It felt like a bullet point presentation where only the action scenes were given depth and setting.
I've tried this author before and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this one or not. I gave it a shot because Ray Porter is the narrator. Cool ideas but poor execution. The elements that would have made story more enjoyable are skimmed over and the characters are not well developed. It felt like a bullet point presentation where only the action scenes were given depth and setting.
December 29, 2016
light fast read with some issues
The book is fast paced and interesting in a bang-bang-shoot-em-up kind of way, with top secret major gov't. agencies fighting other-dimension incursions and bad-hat supes . The MC, David White, is a Gary Sue, as he has too many gifts that are too high-powered to be real, but at least he's not perfect.
The major issue I had was Stewart's writing, which is really clunky in places. I found myself staring at a few sentences trying to figure out what he was trying to say, and why he thought those words, strung together in that order, meant anything coherent. Interest in the plot kept me reading, though, esp. Stewart's use of subplot featuring a venial hacker with stellar skills and not many ethics to balance White's upright self, dedication to duty and clear morality.
The world building is sketchy, esp. in the beginning. The book's world basically seems to align with ours, but add in dimensional rifts, demons (who aren't necessarily evil) and supernatural creatures (including vamps who are all bad), that are edited out of the history books and censored from the public eye. While To Serve and Protect lacks Dan Brown-levels of intricate conspiracy building reaching into every level of society, it shares some of that paranoid feeling. In the book, Stewart maintains that the gov't.'s right to conceal all supernatural beings and events from the public, saying the alternative would be riots and fear, but the question comes up so often I began to wonder if he has niggling doubts. Who knows?
The story has plenty of violence, combat and dead bodies, but the gore level isn't so bad, as Stewart doesn't revel in afflicting the reader with too many details. The author seems much more interested in his MC David White's psychological, moral and ethical struggles to adjust to his new-found gifts and job. I find those intriguing also, so that was a plus for me, but if you like your heroes completely unconflicted as they blast away at their enemies, you may find that aspect of the story dull or irritating.
The book is fast paced and interesting in a bang-bang-shoot-em-up kind of way, with top secret major gov't. agencies fighting other-dimension incursions and bad-hat supes . The MC, David White, is a Gary Sue, as he has too many gifts that are too high-powered to be real, but at least he's not perfect.
The major issue I had was Stewart's writing, which is really clunky in places. I found myself staring at a few sentences trying to figure out what he was trying to say, and why he thought those words, strung together in that order, meant anything coherent. Interest in the plot kept me reading, though, esp. Stewart's use of subplot featuring a venial hacker with stellar skills and not many ethics to balance White's upright self, dedication to duty and clear morality.
The world building is sketchy, esp. in the beginning. The book's world basically seems to align with ours, but add in dimensional rifts, demons (who aren't necessarily evil) and supernatural creatures (including vamps who are all bad), that are edited out of the history books and censored from the public eye. While To Serve and Protect lacks Dan Brown-levels of intricate conspiracy building reaching into every level of society, it shares some of that paranoid feeling. In the book, Stewart maintains that the gov't.'s right to conceal all supernatural beings and events from the public, saying the alternative would be riots and fear, but the question comes up so often I began to wonder if he has niggling doubts. Who knows?
The story has plenty of violence, combat and dead bodies, but the gore level isn't so bad, as Stewart doesn't revel in afflicting the reader with too many details. The author seems much more interested in his MC David White's psychological, moral and ethical struggles to adjust to his new-found gifts and job. I find those intriguing also, so that was a plus for me, but if you like your heroes completely unconflicted as they blast away at their enemies, you may find that aspect of the story dull or irritating.
December 23, 2017
Engaging
I have issues with the constant repetition of "to serve and protect" in the book. It would have made for a better book, had the main character perhaps been a recent police hire, quickly disillusioned who stumbled into the battle against supernatural enemies.
Police have never been portrayed in fiction or fact as protectors of all people for good reason. The slogan was removed from many police departments years ago. This was something a friend pointed out to me years ago.
Chris Hayes from MSNBC wrote a book called " The Colony" which describes the reality that police forces in areas with a high proportion of people of color are viewed as and behave as armies of occupation. Honestly, I can't remember any portrayal of police as protectors of all from the Three Stooges through Law and Order. Look at, really look at old shows like Highway Patrol and pre-Miranda rights movies. That's ugly policing. Sheriff Arpaio from Arizona bragged about having the first female chain gang members and called that progress for women. The Border Patrol during a documentary filming very casually stated that they have no idea how many people died in their custody since they're not required to report it and consequently don't even keep records. Scared yet.
