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Dead Jack #1
Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device
a twilight dimension of nightmare creatures, mythical beings, the undead, and everything in between. To Dead Jack, it's hell sweet hell. In the first book of the series, the tortured, drug-addicted detective stumbles upon his most dangerous case yet, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Can the zombie P.I. and his associate, the homunculus Oswald, save the day? It won't be easy. The duo must face rogue leprechauns, ghost pirates, a sex-obsessed shark woman, an insecure fire demon, and a goateed maniac who calls himself the Duke of Pandemonium. Good thing Jack's getting paid in a ton of fairy dust!
Also included is the first Dead Jack story, "The Case of the Amorous Ogre," as well as a bonus scene from the warped perspective of the homunculus Oswald.
The paperback features three interior illustrations by artist Ed Watson.
Also included is the first Dead Jack story, "The Case of the Amorous Ogre," as well as a bonus scene from the warped perspective of the homunculus Oswald.
The paperback features three interior illustrations by artist Ed Watson.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2016
147 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
James Aquilone
40 books119 followersJames Aquilone was raised on Saturday morning cartoons, comic books, sitcoms, and Cap'n Crunch. Amid the Cold War, he dreamed of being a jet fighter pilot but decided against the military life after realizing it would require him to wake up early. He had further illusions of being a stand-up comedian, until a traumatic experience on stage forced him to seek a college education. Brief stints as an alternative rock singer/guitarist and child model also proved unsuccessful. Today he battles a severe Tetris addiction while trying to write in the speculative fiction game. Demons, robots, dragons, superheroes...that sort of thing. His short fiction has been published in such places as Nature's Futures, The Best of Galaxy’s Edge 2013-2014, Unidentified Funny Objects 4, and Weird Tales Magazine. His first novel should be out soon. Suffice it to say, things are going much better than his modeling career.
He lives in Staten Island, New York, but don't hold that against him.
He lives in Staten Island, New York, but don't hold that against him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 20, 2019
The series is described as a 'cross between Deadpool and Harry Potter'. I can understand the Deadpool part, but not the Harry Potter one. People should really stop doing that to books with a hint of magic in it. J.K. Rowling didn't invent magic in fiction, people. Nor did she invent the 'chosen boy saves the world with friends' trope, but that's a topic for another day. Before someone attacks me, I liked Harry Potter story.
Dead jack is a zombie detective. He is the type of zombie you'd run away from screaming (probably) and vomiting (most likely). As all proper privates detectives, he has an addiction - fairy dust. The consequences of not using are mindless zombie rampage through the population. Better for everyone is he has some every once in a while.
He has an annoying sidekick too. Nobody knows what Oswald is nor is it explained by the end of the story.
The story is pretty much linear: Dead jack does something bad and he has to run away and lay low for a while. That journey starts a case which involves demons, goblins, witches, mad humans, a lot of other beings that populate the world of Pandemonium, and cats (thank you, Lovecraft).
Some of Dead Jack's history is there too; how he ended up in this world and how he feels about it. The thing is, his past involves a Nazi doctor and it annoys me to no end that since everyone and everything is called Nazi today, it doesn't have the same weight as it should.
Anyway, the Pandemonium Device story ends somewhere near the 80% mark. It ends with a cliffhanger of sorts. The rest is another Jack and Oswald's case from before.
Pandemonium is a pretty interesting world.
Dead jack is a zombie detective. He is the type of zombie you'd run away from screaming (probably) and vomiting (most likely). As all proper privates detectives, he has an addiction - fairy dust. The consequences of not using are mindless zombie rampage through the population. Better for everyone is he has some every once in a while.
He has an annoying sidekick too. Nobody knows what Oswald is nor is it explained by the end of the story.
The story is pretty much linear: Dead jack does something bad and he has to run away and lay low for a while. That journey starts a case which involves demons, goblins, witches, mad humans, a lot of other beings that populate the world of Pandemonium, and cats (thank you, Lovecraft).
Some of Dead Jack's history is there too; how he ended up in this world and how he feels about it. The thing is, his past involves a Nazi doctor and it annoys me to no end that since everyone and everything is called Nazi today, it doesn't have the same weight as it should.
Anyway, the Pandemonium Device story ends somewhere near the 80% mark. It ends with a cliffhanger of sorts. The rest is another Jack and Oswald's case from before.
Pandemonium is a pretty interesting world.
February 13, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
I feel like this is a pretty fun read as long as you're not expecting a lot out of it ...which I wasn't, so it worked out fairly well. Jack is pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to be from the cover and description, your standard 'everyman' anti-hero detective type with a drug and/or drinking problem. It's not necessarily bad and I know it was done on purpose, but it's still very standard urban fantasy fare.
The part of the story that I thought stood out a bit more was the setting. Pandemonium is a kind of afterlife [or IS it ...dun dun dun] for supernatural creatures that it roughly divided up into five different sections that are supposed to correspond to NYC's different burroughs. It was definitely a neat idea and I like how he chose to blend a lot of the different supernatural/mythological elements together.
I was also pleasantly surprised that the sex-crazed shark woman [loud groaning] was not the only female character in this book [look, I told you I had low expectations]. There's a really awesome half-fairy witch that comes in around half way through and I absolutely loved her. Also the goblin queen was around for a half-second. However there WAS a rather unfortunate running gag where Jack tells Oswald to 'stop being such a woman' [even louder groaning].
When it happened in the main story our awesome witch lady was there to punch him and remind him that she had just saved his life [twice], but it also happened in the short story that was tacked on the end and there was absolutely no commentary about it in that. If I had read the short story by itself when it first came out I probably would have refused to continue reading the series based on that alone, so just something to consider.
I feel like this is a pretty fun read as long as you're not expecting a lot out of it ...which I wasn't, so it worked out fairly well. Jack is pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to be from the cover and description, your standard 'everyman' anti-hero detective type with a drug and/or drinking problem. It's not necessarily bad and I know it was done on purpose, but it's still very standard urban fantasy fare.
The part of the story that I thought stood out a bit more was the setting. Pandemonium is a kind of afterlife [or IS it ...dun dun dun] for supernatural creatures that it roughly divided up into five different sections that are supposed to correspond to NYC's different burroughs. It was definitely a neat idea and I like how he chose to blend a lot of the different supernatural/mythological elements together.
I was also pleasantly surprised that the sex-crazed shark woman [loud groaning] was not the only female character in this book [look, I told you I had low expectations]. There's a really awesome half-fairy witch that comes in around half way through and I absolutely loved her. Also the goblin queen was around for a half-second. However there WAS a rather unfortunate running gag where Jack tells Oswald to 'stop being such a woman' [even louder groaning].
