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The Bloodletter Saga #1-2
Demon King
Ancient evils lurk in the Western New York town of Oneka Falls, and they are hungry.
Only three children have encountered them and lived. Psyches fractured, each child has survived as best they could—wrapped in fantasy, the comfort of amnesia, or the silence of isolation When those evils intrude on their lives a second time, it sets a chain of events in action that can only end in destruction. But who will be destroyed, the children or the ancient evils that plague the town?
Start reading Demon King today and find out!
Only three children have encountered them and lived. Psyches fractured, each child has survived as best they could—wrapped in fantasy, the comfort of amnesia, or the silence of isolation When those evils intrude on their lives a second time, it sets a chain of events in action that can only end in destruction. But who will be destroyed, the children or the ancient evils that plague the town?
Start reading Demon King today and find out!
663 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2018
1274 people are currently reading
1083 people want to read
About the author
Erik Henry Vick
60 books241 followersErik Henry Vick is an author who happens to be disabled by an autoimmune disease (also known as his Personal Monster™). He writes to hang on to the few remaining shreds of his sanity. His current favorite genres to write are dark fantasy and horror.
He lives in Western New York with his wife, Supergirl; their son; a Rottweiler named after a god of thunder; and two extremely psychotic cats. He fights his Personal Monster™ daily with humor, pain medicine, and funny T-shirts.
In the meantime, he'd like to invite you to check out his blog:
erikhenryvick.com
Or follow him on:
Twitter @BerserkErik
Facebook @erikhenryvick
Amazon USA Author Page
Amazon UK Author Page
He'd love to hear from you.
He lives in Western New York with his wife, Supergirl; their son; a Rottweiler named after a god of thunder; and two extremely psychotic cats. He fights his Personal Monster™ daily with humor, pain medicine, and funny T-shirts.
In the meantime, he'd like to invite you to check out his blog:
erikhenryvick.com
Or follow him on:
Twitter @BerserkErik
Facebook @erikhenryvick
Amazon USA Author Page
Amazon UK Author Page
He'd love to hear from you.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
April 12, 2024
This book was heavily influenced by Stephen King’s It. And it’s very present throughout the book. From the split timelines of when they were kids and when they were adults, Supernatural monster that feeds on emotions, and just the general atmosphere.
I found this to be a wonderful book that balanced the inspiration source and the elements and characters unique to this book Excellently. It really hit the nostalgia that your heart, but still felt fresh and unique. I never seen a book hit, but if you like this book you like that book so well.
The characters were fun, relatable, and it was easy to become invested into them. And the atmosphere was perfect! Every moment I spent reading this book, I felt like I home (just with a lot of demons and monsters)
And the written in the book was so incredibly smooth! I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to experience the “It” story, a new and fresh way.
I found this to be a wonderful book that balanced the inspiration source and the elements and characters unique to this book Excellently. It really hit the nostalgia that your heart, but still felt fresh and unique. I never seen a book hit, but if you like this book you like that book so well.
The characters were fun, relatable, and it was easy to become invested into them. And the atmosphere was perfect! Every moment I spent reading this book, I felt like I home (just with a lot of demons and monsters)
And the written in the book was so incredibly smooth! I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to experience the “It” story, a new and fresh way.
June 11, 2018
3.5 Stars
There is something so wonderful about the classic story of a group of children fighting against an evil entity!
This novel was very compelling with well developed characters and a chilling mystery at the centre of the story. Despite the length, I flew through this chunky book quickly, inhaling most of the story in a single day. I just couldn't stop picking it up!
Given the premise, this novel will inevitably be compared to IT by Stephen King. While it has a similar structure, this is a clearly distinct and original novel that stands on it's own. Maybe it's sacrilegious to write this, but I actually think Demon King is better than IT.
I requested a copy of this book from the author.
There is something so wonderful about the classic story of a group of children fighting against an evil entity!
This novel was very compelling with well developed characters and a chilling mystery at the centre of the story. Despite the length, I flew through this chunky book quickly, inhaling most of the story in a single day. I just couldn't stop picking it up!
Given the premise, this novel will inevitably be compared to IT by Stephen King. While it has a similar structure, this is a clearly distinct and original novel that stands on it's own. Maybe it's sacrilegious to write this, but I actually think Demon King is better than IT.
I requested a copy of this book from the author.
November 26, 2020
"If you're a Stephen King fan, you may have noticed an Easter egg or two. I hope you enjoyed them.
- Author's Note
If you've read It then you'll recognise loads of what the author calls Easter eggs. I just call it reading the same thing but with different characters written by a different author.
Paying homage to a great work (and IT is that, even though i don't particularly love it) in my opinion does not have to be so brazen and even when it's done why not incorporate it in a way that actually works for you?
There were of course certain aspects from the IT parallel that worked for this book but ultimately it came off looking way too similar in some aspects and less of an Easter egg and more of a "are you trying to re-write IT?"
It's a thin line, paying homage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just comes off more as a copy.
📝📝
Ultimately what killed this book for me wasn't even the whole Stephen King Easter egg but the plot.
It just disintegrated. It basically unraveled into chaos.
💬From the supernatural powers the characters apparently get
💬To why exactly the demons wanted the children
💬To how easy everything got so wrapped up
💬To why couldn't demons that have been around since heaven knows when camouflage themselves properly?
💬Why were certain adults able to see them for no reason at all but others couldn't?
💬What exactly really was the plan??
Sadly, this book couldn't go the distance. Props for effort and Easter eggs though.
April 28, 2018
What do you get when you mix elements of fear, mystery, suspense, foreshadowing and a perfectly gripping plot? Give up? Well... if all of these elements are woven together in a seamless piece of writing, you will end up with one fantastic horror story! This is exactly the case with Erik Henry Vick's novel, Demon King. This is one intense book you will just not be able to put down as it will captivate, engross and horrify you from start to finish.
The story begins in 1979 in a tiny town by the name of Oneka Falls. Everything there may look peaceful and serene, but it is anything but normal. After an 11-year old boy by the name of Toby Burton virtually disappears into thin air, his friend Benny begins to snoop around. His hope is to find his friend, or at the very least discover what happened to him. This quest takes Benny down the exact same path as his friend and he narrowly escapes a similar fate. It also sets forth a series of horrific events which sees a variety of deaths and disappearing children as Oneka Falls is brought to its knees by a sadistic and perverse demon. Fast forward 28 years later to the year 2007 and Oneka Falls exists as a town which is entirely overrun by demons. How did this come to be? What actually took place, and what happened to all those people from 1997? The answers to these questions are methodically and brutally revealed as the future confronts the past and an epic battle ensues!
The chronological back and forth nature between 1979 and 2007 had the potential to confuse the reader. However, in this novel that simply did not happen. The two eras are tied together very nicely and do an excellent job of adding tenison and an almost unbearable suspense to the plot. It is one of the reasons that it is so hard to stop reading and actually put this book down! Also, the theme of good versus evil is supported by some very vivid and gruesome scenes. These are not done simply for the sake of adding gore and superficiality to the novel. They are an integral part of the plot as they reveal the intense level of depravity which exists. As the plot unfolds the reader feels they have become part of the story and will acutely feel the psychological turmoil and suffering which the characters must endure.
