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Sabbath
Highlander meets Seven in Nick Mamatas's Sabbath.
The infamous eleventh-century warrior Hexen Sabbath is plucked from death and certain damnation by a being claiming to be an angel of the Lord, and finds himself dropped into contemporary Manhattan with no clothes, no weapons, no resources, and one mission--to track down and kill the living personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins before they bring about Armageddon.
With time running out and his only ally a destitute art gallery owner, Sabbath must fight his way through New York's elite and challenge the world's most powerful man, or an eternity of suffering will be his, and our, only reward.
The infamous eleventh-century warrior Hexen Sabbath is plucked from death and certain damnation by a being claiming to be an angel of the Lord, and finds himself dropped into contemporary Manhattan with no clothes, no weapons, no resources, and one mission--to track down and kill the living personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins before they bring about Armageddon.
With time running out and his only ally a destitute art gallery owner, Sabbath must fight his way through New York's elite and challenge the world's most powerful man, or an eternity of suffering will be his, and our, only reward.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2019
21 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Nick Mamatas
187 books248 followersNick Mamatas is the author of the Lovecraftian Beat road novel Move Under Ground, which was nominated for both the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild awards, the Civil War ghost story Northern Gothic, also a Stoker nominee, the suburban nighmare novel Under My Roof, and over thirty short stories and hundreds of articles (some of which were collected in 3000 Miles Per Hour in Every Direction at Once). His work has appeared in Razor, Village Voice, Spex, Clamor, In These Times, Polyphony, several Disinformation and Ben Bella Books anthologies, and the books Corpse Blossoms, Poe's Lighthouse, Before & After: Stories from New York, and Short and Sweet.
Nick's forthcoming works include the collection You Might Sleep... (November 2008) and Haunted Legends, an anthology with Ellen Datlow (Tor Books 2009).
A native New Yorker, Nick now lives in the California Bay Area.
Nick's forthcoming works include the collection You Might Sleep... (November 2008) and Haunted Legends, an anthology with Ellen Datlow (Tor Books 2009).
A native New Yorker, Nick now lives in the California Bay Area.
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September 30, 2019Like stuffing your face with Cheez Whiz while listening to Iron Maiden, this is the right kind of crazy.
July 17, 2022
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 1.5 star
Story - 1.5 star
September 18, 2024
If Ozzy Osbourne and Monty Python (yes, I know that’s a troupe not a person) had a twisted love child, you just might get Sabbath Hexon. Imagine Conan the Barbarian walking down Fifth Avenue. Imagine leather-clad headbangers armed with giant broadswords. Kind of like that movie where Crocodile Dundee takes the NY Subway.
Many heavy metal songs have borrowed liberally from Lord of the Rings and such. Here’s the opposite. Fantasy sort of borrowing heavy metal swagger and attitude in a crazy no-holds-barred story about a twelfth century vicious lustfull warrior who is magically transported to the modern world where is tasked with procuring the bloody heads of the the seven deadly sins.
Many heavy metal songs have borrowed liberally from Lord of the Rings and such. Here’s the opposite. Fantasy sort of borrowing heavy metal swagger and attitude in a crazy no-holds-barred story about a twelfth century vicious lustfull warrior who is magically transported to the modern world where is tasked with procuring the bloody heads of the the seven deadly sins.
October 1, 2025
This novel is a great idea that only hints at the promise it contains. The writing is really fast paced, interspersed with a few explosive action scenes, which I enjoyed. But the characters fall pretty one-note across the board, and that strips the story of a lot of its narrative tension. In fact the very things that would add to narrative tension and create opportunity for character development are neutered from the story—namely, when this 11th century warrior is magically transported to 21st century NYC he is given a knowledge of history and the world in a way that is not just uninteresting but also leaves the character without any real grounding. Some of the other narrative problems from involving an omnipotent god working are hand-waved away and that is fine, but what we are left with are convenient characters that feel two-dimensional and don’t feel like they have any time or space to grow. This makes the attempts at wrangling various theological and philosophical ideas into the ending somewhat bereft of emotional import.
The novel is short and entertaining, and while I lament some of the character decisions I think the actual writing is engaging and effective. The pacing works for this story being told this way. I can see a book that has a much more deliberate pacing but uses that additional wordcount to really flesh out the character and the theological and philosophical ideas of good/evil, virtue/sin, salvation/damnation, etc., that the story toys with, but that isn’t this. This feels cinematic and visual, the equivalent of a good summer popcorn flick. In that regard it is fun and does its job, so if that is what you’re looking for then you could certainly do worse.
(Rounded from 2.5)
The novel is short and entertaining, and while I lament some of the character decisions I think the actual writing is engaging and effective. The pacing works for this story being told this way. I can see a book that has a much more deliberate pacing but uses that additional wordcount to really flesh out the character and the theological and philosophical ideas of good/evil, virtue/sin, salvation/damnation, etc., that the story toys with, but that isn’t this. This feels cinematic and visual, the equivalent of a good summer popcorn flick. In that regard it is fun and does its job, so if that is what you’re looking for then you could certainly do worse.
(Rounded from 2.5)
February 5, 2020
Meh. The idea had potential - an 11th-century warrior transported to (let's call it 2016) New York City and tasked with slaying the personifications of the seven deadly sins before they blow up the world - but the execution was unexciting. Hexen Sabbath (points for the name) is pulled out of time for this epic quest, and then is handed tools to make it completely unchallenging. Any modern knowledge that he needs is granted instantly, so there is no struggle for this anachronistic lout to navigate modern-day NYC. He is given a tattoo of the city with the live locations of the seven sins glowing on it, so no trouble walking up to any of them. He manages to slay most of them with hardly any trouble, a simple stroke of his sword to behead them. There is a plotline with one of the sins as a candidate for president (it's Trump. I could allude to it with descriptions of his hair, pomposity and NY roots but why bother, it's Trump) with a secret agenda.
