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Outlaw Arcana #1
Endsville
Welcome to Los Angeles—where the secret worlds of the criminal and supernatural collide. Crime and black magic pay. In the City of Angels, no one does it better than Gabriel St. John and the House of the Crow…
Led by their enigmatic street captain Gabriel, the Crows are a secret coven of high-rolling occult gangsters operating out of Los Angeles. A gangland king by the name of Dante Washington enlists their aid to recover 34 million dollars in cash—stolen from him by what appears to be a hostile sorcerer.
The Crows battle through a vicious cycle of betrayal, violence, and black magic while on the hunt for Mr. Washington’s missing money. In the end, allies prove to be enemies, and there are much greater things at stake than covering up a multi-million dollar gangland heist.
Led by their enigmatic street captain Gabriel, the Crows are a secret coven of high-rolling occult gangsters operating out of Los Angeles. A gangland king by the name of Dante Washington enlists their aid to recover 34 million dollars in cash—stolen from him by what appears to be a hostile sorcerer.
The Crows battle through a vicious cycle of betrayal, violence, and black magic while on the hunt for Mr. Washington’s missing money. In the end, allies prove to be enemies, and there are much greater things at stake than covering up a multi-million dollar gangland heist.
- GenresUrban FantasyFantasyDark
485 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2018
5 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Clay Sanger
5 books22 followersClay Sanger is a professional technogeek by day and a writer of fiction and whatever else strikes his fancy the rest of the time. A life-long lover of all things wild, Clay spent much of his early adulthood wandering the four corners of the country in search of the weird and wonderful, the dark and the light. As chance would have it, he found them. The rest is a tale yet to be told. After meandering far and wide he returned to his native Ozarks where he lives with his dazzling wife, their sons, and a menagerie of mythical creatures both real and imagined.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 20, 2019
Endsville is a debut that feels like it’s specifically written to counter most of the urban fantasy genre. I was intrigued by it and bought a copy. The story focuses the St. John family consisting of Victor, Fiona, Gabriel & Delilah. and their house of the Crow.
Situated in Los Angeles, we are introduced to the all four of the family members and their individual strengths and foibles. At the same time, we get a sense of the wider world and the criminal world within. The Crows are offered a wholesome bounty to sort out a crime from an overlord by the name of Dante Washington. It's herein where the plot really kicks into high gear. We are given an insight in to each of the four family members with Gabriel and Delilah sharing the lion's share of the spotlight. Victor and Fiona while being equally important don't get as many POV chapters as their children. Gabriel is a high ranked member among the house of the Crows as his tattooed insignia indicates (see the cover). Delilah on the other hand doesn't have any visible insignia but she shares a lot of the gang's activities. She also is a magical heavy hitter and does take on the more arcane aspects. Gabriel is a person who keeps his emotions bottled up and Delilah is on a similar path. She also has a sordid past which gets touched upon in this opening volume. Victor St. John has a presence about himself and his children as well as his gang members know it. Fiona is more of a proper matriach but isn't much of a role. There's a few other other characters who the readers can RAFO. These characters are very much like the Lannisters meet the Tellers in this absorbing crime drama.
Endsville is dark, hell it’s about a family who presides over a biker clan and certainly draws some glorious comparisons with Sons Of Anarchy. This story very epic in scope and major props to Clay Sanger for his glorious descriptions of gang heraldry and culture. The best part of the story for me was the characterization, beginning with the St. John family, each member is a distinct persona with one hell of a backstory. We get some solid ideas about each of them and then some. There's also other characters who are introduced such as the Watch as well other arcana users who I hope the author explores more of. The world and gang heraldry which is introduced is very, very well done. I really liked this aspect and it reminded me a lot of George R. R. Martin's ASOIAF. The author has taken pains to really allow the readers for an immersive experience and I can't thank the author enough for it.