I think it's Missouri that recently passed a law that requires a pregnant woman to have a male's permission to leave the state (god help the rape victim, especially). How are police serving those women. Police from New Mexico to N.Y. routinely arrest, assault and often kill black and brown teenagers, preteens and even middle aged women to SAVE them from the evils of marijuana, while every white character on TV has access to or regularly enjoys consequence free use of same. Serve, not so much.
One recent examination of police roles in the Chris Hayes book "the Colony", describes the reality that police are an occupying army for populations of people of color. Does no one admit to remembering great movies like "Fort Apache"? I
If you can get past the cliche of the police defender of the innocent as if their lazy and selective law enforcement was not the norm, you might enjoy the supernatural beings, the paranormal gifted, and there are dragons. The battles against demons and vampires are deadly earnest affairs. I forgot to mention Elven lords and Dragons. Love both.
Add healthy and normal interactions between all the types of characters involved, including the women (missing in a lot of science fiction) and you'll find a good read. Unfortunately you'll have to slog through the "serve and protect" mantra but while it's offensive to people of color, antifascist protestors, women in prison for miscarriages, environmental activists, and quite a few other not wealthy or powerful males, it has potential.
I have issues with the constant repetition of "to serve and protect" in the book. It would have made for a better book, had the main character perhaps been a recent police hire, quickly disillusioned who stumbled into the battle against supernatural enemies.
Police have never been portrayed in fiction or fact as protectors of all people for good reason. The slogan was removed from many police departments years ago. This was something a friend pointed out to me years ago.
Chris Hayes from MSNBC wrote a book called " The Colony" which describes the reality that police forces in areas with a high proportion of people of color are viewed as and behave as armies of occupation. Honestly, I can't remember any portrayal of police as protectors of all from the Three Stooges through Law and Order. Look at, really look at old shows like Highway Patrol and pre-Miranda rights movies. That's ugly policing. Sheriff Arpaio from Arizona bragged about having the first female chain gang members and called that progress for women. The Border Patrol during a documentary filming very casually stated that they have no idea how many people died in their custody since they're not required to report it and consequently don't even keep records. Scared yet.
I think it's Missouri that recently passed a law that requires a pregnant woman to have a male's permission to leave the state (god help the rape victim, especially). How are police serving those women. Police from New Mexico to N.Y. routinely arrest, assault and often kill black and brown teenagers, preteens and even middle aged women to SAVE them from the evils of marijuana, while every white character on TV has access to or regularly enjoys consequence free use of same. Serve, not so much.
One recent examination of police roles in the Chris Hayes book "the Colony", describes the reality that police are an occupying army for populations of people of color. Does no one admit to remembering great movies like "Fort Apache"? I
If you can get past the cliche of the police defender of the innocent as if their lazy and selective law enforcement was not the norm, you might enjoy the supernatural beings, the paranormal gifted, and there are dragons. The battles against demons and vampires are deadly earnest affairs. I forgot to mention Elven lords and Dragons. Love both.
Add healthy and normal interactions between all the types of characters involved, including the women (missing in a lot of science fiction) and you'll find a good read. Unfortunately you'll have to slog through the "serve and protect" mantra but while it's offensive to people of color, antifascist protestors, women in prison for miscarriages, environmental activists, and quite a few other not wealthy or powerful males, it has potential.
October 22, 2019
Second listen - no reason to change the rating.
I also listened to a novella prequel for this series called Murder by Magic, but as of this writing it's not listed. I liked it, but it ended abruptly. There was one small interaction in this first book with the MC of the prequel that suggest a more significant story in there, but isn't addressed here.
I have been told by others that the "cops are good" narrative in this first book wanes a bit in subsequent books and the story gets a bit more deep and less morally absolute. So, I'm going to see if I like the direction it takes. If I didn't like the author's work in general I probably wouldn't go any deeper than this book, though.
******************
2.5 stars
Well, I do believe this is the first thing of Glynn Stewart's I've read that I didn't think was for me. I may return to it to see if it improves with subsequent books, but not today.
I also listened to a novella prequel for this series called Murder by Magic, but as of this writing it's not listed. I liked it, but it ended abruptly. There was one small interaction in this first book with the MC of the prequel that suggest a more significant story in there, but isn't addressed here.
I have been told by others that the "cops are good" narrative in this first book wanes a bit in subsequent books and the story gets a bit more deep and less morally absolute. So, I'm going to see if I like the direction it takes. If I didn't like the author's work in general I probably wouldn't go any deeper than this book, though.