When it happened in the main story our awesome witch lady was there to punch him and remind him that she had just saved his life [twice], but it also happened in the short story that was tacked on the end and there was absolutely no commentary about it in that. If I had read the short story by itself when it first came out I probably would have refused to continue reading the series based on that alone, so just something to consider.
February 19, 2018
A decent, if unremarkable, bit of zombie noir with a sick sense of humor (in a good way). This is fast and fun, but a little flat; lots of madcap zaniness, but little of it sticks. The sidekick, Oswald, zigzags between being endearing and annoying, but he's got a personality, which is more than can be said for the protagonist. The supporting characters, though, are a hoot and a half; for some reason, the less time we get with a character here, the more fun they are. Since we only spend a lot of time with Jack and Oswald, all the rest are awesome.
In the end, this is a diverting piece of infernal Urban Fantasy, fun for those with strong stomachs and a demented sense of humor. You'll have a decent time, but you won't remember it for long.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions in this review are mine, and honest.
In the end, this is a diverting piece of infernal Urban Fantasy, fun for those with strong stomachs and a demented sense of humor. You'll have a decent time, but you won't remember it for long.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions in this review are mine, and honest.
February 7, 2018
I received a copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
HA! HAHAHAHAAHAHA😂😂😂 this book was HILARIOUS! the dark, sarcastic humor in this made it a wonderful read for me, it almsot reminds me of the dresden files, zombieland, and bones. I loved it!
HA! HAHAHAHAAHAHA😂😂😂 this book was HILARIOUS! the dark, sarcastic humor in this made it a wonderful read for me, it almsot reminds me of the dresden files, zombieland, and bones. I loved it!
February 27, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
This book exceeded my expectations. It’s in vogue to put a zombie as a private dick and have a modern world full of creatures of fear and mythology. Only competent writers can make this work. And work it did! It was imaginative, well-paced and just plain fun. There was a good deal of wit and amusing situations. And to my happinesses there were not pop culture references and the story felt like it could be told in any time period.
It’s a picaresque following the exploits of our lowly zombie PI, Dead Jack as he wanders the twisted landscape of Pandemonium. His method of investigation is based on the premises that “it all works out in the end.” That translates to - he doesn’t do investigations or formulate plans, but gets through sticky situations just the same. My kind of protagonist.
This is a cliffhanger leading you to the second book for the resolution. It can be read alone, unless you want to know how the bigger picture story wraps up.
This book exceeded my expectations. It’s in vogue to put a zombie as a private dick and have a modern world full of creatures of fear and mythology. Only competent writers can make this work. And work it did! It was imaginative, well-paced and just plain fun. There was a good deal of wit and amusing situations. And to my happinesses there were not pop culture references and the story felt like it could be told in any time period.
It’s a picaresque following the exploits of our lowly zombie PI, Dead Jack as he wanders the twisted landscape of Pandemonium. His method of investigation is based on the premises that “it all works out in the end.” That translates to - he doesn’t do investigations or formulate plans, but gets through sticky situations just the same. My kind of protagonist.
This is a cliffhanger leading you to the second book for the resolution. It can be read alone, unless you want to know how the bigger picture story wraps up.
April 10, 2018
What a page-turner! I can't think of anything I didn't like about this. The story is very well thought out and the way in which Aquilone tells it has a continuous flow that kept me wanting more and had no problem holding my attention.
It's a fun read that I think anyone would enjoy, as long as you have a sense of humor.
The story itself revolves around Jack (or Dead Jack as he's more commonly known), an eternally down-on-his-luck, drug-addicted zombie detective and his homunculus sidekick/partner, Oswald, in the red-skied world of Pandemonium. One event leads to another and soon Dead Jack and Oswald are on a case that has Pandemonium on the brink of destruction.
Hell, if you haven't bought a copy of this just from reading that something is definitely wrong with you.
Pandemonium is a world much like our own, but is entirely in shambles. It's also filled with all sorts of races; some you're familiar with like leprechauns, werewolves, vampires, zombies, pixies (but all totally different than you're familiar with), and others that are new creations from Aquilone's crazy imagination like the sex-obsessed shark women and a crazy bat-like god who commissions an artisan to craft his wings. Every single character has their own moment(s) in the spotlight, whether it's short-lived or not they have enough impact to stand out--no one is wasted in this book...well, they may be "wasted" but, you know what I mean.
This first book in the Dead Jack series has it all: you like zombies, they're here, and the main character is one; you like weird little homunculus creatures with a comedic air about them, Oswald is your guy...or whatever he/it is; you like car chases with angry leprechauns, that's in here too; or are odd winged babies flying out of test-tubes while giving you the middle finger more your speed? well hell, that's in here too!
Okay, if you haven't picked this up yet I don't know what else to tell you. I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to the sequel.
---
If you get the new edition from Curiosity Quills Press you'll also get the short story, "The Case of the Amorous Ogre". (I'll be reviewing that one separately)
---
Cover Review:
-Art: Colton Worley did a great job capturing the fun yet harsh atmosphere of Pandemonium. You get a good look at Jack lighting up to ease his stress, and Oswald standing proud like the hero he is, and some kraken tentacles that are a big traveling transition part of the story. Good stuff.
-Design: N/A (I did the design so won't review myself haha)
It's a fun read that I think anyone would enjoy, as long as you have a sense of humor.
The story itself revolves around Jack (or Dead Jack as he's more commonly known), an eternally down-on-his-luck, drug-addicted zombie detective and his homunculus sidekick/partner, Oswald, in the red-skied world of Pandemonium. One event leads to another and soon Dead Jack and Oswald are on a case that has Pandemonium on the brink of destruction.
Hell, if you haven't bought a copy of this just from reading that something is definitely wrong with you.
Pandemonium is a world much like our own, but is entirely in shambles. It's also filled with all sorts of races; some you're familiar with like leprechauns, werewolves, vampires, zombies, pixies (but all totally different than you're familiar with), and others that are new creations from Aquilone's crazy imagination like the sex-obsessed shark women and a crazy bat-like god who commissions an artisan to craft his wings. Every single character has their own moment(s) in the spotlight, whether it's short-lived or not they have enough impact to stand out--no one is wasted in this book...well, they may be "wasted" but, you know what I mean.
This first book in the Dead Jack series has it all: you like zombies, they're here, and the main character is one; you like weird little homunculus creatures with a comedic air about them, Oswald is your guy...or whatever he/it is; you like car chases with angry leprechauns, that's in here too; or are odd winged babies flying out of test-tubes while giving you the middle finger more your speed? well hell, that's in here too!
Okay, if you haven't picked this up yet I don't know what else to tell you. I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to the sequel.
