What do you think?
Demons, Ink
If you’ve got a job, Jack Nyx can do it. For a price.
But he’s about to find out some things aren't worth the money. When a job he can’t refuse lands in his lap, Jack enlists the help of friend and witch Ivy to track down a missing kid. What he finds instead is just the tip of a dangerous iceberg, and as unseen forces work to make his life hell, he's caught between the demons bound to him, and the devil he doesn't know.
But he’s about to find out some things aren't worth the money. When a job he can’t refuse lands in his lap, Jack enlists the help of friend and witch Ivy to track down a missing kid. What he finds instead is just the tip of a dangerous iceberg, and as unseen forces work to make his life hell, he's caught between the demons bound to him, and the devil he doesn't know.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 9, 2021
3.5/5
It's kinda cool. Jack Nyx has demons bounded to his flesh. He attracts problems. He's hard on the outside but genuinely likable on the inside.
I enjoyed characterization, fast pacing, and character development. I would rate Demons, Ink higher if not for its gonzo humor. I'm not big on snark these days and snark is Jack Nyx's second name.
Well worth a shot anyway.
It's kinda cool. Jack Nyx has demons bounded to his flesh. He attracts problems. He's hard on the outside but genuinely likable on the inside.
I enjoyed characterization, fast pacing, and character development. I would rate Demons, Ink higher if not for its gonzo humor. I'm not big on snark these days and snark is Jack Nyx's second name.
Well worth a shot anyway.
March 5, 2021
Demons, Ink by Clayton Snyder is rabid. It infects with perfected sarcasm and wit. A frenzied thrill ride, the reading high I experienced drove me to finish this book in one evening.
Jack Nyx is bound to demons literally residing within his skin. His boss is a thug. He still lives with his ex, whose soul is trapped in a mason jar. His life is absolutely... flourishing.
"I wanted to say I didn't take jobs without knowing more, but that was bullshit. I'd taken jobs over a bet. I'd taken jobs when asked by a pretty woman, and this one certainly counted. The smarter part of me was ringing warning bells like Quasimodo on amphetamines. I told myself I'd listen. I probably lied."
Jack is not entirely a bad person. He is a person who could easily bash someone's brain in one evening and, minutes later, give a generous tip to his cab driver. I thrived on watching him struggle to do the right thing. Reading about the chaotic life of Jack Nyx had me living my best life.
Jack Nyx is bound to demons literally residing within his skin. His boss is a thug. He still lives with his ex, whose soul is trapped in a mason jar. His life is absolutely... flourishing.
"I wanted to say I didn't take jobs without knowing more, but that was bullshit. I'd taken jobs over a bet. I'd taken jobs when asked by a pretty woman, and this one certainly counted. The smarter part of me was ringing warning bells like Quasimodo on amphetamines. I told myself I'd listen. I probably lied."
Jack is not entirely a bad person. He is a person who could easily bash someone's brain in one evening and, minutes later, give a generous tip to his cab driver. I thrived on watching him struggle to do the right thing. Reading about the chaotic life of Jack Nyx had me living my best life.
May 28, 2021
Well written. Good characterization. Fast pacing. Think a slightly darker, slightly more vulgar version of Harry Dresden and you won't be too far off. This was a fun book. Could have used some more development of the magic and rules dealing with demons, and it ended really fast, but had a good time reading this one.
March 11, 2021
(9.666/10)
Originally I thought "Raymond Chandler and Douglas Adams writing adult adventures of Calvin & Hobbes' Tracer Bullet but with demons and with ink" should cover this, but boy, it does NOT.
Snyder's creativity knows no bounds and I'm not just being nice. This book is urban fantasy, if urban fantasy was also crime noir, if crime noir was also religious (?) fantasy, if religious (?) fantasy was also kind of funny, but not ha ha funny. There is a bit of The Obsidian Psalm and a bit of River of Thieves and a lot, lot of Snyder, because after all it turns out I have no handy comparison. This book doesn't fit into any drawer, it burns the whole desk and the plaster Jesus standing on top (don't ask). And there's sort of bromance, only with a sis instead of a bro.
Basically it's a book I've apparently been waiting for all my life, only nobody told me it was coming. A stunning rush of everything. Oh yeah, I hope you don't like breathing, because you won't get a break for that even when Jack falls asleep. Especially when Jack falls asleep.
Originally I thought "Raymond Chandler and Douglas Adams writing adult adventures of Calvin & Hobbes' Tracer Bullet but with demons and with ink" should cover this, but boy, it does NOT.
