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Hell Hounds
In hell, we reap what you sow. * And everyone can hear you scream. * Meet DAEMON GRIM; A FORCE FOR EVIL * Baying for blood doesn’t begin to describe the din, when Grim's rabid pack of bounty hunters run riot! * An insane angel causes a hell of a ruckus, while Tesla and Chopin orchestrate the Reaper's doom. * How do Grim and his rabid pack of bounty hunters respond? Baying for blood only begins to describe the carnage. * Andrew P. Weston's Daemon Grim novel from the Heroes in Hell series will scare you spitless.
510 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2017
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Andrew P. Weston
37 books298 followersAndrew P. Weston is Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, and their growing family of rescue cats.
An astronomy and criminal law graduate, he is the creator of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling IX Series and the Cambion Journals Series, along with the Reaper Chronicles, Hell Bound, Hell Hounds, and Hell Gate, (Novels forming part of the critically celebrated Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Science Fiction Association, British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
When relaxing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to supporting animal charities, as well as writing the occasional article for Amazing Stories.
While hopelessly incompetent at using social media, Andrew's wife assures him he is, nevertheless, an expert nuisance.
If you would like to find out more, visit his blog:
https://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
▲
An astronomy and criminal law graduate, he is the creator of the internationally acclaimed and bestselling IX Series and the Cambion Journals Series, along with the Reaper Chronicles, Hell Bound, Hell Hounds, and Hell Gate, (Novels forming part of the critically celebrated Heroes in Hell shared universe). Andrew also has the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Science Fiction Association, British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
When relaxing, Andrew devotes some of his spare time to supporting animal charities, as well as writing the occasional article for Amazing Stories.
While hopelessly incompetent at using social media, Andrew's wife assures him he is, nevertheless, an expert nuisance.
If you would like to find out more, visit his blog:
https://andrewpweston.blogspot.gr/
▲
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 8, 2019
Entertaining, Genre-Bending, Satirical Madness:
Hell Hounds is a mashup of genres: Fantasy, Satirical Horror, Historical Fiction, and some Mystery Noir thrown in. Imagine a parallel universe to our reality on earth where the dead “un-live” for an eternity. If they die there, they feel the pain but then reawaken…. sometimes creatively transformed by The Undertaker (i.e., perhaps he’ll remove your testicles and use them handles on a zipper that wraps around your neck!). Goofy, satirical puns laden the map (Paris is Perish, the Eiffel Tower now the Awful Tower, etc.]. Want to read fresh fiction, read Andrew P. Weston’s Daemon Grim series (check out the guide below to begin).
Daemon Grim is the Reaper, Satan’s personal enforcer and chief bounty hunter. He commands the titular Hell Hounds, a band of agents (Nimrod – the rebellious, biblical king, Charlotte Corday – murderess of Marat, Yamato Takeru—a ninjutsu master of the Yamato dynasty, and more ). They ultimately all serve Satan, Father of Lies, who needs them to control Hell from the conniving dead and meddling angels; but Satan is also punishing his servants for their sins, so no one is on good terms.
Underlying tension spans many groups: Satan, Grim & his Hell Hounds, the duo Frederic Chopin and Nikola Telsa (an ingenious duo learning to control the physics & time in Hell), an insane Angel stripped of his Wings (Grislington), and seven angelic Sibitti who are auditing the souls in Hell. At first the combinations of intentions and conflict is downright farcical. Eventually several themes converge, usually about Grim. The last 20% is a blast of a climax which clarifies the chaos. Along the way, Mr. Weston will occasionally slip into dosing out exposition-through-dialogue, which didn’t bother me. Usually this occurs at times the reader will desire a boost in clarity about the abstract conflicts.
There are two primary games occurring. One is the continuing, cat-and-mouse battle between Grim and Chopin/Tesla, who love to leave scavenger-hunt notes at crime scenes. The second is Grim vs. the angels (and perhaps himself &/or Satan); there is a mystery in this series which is slowly being revealed: who “was” Grim before becoming Satan’s strongest champion?
Where to Start:
Hell Hounds is wacky and fun, but is not the beginning. The Heroes in Hell is primarily a series of anthologies; this novel focuses on Grim but has story arcs connected to HIH. Given the breadth of abstract interactions, I recommend initial readers begin with either:
1) Doctors in Hell (HIH #18): Daemon Grim is introduced in this collection, and even though it is #18 in the series, it is a perfect entryway for HIH newcomers.
