The Locust Job

Daniel Faust #9

by Craig Schaefer

The first story ever told left a scar on the skin of the universe, with its characters doomed to an endless cycle of reincarnation and death. Trapped by his enemies, Daniel Faust — magician, mobster, and newly-minted knight of hell — has been cast in the role of the eternal Thief. Now the story is dead-set on writing his final chapter, the one that ends with a knife in his back.

The curse can’t be broken without tracking down the original Thief. The truth is buried beneath the legacy of a long-dead stage magician and a cache of occult relics from the 1940s, but Daniel and his crew aren’t the only hunters on this trail: so is a deadly new contender who blends sorcery with science, armed with a link to Daniel’s past — and a cult he thought he had destroyed long ago.

The doomsday clock is ticking, and more than Daniel’s own life is at stake. To save the day he’ll have to pull off the most daring heist of his criminal career, stealing a priceless treasure from a reality-bending madman, or die trying.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Demons, Magic, Audiobook, Fiction

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Craig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).

Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🃏 Get Those Magic Decks Of Cards Out of Storage We're Doing the Danny-Boy-IS-MINE⁠ Thingie Again Buddy Read 🃏 (GTMDoCOoSWDtDBIMTABR™) with the MacHalos and Stuff.

Previous rating: 8.89856697 stars.
New rating: 12.2456 stars. Because duh and stuff.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: Craig Schaefer, thou shalt be the end of nefarious little me one of these days. And I 💕lurves💕 you so much for it.



This gif is actually very spoilerish. But you won't know why until you read this book. Ha! Also, muahahahaha and stuff.



[October 2020]

Actual rating: 8.89856697 stars. Because there is a tiny chance this could be one of my favorite instalments in the series. Mayhap.

Things I learned while reading this Slightly Very Good Danny Boy Installment (SVGDBI™):

① The Delighfully Batshit Crazy Twins of the Hilariously Barnacled Intellect (DBCTotHBI™) might or might not have had a threesome with Danny Boy. Perhaps. Then again maybe not.

② #1 rule for all Danny Boy magician apprentices: “No Harry Potter references. Ever.” A shame, that. If it wasn’t for this rule I would have told you that Danny Boy is a Slytherin and Harmony Black a Ravenclaw. Oops. I think I just did. Oh well.

③ Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish! That scene when Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character’s real name, in case you were wondering) goes to spoiler spoiler spoiler and finds out that Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character’s real name, either) has spoilered spoilered spoilered, when all the time Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (yes, this really is the character’s real name, believe it or not) thought that it was all spoiler, spoiler and spoiler! Not to mention the fact that Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (I think this might be an alias) is actually a spoiler spoiler spoiler! Well I’ll be damned shrimped and stuff! Schaefer really doesn’t kid around.



④ Some young grasshoppers practice kung fu need not, for born kick-ass they were.

⑤ My Danny Boy makes a scrumptiously hot female lead. I kid you not.

⑥ Evil Mr Schaefer is an evil Machiavelli wannabe with an evil plan. I think that makes him a little deliciously evil.

⑦ Being chopped into tiny little pieces isn’t as fun as it’s hyped up to be. Especially when you’re a spoiler spoiler spoiler and your spoiler spoiler spoiler is to travel the world spoilering spoilering spoilering spoilers spoilers spoilers for Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler He Who Must Not Be Named (HWMNBN™). Then again, getting slightly hacked at shouldn’t come as such a huge surprise when one is working for HWMNBN™, methinks.

⑧ Lord Byron’s beloved offspring was quite the kick-ass 19th century chick. Too bad her Danny Boy namesake is naught but an irresponsible brat in need of a generous spanking.



That should do quite nicely, yes.

⑨ Danny Boy has no sense of humor whatsoever when it comes to the Paladin’s purported identity. But I do. Hahahahahaha. Poor Danny. Hahahahahaha. Karma really is a bitch. Hahahahahaha.

⑩ Next stop: a field trip to Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler, courtesy of Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (this might or might not be the character’s real name, not sure actually). Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, I just cannot wait!!

➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): There are cliffhangers and then there are Deadly Schaefer Cliffhangers (DSC™). Those can be quite deadly, if you ask me. So yay and stuff.



Yes, being quite dead makes me want to dance, so what?