None of the characters are particularly interesting, including Hexen Sabbath, the angel that recuits him, or any of the sins. I thought the personifications of the sins were weak, as were virtually all of the supporting characters. The book was really too short to do much with any of them. I suppose there was meant to be humor at various points, with takes on social media, going viral, modern art, foodie culture and more, but I was not particularly amused.
This was inspired by a graphic novel (Sabbath: All Your Sins Reborn so I am surprised that the creator of the source inspiration, Matt Tamao, didn't get more prominent credit. He was on the acknowledgements page, but it seems like the kind of situation that might get a co-author credit on the cover. Probably the book was sufficiently loosely-inspired that it did not border on co-creation. Another tidbit: this book has the most honest dedication page I have yet to read.
Check this out if you must, its saving grace is its brevity so you won't be out much time at least. In recent reading memory, the tale of the medieval warrior hunting down and killing seven targets was vastly meatier in Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold, and I much preferred the contemporary take on Christian cosmology in Grady Hendrix's woefully under-read Satan Loves You. Now THAT was a funny irreligious book.
None of the characters are particularly interesting, including Hexen Sabbath, the angel that recuits him, or any of the sins. I thought the personifications of the sins were weak, as were virtually all of the supporting characters. The book was really too short to do much with any of them. I suppose there was meant to be humor at various points, with takes on social media, going viral, modern art, foodie culture and more, but I was not particularly amused.
This was inspired by a graphic novel (Sabbath: All Your Sins Reborn so I am surprised that the creator of the source inspiration, Matt Tamao, didn't get more prominent credit. He was on the acknowledgements page, but it seems like the kind of situation that might get a co-author credit on the cover. Probably the book was sufficiently loosely-inspired that it did not border on co-creation. Another tidbit: this book has the most honest dedication page I have yet to read.
Check this out if you must, its saving grace is its brevity so you won't be out much time at least. In recent reading memory, the tale of the medieval warrior hunting down and killing seven targets was vastly meatier in Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold, and I much preferred the contemporary take on Christian cosmology in Grady Hendrix's woefully under-read Satan Loves You. Now THAT was a funny irreligious book.
October 16, 2019
Review on the blog and in the 10/15/19 issue of Booklist: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2019/10...
Action packed, bloody, sexual explicit, cinematic, and fun. But also extremely thought provoking and sardonic.
dark fantasy horror hybrid
Three words: explicit, thought provoking, satire
Action packed, bloody, sexual explicit, cinematic, and fun. But also extremely thought provoking and sardonic.
dark fantasy horror hybrid
Three words: explicit, thought provoking, satire
November 12, 2019
Exactly what is described on the back cover, plot-wise (and you must already know whether or not that appeals to you), but all spiced with funny dialogue and little barbs of Mamatasian satire aimed at all sorts of subjects. Really fun, and very enjoyably of this moment.
October 20, 2019
Hexen Sabbath is a warrior who loves to drink, copulate, and fight Danes. But, when he is transported from 1016 England to 2016 New York with by the Angel Abathar with no clothes, weapons, or money he is not sure what to do with himself. But, Abathar has given Hexen Sabbath a mission: stop the oncoming Armageddon by finding the human embodiments of the 7 deadly sins and taking their heads. For a warrior like Hexen Sabbath, this should be a simple task...
I really enjoyed this book. First of all, the writing was great. Everything flowed really well, so much so that I finished reading this book in just 3 days. The main protagonist, Hexen Sabbath, is an absolute treat. I get almost a Don Quixiote feeling out of him (if DQ traveled outside of his own time). He thinks he knows everything (even when he is lost and has no idea what to do) and pretty much has a right to take anything he comes across because his mission is holy. Most of the book is him running around New York having sex, cutting off heads, and more or less doing whatever he pleases. It was fun to read.
The other characters were great, as well. Abathar is super mysterious, and the reader never knows if they can trust him. Jennifer is a conflicted art dealer who seems perpetually conflicted about life and her involvement with Hexen. And then there are the human embodiments of the 7 deadly sins. The scenes where Hexen comes across (and ultimately battles) them are really well-done. The author had a lot of fun with these situations. I think my favorite was Sloth. The ending was great, also. This book is really well-done.
I do want to point out I sense this book is written with some satire. A man roaming around New York, doing and taking what he wants... there is definitely a message there. I think that is for the reader to interpret, though. Also, some of the descriptions of sex and death scenes can be pretty graphic, so be aware of that.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for a light, fun, fantasy read that enjoys over-the-top protagonists. It is released November 19, 2019.
I really enjoyed this book. First of all, the writing was great. Everything flowed really well, so much so that I finished reading this book in just 3 days. The main protagonist, Hexen Sabbath, is an absolute treat. I get almost a Don Quixiote feeling out of him (if DQ traveled outside of his own time). He thinks he knows everything (even when he is lost and has no idea what to do) and pretty much has a right to take anything he comes across because his mission is holy. Most of the book is him running around New York having sex, cutting off heads, and more or less doing whatever he pleases. It was fun to read.
The other characters were great, as well. Abathar is super mysterious, and the reader never knows if they can trust him. Jennifer is a conflicted art dealer who seems perpetually conflicted about life and her involvement with Hexen. And then there are the human embodiments of the 7 deadly sins. The scenes where Hexen comes across (and ultimately battles) them are really well-done. The author had a lot of fun with these situations. I think my favorite was Sloth. The ending was great, also. This book is really well-done.
