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Malum
A dark, forgotten demon is freed to stride the city streets once more, taking lives as it burns through one body after another. Josephine Chattoway, recently sold into marriage by an absent father, is escorted by her bohemian Aunt Sylvia to meet her erstwhile suitor. Along the way, she discovers the visions which have made her doubt her sanity for so long are real. They are also the key to unlocking powerful ancient protectors which will stand between a demon and countless innocent victims. With a plucky batch of gargoyles and a not-quite mad scientist, Josephine and Sylvia must fight for a city that doesn't even realize its plight, knowing that if the demon finds Josephine, hell will reign on earth.
- GenresAudiobook
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2018
9 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Bender
71 books13 followersWhen write I tend to cross genres.(toss everything into the blender and hit frappe)It seems to work for me.
However, I never put pen to paper until I have most if not all of my story planned out in my head. I don't even make notes. Along the way the story may shift and change a little and certain characters may stand out more but the main body stays the same.
I'm having fun, I hope you are too.
However, I never put pen to paper until I have most if not all of my story planned out in my head. I don't even make notes. Along the way the story may shift and change a little and certain characters may stand out more but the main body stays the same.
I'm having fun, I hope you are too.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 30, 2020
You know when you grab a book to read and you think to yourself "Hmmmm ...... I don't know about this one" and then all of a sudden - Snap! Crackle! Pop! - you're so immersed in the story that you're suddenly at the end? Well, that happened with this book - and it was a ripsnorter of a read!
A mash of genres that magically meshed together; it was a mix of historical 1800's, a little bit steampunk with one character's inventions, urban fantasy with a demon, straight fantasy with magical creatures and with just a smidge of romance thrown in. It really is an entrancing tale.
I received a free ecopy of this novel directly from the author through an Instafreebie giveaway. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
A mash of genres that magically meshed together; it was a mix of historical 1800's, a little bit steampunk with one character's inventions, urban fantasy with a demon, straight fantasy with magical creatures and with just a smidge of romance thrown in. It really is an entrancing tale.
I received a free ecopy of this novel directly from the author through an Instafreebie giveaway. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
March 30, 2020
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is an imaginative story with gargoyles, psychics and a bit of mystery all set in the Victorian era. And that's not all, there's lots of action as well. Somehow it all works, making it a very enjoyable, fast-paced read.
The narrator, Theo Holland, did an excellent job. He does various voices for all of characters and creatures - making it very easy to differentiate them. His narration made the story even more engaging.
This is an imaginative story with gargoyles, psychics and a bit of mystery all set in the Victorian era. And that's not all, there's lots of action as well. Somehow it all works, making it a very enjoyable, fast-paced read.
The narrator, Theo Holland, did an excellent job. He does various voices for all of characters and creatures - making it very easy to differentiate them. His narration made the story even more engaging.
August 3, 2023
This self pubbed gas light fantasy has some very fun ideas on one hand and some lacking character development on the other. Josephine has had a hard life. Her mother hated her because of her paranormal abilities and her gambler father has sold her to a wealthy monster of a man who wants her for his homosexual son as a beard (and full on plans to rape her to get the 'grandkids' he wants)
She's saved by by her bohemian aunt Sylvia who shares her gifts. Once in an unnamed city (I'm assuming London though the only thing rooting this in our world are Beethoven and Rossini and Cockneys and in a way that threw me), Sylvia (who was an actress who married well) confronts the man Josephine was purchased by to say in no uncertain terms would this happen unless it was Josephine's will (why her husband is never seen until the last chapter is never explained). Needless to say this doesn't go down well.
In the mean time, workers accidentally release a demon and Josephine's powers awakens all the gargoyles in the city. They are the ones who have helped the heroes fight demons over mankind's history. Josephine with her serious inferiority complex takes a lot of prodding from Sylvia to engage in any of this (and she spends half the book hiding the gargoyles from her aunt).
Into this comes Oscar Bennet, an eccentric inventor and his friend Edward Blair. Oscar has many inventions using new tech: electricity. Oscar takes the existence of gargoyles rather well. They plan to stop the demon even as it (and Mr. would-be rapist) try to stop them.
As I said, the story's plot is an interesting one and it is entertaining. However, there isn't much in the way of character development for anyone, especially Josephine. She ends up the same at the end as she started. Mousy, without any real agency. Without her aunt, she'd be nothing. She doesn't really stand on her own two feet.