It is very difficult for an author to have the readers empathize with characters to such an intense degree. For this to happen, they have to be fully developed and believable characters who the reader can identify with. Once again, Eric Vick does a masterful job in this regard. This is no easy feat as there are numerous characters in this story who are living in two different and distinct time periods. Nevertheless, almost all of them are developed to such an extent that the reader easily becomes engaged in their dilemmas. For instance, the presentation of Toby and Benny 28 years later not only reveals significant development, but a very interesting and intriguing twist as well. Further, Owen can easily be identified as one of the most vile and despicable characters I have encountered in quite some time. To be able to draw out such emotions from the reader in regards to his characters is a gift which this author holds.
If you are a fan of perfectly executed horror, then I would highly recommend this book! Be forewarned however as there are some particularly gruesome and disturbing scenes. For this reason, and due to some sexual content, it is recommended for adult readers and up.
5 out of 5 Demonic Stars for this one! *****
The story begins in 1979 in a tiny town by the name of Oneka Falls. Everything there may look peaceful and serene, but it is anything but normal. After an 11-year old boy by the name of Toby Burton virtually disappears into thin air, his friend Benny begins to snoop around. His hope is to find his friend, or at the very least discover what happened to him. This quest takes Benny down the exact same path as his friend and he narrowly escapes a similar fate. It also sets forth a series of horrific events which sees a variety of deaths and disappearing children as Oneka Falls is brought to its knees by a sadistic and perverse demon. Fast forward 28 years later to the year 2007 and Oneka Falls exists as a town which is entirely overrun by demons. How did this come to be? What actually took place, and what happened to all those people from 1997? The answers to these questions are methodically and brutally revealed as the future confronts the past and an epic battle ensues!
The chronological back and forth nature between 1979 and 2007 had the potential to confuse the reader. However, in this novel that simply did not happen. The two eras are tied together very nicely and do an excellent job of adding tenison and an almost unbearable suspense to the plot. It is one of the reasons that it is so hard to stop reading and actually put this book down! Also, the theme of good versus evil is supported by some very vivid and gruesome scenes. These are not done simply for the sake of adding gore and superficiality to the novel. They are an integral part of the plot as they reveal the intense level of depravity which exists. As the plot unfolds the reader feels they have become part of the story and will acutely feel the psychological turmoil and suffering which the characters must endure.
It is very difficult for an author to have the readers empathize with characters to such an intense degree. For this to happen, they have to be fully developed and believable characters who the reader can identify with. Once again, Eric Vick does a masterful job in this regard. This is no easy feat as there are numerous characters in this story who are living in two different and distinct time periods. Nevertheless, almost all of them are developed to such an extent that the reader easily becomes engaged in their dilemmas. For instance, the presentation of Toby and Benny 28 years later not only reveals significant development, but a very interesting and intriguing twist as well. Further, Owen can easily be identified as one of the most vile and despicable characters I have encountered in quite some time. To be able to draw out such emotions from the reader in regards to his characters is a gift which this author holds.
If you are a fan of perfectly executed horror, then I would highly recommend this book! Be forewarned however as there are some particularly gruesome and disturbing scenes. For this reason, and due to some sexual content, it is recommended for adult readers and up.
5 out of 5 Demonic Stars for this one! *****
July 17, 2019
I'm pretty sure many would enjoy this but as hard as I tried to like it it's just not for me.
January 11, 2023
A creepy and disturbing story. Takes place between two time lines. One in 1979 and the other is 2007. It starts off with spine-chilling first chapter and doesn't let up from there. It is definitely a book NOT for the faint of heart. There are some really horrific things that take place here. In this story there are demons all around us. We can't tell who they are but they feed off of our misery and discomfort. They do horrible things and talk people into doing horrible things. There is a man who was in the grips of this torture when he was a kid. Because of that, he can now see the demons for who they are. He goes on a mission to rid them of this world.
Loved it and look forward to the next book. The only complaints would be that there was some confusing parts that I'm not exactly sure of what went on. The other was it was a bit longer than it needed to be. Could've cut it back a bit.
Loved it and look forward to the next book. The only complaints would be that there was some confusing parts that I'm not exactly sure of what went on. The other was it was a bit longer than it needed to be. Could've cut it back a bit.
October 18, 2019
Confusing AF in some areas but once I figured out what was happening I enjoyed it very much.
August 1, 2019
2 / 5
I feel like if I'd read this when I was fifteen, I might've appreciated it more, but I feel like it was too... juvenile for me. Which is weird considering some of the mature shit that goes down in it. Like, there's some gross and depressing stuff, but it just seemed superficial, and I couldn't connect to any of the characters. Plus, some of it was a bit fat-shamey, which is a thing I despise, so yeah.
*Short review because these are books I read in 2018*
I feel like if I'd read this when I was fifteen, I might've appreciated it more, but I feel like it was too... juvenile for me. Which is weird considering some of the mature shit that goes down in it. Like, there's some gross and depressing stuff, but it just seemed superficial, and I couldn't connect to any of the characters. Plus, some of it was a bit fat-shamey, which is a thing I despise, so yeah.
*Short review because these are books I read in 2018*
April 19, 2018
Monsters are real!
I won this book from Goodreads and Amazon for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, it is sufficiently scary and nail biting suspenseful! The characters are wonderfully written and beautifully evolved. Finally a truly scary story that had me held in it's grip from beginning to end! Most stories claim to be a horror story and fail to deliver that true sense of dread and fear. This story does will not disappoint horror genre fans. It was a griping nerve jangling tale that will chill you to the bone and yet have you coming back for more! A smart well written story that in my opinion makes this author one of the best writers out there. I recommend this book highly to anyone who can handle a griping, nerve rattling story with heart. Well done honestly I loved it!
I won this book from Goodreads and Amazon for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, it is sufficiently scary and nail biting suspenseful! The characters are wonderfully written and beautifully evolved. Finally a truly scary story that had me held in it's grip from beginning to end! Most stories claim to be a horror story and fail to deliver that true sense of dread and fear. This story does will not disappoint horror genre fans. It was a griping nerve jangling tale that will chill you to the bone and yet have you coming back for more! A smart well written story that in my opinion makes this author one of the best writers out there. I recommend this book highly to anyone who can handle a griping, nerve rattling story with heart. Well done honestly I loved it!
June 23, 2019
Okay
For some reason this book felt horrendously long. Interesting, but dragging along at a snails pace.
Won’t be reading the next book.
For some reason this book felt horrendously long. Interesting, but dragging along at a snails pace.
Won’t be reading the next book.
April 7, 2023
Demon King
Las similitudes con IT son demasiado evidentes, pero creo que tiene un par de buenas ideas que logran darle un toque propio, y que no se sienta como otro libro innombrable que suena a copia chafa.
Entretenido, en momentos si tiene ese toque de acción, sus momentos de terror, sus momentos más thriller, que logran mantenerte interesado al leer, si algunas partes creo que extiende de más.
Y el final es un tanto apagado, entiendo que parte quizá sea porque hay más libros al ser serie, pero aun así, se siente un tanto “y así se acaba?”, que bueno considerando que It también
Una lectura entretenida
SPOILERS
3.5 stars
May 25, 2020
Okay, I want to say that this book was such a 'nod in ways to Stephen King's "IT"' that it even had a scary big house on Niebolt Street, and a demon that came every 28 (not 27) years, and even had a character named Randall Flag, that this is why I gave it a 3 star rating. The book is over 630 pages long, and that was a bit too long, if you ask me.....however it was a sad, and sometimes gruesome story about a boy; Toby Burton who comes up missing after to going to see and possibly buy a bike that he saw in an ad in the paper in 1979 and his friends Benny goes looking for him.
