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The Hexecutioner #4
The Devil's Apprentice
An axe-wielding murderer is stalking hikers in Southern California. The Headhunter is no ordinary psychopath but a calculating monster in control of a powerful black magic weapon—a cursed medieval ax that can sever heads and keep them alive. Little does the fiend realize that a certain supernatural avenger will soon be coming for his own head.
In the real world, he is Special Agent Jaxon Weylock, FBI profiler of human monsters. But in the shadow world where supernatural beasts prey on the innocent, he is the Hexecutioner, punisher of otherworldly evil.
Versed in the dark arts, master of magic and occult ritual, Weylock hunts—and executes—the monsters that haunt humanity’s nightmares.
In the real world, he is Special Agent Jaxon Weylock, FBI profiler of human monsters. But in the shadow world where supernatural beasts prey on the innocent, he is the Hexecutioner, punisher of otherworldly evil.
Versed in the dark arts, master of magic and occult ritual, Weylock hunts—and executes—the monsters that haunt humanity’s nightmares.
87 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2020
115 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 17, 2020
Best short book so far!
The Devil's Apprentice by William Massa is book 4 in the series and I think the best so far. There is someone cutting off women's heads with a magical ax that keeps the head alive while the body dies. The Hexecutioner is out to get revenge for the dead!
The Devil's Apprentice by William Massa is book 4 in the series and I think the best so far. There is someone cutting off women's heads with a magical ax that keeps the head alive while the body dies. The Hexecutioner is out to get revenge for the dead!
April 20, 2021
Another great action packed read!
A small backstory:
Jaxon is back with tracking down another baddie (the Headhunter) that likes to collect heads, but what has Jaxon bewildered is that he is seeing visions of the heads being....alive! Jaxon makes tracks toward the headhunter as he wants to deliver swift justice to him and bring him down before the man can kill anyone else.
Thoughts:
This story was just as quick paced as the other books in the series along with showing off the powers of Jaxon and his counterpart demon. As always there is supernatural elements in play with this series along with kickass action as Jaxon takes out the bad guys. Giving this book five
"Horrific Headhunter" stars!
A small backstory:
Jaxon is back with tracking down another baddie (the Headhunter) that likes to collect heads, but what has Jaxon bewildered is that he is seeing visions of the heads being....alive! Jaxon makes tracks toward the headhunter as he wants to deliver swift justice to him and bring him down before the man can kill anyone else.
Thoughts:
This story was just as quick paced as the other books in the series along with showing off the powers of Jaxon and his counterpart demon. As always there is supernatural elements in play with this series along with kickass action as Jaxon takes out the bad guys. Giving this book five
"Horrific Headhunter" stars!
April 19, 2021
Review Horror! Collected Heads Provide Last Judgment Upon Sorcerous Scribe: "Muses! I wanted muses to inspire my writing! Not critics, and geez, they all gave me one headless star. Now, I'm really down in the dumps about it and probably will be for all of eternity." - Hell's Own Herald
Don't just suspend your disbelief, set it on fire and throw it off the top of a tall building...
The authorial chutzpah of this story had me smiling and chuckling. I won't go into details as it will spoil the fun.
Just go out and read it.
Strongly Recommended. 5 'Beware the Cursed Axe,' stars.
Don't just suspend your disbelief, set it on fire and throw it off the top of a tall building...
The authorial chutzpah of this story had me smiling and chuckling. I won't go into details as it will spoil the fun.
Just go out and read it.
Strongly Recommended. 5 'Beware the Cursed Axe,' stars.
July 15, 2020
Yay the new one is out. The Hexecutioner is an addictive read.
I loved this tale, the contrasts brought; of madness, the real world, magic as well as dark and light. It really gripped me, the imagery stark and well thought through. I couldn’t put it down except to marvel at the deranged mind of the killer. I only have one question, what happened to the axe this time? It is going to bug me.
I loved this tale, the contrasts brought; of madness, the real world, magic as well as dark and light. It really gripped me, the imagery stark and well thought through. I couldn’t put it down except to marvel at the deranged mind of the killer. I only have one question, what happened to the axe this time? It is going to bug me.
July 29, 2020
The Devil's Apprentice 4.7 stars loved the Headhunter gets his!
I enjoy these short stories that are easy to read and satisfying endings.
The cruelty of the Headhunter was the worst so far, but that makes the ending all the more satisfying for all seven women and the reader. Looking forward to the next Hexecutioner story!