******************
2.5 stars
Well, I do believe this is the first thing of Glynn Stewart's I've read that I didn't think was for me. I may return to it to see if it improves with subsequent books, but not today.
February 7, 2018
a good story ,sprinkled with dry shit (any variety )
September 26, 2018
I've grown weary of superhero genre in the last few years, as the market is rather over-saturated with it, and the urban fantasy genre usually rubs me the wrong way in most books. However, this book, despite being somewhere in between these two genres is presented in a way that made it highly enjoyable. I've read many other books by Glynn Stewart and his writing style suits me well, so I've enjoyed reading this book quite a lot, and I'm eagerly anticipating the next one in the series.
January 24, 2018
4.5 Stars
September 18, 2017
Quite good
The pace is reasonable but does seem to jump from disaster to disaster. Some good concepts and the style isn't bad but could be more polished.
The pace is reasonable but does seem to jump from disaster to disaster. Some good concepts and the style isn't bad but could be more polished.
January 30, 2021
To understand my following review, you have do know that I read all 4 books of this series.
In general, I liked the series, that is why I have read all four books. It reminded me of the Extinction series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, just in the paranormal genre.
Now before you start to throttle me, hold your horses. Although the series reminded me of it, It didn’t come close to it.
Why? The author Glynn Stewart showed us a one dimensional writing.
I liked the military and paranormal action sequences. But that was all you got. He lacked the ability to weave multiple plot threats into one.
What I missed in this whole series was the personal life, friendship, love interest etc. Parallel to the main plot. Becoming a team leader involved building said team. But the author simply neglected those topics.
So many military and action things are described in detail and others are completely forgotten.
Having some rituals with team members, going to funerals to acknowledge their worth etc.
Throughout the whole series and the following books it is only focused on the military missions and the organisation. Sure here or there you have some tiny plot threads that focus on something else but it is very rare and shows no depth.
For example the mantra “to serve and protect” well, you have to make that plausible for common folks to comprehend that. Not just tell me that is the reason, end of story. Because for me that isn’t a reason at all lol.
Let’s say the day to day life, the emotions life, the interconnection between other characters and the development of characters was completely left out of the book.
I tell you a good editor would have helped a lot.
It had potential which wasn’t used.
It just won’t make it up to 4 stars
The following books in this series, fit the same criticism. But you can add a lot of repetitions that annoyed to hell and back.
The same topics get repeated like a broke record, in every book that follows. Every next book in this series, points out Stones odd tone of voice, the pendragons abilities, the combat gear and suits, his sword, yada yada yada
To be honest, as the books are building up on each other and are not really standalones, the expectations of people reading it to be new to those details, is slim to none. Ergo It is annoying and frustrating.
In general, I liked the series, that is why I have read all four books. It reminded me of the Extinction series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, just in the paranormal genre.
Now before you start to throttle me, hold your horses. Although the series reminded me of it, It didn’t come close to it.
Why? The author Glynn Stewart showed us a one dimensional writing.
I liked the military and paranormal action sequences. But that was all you got. He lacked the ability to weave multiple plot threats into one.
What I missed in this whole series was the personal life, friendship, love interest etc. Parallel to the main plot. Becoming a team leader involved building said team. But the author simply neglected those topics.
So many military and action things are described in detail and others are completely forgotten.
Having some rituals with team members, going to funerals to acknowledge their worth etc.
Throughout the whole series and the following books it is only focused on the military missions and the organisation. Sure here or there you have some tiny plot threads that focus on something else but it is very rare and shows no depth.
For example the mantra “to serve and protect” well, you have to make that plausible for common folks to comprehend that. Not just tell me that is the reason, end of story. Because for me that isn’t a reason at all lol.
Let’s say the day to day life, the emotions life, the interconnection between other characters and the development of characters was completely left out of the book.
I tell you a good editor would have helped a lot.
It had potential which wasn’t used.
It just won’t make it up to 4 stars
The following books in this series, fit the same criticism. But you can add a lot of repetitions that annoyed to hell and back.
The same topics get repeated like a broke record, in every book that follows. Every next book in this series, points out Stones odd tone of voice, the pendragons abilities, the combat gear and suits, his sword, yada yada yada
To be honest, as the books are building up on each other and are not really standalones, the expectations of people reading it to be new to those details, is slim to none. Ergo It is annoying and frustrating.
January 11, 2021
This was a decent story, the writing was OK without too many obvious problems, but it didn’t grab me. Perhaps I have just read too many books of this genre, but I didn’t get a connection with any of the main characters and I found a fair chunk of the book a bit boring.