· Book 1: The Long Way Down ★★★★★
· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★★
· Book 5: The Killing Floor Blues ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.1: A Drive in the Country ★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. I really nearly almost died dead while I was reading the last bloody shrimping chapter of this book. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. What a scrumptiously delightful feeling. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Craig Schaefer you are most wonderfully evil and cunning and your gloriously Machiavellian little mind is 😍😍😍. So thank thee kindly for every beautifully malicious thing and stuff. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

↑↑ This paragraph might or might not be a very clear sign that the ending of this slightly wondrous book slightly affected my already-dwindling sanity. Maybe. Perhaps.



See what I mean?

Full review to come and stuff.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up because. One. Hell. Of. A. Ride. The author is, indeed, a strong believer in plotting a series way out in advance.
It’s difficult to articulate my thoughts without spoilers, but I can say all the technical aspects of the narrative are spot-on. Bit of a cliffy ending but totally appropriate. My favorite Daniel Faust to date, and that’s saying a lot.

If there’s one cosmic truth, it’s that no good deed goes unpunished. That’s why I avoided them whenever possible.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Locust Job
Daniel Faust ,Book 9
By: Craig Schaefer
Narrated by: Adam Verner
This book is filled with lots of twists especially in the end! Oh my! Daniel has to find and kill a thief from the past and get a stash of magical items. Of course there is others after the same stash. Plenty of side action that keeps this a non-stop action, unpredictable, and enjoyable book! I have been with it since book one and reading Harmony Black novels that weave into these. Terrific series!
Narration great!

[Fiona Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of this book is one hell of a mic drop. I can't stand cliffhangers, but I'll happily make an exception when it's done like this was! Oh, and sign me up for a second helping of Danielle Faust please - and a third, etc.

So impatient for the next book, but also willing to wait as long as it takes. Whatever will I do until release except continue to reread? :)

Last minute reread before the release of Down Among the Dead Men - I cannot believe I made it this long after that cliffhanger. Still phenomenal - this series just gets better on every read.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another great instalment of my absolute favourite UF series. The series has fun characters, interesting happenings, fun twists and turns, and a great mix of dark and light moments that make it an absolutely compelling read!

The story was pretty fun in this one with Faust battling The Enemy and getting back to a bit of thieving!

The side characters are always great in this series and I think Meloni, as Faust’s new apprentice, and a new frenemy he made were good additions to the cast. It was nice to see Faust with an apprentice.

Another thing this series does really well in the villains. They are almost always interesting and memorable. The Enemy is suitably menacing as is his top underling but Navarasi managed to steal the show. She is such a fun villain as she seems a tad smarter than the rest!

All in all I loved this one and cannot wait to move onto the next book in this interconnected fantasy universe.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Audio Note: As always Adam Verner is the perfect choice to voice Faust. Great performance and he really seems to get the tone of the series.

[Lukasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC through Fantasy Book Critic.

I don't need to convince fans of the series to read it, because they will. I'll just tell you this - the ending will make you beg for more.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, NOW I see what all the fuss was about between Locust Job and Down Among the Dead Men. I mean, this is your cliffhanger:

I LOVED the Howard Canton twist (and that *other one*, holy cheese).

I'm dying to see things ramp up in the next Harmony book (because they have to, right? RIGHT?)

Cait deserves her own spinoff series. Apart from that, I want a short detailing what she and Jennifer got up to during this book.

It should also be noted that I finished this around 11pm and it still necessitated the turning-on of All The Lights so I could pee before bed. My imagination was convinced The Enemy (or Naavarasi) was waiting to pounce in the dark.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars


The Daniel Faust series is clearly one of my all time favorites. Craig Schaefer is a favorite author and I always want more. Many people draw comparisons of this series to that of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, but this one leans more to the 'R' Rated side than does the really 'PG' Dresden Files. I confess that the whole urban fantasy series has become my guilty pleasure reads. My love for the genre elevates everything I read. I only know that right now, I cannot seem to get enough from a genre filled with everything from ghosts and spirits, to Wolves and vamps, Gods and Demons, and sorcerers and cops. I love it.

Our main protagonist Daniel Faust is a sorcerer, a Thief, and pretty much not a good guy. He is however perfect for our lead role. Faust is not 'PG'. I loved the pacing, the world building, and the magic. I only wish that there was more. Caitlyn is a fantastic character and she pretty much steals all the pages that she is on.

These are not good people.

The Locust Job is a heist novel filled with complexities and twists and turns. It has many recurring characters. This is another story that closes out some old storylines. I loved it.