I enjoy these short stories that are easy to read and satisfying endings.
The cruelty of the Headhunter was the worst so far, but that makes the ending all the more satisfying for all seven women and the reader. Looking forward to the next Hexecutioner story!
July 29, 2020
Another haunting and bizarre tale of ultimate revenge for victims of horrendous crimes. I have to do a self check to make sure my own soul isn’t in danger for enjoying this series! ( chanting...this is fiction, fiction, fiction). This time, an ancient artifact is involved. A great series for consuming in between daily routines. All my reviews are always voluntarily written.
December 11, 2023
The Hexecutionist is onto his next case, supernatural beasts and demons will fear him.
July 15, 2020
Fantastic
This is a great read from beginning to end. The former F.B.I. agent turned avenging supernatural hunter keeps the action fast and the pages turning. If 6 stars were possible that's what I would give it
This is a great read from beginning to end. The former F.B.I. agent turned avenging supernatural hunter keeps the action fast and the pages turning. If 6 stars were possible that's what I would give it
July 29, 2020
Intense with the crimes and the stalking. Love to see how they get punished.
July 20, 2020
Fun read, well written.
November 1, 2020
“THE DEMON DOESN’T POSSESS THE HEXECUTIONER; THE HEXECUTIONER POSSESSES THE DEMON.”
(Cue the chills!)
THE HEXECUTIONER
BOOKS 1 THROUGH 9
IN GENERAL, THE ENTIRE SERIES, TO DATE
BY WILLIAM MASSA
28 OCT 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
👍👍👍👍👍
——————————
I’ll let you know, right up front, this review is long.
I’m not known for my short reviews.
However, I have found with many longer reviews, it is easier to just HIGHLIGHT THE ENTIRE REVIEW and then tap “SPEAK” in the options that present themselves.
It is, however, advisable to read along with the narrator — sometimes they have a hard time interpreting punctuation, and the like. (IE: quotation marks, dashes etc.) Thus, it can make for some interesting listening, if you don’t follow the actual wording. Also, I’ll apologize up front also, if I made too many egregious mistakes. I was “one-finger hunting and pecking” on an itty bitty iPhone and this, like I just mentioned above, is a very long review — I did have nine books to cover, after all. 😅
——————————
Alright, so to begin with, I waited until I read the entire series of books (one through nine) to right a review.
Book ten is on “pre-order,” as I write.
I was too entranced, as I was reading, to stop and write a review at the end of each individual book.
Plus, I read every single book, in one night.
Not only was this a brutal, no nonsense series of right revenging wrong, it was a revelation in writing, for me.
It didn’t mess around with all the extra (and sometimes boring) details that are really, so many times very unnecessary, that many authors tend to throw into their stories.
We get the straight scoop from start to finish.
My favorite was the book four . . nice ending.
AND HIGHEST ON MY LIST OF PRAISES?
The express fact that William Massa did not feel the need to throw in the obligatory love interest, or sex scene, that absolutely has no place in this series. There was absolutely nothing at all like it — not even close.
He got that point across loud and clear in the very first book in this series.
I picked up on that tidbit of information — it gave me hope.
So, I kept reading and he stuck with that throughout all nine books.
There’s no distraction from the storyline — an ex-FBI agent, possessing/controlling a demonic creature and forcing it’s evil nature to work for the good that he still possesses it his own nature, consuming the evil he went after as an FBI agent, in his former life.
Only this time around, he’s fighting an evil he never even knew existed, in this earthly world, (hint: earthly) until his very last case as that agent of the FBI.
“The demon doesn’t possess the Hexecutioner; the Hexecutioner possesses the demon.”
Sadly, the Hexecutioner’s righting of wrong ONLY comes after a number of people have already died at the hand of just one truly evil incarnate person.
It’s when there is enough carnage wrought, to determine this is truly an evil of a “DIFFERENT“ nature, the (now, numerous) dead’s cries for justice activate the Hexecutioner’s book of the dead — The Necrodex.
Fitting name — BOOK OF THE DEAD.
The Necrodex alerts the Hexecutioner.
When the Necrodex activates it’s for one reason, and one reason only — the dead demand justice.
And justice is what the Hexecutioner is all about.
There is only one true Hexecutioner born once every generation.
This generation?
It’s a renowned FBI profiler, Special Agent Jaxon Weylock.
The bureau’s leading expert on violent crime.
Ex-FBI agent, now.