That starts the disappearance of many children in the small town of Oneka Falls, and little does the town know that it is a demon and his minions of dog type meanies that have no eyes!
This book was really good at the beginning and during the time that the boys are kids in 1979. Then, it just takes a big crap in the bucket for me as you then find out that one of the boys is 'Crazy as a loon, and locked up in the nut house' and it just got boring and way TOO LONG And drawn out!
Jump forward to 2007 and the town of Oneka Falls is running rampant with almost a third of its 1500 citizens, who are demons acting and trying to pose as humans so that they are not noticed. Yeah, it became pretty silly and then read like a YA thriller instead of the Horror story I thought it was going to be. After I finished it, i looked at online reviews of this book, and i was totally shocked how many people gave this '5 Stars!' and said 'This was better than King's coming of age 'IT'!' If you think of all the Space Turtle sub plot of Pennywise's existence then maybe.....but the story was not there......It just was not scary at all. And if I had to hear the term 'Yes, M'Love' ONE MORE TIME!!! I was going to DNF it! There is a bad character in the book who said it over 170 times!!
I cannot believe that I also own books 2 and 3 to this sequel of the town of Oneka Falls......
SNORRRRREEEEEEEE.
That starts the disappearance of many children in the small town of Oneka Falls, and little does the town know that it is a demon and his minions of dog type meanies that have no eyes!
This book was really good at the beginning and during the time that the boys are kids in 1979. Then, it just takes a big crap in the bucket for me as you then find out that one of the boys is 'Crazy as a loon, and locked up in the nut house' and it just got boring and way TOO LONG And drawn out!
Jump forward to 2007 and the town of Oneka Falls is running rampant with almost a third of its 1500 citizens, who are demons acting and trying to pose as humans so that they are not noticed. Yeah, it became pretty silly and then read like a YA thriller instead of the Horror story I thought it was going to be. After I finished it, i looked at online reviews of this book, and i was totally shocked how many people gave this '5 Stars!' and said 'This was better than King's coming of age 'IT'!' If you think of all the Space Turtle sub plot of Pennywise's existence then maybe.....but the story was not there......It just was not scary at all. And if I had to hear the term 'Yes, M'Love' ONE MORE TIME!!! I was going to DNF it! There is a bad character in the book who said it over 170 times!!
I cannot believe that I also own books 2 and 3 to this sequel of the town of Oneka Falls......
SNORRRRREEEEEEEE.
September 28, 2018
The Demon King has been compared to the likes of Stephen Kings IT and Dan Simmons Summer of Night, although there are similar themes in The Demon King; children facing off against an evil entity that has been murdering children for centuries, it is no IT. The beauty about Stephen King is he has an ability to slow time right down by producing page after page of text drawing out a particular scene or event in his novels, sometimes this can come across tiresome but it always ties in to the bigger picture and makes the reader feel like they have become part of the book. Although Demon King was an enjoyable read for the most part, the action is to quick, unfortunately making it easy to miss vital parts of the story, my other pet hate with this book was the constant use of the words "my love" and "babe" yes it served quite well in the last few chapters of the book, every time it came up in the transcript i found myself rolling my eyes and shaking my head. Honestly if a character is meant to come across as evil then using words that were better suited in the 1800's as a term of endearment doesn't cut it in today's novels.
I am sorry, there were fun elements of this book that kept me reading, I was really drawn to Drew's character and the fall of the township of Oneka Falls after the murders of 1979. I found I really despised the main antagonist Owen and cheered the towns people on when they ripped him from Candy's house and beat him black and blue. But i think I made the mistake of reading the reviews before hand causing my expectations to rise to astonishing levels. The Demon King was really well written, clearly separated the past from the present and gave each character a unique voice.
I would recommend this novel to my friends but tell them absolutely nothing about it, better to go in with a clear mind and a blank canvas.
3/5 STAKES
I am sorry, there were fun elements of this book that kept me reading, I was really drawn to Drew's character and the fall of the township of Oneka Falls after the murders of 1979. I found I really despised the main antagonist Owen and cheered the towns people on when they ripped him from Candy's house and beat him black and blue. But i think I made the mistake of reading the reviews before hand causing my expectations to rise to astonishing levels. The Demon King was really well written, clearly separated the past from the present and gave each character a unique voice.
I would recommend this novel to my friends but tell them absolutely nothing about it, better to go in with a clear mind and a blank canvas.
3/5 STAKES
April 2, 2018
I'll never stop loving stories that involve children encountering supernatural trauma and not being believed. Is there a role more terrifying to imagine yourself in?
This is a story of children disappearing left and right from a once decent county, of demons that do not play around when it comes to torture and murder (seriously, lots of graphic scenes. Lots and lots and lots.), of bewildered parents that ultimately fail to stop much of anything, and the ragtag group of mentally scarred adults who band together to kick some demon ass. It was quite entertaining and I would love more adventures with the slightly unhinged demon hunting crew.
This is a story of children disappearing left and right from a once decent county, of demons that do not play around when it comes to torture and murder (seriously, lots of graphic scenes. Lots and lots and lots.), of bewildered parents that ultimately fail to stop much of anything, and the ragtag group of mentally scarred adults who band together to kick some demon ass. It was quite entertaining and I would love more adventures with the slightly unhinged demon hunting crew.
April 6, 2018
Since I basically love everything Erik Henry Vick has written so far I didn't expect this one to be any different. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was even better than some of my past favorites. As a fan of "IT", both the movie, mini series and novel, I was especially intrigued with the back and forth of this book - as you skip from past to now, you slowly realize how this book is sucking you in and before you know it, you have to be at work in an hour and have not had any sleep......lol This one is a keeper!!
April 6, 2018
Scary good read!
Really enjoyed this scary good read. Just a few problems that a proofreader or editor should have caught but nothing that was more than a hiccup. Really enjoyed the continual switch of POV from 1979 to 2007 as well as from character to character.
Rather than being chaotic, this switching about added to the sense of non-stop action. Characters were well developed, sympathetic though flawed ..... I cared enough about them that I really didn't want to see them killed off . Would like to see what else the author could so with them.
Really enjoyed this scary good read. Just a few problems that a proofreader or editor should have caught but nothing that was more than a hiccup. Really enjoyed the continual switch of POV from 1979 to 2007 as well as from character to character.
Rather than being chaotic, this switching about added to the sense of non-stop action. Characters were well developed, sympathetic though flawed ..... I cared enough about them that I really didn't want to see them killed off . Would like to see what else the author could so with them.
April 29, 2022
I really liked this book - it was dark, tense, and thrilling with plenty of suspense that kept me turning pages long after I should've gone to bed. The storyline line bounces back and forth between eras which was confusing at first trying to keep track of which characters were which but don't let that stop you the story is well written and comes together nicely in the end. I will definitely be reading more from this author and have already started the second book in the trilogy and so far its even better. I would definitely recommend reading this book...do it, do it, do it.