The plot has numerous threads and with each POV change, we get another facet of life and a newer plot to follow. I like this multifaceted approach that's rarely been done in the urban fantasy genre. There's also the noir approach to the plot and even this isn't a procedural but the story is heaped in a crime-infested LA that will feel at home for most noir mystery readers. I loved how the author showcased Los Angeles and how magic has shaped the world.
Exciting characterization, epic plot scope and a unique story made this debut land a special place in my heart.
More to come in my full FBC review...
Situated in Los Angeles, we are introduced to the all four of the family members and their individual strengths and foibles. At the same time, we get a sense of the wider world and the criminal world within. The Crows are offered a wholesome bounty to sort out a crime from an overlord by the name of Dante Washington. It's herein where the plot really kicks into high gear. We are given an insight in to each of the four family members with Gabriel and Delilah sharing the lion's share of the spotlight. Victor and Fiona while being equally important don't get as many POV chapters as their children. Gabriel is a high ranked member among the house of the Crows as his tattooed insignia indicates (see the cover). Delilah on the other hand doesn't have any visible insignia but she shares a lot of the gang's activities. She also is a magical heavy hitter and does take on the more arcane aspects. Gabriel is a person who keeps his emotions bottled up and Delilah is on a similar path. She also has a sordid past which gets touched upon in this opening volume. Victor St. John has a presence about himself and his children as well as his gang members know it. Fiona is more of a proper matriach but isn't much of a role. There's a few other other characters who the readers can RAFO. These characters are very much like the Lannisters meet the Tellers in this absorbing crime drama.
Endsville is dark, hell it’s about a family who presides over a biker clan and certainly draws some glorious comparisons with Sons Of Anarchy. This story very epic in scope and major props to Clay Sanger for his glorious descriptions of gang heraldry and culture. The best part of the story for me was the characterization, beginning with the St. John family, each member is a distinct persona with one hell of a backstory. We get some solid ideas about each of them and then some. There's also other characters who are introduced such as the Watch as well other arcana users who I hope the author explores more of. The world and gang heraldry which is introduced is very, very well done. I really liked this aspect and it reminded me a lot of George R. R. Martin's ASOIAF. The author has taken pains to really allow the readers for an immersive experience and I can't thank the author enough for it.
The plot has numerous threads and with each POV change, we get another facet of life and a newer plot to follow. I like this multifaceted approach that's rarely been done in the urban fantasy genre. There's also the noir approach to the plot and even this isn't a procedural but the story is heaped in a crime-infested LA that will feel at home for most noir mystery readers. I loved how the author showcased Los Angeles and how magic has shaped the world.
Exciting characterization, epic plot scope and a unique story made this debut land a special place in my heart.
More to come in my full FBC review...
December 30, 2018
We’re bad people... We lie. We cheat. We steal. We kill. So long as we take out the trash and keep the peace with the other liars, cheaters, thieves, and killers, nobody really cares.
Endsville is the first in a new series, Outlaw Arcana, from Clay Sanger, author of few short stories published in various anthologies. I’ve read none of his stories and I don’t remember how and why I pre-ordered his debut novel. I woke up one day, opened my Kindle and there it was.
The story occurs in Los Angeles and introduces readers to the House of the Crow. Led by their enigmatic street captain Gabriel, the Crows are a secret coven of high-rolling occult gangsters. A gangland king enlists their aid to recover 34 million dollars in cash—stolen from him by what appears to be a hostile sorcerer.
On the hunt for missing money, The Crows battle through a vicious cycle of betrayal, violence, and black magic. Allies prove to be enemies and relatively simple mission turns into something much more sinister.
St. John family's members have no redeeming qualities. Fierce and brutal, they’ve built their occult crime dynasty on ruthless laws and sense of loyalty. Anyone who joins Crows becomes part of a highly dysfunctional and toxic family. They care for each other and share strong bonds but have no mercy for disobedient, traitors, enemies, and outside world. The story is split in three main POVs:
Gabriel St. John: Crow‘s street captain. Brutal, efficient, traumatised. Drinks a lot, sleeps around, rides Harley. Sounds flat? Probably. Nothing further from the truth though. Gabriel is one of the most intriguing anti-heroes I know.