Still, he carries his Glock, right along side his Necrodex.
Sometimes there is still one innocent life left to save.
Sometimes there is not.
But, in the end, it’s all about stopping this particular evil incarnate that his book of the dead brought to his attention.
You may ask . . . “How can he keep this demon inside of him under control?”
Simple. And, yet, not so simple.
It’s a constant power struggle.
This demon gets to feed his own lust, by devouring the evil wielder who is the source of all those souls who have activated the book of the dead, calling for justice.
As the demon gets to devour this book’s particular evil, the Hexecutioner sets the souls he’s terrorized to rest.
Sometimes they were killed just for the fun of it.
Sometimes there’s a deeper, much more disturbing reason.
Mostly, it’s just for the evil-doer’s greed and/or lust for power.
Either way, the Hexecutioner frees them, from whatever TERROR their CAPTURED SOULS have been encased, or trapped within, frees them from having to perform evil acts on behalf of this particular evil-doer.
The possibilities for using these trapped terrified souls are endless.
In the end, it’s JUSTICE for the ex-FBI/Hexecutioner.
And, tidbits of FOOD for the evil demon he controls.
Tidbits given to him, specifically, to KEEP HIM UNDER HIS CONTROL.
You’ve, got to give him something, you know.
It’s hard enough to control the demon inside him, so he can wield his black-magic for good instead of evil, without allowing him a small reward for his submission.
There’s a balance to all of it.
The demon gets to absorb a very tiny, minute bit of the evil he craves.
While, in exchange, the Hexecutioner gets to use the demon’s abilities for good instead of evil.
“The demon doesn’t possess the Hexecutioner; the Hexecutioner possesses the demon.”
I’ve been craving what WILLIAM MASSA is authoring here for a very long time.
I’ve praised other authors for their brutal, no sugar coating, no nonsense, non-apologetic way in portraying a character and/or a storyline.
Their no nonsense approach to get straight to the point and straight to a solution where it’s needed.
No matter how it gets done.
No apologies offered.
No apologies needed.
None for the characters.
None for their actions.
Especially no regret, or second thoughts, from any of the actors involved.
Got to do it.
Get it done.
NO APOLOGIES.
The difference here?
This is what I really wanted.
These SHORT, CONCISE, NO LOVE , NO SEX, type of story.
We get the Hexecutioner’s story at the beginning of every book — although, more about his own ordeal is revealed throughout this series.
We get the dead’s story.
We get to the root of all the evil.
THEY (and we) GET JUSTICE.
THE DEMON GETS FED.
SHORT.
PRECISE.
BEAUTIFUL IN IT’S CONSTRUCTION.
END OF STORY.
However, in the sixth book, “The Demon Within,” something slightly changed in the theme of things.
A FEMALE antagonist was introduced.
I hope, to all these character’s different gods, that he does not try that time old adage of her trying to use sex to taunt him, or get him into bed, either to use him, throw him off his game or just to antagonize him even more about his poor, definitely “dead-before-her-time” wife — Avery.
He’s already had him acknowledging that he thought this newest trouble was attractive . . .
“She was strikingly beautiful and repellant all at once.”
I WILL NOT TAKE IT WELL, NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT, if the author has Jaxon Weylock defile his memory of his wife, for even one thought — I’m out of there. This comment was bad enough for me. I’m not looking for a romance novel here — I just cannot take ANY kind of betrayal, about anything, ever.
As soon as that starts to take place, whether in thought, or body — I POSITIVELY WILL NOT READ ONE SINGLE WORD FURTHER.
And, I’m very serious, about this.
Not something I’m willing to witness — NO MATTER HOW IT TURNS OUT.
This newest entry into this series basically (and I mean, basically) steals his Necrodex — which in no way should have been possible.
It’s specifically TIED to the Hexecutioner.
She plans on going through her book’s (re-animated) version of the Necrodex and follow in the Hexecutioner’s footsteps, behind him, (so to speak) to undo all the righting that he’d already done on behalf of all those innocent souls.
She sees these evil black-magic wielders, as so-called “victims of justice.”
She plans on giving the evil wielding culprits, who have been brought down by the Hexecutioner, their revenge for suffering the indignities of having been caught, punished and thus, properly dealt with, by the Hexecutioner.
More importantly, she also plans on setting every DEMON POSSESSED HUMAN who is kept carefully guarded in the deep, dark recesses of a mountaintop monastery in Italy.