November 16, 2018
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Solid 4 stars.
(if you're not used to my reviews, please understand I am a critic. I criticize everything. It doesn't mean the book wasn't great or even that I didn't enjoy the hell out of it)
First, let's discuss the audiobook narrator.
Honestly, he was pretty lackluster. At first blush, he reminded me a lot of Kirby Heyborne (who is amazing!), but as the book went, I saw more and more how little variation he had in his voices. He did very well with tempo and he has a perfectly listenable voice, but the lack of distinct character voices was really distracting (the voices of 9 and 10 year-old girls was basically identical to older women and younger boys, and most of the men used an identical voice).
Okay, story time.
First, you must understand what you're getting into. This is a big story with a lot of characters and a lot of things going on.
Now, as I typically do, I have some criticisms and some things I really enjoyed.
As with other of EHV's books that I've read, the narrative is split between two time periods (much like the main book this one is typically compared to, Stephen King's "It"), so it can get a little confusing at times.
Thankfully, this book is told entirely in third person (unlike "Errant Gods"), which only added to my enjoyment.
However, for a rather large chunk of the future narrative, there were two characters that I thought were one character, which only added to my confusion.
I actually do enjoy the "dual narrative" of this book (and others I've read), as both narratives are important parts of the story and present some distinctly different facets to the characters and main conflict.
But (yes, you likely knew there was a but coming), as with "It" and others which use this device, while I understand why the past and future narratives are switched throughout the story (mainly, there are major reveals in the earlier timeline which might reduce the tension and suspense of the earlier parts of the future timeline if they were already known), I feel like it would make for a more enjoyable and less confusing story if we saw the whole early narrative first, then moved to the future narrative.
Also, minor gripe, unlike in "It," the flashes back to the earlier narrative (or jumps to the future one, if you prefer), have no bearing or relevance on or to the other narrative, so the shifts come off feeling a bit jarring and arbitrary.
In general, I liked the characters and the character development done with them, there just wasn't enough of it for me.
I liked Drew, and I kept waiting for an explanation of what he is/does and how/why. And while there was an eventual explanation, it just didn't seem like enough. I kept thinking there was more to it that we were going to see but never did.
I also liked Benny, but honestly I'm still confused about what exactly happened to him and how he ended up where/what he did.
My biggest character complaint, honestly, is Tobey.
You might consider this a spoiler (though I don't) so please don't read the next 2 paragraphs if you don't want to see it.
We know a bit about his family but literally almost nothing about him. Which wouldn't have been a problem is he hadn't come back into the story after his disappearance in the beginning. I mean, since he comes back later, I feel like we should have had some empathy (or at least sympathy) for his fate, but since we're literally introduced to him 5 minutes before he vanishes, there really isn't any.
Honestly, I really feel this book should have either been a LOT longer (yes, I'm thinking of "It" again here, which was more than 3x the length of Demon King), or it should have been a series. I think 2 books about the childhood part (maybe one about the Owen side of things and one about the King), and 2 or 3 about the adult story (first on Drew, culminating with the revelation that the demons are real, then a book on the two cops and the tortured daughter, then use the Mike & Shannon story to bring everything together for an epic finale. And yes, I realize that would require a major overhaul of the story) to really do justice to the concept.
As it was (and I suppose I have this complaint a lot), with such a high concept, I felt like the ending should have had a really epic feel, and it was kind of a letdown. So often, we have these amazing, deep stories that feel so epic, and then the climax takes 5 minutes and we're done. And I can't help feeling like someone just completely dropped the ball.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting a Wheel of Time level climax (you know, an entire 400k+ word book that is literally all devoted to the final battle), but something a little more epic would have been better.
And on that note, I have to say I was a little disappointed at the lack of resolution to the earlier narrative.
All that said, though, I did enjoy the book. There are serveral pretty blatant hat tips to Stephen King (and, if I'm not mistaken, Dan Wells) that add some flavor without feeling too hokey, and I appreciate that there were a few twists toward the end that I did not see coming (at all!).
Bravo, Mr Vick.
I can't wait for the next one to release in audio.
(if you're not used to my reviews, please understand I am a critic. I criticize everything. It doesn't mean the book wasn't great or even that I didn't enjoy the hell out of it)
First, let's discuss the audiobook narrator.
Honestly, he was pretty lackluster. At first blush, he reminded me a lot of Kirby Heyborne (who is amazing!), but as the book went, I saw more and more how little variation he had in his voices. He did very well with tempo and he has a perfectly listenable voice, but the lack of distinct character voices was really distracting (the voices of 9 and 10 year-old girls was basically identical to older women and younger boys, and most of the men used an identical voice).
Okay, story time.
First, you must understand what you're getting into. This is a big story with a lot of characters and a lot of things going on.
Now, as I typically do, I have some criticisms and some things I really enjoyed.
As with other of EHV's books that I've read, the narrative is split between two time periods (much like the main book this one is typically compared to, Stephen King's "It"), so it can get a little confusing at times.
Thankfully, this book is told entirely in third person (unlike "Errant Gods"), which only added to my enjoyment.
However, for a rather large chunk of the future narrative, there were two characters that I thought were one character, which only added to my confusion.
I actually do enjoy the "dual narrative" of this book (and others I've read), as both narratives are important parts of the story and present some distinctly different facets to the characters and main conflict.
But (yes, you likely knew there was a but coming), as with "It" and others which use this device, while I understand why the past and future narratives are switched throughout the story (mainly, there are major reveals in the earlier timeline which might reduce the tension and suspense of the earlier parts of the future timeline if they were already known), I feel like it would make for a more enjoyable and less confusing story if we saw the whole early narrative first, then moved to the future narrative.
Also, minor gripe, unlike in "It," the flashes back to the earlier narrative (or jumps to the future one, if you prefer), have no bearing or relevance on or to the other narrative, so the shifts come off feeling a bit jarring and arbitrary.
In general, I liked the characters and the character development done with them, there just wasn't enough of it for me.
I liked Drew, and I kept waiting for an explanation of what he is/does and how/why. And while there was an eventual explanation, it just didn't seem like enough. I kept thinking there was more to it that we were going to see but never did.
I also liked Benny, but honestly I'm still confused about what exactly happened to him and how he ended up where/what he did.
My biggest character complaint, honestly, is Tobey.
You might consider this a spoiler (though I don't) so please don't read the next 2 paragraphs if you don't want to see it.
We know a bit about his family but literally almost nothing about him. Which wouldn't have been a problem is he hadn't come back into the story after his disappearance in the beginning. I mean, since he comes back later, I feel like we should have had some empathy (or at least sympathy) for his fate, but since we're literally introduced to him 5 minutes before he vanishes, there really isn't any.
Honestly, I really feel this book should have either been a LOT longer (yes, I'm thinking of "It" again here, which was more than 3x the length of Demon King), or it should have been a series. I think 2 books about the childhood part (maybe one about the Owen side of things and one about the King), and 2 or 3 about the adult story (first on Drew, culminating with the revelation that the demons are real, then a book on the two cops and the tortured daughter, then use the Mike & Shannon story to bring everything together for an epic finale. And yes, I realize that would require a major overhaul of the story) to really do justice to the concept.