The writing was great as usual and made for an easy page Turner. A real guilty pleasure of mine. I love the characters, the magic, and the dark grit. I am a fanboy of the urban fantasy genre.



Highly recommended!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4½ stars.

I say Rivers of London is my favourite urban fantasy series, but then I read another book by Heather Schaefer... Maybe I can't pick. Rivers is aggressively British, while Faust is very American, and they're both great.

Mixing heist fiction with urban fantasy is a genius combination, and I always blast through a Faust book. It's the series I wish Dresden was; they're both pulpy fun, but Schaefer's prose and plotting is stronger, and Daniel is such a better lead (that he's not a weird creep towards women is a big plus too). The magical world-building is less expansive than Dresden or Rivers, and what Daniel can do as a magic-user is less grandiose, but I've come to appreciate a series that knows where to pick its focus.

I took a decent break between 8 and 9, so it took me a minute to remember what was going on. I also haven't read The Wisdom's Grave trilogy yet, so some of the over-arcing plot to do with The First Story went over my head, but the book does a good job picking where to catch you up and where to elide the specifics. And once the story gets rolling, as I said, I raced to the finish. Definitely planning to go back and catch up on the Wisdom and Harmony Black books I've missed—but first, that cliffhanger!

[Buzz Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU READ THE WISDOM'S GRAVE SERIES (Sworn to the Night, Detonation Boulevard and Bring the Fire) BEFORE READING THIS BOOK.

The Wisdom's Grave series gives A LOT of critical background information about The First Story (Thief, Paladin, Scribe, Enemy, etc) that Daniel and his friends are fighting against.

Also the Harmony Black book Right to the Kill is also before this book.

This book is a wild ride and one of the best installments in the Daniel Faust series. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 :-)

[Efka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book, but I disliked the spin-off series that were in between books #8 and #9. Despite the claim by the author that there's absolutely no need to read that spinoff series, I've got annoyed more than once while reading this book. There were those bits and pieces, weaved into plot, that were an absolute unknown, and others were like an instant change of status. I know it sounds vague, but without spoilers, that's all I can manage. Personally, this decision was like skipping one whole season of your favorite tv-show. So that's a big -1 * for that.

[Vigasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, probably my favourite Daniel Faust book since The Killing Floor Blues. It was so good to see Daniel and his team again. Now all the loose threads neatly start to come together and I can't wait to see what will happen next. This book is Schaefer at his best and the ending ...so good! Looking forward for next book and I hope I won't have to wait too long.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book was absolutely amazing. A lot of it I did not see coming, but I had an inkling about Teddy. There's always an evil brother. It was super frustrating because as I was running out of pages, I knew there was no way the whole thing was going to get resolved. A piece of me wanted to get to the ending, but another larger part wants this series to go on forever. Cannot wait for the next one. However, I am kind of hoping it's told from someone else's perspective this time around. It would be interesting to see everyone else's thoughts and the struggles they are going to go through in order to get Danny back from hell. It would be amazing if he came back all super powerful and can take a real fight to the Enemy.

[james freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you start the new year.

Been a huge fan of this series from the first book I found on kindle unlimited. I was so happy to see this and the Harmony Black series come back. Its not a stand alone but I recommend starting from the beginning anyway. Cant wait to see how the final problem resolves in the next book.

[Lawrence FitzGerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. The strength of this series is Schaefer's prose and buoyed this rather run of the mill caperfest.

Faust is still drinking Jack and coke. When I was in high school we drank Southern Comfort and coke washing down BBQ potato chips. Makes my head ache just thinking about it.

[Steffan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the series! So far. A great heist story with Faust fighting way out of his weight class.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, can't wait for the next one to get here.

[THE BIBLIOPHILE (Rituranjan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant entry into the series that seamlessly continues the progression of the overarching plot with exciting twists and magical action. The writing is fluid, and Schaefer has a precision with words that makes the urban atmosphere of Vegas come alive in its light and shadowy decadence. As the title suggests, the plot hinges upon the most daring heist that Faust has ever attempted, and also it reveals the hidden hands of the cosmic game that is being unfolded.

I loved the idea of stealing a dead magician's artifact's, and the surprise comes in the story, when we get to learn what role the magician plays in the grand scheme of things. To make matters even more interesting, the Redemption Choir is back, and this time with a different leader with quite the magic and zeal. It was intriguing to know how Canton and his magic relics would help the Paladin in defeating the Enemy once and for all. Not everything is revealed, and as usual, Faust's plans although they're successful, there's going to be some eventual fuck-up towards the end. Here, it is quite the literal hellish fuck-up.