I do want to point out I sense this book is written with some satire. A man roaming around New York, doing and taking what he wants... there is definitely a message there. I think that is for the reader to interpret, though. Also, some of the descriptions of sex and death scenes can be pretty graphic, so be aware of that.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for a light, fun, fantasy read that enjoys over-the-top protagonists. It is released November 19, 2019.
May 26, 2022
A fun, fast-paced dark fantasy story with likeable characters, lashes of humour, and hefty doses of ultra-violence.
March 17, 2020
A fun violent romp through New York with a fascinating theological/philosophical examination on the nature of sin and how it relates to humanity.
January 2, 2020
Thank you to Tor for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review.
Sabbath by Nick Mamatas is a death metal band rolled in a taquito.
It is strange, addictive, probably bad for your arteries, and at times makes you want to headbang to some Slayer. These are the mental images I got while reading this story. If Def Leppard could be condensed down to a single book, this would be it.
Sabbath is the novelization of Sabbath: All Your Sins Reborn by Mathew Tomao. The graphic novel currently has a 2.1 on Goodreads, and from what I can tell reviews wise, it is not well-liked. However, the novelization has quite a lot more meat in the story, then the graphic novel does. Hexen Sabbath (see my Def Leppard comment above) is pulled from hell after dying on the battlefields in the 11th century. He has led a prideful and sinful life. He is removed from hell by the angel of judgment for one reason, and one reason alone, he is to kill the embodiment of the seven deadly sins before they destroy mankind. How they go about destroying humanity is not quite fleshed out, know that they are bad news. He also must sever their heads and carry them around in a duffle bag to present them to Abathar(angel of judgment) upon completion of his quest. In exchange for his successful killing of the sins, he will be granted a reprieve from hell and welcomed in heaven. He agrees because, of course, he does.
Hexen finds himself naked and confused in the year 2016. Thankfully his head is full of information on how to navigate the differences between his own time and now. This is an excellent opt-in by the author to minimalize culture clash in a story this fast-paced. He also has a helpful tattoo that lights up whenever a sin is close. He meets up with a female Russian gallery owner that he connects with, and she becomes a part of his story.
Once he is clothed and donning a new but old sword, Hexen sets out to kill the seven. The battles are entertaining. Lust is a prostitute. Wrath a cage fighter and had some of the most exciting scenes of the book. Envy is a dilettant who is never quite good enough. It is all very grindhouse type dialog and scenes. Matterafact, this book on a whole reminds me of an old grindhouse movie from the seventies, but with better acting. It is a whole lot of sex, violence, and gore, but not in a way that is not disturbing but more of tongue in cheek kind of way. I mean, Hexen walks around with six heads in a duffle bag. You can't take this too seriously.
It is entertaining as hell. Is it perfect? No. The dialog stutters a bit and lost me a few times in the beginning, and there were some pacing issues mid-book. But it is a hell of a lot of fun, and I am just being picky.
If you want to feel completely metal check this out.
Sabbath by Nick Mamatas is a death metal band rolled in a taquito.
It is strange, addictive, probably bad for your arteries, and at times makes you want to headbang to some Slayer. These are the mental images I got while reading this story. If Def Leppard could be condensed down to a single book, this would be it.
Sabbath is the novelization of Sabbath: All Your Sins Reborn by Mathew Tomao. The graphic novel currently has a 2.1 on Goodreads, and from what I can tell reviews wise, it is not well-liked. However, the novelization has quite a lot more meat in the story, then the graphic novel does. Hexen Sabbath (see my Def Leppard comment above) is pulled from hell after dying on the battlefields in the 11th century. He has led a prideful and sinful life. He is removed from hell by the angel of judgment for one reason, and one reason alone, he is to kill the embodiment of the seven deadly sins before they destroy mankind. How they go about destroying humanity is not quite fleshed out, know that they are bad news. He also must sever their heads and carry them around in a duffle bag to present them to Abathar(angel of judgment) upon completion of his quest. In exchange for his successful killing of the sins, he will be granted a reprieve from hell and welcomed in heaven. He agrees because, of course, he does.
Hexen finds himself naked and confused in the year 2016. Thankfully his head is full of information on how to navigate the differences between his own time and now. This is an excellent opt-in by the author to minimalize culture clash in a story this fast-paced. He also has a helpful tattoo that lights up whenever a sin is close. He meets up with a female Russian gallery owner that he connects with, and she becomes a part of his story.
Once he is clothed and donning a new but old sword, Hexen sets out to kill the seven. The battles are entertaining. Lust is a prostitute. Wrath a cage fighter and had some of the most exciting scenes of the book. Envy is a dilettant who is never quite good enough. It is all very grindhouse type dialog and scenes. Matterafact, this book on a whole reminds me of an old grindhouse movie from the seventies, but with better acting. It is a whole lot of sex, violence, and gore, but not in a way that is not disturbing but more of tongue in cheek kind of way. I mean, Hexen walks around with six heads in a duffle bag. You can't take this too seriously.
It is entertaining as hell. Is it perfect? No. The dialog stutters a bit and lost me a few times in the beginning, and there were some pacing issues mid-book. But it is a hell of a lot of fun, and I am just being picky.
If you want to feel completely metal check this out.
February 10, 2020
Author Nick Mamatas has a unique voice that allows him to write novels that, like the tone of certain guitarists, are inimitable and easily recognizable. That’s why I was skeptical about Sabbath, his latest release. Sabbath is a novel loosely based on the graphic novel Sabbath: All Your Sins Reborn, written by Matt Tamao, so I feared it wouldn’t truly be a Mamatas book. I was wrong. Sabbath is a smart, violent, hilarious narrative packed with the stylish writing, crisp dialogue, and sharp philosophical morsels that make Mamatas’ work so great.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
October 2, 2022
Sabbath
by Nick Mamatas
Fantasy Horror Time travel
Scribd Audio
An eleventh-century sinful warrior named Hexen Sabbath is brought to Manhattan by an angel, and sent on a holy mission to kill the seven deadly sins posing as powerful, wealthy, and influential humans, corrupting those around them, their end goal being Armageddon. Hexen's only help is a woman struggling to open her art gallery.