As it was (and I suppose I have this complaint a lot), with such a high concept, I felt like the ending should have had a really epic feel, and it was kind of a letdown. So often, we have these amazing, deep stories that feel so epic, and then the climax takes 5 minutes and we're done. And I can't help feeling like someone just completely dropped the ball.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting a Wheel of Time level climax (you know, an entire 400k+ word book that is literally all devoted to the final battle), but something a little more epic would have been better.
And on that note, I have to say I was a little disappointed at the lack of resolution to the earlier narrative.
All that said, though, I did enjoy the book. There are serveral pretty blatant hat tips to Stephen King (and, if I'm not mistaken, Dan Wells) that add some flavor without feeling too hokey, and I appreciate that there were a few twists toward the end that I did not see coming (at all!).
Bravo, Mr Vick.
I can't wait for the next one to release in audio.
August 6, 2018
Oneka Falls appeared as tranquil and poised as any other small town, but for a group of boys, this town is housing their town’s worst nightmare. The book bounces between the time when the boys were young, 1979, and when they are men, 2007. While the plot progresses and evolves, the reader is taken through the character’s physical and psychological upheave to the point that they can bodily feel their bones ache.
Demon King is a melody of terror, horror, mystery, and suspense one that takes you into the dark side where another sinister species hides in the shadows, or disguised and in plain sight, waiting for the chance, if you are lucky, to feed off your emotions. If not, you are in for an indescribable tortuous rendezvous that you have no hope to survive. Be ready for the captivating twists as the author takes you on this adrenalin filled horror ride with Toby and Benny and the other gripping characters.
Demon King is a melody of terror, horror, mystery, and suspense one that takes you into the dark side where another sinister species hides in the shadows, or disguised and in plain sight, waiting for the chance, if you are lucky, to feed off your emotions. If not, you are in for an indescribable tortuous rendezvous that you have no hope to survive. Be ready for the captivating twists as the author takes you on this adrenalin filled horror ride with Toby and Benny and the other gripping characters.
February 4, 2019
Pretty good effort, though less horror than I expected.
DEMON KING's set-up reminded me of one of my favorite novels ever: IT. And I LOVE stories like that. I enjoy the jumping back and forth in time, telling the tale from the same character's perspectives as both children and adults. And this novel certainly does that. However, this one came across as more of a dark fantasy than a horror novel. This isn't a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
There are these demons who are trying to steal children and make them run in the woods from them in a sort of game, which I guess is supposed to end in death for them, but get them good and scared first because the demons feed off terror. But a couple of kids escape while a madman who's hooked up with another demon goes on a shooting spree. When the characters are adults, it seems the events of their childhood have crisscrossed their wires and some aren't sure who they are anymore. But their hometown is now a haven of demons who project a human form that no one can see past...except one of the boys.
There's a sort of magic these folks seem to have, and they form a cabal with a state detective to take down the demons. There's lots of action and some decent suspense, but this one never quite rises to greatness, at least not for me. It's good though, and anyone who enjoys dark fiction/fantasy will likely appreciate this one more than I did. Yet I DID enjoy it, a great deal. I just don't think this one will stay with me.
It was a fine effort, and I applaud the formula. It's one of my favorites. Also, this one seems to set up a series, though I'm not sure if that was the author's intent. Give this one a read if the genre fits your liking. It's a good book.
DEMON KING's set-up reminded me of one of my favorite novels ever: IT. And I LOVE stories like that. I enjoy the jumping back and forth in time, telling the tale from the same character's perspectives as both children and adults. And this novel certainly does that. However, this one came across as more of a dark fantasy than a horror novel. This isn't a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
There are these demons who are trying to steal children and make them run in the woods from them in a sort of game, which I guess is supposed to end in death for them, but get them good and scared first because the demons feed off terror. But a couple of kids escape while a madman who's hooked up with another demon goes on a shooting spree. When the characters are adults, it seems the events of their childhood have crisscrossed their wires and some aren't sure who they are anymore. But their hometown is now a haven of demons who project a human form that no one can see past...except one of the boys.
There's a sort of magic these folks seem to have, and they form a cabal with a state detective to take down the demons. There's lots of action and some decent suspense, but this one never quite rises to greatness, at least not for me. It's good though, and anyone who enjoys dark fiction/fantasy will likely appreciate this one more than I did. Yet I DID enjoy it, a great deal. I just don't think this one will stay with me.
It was a fine effort, and I applaud the formula. It's one of my favorites. Also, this one seems to set up a series, though I'm not sure if that was the author's intent. Give this one a read if the genre fits your liking. It's a good book.
December 30, 2018
Demon King by Erik Henry Vick should be a favorite for readers in the horror and fantasy genres. Vick created so many demons they would not fit into one category. There were traditional demons, “biblical, with leathery wings, horns, fangs, and whatever” (p.63). “Others had black, rotting skin that hung from them like clothing three sizes too big. Those he called “undead” demons.” (p. 63). And then there were the demons that didn’t fit into the two categories. They were just weird. Teleports don’t count as demons. All the above information is in Chapter Two which takes place in 2007. Books don’t generally start with Chapter Two. Chapter One takes place in 1979 when several children had near experiences with demons. It was a time when Toby disappeared. Close friend Benny went to find him at an abandoned, some considered haunted house. Adults became involved when Benny told his dad, the town manager, where he had been. Then police became involved in a search for Bobby, a super psycho (later to be known as O. G.) was discovered and the journey began.
This is a page-turner, a very fast-paced action novel of horror. I took two days to read the 652-page novel because I found it too intense to read in one day. Chapters alternate between 1979 and 2007 and readers can have fun seeing how the children develop, travel, grow, leave from and return to Oneka Falls. The first few chapter shifts between 1979 and 2007 can be a bit confusing for readers because of character relationships but after the first two temporal shifts, readers will have a handle on what is going on. At a later point, perhaps 70% into the novel there are familiar characters that do tricky name changes, but I felt the challenge appealing and the pages turned faster.
One weird thing about demons is that they change shape and appearance to conform to human expectations. They can do this at the drop of a skin and take delight into suddenly appearing in their actual demon shape. This demon practice had caused more than one death by fright. Children; our heroes Toby, Bobby, and later Shannon, do not accept the demon shapes when they are in various phases of capture and detention, but they are more easily resigned to them as they make escape attempts. Adults face problems with belief until it becomes, literally, in-your-face confrontation.
Oneka Falls is small with a population of under 1500. Three other similar sized communities are nearby, each one with a police force. Oneka Falls will be the center point for this novel. Oneka Falls has the most recent disappearances in 1979 when the novel opens. There have been occasional previous disappearances in the other communities, a subject discussed by periodic meetings of small-town police chiefs and the county sheriff. In a 1979 meeting, the five officials are meeting about Toby, a child missing for four days. Toby is a child that falls of the grid. He takes days off from school to recover from his mom’s beatings. They are not as bad as the beatings given by Randy, Candy’s live-in boyfriend. If it wasn’t for Benny’s initiative, the police would have never visited Toby’s house. When they did, they met Candy, an alcoholic part-time prostitute. They met Randy, who delighted in baiting and insulting police officers. Small town police officers have their own system of justice and they decided to instruct Randy in some realities of life. Big mistake. They didn’t know who they were dealing with. And his name was not really Randy. (Nope, he is not a demon).
In 2007 a Professor and, unknown to others, professional demon killer Andrew Reid returns to Oneka Falls. Somewhere in the interim between the two key years, Drew has developed an ability to see demons. Other humans see the disguise, Drew sees the reality. And whenever Drew detects a demon, he tries to kill it. If he were ever caught, he would be tried and convicted of murder. Drew is a careful man as far as disguises and deception. He has developed or discovered a chemical compound that disassembles the demons. Traditional guns and bullets (the police) have little effect. In an investigation led by the State, two Troopers visit Drew in his university office. One of them is a demon and he recognized that Drew could see the true demon shape. Once the Trooper/Demon and Drew spotted each other in Oneka Falls, the battle was on.
There are graphic descriptions of violence as demons rent humans asunder, people are shot, and there is a lot of torture. Big Important Point (BIP) and something central to everything that happens. Demons get their energy from the fear and suffering of their victim. They grow in strength based on the amount of pain inflicted. (For some reason, and I would like to hear from the author on this, when Vick presents a list of tortures, mayhem, and bad things, he includes orgasms.)
This is a very well-done novel as far as world creation. The Demon world is very descriptively rendered. The novel has well-developed characters. Inevitably, a lot of these characters need mental help with their several personalities (the humans, not the demons). I found I liked lots of the characters and felt sad as several of my favorite ones didn’t make it. There are lots of surprises in the end. There is little sexually explicit language but lots of violence. I felt this a five-star Amazon read which I read on Kindle Unlimited. I highly recommend it in its genre due to its complexity and the ability to sustain my reader interest (I bore easily) over many pages. It sells for USD 3.99.
Don’t forget to read the author’s biography. My background has some weird, unusual, and unique job titles but I think Erik Henry Vick has me beat.
This is a page-turner, a very fast-paced action novel of horror. I took two days to read the 652-page novel because I found it too intense to read in one day. Chapters alternate between 1979 and 2007 and readers can have fun seeing how the children develop, travel, grow, leave from and return to Oneka Falls. The first few chapter shifts between 1979 and 2007 can be a bit confusing for readers because of character relationships but after the first two temporal shifts, readers will have a handle on what is going on. At a later point, perhaps 70% into the novel there are familiar characters that do tricky name changes, but I felt the challenge appealing and the pages turned faster.
One weird thing about demons is that they change shape and appearance to conform to human expectations. They can do this at the drop of a skin and take delight into suddenly appearing in their actual demon shape. This demon practice had caused more than one death by fright. Children; our heroes Toby, Bobby, and later Shannon, do not accept the demon shapes when they are in various phases of capture and detention, but they are more easily resigned to them as they make escape attempts. Adults face problems with belief until it becomes, literally, in-your-face confrontation.
Oneka Falls is small with a population of under 1500. Three other similar sized communities are nearby, each one with a police force. Oneka Falls will be the center point for this novel. Oneka Falls has the most recent disappearances in 1979 when the novel opens. There have been occasional previous disappearances in the other communities, a subject discussed by periodic meetings of small-town police chiefs and the county sheriff. In a 1979 meeting, the five officials are meeting about Toby, a child missing for four days. Toby is a child that falls of the grid. He takes days off from school to recover from his mom’s beatings. They are not as bad as the beatings given by Randy, Candy’s live-in boyfriend. If it wasn’t for Benny’s initiative, the police would have never visited Toby’s house. When they did, they met Candy, an alcoholic part-time prostitute. They met Randy, who delighted in baiting and insulting police officers. Small town police officers have their own system of justice and they decided to instruct Randy in some realities of life. Big mistake. They didn’t know who they were dealing with. And his name was not really Randy. (Nope, he is not a demon).
In 2007 a Professor and, unknown to others, professional demon killer Andrew Reid returns to Oneka Falls. Somewhere in the interim between the two key years, Drew has developed an ability to see demons. Other humans see the disguise, Drew sees the reality. And whenever Drew detects a demon, he tries to kill it. If he were ever caught, he would be tried and convicted of murder. Drew is a careful man as far as disguises and deception. He has developed or discovered a chemical compound that disassembles the demons. Traditional guns and bullets (the police) have little effect. In an investigation led by the State, two Troopers visit Drew in his university office. One of them is a demon and he recognized that Drew could see the true demon shape. Once the Trooper/Demon and Drew spotted each other in Oneka Falls, the battle was on.
There are graphic descriptions of violence as demons rent humans asunder, people are shot, and there is a lot of torture. Big Important Point (BIP) and something central to everything that happens. Demons get their energy from the fear and suffering of their victim. They grow in strength based on the amount of pain inflicted. (For some reason, and I would like to hear from the author on this, when Vick presents a list of tortures, mayhem, and bad things, he includes orgasms.)
This is a very well-done novel as far as world creation. The Demon world is very descriptively rendered. The novel has well-developed characters. Inevitably, a lot of these characters need mental help with their several personalities (the humans, not the demons). I found I liked lots of the characters and felt sad as several of my favorite ones didn’t make it. There are lots of surprises in the end. There is little sexually explicit language but lots of violence. I felt this a five-star Amazon read which I read on Kindle Unlimited. I highly recommend it in its genre due to its complexity and the ability to sustain my reader interest (I bore easily) over many pages. It sells for USD 3.99.
Don’t forget to read the author’s biography. My background has some weird, unusual, and unique job titles but I think Erik Henry Vick has me beat.
December 14, 2019
3.5
It's an absorbing story. I would have rated it higher, but I found some of it confusing, the time shifts didn't help that. There was a vicious couple walking around with constant endearments to each other that was annoying. The boys were written well, there was a homage to IT in a sense, but there was at least one heartbreaking scene that really got to me. Creepy scenes and clever. Full review to come.
It's an absorbing story. I would have rated it higher, but I found some of it confusing, the time shifts didn't help that. There was a vicious couple walking around with constant endearments to each other that was annoying. The boys were written well, there was a homage to IT in a sense, but there was at least one heartbreaking scene that really got to me. Creepy scenes and clever. Full review to come.
May 12, 2019
There's a lot going on in Demon King. There are demons running amok posing as humans, a man that can see these demons and hunts them down like Dexter, abducted children, a man who can read the thoughts of others and put thoughts into their heads, repressed memories, a sniper out for revenge, mistaken identities, and the book is set in two different time periods and flips back and forth between the two. Sounds like it should be a mess, but Vick is able to bring all of these components together to create a novel that works.
I was reminded of It as I was reading this one. Demon King focuses on four children who encounter an ancient evil. Their lives are shattered and each copes with the traumatic events as best they can. The novel follows these kids into adulthood when they encounter this evil again. Sounds familiar, but while structurally similar to It, there is plenty to differentiate the two novels, and it is far from a knockoff.
Demon King does have some problems. The novel can get confusing as it jumps around in time. Remembering who is who can be difficult. Related to this is the fact that we don't get to know a few of the characters well as children, and it is harder to sympathize with them as adults. Occasionally I found the author did not explain exactly what was happening , or had happened and I was left scratching my head, often having to fill in the blanks later.
Despite the negatives I mentioned, Demon King is a very enjoyable book that manages to feel fresh, yet familiar at the same time.