Though kept inside, under lock and key, these poor men and women are being very well cared for by the monks inhabiting this monastery.
Unlike Jaxon Weylock, these are the people who have been unable to free themselves of the demons that possess them, no matter what has been tried.
And, the one thing that stands in her way?
THE HEXECUTIONER.
THIS IS HIS HOME.
Not only is she his equal (and possibly even more, from the looks of it) but, she unmercifully tempts the beast within the Hexecutioner who, now that he knows she exists, wants more than ever to be set free.
The Hexecutioner is always fighting for the beast to stay in HIS control — NOT the other way around.
And, she sooo tempts this beastly demon, within him.
I doubt this demon knows he’d be UNDER her control, even more so, than he is within the Hexecutioner.
But at least he’d, NO DOUBT, be fed . . . and be fed not only MORE, but MORE OFTEN — which helps to make him more powerful, again.
Now, the Hexecutioner has TWO evils to CONSTANTLY do battle against (his demon and the nun’s demon) while he’s ALSO battling all the smaller, lesser evils he’s been put here to take care of, in the first place.
The HISTORY of the Hexecutioner goes BACK in ALL OF TIME.
And, clearly, this new entity is JUST AS OLD as the Hexecutioner, IF NOT MORE SO.
After all, there had to be EVIL FIRST, in order for there to be a NEED FOR THE HEXECUTIONER . . .
RIGHT?
She’s even decided to give herself a kicking new moniker to go along with the Hexecutioner’s — she’s calling herself the “Hexercist.”
The sh¡t of this is — she’s using the good of a NUN, (worse than using the good of an FBI profiler) who was herself, an EXORCIST for the Catholic Church.
Compared to what we’ve seen the Hexecutioner deal with so far — plain old EVIL HUMANS and/or HUMANS PRACTICING black-magic — this exorcist has dealt with the truest of all evils — down and outright DEMONS FROM THE DEPTHS OF H€££ . . . ITSELF !!!
That’s how, or maybe that’s why, this older than time demon was able to, or possibly wanted to, get hold of her — think of all those excised demons just waiting for justice, or more precisely waiting for REVENGE, for having been blocked and (basically) neutered by this NUN.
This nun, Sister Amelia, had the “power of the light” within her and, also, the power of a particular cross — a pendant . . .
“The pendant had belonged to Blessed Oratius of Toulouse, the medieval Saint of all exorcists, and the cross’ white magic served as her most potent weapon against the legions of darkness.”
Except her last exorcism went horribly wrong — instead of exorcizing a demon, she gained a demon and lost the pendant.
That should not have been able to happen — as is with the Necrodex, so it goes with the pendant.
Other than the one person it has attached itself to, NO ONE should be able to get near it.
Which, in and of itself, points to just how STRONG this newest DEMON is.
TWO supposedly UNTOUCHABLE saintly relics were so easily snapped up, by great evil, with great ease — the very thing they were supposed to repel against.
This saintly nun will now, have to do the nefarious work for this demon — just as those other lost souls had to do before the Hexecutioner had freed them.
A demon who now wields the magical “power of the light” of that pendant.
“I can use Sister Amelia’s power of the light in the name of darkness, just as you have twisted your demon’s magic for good. I can walk into any church, I’m impervious to any magical weapon or white magic protective ward, and I can create my black magic containment circles. Isn’t it just thrilling?”
No.
Not to me.
It’s not thrilling at all.
I can just picture more losses than saves coming out of this, and I’m not just talking about the poor tortured souls, here.
I mean to the Hexecutioner’s psyche, more than anything else.
He’s always battling his own guilt, right alongside battling the demon which is literally, not metaphorically, inside himself.
PLUS, I REALLY HATE GAMES.
The fact that this was NOT resolved in book 6, is NOT to my liking.
That means this is now a game of give and take, gain and lose, control and loss of control.
I hate the introduction of a new antagonist that isn’t simply dealt with, like all the rest have been, so far.
I do realize that the author feels like he has to add something new.
Some — NEW BLOOD — (I know, horrible pun!) to keep these novels going.
But, unlike many readers (at least, I think unlike many readers) I do not need, nor do I think I want, this interjection.
As long as he had kept coming up with new narratives, with great endings of justice metered out — I’D HAD BEEN VERY HAPPY.
Other readers might have gotten bored . . . NOT ME, I NEVER DO.
Besides, like I stated earlier, I APPRECIATE THE NO SEXUAL CONTENT.
I definitely will NOT stop reading this series, though.