The other thing that bothered me was the choices made, two very small things really but they nagged at me. For one, the man who helped free the demon didn't need to be so nasty. If he lasted more than one chapter or purposely freed the demon maybe I could get it but no, that's not how it went so why work in derogatory comments about Jews, Blacks and the Irish into one chapter? Also part of Sylvia's theater craft is to make herself unrecognizable for her duties in seances so she chooses to look Moorish. I'm like of all things to pretend to be of color (which granted in the last 1800s no one would have thought twice)
It does wrap up nicely and sets up the possibility of more. If there is, I hope Josephine has more agency.
She's saved by by her bohemian aunt Sylvia who shares her gifts. Once in an unnamed city (I'm assuming London though the only thing rooting this in our world are Beethoven and Rossini and Cockneys and in a way that threw me), Sylvia (who was an actress who married well) confronts the man Josephine was purchased by to say in no uncertain terms would this happen unless it was Josephine's will (why her husband is never seen until the last chapter is never explained). Needless to say this doesn't go down well.
In the mean time, workers accidentally release a demon and Josephine's powers awakens all the gargoyles in the city. They are the ones who have helped the heroes fight demons over mankind's history. Josephine with her serious inferiority complex takes a lot of prodding from Sylvia to engage in any of this (and she spends half the book hiding the gargoyles from her aunt).
Into this comes Oscar Bennet, an eccentric inventor and his friend Edward Blair. Oscar has many inventions using new tech: electricity. Oscar takes the existence of gargoyles rather well. They plan to stop the demon even as it (and Mr. would-be rapist) try to stop them.
As I said, the story's plot is an interesting one and it is entertaining. However, there isn't much in the way of character development for anyone, especially Josephine. She ends up the same at the end as she started. Mousy, without any real agency. Without her aunt, she'd be nothing. She doesn't really stand on her own two feet.
The other thing that bothered me was the choices made, two very small things really but they nagged at me. For one, the man who helped free the demon didn't need to be so nasty. If he lasted more than one chapter or purposely freed the demon maybe I could get it but no, that's not how it went so why work in derogatory comments about Jews, Blacks and the Irish into one chapter? Also part of Sylvia's theater craft is to make herself unrecognizable for her duties in seances so she chooses to look Moorish. I'm like of all things to pretend to be of color (which granted in the last 1800s no one would have thought twice)
It does wrap up nicely and sets up the possibility of more. If there is, I hope Josephine has more agency.
April 10, 2020
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
There might be some spoilers below...
The premise sounded great: a girl with visions and power enough to wake up ancient protectors (gargoyles) and a powerful demon that must be stopped... all that sounded exciting and I started listening expecting great fun.
But, although all the elements of a good gripping fantasy tale are there, the book didn't work for me... I listened to the end, I had some fun, but not as much as I had expected, and I didn't have that feeling of not being able to put it down...
There are two things that probably made me indifferent to the story. One, Josephine as a character is, well, bland, there's nothing that makes her interesting. Yes, she's the one with great powers, she's the one that is the key to everything - and yet she does NOTHING, she's just there, present, like a mannequin; she's like this greyest of grey mice that hides in the corner and doesn't move cause it may be noticed, and makes others trip on it. I want more that that in my main character. I just could neither like nor dislike Josephine - I really hardly paid her any attention...
The other thing that doesn't work for me in the book is the villain of the story - the demon itself. It's supposed to be terrifying as hell, with almost limitless powers - and yet it's not scary at all; there's too little shown of its workings to make me really feel the threat it poses to the humanity...
But there are some things that save the book: the plot is quite fast, the gargoyles are interesting and funny, and the idea of introducing electricity as a weapon is a nice trick. But it's too little to really make me love the book.
So on the whole, I've decided on 3 stars - an OK story that gives me some fun but is not as gripping and engaging as to make me lose sleep over it...
As for the narration by Mr Holland, it is OK. I liked some of the voices more than others (aunt Sylvia's voice was quite unnatural and a bit irritating), but the pace of his reading is good. I could only wish for a bit more emotional variety in his interpretation:) But overall it's a 3.5 stars performance.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
There might be some spoilers below...
The premise sounded great: a girl with visions and power enough to wake up ancient protectors (gargoyles) and a powerful demon that must be stopped... all that sounded exciting and I started listening expecting great fun.
But, although all the elements of a good gripping fantasy tale are there, the book didn't work for me... I listened to the end, I had some fun, but not as much as I had expected, and I didn't have that feeling of not being able to put it down...
There are two things that probably made me indifferent to the story. One, Josephine as a character is, well, bland, there's nothing that makes her interesting. Yes, she's the one with great powers, she's the one that is the key to everything - and yet she does NOTHING, she's just there, present, like a mannequin; she's like this greyest of grey mice that hides in the corner and doesn't move cause it may be noticed, and makes others trip on it. I want more that that in my main character. I just could neither like nor dislike Josephine - I really hardly paid her any attention...
