“Cole masterfully pulls off tense moments, horror, questioning whether something is even real or not and action. I highly recommend this book.”
Something strange is happening in the town of Everett, Washington and Father Niccolo Paladina is tasked with investigating possible demonic activity. Nothing is as it seems, however, and things quickly begin spiraling out of his control.
When his path crosses with that of an old rival, they discover that things are worse in Everett than either of them could ever have imagined. As his world collapses around him, Niccolo will be left with one terrible question: what is my faith worth?
Lincoln Cole is a Columbus based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster puppy, Luther, and family. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.
Great read! I’ll leave a review when it’s out! I accepted this copy as an ARC and was completely overwhelmed! A thriller horror supernatural story, with whims of religious statements. Fast paced action from the beginning. I haven’t read The Ninth Circle( I will now), which gives some past knowledge of the protagonist, but this book can be read as a standalone, as tthere are snippets of past relations of both of the main characters. I like that Lincoln Cole gives importance to both Arthur and Father Paladino, with an in-depth background and emotions. It’s in itself scary and emotive, so realistic, it made me jump and squeal a few times! LOL! It is deliciously supernatural, thrilling, terrifying sometimes! I definitely recommend the new series! A great series’ launch for a great author !
The town of Everett, Washington is overrun with demons as they have invaded the townspeople to the point of Father Niccolo Paladina (an exorcist) coming from the Vatican to investigate what is happening in the town. Father Paladina along with Father Jackson Reynolds who is the priest of the catholic church in the town try to delve into why the demons have taken over the town.
There are a mix of characters in the book including a demon hunter named Arthur who knows all about demons and wants to help the priests with exorcising them from the town. Even though Father Paladina is an exorcist, he has never performed an actual exorcism before, so he is a little wobbly in his faith of actually believing demons exist until things spiral out of control in the town and he has to come to terms with his faith to proceed with doing what needs to be done to exorcising the demons.
Thoughts:
This was my second time reading the book as there are more books in the series now so will be continuing on with book two as book one was left sort of on a cliff hanger so I need to see what happens next to continue on with the story.
This was a very spooky read and tons of demonic vibes are pulsing throughout this story. At times it seemed that the book could be compared to a true demonic non-fiction book as the author just grabbed every aspect of that "real" feeling that you get when reading the true demonic stories. The pace is fast once things start happening in the story as the more I read of the book the faster the pace becomes. I am leveling up my rating for this book as I enjoyed it more the second time around. Giving the book five "Demonic Danger" stars!
Drawn to the premise of this novel by Lincoln Cole, I could not wait to see if it was as chilling as the blurb made it appear to be. In the town of Everett, Washington, something is going on. The priest of St. Joseph’s Cathedral is certain that one of his parishioners is under the influence of something demonic. However, the bishop is not convinced and shuts down any further exploration. Not satisfied, a call is made directly to the Vatican, who send Father Niccolo Paladina to see what might be taking place in this bucolic community in America’s Pacific Northwest. A trained exorcist, Father Paladina speaks to all parties involved and chastises the local priest for leaping overtop of his bishop, as well as trying to create something out of nothing. Father Paladina is not convinced that this is anything other than some mental health concerns with the elderly woman in question. During a more formal a detailed discussion with the aforementioned parishioner, Father Paladina senses something off about the house, which is only further exacerbated when he hears something calling him in a mocking tone. Could there be more to this than meets the eye? When others around Everett begin exhibiting odd behaviours, Father Paladina cannot help but wonder if his first suppositions might have been wrong. Father Paladina soon comes face to face with a man blacklisted by the Vatican for his outlandish claims, one Arthur Vangeest. While Arthur claims that his entire family was murdered by a cult, perhaps possessed themselves, Father Paladina cannot help but wonder if this is all a rouse by a man whose conscience is full of guilt. The reader soon learns that Arthur Vangeest is known as a Hunter, a soldier for the Council of Chaldea, an organization that works at arm’s-length from the Vatican. The Council is tasked with investigating supernatural events around the world without pulling the Church into the middle of them. With events in Everett becoming more troublesome, Father Paladina cannot help but wonder if his expertise in exorcisms might prove useful and whether there is a larger secret yet to be revealed. A unique story that takes many a turn, going from intensely captivating to tepid and back in short order. Those who enjoy something a little different might enjoy this piece. The jury is still out for me.