I was reminded of It as I was reading this one. Demon King focuses on four children who encounter an ancient evil. Their lives are shattered and each copes with the traumatic events as best they can. The novel follows these kids into adulthood when they encounter this evil again. Sounds familiar, but while structurally similar to It, there is plenty to differentiate the two novels, and it is far from a knockoff.
Demon King does have some problems. The novel can get confusing as it jumps around in time. Remembering who is who can be difficult. Related to this is the fact that we don't get to know a few of the characters well as children, and it is harder to sympathize with them as adults. Occasionally I found the author did not explain exactly what was happening , or had happened and I was left scratching my head, often having to fill in the blanks later.
Despite the negatives I mentioned, Demon King is a very enjoyable book that manages to feel fresh, yet familiar at the same time.
July 28, 2018
Title: Demon King
Author: Erik Henry Vick
Publication Date: Mar 2018
Genre: Horror
Score: 5/5
Demon King is a novel about an ancient horror that haunts the Thousand Acre Wood and its impact on several characters in two timelines, 1979 and 2007. This is an ensemble piece which follows multiple characters. In 1979, there were a series of disappearances and kidnappings of kids in addition to a murderous rampage in small-town America.
This is one of the best novels I’ve read in 2018. Overall, there’s nothing to complain about except for essentially nitpicking. The grammar was perfect. The pacing was great. I’m going to run out of adjectives. There was good characterization, although this is primarily a plot-driven novel. It was creepy. It had several moments of high impact where I said to myself, what did I just read? It has a great climax and leaves the door open to a sequel, although this could easily be a stand-alone. I commend the author for placing this with Kindle Unlimited (although that only appeals to a small subset of readers). In the afterword, the author says to look for a couple of Easter eggs for Stephen King fans of which I noticed two and probably missed a couple. As I was reading and noticing these eggs, I was shaking my head a bit wondering if it was coincidental. I was very glad they were deliberate. I’m immediately going to purchase everything else by this author and binge. One of his other titles is on KU as well. I'm excited to have found this author.
Author: Erik Henry Vick
Publication Date: Mar 2018
Genre: Horror
Score: 5/5
Demon King is a novel about an ancient horror that haunts the Thousand Acre Wood and its impact on several characters in two timelines, 1979 and 2007. This is an ensemble piece which follows multiple characters. In 1979, there were a series of disappearances and kidnappings of kids in addition to a murderous rampage in small-town America.
This is one of the best novels I’ve read in 2018. Overall, there’s nothing to complain about except for essentially nitpicking. The grammar was perfect. The pacing was great. I’m going to run out of adjectives. There was good characterization, although this is primarily a plot-driven novel. It was creepy. It had several moments of high impact where I said to myself, what did I just read? It has a great climax and leaves the door open to a sequel, although this could easily be a stand-alone. I commend the author for placing this with Kindle Unlimited (although that only appeals to a small subset of readers). In the afterword, the author says to look for a couple of Easter eggs for Stephen King fans of which I noticed two and probably missed a couple. As I was reading and noticing these eggs, I was shaking my head a bit wondering if it was coincidental. I was very glad they were deliberate. I’m immediately going to purchase everything else by this author and binge. One of his other titles is on KU as well. I'm excited to have found this author.
June 28, 2018
Demon King is another book I've had on my TBR for a while, but at 650 pages, was a bit longer than I've had time for. I finally opened this novel up to read, and WOW! This is the story of a small town in western New York, where children go missing and demons are always welcome.
.
The author, in his closing Author's Notes, states that Stephen King fans may find a few Easter eggs. I had found several references to Sai King's works, such as Niebolt Street, a Plymouth Fury, an antagonist named Owen Gray (Mr Gray- Dreamcatcher), and a kidnapped person named Walter Flag (Walter O'Dim + Randall Flagg). The greatest homage tio SK is actually in the writing of the story itself. The storyline jumps back and forth between 1979, when three children survived the horrors of The King of the Forest, and 2007, when the three children, now adults, return to the town to face the Demon King.
.
Vick has written a wonderful story, that I enjoyed immensely, even trying to avoid the comparisons to IT. The characters, both children and adult, were finely developed and the psychological trauma these characters dealt with comes through quite eloquently on the page. The storyline itself is just different enough from King's magnum opus to be fresh, and the pacing of the tale had me glued to the book, thus allowing me to finish it in only 7 hours. This may not be a new classic, but it definitely deserves to be on my re-read list, and that is a short list indeed.
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My Rating: 4.75/5 stars
.
The author, in his closing Author's Notes, states that Stephen King fans may find a few Easter eggs. I had found several references to Sai King's works, such as Niebolt Street, a Plymouth Fury, an antagonist named Owen Gray (Mr Gray- Dreamcatcher), and a kidnapped person named Walter Flag (Walter O'Dim + Randall Flagg). The greatest homage tio SK is actually in the writing of the story itself. The storyline jumps back and forth between 1979, when three children survived the horrors of The King of the Forest, and 2007, when the three children, now adults, return to the town to face the Demon King.
.
Vick has written a wonderful story, that I enjoyed immensely, even trying to avoid the comparisons to IT. The characters, both children and adult, were finely developed and the psychological trauma these characters dealt with comes through quite eloquently on the page. The storyline itself is just different enough from King's magnum opus to be fresh, and the pacing of the tale had me glued to the book, thus allowing me to finish it in only 7 hours. This may not be a new classic, but it definitely deserves to be on my re-read list, and that is a short list indeed.
.
My Rating: 4.75/5 stars
May 3, 2019
Read this review and more on my blog at Hey, Roxie Reads.
‘Demon King’ by Erik Henry Vick
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on April 6, 2019
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $2.99 on Kindle | $17.99 on Audiobook | $19.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Demons walk the earth, hiding behind human faces, and they feed on mankind’s negative emotions. But to some, there is nothing sweeter than the terror of children.
If demons can hide their true nature from everyone, is anyone safe?
MY REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book. I am always on the lookout for the extraordinary story that will actually scare me, and this one came pretty dang close. The only novel that’s ever given me nightmares was Stephen King’s ‘IT’, so it makes sense this story would give me chills, too.
‘Demon King’ has a lot in common with ‘IT’: back and forth timelines, a town overtaken by monsters, children terrorized by an unspeakable evil and confronting said evil again in adulthood.
Vick has crafted a frightening world filled with vibrant characters and nightmarish monsters. The pacing is great, and the suspense builds organically. I particularly liked the way Vick melded real-world horrors with the supernatural. In my opinion, that’s the recipe for compelling horror.
This was a hard book to put down, and I didn’t want it to end. I will absolutely read more of Vick’s work in the future.
‘Demon King’ by Erik Henry Vick
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on April 6, 2019
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $2.99 on Kindle | $17.99 on Audiobook | $19.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Demons walk the earth, hiding behind human faces, and they feed on mankind’s negative emotions. But to some, there is nothing sweeter than the terror of children.
If demons can hide their true nature from everyone, is anyone safe?
MY REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book. I am always on the lookout for the extraordinary story that will actually scare me, and this one came pretty dang close. The only novel that’s ever given me nightmares was Stephen King’s ‘IT’, so it makes sense this story would give me chills, too.
‘Demon King’ has a lot in common with ‘IT’: back and forth timelines, a town overtaken by monsters, children terrorized by an unspeakable evil and confronting said evil again in adulthood.