Snyder's creativity knows no bounds and I'm not just being nice. This book is urban fantasy, if urban fantasy was also crime noir, if crime noir was also religious (?) fantasy, if religious (?) fantasy was also kind of funny, but not ha ha funny. There is a bit of The Obsidian Psalm and a bit of River of Thieves and a lot, lot of Snyder, because after all it turns out I have no handy comparison. This book doesn't fit into any drawer, it burns the whole desk and the plaster Jesus standing on top (don't ask). And there's sort of bromance, only with a sis instead of a bro.
Basically it's a book I've apparently been waiting for all my life, only nobody told me it was coming. A stunning rush of everything. Oh yeah, I hope you don't like breathing, because you won't get a break for that even when Jack falls asleep. Especially when Jack falls asleep.
May 14, 2020
Cool backdrop, interesting characters and good plot pacing. Not to mention Clayton always finds a way to bring the funny.
I hope to see more in this setting. 👍🏼
I hope to see more in this setting. 👍🏼
July 20, 2021
A fun concussion induced coma.... In a good way
July 16, 2023
A sarcastic, dark and twisted urban fantasy demon-flick. Written like a tv movie or small mini series. Sometimes the writing is a little jumpy and you go from thought/situation to memory and back. Unfortunately some jumps are a bit much and did not make a lot of sense to me. Jumped all over the place and back and i was taken out of the story. Furthermore there are loads of references i did not get and some i got. The humor was fine but sometimes over the top or simply annoying.
Once you get used to it or ignore some, its a sarcastic take on a demon-inhabitated private detective taking the odd jobs and making some enemies along the way (of course) or was there sth else underneath?!🤫😉. Kinda like if Harry Dresden, Constantine, and Spikes had a child .. think you get the mix ?! and somewhere in between is Jack Nyx.
Feverdream meets urban demon fantasy.
Once you get used to it or ignore some, its a sarcastic take on a demon-inhabitated private detective taking the odd jobs and making some enemies along the way (of course) or was there sth else underneath?!🤫😉. Kinda like if Harry Dresden, Constantine, and Spikes had a child .. think you get the mix ?! and somewhere in between is Jack Nyx.
Feverdream meets urban demon fantasy.
February 4, 2023
Fast read that feels like Constantine with a ton of movie references and memes.
January 18, 2026
Нудно
Почалось все дуже схоже на Справи Дрездена, а десь з середини переросло в малозрозумілий і не дуже логічний, нмд, психодел
Почалось все дуже схоже на Справи Дрездена, а десь з середини переросло в малозрозумілий і не дуже логічний, нмд, психодел
August 18, 2021
If you'd like to see this review in video form, check it out here: https://youtu.be/98R9XVJu4EY
Demon’s Ink by Clayton W. Snyder is a Fantasy Noir story that feels a lot like Constantine, except much funnier. Our hero Jack Nyx is a badass with a heart of gold, a delightfully cynical sense of sarcasm, and he’s on a mission to rescue a little girl. Oh and he’s also filled with demons, which is relatively fine because they are bound within him by tattoos. Hence the name Demon’s Ink.
This is a quick and fast-paced read. I mean, it’s only 222 pages, but a lot happens in those 222 pages. One important event leads into the next. Clayton Snyder does a great job of blending action scenes with a couple scenes of horror and other scenes that will hit you emotionally.
Demon’s Ink is hilarious. Clayton Synder has infused his own sense of sarcasm into Jack Nyx. I know. I asked him. You’ll be reading along, just vibing, enjoying the story, then boom. You get hit with a line like this, “The Car slid through traffic like shit through an angry Chihuahua.”
Or you get hit with this, “Like a peanut butter cup, except the peanut butter cup is packed with heroin.” Or this, “Freddy Nine Fingers and Joe who ain’t alive no more.” That has to be a first law reference. It has to be. I have to point out that as hilarious as this story is, it’s never a tone killer. I know everyone hates when there’s a strong emotional moment that gets killed by a fart joke. No. The emotional parts hit here. There’s plenty of jokes, but always at the right moment. Say one thing for Clayton Snyder, say he understands comedic timing.
Demon’s Ink features a wildly creative soft magic system. Glitter bombs. Don’t question it. Just accept it and enjoy. This story features demons and angels and witches and… other things. Multiple other things. Again, it’s only a little over 200 pages. This little story is densely packed with fun.
Clayton Snyder is an underrated writer. I first came across his work in Norylska Groans, which recently became a finalist for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off this year. That made me think, yeah, he can write. Demon’s Ink however, this showed some of his range. The characters he wrote in each story share a lot of similarities, but the tone is totally different.
I’m putting this in the top-tier of Fantasy Noir. It’s just a good time, start to finish.