I was completely sold by Cole’s premise as the story began, finding myself curious about the premise of the exorcism in a small town. The collection of characters proved to be engaging, particularly Father Paladina. This well-established priest presents not only as a professional, but also one who follows the rules and hierarchy as they are laid out for him. He chooses to lecture those who stray from the well-defined rules and will not abide ignorance. However, while he seems to know his job well, Paladina is highly sceptical of the demonic presence in the world, thereby making his role more obsolete. Cole develops him well, though the character takes a nosedive halfway through the novel, with the introduction of the Council. Many of the other characters in their supporting roles have some potential, but I found myself to lose interest and a connection to those who serve to propel the story forward at this point. It was as though there was such potential with the characters and the premise of the Council, but it was lost in some tepid narrative and plot delivery. It was as though Cole needed a two-pronged plot to keep the story moving—at least to him—and it did not work for me. Surely, there is something useful to know about this Council, as this is a trilogy, but I could not, for the life of me, connect to it or its larger purpose. As these are short novels and I find myself between reading commitments, I will likely give the second book a try to see if I can win myself over, but I will not subject myself to something if I cannot latch on in short order. My reading life is too short to spend time on a book that does not make an impact.
Kudos, Mr. Cole for the interesting premise. We’ll see if you can resurrect things in the second piece!
He really thought his journey from the Vatican to small town Everett, Washington was a waste of his important time, from the tiring journey to the lack of local sophistication he was used to. Father Niccolo Paladina was going to straighten out the parish priest who broke protocol and went directly to Rome for assistance for a demonic possession. End. Of. Story.
Too bad the terrifying truth was, even he was out of league when evil came to call. If not for one of the church’s former secret Hunters showing up, the town of Everett would have gone completely to Hell. Now two enemies must join forces against the minions of Hell and the monster who has become their earthly puppetmaster. THE EVERETT EXORCISM by Lincoln Cole is dark, gritty and filled with things that go bump in the night as Faith is tested and the betrayal of a powerful church figure bring unlikely allies together in the world’s darkest hours. Lies will be told, truths revealed and for some, humility restored as Heaven and Hell fight for humanity’s very soul.
Lincoln Cole had my hair standing on end from the beginning, in part, because Fr. Paladina was, to be honest, a pompous arse, although I must say, his Aha moment was a real redeemer for him. In an atmosphere of murky evil, this tale is one of those that just burrows under one’s skin and makes NOT finishing this tale in one sitting impossible!
It's that time of year to have the heck scared out of you and Lincoln Cole knows how to play with his readers' minds.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC edition from Lincoln Cole
Series: The World of Shadows - Book 1 Publisher: Lincoln Cole Publishing (October 24, 2017) Publication Date: October 24, 2017 Genre: Horror Print Length: 232 pages Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
THE EVERETT EXORCISM is Book 1 in the "World of Shadows" series, by author Lincoln Cole. To be honest, I went into this novel with a preconceived notion that it was going to be simply "another variation of the exorcist theme". While in the beginning, it seemed to be heading that way, the story quickly added so many twists and turns that I soon had NO idea what to expect next.
". . . It used . . . vocal chords, but the sound came out wrong . . ."
When Father Niccolo Paladina is sent to follow up on a possible claim of exorcism made by a younger priest, Father Jackson Reynolds, he expects to be able to quickly dismiss the allegations and return home. What actually occurs is nothing that he is remotely expecting. Caught up in something much larger and even more sinister than he could ever have imagined, everything he thought he knew is about to be put to the ultimate test.
"How does it feel to know you are truly alone?"