I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
I’VE ENJOYED THIS SERIES, IMMENSELY, way too much to stop now.
I know WILLIAM MASSA is great at this stuff, so I’ll just have to trust him.
I’m just a bit leery.
That’s all.
THIS PART IS MOSTLY FOR THE AUTHOR:
When I think of Jaxon Weylock, (not the Hexecutioner) and his wife, and his guilt, and sadness, and everything that tears him up inside when thinking of her, I think of the older song by Christopher Cross “Think of Laura” and Chris’ sad lament of her when he sings “ . . . think of Laura, laugh don’t cry. You know she would’ve want it that way . . . “
Yeah well, maybe not exactly laugh in this instance, but definitely not BETRAYAL — just don’t let that happen.
PLEASE.
I believe the reason Jaxon Weylock fights so hard, against all this evil, is wrapped up in his feelings for his wife, his INTENSE LOVE for her and knowing they were BOTH victims, at the same time.
He can tell the difference between a spector and his real wife and can destroy that image of her when it’s projected toward him — he knows it really isn’t her.
But, please, don’t destroy what his left of his own resolve to never betray her, again, (whether he had/has any control over it, or not) by having him BETRAY HIS LOVE for her, also.
Oops, not only did I get a bit off track I, also, got ahead of the storyline . . . I APOLOGIZE.
I’LL KEEP READING.
And yes, at the very least, I owe you this — THANK YOU, William Massa!
I’m happy I’ve found you!
And, now, I’m onto “THE PARANORMALIST.”
🌷🌷🌷MTULIPK🌷🌷🌷
(Cue the chills!)
THE HEXECUTIONER
BOOKS 1 THROUGH 9
IN GENERAL, THE ENTIRE SERIES, TO DATE
BY WILLIAM MASSA
28 OCT 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
👍👍👍👍👍
——————————
I’ll let you know, right up front, this review is long.
I’m not known for my short reviews.
However, I have found with many longer reviews, it is easier to just HIGHLIGHT THE ENTIRE REVIEW and then tap “SPEAK” in the options that present themselves.
It is, however, advisable to read along with the narrator — sometimes they have a hard time interpreting punctuation, and the like. (IE: quotation marks, dashes etc.) Thus, it can make for some interesting listening, if you don’t follow the actual wording. Also, I’ll apologize up front also, if I made too many egregious mistakes. I was “one-finger hunting and pecking” on an itty bitty iPhone and this, like I just mentioned above, is a very long review — I did have nine books to cover, after all. 😅
——————————
Alright, so to begin with, I waited until I read the entire series of books (one through nine) to right a review.
Book ten is on “pre-order,” as I write.
I was too entranced, as I was reading, to stop and write a review at the end of each individual book.
Plus, I read every single book, in one night.
Not only was this a brutal, no nonsense series of right revenging wrong, it was a revelation in writing, for me.
It didn’t mess around with all the extra (and sometimes boring) details that are really, so many times very unnecessary, that many authors tend to throw into their stories.
We get the straight scoop from start to finish.
My favorite was the book four . . nice ending.
AND HIGHEST ON MY LIST OF PRAISES?
The express fact that William Massa did not feel the need to throw in the obligatory love interest, or sex scene, that absolutely has no place in this series. There was absolutely nothing at all like it — not even close.
He got that point across loud and clear in the very first book in this series.
I picked up on that tidbit of information — it gave me hope.
So, I kept reading and he stuck with that throughout all nine books.
There’s no distraction from the storyline — an ex-FBI agent, possessing/controlling a demonic creature and forcing it’s evil nature to work for the good that he still possesses it his own nature, consuming the evil he went after as an FBI agent, in his former life.
Only this time around, he’s fighting an evil he never even knew existed, in this earthly world, (hint: earthly) until his very last case as that agent of the FBI.
“The demon doesn’t possess the Hexecutioner; the Hexecutioner possesses the demon.”
Sadly, the Hexecutioner’s righting of wrong ONLY comes after a number of people have already died at the hand of just one truly evil incarnate person.
It’s when there is enough carnage wrought, to determine this is truly an evil of a “DIFFERENT“ nature, the (now, numerous) dead’s cries for justice activate the Hexecutioner’s book of the dead — The Necrodex.
Fitting name — BOOK OF THE DEAD.
The Necrodex alerts the Hexecutioner.
When the Necrodex activates it’s for one reason, and one reason only — the dead demand justice.