Vick has crafted a frightening world filled with vibrant characters and nightmarish monsters. The pacing is great, and the suspense builds organically. I particularly liked the way Vick melded real-world horrors with the supernatural. In my opinion, that’s the recipe for compelling horror.
This was a hard book to put down, and I didn’t want it to end. I will absolutely read more of Vick’s work in the future.
April 9, 2021
The reviews of this one were very mixed, but I thought I’d give it a shot, anyway, because I’m a sucker for kids-in-peril-fighting-monsters story. It was solidly alright.
I did like that the ending took an unexpected turn, not with a big twist or anything like that, but with a sort of genre change- it turned into a Scooby-Doo/Buffy-style adventure with a motley band of heroes teaming up to continue to track down and hunt demons. It was cute.
The child characters were, apart from the fat kid and the girl (by virtue of them being fat and a girl, respectively), basically interchangeable, having no real defining characteristics. Or, no, one kid is middle-class and has a healthy relationship with his parents, and one kid is working class with a useless mother and is abused by her boyfriend. But yeah, that’s it. The adults in the 2000s part of the story fare a little better, and they do get a bit of psychic/magic aided personal development at the end, which was fun. It could not be considered a character driven piece, by any means, but that's ok.
It was a nice, light work-listen with a plot just interesting enough to keep my attention from drifting off.
(Unrelated to anything else, I had thought, huh, the author must be British..? because of some of the colloquialisms used, but nope, he’s American.)
I did like that the ending took an unexpected turn, not with a big twist or anything like that, but with a sort of genre change- it turned into a Scooby-Doo/Buffy-style adventure with a motley band of heroes teaming up to continue to track down and hunt demons. It was cute.
The child characters were, apart from the fat kid and the girl (by virtue of them being fat and a girl, respectively), basically interchangeable, having no real defining characteristics. Or, no, one kid is middle-class and has a healthy relationship with his parents, and one kid is working class with a useless mother and is abused by her boyfriend. But yeah, that’s it. The adults in the 2000s part of the story fare a little better, and they do get a bit of psychic/magic aided personal development at the end, which was fun. It could not be considered a character driven piece, by any means, but that's ok.
It was a nice, light work-listen with a plot just interesting enough to keep my attention from drifting off.
(Unrelated to anything else, I had thought, huh, the author must be British..? because of some of the colloquialisms used, but nope, he’s American.)
September 17, 2018
First taste of Mr. Vicks' work and I must say it was a pleasant surprise indeed!
It's funny, because I was devouring this novel when some other reading and writing commitments in my life interceded most ungraciously interrupting this novel.
When I was able to return to Demon King, at first I thought that the rating was going to be a bit lower, as I was unable to quite place the characters or storyline back together. Where from past experience I have found great stories will come right back.
Then suddenly, as so many events in the story, it all just clicked back together! Like a puzzle that had me lost momentarily, and I felt intellectually sure it was a lost cause - suddenly the veil is lifted from my vision! The tale crashed in it's entirety back into my psyche and left me spellbound! I am dancing in my seat with excitement for the next installment!
Thank You Erik Henry Vick for something fresh and TRULY memorable! I know you have another series that is taking precedence at the moment, and I I will undoubtedly give it a look-see, please don't forget those of us dying to find out about what happens next! (And yes, I found the lovely Easter eggs left within! The King would be proud! ;-)
It's funny, because I was devouring this novel when some other reading and writing commitments in my life interceded most ungraciously interrupting this novel.
When I was able to return to Demon King, at first I thought that the rating was going to be a bit lower, as I was unable to quite place the characters or storyline back together. Where from past experience I have found great stories will come right back.
Then suddenly, as so many events in the story, it all just clicked back together! Like a puzzle that had me lost momentarily, and I felt intellectually sure it was a lost cause - suddenly the veil is lifted from my vision! The tale crashed in it's entirety back into my psyche and left me spellbound! I am dancing in my seat with excitement for the next installment!
Thank You Erik Henry Vick for something fresh and TRULY memorable! I know you have another series that is taking precedence at the moment, and I I will undoubtedly give it a look-see, please don't forget those of us dying to find out about what happens next! (And yes, I found the lovely Easter eggs left within! The King would be proud! ;-)
August 24, 2018
I enjoyed the story but ...
I gave this book four stars because I did like it, and I know it will stick with me for a long time. I also didn’t see the twist at the end coming. This story reminded me of Stephen King’s stories, and I could see this produced as a television miniseries.
The things I wish were changed:
(1) Less use of the “F” word and other expletives. I realize many people use this kind of language, but whenever I see this kind of language used repeatedly (written or orally), it is really annoying and gives me the impression that the user is either lazy or of low intelligence. This is, of course, just a pet peeve of mine. I understand that others might not have any problems with this at all.
(2) This is a long book, so it took me a number of days to finish it. All the switching from past to present and present to past made it a little hard for me to figure out what was going on. Again, I realize others may not have this problem at all.
(3) I have had a lifetime’s supply of “babe” and “my love.”
(4) I kept waiting for someone in the story to come up with some kind of name for the dog-things, but it never happened.
I gave this book four stars because I did like it, and I know it will stick with me for a long time. I also didn’t see the twist at the end coming. This story reminded me of Stephen King’s stories, and I could see this produced as a television miniseries.
The things I wish were changed:
(1) Less use of the “F” word and other expletives. I realize many people use this kind of language, but whenever I see this kind of language used repeatedly (written or orally), it is really annoying and gives me the impression that the user is either lazy or of low intelligence. This is, of course, just a pet peeve of mine. I understand that others might not have any problems with this at all.
(2) This is a long book, so it took me a number of days to finish it. All the switching from past to present and present to past made it a little hard for me to figure out what was going on. Again, I realize others may not have this problem at all.
(3) I have had a lifetime’s supply of “babe” and “my love.”
(4) I kept waiting for someone in the story to come up with some kind of name for the dog-things, but it never happened.
March 18, 2018
I received an advanced copy of this book to review. First let me say that I not only enjoyed the book but the author is a really nice person too.
I loved the storyline of this book and I'm definitely planning on reading other books by this author, especially because I'm excited to watch him get even better at his craft. I didn't always enjoy the way the conversations flowed in the book but it didn't turn me off from the actual story either.
I see others comparing this author to Stephen King but I disagree. They are obviously in the same genre but Vick has a voice that's all his own. I was reminded of It as far as basic storyline goes but that's where it ends. Comparing this book to It only works as far as you could compare King's The Stand to McCammon's Swan Song. They obviously have similar base plots but the stories are vastly different and that's a major plus in my book. Vick has his own universe entirely and I hope that continues in future novels.
I definitely recommend giving this author a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.
I loved the storyline of this book and I'm definitely planning on reading other books by this author, especially because I'm excited to watch him get even better at his craft. I didn't always enjoy the way the conversations flowed in the book but it didn't turn me off from the actual story either.
I see others comparing this author to Stephen King but I disagree. They are obviously in the same genre but Vick has a voice that's all his own. I was reminded of It as far as basic storyline goes but that's where it ends. Comparing this book to It only works as far as you could compare King's The Stand to McCammon's Swan Song. They obviously have similar base plots but the stories are vastly different and that's a major plus in my book. Vick has his own universe entirely and I hope that continues in future novels.
I definitely recommend giving this author a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.
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