I enjoyed knowing the perspective of the so-called Paladin who believes in saving the universe from the enemy. It was quite interesting to see the conflicted dynamic between her and Faust. Also, I loved the apprentice thing with Melanie, as it allows Daniel to be more responsible for his actions, and keep everyone he loves safe. As I keep reading the series, I've seen how Daniel has grown and matured as a character, and I love the sizzling chemistry between him and Caitlin. They might be my favourite urban fantasy couple, except for Kate Daniels and Curran of course.

Rest said, I was thoroughly entertained by this book, and I believe that we are reaching towards the end of the series, as things are now beginning to unravel at a rapid pace. I hope that Schaefer doesn't drag the series for long, and finishes within 2-3 books. I'm curious and enthusiastic to see how the story goes for a exhilarating climax. I'll be on to the next book Down Among the Dead Men and see how Faust fares down in the infernal realm.

[jonathan finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Done it again

Craig Schaefer has become one of my favourite writers, strong characters, coherent well paced plots and a willingness to try different things both in regard to characters and plots and writing style. Also above all he strives to hone his craft with each book.

The latest Daniel Faust is another strong entry in the authors original urban fantasy series, he has two others, here there are no vampires rather this is world ruled from the Shadows by the Infernal Courts of hell ,a magician and a gangster events in previous books saw Daniel made a knight of Hell struggling with the obligations that come with it Daniel is also under a curse placed by a powerful interdimonisal being known as the Enemy out to cause the literal apocalypse, cursed to meet death at his lovers hand this puts a strain between him and Caitlin his Succubus Demonic girlfriend.

When a opportunity comes up to threw a wrench in his enemy’s plans he takes only to find events quickly spiral out of his control, a typical day really.

When this series started it seemed like a Dresden files knock off how wrong I was with time and the authors dedication it has become one of my favourite series not least because the author isn’t afraid to make changes if a character doesn’t work drop them, if a storyline becomes stagnant mix it up, while demons started off as the black hats with the exception, possibly of Caitlin, the author switched it up a bit don’t get me wrong they aren’t the good guys but with the chainmen such as Fontaine, Emma and lots of others they have become something more satisfyingly complex much like Daniel himself starting off as a supposed villain, I say supposed because in the first couple of books he was far more of a white knight kind of character who would just do a inexplicably bad deed every now and then, he has become a more balanced and harder character also a lot more likeable.

For those fans brace yourself this is another great read for those new this isn’t the place to start go to book one you have a hell of a journey ahead of you.

[Michael Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good one, and right on the heels of another of the author’s series, that one featuring Harmony Black (Right to the Kill, #5 in her collection.) The two series are deeply entwined, and these last two tales, specifically, are traveling parallel paths towards what can only be an explosive denouement the likes of which nobody outside of... well, Hell... has ever seen.

Can’t wait.

[Side note: I’m not sure if anyone here remembers Michael Moorcock’s many stories related to The Eternal Hero, and how he either wrote all of them with that connection in mind or realized it later in those stories’ lifetimes. (I suspect the latter - and it was brilliantly done.) Also, Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and its delving into the various “realities” of his prodigious multi-verse. Daniel Faust’s adventures remind me strongly of elements from each of those epic achievements, and that is no faint praise.]

[Dayanara Ryelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think getting to the end of the epilogue and saying, "Dude!" is review enough.

Wherever Craig erred in trying to "fix" Harmony, he had no such problem here--it was just fine. (How did I not see the twist coming?)

One problem, and I think it was an editing issue.

After Daniel killed Marcel, it suddenly jumps to Daniel being in an upward bound elevator, headed for the thirty-sixth floor, when he hears the fire alarm. Except Marcel was in 3603, and there was never any indication that Daniel left the floor. Plus, it said a few pages later that Daniel stuffed Marcel into the closet inside the very same room where he killed him.