---
If you get the new edition from Curiosity Quills Press you'll also get the short story, "The Case of the Amorous Ogre". (I'll be reviewing that one separately)
---
Cover Review:
-Art: Colton Worley did a great job capturing the fun yet harsh atmosphere of Pandemonium. You get a good look at Jack lighting up to ease his stress, and Oswald standing proud like the hero he is, and some kraken tentacles that are a big traveling transition part of the story. Good stuff.
-Design: N/A (I did the design so won't review myself haha)
January 20, 2021
This book is full of jokes and an interesting story.
May 26, 2022
Couldn't get in to it. It was just background noise while I counted down the hours before Dungeon Crawler Carl 5 was released on Audible.
November 4, 2025
The first Dead Jack could be a detective fantasy or a noir parody, but the problem is, it isn’t really either.
January 23, 2018
Dead Jack is a zombie private Investigator hooked on fairy dust. He lives in a world called Pandemonium where mythological creatures are real and there are very few humans. You thought your life was hard? Well Dead Jack has it harder, he's been dead for seventy years and he has to deal with Vampires, Demons, Fairies, Witches and anything else you can imagine. Pandemonium is a cross between New York City and Hell and anything goes there.
Working as a P.I. Jack has seen it all but he is about to walk into his biggest case yet. Along with his partner, a homunculus named Oswald, he is hired by the Goblin Queen to retrieve the goblin's missing cats. Sounds simple enough but that mystery leads to another problem. The Duke of Pandemonium has the cats and he is planning to use them to destroy Pandemonium and escape into our world. It's up to Jack and Oswald to go up against a group of supernatural villains to save their world.
When I look for a book to read I usually like something that mixes horror, comedy and has a mythology to it. Dead Jack And The Pandemonium Device by James Aquilone has all of that and a story that feels like a comic book story. That's a compliment by the way, this book is a lot of fun. It starts off with Jack having a fight with some mad Leprechauns which leads to a car chase, leading to a conflict on a ghost pirate ship, a battle with a vicious kraken and a run in with a horny shark woman. As you can see there is never a dull moment in the world of Pandemonium.
When I was first getting into this book my thought was it's funny and creative but are we going to get a story? The answer is yes, the main focus of the book seems to be to thrill the reader and make them laugh but there is also a story that has great depth. Little by little we find out what Pandemonium really is and how the inhabitants got there. We also get hints as to why Jack is where he is and what he was in our world. I also loved hearing the Duke of Pandemonium's story, he may be insane but you almost have to feel sorry for him.. This book is written like its setting up an ongoing series and we get hints as to what future stories will have in store. A second book is due out in the near future.
If you have a love for old pulp fiction or how stories are told within a comic book series then give Dead Jack And The Pandemonium Device a try. There is also some great art included and how the story is told paints a vivid picture in your head. Most of all though this book is a wickedly funny thrill ride in a land full of surprises.
Working as a P.I. Jack has seen it all but he is about to walk into his biggest case yet. Along with his partner, a homunculus named Oswald, he is hired by the Goblin Queen to retrieve the goblin's missing cats. Sounds simple enough but that mystery leads to another problem. The Duke of Pandemonium has the cats and he is planning to use them to destroy Pandemonium and escape into our world. It's up to Jack and Oswald to go up against a group of supernatural villains to save their world.
When I look for a book to read I usually like something that mixes horror, comedy and has a mythology to it. Dead Jack And The Pandemonium Device by James Aquilone has all of that and a story that feels like a comic book story. That's a compliment by the way, this book is a lot of fun. It starts off with Jack having a fight with some mad Leprechauns which leads to a car chase, leading to a conflict on a ghost pirate ship, a battle with a vicious kraken and a run in with a horny shark woman. As you can see there is never a dull moment in the world of Pandemonium.
When I was first getting into this book my thought was it's funny and creative but are we going to get a story? The answer is yes, the main focus of the book seems to be to thrill the reader and make them laugh but there is also a story that has great depth. Little by little we find out what Pandemonium really is and how the inhabitants got there. We also get hints as to why Jack is where he is and what he was in our world. I also loved hearing the Duke of Pandemonium's story, he may be insane but you almost have to feel sorry for him.. This book is written like its setting up an ongoing series and we get hints as to what future stories will have in store. A second book is due out in the near future.
If you have a love for old pulp fiction or how stories are told within a comic book series then give Dead Jack And The Pandemonium Device a try. There is also some great art included and how the story is told paints a vivid picture in your head. Most of all though this book is a wickedly funny thrill ride in a land full of surprises.
March 17, 2018
Dead Jack should get a high rating just for the hilarious reference to the horrible Jefferson Starship song "We Built this City" with the chapter "They Built this City with Rocks and Bones".
Everything about Dead Jack feels fresh and high energy. The realm of Pandemonium is awesome, and well thought out. I'm a big fan of "character as landscape" and James does not disappoint. I love walking away from a book as invested in the world as much as the characters. Not all writers take the effort (or have the skill) to do this.
My favorite character is easily the homunculus Oswald.
Fans of super fast-paced novels, rich worlds, and memorable characters will want to grab a copy right away. So worth the money. And the illustrations by Ed Watson are first rate.
Everything about Dead Jack feels fresh and high energy. The realm of Pandemonium is awesome, and well thought out. I'm a big fan of "character as landscape" and James does not disappoint. I love walking away from a book as invested in the world as much as the characters. Not all writers take the effort (or have the skill) to do this.
My favorite character is easily the homunculus Oswald.
Fans of super fast-paced novels, rich worlds, and memorable characters will want to grab a copy right away. So worth the money. And the illustrations by Ed Watson are first rate.
August 6, 2021
I’m going to be honest.. If this book spent more time concentrating on the actual story line, a undead (zombie) detective doing a job, will leave out the spoilers here, then maybe it would of gotten a better rating. However between the references of Dead Jack’s need to score some “pixie dust” & people saying the subverted word fook like they were either Irish or a part of the Shelby Clan in Peaky Blinders show, it left some things to be desired. If you were to ask me, based on just the basis of this book what I thought, I’d say you could have something here that could really be fun.
January 27, 2018
Mike Hammer and Sam Spade meet The Walking Dead and Hellboy! I know this will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a hoot....a zombie Private Detective solving cases in another (Hell-like) realm. Entertaining story, loads of paranormal creatures, and plenty of undead humor. Fans of Chuck Palahniuk and Christopher Moore will enjoy themselves (minus the sex and profanity).
December 13, 2018
Campy, cool, and super fun read! I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm a little in love with a zombie. Add in a cast of memorable characters who embrace, twist, and make origami middle fingers out of their respective mythologies, and you've got a winner. I'll be visiting Pandemonium again soon!