If possible I would have given 2.5 stars.
If possible I would have given 2.5 stars.
October 10, 2017
Interesting idea, lousy execution
The writing is an abomination, especially from a technical standpoint, with redundancies and amateurish adverbs sprinkled throughout each page. We not only learn what someone said, but why and how they said it, just in case we were too stupid to glean any of that through context. It’s a shame, too, because there was such potential for a fun, action-packed ride. The bad writing was such a distraction that most of the fun was leeched from the material.
The writing is an abomination, especially from a technical standpoint, with redundancies and amateurish adverbs sprinkled throughout each page. We not only learn what someone said, but why and how they said it, just in case we were too stupid to glean any of that through context. It’s a shame, too, because there was such potential for a fun, action-packed ride. The bad writing was such a distraction that most of the fun was leeched from the material.
October 29, 2018
The Need To Protect Requires Power
David White, a small town cop, is rescued from vampires and offered a job by Onset to protect the nation from supernatural evil. I like the action and attempts at romance. I like David's moral code. Will David's powers continue to grow? Will he find a true love interest. I look forward to the next book.
David White, a small town cop, is rescued from vampires and offered a job by Onset to protect the nation from supernatural evil. I like the action and attempts at romance. I like David's moral code. Will David's powers continue to grow? Will he find a true love interest. I look forward to the next book.
December 23, 2016
I love this new series, almost as much as starship Mage series. Can't wait for the next book.
February 8, 2023
I've been a fan of Glynn Stewart's Starship Mage books so I thought I'd try his books from this series and unfortunately I don't think this one is as good.
It isn't that the book is bad, Stewart is still a good writer but there were a couple of things that annoyed me. The book is an urban fantasy where the main character joins a secret paramilitary group to fight against supernatural threats and this secret is one of the biggest things that annoys me. According to the book, there are around twenty thousand supernaturally powered people in the US alone. There are also a large number of civilians that know about the supernatural world including the President and several senators (presumably as well, several politicians and aids that used to be in power but are no longer). Yet no one has ever leaked this, despite supernatural attacks occurring every week. There was even a big battle where their were thousands of casualties!
There is also a huge amount of money and resources diverted toward these, again presumably secretly and with very little oversight. In the protagonists first encounter with the supernatural, before he knew anything about it, the vampires he was chasing killed at least two people before the paramilitary force could stop them. If you deliberately deprive people of knowledge of a threat, you are responsible for protecting them from that threat and if you get there too late, their deaths are 100% on you. However, there is almost no real oversight, certainly no public accountability which really annoys me.
Second, pretty much everything breaks well for the protagonist. Every time he goes up against a terrible threat, he develops some new supernatural power and is rewarded. Everyone likes him and helps him, women love him, men respect him and none of it feels particularly well deserved.
Finally, there are a few small errors, like time zones and inconsistencies in things which are more a little distracting than bad. However, it does make the book seem a little rushed and not edited as thoroughly as it could have been.
All in all though, the book is still readable and I may even go on to read other books in the series. I did enjoy it despite the annoyances listed above. Stewart has created a fun book to read.
It isn't that the book is bad, Stewart is still a good writer but there were a couple of things that annoyed me. The book is an urban fantasy where the main character joins a secret paramilitary group to fight against supernatural threats and this secret is one of the biggest things that annoys me. According to the book, there are around twenty thousand supernaturally powered people in the US alone. There are also a large number of civilians that know about the supernatural world including the President and several senators (presumably as well, several politicians and aids that used to be in power but are no longer). Yet no one has ever leaked this, despite supernatural attacks occurring every week. There was even a big battle where their were thousands of casualties!
There is also a huge amount of money and resources diverted toward these, again presumably secretly and with very little oversight. In the protagonists first encounter with the supernatural, before he knew anything about it, the vampires he was chasing killed at least two people before the paramilitary force could stop them. If you deliberately deprive people of knowledge of a threat, you are responsible for protecting them from that threat and if you get there too late, their deaths are 100% on you. However, there is almost no real oversight, certainly no public accountability which really annoys me.
Second, pretty much everything breaks well for the protagonist. Every time he goes up against a terrible threat, he develops some new supernatural power and is rewarded. Everyone likes him and helps him, women love him, men respect him and none of it feels particularly well deserved.
Finally, there are a few small errors, like time zones and inconsistencies in things which are more a little distracting than bad. However, it does make the book seem a little rushed and not edited as thoroughly as it could have been.
All in all though, the book is still readable and I may even go on to read other books in the series. I did enjoy it despite the annoyances listed above. Stewart has created a fun book to read.