Demon’s Ink by Clayton W. Snyder is a Fantasy Noir story that feels a lot like Constantine, except much funnier. Our hero Jack Nyx is a badass with a heart of gold, a delightfully cynical sense of sarcasm, and he’s on a mission to rescue a little girl. Oh and he’s also filled with demons, which is relatively fine because they are bound within him by tattoos. Hence the name Demon’s Ink.
This is a quick and fast-paced read. I mean, it’s only 222 pages, but a lot happens in those 222 pages. One important event leads into the next. Clayton Snyder does a great job of blending action scenes with a couple scenes of horror and other scenes that will hit you emotionally.
Demon’s Ink is hilarious. Clayton Synder has infused his own sense of sarcasm into Jack Nyx. I know. I asked him. You’ll be reading along, just vibing, enjoying the story, then boom. You get hit with a line like this, “The Car slid through traffic like shit through an angry Chihuahua.”
Or you get hit with this, “Like a peanut butter cup, except the peanut butter cup is packed with heroin.” Or this, “Freddy Nine Fingers and Joe who ain’t alive no more.” That has to be a first law reference. It has to be. I have to point out that as hilarious as this story is, it’s never a tone killer. I know everyone hates when there’s a strong emotional moment that gets killed by a fart joke. No. The emotional parts hit here. There’s plenty of jokes, but always at the right moment. Say one thing for Clayton Snyder, say he understands comedic timing.
Demon’s Ink features a wildly creative soft magic system. Glitter bombs. Don’t question it. Just accept it and enjoy. This story features demons and angels and witches and… other things. Multiple other things. Again, it’s only a little over 200 pages. This little story is densely packed with fun.
Clayton Snyder is an underrated writer. I first came across his work in Norylska Groans, which recently became a finalist for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off this year. That made me think, yeah, he can write. Demon’s Ink however, this showed some of his range. The characters he wrote in each story share a lot of similarities, but the tone is totally different.
I’m putting this in the top-tier of Fantasy Noir. It’s just a good time, start to finish.
June 22, 2021
Another great book by Clayton Snyder.
I love Snyder's voice. From the minute I picked up "River of Thieves" I knew I was going to have to read everything he wrote.
This book lived up to my expectation. Jack is a great character. A man with a tragic past and more baggage than Delta Airlines. Superficially, he's a private eye, a man who can get things done for hire. The DNA of Chandler and Robert B Parker flow through this story. The voice is pitch perfect detective noir with a splash of magic.
But Jack has more depth. He has demons. Literally, yes, bound to him -- but more importantly, he has figurative demons. Where Marlowe or Spenser were men of iron, who may have been a shade cynical but still shed the blows of the world like a granite cliff, Jack has scars. He's tough, he's principled, but he's human, and that shows. It makes him a much more developed character.
Ivy, Jack's friend, witch, partner in crime and sometime love interest is terrific. The banter is just a joy to read. They feel like old friends with a history and maybe a future. The dialogue never feels forced or contrived.
As you can expect from Snyder, there's plenty of snappy wordplay, pop culture references, gruesome violence and vivid description of things you probably never thought you'd want vividly described.
So why four stars? I hear you cry.
Because the plot is still creaky. There are secondary characters who just don't live up to the potential I had hoped, and the plot itself is more convoluted than it really had to be, even for a mystery.
I still strongly recommend this book. The ride is worth it, every second you spend with Jack and Ivy is worth it.
I love Snyder's voice. From the minute I picked up "River of Thieves" I knew I was going to have to read everything he wrote.
This book lived up to my expectation. Jack is a great character. A man with a tragic past and more baggage than Delta Airlines. Superficially, he's a private eye, a man who can get things done for hire. The DNA of Chandler and Robert B Parker flow through this story. The voice is pitch perfect detective noir with a splash of magic.
But Jack has more depth. He has demons. Literally, yes, bound to him -- but more importantly, he has figurative demons. Where Marlowe or Spenser were men of iron, who may have been a shade cynical but still shed the blows of the world like a granite cliff, Jack has scars. He's tough, he's principled, but he's human, and that shows. It makes him a much more developed character.
Ivy, Jack's friend, witch, partner in crime and sometime love interest is terrific. The banter is just a joy to read. They feel like old friends with a history and maybe a future. The dialogue never feels forced or contrived.
As you can expect from Snyder, there's plenty of snappy wordplay, pop culture references, gruesome violence and vivid description of things you probably never thought you'd want vividly described.
So why four stars? I hear you cry.
Because the plot is still creaky. There are secondary characters who just don't live up to the potential I had hoped, and the plot itself is more convoluted than it really had to be, even for a mystery.