I really enjoyed the characters in this novel. Due to its rapidly-changing nature, we are able to see them "evolve" intellectually as the scope of what they are up against multiplies significantly. The mental growth they face is done in such a way as to seem a natural progression, or reaction, to the events set into play.
". . . In this business, nothing comes quickly . . . Except death . . . "
Aside from a couple of chapters early on in the book--where certain, entire scenes, were repeated verbatim a second time--the novel moved along rapidly from one revelation to the next.
Lincoln Cole took what could have easily been a cliched tale, and turned it into something much more complex and unique, with characters you really come to know.
". . . Demons were real . . . "
Aside from the earlier repetitions, the only thing I was left dissatisfied with was that I felt there was "too much" left unresolved, and set up for the sequel in "World of Shadows" Book 2.
Overall, an unique twist on the idea of exorcisms, with plenty of action and unforeseen turns in the storyline. I hope that Book 2 fleshes out some of the issues that we were left with at the ending of this novel.
When faced with absolute evil, will your disbelief save you?
Father Niccolo Paladina is sent to Everett, WA to examine the reported demonic happenings. Niccolo is a holy man and doesn’t believe in such nonsense. He’ll admit strange things are happening that he has no explanation for but demons? No. When the residents of Everett begin to act bizarrely and demon hunter Arthur Vangeest arrives, Niccolo must come to grips with the truth. Demons are real and Everett is about to feel the wrath of absolute evil. Can Niccolo and Arthur defeat the demon or is this just the beginning?
I was so excited to hear that Lincoln Cole was writing a prequel series to the World on Fire series. I’ve been fascinated by Arthur and what he was like before his venture to Hell as well as Father Niccolo Paladina while reading the World on Fire series. The Everett Exorcism doesn’t disappoint and in fact, is in many ways better than the World on Fire series.
Cole grabs the reader from the get-go with his fast-moving action, intense drama and descriptive narration. He plunges the reader in the middle of all that is going on while making sure you know what’s happening. I connected instantly with Father Niccolo. What I loved most was Cole’s gift for foreshadowing. He only reveals what you need to know at the time, thus allowing the reader to gasp a loud at certain plot twists. Brilliant!
Holy cow! ...... I don't know what it is about demonic possession books, but they all scare the crap out of me ..... which is exactly what I'm looking for. 😈 😱 This is the first book by this author that I have read and it's exceptionally well written and paced. I loved the viewpoints with Niccolo and Arthur, each giving their own perspective from their roles within The Church. The author manages to create a full bodied plot that is anxiety driven and frightful, along with enough background on the characters to satisfy your questions, but still leaving room to know them more. Although this novel is part of a series, and not the first of the lot, it works well as a stand-alone. Highly recommended read and an author I'm definitely going to follow
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
This was my first ever occult horror story, so I don’t have anything to compare The Everett Exorcism with, but overall I really liked reading this book! *This review may contain some minor spoilers, but it won’t actually spoil anything huge!*
The story starts with a preface which throws you right into the middle of the story. Literally! The following half of the book takes place in the two days before the event in the preface. So, you already know what’s going to happen, but … you don’t know what the outcome of that event will be!
The start of the story was also the bit that confused me a little. I was trying to get to know all the characters, who’s who?, but that became rather difficult because there are two priests: Father Jackson Reynolds and Father Niccolo Paladina. Both were referred to with either their first name (Niccolo/Jackson) or “father Paladina/Reynolds”, and this was switched up some times. This made it seem like there were four different main characters, instead of only two! But eventually I got it into my head, and I could enjoy the story.
Another thing that bugged me (only a little!) was the rather elaborated history of another main character Arthur Vangeest. I think this could’ve been shortened, because now it took up a lot of pages. It kind of got me out of the story that was supposed to be about creepy and horrific demons. Or that was what I thought when I started reading that part of the story … This background story had everything to do with why Arthur came to Everett, so in the end I got why it was so detailed. And besides, this book is the first one in a series, so I actually like to get to know the characters well!
What I love most about the story is that Father Paladina and Arthur Vangeest seem to make a most impossible couple: one being a priest from the Vatican and the other being a demon hunter. But nothing is less true. They both bring in their own strength. Where Father Paladina brings in his faith, Arthur bings in his ability to kick some demon ass!
All in all: I’m happy with my first experience with occult horror and exorcism stories! Although I’d liked to see some more of what the possessed people go through and what they caused in the little village of Everett, luckily, this didn’t take anything away from the quality of the story. I hope I get to read more about Father Paladina, Father Reynolds and Arthur in the future, because there were still some open ends that need some filling in!
* I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
The Everett Exorcism was my first Lincoln Cole read, and I’m positive it will not be my last. I’ve been pulled into the World of Shadows series, and I’ll certainly be going on to read the sequels. I need to know what happens in The Vatican Children and The Bishop’s Legacy, I need to know how this story comes together.
The synopsis of this one instantly pulled me in, promising good old fashioned demonic activity. Whilst I love a good horror book, I do not pick them up as often as I would like. In all honesty, I’m rather biased when it comes to horror novels. I’m a big fan of eighties horror and most of the more recent horror writers fall short in my mind. There is some good stuff, but the eighties are what I consider to be the prime time of horror. With this one, whilst I did enjoy it, I wouldn’t call it that much of a horror. It certainly had the demonic factor, but I would place it in the supernatural thriller genre instead. There is darkness to be found, but it is not the kind of book to keep you up at night.
The first half of the book focuses upon Father Niccolo Paladina, slowly introducing us to the supernatural element of this story. It builds at a steady pace, snippets being given here and there. There is no major event – by this I mean no sudden death occurs nor does some drastic tragedy befall a character – rather it is a lot of little things. Things to let you know everything is not right, things to give you an insight into something more happening. At around the halfway point, we’re fully introduced to the true darkness of the story.
It's at this point that things change. Just as the supernatural becomes prevalent, we are introduced to another character. The story goes in a different direction to what you would expect, taking us back in time, hence my belief of this being more of a supernatural thriller. I also believe events referenced in the second half of the book link to another Lincoln Cole series, the World on Fire series. I cannot say for sure as I have not read the series, but I’m pretty certain such is the case. It’s left me interested in going and picking up that series, curious to see what happened.
As I said, though, the second half of the book does not go the way I had initially anticipated. It opened up something completely unexpected, leaving us with an idea of where the rest of the series will go. We do get to deal with the supernatural element of this particular story, the demonic element being dealt with, but this become secondary to the intrigue brought about through the information revealed. There really is so much more to this story than a simple demonic possession, and I’m intrigued to see where book two takes us.
Without a doubt, this is well worth the read for anyone looking for a new supernatural thriller series to dive into.
I was hooked by the end of the prologue. Lincoln Cole has written (and very well, too) an exceptionally scary story. The characters are nicely developed and definitely flawed, which makes me sympathetic to their plight. One you accept the idea of demonic possession, the rest of the book seems very real and plausible. The plot kept me guessing until the end. I'm glad to see there will be a sequel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for an unbiased review.
I never saw the movie The Exorcist, but this one would seem to be a worthy alternative.
My usual genres for reading are in the thriller and science fiction areas. Starting this novel, I realized that it did not seem to fit either of my usual categories. As I read, I quickly became confident that I was in the hands of an author who has a good story to tell, and is telling it well. Genre was irrelevant, though my previous reading from Lincoln Cole was “UAV”, a crisp and interesting look at the mis-application of the weaponized American drone program Then the story turned into a good thriller, covering the themes of revenge, demon possession, exorcisms, and reconciliation between individuals who had been pushed far apart by circumstances. This would appear to be the start of a series, where some of the events in The Everett Exorcism are resolved in the first release, but there are threads that need to be dealt with in one or more following books. There is also decent material to generate a prequel to The Everett Exorcism. Regardless, this book was well worth the cost, and I have no doubt that I will become a “Verified Purchase” review to the next one when it is released.