Oh well. Makes me feel better that I'm not the only one who goes, "GRR!" and runs back to fix the manuscript and re-upload after submitting to Amazon. 😝

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schaefer is Crafty

Most series feel like the author has an overall idea, but a story that begins and ends with each book. The Daniel Faust books feel more like a really long story that has occasional breaks. It is both wonderful and frustrating. While there are no real cliffhanger endings (I really hate those), several books - like this one - end with a real "To Be Continued" feel. I really wish I could jump right into the next one, and it's the main reason I usually do not start reading a new series until several books are published (and why I have piles of unread books).
This might be my favorite book in the series so far. There was no fluff. All the explaining and setup was done in other books, so we dove into the story and kept going. It made for a quick feeling read that was over far too soon.
The ending totally caught me off guard.

[lisa schreiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!!!

Mr. Schaeffer has done it again!! GREAT story and the characters and their world continue to grow, letting us get to know them better and progressing the story. The Neon Boneyard gave us cockroaches and The Locust Job played on one of my worst phobias. Look out for the Sunrise Majestic, it automatically made Daniel even more of a hero to me. I love Daniel's relationship with Melanie, it's so good for both of them and I just love her character. Absolutely cannot wait for the next installment, I think the waiting will be the most difficult for the next book because there is so much going on in The Locust Job. Please hurry!!!!

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!!!!

Okay, if you’ve never read a Craig Schaefer book before PUT THIS DOWN RIGHT NOW AND GO BACK AND READ THE WHOLE DARN SERIES FIRST!!!!!!!
Now, for those of you who are considering if it’s worth continuing to follow the adventures of Daniel and crew, the answer is a solidly plotted, wonderfully worded YES! This installment was another excellent look into a world that’s only slightly adjacent to our own. Characters you care about, action aplenty, and twists to turn your brain around. Now it’s about waiting on the next piece. Bravo Mr. Schaefer, bravo.

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Locust Job is the end of the third arc of the Daniel Faust series, and while it’s a fitting end to the arc. It’s not the end of the story as was the case with the previous two story arcs. In fact the author breaks his pattern and does something absolutely devious. You'll have to RAFO but rest assured there's some pretty epic things planned down the road with not one, not two but many more antagonists.

The Locust Job as the title suggests is a very specific thing which the readers of the Daniel Faust books know about. This book is set immediately after the events of the Wisdom’s Grave trilogy and hence we get to witness the somber aftermath. The plot which we have been following since the start of the third arc is all about the death sentence that is the “Thief” title on Faust’s shoulders. In the previous two books, Faust and gang have been slowly and surely trying to figure more about what being the “Thief” means. It all comes down to the Story and the Enemy’s machinations about his eventual plan for this earth.

This book’s main plot deals with simple ramification of being the Thief and the Thief’s eventual prophesied end. Faust is slowly finding out how insidious the Story is and how easily the universe bends people’s lives to fit the Story’s patterns (also seen in Bring The Fire so horrendously). The story also has some specific plot ties to Redemption Choir (book 2) as well as Sixty-Seven Seconds (Craig’s short story in the Urban Enemies anthology) which was great to read. Plus the biggest draw of this book is that it deals with the Enemy’s obsession with Howard Canton and what makes Canton so special. Lastly similar to previous titles, there’s plots within plots and also an ending that is just balls out bonkers.

You have to hand it to Craig Schaefer, he’s been planning the First Story saga for quite a while and you can see some of his machinations as we get revelations and plot twists that have been set up since the second book as well as in the Harmony Black series. I always appreciate an author who has taken the time to plan a saga like this, combining several genres and making sure that we readers are kept on our toes. Hands down Craig Schaefer is writing the best the urban fantasy genre has to offer and he’s making his series unique by adding huge dollops of noir and epic fantasy to it as well.

This story won me over with its ultimate reveal about Howard Canton and why the Enemy was so interested in Canton's history & paraphernalia . This track about Howard Canton’s magic artifacts has been initiated since book 6 and it’s in book 9, we get a spectacular answer as to why that might be. Plus there’s the wonderful tie-in with the Sixty-Seven Seconds short story (featuring a character from that story) which was an excellent read in itself and what it heralds for the future is truly spectacular. This just isn’t for Faust but for several other characters and one of my personal theories about the Paladin was just confounded partially by the author.

Lastly as always with any Craig Schaefer book, characterization is a strength that’s undeniable. The Locust Job is no exception and we get a return of one of my favorite non-POV characters. The story ends on such a stupendous note and if you are like me, then the next book is going to be another must-read which is exactly what he deviously intended (damn you Schaefer).