I still strongly recommend this book. The ride is worth it, every second you spend with Jack and Ivy is worth it.
March 6, 2021
The main protagonist of this novel, Jack Nyx, reminds me of the similarly named Jack Nicholson, in his role of Jake Gittes in the movie "Chinatown." The novel itself shares a lot in common with "Chinatown," especially in its display of directorial genius, and in having a noir aesthetic. "Demons, Ink" is louche, a grimdark urban fantasy with sin and cynicism, corruption and corrupt souls, and macabre, sardonic humor. The plot has mysteries to be resolved, double crosses, and surprises. Its pace is breathless, and so are the end states of many characters. There is brutality and gore and vomit. Things get messy. It's all held together by lynchpin prose that is visceral, grimy, gritty, and uncompromising. It is prose you feel. Tactile. Cutaneous. Haptic. Palpable. Full of nicks. Piercing as though from a fletcher. Jack and the other salient protagonist, a witch named Ivy, are an agathokakological Odd Couple. They are surrounded by a farrago of enigmatic, unscrupulous, callous, vicious, and disssembling beings. Devilry abounds. The dialogue is superb, uncanny, and often disturbing in a weirdly pleasant way. The author's imagination, creativity, and world-building leave one gobsmacked and godsmacked. "Demons, Ink" is set in a degrading, sadistic world; as a novel, it's a marquee work. Very highly recommended.
October 10, 2021
A rune under 4 stars for a really enjoyable addition to this year's "October Spooky Book Read-A-Thon"!!
A while after starting Clayton Snyder's "Demon, Ink", my own weird curiousity got the best of me and I googled a phrase that was banging through my noggin. The answer that came first in the pages of information flung my way seemed very apt to this book:
"Fighting your Inner Demons (the caps were their's, not mine): Stop avoiding them. Stop fighting them. Instead, learn to make peace with your demons."
Well, I'm not sure our protagonist, Jack exactly makes peace with his demons - or any demons for that matter - but he sure knows how to get himself in a sh*tload of trouble! ESPECIALLY with demons. Or are they technically demons if they come from....? OK, no spoilers.
This is a fun book! Not what I'd think would be considered grimdark - you know that new hip label that's floating around out there for everything that seems to be "urban fantasy" mixed with scenes out of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Apocalypse Now". But "Demons, Ink" (knote the 'k' there kids!) goes beyond the obvious detective noir slant for sure. Or perhaps better said, it may start out that way but dang that sure does change after a while!
Perhaps this is an aside, but you might recognize CWS's name if you follow my reviews (doesn't everyone?). He is one-half of the dynamic duo - along with Michael R. Fletcher - that brought us one of my favorite reads of this year, namely, "Norylska Groans". That book was not only amazing but is also right now far in the lead for "most haunting but not in a booo eeek we're ghosts kind of way book of the year"! A long title yes, but you have to admit it would look pretty awesome on a trophy!
Getting back to this book, Snyder does a fine job of keeping us informed about what's happening in what appear to be a number of realms - and what the hell is causing a lot of those situations that wind up being a total mindf*ck by the end of things. And he does this without interupting the crux or especially the flow of the story, which as you'll see, must have been a challenge! We're able to keep track of how our private eye fellow is hoping to try and save a little girl... and recover a missing demon... and also get revenge on an ex-lover who killed his adopted dad, noting said ex is a disembodied spirit IN A JAR for part of the book ... oh and there's another ex doing a lot of bad stuff, too ... and he ALSO has to save the entire Universe along the way. No worries.
And of course while all of this is going on, we're seeing the REALLY spooky nightmares our buddy suffers from that make us wonder just how he doesn't have even more demons couped up inside him, either from this life or whichever one he happens to be remembering (I'm not sure it technically counts as different lives, but there's a whole lot of Quantum Leap stuff going on in here)! But don't get me started on that. Or how a lot of this book turns into something that would even scare the crap out of John Constantine! Needless to say, once you find out folks INVITE these things into them, well, all kinds of gooey stuff starts hitting the fan, both literally and philosophically!
I will say that I particularly loved the beginning of this book and how CS gets things rolling. No messing around, a couple of fists flying, into the fantasy bits from the get-go and boom, by a single-digit number of pages, the story had me locked in… even if AGAIN, all of it winds up being like nothing I expected from its auspicious beginning! And yeah, sure, I wish I had started a score-card at the beginning to keep track of demon names, special "guests" and everyone's powers, because by the end, I felt more than a tad bit overwhelmed! That'll teach me to avoid Sunday school and Latin lessons!