December 15, 2022
I thought I wouldn't like reading about vampires, werewolves, and magic but I was amazed that I did enjoy it - at least by this author.
David White is a small-town cop who gets involved in the takedown of a small group of vampires. In the ensuing melee, he discovers that he can move much faster and is stronger than a normal person. Others notice as well and he is soon recruited into an organization that battles vampires, demons, and other creatures. While training with them, we discover that his abilities are only increasing until he is close to being one of the higher-rated "enhanced".
The book is full of action as we follow David's evolution. The force he joins is essentially a secret military organization sponsored by the US Government. Unlike other special operators, these people have enhanced abilities. If you enjoy modern military action, then you will enjoy this book. Reading this book reminded me of the Joe Ledger series. Indeed, the audiobook is voiced by the same Ray Porter, who does a fantastic job.
This book contains tons of action but serves also to introduce us to a new series where David will figure as the main character and member of an elite force tasked to protect humanity. Stewart also develops the David character as he goes from a country cop focused to "serve and protect" as he struggles with his new power and the fear that by using his powers he is at risk of becoming evil himself.
My only quibble was the ending. The book led up to a final battle against a dark force that was somewhat anticlimactic. I certainly recommend the audiobook version with Ray Porter at the helm.
David White is a small-town cop who gets involved in the takedown of a small group of vampires. In the ensuing melee, he discovers that he can move much faster and is stronger than a normal person. Others notice as well and he is soon recruited into an organization that battles vampires, demons, and other creatures. While training with them, we discover that his abilities are only increasing until he is close to being one of the higher-rated "enhanced".
The book is full of action as we follow David's evolution. The force he joins is essentially a secret military organization sponsored by the US Government. Unlike other special operators, these people have enhanced abilities. If you enjoy modern military action, then you will enjoy this book. Reading this book reminded me of the Joe Ledger series. Indeed, the audiobook is voiced by the same Ray Porter, who does a fantastic job.
This book contains tons of action but serves also to introduce us to a new series where David will figure as the main character and member of an elite force tasked to protect humanity. Stewart also develops the David character as he goes from a country cop focused to "serve and protect" as he struggles with his new power and the fear that by using his powers he is at risk of becoming evil himself.
My only quibble was the ending. The book led up to a final battle against a dark force that was somewhat anticlimactic. I certainly recommend the audiobook version with Ray Porter at the helm.
May 13, 2019
I had hopes for this book. I got into it rather quickly and the action was sudden and well described. The writing was fluid and the pace of the story was done very well.
However, the foundational story has been done many times before and there are many inherent flaws to the story and how it is told. I do not seek to have a perfect story but you can’t have tens of thousands of people dying in the United States without a lot of people being aware of a secret government organization. Again, I’m willing to overlook these little flaws but I couldn’t overlook others.
The others I refer to is the blatant political bias in the authors storytelling, it seemed as if every evil or problem had something to do with racism, homophobia, etc. He needed to make sure to add certain female unrealistic characters that would pander to a certain delusional audience, attack religion, and convey that the only true evils are racism and bigotry. I understand a good political slant but in the end it takes away from any point you are trying to make or feelings you are attempting to engender in the audience. There are many problems in the US today but killing gay people and racism are not among them.
However, the foundational story has been done many times before and there are many inherent flaws to the story and how it is told. I do not seek to have a perfect story but you can’t have tens of thousands of people dying in the United States without a lot of people being aware of a secret government organization. Again, I’m willing to overlook these little flaws but I couldn’t overlook others.
The others I refer to is the blatant political bias in the authors storytelling, it seemed as if every evil or problem had something to do with racism, homophobia, etc. He needed to make sure to add certain female unrealistic characters that would pander to a certain delusional audience, attack religion, and convey that the only true evils are racism and bigotry. I understand a good political slant but in the end it takes away from any point you are trying to make or feelings you are attempting to engender in the audience. There are many problems in the US today but killing gay people and racism are not among them.
Read
May 25, 2022DNF
Audio version. Narrator was fine, and I liked the general set-up (not super-original, but some tropes I enjoy) but the writing style put me off.
This is a popular book, so clearly my issues with the writing are a personal thing, not a universal "good" or "bad", but, damn, I really had issues with the writing. Pacing, for sure - I got to chapter 18 and felt like there were about three scenes I really enjoyed, mixed in with a hell of a lot of unnecessary details about the the training regimen, etc. (This may be a feature rather than a flaw - I've noticed it in other, similar books before).
And the writing seemed to need someone to just line edit, to catch all the repeated words that could have easily been avoided.