This was a very interesting book, the first one of Lincoln Cole's that I have read. I was expecting the subject matter to be quite confronting, and it was, although it could have been far more frightening as well. Nevertheless, I found myself not reading this book as I was drifting off to sleep because it wasn't conducive to sound sleeping!
Father Paladina is sent to Everett, Washington, to investigate a case of demonic possession. What he finds there is just the tip of the iceberg of a much bigger issue that is a huge threat to the Church, as well as the community at large. With the help of Father Reynolds and Arthur (a man who is a bit of a "fixer"), he tries to put the wrongs of Everett to rights but does he succeed in the end?
I found this gripping reading and I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
When I was about eight I saw the movie The Exorcist, truly terrifying. And no, my parents didn’t know about it, until I got nightmares, and I had to tell.
Now I can immerse myself in this great story, as realistic as that movie was for me, as long as I get to know how it ends.
So as you can imagine I couldn’t put it down after I began reading.
Great buildup! With twists I definitely did not see coming.
I received a free copy and this is my honest review
a nice tight thriller about demons and a secret war between the Catholic Church and demons and cults. Fast paced. Good characters. Good plot twists. Arthur, the demon hunter is a particularly interesting character, full of remorse over his violent past in the secret service of the Church. well done. worth a read.
The Everett Exorcism, by Lincoln Cole, is a gripping supernatural thriller. It begins with Father Niccolo Paladina hiding behind the church’s basement stairs while his attacker comes ever closer. Fear and pain render him helpless. Then the story slides back in time to fill in the details. Father Paladina is a trained exorcist who has in fact never performed an exorcism and hardly believes in the process. He shows up in Everett, Washington because Father Jackson Reynolds, the local parish priest, suspects one of his parishioners is possessed. The bishop, however, says demons are not real, so he refuses to pass on the information. The author builds the tension gradually and unrelentingly. The owner of the local diner knows all about Father Paladina, though he’s never met her before before. A one-eyed doll moves. Some places smell of rotten eggs and decay. Ordinary people flash looks of total rage. A repair job on a church pew goes desperately awry. A demon hunter named Arthur shows up, but he has his own complicated and painful past to deal with, and the priests are slow to trust him. It’s a full cast of characters playing out a compelling story of flawed humans battling powerful forces of evil. The alliances are complicated and shifting. But the final battle is so strong you can’t look away. Highly recommended.
I've read all of the books in the Raven's Peak trilogy as well as the short story prequel, The Ninth Circle. I was happy to see that this one picks up shortly after the events of The Ninth Circle and we get to see more of a young Arthur. We only hear of him as somewhat of a legend in the Raven's peak books and I was always happy to see more of him.
This time around, we get to see a young Arthur and a young Father Paladina. Arthur is on a mission to find out who betrayed his family and Father Paladina thinks he's just in Everett to check in on claims that he doesn't think accurate. Paladina is a trained exorcist, but he doesn't actually believe in demons. If you've read the other books, I'm sure you know he's going to have an eye awakening experience in Everett.
We get a few new characters in this book and I'm interested to see where the story ARC goes for Bishop Glasser and if it's somehow tied to the later books
I thought it was a great story that needed a bit of editing here and there, but overall enjoyable. Except. I live in Everett and have for years. The author may as well have been describing another planet for as little as it sounded like Everett. Also? It's "Lynnwood", not "Lynwood". That could have been a typo, which would simply point back to editing. Don't misunderstand me. I enjoyed the story. I simply pretended like it was happening some place else and mentally replaced the word "felt" almost every time it was used.
Plenty of action and suspense; unusual and well-drawn characters who grow and change; and a beautifully structured story. I especially enjoyed the use of two protagonists and how the author skillfully mixed their story-lines, showing certain key scenes from both of their points-of-view to add layers of drama.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review, and I can recommend it without reservation..