January 16, 2020
A fun story with great imagination and some hilarious ideas throughout. However, I felt the overall pace was a bit too fast. The plot was nice, but I think the story could have been better told if the rhythm was slower in some moments. However, I enjoyed the book and will definitely read the second one, Dead Jack and the Soul Catcher.
March 3, 2021
The book is trite and underwhelming. The pacing is all over the place. Dead Jack has flashes of being a compelling character but the flashes fade consistently. The nucleus of the story was good but it needed some grooming or maturing.
November 24, 2021
A film noir style novel, which has an interesting concept but tries too hard to be funny and fit the genre. Torturous metaphors abound, and it finished before it really got started. Amusing enough, I suppose, but I won’t bother with the rest of the series.
February 1, 2017
Dead Jack was a fun read full of snarky humor and interesting characters. It's a great story for a rainy day, and it left me looking forward to the sequel.
August 1, 2017
Sam Spade meets Zombieland
A fun read with a great sarcastic sense of humor and all the fiends from hell and nightmares gathered in one place. Looking forward to the sequel!
A fun read with a great sarcastic sense of humor and all the fiends from hell and nightmares gathered in one place. Looking forward to the sequel!
December 26, 2025
Brains!
I wonder if Jack and Sandman Slim will ever run into each other? That would be a great collaboration, to be sure.
I wonder if Jack and Sandman Slim will ever run into each other? That would be a great collaboration, to be sure.
April 3, 2018
Dead Jack is the best zombie detective in ShadowShade, possibly all of Pandemonium. It doesn’t hurt that he’s the only one around. It also doesn’t hurt that he’ll do anything for fairy dust. No job is too big as long as the price is right, possibly right up to saving all of Pandemonium. That is, if he can survive leprechauns with a grudge, a mad bat-god, and his own ideas.
So, James Aquilone’s Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device is kind of an odd critter of a book. I’m left feeling simultaneously like I have very little to say about it and just wanting to throw all the words possible at it. It’s a detective story with very little detective work. The protagonist is terrible but still likeable. The side characters don’t show up much but they work so well when they do. It’s pretty great.
Our protagonist, Dead Jack, is the embodiment of everything I tend to dislike about noir detective style protagonists. He’s a jerk, he can’t function without his addiction of choice, he stubbornly refuses to believe that his companions could accomplish anything without him around, he should be the worst. But it’s all played in this sort of humorous subversion of tropes way. He’s addicted to fairy dust, both for the high and as a means of suppressing his zombie hunger, and thinks about it pretty regularly. It is in fact the entire reason he takes the case, but it doesn’t become something he waxes on about for pages at a time. We’re given mentions of him wanting fairy dust or of noticing the effects of it on other characters, but it’s for the purpose of telling us about the scene or the world. Jack is terrible to his homunculus partner, Oswald, but Oswald gives as good as he gets and the story never tries to convince the reader that Jack is in the right when he’s being a jerk. That wins both the character and the writing a lot of points from me.
Tied into that, Jack seems to be the least competent character in the book. But we are seeing things from his ridiculous self-aggrandizing point of view in such a way that it’s funny rather than annoying. This is a character who actually thinks that he’s an amazing detective, but the story itself doesn’t agree so there’s a nice balance there.
There’s a lot of that actually. Dead Jack has a tragic back story somewhere along the lines, but he doesn’t seem to remember most of it. We get some bits of it that serve to rattle Jack and tease more, but nothing that takes pages at a time. The reader is sort of dropped into the middle of Pandemonium and expected to keep up. It’s a world very different from our own, but its Jack’s home so he doesn’t go much into the specific differences. That allows the reader to build their own conclusions on specifics while keeping the pace fairly quick.
Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device is a very quick read but very tightly plotted for how short it is. There isn’t a ton of time taken to flesh out the world that isn’t also being used to move the story forward or introduce a near immediately important concept. It takes good advantage of slower scenes to set up ideas for later without grinding to a halt.
This was a really enjoyable read and I am definitely going to be looking for the next one when it comes out. Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device gets a five out of five from me. If you enjoy off beat detective stories or just need a way to spend a couple days, it’s worth giving a shot.
Review was originally posted to Lauren's Bookshelf. Copy was supplied for review by netGalley.
So, James Aquilone’s Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device is kind of an odd critter of a book. I’m left feeling simultaneously like I have very little to say about it and just wanting to throw all the words possible at it. It’s a detective story with very little detective work. The protagonist is terrible but still likeable. The side characters don’t show up much but they work so well when they do. It’s pretty great.
Our protagonist, Dead Jack, is the embodiment of everything I tend to dislike about noir detective style protagonists. He’s a jerk, he can’t function without his addiction of choice, he stubbornly refuses to believe that his companions could accomplish anything without him around, he should be the worst. But it’s all played in this sort of humorous subversion of tropes way. He’s addicted to fairy dust, both for the high and as a means of suppressing his zombie hunger, and thinks about it pretty regularly. It is in fact the entire reason he takes the case, but it doesn’t become something he waxes on about for pages at a time. We’re given mentions of him wanting fairy dust or of noticing the effects of it on other characters, but it’s for the purpose of telling us about the scene or the world. Jack is terrible to his homunculus partner, Oswald, but Oswald gives as good as he gets and the story never tries to convince the reader that Jack is in the right when he’s being a jerk. That wins both the character and the writing a lot of points from me.
Tied into that, Jack seems to be the least competent character in the book. But we are seeing things from his ridiculous self-aggrandizing point of view in such a way that it’s funny rather than annoying. This is a character who actually thinks that he’s an amazing detective, but the story itself doesn’t agree so there’s a nice balance there.
There’s a lot of that actually. Dead Jack has a tragic back story somewhere along the lines, but he doesn’t seem to remember most of it. We get some bits of it that serve to rattle Jack and tease more, but nothing that takes pages at a time. The reader is sort of dropped into the middle of Pandemonium and expected to keep up. It’s a world very different from our own, but its Jack’s home so he doesn’t go much into the specific differences. That allows the reader to build their own conclusions on specifics while keeping the pace fairly quick.
Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device is a very quick read but very tightly plotted for how short it is. There isn’t a ton of time taken to flesh out the world that isn’t also being used to move the story forward or introduce a near immediately important concept. It takes good advantage of slower scenes to set up ideas for later without grinding to a halt.
This was a really enjoyable read and I am definitely going to be looking for the next one when it comes out. Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device gets a five out of five from me. If you enjoy off beat detective stories or just need a way to spend a couple days, it’s worth giving a shot.
Review was originally posted to Lauren's Bookshelf. Copy was supplied for review by netGalley.