And the dialogue tags were pretty painful-in a scene with an Irish dragon we're told OVER AND OVER that the dragon had a brogue, and then the author starts tagging dialogue with "he brogued", and then we get the description again, and then the same strange dialogue tag, and... I GET IT. He's Irish. Message received.
Anyway. DNF at chapter 18. Not the book for me.
Audio version. Narrator was fine, and I liked the general set-up (not super-original, but some tropes I enjoy) but the writing style put me off.
This is a popular book, so clearly my issues with the writing are a personal thing, not a universal "good" or "bad", but, damn, I really had issues with the writing. Pacing, for sure - I got to chapter 18 and felt like there were about three scenes I really enjoyed, mixed in with a hell of a lot of unnecessary details about the the training regimen, etc. (This may be a feature rather than a flaw - I've noticed it in other, similar books before).
And the writing seemed to need someone to just line edit, to catch all the repeated words that could have easily been avoided.
And the dialogue tags were pretty painful-in a scene with an Irish dragon we're told OVER AND OVER that the dragon had a brogue, and then the author starts tagging dialogue with "he brogued", and then we get the description again, and then the same strange dialogue tag, and... I GET IT. He's Irish. Message received.
Anyway. DNF at chapter 18. Not the book for me.
August 17, 2017
Great Magical Tale of Good, Evil and Art
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL BOOK AND AS A SERIES!!!
Glynn Stewart has created another fantastic series starting with this book, and it is just as good as Avalon or the Mage of Mars, but with a different focus. In this tale, Solomon's Seal is unravelling and Magic is infiltrating into the Human world, exposing American citizens (along with everyone else) to demons, vampires, werewolves, Selkies, mages and every sort of nightmare.
Life becomes complicated for police lieutenant David White after he is bitten by a vampire during a small town evening patrol. After that, life gets REALLY weird! David attempts to hold true to his personal duty to serve and protect, but faces imagined challenges.
Good plot and character development characterize Stewart's writing, and this is no exception. I loved the book, and hope to read more.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL BOOK AND AS A SERIES!!!
Glynn Stewart has created another fantastic series starting with this book, and it is just as good as Avalon or the Mage of Mars, but with a different focus. In this tale, Solomon's Seal is unravelling and Magic is infiltrating into the Human world, exposing American citizens (along with everyone else) to demons, vampires, werewolves, Selkies, mages and every sort of nightmare.
Life becomes complicated for police lieutenant David White after he is bitten by a vampire during a small town evening patrol. After that, life gets REALLY weird! David attempts to hold true to his personal duty to serve and protect, but faces imagined challenges.
Good plot and character development characterize Stewart's writing, and this is no exception. I loved the book, and hope to read more.
June 30, 2020
Pretty good. The pacing is fine and the ending is satisfying. It's vague on when it takes place and doesn't name the president, two things I really appreciated. Main character is arguably overpowered and I'm not sure it's believable how quickly he advances in rank. Fun read, but don't expect realism.
Things I didn't like:
Found a couple obvious typos. Not a big deal, but still jarring.
The author switches between using last names and first names for his characters, sometimes in the same scene. That confused me more than once and made keeping track of who was who hard. Some people he seemed to only refer to by last name (in some cases only using last names makes sense, such as higher ranking officers, but he would refer to teammates by last names as well), others only by first name, still others would switch back and forth at seemingly random. This is my biggest complaint about the book, and I docked a star on my rating because of how inconsistent and confusing it was.
Things I didn't like:
Found a couple obvious typos. Not a big deal, but still jarring.
The author switches between using last names and first names for his characters, sometimes in the same scene. That confused me more than once and made keeping track of who was who hard. Some people he seemed to only refer to by last name (in some cases only using last names makes sense, such as higher ranking officers, but he would refer to teammates by last names as well), others only by first name, still others would switch back and forth at seemingly random. This is my biggest complaint about the book, and I docked a star on my rating because of how inconsistent and confusing it was.
January 5, 2022
A decent story, but the writing gets in the way
I actually enjoyed the story of this book, even though the plot wandered early on and felt like it was written without an outline. But the plot picked up midway through, and I found myself getting drawn in. I’d actually rate the story itself four stars.
But, every time a character spoke “quietly” or “softly,” it pulled me out of the story. Lose the adverbs! Even in the middle of action scenes, there was an excessive use of “(Character Name) said quietly.” It was horribly distracting. By the end of the book, anytime someone spoke softly or quietly, it felt like I was being punked by the author. I’d love to continue with this series—as I said, the story was good—but it’s going to take a bit while I cleanse my palate with some better writing first.