The book cover is pretty cool, and the writing is really good, with almost the perfect amount of description and story. But the story wasn't that wonderful. Hexen was an interesting character, happy to commit every sin but would still give his life in God's name. Jennifer, the art gallery owner, wasn't portrayed as smart and was a slut. I didn't care much for her at all.
The blurb had potential, but the story quickly turned into a 'want-a-be' B movie with violence, swords, and the removal of heads. The story jumped around as he tried to complete his quest, finding his foes really easily, and killing whatever when he had to.
A lot of violence, sexual situations, and language so this book is only suitable for readers over eighteen.
1 Star
by Nick Mamatas
Fantasy Horror Time travel
Scribd Audio
An eleventh-century sinful warrior named Hexen Sabbath is brought to Manhattan by an angel, and sent on a holy mission to kill the seven deadly sins posing as powerful, wealthy, and influential humans, corrupting those around them, their end goal being Armageddon. Hexen's only help is a woman struggling to open her art gallery.
The book cover is pretty cool, and the writing is really good, with almost the perfect amount of description and story. But the story wasn't that wonderful. Hexen was an interesting character, happy to commit every sin but would still give his life in God's name. Jennifer, the art gallery owner, wasn't portrayed as smart and was a slut. I didn't care much for her at all.
The blurb had potential, but the story quickly turned into a 'want-a-be' B movie with violence, swords, and the removal of heads. The story jumped around as he tried to complete his quest, finding his foes really easily, and killing whatever when he had to.
A lot of violence, sexual situations, and language so this book is only suitable for readers over eighteen.
1 Star
January 25, 2020
An excerpt from my review of Sabbath in the November 209 issue of Locus.
The novel’s episodic structure – Sabbath hunts, confronts and vanquishes each Sin – and the on-the-nose representation of some of the Sins (Lust is a high-end sex worker, Greed is a Wall Street banker, Gluttony is a gourmand chef) could have made for a dull, predictable, repetitive read. But that’s not Mamatas’s style. From the opening chapter, which ends with Sabbath’s epiphany and farcical death, Mamatas signals his intention to have fun with the absurd premise and its larger-than-life hero. Sabbath’s observations of a world ten centuries removed from his own are insightful and funny. He is “chagrined” to discover that he’s now shorter than the men around him, “even if most of them were flabby, with bellies that preceded them into the room.” The fish-out-of-water routine, though, doesn’t grate, because rather than a cut-and-paste caricature of Conan, Mamatas provides Sabbath with a level of self-awareness, a natural curiosity that makes him endearing. At the same time, Jennifer’s unvarnished and genuine reactions to the insanity that intrudes into her life grounds the story. Her relationship with Sabbath and Miriam (her on-again, off-again girlfriend who’s an expert in all things Gnostic and spiritual) injects the novel with heart.
The novel’s episodic structure – Sabbath hunts, confronts and vanquishes each Sin – and the on-the-nose representation of some of the Sins (Lust is a high-end sex worker, Greed is a Wall Street banker, Gluttony is a gourmand chef) could have made for a dull, predictable, repetitive read. But that’s not Mamatas’s style. From the opening chapter, which ends with Sabbath’s epiphany and farcical death, Mamatas signals his intention to have fun with the absurd premise and its larger-than-life hero. Sabbath’s observations of a world ten centuries removed from his own are insightful and funny. He is “chagrined” to discover that he’s now shorter than the men around him, “even if most of them were flabby, with bellies that preceded them into the room.” The fish-out-of-water routine, though, doesn’t grate, because rather than a cut-and-paste caricature of Conan, Mamatas provides Sabbath with a level of self-awareness, a natural curiosity that makes him endearing. At the same time, Jennifer’s unvarnished and genuine reactions to the insanity that intrudes into her life grounds the story. Her relationship with Sabbath and Miriam (her on-again, off-again girlfriend who’s an expert in all things Gnostic and spiritual) injects the novel with heart.
October 30, 2025
Völlig überdrehte Geschichte über einen englischen Krieger des 11. Jahrhunderts, der von einem Engel in der Gegenwart wiederbelebt wird, um die personifizierten sieben Todsünden umzubringen. Sehr trashig, aber irgendwie unterhaltsam.
July 6, 2024
It was alright just not what I expected
December 27, 2019
Violent, witty... a must read!
This is an action-packed adventure, featuring a great cast of characters and a compelling plot. Another solid effort from author Nick Mamatas. Looking forward to his next book!
This is an action-packed adventure, featuring a great cast of characters and a compelling plot. Another solid effort from author Nick Mamatas. Looking forward to his next book!
March 24, 2020
Corona book diary 9 -
Hexen Sabbath is a hard drinkin’, good time wenchin’, sword swinging barbarian type from medieval Britain plunked into modern day Manhattan, tasked to off personifications of the seven deadly sins before they bring about the end of days. His only allies are the mysterious angel Abathar and Jennifer, a Russian-American art gallery owner whose only exhibit for sale is 7 blank canvases from 7 different artists.
It’s just fun and silly. I never lol’ed but there were a few snorts. The not-Donald Trump guy is a hoot. All the fight scenes were great. If this had come out when I was 16 and super into bloody horror, action movies, sword and sorcery novels, and heavy metal this would’ve been the greatest book ever made.
Hexen Sabbath is a hard drinkin’, good time wenchin’, sword swinging barbarian type from medieval Britain plunked into modern day Manhattan, tasked to off personifications of the seven deadly sins before they bring about the end of days. His only allies are the mysterious angel Abathar and Jennifer, a Russian-American art gallery owner whose only exhibit for sale is 7 blank canvases from 7 different artists.
It’s just fun and silly. I never lol’ed but there were a few snorts. The not-Donald Trump guy is a hoot. All the fight scenes were great. If this had come out when I was 16 and super into bloody horror, action movies, sword and sorcery novels, and heavy metal this would’ve been the greatest book ever made.
November 25, 2019
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: Sinners rejoice! Mamatas’ latest is a big, brash, bawdy tale of sin, violence and laugh-out-loud humor, complete with time travel, swords, angels and art galleries.
Nick Mamatas seems to be one of those writers who never writes the same thing twice. Having now read three of his books, I can safely say that Sabbath is completely different from anything else of his I’ve read. I had a bunch of fun with this book, and if you don’t mind raunchy humor, blood and guts—and heads—flying through the air, sex, drugs and a bit of philosophizing, then I guarantee you will too.
Hexen Sabbath is an eleventh century warrior who dies in battle, but is miraculously brought back to life and transported to current day Manhattan by an angel named Albathar. Albathar tell him that the world will end in seven days, unless Sabbath can find and kill the human personifications of the seven deadly sins, who are currently walking around Manhattan and getting ready for the big event. Sabbath is completely out of his element, having been whisked a thousand years into the future, but Albathar has given him instant Wikipedia-like knowledge of the present day so he can understand what’s going on around him. He’s also imprinted a magical tattoo on Sabbath’s arm that shows a map of the city, a countdown clock, and seven dots of light that represent the seven sins.
Armed only with his trusty sword and a whole bunch of muscles, Sabbath begins to follow the lights on his arm and hunt down the sins. Reluctantly joining him on his quest is a young art gallery owner named Jennifer and her friend Miriam, who stumble into Sabbath's orbit almost by accident. Time is ticking, and the end of the week is rapidly approaching. Can Sabbath save the world in time, or will the temptations of modern day sins be too much for him?
The plot of Sabbath is pretty straight forward, and you know what you’re getting into when you dive in. Sabbath has only seven days to kill each of the deadly sins—Sloth, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony and Pride—and I loved the way Mamatas gave unique characteristics to each one. Sloth is an office worker, Wrath is a cage match fighter, and Gluttony runs a Franco Russian fusion restaurant, for example. Then there’s Pride, who turned out to be a very well done and only lightly camouflaged version of a certain U.S. President. It was great fun to watch Sabbath try to kill them, especially when the sins are trying their best to talk or fight their way out of being killed. Sabbath’s task includes lopping off their heads and bringing them back to Albathar, and the heads themselves end up being part of the action in some very funny ways. There’s also a reference to the movie 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag , a cheeky nod from the author that made me laugh out loud.
And speaking of laughing out loud, this book was funny . I knew going in that it was going to have lots of sex and graphic violence, but I had no idea I would love the wry and sarcastic tone of the story so much. Mamatas’ humor is both subtle and in-your-face, and this combination really worked well for me. The author skewers all sorts of trendy topics, including art, politics, social media and more, and he smartly uses the seven sins to do a lot of his dirty work for him.
Sabbath turned out to be a surprisingly sympathetic character. The irony of the set-up is that Sabbath himself has sinned in every way possible, and now he must defeat all the sins in order to save the world. Sabbath has also been told by a witch that he is destined to die on a Sunday—hence, his name, I’m assuming—which allows him to live dangerously on all the other days of the week. This was a running gag throughout the story that allowed him to survive some nasty attacks, and honestly it shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. And yet. I also loved the way past and present collide in this story. Sabbath knows nothing of the modern world—except for the knowledge bestowed on him by Albathar—and it was pretty entertaining to watch him come up against club hoppers and politicians. He seems to take everything in stride, though, and never wavers from his belief that he will be saved at the end of his ordeal. I also really liked Jennifer’s character, although the book is fairly short and I feel like Mamatas just barely scratched the surface with her character development. Although her first few scenes didn’t impress me—she literally jumps into bed with Sabbath as soon as she meets him—she redeems herself with some surprising depth and strength of character later in the story.
The final showdown was bat-shit crazy but in a good way. Things come to a head (sorry, I’ve been waiting to use that pun since I started writing this review!) in big and surprising ways. The violence and action are over-the-top, but I didn’t expect anything less. Is “farcical violence” a thing in fiction? If not, it should be, because Mamatas wrote one of the funniest violent action scenes I’ve ever read. The ending dips into philosophical musings and took a turn I wasn’t expecting, but nevertheless, I thought it worked perfectly.
And through all of this, Nick Mamatas’ writing simply shines. This book is tightly written, and his prose is a joy to read. This is definitely my favorite of his books so far, and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do next.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
“I thought Jewish people didn’t believe in the afterlife,” said Jennifer.
“I thought Russian Orthodox girls didn’t believe in fucking strangers, or experimenting with lesbianism and then breaking girls’ hearts six months ago,” said Miriam.
Nick Mamatas seems to be one of those writers who never writes the same thing twice. Having now read three of his books, I can safely say that Sabbath is completely different from anything else of his I’ve read. I had a bunch of fun with this book, and if you don’t mind raunchy humor, blood and guts—and heads—flying through the air, sex, drugs and a bit of philosophizing, then I guarantee you will too.
Hexen Sabbath is an eleventh century warrior who dies in battle, but is miraculously brought back to life and transported to current day Manhattan by an angel named Albathar. Albathar tell him that the world will end in seven days, unless Sabbath can find and kill the human personifications of the seven deadly sins, who are currently walking around Manhattan and getting ready for the big event. Sabbath is completely out of his element, having been whisked a thousand years into the future, but Albathar has given him instant Wikipedia-like knowledge of the present day so he can understand what’s going on around him. He’s also imprinted a magical tattoo on Sabbath’s arm that shows a map of the city, a countdown clock, and seven dots of light that represent the seven sins.
Armed only with his trusty sword and a whole bunch of muscles, Sabbath begins to follow the lights on his arm and hunt down the sins. Reluctantly joining him on his quest is a young art gallery owner named Jennifer and her friend Miriam, who stumble into Sabbath's orbit almost by accident. Time is ticking, and the end of the week is rapidly approaching. Can Sabbath save the world in time, or will the temptations of modern day sins be too much for him?
The plot of Sabbath is pretty straight forward, and you know what you’re getting into when you dive in. Sabbath has only seven days to kill each of the deadly sins—Sloth, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony and Pride—and I loved the way Mamatas gave unique characteristics to each one. Sloth is an office worker, Wrath is a cage match fighter, and Gluttony runs a Franco Russian fusion restaurant, for example. Then there’s Pride, who turned out to be a very well done and only lightly camouflaged version of a certain U.S. President. It was great fun to watch Sabbath try to kill them, especially when the sins are trying their best to talk or fight their way out of being killed. Sabbath’s task includes lopping off their heads and bringing them back to Albathar, and the heads themselves end up being part of the action in some very funny ways. There’s also a reference to the movie 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag , a cheeky nod from the author that made me laugh out loud.
And speaking of laughing out loud, this book was funny . I knew going in that it was going to have lots of sex and graphic violence, but I had no idea I would love the wry and sarcastic tone of the story so much. Mamatas’ humor is both subtle and in-your-face, and this combination really worked well for me. The author skewers all sorts of trendy topics, including art, politics, social media and more, and he smartly uses the seven sins to do a lot of his dirty work for him.
Sabbath turned out to be a surprisingly sympathetic character. The irony of the set-up is that Sabbath himself has sinned in every way possible, and now he must defeat all the sins in order to save the world. Sabbath has also been told by a witch that he is destined to die on a Sunday—hence, his name, I’m assuming—which allows him to live dangerously on all the other days of the week. This was a running gag throughout the story that allowed him to survive some nasty attacks, and honestly it shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. And yet. I also loved the way past and present collide in this story. Sabbath knows nothing of the modern world—except for the knowledge bestowed on him by Albathar—and it was pretty entertaining to watch him come up against club hoppers and politicians. He seems to take everything in stride, though, and never wavers from his belief that he will be saved at the end of his ordeal. I also really liked Jennifer’s character, although the book is fairly short and I feel like Mamatas just barely scratched the surface with her character development. Although her first few scenes didn’t impress me—she literally jumps into bed with Sabbath as soon as she meets him—she redeems herself with some surprising depth and strength of character later in the story.
The final showdown was bat-shit crazy but in a good way. Things come to a head (sorry, I’ve been waiting to use that pun since I started writing this review!) in big and surprising ways. The violence and action are over-the-top, but I didn’t expect anything less. Is “farcical violence” a thing in fiction? If not, it should be, because Mamatas wrote one of the funniest violent action scenes I’ve ever read. The ending dips into philosophical musings and took a turn I wasn’t expecting, but nevertheless, I thought it worked perfectly.
And through all of this, Nick Mamatas’ writing simply shines. This book is tightly written, and his prose is a joy to read. This is definitely my favorite of his books so far, and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do next.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
September 3, 2022
It was the promise of Highlander meets Seven that convinced me to give Sabbath a chance, but the truth is it’s less Highlander and more Terminator, Conan, and Masters of the Universe. This is a bold, brash, brutal, boisterous, blasphemous story (I’m running out of B’s) of a badass barbarian (there they are!) out of time. All of which is entirely fitting for the literary equivalent of an 80’s B-grade fantasy movie.
Hexen Sabbath, which is the one of the coolest names ever, is the badass hero who ain’t gonna die today . . . because his momma told him so. Argue with that! He’s lazy, lusty, and legendary (hmm, guess the well of L’s isn’t as deep as that of B’s), and more interested in fornification and fighting than faith (pretty sure alliteration is the 8th sin). Nick Mamatas nails the man-out-of-time trope, giving Hexen access to facts of the future, but making him fumble in finding them (damn, I’m most definitely doomed).
All kidding aside, this was a fun read that chews through deadly sins as quickly as Hexen does the scenery. As personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins go, Mamatas makes some easy choices here but some inspired ones as well. Sloth as a DMV-style office manager, whose staff patiently take a number an line up to be slaughtered. Lust is a massage parlor Dominatrix who really enjoys her job, tying Hexen up and suspending him from the ceiling. Wrath and Gluttony were pretty standard fare, a cage fighter and a restaurant owners, as is Greed, although there’s a nice twist there and a fantastically long-winded speech about how Greed really is good that’s actually quite seductive.
Envy may have been the best character in the book, next to Hexen of course, and certainly the one to engage his attention the longest – but I blame the Poodles for that. Pride is the big sin, the source and culmination of all others, and while it’s personification is a little too obvious – if you haven’t figured out that twist early on, you’re simply not paying attention – the Trump imitation is laugh-out-loud funny.
Sabbath is a book of sex, sin, sarcasm, seduction, swearing, sadism, and (sigh, here we go again) satire that races along so quickly, you don’t have time to question the few plot holes and unanswered questions. Thoroughly entertaining, with a perfect final twist ending that perverts the threat of preachiness.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2019/...
Hexen Sabbath, which is the one of the coolest names ever, is the badass hero who ain’t gonna die today . . . because his momma told him so. Argue with that! He’s lazy, lusty, and legendary (hmm, guess the well of L’s isn’t as deep as that of B’s), and more interested in fornification and fighting than faith (pretty sure alliteration is the 8th sin). Nick Mamatas nails the man-out-of-time trope, giving Hexen access to facts of the future, but making him fumble in finding them (damn, I’m most definitely doomed).
All kidding aside, this was a fun read that chews through deadly sins as quickly as Hexen does the scenery. As personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins go, Mamatas makes some easy choices here but some inspired ones as well. Sloth as a DMV-style office manager, whose staff patiently take a number an line up to be slaughtered. Lust is a massage parlor Dominatrix who really enjoys her job, tying Hexen up and suspending him from the ceiling. Wrath and Gluttony were pretty standard fare, a cage fighter and a restaurant owners, as is Greed, although there’s a nice twist there and a fantastically long-winded speech about how Greed really is good that’s actually quite seductive.
Envy may have been the best character in the book, next to Hexen of course, and certainly the one to engage his attention the longest – but I blame the Poodles for that. Pride is the big sin, the source and culmination of all others, and while it’s personification is a little too obvious – if you haven’t figured out that twist early on, you’re simply not paying attention – the Trump imitation is laugh-out-loud funny.
Sabbath is a book of sex, sin, sarcasm, seduction, swearing, sadism, and (sigh, here we go again) satire that races along so quickly, you don’t have time to question the few plot holes and unanswered questions. Thoroughly entertaining, with a perfect final twist ending that perverts the threat of preachiness.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2019/...
December 4, 2019
An ARC of Nick Mamatas’ Sabbath was an unexpected arrival at the house a couple of weeks ago. The cover blurb bills it as “the blood-splattered epic the current year deserves” . . . which sounds like a threat, really. But I couldn’t pass on a sword and sorcery book compared to Highlander.
After a bit of a rocky start, Sabbath pleasantly surprised me. It wasn’t just a fun read; it was one with some real depth.
Sabbath is an eleventh century knight plucked from time to face and behead demonic personifications of the seven deadly sins in the New York City of today. He is chosen not just for his unparalleled skill in battle but also for his complete and utter debauchery. Only the most debauched of sinners would be immune to temptation by the deadly sins.
Sabbath put me off a bit at first, but he winds up with a really nice character arc. He comes off better in the modern day. Rather than go for the more usual fish-out-of-water humor (Sabbath effectively has a magical wiki in his head), Mamatas draws a subtler distinction. For all his debauchery, Sabbath is a man of his times. Mamatas adroitly shows how utterly bizarre such a man would find today’s NYC without focusing on the low-hanging fruit.
I went into this thinking it was a satire, but if it is, it is a subtle one, and the better for it. The first fight scene is a little too choreographed and cinematic, but, as with Sabbath’s character, they get much better as he moves to NYC. Greed was the sin I had the lowest expectations for but wound up being the most interesting of the personifications. There is a character who, in physical description, is a pretty open Trump expy. That can be done well—The Dark Side by Anthony O’Neil does it pretty well—but Mamatas writes the character more as a more benign, bumbling, out-of-touch buffoon (think the mayor from Spin City) and the story is the better for it.
After a bit of a rocky start, Sabbath pleasantly surprised me. It wasn’t just a fun read; it was one with some real depth.
Sabbath is an eleventh century knight plucked from time to face and behead demonic personifications of the seven deadly sins in the New York City of today. He is chosen not just for his unparalleled skill in battle but also for his complete and utter debauchery. Only the most debauched of sinners would be immune to temptation by the deadly sins.
Sabbath put me off a bit at first, but he winds up with a really nice character arc. He comes off better in the modern day. Rather than go for the more usual fish-out-of-water humor (Sabbath effectively has a magical wiki in his head), Mamatas draws a subtler distinction. For all his debauchery, Sabbath is a man of his times. Mamatas adroitly shows how utterly bizarre such a man would find today’s NYC without focusing on the low-hanging fruit.
I went into this thinking it was a satire, but if it is, it is a subtle one, and the better for it. The first fight scene is a little too choreographed and cinematic, but, as with Sabbath’s character, they get much better as he moves to NYC. Greed was the sin I had the lowest expectations for but wound up being the most interesting of the personifications. There is a character who, in physical description, is a pretty open Trump expy. That can be done well—The Dark Side by Anthony O’Neil does it pretty well—but Mamatas writes the character more as a more benign, bumbling, out-of-touch buffoon (think the mayor from Spin City) and the story is the better for it.
December 12, 2021
Sabbath has got to be the most ridiculous book I've read in a while, but that's something I think I needed. John Scalzi excepted, most literature these days - SF, Fantasy, or not - is just so dour and self-serious. This book, on the other hand, is exactly as serious as an Iron Maiden album cover. It wants to be badass, but it just makes me smile.
The concept is a trope I've seen in movies and TV more than in prose - that of a man from the past coming to the present to be confused by the modern world, and kick ass. Hijinks, blood, sex, and carnage ensue. What makes the book work is that even though it's ludicrous, the story's not a joke to any of the characters. Their choices have consequences that can't be escaped, even with the apocalypse at hand.
Also, fair warning: The book is definitely a product of 2016, before the results of the presidential election. Mamatas doesn't even try to hide the fact that one of his characters is a stand-in for the Orange One, though I doubt when he wrote this he imagined that You Know Who could win.
The concept is a trope I've seen in movies and TV more than in prose - that of a man from the past coming to the present to be confused by the modern world, and kick ass. Hijinks, blood, sex, and carnage ensue. What makes the book work is that even though it's ludicrous, the story's not a joke to any of the characters. Their choices have consequences that can't be escaped, even with the apocalypse at hand.