CONCLUSION: The Locust Job is another five-star read nothing more, nothing less & easily one of 2020's top reads for me. By this point, you either are deeply enamored by Faust and his friends and can’t wait to read all about this world or you haven’t heard about these books (in which case, what the hell is wrong with you? Get started on them ASAP) so you can also join me and the millions (and millions) of Schaefer fans eagerly awaiting his next deviously plotted book.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Locust Job is the ninth and final book in the Daniel Faust series written by Craig Schaefer. It centers on a magician and private investigator named Daniel Faust who lives in Los Vegas.

Daniel Faust is a magician, mobster, and newly-minted knight of hell and has been cast in the role of the eternal Thief. Now the story wrought in mysticism and mystery is dead-set on writing his final chapter – the one that ends with a knife in his back and the curse can’t be broken without tracking down the original Thief.

Faust is slowly finding out how insidious the Story is and how easily the universe bends people's lives to fit the Story's patterns. The biggest draw of this book is that it deals with the Enemy's obsession with Howard Canton and what makes Canton so special. Finally, similar to previous installments, there are plots within plots, which conclude with an outrageous and crazy ending.

The Locust Job is written rather well. As always, the narrative is quick paced that is full of action, with plots within plots, which was concluded rather well. Schaefer's strength is his characterization, which is undeniable. Furthermore, the narrative ends on such a stupendous note and while the conclusion of the series is wonderful, it still leaves the reader wanting more.

Overall, the Daniel Faust series is written rather well. Schaefer has created a wonderful world filled with well-rounded characters that grow as the series moves forward. His world has wonderful hints of magic, noir, and some epic fantasy elements. The series could be read as a series of three trilogies with an overarching storyline that connects them all.

All in all, The Locust Job is written rather well and is a wonderful conclusion to an equally wonderful series.

[Hpstrangelove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Review. Narrator: Adam Verner

The problem with a multi-book series like this one is that if there is too much time between books, I forget what happened. Unfortunately that is what happened with this book. I read book 8 almost three years ago, and even though this book tried to put in 'reminders' as to what happened prior, I simply could not remember key characters' stories. I still enjoyed to book but not as much as if I knew who some of these people were. The opening funeral is for a character that I absolutely do not remember their part in the plot. And I don't feel up to going back to book one and reading all eight again just to refresh my memory. I have too many other books I want to read.

Reading over my review of book 8, one comment I made was that each book seemed a self-contained story. It was clear there would be more to come, but there were no cliff-hangers. Well, this book has a huge cliff-hanger. Book 10 is supposed to be out in a few months, and I am sure I will eventually get to it once the audiobook is available. At this point I wish I would have waiting to listen to the entire series all in one go once it was completed, because my not remembering plot points diminished my full enjoyment of this book.

[Just Jese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man.... this was GOOD

Schaefer has a bad habit of doing slow burns. Typically, as a long time fan, I don’t mind and enjoy the build up. That was not the case here, it felt like ages before I got hooked. Considering my impressions of the previous book felt like we were beating a dead horse and this stuff with the Enemy needed to wrap up ASAP, I put this book down several times and wondered if I should even bother.
I swear it took about 15% -20% in for me to get roped back in and I COULD NOT PUT IT BACK DOWN.
I am totally here for the next book and seeing how this all plays out. Especially if it gives us a break from all this first story nonsense. Seriously, please either wrap it up or just forget about it for he time being.
When we were dealing with Lauren Carmichael (that wrapped up in about 3 books), it had an ultimate end and we got nice B stories in the mix too. We even got a pseudo end to the Network stuff to (kinda), this First Story thing needs to be put on the back burner for now.
I’m totally here for a Caitlin centric story where she saves Daniel, kinda poetic considering how they met... which was mentioned in this same story.

[Vinay Badri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit torn about the rating - might be a 3.5 but going with a 4 with the ending really leaving you wanting to read the next one immediately (goes to Schaefer's website to check the release schedule)

For the most parts, this is a quick book but has a grimness at the core of it - the Sword of Destiny & fate hanging over Faust. And it shows in the interactions that Faust has with his folks and the sense of desperation that drives him on this mission. Those elements are fantastically well done

The book also starts to link with Schaefer's other series - Harmony Black and the Wisdom Grave's series and thats kind of where the problem starts for me. I have read the Harmony Black series and was able to follow the hints but given I hadnt read the other series, I had this feeling throughout that I was missing something critical. That bugged the hell out of me and kind of reduced my enjoyment a bit. Sigh, now to pick up and add the other series to my mount-TBR