I actually enjoyed the story of this book, even though the plot wandered early on and felt like it was written without an outline. But the plot picked up midway through, and I found myself getting drawn in. I’d actually rate the story itself four stars.
But, every time a character spoke “quietly” or “softly,” it pulled me out of the story. Lose the adverbs! Even in the middle of action scenes, there was an excessive use of “(Character Name) said quietly.” It was horribly distracting. By the end of the book, anytime someone spoke softly or quietly, it felt like I was being punked by the author. I’d love to continue with this series—as I said, the story was good—but it’s going to take a bit while I cleanse my palate with some better writing first.
July 4, 2022
An enjoyable introduction to a series, about the policing of a world where the supernatural lives alongside the mundane. Written more in the style of a police procedural than a fantasy/sci-fi creation it made me stick with it rather than my usual ambivalence with stories like this. I will willingly admit to being a hard science-based sci-fi guy, but I'm willing to spread my wings and comfort zone for this quality of story.
Characterisations are good, the hero is neither gung-ho nor filled with doubts, but reacts as a rational being in dealing with the situation to hand. The world is well realised, and not too beyond reality. Good people die, and sometimes the bad guys get away so a core of reality in what is a fantasy tale.
Likely will follow up with the next volume in the series at some point, my only negative was by the end of the book I wasn't so hooked I needed to buy the rest of the series to find out what comes next.
Characterisations are good, the hero is neither gung-ho nor filled with doubts, but reacts as a rational being in dealing with the situation to hand. The world is well realised, and not too beyond reality. Good people die, and sometimes the bad guys get away so a core of reality in what is a fantasy tale.
Likely will follow up with the next volume in the series at some point, my only negative was by the end of the book I wasn't so hooked I needed to buy the rest of the series to find out what comes next.
December 5, 2022
Chock full of every kind of "secret government masquerade" trope and cliche you could possibly imagine. Even this might have been palatable due to my love for UF, if it weren't for the fact that the main character is straight up a power fantasy for the author. He just keeps getting more powerful every day for no reason and all of the insanely attractive women just looove him! Oh, and don't forget that at the end of the book
Follow this with the novice level writing (but don't worry, for every female character you meet you get to hear about their boobs!) and you've got a real stinker on your hands. It's certainly not the worst book I've read, but it's bland, forgettable and not worth your time. Move on to something better, you'll thank me.
Follow this with the novice level writing (but don't worry, for every female character you meet you get to hear about their boobs!) and you've got a real stinker on your hands. It's certainly not the worst book I've read, but it's bland, forgettable and not worth your time. Move on to something better, you'll thank me.
June 21, 2022
This turned out to be a really fun book. Glenn Stewart keeps showing up on my Facebook page on one of my favorite author's page and in his podcast so when Audible had a sale and I saw that To Serve and Protect was narrated by Ray Porter the next step was seriously a no-brainer!
The protagonist David White a small town cop (one of the good guys, mind you). Had no idea what he was running into when he answered dispatch. Little did he know, not even in his dreams could he have fathomed that the perps were Vampires and that there was a secret government agency Onset that protected society from supernatural incursions! Or that his life would be forever changed!
So yeah, you're gonna wanna grab this action-driven story to get the scoop! Get the audio version because Ray Porter is awesome.
The protagonist David White a small town cop (one of the good guys, mind you). Had no idea what he was running into when he answered dispatch. Little did he know, not even in his dreams could he have fathomed that the perps were Vampires and that there was a secret government agency Onset that protected society from supernatural incursions! Or that his life would be forever changed!
So yeah, you're gonna wanna grab this action-driven story to get the scoop! Get the audio version because Ray Porter is awesome.
November 16, 2017
Fun read, nice characters. Unfortunately, the author may have fallen in to the super man trap - once you've killed the apex predators from two different species going up against three bikers armed with chains won't really do much. So you have to push the planet around. Or invent Kryptonite.
Second book not on audio. It's been written. It is out. It is not on audio. So the author doesn't have a completed product funnel yet. Let's hope they get on that.
Sure - enjoy the series - some very nice scenes (no spoilers from me) that give it an extra star; plus with how irritated I felt that this was the only book I could find (audio only counts) ...
Second book not on audio. It's been written. It is out. It is not on audio. So the author doesn't have a completed product funnel yet. Let's hope they get on that.
Sure - enjoy the series - some very nice scenes (no spoilers from me) that give it an extra star; plus with how irritated I felt that this was the only book I could find (audio only counts) ...