2) Or…. Hell Bound (Grim novel #1): Daemon Grim’s first novel, occurring chronologically after Doctors, but before Hell Hounds.
3) Or for those who’ve done that, note Grim also appears in Pirates in Hell
(“Pieces of Hate”)
Hell Hounds is a mashup of genres: Fantasy, Satirical Horror, Historical Fiction, and some Mystery Noir thrown in. Imagine a parallel universe to our reality on earth where the dead “un-live” for an eternity. If they die there, they feel the pain but then reawaken…. sometimes creatively transformed by The Undertaker (i.e., perhaps he’ll remove your testicles and use them handles on a zipper that wraps around your neck!). Goofy, satirical puns laden the map (Paris is Perish, the Eiffel Tower now the Awful Tower, etc.]. Want to read fresh fiction, read Andrew P. Weston’s Daemon Grim series (check out the guide below to begin).
Daemon Grim is the Reaper, Satan’s personal enforcer and chief bounty hunter. He commands the titular Hell Hounds, a band of agents (Nimrod – the rebellious, biblical king, Charlotte Corday – murderess of Marat, Yamato Takeru—a ninjutsu master of the Yamato dynasty, and more ). They ultimately all serve Satan, Father of Lies, who needs them to control Hell from the conniving dead and meddling angels; but Satan is also punishing his servants for their sins, so no one is on good terms.
Underlying tension spans many groups: Satan, Grim & his Hell Hounds, the duo Frederic Chopin and Nikola Telsa (an ingenious duo learning to control the physics & time in Hell), an insane Angel stripped of his Wings (Grislington), and seven angelic Sibitti who are auditing the souls in Hell. At first the combinations of intentions and conflict is downright farcical. Eventually several themes converge, usually about Grim. The last 20% is a blast of a climax which clarifies the chaos. Along the way, Mr. Weston will occasionally slip into dosing out exposition-through-dialogue, which didn’t bother me. Usually this occurs at times the reader will desire a boost in clarity about the abstract conflicts.
There are two primary games occurring. One is the continuing, cat-and-mouse battle between Grim and Chopin/Tesla, who love to leave scavenger-hunt notes at crime scenes. The second is Grim vs. the angels (and perhaps himself &/or Satan); there is a mystery in this series which is slowly being revealed: who “was” Grim before becoming Satan’s strongest champion?
Where to Start:
Hell Hounds is wacky and fun, but is not the beginning. The Heroes in Hell is primarily a series of anthologies; this novel focuses on Grim but has story arcs connected to HIH. Given the breadth of abstract interactions, I recommend initial readers begin with either:
1) Doctors in Hell (HIH #18): Daemon Grim is introduced in this collection, and even though it is #18 in the series, it is a perfect entryway for HIH newcomers.
2) Or…. Hell Bound (Grim novel #1): Daemon Grim’s first novel, occurring chronologically after Doctors, but before Hell Hounds.
3) Or for those who’ve done that, note Grim also appears in Pirates in Hell
(“Pieces of Hate”)
January 5, 2018
One Hell of a Ride!
'Yes, an ambiance of morbid dread saturated these environs, and the regular serenade provided by the ululating shrieks and screams of those being tortured only exacerbated the atmosphere.'
Daemon Grim is the Grim Reaper, Satan's own hunter down of wayward evil souls who are trying to avoid their inevitable nemesis. He 'lives' in a weird reflection of London, riddled with rifts to numerous parallel universes, which is part of what is known as 'Hell' to those who live on Earth. When one of his targets, a serial killer called Cream, manages to escape his date with the Undertaker in Hell, Daemon Grim has a problem.
This is a fast-paced, action heavy and remarkably easy to devour urban fantasy, but the setting for most of this leans more on the 'fantasy' than everyday-world 'urban'. It is one in a series of books set in a shared universe, but I didn't find much difficulty catching onto what was going on or feel any major gaps in my understanding of the setting. It is an entertaining read, with a couple of caveats which I will mention later, but which I fully acknowledge are likely mine own and not flaws with the book itself.
'Made from what looked like brass and blushed steel, each tine rotated in a different direction, churning up the beach until it was a lethal minefield of mechanical traps and snares. The Isle of Cogs!'