Also, fair warning: The book is definitely a product of 2016, before the results of the presidential election. Mamatas doesn't even try to hide the fact that one of his characters is a stand-in for the Orange One, though I doubt when he wrote this he imagined that You Know Who could win.
November 2, 2021
Whoever wrote: "Highlander meets Seven in Nick Mamatas's Sabbath." on the Goodreads page was right on. Although this quote is not on the book jacket, it should be. I've only started the book and immediately compared it to the move The Highlander, and for me that was a _good_ comparison. I get picky about "voice" and authenticity in fantasy fiction, but I think this book gets the mix right. Hexen is "given" English from an angel so he can communicate in the 21st century. His English is simple and direct with a bit of the wrong natural idiom. After mugging some club hoppers for clothing he described it as "I... appropriated the clothing from some youths who were in costume." No "thee" and "doth" sprinkled into modern English to make him sound like he's from the past. I hate that kind of writing.
Finished the book. Certainly there is a lot of flash and action in this book. The heavy metal packaging are appropriate. But toward the end of the book it does get contemplative regarding religion on judging of souls. There is interesting imagery about angels and the afterlife. It's probably not that deep theologically, but if you've done some bible or religions philosophy reading, you may be pleasantly surprised by how the book ends.
Finished the book. Certainly there is a lot of flash and action in this book. The heavy metal packaging are appropriate. But toward the end of the book it does get contemplative regarding religion on judging of souls. There is interesting imagery about angels and the afterlife. It's probably not that deep theologically, but if you've done some bible or religions philosophy reading, you may be pleasantly surprised by how the book ends.
November 19, 2019
A crazy urban historical fish-out-of-water fantasy… Mamatas has a good way of envisioning each vice as a figure in contemporary society. The lusty massage parlor madam, the glutinous Michelin chef, and a wrathful MMA grappler. From the fighting styles to their seductive, creepy, and intoxicating faces, these characters create atmosphere and interest.
Overall. Sabbath. It’s funny… It’s got some depth… It’s imaginative… It’s a fast and fun read. For me, it was one afternoon’s worth of sex, drugs, and gore. And that’s never bad!
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/11/19/sa...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
Overall. Sabbath. It’s funny… It’s got some depth… It’s imaginative… It’s a fast and fun read. For me, it was one afternoon’s worth of sex, drugs, and gore. And that’s never bad!
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/11/19/sa...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
November 28, 2019
3.5 stars, 4.5 stars for audio narration
This was a really straight forward book. I mean it's literally what the actual blurb on the book says it is. An eleventh century warrior is zapped through time to modern day New York where he is tasked with beheading the Seven Deadly Sins before they can bring about nuclear armageddon. It's kind of ridiculous, but it's also kinda fun. It has some funny bits of satire, and some of the dialogue is pretty witty. At the end of the day it's like a Netflix original movie. You'll enjoy it while you read it but you probably won't remember it in a week.
This was a really straight forward book. I mean it's literally what the actual blurb on the book says it is. An eleventh century warrior is zapped through time to modern day New York where he is tasked with beheading the Seven Deadly Sins before they can bring about nuclear armageddon. It's kind of ridiculous, but it's also kinda fun. It has some funny bits of satire, and some of the dialogue is pretty witty. At the end of the day it's like a Netflix original movie. You'll enjoy it while you read it but you probably won't remember it in a week.
July 25, 2020
I think that someone described Sabbath as a cross between Highlander and Seven. There's the sword wielding 11th century Hexen Sabbath who has been transported to New York City to battle the seven deadly sins before Armageddon is brought about. Sabbath is not instantly likable, however as he progresses through his heavenly directive, he evolves and matures as a person, becoming more introspective and interesting. Sabbath's journey is fast-paced and entertaining, resulting in an enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more from Nick Mamatas.
December 18, 2019
Fun, easy to read book, rife with mature themes.
Like other reviews have hinted, the book seems like it's made for heavy metal music fans. Its themes and story points are wild, and may seem borderline ridiculous, but they don't take themselves too seriously. If that doesn't sound like your jam, it probably isn't for you.
I wouldn't consider it to be modern day Shakespeare, but it's phenomenal for being the fun, light read it is.
Like other reviews have hinted, the book seems like it's made for heavy metal music fans. Its themes and story points are wild, and may seem borderline ridiculous, but they don't take themselves too seriously. If that doesn't sound like your jam, it probably isn't for you.
I wouldn't consider it to be modern day Shakespeare, but it's phenomenal for being the fun, light read it is.
July 7, 2022
I absolutely love the story and the idea of it, despite the amount of plot armor given to our MC (i.e. Jennifer macing Miriam). But, in my opinion, I am only satisfied with a story if it has a good ending or at least something I expected or wanted. At first, I thought I was about the get one of the greatest, comical twist endings I've read, but I guess the author just doesn't like it when people are happy.
overall: great story, bad ending.
overall: great story, bad ending.
July 20, 2025
This book was a different take on good vs. evil. I mean you would think a 12th century knight would be full of virtue but this knight was a full on sinner of the highest order and that's why he was chosen for the job of saving the world!? It was too good to pass up a read! The story was brutal, visceral, and sexual. The twists that pop up, like Pride's true identity, made the story even better! Read it! It's not gonna be on the list of the greatest novels ever, but it's damn entertaining!
December 15, 2019
A well written, action packed and fast paced urban fantasy that I read as fast as I could.
I loved the great world building, the well thought cast of characters and the great plot.
It's perfect if read while listening an epic metal soundtrack.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I loved the great world building, the well thought cast of characters and the great plot.
It's perfect if read while listening an epic metal soundtrack.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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