July 15, 2019
I listened to this entire book in one go because it was so much fun. It’s got a little noir detective feel, a large helping of urban fantasy, and a delightful topping of humor. It’s a great mix that really worked for me. The story starts with a zombie detective and a dirty limerick. Obviously, this is my kind of book.
Dead Jack is a zombie who chooses drug addiction to Dust over eating people…. well, he does make a few exceptions, like for that rude leprechaun. He’s a very easy character to like and he provides the perfect gateway to the hellish world he’s stuck in. Pretty soon, he and Oswald are on a case – a mighty goblin drag queen wants her cats back and she’s willing to generously pay Dead Jack…. in Dust.
This story does have 1 little weakness – the lack of female characters. They are few and far between and pretty much romantic interests. There’s the Shark Lady, who is very upfront about what she wants from Jack. Then there’s the drag queen (if she prefers female pronouns). Finally, there is Zara, who is fantastic but still defined by her recent romantic relationship. Still, Zara was a great addition to the story but she doesn’t make an appearance until halfway through the story. She’s not even mentioned in the description of the book yet she is key in defeating the Big Baddie. Zara’s a large tattooed weapon-wielding witch. She’s my hero!
Oswald is a fun little guy too – he’s a little whiny but just enough to help define his character and not enough to annoy. I love that none of the characters are entirely sure what he is – not a ghost, not a pixie, not Brownie….. so he’s a bit of a mystery. The humor between Jack and Oswald is great. And I need to know what happens to Oswald! So we need book 2 on audio.
The story does wrap up all the big questions but leaves a little cliff hanger, that concerning Oswald. Is a great romp through Pandemonium with lots of unique characters. 4.5/5 stars
This audiobook also contains a short story, which I think is a prequel. Jack and Oswald must recover an ogre’s soul and stop a wedding… but there’s livestock issues. Ha! Ever wondered what you could accomplish with a feather dipped in peanut butter? Read this story to find out! 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Eric G. Dove does a great job narrating this book. He had distinct voices for all the characters and his female voices were believable. I really liked how he gave some characters a 1920s noir detective accent but then others were more modern, and a few were Irish. This mix of accents really matched the mix of characters. The pacing was perfect and there were tech issues with the recording. 5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
Dead Jack is a zombie who chooses drug addiction to Dust over eating people…. well, he does make a few exceptions, like for that rude leprechaun. He’s a very easy character to like and he provides the perfect gateway to the hellish world he’s stuck in. Pretty soon, he and Oswald are on a case – a mighty goblin drag queen wants her cats back and she’s willing to generously pay Dead Jack…. in Dust.
This story does have 1 little weakness – the lack of female characters. They are few and far between and pretty much romantic interests. There’s the Shark Lady, who is very upfront about what she wants from Jack. Then there’s the drag queen (if she prefers female pronouns). Finally, there is Zara, who is fantastic but still defined by her recent romantic relationship. Still, Zara was a great addition to the story but she doesn’t make an appearance until halfway through the story. She’s not even mentioned in the description of the book yet she is key in defeating the Big Baddie. Zara’s a large tattooed weapon-wielding witch. She’s my hero!
Oswald is a fun little guy too – he’s a little whiny but just enough to help define his character and not enough to annoy. I love that none of the characters are entirely sure what he is – not a ghost, not a pixie, not Brownie….. so he’s a bit of a mystery. The humor between Jack and Oswald is great. And I need to know what happens to Oswald! So we need book 2 on audio.
The story does wrap up all the big questions but leaves a little cliff hanger, that concerning Oswald. Is a great romp through Pandemonium with lots of unique characters. 4.5/5 stars
This audiobook also contains a short story, which I think is a prequel. Jack and Oswald must recover an ogre’s soul and stop a wedding… but there’s livestock issues. Ha! Ever wondered what you could accomplish with a feather dipped in peanut butter? Read this story to find out! 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Eric G. Dove does a great job narrating this book. He had distinct voices for all the characters and his female voices were believable. I really liked how he gave some characters a 1920s noir detective accent but then others were more modern, and a few were Irish. This mix of accents really matched the mix of characters. The pacing was perfect and there were tech issues with the recording. 5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
February 9, 2018
Blending the tropes of an Everyman hero walking the mean streets with a world where the average is the only thing that isn’t present, Aquilone creates a narrative that offers much to both fans of detective fiction and humorous horror.
Dead Jack is Pandemonium’s best (only) zombie P.I. Mostly, he keeps the mindless hunger for flesh at bay with fairy dust and just tries to make an honest living. However, after an unfortunate circumstance leads to him eating his dealer, he ends up on the run and holding the fate of the world in his hands. Fortunately, Oswald, shapeshifting homunculus and not-exactly-partner, is there to lend a squishy hand; unfortunately, Oswald is about as irritating as the problems he solves.
Aquilone creates a world half hell dimension and half New York crime noir, with dashes of swashbuckling pirate film. Not so much hanging a lantern on as tipping a fedora to the absurdity of it all being true, he mixes demons, leprechauns, pixies, and demons (of a completely different mien), with a host of other supernatural tropes and a few bespoke myths that might be all his own; and a protagonist with a drink problem, a drug problem, and an eating passers-by problem.
However, this thread of self-aware farce is balanced by an equally well-rendered gritty detective narrative, making both the humour and the horror stronger by comparison.
Dead Jack himself is a sympathetic anti-hero in the mould of Sam Spade or Philip Marlow, as much driven by the desire to stay ahead of his problems as to actually solve cases and saved only from lumps the size of pigeon eggs by already being technically dead.
Oswald’s more logical character makes—for the most part—can interesting foil for Jack’s less-than-perfect plans. Where he might be more irritating for some readers is in the matter of what he is: apart from some references to having lurked within Jack’s (now mostly empty) skull, Oswald’s nature remains revealed, leaving readers without any framework to predict the extent of his abilities and thus making certain threats feel less suspenseful.
The supporting cast are similarly dark but also threaded with humour, the horror more Holt than Barker.
This novella also includes “The Case of the Amorous Ogre”, a short story relating one of Jack’s earlier cases. While the ending might not come as a complete shock to most readers, Aquilone’s rendering of a classic noir tale is pleasingly accoutred with absurd fantasy.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to readers seeking urban fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a fair review.
Dead Jack is Pandemonium’s best (only) zombie P.I. Mostly, he keeps the mindless hunger for flesh at bay with fairy dust and just tries to make an honest living. However, after an unfortunate circumstance leads to him eating his dealer, he ends up on the run and holding the fate of the world in his hands. Fortunately, Oswald, shapeshifting homunculus and not-exactly-partner, is there to lend a squishy hand; unfortunately, Oswald is about as irritating as the problems he solves.