The strength of this book is it's gallows humour and its worldbuilding. Although set in a world already defined by others, my understanding is that this version of London in Hell - and a very warped reflection of the original it is too - was the creation of the author. In it he has done a wonderful job of blending a grimdark (pun intended) fantasy with gritty Victoriana. The name changes for places and roads in London are usually punny, though sometimes a bit too groan worthy.
The characters of the cast in the book are all painted convincingly, but only that of Daemon Grim Reaper himself is fully fleshed (a little irony there for those who have read the end) but he remains still something of an enigma. The questions that hover about him are intriguing though, not irritating author withholding. For a nasty piece of work as a protagonist, he is handled very well.
'...a congregation of rickety metallic lockers had been pushed together into an untidy knot. Draped with cobwebs and covered in dust, they appeared hooded in sackcloth and reverent, as if deep in prayer.'
What is not to like? Well for me the over-writing got in the way. I love well-written prose that uses less common words, but sometimes I felt this book slid into the more indigo shades of descriptors and embraced a metaphor or so too far. It was not so much that too many were inappropriate or out of place (though some, IMO, really were) as that the sheer abundance and frequency of them overall began to become a bit trying for me. This is a book that uses the word ‘puissance’ as a descriptor not once but thrice and ‘puissant’ an additional four times, which should give you an idea of what I mean. It also creates a very incongruent immersion breaking sensation to find really crude words cheek by jowl with such delicate and decorative turns of phrase. That said other readers might see this as a mark of distinction and superb writing, so they are far from being any kind of fatal flaw.
There was also something about the way the coldness of Daemon Grim is normalised that made me want to step away at times. It is what the book is about - these are not meant to be 'nice' people, but I found myself willing on those he opposed as much as Daemon Grim himself as I truly did not mind if he was destroyed. That said, he didn't seem to be too bothered about it himself either, his imperative being to serve his Boss.
This is a rumbustious romp through the chthonic environs of a very alternative Hell. If you enjoy amoral anti-heroes, clever puns and rather nasty events in a broadly urban fantasy setting, all delivered at a brisk clip, then drop what you are doing and click on the 'buy' button right now.
'Yes, an ambiance of morbid dread saturated these environs, and the regular serenade provided by the ululating shrieks and screams of those being tortured only exacerbated the atmosphere.'
Daemon Grim is the Grim Reaper, Satan's own hunter down of wayward evil souls who are trying to avoid their inevitable nemesis. He 'lives' in a weird reflection of London, riddled with rifts to numerous parallel universes, which is part of what is known as 'Hell' to those who live on Earth. When one of his targets, a serial killer called Cream, manages to escape his date with the Undertaker in Hell, Daemon Grim has a problem.
This is a fast-paced, action heavy and remarkably easy to devour urban fantasy, but the setting for most of this leans more on the 'fantasy' than everyday-world 'urban'. It is one in a series of books set in a shared universe, but I didn't find much difficulty catching onto what was going on or feel any major gaps in my understanding of the setting. It is an entertaining read, with a couple of caveats which I will mention later, but which I fully acknowledge are likely mine own and not flaws with the book itself.
'Made from what looked like brass and blushed steel, each tine rotated in a different direction, churning up the beach until it was a lethal minefield of mechanical traps and snares. The Isle of Cogs!'
The strength of this book is it's gallows humour and its worldbuilding. Although set in a world already defined by others, my understanding is that this version of London in Hell - and a very warped reflection of the original it is too - was the creation of the author. In it he has done a wonderful job of blending a grimdark (pun intended) fantasy with gritty Victoriana. The name changes for places and roads in London are usually punny, though sometimes a bit too groan worthy.
The characters of the cast in the book are all painted convincingly, but only that of Daemon Grim Reaper himself is fully fleshed (a little irony there for those who have read the end) but he remains still something of an enigma. The questions that hover about him are intriguing though, not irritating author withholding. For a nasty piece of work as a protagonist, he is handled very well.
'...a congregation of rickety metallic lockers had been pushed together into an untidy knot. Draped with cobwebs and covered in dust, they appeared hooded in sackcloth and reverent, as if deep in prayer.'
What is not to like? Well for me the over-writing got in the way. I love well-written prose that uses less common words, but sometimes I felt this book slid into the more indigo shades of descriptors and embraced a metaphor or so too far. It was not so much that too many were inappropriate or out of place (though some, IMO, really were) as that the sheer abundance and frequency of them overall began to become a bit trying for me. This is a book that uses the word ‘puissance’ as a descriptor not once but thrice and ‘puissant’ an additional four times, which should give you an idea of what I mean. It also creates a very incongruent immersion breaking sensation to find really crude words cheek by jowl with such delicate and decorative turns of phrase. That said other readers might see this as a mark of distinction and superb writing, so they are far from being any kind of fatal flaw.