Delilah St. John: a gifted occult practitioner struggling with few addictions.
Victor St. John: Lord Crow, head of the family. Always calm, composed and calculating. You don‘t play with him because when you do bad things happen. Victor emanates power and stands out as a fascinating character.
I found them fascinating. Each character feels distinct, each of them brings to the story their own individual aspect. Victor remains mysterious and composed when all hell breaks loose and that makes him fascinating. He bears a resemblance to Mr. Church from Joe Ledger novels or John Marcone from Dresden Files. Gabriel and Delilah are deeply flawed and traumatised individuals. Sanger’s writing speaks to me on a visceral level. He understands how to write inner darkness better than most and this skill makes Delilah and Gabriel’s chapters a dark treat.
Clay Sanger’s writing is smooth and articulate. He doesn‘t shy away from slang, bad language, or sharp sentences but it all works. His pacing is excellent. Endsville is a page-turner with no lags.
Despite significant length the book feels directed and purposeful. There were just few places where I could have said something in the book might not be essential to the story at large.
I never expected to fall in love with bad guys with no redeeming qualities, but I did. Sanger’s world is terrifying and brutal, but also complex and fascinating. It convincingly portrays flawed individuals who struggle with substance abuse, occult addiction, toxic and abusive family relationships and living a life of crime.
An excellent book, but approach it with caution. It contains lots and lots of violence (including mentions of rape), sex and bad language.
January 23, 2019
ENDSVILLE by Clay Sanger is the kind of urban fantasy that I like. It's very reminiscent of Seth Skorkowsky's Valducan series and more Hellblazer than Harry Dresden. The world is dark, gritty, and full of secrets. The protagonists are antiheroes and mercenaries rather than genuine heroes.
Yet, despite this, I very much enjoyed them and their actions throughout the novel. The lower stakes, money and life, fit a typical crime noir thriller like BABY DRIVER or JOHN WICK more than they are about saving the world or fighting monsters. We need more novels like this because too many stories are so over-the-top you have to constantly raise the stakes rather than focus on more personal tales of greed or redemption.
The premise is a group of occult mercenaries, the Crows, operate out of Los Angeles. They're nobility in the supernatural world but very low nobility without much respect (but much fear--which is just as good). A local crime lord named Dante Washington has just lost 34 million dollars and it's very likely to have involved people in his organization as well as an enemy mage. This event has also attracted a group of witch hunters. They're put into contract with Washington to find the missing money but, unfortunately, the trail leads right back to them.
The characters are entertaining if not always likable, the prose entertaining, and the plot moves along at a brisk pace. I really recommend this to urban fantasy fans who want something a little darker and grittier than your usual vampire and werewolf fair.
9/10
Yet, despite this, I very much enjoyed them and their actions throughout the novel. The lower stakes, money and life, fit a typical crime noir thriller like BABY DRIVER or JOHN WICK more than they are about saving the world or fighting monsters. We need more novels like this because too many stories are so over-the-top you have to constantly raise the stakes rather than focus on more personal tales of greed or redemption.
The premise is a group of occult mercenaries, the Crows, operate out of Los Angeles. They're nobility in the supernatural world but very low nobility without much respect (but much fear--which is just as good). A local crime lord named Dante Washington has just lost 34 million dollars and it's very likely to have involved people in his organization as well as an enemy mage. This event has also attracted a group of witch hunters. They're put into contract with Washington to find the missing money but, unfortunately, the trail leads right back to them.
The characters are entertaining if not always likable, the prose entertaining, and the plot moves along at a brisk pace. I really recommend this to urban fantasy fans who want something a little darker and grittier than your usual vampire and werewolf fair.