Aquilone creates a world half hell dimension and half New York crime noir, with dashes of swashbuckling pirate film. Not so much hanging a lantern on as tipping a fedora to the absurdity of it all being true, he mixes demons, leprechauns, pixies, and demons (of a completely different mien), with a host of other supernatural tropes and a few bespoke myths that might be all his own; and a protagonist with a drink problem, a drug problem, and an eating passers-by problem.
However, this thread of self-aware farce is balanced by an equally well-rendered gritty detective narrative, making both the humour and the horror stronger by comparison.
Dead Jack himself is a sympathetic anti-hero in the mould of Sam Spade or Philip Marlow, as much driven by the desire to stay ahead of his problems as to actually solve cases and saved only from lumps the size of pigeon eggs by already being technically dead.
Oswald’s more logical character makes—for the most part—can interesting foil for Jack’s less-than-perfect plans. Where he might be more irritating for some readers is in the matter of what he is: apart from some references to having lurked within Jack’s (now mostly empty) skull, Oswald’s nature remains revealed, leaving readers without any framework to predict the extent of his abilities and thus making certain threats feel less suspenseful.
The supporting cast are similarly dark but also threaded with humour, the horror more Holt than Barker.
This novella also includes “The Case of the Amorous Ogre”, a short story relating one of Jack’s earlier cases. While the ending might not come as a complete shock to most readers, Aquilone’s rendering of a classic noir tale is pleasingly accoutred with absurd fantasy.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to readers seeking urban fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a fair review.
January 30, 2018
The first installment in the Dead Jack series is an adventurous romp through a parallel universe with an undead detective, his tiny mystical sidekick, and a large cast of quirky characters.
Aquilone works swiftly, turning a row of slapstick misadventures into a bigger plot with the whole world at stake. Now, it is, of course, a bit tiring to have the world in danger in every other novel you read, but it's not like the book itself takes the world-ending crisis too seriously. That is mostly dictated by our protagonist's perpetual state of drug high/drunkenness/endless cynicism. Jack is an abrasive bastard who doesn't seem to really be nice to anybody, especially not to his partner Oswald. The zombie PI never seems to even consider trying to diffuse a conversation, opting for a scathing remark 100% of the time. Thankfully, the side characters are either not as unpleasant or far more evil, offering a good counterbalance to Jack's bitter personality.
What strikes me about the novel is that it's very fun to read, a highly engaging and fast-paced adventure through an otherworld filled with horrors familiar and surprising. It is not, however, actually funny, or at least it wasn't to me. Sure, Jack quips a lot and so do many others, but the jokes are not memorable, the plot is far more interesting than many of the witticisms on offer. It just feels like the novel is fun but not funny, though laughs are definitely not a prerequisite to a good book.
Another strange point, though this one I definitely cannot count as a criticism, is just how violently horrifying the world of Pandemonium is. At one point, Jack happens upon a huge pit filled with dead bodies, hops in, revives and interrogates one. This is treated as a brief stop on the journey and, if you don't pause to think about it, it sure reads like one. But holy hell, our hero just saw a mass grave, which to him is not too worrying because, y'know, flesh-eating monster, but it's scary to realise that we're along for the ride with a protagonist who has very little empathy to give because hey, his world is about two steps from literal hell. (Also, he gets grossed out at the thought of a villain killing cats and, honestly, that's what really important. Nothing but respect for my cat-loving protags!)
Overall, it's a strong debut that is both fresh and easy-to-read. I'm not quite sure how something this insane and heavy on rather unusual imagery can be brought over to the big screen, but hey, we've seen stranger adaptations before.
Aquilone works swiftly, turning a row of slapstick misadventures into a bigger plot with the whole world at stake. Now, it is, of course, a bit tiring to have the world in danger in every other novel you read, but it's not like the book itself takes the world-ending crisis too seriously. That is mostly dictated by our protagonist's perpetual state of drug high/drunkenness/endless cynicism. Jack is an abrasive bastard who doesn't seem to really be nice to anybody, especially not to his partner Oswald. The zombie PI never seems to even consider trying to diffuse a conversation, opting for a scathing remark 100% of the time. Thankfully, the side characters are either not as unpleasant or far more evil, offering a good counterbalance to Jack's bitter personality.
What strikes me about the novel is that it's very fun to read, a highly engaging and fast-paced adventure through an otherworld filled with horrors familiar and surprising. It is not, however, actually funny, or at least it wasn't to me. Sure, Jack quips a lot and so do many others, but the jokes are not memorable, the plot is far more interesting than many of the witticisms on offer. It just feels like the novel is fun but not funny, though laughs are definitely not a prerequisite to a good book.
Another strange point, though this one I definitely cannot count as a criticism, is just how violently horrifying the world of Pandemonium is. At one point, Jack happens upon a huge pit filled with dead bodies, hops in, revives and interrogates one. This is treated as a brief stop on the journey and, if you don't pause to think about it, it sure reads like one. But holy hell, our hero just saw a mass grave, which to him is not too worrying because, y'know, flesh-eating monster, but it's scary to realise that we're along for the ride with a protagonist who has very little empathy to give because hey, his world is about two steps from literal hell. (Also, he gets grossed out at the thought of a villain killing cats and, honestly, that's what really important. Nothing but respect for my cat-loving protags!)
Overall, it's a strong debut that is both fresh and easy-to-read. I'm not quite sure how something this insane and heavy on rather unusual imagery can be brought over to the big screen, but hey, we've seen stranger adaptations before.
March 2, 2020
Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device (Dead Jack, Book 1) by James Aquilone and narrated by Eric G. Dove lives up to it’s title- it’s one wild and crazy ride through Dead Jack’s world. I think Dead Jack may be a relative of Ash Williams…or Ash as a Z.
What’s it about? Jack is a zombie private investigator who happens to be addicted to fairy dust because it’s the only thing that controls his zombie appetite- better than alternatives, right? He has a side kick of sorts named Oswald. Together they set out to solve the goblins missing cat problem and discover a more sinister plan is in play. You’re taken into Jack’s world where there are ghosts, kraken, ghost pirates, shark women, goblins, leprechauns, demons, entertaining dialogue between Jack and Oswald, and so much more. You get a little of almost everything in this book and it makes for an odd, humorous listen. 4 ½ stars for story, 5 stars for narration.
The narrator, Eric G. Dove, did a wonderful job. Nails the characters and script perfectly.
Overall I recommend, especially if you enjoy dead, odd humor. I’m not sure how anyone could not like this book, but one thing is for certain, I need more Dead Jack on audible!
~ Thank you, Oswald! Ever since I hooked up with that damn homunculus I’ve had nothing but misery and annoyance. “You’re taking to much dust, Jack.” “You’re not a zombie if you don’t act like one, Jack. Don’t eat that fairy Jack.”