October 2, 2018
I will start off just by saying that this book just wasn't for me which is interesting considering the kind of book it is. I love reading fantasy novels and I love reading military fiction, this was a book that tried to combine both worlds and it just fell flat for me. I enjoyed parts of it, but if it was a longer book I likely wouldn't have finished but since it wasn't too long I got through the whole thing.
The author really really liked to drive home the "serve and protect" aspect of it which got a little annoying at times. We get it, the guy has a sense of duty to serve and protect, it's in the title of the book.
The author really really liked to drive home the "serve and protect" aspect of it which got a little annoying at times. We get it, the guy has a sense of duty to serve and protect, it's in the title of the book.
February 18, 2024
I loved this book. The story is really well told and totally had me believing in a world of mages, werewolves and demons. The story is grounded in the "reality" of FBI and Homeland security but a secret government department of empowered humans and other folk that defend the US, and via other similar departments in other countries, the world, from demonic incursions, criminal vampire mafia-style families and other supernatural baddies. I was totally engrossed helped by the excellent narration of Ray Porter. This is a story with lots of action, some intrigue and surprisingly good characterisation.
I am looking forward to the next in the series.
I am looking forward to the next in the series.
January 28, 2018
Impressive.
Kindle Unlimited - Thank you!
Okay... Simply put, the author's got game. 🙋
There's an innovative storyline that's well written and well told. Themes such as honor and duty are presented perfectly balanced between hokey and preachy. Fun and not easily done.
Would like a clue as to how someone like David happens. But that's a small thing. Couldn't help but smile a bit when the MC's name and the "big confrontation" made me think of a historical David that wielded an op slingshot. 😉
Kindle Unlimited - Thank you!
Okay... Simply put, the author's got game. 🙋
There's an innovative storyline that's well written and well told. Themes such as honor and duty are presented perfectly balanced between hokey and preachy. Fun and not easily done.
Would like a clue as to how someone like David happens. But that's a small thing. Couldn't help but smile a bit when the MC's name and the "big confrontation" made me think of a historical David that wielded an op slingshot. 😉
August 24, 2019
The story started off descent enough, (DNF and will not continue) ...Police Do Not "Serve and Protect" (and never have for many groups of people in the USA). The whole ideal of serve and protect coming from a police officer(s) during a "supernatural" event is absurd even in fiction. The National Guard, maybe. The Army, sure. The Marines, no doubt. But police, hell-no.
This book tried to take police being heroes far to serious to be enjoyable even for a fantasy book. This may have been better as a litrpg or gamelit novel.
This book tried to take police being heroes far to serious to be enjoyable even for a fantasy book. This may have been better as a litrpg or gamelit novel.
April 6, 2021
MC is supposed to be a cop.. A "good one" And yet....................................
He acts like a clueless moron. Despite being a LT with 10 years on the police force and the leader of the local SWAT team.......... So yeeaaaaaaaaaaa .................
(edit..) Oh and.. The MC has some Daddy issues...
This author is hit and miss with me.. Ive liked some of his other books.. But this one is flatter than a frog dropped out at 10,000 feet by a plane.. onto the highway and then ran over by a construction roller.
It Is what it is..
He acts like a clueless moron. Despite being a LT with 10 years on the police force and the leader of the local SWAT team.......... So yeeaaaaaaaaaaa .................
(edit..) Oh and.. The MC has some Daddy issues...
This author is hit and miss with me.. Ive liked some of his other books.. But this one is flatter than a frog dropped out at 10,000 feet by a plane.. onto the highway and then ran over by a construction roller.
It Is what it is..
December 2, 2025
Wow. LOL.
I started reading and stopped about 1/4 of the way in the first chapter. If the author is going to use weapons in his action scenes, he should maybe do some research or something. A .45 automatic is not a “massive handgun”. My wife can shoot one just fine. It doesn’t blow “fist sized holes” in someone and emptying the magazine into a body doesn’t leave it “little more than gobbets of flesh held together with lengths of skin”. I don’t know, maybe I’m too harsh, but I didn’t want to get any further into this book after that ridiculous passage.
I started reading and stopped about 1/4 of the way in the first chapter. If the author is going to use weapons in his action scenes, he should maybe do some research or something. A .45 automatic is not a “massive handgun”. My wife can shoot one just fine. It doesn’t blow “fist sized holes” in someone and emptying the magazine into a body doesn’t leave it “little more than gobbets of flesh held together with lengths of skin”. I don’t know, maybe I’m too harsh, but I didn’t want to get any further into this book after that ridiculous passage.
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