9/10
December 13, 2018
This book has teeth. Take your gritty Crime Fiction, mix that with occult Urban Fantasy, and this is what you get. Think of it as Sons of Anarchy meets Constantine.
Gabriel St. John is not a good person. He’s no wise-cracking criminal with heart of gold, but a cold-as-ice gangster. His gang, the House of Crow, don’t run guns or drugs or anything like a normal gang. They run magic. Dark magic. And people pay top dollar for it.
When a local crime boss loses $34 million, he hires the House of Crow to get it back. Gabriel finds himself in an elaborate plot of betrayal, murder, more betrayal, and eldritch horror that not only threatens to destroy him, but his beloved House of Crow.
The pacing is great. The action is brutal. And the story is well-told. While a hefty book, the chapters are short and bite-sized, so you get into the trap of, “I’ll read just one more chapter. Just one more chapter,” and then it’s 2 in the morning because you couldn’t stop.
It also gives us one of the scariest, creepiest monsters I’ve read in a VERY long time. I won’t spoil a thing about it except, “I see you!”
Gabriel St. John is not a good person. He’s no wise-cracking criminal with heart of gold, but a cold-as-ice gangster. His gang, the House of Crow, don’t run guns or drugs or anything like a normal gang. They run magic. Dark magic. And people pay top dollar for it.
When a local crime boss loses $34 million, he hires the House of Crow to get it back. Gabriel finds himself in an elaborate plot of betrayal, murder, more betrayal, and eldritch horror that not only threatens to destroy him, but his beloved House of Crow.
The pacing is great. The action is brutal. And the story is well-told. While a hefty book, the chapters are short and bite-sized, so you get into the trap of, “I’ll read just one more chapter. Just one more chapter,” and then it’s 2 in the morning because you couldn’t stop.
It also gives us one of the scariest, creepiest monsters I’ve read in a VERY long time. I won’t spoil a thing about it except, “I see you!”
March 9, 2019
A fast paced car chase of a novel, Endsville is a thrill-ride of west coast Americana, black magic, and gang war mayhem in the style of Sons of Anarchy. If Mickey Spillane wrote urban fantasy it would be like this.
January 18, 2019
Crow is everything
I dont love writing reviews so i will make it short. You need to read this book if you like urban fantasy.
I loved the mature tone of the book, main cast are mercenary's professionals in what they and it shows in the book . No dumb actions are made all of them are calculated for the benefit of the house and the house is everything.
Magic is interesting yet the story more focuses on action side of things less on magic mayhem.
Pacing was great story was unfolding great and new questions and answer were given on good times.
So as i stated you need to read it i will be waiting for a squeal and will drop all that i read to start it ASP.
I dont love writing reviews so i will make it short. You need to read this book if you like urban fantasy.
I loved the mature tone of the book, main cast are mercenary's professionals in what they and it shows in the book . No dumb actions are made all of them are calculated for the benefit of the house and the house is everything.
Magic is interesting yet the story more focuses on action side of things less on magic mayhem.
Pacing was great story was unfolding great and new questions and answer were given on good times.
So as i stated you need to read it i will be waiting for a squeal and will drop all that i read to start it ASP.
February 24, 2019
Clay Sanger is a fresh and unique voice in SFF fiction (he's had some short stories in the past, but Endsville is his debut novel). I was blown away at how good this book was, constantly taking a break to just bask in the awesomeness of a kickass scene or moment (of which there are a shit-ton).
Endsville, to me, is a mixture of genres. It clearly has the urban fantasy scene on lock (with plenty of shoot-em-up action), but it also has a thriller vibe to it, and in several instances straight-up horror that sent shockingly vivid and grotesque images through my mind, where they stayed, popping up every now and again just to give me an unexpected start.
Clay's writing style seems effortless, and clearly conveys everything he's trying to get across. Very descriptive but not in a way that ruins any of the fun. And if you enjoy metaphors, well, Clay is a master at conjuring creative (sometimes humorous) ones at the drop of a hat—this not only plays well in the narrative, but also throughout the dialogue, which allows everything to flow together quite nicely.
As for the story, Endsville takes place in Los Angeles and follows a mafia-like gang named The Crows, primarily Gabriel and Delilah St. John, sibling offspring of the Crow leader. The Crows take a job from a rich and powerful gangland King, and then all shit hits the fan and you get to follow along as they attempt to clean all the stains off the floor.
The gangs in Los Angeles are unlike any you've heard about though, as the supernatural is very real in this version of L.A., from blood magic to werewolves, creating fire-storms from a simple lighter to goblins who run an auto shop, demon summoning to arcane wards inked in skin, there's something new and surprising when you least expect it…but damn is it all so entertaining.
I'll be surprised if this series doesn't end in a tv or movie deal…but hopefully after the series is complete heh.
If any of that sounds interesting to you, pick this one up and read it now, don't just add it to the TBR pile. Read. It. Now.
Endsville, to me, is a mixture of genres. It clearly has the urban fantasy scene on lock (with plenty of shoot-em-up action), but it also has a thriller vibe to it, and in several instances straight-up horror that sent shockingly vivid and grotesque images through my mind, where they stayed, popping up every now and again just to give me an unexpected start.
Clay's writing style seems effortless, and clearly conveys everything he's trying to get across. Very descriptive but not in a way that ruins any of the fun. And if you enjoy metaphors, well, Clay is a master at conjuring creative (sometimes humorous) ones at the drop of a hat—this not only plays well in the narrative, but also throughout the dialogue, which allows everything to flow together quite nicely.
As for the story, Endsville takes place in Los Angeles and follows a mafia-like gang named The Crows, primarily Gabriel and Delilah St. John, sibling offspring of the Crow leader. The Crows take a job from a rich and powerful gangland King, and then all shit hits the fan and you get to follow along as they attempt to clean all the stains off the floor.
The gangs in Los Angeles are unlike any you've heard about though, as the supernatural is very real in this version of L.A., from blood magic to werewolves, creating fire-storms from a simple lighter to goblins who run an auto shop, demon summoning to arcane wards inked in skin, there's something new and surprising when you least expect it…but damn is it all so entertaining.
I'll be surprised if this series doesn't end in a tv or movie deal…but hopefully after the series is complete heh.
If any of that sounds interesting to you, pick this one up and read it now, don't just add it to the TBR pile. Read. It. Now.
March 11, 2019
To describe this book, I would say that it is a beautifully sculpted blend of dark fantasy that mixes the occult within a world governed by hardened gang members. This, however, barely scratches the surface. Once you start reading, this book captures and takes you on a wild ride filled with non-stop action, unnerving horror, and suspense. This is the type of book that continues to resonate with you even after you have turned the last page.
June 28, 2020
I never wanted to join a gang. Until now. Maybe just an honorary member though. It's dangerous and I'm a marshmallow.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I really enjoyed it. It's like all those paranormal romances I used to read years and years ago, but without all the annoying romance. What a brilliant idea!
Written well. Edited well. Clear plot. Intricate characters and relationships. All the basics are covered.
I'd like to say something deeper, but the fact is that I'm still mulling all of this over in my head. It's not just a story about a group of people who get into trouble. It's like you're immersed into a whole new world and you come out of it needing some decompression time.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I really enjoyed it. It's like all those paranormal romances I used to read years and years ago, but without all the annoying romance. What a brilliant idea!
Written well. Edited well. Clear plot. Intricate characters and relationships. All the basics are covered.
I'd like to say something deeper, but the fact is that I'm still mulling all of this over in my head. It's not just a story about a group of people who get into trouble. It's like you're immersed into a whole new world and you come out of it needing some decompression time.