The other thing that doesn't work for me in the book is the villain of the story - the demon itself. It's supposed to be terrifying as hell, with almost limitless powers - and yet it's not scary at all; there's too little shown of its workings to make me really feel the threat it poses to the humanity...
But there are some things that save the book: the plot is quite fast, the gargoyles are interesting and funny, and the idea of introducing electricity as a weapon is a nice trick. But it's too little to really make me love the book.
So on the whole, I've decided on 3 stars - an OK story that gives me some fun but is not as gripping and engaging as to make me lose sleep over it...
As for the narration by Mr Holland, it is OK. I liked some of the voices more than others (aunt Sylvia's voice was quite unnatural and a bit irritating), but the pace of his reading is good. I could only wish for a bit more emotional variety in his interpretation:) But overall it's a 3.5 stars performance.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 3, 2022
I liked this story a lot, my main issue is with the narration. For a book where the main character are women a female narration would have worked a lot better. Theo Holland does not do a bad job but he struggles to give Sylvia particularity a decent voice and the story any tension. . Demonic possession, friendly gargoyles, visions and a not quite mad scientist. The book is enjoyable with some excellent touches of both horror and comedy I felt the ending could have worked better but that could have again been the narration. I Loved the gargoyles especially Sir Richard and the overall ideas were excellent and well written. I Received a complimentary copy from the author and am leaving a voluntary honest review
March 14, 2020
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request, and have voluntarily left this review. Josephine finds herself in her aunts company as she travels to me her betrothed, a man her father basically sold her too. To Josephine's shock, she realizes that her aunt and herself have a similar ability and things just start getting strange, once the gargoyles show up. A highly entertaining demon hunting tale with quirky characters and an interesting plot. It was a great listen that ended too quickly.
June 18, 2020
Kind of Disjointed
The story was intriguing to be sure, very Victorian with an almost steampunk flare. The language I would put as PG13 and there are brief references to homosexuality but nothing crude. I felt the storyline a bit long winded yet disjointed and the narrator did decently with differentiations between characters but it took some getting used to.
Overall an enjoyable read but it’s not something I’d come running back to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The story was intriguing to be sure, very Victorian with an almost steampunk flare. The language I would put as PG13 and there are brief references to homosexuality but nothing crude. I felt the storyline a bit long winded yet disjointed and the narrator did decently with differentiations between characters but it took some getting used to.
Overall an enjoyable read but it’s not something I’d come running back to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 13, 2020
Josephine can see visions. And gargoyles are alive. And they talk to her. Malum is the story of a young woman who awakens the gargoyles who are charged with protecting the world from demons. The concepts explored in Stacy Bender's novel are very interesting and the descriptions of the gargoyles and the world they inhabit are rich and inviting.
August 2, 2020
I had purchased this book at 2019 Steampunk Symposium in Cincinnati and finally picked it to read after rearranging my bookshelves recently. It is a fun easy read. Made me laugh at parts. Ended quicker than I anticipated. I about 10 pages left and I was thinking maybe there would be a sequel book. But it was still a good ending.
March 28, 2020
My biggest criticism of this book was that it wasn’t long enough. I found the characters interesting and loved the gargoyles. I really enjoyed listening to this book. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
April 23, 2020
Stacy Bender brings the reader into an interesting world of Elizabethan mentality. There is magic hidden in this world and more than most people know. Join Josephine Chattoway in expanding your knowledge about how this world really works. You will find demons, gargoyles, science and magic abound behind every corner.
While the setting is intriguing the characters feel flat and jumbled. Strangely enough the gargoyles are the clearest characters in the book.
While the setting is intriguing the characters feel flat and jumbled. Strangely enough the gargoyles are the clearest characters in the book.
October 22, 2023
Audible: I found the narrator hard to get used to and by the end I was still not fully comfortable with it. As the main character was a woman I think it would have been more enjoyable the the narrator was a woman.
The story was enjoyable. I liked the plot and there was a good mix of serious abs humour. I wasn’t bored and the story was wrapped up well.
However, the main character lacked a personality. I was so desperate for her to develop and gain a sense of self. Some independent thought from her would have been good but even by the end the only development was that she knew that she liked someone.
The story was enjoyable. I liked the plot and there was a good mix of serious abs humour. I wasn’t bored and the story was wrapped up well.
However, the main character lacked a personality. I was so desperate for her to develop and gain a sense of self. Some independent thought from her would have been good but even by the end the only development was that she knew that she liked someone.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews