Exile

The Flotsam Series #1

by Peter M. Ball

Keith’s been in exile for sixteen years.

Today, he’s going home.

When a botched hit leaves Keith Murphy on the run with a necromancer’s soul trapped in a bullet, he makes a beeline for the one city where it’s impossible to track him using magic. Problem is, the Gold Coast is ruled by a demon whose been nursing a grudge ever since Keith crossed him, and the old friends and allies he counted on helping are none-to-pleased to see Keith home.

Keith’s got to lie low and avoid trouble, but that’s easier said than done. His ex-boss wants to press Keith into service as a hitman, his ex-girlfriend is looking for answers regarding his disappearance all those years ago, and his best friend’s offer of help is tainted by a turn to the dark side in Keith’s absence.

Then, of course, there’s the apocalyptic cult desperate to recover the leader’s spirit and the death curse that just might wipe out everything if Keith can’t find a way to stop it.

Good thing Keith’s guns are loaded, and he’s got a whole lot of practice killing the things that go bump in the night. All he’s got to do is hold on and stay hidden until the heat dies down, and everything will be just fine…

A fast-paced Australian urban fantasy thriller full of magic, demons, betrayal, and deals with the devil. If you ever wanted a little John Constantine blended in with your John Wick, you’re going to love Keith Murphy.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2014

Reviews

[Patrick O'Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A punchy, fast-paced supernatural urban fantasy/supernatural thriller, short on unnecessary exposition and long on action and movement. The thing that really sets it apart for me, as a former Queenslander, is the Gold Coast setting - it made the story feel both local and foreign, like something familiar you nonetheless want to hold at arm's length. (Which is kind of how I feel about the Gold Coast in general.)

There's a slightly higher-than-I-would-expect number of typos, and I wished the novella had had a little more room to breathe at the climax, but those are minor issues with an otherwise compelling, pulpy read. Really looking forward to the rest of this trilogy.

[Alan Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent noir yarn with well interwoven demonic and supernatural aspects. Really good worldbuilding and I'm keen to read the next one. Really disappointing number of typos and editorial errors were a problem, but that's the fault of the publisher not the author. Highly recommended.

[Sean Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Murphy is running to a city filled with demons. What's following him is worse.

Exile is a fast-paced, urban fantasy thriller set on Australia's Gold Coast, with a heavy noir influence. Keith Murphy is on the run, having upset a powerful cult. He's heading back to the demon-infested Gold Coast, where the demons know him only too well.

I bought the full novella as soon as I finished the sample and then had trouble putting it down. It grabs you from the start and relentlessly pulls you through this tale of demons, sorcerers, cultists and ghosts from Murphy's past.

I grew up on the Gold Coast. It was a funny thing to see familiar locations filled with urban fantasy shadows.

If you like noir heroes, scheming demons and lots of shifty characters, give Exile a try.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 5 out of 5]

NB: free copy received in exchange for an honest review

Exile was originally published in 2014. I read and enjoyed it then and have recommended it to people on several occasions.

The rights recently reverted to the author, and he's taken the opportunity to revise the text, tightening things up, stamping out over-used phrases, and creating a sleeker, smoother reading experience.

This is a thoroughly entertaining noir-flavoured urban fantasy, where our hard-bitten but basically honourable protagonist tries to stay one step ahead of a multitude of past mistakes (while making a few more along the way). I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the other Keith Murphy books get their own facelift and re-release.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exile, by Peter M. Ball, is an exciting, action-packed, Urban Fantasy that takes you into a dark world that sits beside our own. You follow Keith Murphy after a job goes bad. He returns home to the Gold Coast in Australia hoping he can convince his old enemies to keep him safe. Keith must face monsters, betrayal and the unknown to unravel the tangled mess he's found himself in.

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I greatly enjoyed Exile. I found it a fast paced read that always kept the tension going. Peter M. Ball brought interesting ideas together in a non-typical setting. If you are looking for an urban fantasy that keeps you at the edge, give it a try. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Unlike many urban fantasy characters, Keith Murphy has to rely on his wits and determination as he's not a part of the super powered sect of UF heroes. The only power he has is the ability to see what's really going on around him. Unlike most people, he can see the creatures and monsters that go bump in the night.

Peter also brings us to an unusual location in Exile by setting this in the Gold Coast, Australia. It's an unusual setting; however, Peter excels in describing not only the features of the city but the underlying attitude of the area. From peaceful pockets to crowded streets, he tantalizes us with details.

So if you are looking for a unique setting, a tough (but likable) character, then check out Exile.

[Daniel Wynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 'Exile' as part of the Flotsam Trilogy, which features all three novellas in the series collected in one book. I was really impressed. As a former Gold Coast resident, I enjoyed the supernatural spin that Ball put on some very familiar locations (it's clear that he knows the Coast well, as every location is used in a fitting and clever way). The characters were well-developed and memorable, the story hooked me right in and the dialogue was a joy to read. The only thing I disliked was the number of typos I came across, as other reviewers here have pointed out. I'm just about to begin 'Frost', and I'm looking forward to seeing what trouble Keith Murphy gets into next.

[Dave Versace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant noir urban fantasy that exploits the brassy grime of its Gold Coast setting to great effect. Exile creates an enticing sense of the weary glamour of the Coast, and an even better sense of why you'd never want to live there - and that's without all the demons, organised crime and sordid conjurations laid across it.

A very quick read - it's novella length - that left me hungry for sequels.