February 1, 2019
I usually don’t read this genre, but as a fellow author, I had to try it. The book surprised me. In spite of the long descriptive narrative, I enjoyed the sharp, cryptic story line and intense dialog. A well-devised plot made the book interesting and gives the reader reason to read on. Not that I was overcome with sympathy for the characters, but the rival groups keep tension and suspense in the air. An intriguing journey.
December 2, 2019
Secret occult gangs in a crime-infested Los Angeles. A group of outlaws, members of the House of Crow. Each is a distinct and fascinating character, each with few if any redeeming qualities, but you'll find yourself unable to stop from following them.
Endsville is a story of LA's dark underbelly, betrayal and eldritch horror. I was hooked from beginning to end.
Endsville is a story of LA's dark underbelly, betrayal and eldritch horror. I was hooked from beginning to end.
March 2, 2020
I didn't know this is what I wanted until I was basically injecting it into my eyeballs.
Amazing book, great world, characters and topped off with an excellent magic system and a fantastic plot. I loved that the some of the usual tropes were missing making for a refreshing read.
I want more.
Amazing book, great world, characters and topped off with an excellent magic system and a fantastic plot. I loved that the some of the usual tropes were missing making for a refreshing read.
I want more.
January 5, 2021
4.5⭐️
March 19, 2019
3⭐️ Endsville is an exciting urban fantasy with a really cool premise. It follows the adventures of a family of outlaw occult gangsters and those they work for or against. Think magical Sons of Anarchy. The Crow are one of several “houses” who use their magical skills for all sorts of nefarious schemes. The plot involves another gangster hiring the Crow to find a sum of missing money, and the fallout when things do not go as planned.
So, things I liked in Endsville would include the fast pace, which also made sense and connected event to event logically. Also, the magic was fun and flashy, with the daughter Delilah possessing some cool divination skills and an all around bad ass attitude. A couple of chapters had excerpts from different characters which provided some background info I liked, but that kinda disappeared as the book went on.
The characters were disappointing to me and were partly why I didn’t rate this one higher. Gabriel and his parents in particular seemed kind of two dimensional. We were reminded at least 3 times of Gabriel’s glacial blue eyes and his amazing competency. The dialogue was kind of standard. The sheer amount of villains involved was a bit much. Even the cartel showed up eventually. I enjoy more
complexity in my protagonists and villains and there is potential for good things here. Overall, it had fun moments and there could be a lot to explore in the Outlaw Arcana world going forward. I’d be interested in checking out the next book in the series.
So, things I liked in Endsville would include the fast pace, which also made sense and connected event to event logically. Also, the magic was fun and flashy, with the daughter Delilah possessing some cool divination skills and an all around bad ass attitude. A couple of chapters had excerpts from different characters which provided some background info I liked, but that kinda disappeared as the book went on.
The characters were disappointing to me and were partly why I didn’t rate this one higher. Gabriel and his parents in particular seemed kind of two dimensional. We were reminded at least 3 times of Gabriel’s glacial blue eyes and his amazing competency. The dialogue was kind of standard. The sheer amount of villains involved was a bit much. Even the cartel showed up eventually. I enjoy more
complexity in my protagonists and villains and there is potential for good things here. Overall, it had fun moments and there could be a lot to explore in the Outlaw Arcana world going forward. I’d be interested in checking out the next book in the series.
August 8, 2023
3.5 stars. Although this is typically the kind of book I devour, I found myself lacking the motivation to continue this book. It was only in the final sector that I found it to pick up, hence the generous review. I also liked each character and it was their personalities that made this book shine. Other than that, for some explainable reason I found this book to be.. well meh. This was a shame because I normally love this kind of vulgar writing style and the brutality of such scenes. Idk maybe I'm just growing out of the genre :(
January 16, 2025
This book is interesting. The characters are flat and the writing isn’t super descriptive but they live very busy lives. There’s a lot happening. I did not enjoy it.
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