~ The little monster looked dumber than a bag of warm centaur sh**.
~ A thief with morals. I admire that. You must know other infernal thieves, though. Maybe there’s someone you know who likes kitty cats? Someone with a whisker fetish?
~ I’ve never liked ghosts, even if they call themselves spectral buccaneers. You can’t trust them. They always have some gripe or mission or obsession. ShadowShade is full of spirits, hence the name, so I know of what I speak. My secretary, Lilith, is a ghost. She’s always going on about being hammered to death. Let it go, honey. It happened centuries ago.
What’s it about? Jack is a zombie private investigator who happens to be addicted to fairy dust because it’s the only thing that controls his zombie appetite- better than alternatives, right? He has a side kick of sorts named Oswald. Together they set out to solve the goblins missing cat problem and discover a more sinister plan is in play. You’re taken into Jack’s world where there are ghosts, kraken, ghost pirates, shark women, goblins, leprechauns, demons, entertaining dialogue between Jack and Oswald, and so much more. You get a little of almost everything in this book and it makes for an odd, humorous listen. 4 ½ stars for story, 5 stars for narration.
The narrator, Eric G. Dove, did a wonderful job. Nails the characters and script perfectly.
Overall I recommend, especially if you enjoy dead, odd humor. I’m not sure how anyone could not like this book, but one thing is for certain, I need more Dead Jack on audible!
~ Thank you, Oswald! Ever since I hooked up with that damn homunculus I’ve had nothing but misery and annoyance. “You’re taking to much dust, Jack.” “You’re not a zombie if you don’t act like one, Jack. Don’t eat that fairy Jack.”
~ The little monster looked dumber than a bag of warm centaur sh**.
~ A thief with morals. I admire that. You must know other infernal thieves, though. Maybe there’s someone you know who likes kitty cats? Someone with a whisker fetish?
~ I’ve never liked ghosts, even if they call themselves spectral buccaneers. You can’t trust them. They always have some gripe or mission or obsession. ShadowShade is full of spirits, hence the name, so I know of what I speak. My secretary, Lilith, is a ghost. She’s always going on about being hammered to death. Let it go, honey. It happened centuries ago.
September 15, 2020
Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Audio Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Life shouldn’t be hard for dead guy, but for Jack the only thing that seems to make him happy is pixie dust. He’ll stop at nothing to get some to, taking on odd detective jobs, such as searching for a Goblin Queen’s missing cats. Little does he expect that the search for cats unveils a plot by a former acquaintance to destroy Pandemonium and return to the “real” world.
In a story reminiscent of many adult cartoons – such as Rick & Morty and Futurama – Dead Jack takes on an almost cartoonish, but still fantastical and creepy, approach to a dimension filled dead and undead creatures alike. With the help his homonculus partner, Oswald, as well as from a half-pixie witch and an insane bat god, Jack inevitably is forced to save the day. The characters are fun, unique, and ultimately charming in their odd ways, even if Jack can be petty.
A straightforward story with interesting characters is always the type to keep me engaged. It might not be for everyone, since it does start with Jack behead a leprechaun after a disagreement. He is a zombie (addicted to pixie dust) after all. Dark and twisted in the best ways, you’ll want see where Jack’s antics take him next. Overall, it’s fun though, and that’s what matters.
I do wish we could have spent more time with Oswald and some of the other characters. To an extent, Jack as our narrator is one of the more normal and less interesting characters. That probably why he makes a good narrator though. He’s zombie, but he’s fundamentally human at heart. Even though he claims his soul is gone, to an extent, I think he has more soul than anyone else. He just hides it under an exterior of nonchalance.
The story of the Pandemonium Device wraps up nicely, but with enough of a cliffhanger that readers will be back for more. Is his dear little buddy okay? Will he find his soul? Will the Leprechauns get their revenge?
I guess I’ll find out in the next book.
Audio Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Life shouldn’t be hard for dead guy, but for Jack the only thing that seems to make him happy is pixie dust. He’ll stop at nothing to get some to, taking on odd detective jobs, such as searching for a Goblin Queen’s missing cats. Little does he expect that the search for cats unveils a plot by a former acquaintance to destroy Pandemonium and return to the “real” world.
In a story reminiscent of many adult cartoons – such as Rick & Morty and Futurama – Dead Jack takes on an almost cartoonish, but still fantastical and creepy, approach to a dimension filled dead and undead creatures alike. With the help his homonculus partner, Oswald, as well as from a half-pixie witch and an insane bat god, Jack inevitably is forced to save the day. The characters are fun, unique, and ultimately charming in their odd ways, even if Jack can be petty.
A straightforward story with interesting characters is always the type to keep me engaged. It might not be for everyone, since it does start with Jack behead a leprechaun after a disagreement. He is a zombie (addicted to pixie dust) after all. Dark and twisted in the best ways, you’ll want see where Jack’s antics take him next. Overall, it’s fun though, and that’s what matters.
I do wish we could have spent more time with Oswald and some of the other characters. To an extent, Jack as our narrator is one of the more normal and less interesting characters. That probably why he makes a good narrator though. He’s zombie, but he’s fundamentally human at heart. Even though he claims his soul is gone, to an extent, I think he has more soul than anyone else. He just hides it under an exterior of nonchalance.
The story of the Pandemonium Device wraps up nicely, but with enough of a cliffhanger that readers will be back for more. Is his dear little buddy okay? Will he find his soul? Will the Leprechauns get their revenge?
I guess I’ll find out in the next book.
October 5, 2019
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Jack is a detective in Pandemonium, a realm between life, death, heaven, and hell. He’s pretty good at what he does, even though his partner, a homunculus who one day just moved into the empty cavern of Jack’s skull, would highly disagree: his plans are reckless, poorly thought out, and even deadly. Jack is also a zombie with a fairy dust addiction. According to him, that’s the only thing that keeps the flesh craving at bay. His partner doesn’t necessarily believe that either, but here Jack is. Out of dust, approaching a leprechaun for more. Except instead of dust he gets his ass roasted. And, let’s just say… Leprechaun meat is delicious.
My Opinion: The book consists out of small little mysteries, and one big one that drives the plot, gives back-story, world building, and background to people in Pandemonium, including Jack and his origins of being. There’s plenty of real fun and great things, like mermaids who want to eat you, and pixies who are a bit too big to be pixies, because their mothers were indeed pixies, but their father’s were human men, and nobody wants to ask HOW, nobody. And due to Jack not taking himself too seriously too, we get this great fast paced book full of dark and sometimes a bit vulgar humor, daring plans that somehow work, and heroes in the most unlikely places.