Oh and before I forget: Ivy is a very VERY cool and funny character who just happens to be witch. I'm very glad Snyder let us see her powers AND personality in action throughout! I'm not usually too comfortable with the general definition of any creature called a "witch" (are they he's/she's, are they born that way and/or trained, whose side are they really on, etc.?) but she's fantastic!
As to some of the bad guys (things, whatever), well, let's just say you won't shed too many tears when you see what happens to them along the way. From demonic Russian bears to weird things with pokey sharp bits, there's some really weird things throughout. IMPORTANT (and with apologies to The Incredible Hulk): please don't make Jack's demons angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry. But damn, Snyder does like to abuse his characters, if you consider not being permanently splatted as abusive. No, poor Jack gets just about every bit of crap kicked out of, um, himself (not to mention how many MANY times the poor guy has to blow chunks or essentially pass out, both from pain) as it seems possible for someone still technically breathing! Lots and lots of nasty critters and people just seem to enjoy hurting him far too much! It's a job though...
If I could change anything - besides my obvious selfishness at wishing the book had been a few (hundred) pages longer - it would be pushing a few details to the front of the book. Snyder's style definitely requires that you have patience, keep reading and have a little more patience along the way. But you'll find out the things you're wondering about soon enough or at the latest by the end of the book (I promise!). Oh and if I wanted to be really anal (I am), then I also wish we could clean up the relatively minor but still noticeable editing issues. Look, we're talking about MY demons now, ok?
All kidding aside, this book is a good balance of urban fantasy with some outright creepy parts thrown in for good measure (or taste, your call)! Bottom line is: read it, you'll like it! And you'll never look at another church the same way again!
A while after starting Clayton Snyder's "Demon, Ink", my own weird curiousity got the best of me and I googled a phrase that was banging through my noggin. The answer that came first in the pages of information flung my way seemed very apt to this book:
"Fighting your Inner Demons (the caps were their's, not mine): Stop avoiding them. Stop fighting them. Instead, learn to make peace with your demons."
Well, I'm not sure our protagonist, Jack exactly makes peace with his demons - or any demons for that matter - but he sure knows how to get himself in a sh*tload of trouble! ESPECIALLY with demons. Or are they technically demons if they come from....? OK, no spoilers.
This is a fun book! Not what I'd think would be considered grimdark - you know that new hip label that's floating around out there for everything that seems to be "urban fantasy" mixed with scenes out of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Apocalypse Now". But "Demons, Ink" (knote the 'k' there kids!) goes beyond the obvious detective noir slant for sure. Or perhaps better said, it may start out that way but dang that sure does change after a while!
Perhaps this is an aside, but you might recognize CWS's name if you follow my reviews (doesn't everyone?). He is one-half of the dynamic duo - along with Michael R. Fletcher - that brought us one of my favorite reads of this year, namely, "Norylska Groans". That book was not only amazing but is also right now far in the lead for "most haunting but not in a booo eeek we're ghosts kind of way book of the year"! A long title yes, but you have to admit it would look pretty awesome on a trophy!
Getting back to this book, Snyder does a fine job of keeping us informed about what's happening in what appear to be a number of realms - and what the hell is causing a lot of those situations that wind up being a total mindf*ck by the end of things. And he does this without interupting the crux or especially the flow of the story, which as you'll see, must have been a challenge! We're able to keep track of how our private eye fellow is hoping to try and save a little girl... and recover a missing demon... and also get revenge on an ex-lover who killed his adopted dad, noting said ex is a disembodied spirit IN A JAR for part of the book ... oh and there's another ex doing a lot of bad stuff, too ... and he ALSO has to save the entire Universe along the way. No worries.
And of course while all of this is going on, we're seeing the REALLY spooky nightmares our buddy suffers from that make us wonder just how he doesn't have even more demons couped up inside him, either from this life or whichever one he happens to be remembering (I'm not sure it technically counts as different lives, but there's a whole lot of Quantum Leap stuff going on in here)! But don't get me started on that. Or how a lot of this book turns into something that would even scare the crap out of John Constantine! Needless to say, once you find out folks INVITE these things into them, well, all kinds of gooey stuff starts hitting the fan, both literally and philosophically!
I will say that I particularly loved the beginning of this book and how CS gets things rolling. No messing around, a couple of fists flying, into the fantasy bits from the get-go and boom, by a single-digit number of pages, the story had me locked in… even if AGAIN, all of it winds up being like nothing I expected from its auspicious beginning! And yeah, sure, I wish I had started a score-card at the beginning to keep track of demon names, special "guests" and everyone's powers, because by the end, I felt more than a tad bit overwhelmed! That'll teach me to avoid Sunday school and Latin lessons!