And justice is what the Hexecutioner is all about.
There is only one true Hexecutioner born once every generation.
This generation?
It’s a renowned FBI profiler, Special Agent Jaxon Weylock.
The bureau’s leading expert on violent crime.
Ex-FBI agent, now.
Still, he carries his Glock, right along side his Necrodex.
Sometimes there is still one innocent life left to save.
Sometimes there is not.
But, in the end, it’s all about stopping this particular evil incarnate that his book of the dead brought to his attention.
You may ask . . . “How can he keep this demon inside of him under control?”
Simple. And, yet, not so simple.
It’s a constant power struggle.
This demon gets to feed his own lust, by devouring the evil wielder who is the source of all those souls who have activated the book of the dead, calling for justice.
As the demon gets to devour this book’s particular evil, the Hexecutioner sets the souls he’s terrorized to rest.
Sometimes they were killed just for the fun of it.
Sometimes there’s a deeper, much more disturbing reason.
Mostly, it’s just for the evil-doer’s greed and/or lust for power.
Either way, the Hexecutioner frees them, from whatever TERROR their CAPTURED SOULS have been encased, or trapped within, frees them from having to perform evil acts on behalf of this particular evil-doer.
The possibilities for using these trapped terrified souls are endless.
In the end, it’s JUSTICE for the ex-FBI/Hexecutioner.
And, tidbits of FOOD for the evil demon he controls.
Tidbits given to him, specifically, to KEEP HIM UNDER HIS CONTROL.
You’ve, got to give him something, you know.
It’s hard enough to control the demon inside him, so he can wield his black-magic for good instead of evil, without allowing him a small reward for his submission.
There’s a balance to all of it.
The demon gets to absorb a very tiny, minute bit of the evil he craves.
While, in exchange, the Hexecutioner gets to use the demon’s abilities for good instead of evil.
“The demon doesn’t possess the Hexecutioner; the Hexecutioner possesses the demon.”
I’ve been craving what WILLIAM MASSA is authoring here for a very long time.
I’ve praised other authors for their brutal, no sugar coating, no nonsense, non-apologetic way in portraying a character and/or a storyline.
Their no nonsense approach to get straight to the point and straight to a solution where it’s needed.
No matter how it gets done.
No apologies offered.
No apologies needed.
None for the characters.
None for their actions.
Especially no regret, or second thoughts, from any of the actors involved.
Got to do it.
Get it done.
NO APOLOGIES.
The difference here?
This is what I really wanted.
These SHORT, CONCISE, NO LOVE , NO SEX, type of story.
We get the Hexecutioner’s story at the beginning of every book — although, more about his own ordeal is revealed throughout this series.
We get the dead’s story.
We get to the root of all the evil.
THEY (and we) GET JUSTICE.
THE DEMON GETS FED.
SHORT.
PRECISE.
BEAUTIFUL IN IT’S CONSTRUCTION.
END OF STORY.
However, in the sixth book, “The Demon Within,” something slightly changed in the theme of things.
A FEMALE antagonist was introduced.
I hope, to all these character’s different gods, that he does not try that time old adage of her trying to use sex to taunt him, or get him into bed, either to use him, throw him off his game or just to antagonize him even more about his poor, definitely “dead-before-her-time” wife — Avery.
He’s already had him acknowledging that he thought this newest trouble was attractive . . .
“She was strikingly beautiful and repellant all at once.”
I WILL NOT TAKE IT WELL, NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT, if the author has Jaxon Weylock defile his memory of his wife, for even one thought — I’m out of there. This comment was bad enough for me. I’m not looking for a romance novel here — I just cannot take ANY kind of betrayal, about anything, ever.
As soon as that starts to take place, whether in thought, or body — I POSITIVELY WILL NOT READ ONE SINGLE WORD FURTHER.
And, I’m very serious, about this.
Not something I’m willing to witness — NO MATTER HOW IT TURNS OUT.
This newest entry into this series basically (and I mean, basically) steals his Necrodex — which in no way should have been possible.
It’s specifically TIED to the Hexecutioner.
She plans on going through her book’s (re-animated) version of the Necrodex and follow in the Hexecutioner’s footsteps, behind him, (so to speak) to undo all the righting that he’d already done on behalf of all those innocent souls.
She sees these evil black-magic wielders, as so-called “victims of justice.”
She plans on giving the evil wielding culprits, who have been brought down by the Hexecutioner, their revenge for suffering the indignities of having been caught, punished and thus, properly dealt with, by the Hexecutioner.