This book was a good read. Lincoln cole really knows has to create a right hook drawing in his readers. Although the book would not be a real horror novel, Lincoln Cole provides many twisted scenes that will create those sudden chill feelings. Also, Lincoln Cole brings two stories into one novel. The story begins as we are introduced to Father Niccolo Paldaina, an exorcism priest, who is sent to Everett, Washington. Upon his arrival, he visited Bishop Glasser to inquire about the request of one of the local priests. Father Paladaina is not fond of Bishop after their first meeting. Father Paldaina then meets up with Father Reynolds, the local parish priest, who requested that the Vatican send someone for a possible exorcism request. After meeting with Father Reynolds, we begin to see may different events unravel. In one of these events, another major character emerges by the name of Arthur, a demon hunter. Arthur plays a vital role, as we see how he changes the way Father Nicollo views him, which they end up creating a reliable team to resolve the issue transpiring in Everett, Washington. In addition, we get introduced to the questions of who Arthur really is. The teamwork eventually works as they end up having a successful exorcism, which leaves the ending up to the second installment Lincoln Cole wrote.
not kindle unlimited not showing got on freebie day so must be one of my free books from one of several sources, interesting and well put together
Something strange is happening in the city of Everett, Washington and Father Niccolo Paladina is tasked with investigating possible demonic activity. Nothing is as it seems, however, and things quickly begin spiraling out of his control. When his path crosses with that of an old rival, they discover that things are worse in Everett than either of them could ever have imagined. As his world collapses around him, Niccolo will be left with one terrible question: what is my faith worth?
This is just book 1 of 3 The Everett Exorcism (World of Shadows Book 1) The Vatican Children (World of Shadows Book 2) {oct 31 2017} The Bishop's Legacy (World of Shadows) {jan 30 2018}
I got this book on Amazon for free some time ago. Never got around to reading it until now, because I thought, 'Another Exorcism-story. Fun, but I've read/seen like 50 of those already." Well, I finished it yesterday and immediately bought the second installment in the series. It's a much bigger story than just an exorcism, and a good one at that. I love the three main characters and hope to see them again in the second book. The supernatural elements were hadled very well in my opinion, it didn't seem forced and was pretty scary. The writing style is great to, at least for me, it had a nice flow and I couldn't put it down. I'm always excited when I stumble upon a series I can actually get into. This is one and I'm glad I gave it a go. I recommend!
An exorcist from the vatican is brought in to investigate what a local priest thinks is a demonic possession in Everett, WA. Sounds unlikely to me, but i don't know how those catholics work. Anyway, the priest shows up and so does a vatican assassin (yeah, you read that right). The three of them, local priest, exorcist and assassin, go demon hunting. I'd explain more, but none of it makes much sense and the author doesn't even have the decency to finish the book. He leaves plot lines hanging for the sequel, which by the way, i won't be reading.
I was a little concerned initially, because I am new to this genre, horror/thriller had never been on the top of my list. That has all changed now! I completely enjoyed this book: the intensity, the characters and the storyline. The characters were easy to learn, the story moved along at a good pace and it kept you on the edge of your seat. I completely recommend it, and look forward to reading more books by this author. I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I gave " The Everett Exorcism " four stars . I enjoyed reading this book it is full of dark insight ( for the story ) into the way the Catholic Church keeps control of evil, weather it be cults or demons. I recommend this book to an older mature reader, it would give younger reader's nightmares. I will get the rest of the series to find out what happens to the priests and Arthur the hunter.
I like this story and author. Both are unique and interesting. The story keeps you interested from the beginning and the author writes it well. This is the type of book that would sell in a book store. I hope Cole gets recognized for his talent and gets a good publisher if he doesn't already have one. Make this a movie, I want to see it. Kudos.
Priest Niccolo has just been sent by the Vatican to Everett, Washington to investigate allegations of a demon possession. Problem is Niccolo doesn't believe in demons and the other problem... There might be more then one... Im hooked on this series and love the way the author writes... Def pick this up!!
I loved this book. The mixture of suspense and paranormal was awesome and I could not put this book down. I had keep reading cause I needed to see what would happen next. I have to admit I ended up reading this book through the night just cause I had to see how it ended. 🤓❤️💋