Oh and before I forget: Ivy is a very VERY cool and funny character who just happens to be witch. I'm very glad Snyder let us see her powers AND personality in action throughout! I'm not usually too comfortable with the general definition of any creature called a "witch" (are they he's/she's, are they born that way and/or trained, whose side are they really on, etc.?) but she's fantastic!
As to some of the bad guys (things, whatever), well, let's just say you won't shed too many tears when you see what happens to them along the way. From demonic Russian bears to weird things with pokey sharp bits, there's some really weird things throughout. IMPORTANT (and with apologies to The Incredible Hulk): please don't make Jack's demons angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry. But damn, Snyder does like to abuse his characters, if you consider not being permanently splatted as abusive. No, poor Jack gets just about every bit of crap kicked out of, um, himself (not to mention how many MANY times the poor guy has to blow chunks or essentially pass out, both from pain) as it seems possible for someone still technically breathing! Lots and lots of nasty critters and people just seem to enjoy hurting him far too much! It's a job though...
If I could change anything - besides my obvious selfishness at wishing the book had been a few (hundred) pages longer - it would be pushing a few details to the front of the book. Snyder's style definitely requires that you have patience, keep reading and have a little more patience along the way. But you'll find out the things you're wondering about soon enough or at the latest by the end of the book (I promise!). Oh and if I wanted to be really anal (I am), then I also wish we could clean up the relatively minor but still noticeable editing issues. Look, we're talking about MY demons now, ok?
All kidding aside, this book is a good balance of urban fantasy with some outright creepy parts thrown in for good measure (or taste, your call)! Bottom line is: read it, you'll like it! And you'll never look at another church the same way again!
June 23, 2024
Why I picked this up: I’m a fan of Clayton’s work (River of Thieves, Blackthorne, etc.) I plan on reading more.
Genre: Dark fantasy. Contemporary.
Tone: Chaotic, dark, absurd humour. It doesn’t have the typical urban fantasy vibe.
Plot: Demon-infested fixer gets hired to save a kid. Things get crazy.
Pacing: The book moves at a break-neck speed, which is great; but sometimes I got a little lost. It’s a tight story with a lot happening; I needed more context to remember certain characters instead of a simple name-drop.
Prose: 1st person POV. Lean writing, modern voice, easy to read. Clayton is a master at writing dialogue. I’m not a fan of pop culture references; I’m not from North America, so I don’t get most of it. I love the humour; it’s weird, dark, and crude. Lots of swearing. Clayton has a style, and I’m here for it.
World: Demons exist, and the people they inhabit gain powers and impulses. Suppression tattoos, arcane spells, demon churches, witches, angels, and a lot of weirdness.
Characters: The MC has issues; lots of flash-backs to an abusive upbringing, demonic impulses, and the dude has the soul of his ex-BF imprisoned in a jar inside his apartment. Lots of engaging dialogue with his witch friend.
Conflict: Lots of action. Lots of bizarre, gory action. And a “WTF is going on?” kind of mystery.
Overall enjoyment: Great. When I finished, I had to sit back and digest WTF I just read. It sunk in, it made sense. But holy sh*t, what a ride.
Genre: Dark fantasy. Contemporary.
Tone: Chaotic, dark, absurd humour. It doesn’t have the typical urban fantasy vibe.
Plot: Demon-infested fixer gets hired to save a kid. Things get crazy.
Pacing: The book moves at a break-neck speed, which is great; but sometimes I got a little lost. It’s a tight story with a lot happening; I needed more context to remember certain characters instead of a simple name-drop.
Prose: 1st person POV. Lean writing, modern voice, easy to read. Clayton is a master at writing dialogue. I’m not a fan of pop culture references; I’m not from North America, so I don’t get most of it. I love the humour; it’s weird, dark, and crude. Lots of swearing. Clayton has a style, and I’m here for it.
World: Demons exist, and the people they inhabit gain powers and impulses. Suppression tattoos, arcane spells, demon churches, witches, angels, and a lot of weirdness.
Characters: The MC has issues; lots of flash-backs to an abusive upbringing, demonic impulses, and the dude has the soul of his ex-BF imprisoned in a jar inside his apartment. Lots of engaging dialogue with his witch friend.
Conflict: Lots of action. Lots of bizarre, gory action. And a “WTF is going on?” kind of mystery.
Overall enjoyment: Great. When I finished, I had to sit back and digest WTF I just read. It sunk in, it made sense. But holy sh*t, what a ride.
July 27, 2021
There are many things I'd like to address about this book that made me not like it. One star is generous.
First of all, the characters. I did not care about them in the least. The main character, Jack, gets his ass handed to him many times by different people (and entities). It's gotten to the point that it's ridiculous. I did not feel necessarily bad or remorseful to him because I knew he'll be back on his feet in the next chapter. And that was one thing that kept happening throughout the story: Jack would get into a fight, get sliced up, then wake up in someone's bed covered in bandages. It got to the point that it didn't matter what or who he was fighting because he always would survive. There are no stakes, the character motivations are questionable at best, and I could rant on. But I won't. The story is a mess.
One good thing, a redeeming factor, in this book were the demons. The idea that you could tattoo a demon and bind him to your body is cool. It's a good concept but it didn't play out well.
I don't recommend this book.
First of all, the characters. I did not care about them in the least. The main character, Jack, gets his ass handed to him many times by different people (and entities). It's gotten to the point that it's ridiculous. I did not feel necessarily bad or remorseful to him because I knew he'll be back on his feet in the next chapter. And that was one thing that kept happening throughout the story: Jack would get into a fight, get sliced up, then wake up in someone's bed covered in bandages. It got to the point that it didn't matter what or who he was fighting because he always would survive. There are no stakes, the character motivations are questionable at best, and I could rant on. But I won't. The story is a mess.
One good thing, a redeeming factor, in this book were the demons. The idea that you could tattoo a demon and bind him to your body is cool. It's a good concept but it didn't play out well.
I don't recommend this book.
October 31, 2021
Demons, Ink is a hell of a book. You can take that pun as intended or not. We follow down-on-his-luck Private Eye Jack Nyx as he is drawn through a deadly case involving heaven and hell, as well as the demons that have been tattooed into his body. Along with a street-smart witch, they uncover a conspiracy of angels and demons that involve Nyx’s ex-lover and former mentor that has implications for existence as we know it.
The book reads like a well-written, breakneck mash-up of The Dresden Files, John Wick, Lucifer (both the show and the comic, somehow), Hap and Leonard, and American Gods. If that sounds like a lot, it actually kind of is. I felt the book struggle under the weight of all the various concepts being thrown around, which wasn’t helped by its rapid pace. The book is in a rush to get from one action set piece to another, nearly all of which end with Jack Nyx getting knocked the hell out, and then recovering in a second location. On the whole, the speed causes several interesting concepts to feel like they are glossed over, or like they pop in and out as needed (or sometimes not needed). Additionally, a few characters feel like afterthoughts, as well as the entire background world outside of angels and demons. There is a lot going on in this book, to the point that it has expectations of the reader like a sequel or third installment of a series would. It does not hold your hand as it goes quickly through concepts and backstory that it expects should be old hat to you by now, and I found it difficult to keep up at times. If the narrative pulled back on introducing concepts and instead spent more of its time fleshing out others while sacrificing some of its speed, it would certainly be in a better place.
I’ve heard that Snyder is also known for his humor and, though this is my first read of his, I went in expecting it. Immediately upon starting the book, the narrative tone and voice struck me as brilliant and witty, mashing up typical noir self-narration with dark, sharp wit. However, this doesn’t necessarily continue through the remainder. There are certain asides that feel forced, especially given the grimdark nature of things. And jokey dialogue between character seems out of place, or just pop culture references for their own sake, which took me out of the story a lot of the time. I have no problem with pop culture references (believe me), but I wish these had been integrated better rather than feeling shoehorned in.
Yeah, maybe that’s a lot of gripes I had with Demons, Ink. But that’s only because the story is so intricate and brutal, and the voice and prose so deftly written, I wanted to see it play out in pitch perfection in all aspects. Snyder is a talented writer, no doubt, and if you’re looking for a grimdark fantasy mystery, this is definitely one to pick up. Just be sure to take a deep breath, pay attention to all the clues, and hang on for the ride. 7/10
The book reads like a well-written, breakneck mash-up of The Dresden Files, John Wick, Lucifer (both the show and the comic, somehow), Hap and Leonard, and American Gods. If that sounds like a lot, it actually kind of is. I felt the book struggle under the weight of all the various concepts being thrown around, which wasn’t helped by its rapid pace. The book is in a rush to get from one action set piece to another, nearly all of which end with Jack Nyx getting knocked the hell out, and then recovering in a second location. On the whole, the speed causes several interesting concepts to feel like they are glossed over, or like they pop in and out as needed (or sometimes not needed). Additionally, a few characters feel like afterthoughts, as well as the entire background world outside of angels and demons. There is a lot going on in this book, to the point that it has expectations of the reader like a sequel or third installment of a series would. It does not hold your hand as it goes quickly through concepts and backstory that it expects should be old hat to you by now, and I found it difficult to keep up at times. If the narrative pulled back on introducing concepts and instead spent more of its time fleshing out others while sacrificing some of its speed, it would certainly be in a better place.