More importantly, she also plans on setting every DEMON POSSESSED HUMAN who is kept carefully guarded in the deep, dark recesses of a mountaintop monastery in Italy.
Though kept inside, under lock and key, these poor men and women are being very well cared for by the monks inhabiting this monastery.
Unlike Jaxon Weylock, these are the people who have been unable to free themselves of the demons that possess them, no matter what has been tried.
And, the one thing that stands in her way?
THE HEXECUTIONER.
THIS IS HIS HOME.
Not only is she his equal (and possibly even more, from the looks of it) but, she unmercifully tempts the beast within the Hexecutioner who, now that he knows she exists, wants more than ever to be set free.
The Hexecutioner is always fighting for the beast to stay in HIS control — NOT the other way around.
And, she sooo tempts this beastly demon, within him.
I doubt this demon knows he’d be UNDER her control, even more so, than he is within the Hexecutioner.
But at least he’d, NO DOUBT, be fed . . . and be fed not only MORE, but MORE OFTEN — which helps to make him more powerful, again.
Now, the Hexecutioner has TWO evils to CONSTANTLY do battle against (his demon and the nun’s demon) while he’s ALSO battling all the smaller, lesser evils he’s been put here to take care of, in the first place.
The HISTORY of the Hexecutioner goes BACK in ALL OF TIME.
And, clearly, this new entity is JUST AS OLD as the Hexecutioner, IF NOT MORE SO.
After all, there had to be EVIL FIRST, in order for there to be a NEED FOR THE HEXECUTIONER . . .
RIGHT?
She’s even decided to give herself a kicking new moniker to go along with the Hexecutioner’s — she’s calling herself the “Hexercist.”
The sh¡t of this is — she’s using the good of a NUN, (worse than using the good of an FBI profiler) who was herself, an EXORCIST for the Catholic Church.
Compared to what we’ve seen the Hexecutioner deal with so far — plain old EVIL HUMANS and/or HUMANS PRACTICING black-magic — this exorcist has dealt with the truest of all evils — down and outright DEMONS FROM THE DEPTHS OF H€££ . . . ITSELF !!!
That’s how, or maybe that’s why, this older than time demon was able to, or possibly wanted to, get hold of her — think of all those excised demons just waiting for justice, or more precisely waiting for REVENGE, for having been blocked and (basically) neutered by this NUN.
This nun, Sister Amelia, had the “power of the light” within her and, also, the power of a particular cross — a pendant . . .
“The pendant had belonged to Blessed Oratius of Toulouse, the medieval Saint of all exorcists, and the cross’ white magic served as her most potent weapon against the legions of darkness.”
Except her last exorcism went horribly wrong — instead of exorcizing a demon, she gained a demon and lost the pendant.
That should not have been able to happen — as is with the Necrodex, so it goes with the pendant.
Other than the one person it has attached itself to, NO ONE should be able to get near it.
Which, in and of itself, points to just how STRONG this newest DEMON is.
TWO supposedly UNTOUCHABLE saintly relics were so easily snapped up, by great evil, with great ease — the very thing they were supposed to repel against.
This saintly nun will now, have to do the nefarious work for this demon — just as those other lost souls had to do before the Hexecutioner had freed them.
A demon who now wields the magical “power of the light” of that pendant.
“I can use Sister Amelia’s power of the light in the name of darkness, just as you have twisted your demon’s magic for good. I can walk into any church, I’m impervious to any magical weapon or white magic protective ward, and I can create my black magic containment circles. Isn’t it just thrilling?”
No.
Not to me.
It’s not thrilling at all.
I can just picture more losses than saves coming out of this, and I’m not just talking about the poor tortured souls, here.
I mean to the Hexecutioner’s psyche, more than anything else.
He’s always battling his own guilt, right alongside battling the demon which is literally, not metaphorically, inside himself.
PLUS, I REALLY HATE GAMES.
The fact that this was NOT resolved in book 6, is NOT to my liking.
That means this is now a game of give and take, gain and lose, control and loss of control.
I hate the introduction of a new antagonist that isn’t simply dealt with, like all the rest have been, so far.
I do realize that the author feels like he has to add something new.
Some — NEW BLOOD — (I know, horrible pun!) to keep these novels going.
But, unlike many readers (at least, I think unlike many readers) I do not need, nor do I think I want, this interjection.
As long as he had kept coming up with new narratives, with great endings of justice metered out — I’D HAD BEEN VERY HAPPY.
Other readers might have gotten bored . . . NOT ME, I NEVER DO.
Besides, like I stated earlier, I APPRECIATE THE NO SEXUAL CONTENT.
I definitely will NOT stop reading this series, though.
I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
I’VE ENJOYED THIS SERIES, IMMENSELY, way too much to stop now.
I know WILLIAM MASSA is great at this stuff, so I’ll just have to trust him.
I’m just a bit leery.
That’s all.
THIS PART IS MOSTLY FOR THE AUTHOR:
When I think of Jaxon Weylock, (not the Hexecutioner) and his wife, and his guilt, and sadness, and everything that tears him up inside when thinking of her, I think of the older song by Christopher Cross “Think of Laura” and Chris’ sad lament of her when he sings “ . . . think of Laura, laugh don’t cry. You know she would’ve want it that way . . . “
Yeah well, maybe not exactly laugh in this instance, but definitely not BETRAYAL — just don’t let that happen.
PLEASE.
I believe the reason Jaxon Weylock fights so hard, against all this evil, is wrapped up in his feelings for his wife, his INTENSE LOVE for her and knowing they were BOTH victims, at the same time.
He can tell the difference between a spector and his real wife and can destroy that image of her when it’s projected toward him — he knows it really isn’t her.
But, please, don’t destroy what his left of his own resolve to never betray her, again, (whether he had/has any control over it, or not) by having him BETRAY HIS LOVE for her, also.
Oops, not only did I get a bit off track I, also, got ahead of the storyline . . . I APOLOGIZE.
I’LL KEEP READING.
And yes, at the very least, I owe you this — THANK YOU, William Massa!
I’m happy I’ve found you!
And, now, I’m onto “THE PARANORMALIST.”
🌷🌷🌷MTULIPK🌷🌷🌷
August 1, 2020
Once in a generation a Hexecutioner delivers justice for the innocent, Jaxon Weylock former FBI agent, is currently filling the role. This time he is up against the head hunter, good story, we also find out more about Jaxon's past.
July 15, 2020
This story of the Hexecutioner is definitely dark and horror ridden...bbbut I still couldn't put it down. Thank goodness these books in this series are short otherwise I would get nothing done. Chloe and Erik go on a hike that proves to be their last. A mad man with a magic ax makes sure of it. A sadistic man who is a psychopathic killer. He needs companionship without the fuss, his novels depend on his muses, just don't get him upset. The executioner vows to save the souls of the people he has murdered and give a retribution that is totally fitting for his crimes. An excellent story and if you like horror, this is the series for you.
July 17, 2020
Hexecutioner vs the Headhunter, best in the series so far
Where is the 4.5 star option? This novella breaks the story line a little. Instead of a woman to save, this story is pure vengeance by former special agent Jaxon Weylock. The novella also is the deepest depiction of horror in the series so far. There is more detail about the monastery home of the Hexecutioner and the antagonist is developed well. There is some repetitive information about Jaxon's history which is good for a reader new to the series but detracts for those of us that have read the earlier novellas. Overall, this novella reads like the supernatural and horror filled judge, juror and Hexecutioner tale that the series has been building toward.
Where is the 4.5 star option? This novella breaks the story line a little. Instead of a woman to save, this story is pure vengeance by former special agent Jaxon Weylock. The novella also is the deepest depiction of horror in the series so far. There is more detail about the monastery home of the Hexecutioner and the antagonist is developed well. There is some repetitive information about Jaxon's history which is good for a reader new to the series but detracts for those of us that have read the earlier novellas. Overall, this novella reads like the supernatural and horror filled judge, juror and Hexecutioner tale that the series has been building toward.
October 6, 2020
Getting better
Just as William Massa said, each story is getting better, or ‘or practice makes perfect’. I am also getting used to the short story format, though I think it is the carry over of the same main character in each that enriches the storyline.
Just as William Massa said, each story is getting better, or ‘or practice makes perfect’. I am also getting used to the short story format, though I think it is the carry over of the same main character in each that enriches the storyline.
August 22, 2020
Dark and gritty supernatural horror. Best of the series so far.
I can see these as a Netflix series. A quick yet satisfying read that is scary as hell, definitely worth reading.
I can see these as a Netflix series. A quick yet satisfying read that is scary as hell, definitely worth reading.
February 22, 2024
This is my favorite one so far.
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