That was a great fun of a book, I can’t wait to put my hands on the second one. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: Jack is a detective in Pandemonium, a realm between life, death, heaven, and hell. He’s pretty good at what he does, even though his partner, a homunculus who one day just moved into the empty cavern of Jack’s skull, would highly disagree: his plans are reckless, poorly thought out, and even deadly. Jack is also a zombie with a fairy dust addiction. According to him, that’s the only thing that keeps the flesh craving at bay. His partner doesn’t necessarily believe that either, but here Jack is. Out of dust, approaching a leprechaun for more. Except instead of dust he gets his ass roasted. And, let’s just say… Leprechaun meat is delicious.
My Opinion: The book consists out of small little mysteries, and one big one that drives the plot, gives back-story, world building, and background to people in Pandemonium, including Jack and his origins of being. There’s plenty of real fun and great things, like mermaids who want to eat you, and pixies who are a bit too big to be pixies, because their mothers were indeed pixies, but their father’s were human men, and nobody wants to ask HOW, nobody. And due to Jack not taking himself too seriously too, we get this great fast paced book full of dark and sometimes a bit vulgar humor, daring plans that somehow work, and heroes in the most unlikely places.
That was a great fun of a book, I can’t wait to put my hands on the second one. This one gets a 5 out of 5.
December 28, 2016
This was an amazing book. I won't waste time giving needless detail. I'm going to offer a few ideas of what to expect from Dead Jack and if they don't sound quirky, original, and irresistibly fun to you right away then don't pick this book up. Here we go: it stars a zombie named Dead Jack, a private investigator who works not for money but for fairy dust, the only drug strong enough to keep his decaying brain from going full-on zombie and sending him into an eating frenzy. To help him along his trials, he is joined (whether he likes it or not) by the rather interesting creature who calls himself Oswald. Oswald is...well...no one really knows, but he looks a bit like a marshmallow man with X's for eyes and an indestructible body. He has a habit of annoying Jack to no end and flubbing up his own brilliant plans.
Still here? Wonderful. The world of Pandemonium is something special. Think of it as Hell for the supernatural. In Pandemonium you can find everything from bounty-hunting leprechauns to sex-crazed shark women. I could go on and on about the incredible world Mr. Aquilone has built here but I'd rather you just go pick it up. It's quick (two hundred some-odd pages including the two short stories at the end), quirky as hell, and loads of fun.
P.S. I would suggest reading the two short stories first, as they came out before the book and offer a bit of background in regards to the overall story arc.
Still here? Wonderful. The world of Pandemonium is something special. Think of it as Hell for the supernatural. In Pandemonium you can find everything from bounty-hunting leprechauns to sex-crazed shark women. I could go on and on about the incredible world Mr. Aquilone has built here but I'd rather you just go pick it up. It's quick (two hundred some-odd pages including the two short stories at the end), quirky as hell, and loads of fun.
P.S. I would suggest reading the two short stories first, as they came out before the book and offer a bit of background in regards to the overall story arc.
September 19, 2020
5/5 - I’m hooked! Dead Jack is my favorite zombie P.I.
Laugh out loud funny. Unique world. Unputdownable book. This is a great example of “show” not “tell’ And it doesn’t hurt that I was able to spend 5+ hours listening to my favorite audiobook narrator, Eric G Dove, voice this story *heart eyes*
Dead Jack is a zombie. Reanimated corpse thanks to a crazy Nazi back in the 1930’s. Jack found his way to Pandemonium, it’s a world layered on top of Earth. It’s not hell more like an upside down AU.
Jack is a P.I. trying to curb his hunger for flesh. One of his favorites is Leprechaun. His main motive for doing anything is to buy more fairy dust to quell his hunger. This leads to job commissioned by the Goblin Queen: find the missing 52 cats and he can have ALL the fairy dust he wants.
His mission takes him in a journey across the world of Pandemonium with his sidekick, Oswald, a Homunculus. Along the way he meets cool characters like a shark woman, ghost pirates, witch/pixie, demons, etc. he eventually discovers the person behind the missing cats and everything is flipped on its head.
I loved this book. Jack is next level sarcastic funny. All the characters are fleshed out and compelling. World building in point. I can’t wait to start book two!!
Laugh out loud funny. Unique world. Unputdownable book. This is a great example of “show” not “tell’ And it doesn’t hurt that I was able to spend 5+ hours listening to my favorite audiobook narrator, Eric G Dove, voice this story *heart eyes*
Dead Jack is a zombie. Reanimated corpse thanks to a crazy Nazi back in the 1930’s. Jack found his way to Pandemonium, it’s a world layered on top of Earth. It’s not hell more like an upside down AU.
Jack is a P.I. trying to curb his hunger for flesh. One of his favorites is Leprechaun. His main motive for doing anything is to buy more fairy dust to quell his hunger. This leads to job commissioned by the Goblin Queen: find the missing 52 cats and he can have ALL the fairy dust he wants.
His mission takes him in a journey across the world of Pandemonium with his sidekick, Oswald, a Homunculus. Along the way he meets cool characters like a shark woman, ghost pirates, witch/pixie, demons, etc. he eventually discovers the person behind the missing cats and everything is flipped on its head.
I loved this book. Jack is next level sarcastic funny. All the characters are fleshed out and compelling. World building in point. I can’t wait to start book two!!
August 11, 2017
If you're a fan of the 1980's The Evil Dead, the cult classic movie and weird comedy by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell, you've been waiting for someone to kick it up a notch. James Aquilone does just that with his hilarious, crude and campy book - Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device. Nothing is sacred, honorable, or excellent in Pandemonium - not even the unicorns. Zombie private investigator, Jack, is led by fear, drug addiction and folly into inexplicable adventure and inadmissible, dumb luck.
James, the author, is going to Hollywood with this undeadly, devious and delicious story. Read it now so you can gloat like a cool kid that, in fact, you knew it back when. Get this guy to autograph a dozen copies so you can hawk them for a pretty penny at a comic con in ten years. Or if there will be no comic cons, you can read and entertain survivors of the apocalypse for a can of beans.
Recent fun reading: The Zee Brothers by Grivante, Lights In The Night by Greg Alldredge and Derek Prince's They Shall Expel Demons.
James, the author, is going to Hollywood with this undeadly, devious and delicious story. Read it now so you can gloat like a cool kid that, in fact, you knew it back when. Get this guy to autograph a dozen copies so you can hawk them for a pretty penny at a comic con in ten years. Or if there will be no comic cons, you can read and entertain survivors of the apocalypse for a can of beans.
Recent fun reading: The Zee Brothers by Grivante, Lights In The Night by Greg Alldredge and Derek Prince's They Shall Expel Demons.
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