I’ve heard that Snyder is also known for his humor and, though this is my first read of his, I went in expecting it. Immediately upon starting the book, the narrative tone and voice struck me as brilliant and witty, mashing up typical noir self-narration with dark, sharp wit. However, this doesn’t necessarily continue through the remainder. There are certain asides that feel forced, especially given the grimdark nature of things. And jokey dialogue between character seems out of place, or just pop culture references for their own sake, which took me out of the story a lot of the time. I have no problem with pop culture references (believe me), but I wish these had been integrated better rather than feeling shoehorned in.
Yeah, maybe that’s a lot of gripes I had with Demons, Ink. But that’s only because the story is so intricate and brutal, and the voice and prose so deftly written, I wanted to see it play out in pitch perfection in all aspects. Snyder is a talented writer, no doubt, and if you’re looking for a grimdark fantasy mystery, this is definitely one to pick up. Just be sure to take a deep breath, pay attention to all the clues, and hang on for the ride. 7/10
August 11, 2021
The elevator pitch is grimdark Supernatural (the TV show).
The good
The world is very interesting and the two leads have good chemistry.
The bad
I have no idea what happened. To understand what is going on you'd need to know more about the lore of the world and about the characters' pasts and the reader doesn't know. While I do appreciate the subtle worldbuilding and hinting at things instead of dull exposition, the fact is that the only thing the reader gets is the bare minimum to follow along the story, but even at the end a lot isn't clear. There were flashbacks, but rather than them being related to the main plot, they were just there for character development. If the author was going to be stingy with information, he could've at least gotten his priorities straight and given us useful flashbacks.
Beyond that, most of the book follows the formula: Jack gets a lead (that the reader can't understand), goes to place, gets beat up, goes unconscious, flashback/nightmare, wakes up to Ivy healing him, repeat. Seriously, that happens some 4 or 5 times.
Conclusion
If this was a series, I'd enjoy reading about the main characters' adventures. It would be pretty simple to have each book a new story and doing that would gradually reveal more about the world and the backstories, which would make even previous books more enjoyable. But it seems this is a standalone book, so no luck there.
This feels like turning on the TV and watching a movie from 40 mins onward. You kind of get what is going on, but lack the foundation to get truly invested in the story and characters.
Content Warning: Strong language; graphical violence; explicit sex scenes (all but one of those are the very definition of gratuitous, seeing as they happen at 90% of the book in a random flashback and have no impact whatsoever to the plot or characters).
The good
The world is very interesting and the two leads have good chemistry.
The bad
I have no idea what happened. To understand what is going on you'd need to know more about the lore of the world and about the characters' pasts and the reader doesn't know. While I do appreciate the subtle worldbuilding and hinting at things instead of dull exposition, the fact is that the only thing the reader gets is the bare minimum to follow along the story, but even at the end a lot isn't clear. There were flashbacks, but rather than them being related to the main plot, they were just there for character development. If the author was going to be stingy with information, he could've at least gotten his priorities straight and given us useful flashbacks.
Beyond that, most of the book follows the formula: Jack gets a lead (that the reader can't understand), goes to place, gets beat up, goes unconscious, flashback/nightmare, wakes up to Ivy healing him, repeat. Seriously, that happens some 4 or 5 times.
Conclusion
If this was a series, I'd enjoy reading about the main characters' adventures. It would be pretty simple to have each book a new story and doing that would gradually reveal more about the world and the backstories, which would make even previous books more enjoyable. But it seems this is a standalone book, so no luck there.
This feels like turning on the TV and watching a movie from 40 mins onward. You kind of get what is going on, but lack the foundation to get truly invested in the story and characters.
Content Warning: Strong language; graphical violence; explicit sex scenes (all but one of those are the very definition of gratuitous, seeing as they happen at 90% of the book in a random flashback and have no impact whatsoever to the plot or characters).
July 22, 2021
A must read for anyone who loves humor, face pace, character driven books. This was such a fun read. Jack Nyx was one hell of a MC.Demons Ink is a mix of Constantine/ Deadpool . There is a hint of Night Shift in there so it’s a worthy addition to your TBR
June 16, 2021
Jack and Ivy are the love story this world needs. A demon riddled hitman and a high-class witch coming together to face down catastrophe in the big city.
August 4, 2021
Wow.
Just amazing. Loved the world, magic systems and the excellent characters. Really want more stories about this world. Just amazing
Just amazing. Loved the world, magic systems and the excellent characters. Really want more stories about this world. Just amazing
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