There was also something about the way the coldness of Daemon Grim is normalised that made me want to step away at times. It is what the book is about - these are not meant to be 'nice' people, but I found myself willing on those he opposed as much as Daemon Grim himself as I truly did not mind if he was destroyed. That said, he didn't seem to be too bothered about it himself either, his imperative being to serve his Boss.
This is a rumbustious romp through the chthonic environs of a very alternative Hell. If you enjoy amoral anti-heroes, clever puns and rather nasty events in a broadly urban fantasy setting, all delivered at a brisk clip, then drop what you are doing and click on the 'buy' button right now.
March 30, 2018
A psychopathic angel and fugitive from injustice named Grislington (now known to a select few as Angelus Giseldone) causes a hell of a ruckus when he escapes from his prison in the Black Keep. Grislington’s flight from the Keep involves the loss of the Sword of Celestial Arches, a relic missing since the time of his escape. The sword was given to him by He Who Cannot Be Named: in other words, God. But this is no ordinary sword: it’s a mighty talisman which can open a portal to nearly any location in manifold levels of reality. Daemon Grim and his cadre of Hell Hounds are assigned the task of finding the sword before it falls into the wrong hands. And if this deranged angel Grislington has it or knows where it is, there’s no telling what havoc he might cause, should he choose to go on a rampage.
Meanwhile, the unlikely duo of Frederic Chopin and Nikola Tesla attempt to orchestrate the Reaper’s doom. These two are also on the hunt for Grislington’s more-than-magical sword, while Thomas Edison works on ideas stolen from Tesla. This has one upside: Tesla has been spared the painful punishment he’d suffer if he had managed to build on his designs. Not so for poor Chopin, whose fingers break every time he starts playing the piano. Now they’re hiding from Grim and his Hounds: Nimrod the Biblical king; Charlotte Corday, the angel of the assassination who murdered Jean-Paul Marat, a key figure in the French Revolution; and Yamato Takeru, a ninjutsu master. Reliable intelligence from the Devil’s Children suggest that they had amassed an unspecified number of multi-phasic rift generators, also known as “teleport orbs,” sophisticated devices that can open an entrance to any level of hell. What with Erra, the Babylonian God of Plague and Pestilence, and his Seven Sibitti warriors still running rampant, messing with sheolspace and changing the landscape of Infernity, the Hell Hounds, have enough to keep them busy for eternity. Throw in a huge and wonderful cast of characters that includes Doctor Livingston, Queen Isabella, and Marie Tussaud, (who’s known as Madame Two-Swords), and Hell becomes even more of a madhouse than it already is.
Meanwhile, the unlikely duo of Frederic Chopin and Nikola Tesla attempt to orchestrate the Reaper’s doom. These two are also on the hunt for Grislington’s more-than-magical sword, while Thomas Edison works on ideas stolen from Tesla. This has one upside: Tesla has been spared the painful punishment he’d suffer if he had managed to build on his designs. Not so for poor Chopin, whose fingers break every time he starts playing the piano. Now they’re hiding from Grim and his Hounds: Nimrod the Biblical king; Charlotte Corday, the angel of the assassination who murdered Jean-Paul Marat, a key figure in the French Revolution; and Yamato Takeru, a ninjutsu master. Reliable intelligence from the Devil’s Children suggest that they had amassed an unspecified number of multi-phasic rift generators, also known as “teleport orbs,” sophisticated devices that can open an entrance to any level of hell. What with Erra, the Babylonian God of Plague and Pestilence, and his Seven Sibitti warriors still running rampant, messing with sheolspace and changing the landscape of Infernity, the Hell Hounds, have enough to keep them busy for eternity. Throw in a huge and wonderful cast of characters that includes Doctor Livingston, Queen Isabella, and Marie Tussaud, (who’s known as Madame Two-Swords), and Hell becomes even more of a madhouse than it already is.
December 27, 2017
Hell Hounds (Heroes in Hell)
by Andrew P. Weston
A brilliant story and highly engaging throughout.
Recommended read.
by Andrew P. Weston
A brilliant story and highly engaging throughout.
Recommended read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews