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The Occultus: A Supernatural Thriller
When it comes to being a demon, I’d say I’m a pretty solid five—a high seven on a good day. I’ve lied. I’ve cheated. I’ve picked a pocket or two. It’s not like we can all be harbingers of death or great Babylonic beasts. Ambitions like that got you noticed, and getting noticed got you dead. So, maybe I wasn’t that good a demon, but hey—I was alive.Some demons are born to bring forth nightmares. Then there's Nate.Nate Godwin is a laidback demon enjoying his laidback, boring life in the comfort of good-old rainy England, until he gets conned into babysitting a hapless hunter and young fugitive. On the run from angels and demons alike, Nate soon finds himself going up against his own personal nightmare—the high-level demon that owns his soul. Amon.Whether he likes it or not, Nate is in deep, and the worst part? Amon has plans, and not just for Nate's charges. Their only hope is to seek out a mystical amulet said to have the power to conceal its wearer from anything and everything. The only problem is finding the damn thing, and with Heaven and Hell drawing ever closer, time is running out. Inspired by such authors as Jonathan Stroud, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Rob Thurman, the Occultus is an urban fantasy novel that drags the reader on a journey and adventure filled with sarcasm and humour. If you're a fan of a good old fashioned antihero like Crowley from Good Omens, or Loki, the god of mischief, then you should enjoy Nate, the antisocial and troubled demon who denies having a heart of gold and if questioned on it, he would only tell you it was stolen. The Occultus is ideal for fans of TV shows such as Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lucifer, and Midnight Texas, focusing very much on the characters and their connection to each other.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2020
7 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 7, 2021
great read
A whisky loving, lazy demon who prefers the quiet life rather than stealing souls! Nate is a demon who grows on you quickly. He has a past that catches up with him as both heaven & hell vie for his attention. A great read that encompasses an adventure I want to learn more about in future books by this author
A whisky loving, lazy demon who prefers the quiet life rather than stealing souls! Nate is a demon who grows on you quickly. He has a past that catches up with him as both heaven & hell vie for his attention. A great read that encompasses an adventure I want to learn more about in future books by this author
December 8, 2020
I absolutely loved the wit, sarcasm and charm that imbue this tale of angels and demons. Nate is without a doubt one of my favorite characters from the last few books I've read this year. There's so much sarcasm and dry wit that you just know is being used to hide something else just beneath the surface. Discovering what that "something" was became one of the highlights of the book, especially as he increasingly finds himself dragged along into dangers he didn't quite sign up for. The plot was engaging throughout and I honestly can't say that there was a dull moment to be found. The story itself closed off nicely at the end, while leaving just enough of a crumb to let us know that there might well be more to come for this snarky, whisky loving demon.
December 3, 2021
I thought this book sounded kind of cool, so I prioritized it on a whim. I should know better than this by now, because every time I do that, I find basically a new favourite book.
I loved basically everything about this book. The writing style was really cool, it felt like you were literally in Nate's head the whole time, which was likely the point, but I loved being there. His commentary through out the book added so much character and feeling, it was so good. I loved all the characters, they all were so multidimensional, and literally all of them had a character arch, an not a tiny one either. Also - I am living for this type of urban fantasy. So much urban fantasy is vampires and witches, I don't know that I've even read an angels and demons urban fantasy. But seriously, so good. It was like Montague against Capulets, and well executed.
Seriously aside from the language being a little confusing for a hot second, because I'm not British and there is British vocabulary, I flew through this. I love it. I need another one. So good.
I loved basically everything about this book. The writing style was really cool, it felt like you were literally in Nate's head the whole time, which was likely the point, but I loved being there. His commentary through out the book added so much character and feeling, it was so good. I loved all the characters, they all were so multidimensional, and literally all of them had a character arch, an not a tiny one either. Also - I am living for this type of urban fantasy. So much urban fantasy is vampires and witches, I don't know that I've even read an angels and demons urban fantasy. But seriously, so good. It was like Montague against Capulets, and well executed.
Seriously aside from the language being a little confusing for a hot second, because I'm not British and there is British vocabulary, I flew through this. I love it. I need another one. So good.
December 5, 2021
Interesting read
I found it quite fast paced and alot going on. It is all set as Nate and he is s great character. The story is very detailed you know what is going on so no confusion. Definitely leaves it so the story can carry on with Nate.
I found it quite fast paced and alot going on. It is all set as Nate and he is s great character. The story is very detailed you know what is going on so no confusion. Definitely leaves it so the story can carry on with Nate.
November 17, 2021
Good omens meets Lucifer
Nathaniel, aka Nate, is a laid back, snarky kind of demon that loves to nap and drink whisky rather than terrorise and cause mayhem.
Nate and his angel counterpart Serena have butt heads for years but now she's roped him into something bigger than even he realised.
Nate really has doing nothing down to an art form, but that is what makes him fabulous as a character. A subpar demon that is easily discouraged from snatching souls should have no business being in charge of protecting two young adults, yet that's exactly where he finds himself and questioning it every step of the way.
The plot and characters are the focus in this story with world building sprinkled around.
Nate and his charges are on the run from angels and demons alike with Serena dropping in at fortuitous moments. They're on a mission to find the occultus, hoping it'll give them the protection they need. But not all is as it seems, mysteries are there to be unravelled and a couple of plot twists thrown in for good measure.
The pacing is consistent and draws you along from action to emotional to witty banter between characters.
Even with a surprise at the end, it stands well on its own and while it leaves you wanting to know more it doesn't finish on a cliffhanger.
Nathaniel, aka Nate, is a laid back, snarky kind of demon that loves to nap and drink whisky rather than terrorise and cause mayhem.
Nate and his angel counterpart Serena have butt heads for years but now she's roped him into something bigger than even he realised.
Nate really has doing nothing down to an art form, but that is what makes him fabulous as a character. A subpar demon that is easily discouraged from snatching souls should have no business being in charge of protecting two young adults, yet that's exactly where he finds himself and questioning it every step of the way.
The plot and characters are the focus in this story with world building sprinkled around.
Nate and his charges are on the run from angels and demons alike with Serena dropping in at fortuitous moments. They're on a mission to find the occultus, hoping it'll give them the protection they need. But not all is as it seems, mysteries are there to be unravelled and a couple of plot twists thrown in for good measure.
The pacing is consistent and draws you along from action to emotional to witty banter between characters.
Even with a surprise at the end, it stands well on its own and while it leaves you wanting to know more it doesn't finish on a cliffhanger.
February 2, 2022
“The Occultus” is a character driven story, narrated from the first person perspective of Nathaniel. I know that it's popular in fantasy, but one thing I noticed about first person pov, is that authors tend to dwell inside the character’s head a bit too much when they write. Structurally, the story is a slog-fest to get through. The story features a mix of magical realism and fantastical elements. I don’t know a lot about the urban fantasy genre, but one thing I’d like to point out as it pertains to this novel, was the repetitive use of hotels and overnight stay locales. I got really bored with that formulaic plot structure after a while, because of how episodic it felt and how it seemed to lack a definitive overall direction. The plot more or less revolves around this motley crew of characters as they form a fellowship, based on a morally ambiguous cause. “The Occultus” is basically just fan fiction for people who appreciate The CW Network and become enthralled by cheesy melodrama.
You can read my full breakdown here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
You can read my full breakdown here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
January 27, 2021
The Occultus was a fantastic read. It wasclever, witty, sarcastic, and snarky. I love that the story is told from the POV of Nate, a demon who is not really the best at being a demon.
Even so, Nate finds himself in a role he never imagined he'd play- when an angelic friend, Serena, asks him to look after a young hunter and a young woman wanted for murder, he reluctantly obliges.
That request turned into something bigger than he'd ever imagined. There's something unique about the two and both angels and demons are after them.
I love Nate for just being who he is, often unapologetically morally gray, with his mantra- I'm a demon.
This book was a fun adventure with really interesting characters and unique lore. I love the world that Ray Morgan created, and I love the quest we went on in this book, and I can't wait to see what's next for Nate and the gang.
Even so, Nate finds himself in a role he never imagined he'd play- when an angelic friend, Serena, asks him to look after a young hunter and a young woman wanted for murder, he reluctantly obliges.
That request turned into something bigger than he'd ever imagined. There's something unique about the two and both angels and demons are after them.
I love Nate for just being who he is, often unapologetically morally gray, with his mantra- I'm a demon.
This book was a fun adventure with really interesting characters and unique lore. I love the world that Ray Morgan created, and I love the quest we went on in this book, and I can't wait to see what's next for Nate and the gang.
April 25, 2021
What a pleasure to have found this book! A stand-alone novel with one of the coolest characters I've read in a while. Nathaniel--Nate--is not what you would expect from a demon. He's not a vicious, horrid creature. He does not care about binding human souls to Hell, or killing angels.
I read this with a smile on my face because it was inevitable not to feel connected to a 24/7 snarky demon who loves to nap. He's like my spirit demon.
After a couple of very awkward introductions with Daniel (botched exorcism) and Charlotte (attempted murder), he reluctantly joins with them and his old frienemy to stop an outward battle between angels and demons. Which is considerably easier said than done!
Great read! Exciting, fun, and heartwarming (I can feel Charlie giving me a dirty eye!)
Totally recommend!
I read this with a smile on my face because it was inevitable not to feel connected to a 24/7 snarky demon who loves to nap. He's like my spirit demon.
After a couple of very awkward introductions with Daniel (botched exorcism) and Charlotte (attempted murder), he reluctantly joins with them and his old frienemy to stop an outward battle between angels and demons. Which is considerably easier said than done!
Great read! Exciting, fun, and heartwarming (I can feel Charlie giving me a dirty eye!)
Totally recommend!
November 10, 2020
A Supernatural Delight
I really love a good supernatural mystery and the Occultus delivers. This book has a tone to it similar to an old film noir narrative where I often felt that knowing the inner detective in Nate that drives the story forward, had me trying to figure out and anticipate what was coming next. The author equips us well on this journey with giving us characters that are so well defined and detailed, that you want to follow them and can I say that I have never loved a demon before until Nate. I love this Angel-Demon concept told in a great refreshing way. This well written and imagined book is worth the read.
I really love a good supernatural mystery and the Occultus delivers. This book has a tone to it similar to an old film noir narrative where I often felt that knowing the inner detective in Nate that drives the story forward, had me trying to figure out and anticipate what was coming next. The author equips us well on this journey with giving us characters that are so well defined and detailed, that you want to follow them and can I say that I have never loved a demon before until Nate. I love this Angel-Demon concept told in a great refreshing way. This well written and imagined book is worth the read.
November 6, 2020
This was a wonderful new story about the supernatural world. I took an instant liking to the character of Nate, he was so relatable and totally what I would expect of a demon in this day and age.
The story went at a great pace and it was never boring, I couldn't wait to read what would happen next to Nate, Serena, Daniel and Charlie.
I found myself totally entranced by the world the author created and found myself reading page after page whenever I had a few minutes spare.
I sincerely hope there will be a second book as I would love to see where Nate's story might go next.
The story went at a great pace and it was never boring, I couldn't wait to read what would happen next to Nate, Serena, Daniel and Charlie.
I found myself totally entranced by the world the author created and found myself reading page after page whenever I had a few minutes spare.
I sincerely hope there will be a second book as I would love to see where Nate's story might go next.
August 15, 2021
Absolutely loved it!
The Occultus is a charming and witty fast-paced supernatural thriller filled with mystery and sarcasm, loads and loads of sarcasm. Nate is a demon, but he's not very good at it, and he's ok with that. Unfortunately for him, there are things going on around him that are much more important than failing to meet his soul quota. If you enjoy the wit and humor of Good Omens, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the like, give this book a go. It's brilliant!
The Occultus is a charming and witty fast-paced supernatural thriller filled with mystery and sarcasm, loads and loads of sarcasm. Nate is a demon, but he's not very good at it, and he's ok with that. Unfortunately for him, there are things going on around him that are much more important than failing to meet his soul quota. If you enjoy the wit and humor of Good Omens, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the like, give this book a go. It's brilliant!
January 27, 2021
Demon
A witty story of a demon who is terrible at his job!
Despite his ramblings the story unfolds in such a way that you can't stop turning. The demon inside at constant conflict with the good guy nature to protect those around him.
Easy read and would recommend to those that enjoy stranger supernatural delights!
A witty story of a demon who is terrible at his job!
Despite his ramblings the story unfolds in such a way that you can't stop turning. The demon inside at constant conflict with the good guy nature to protect those around him.
Easy read and would recommend to those that enjoy stranger supernatural delights!
November 28, 2021
Cool
Reminds me of shadow hunters with a twist as I read it. The story of a demon helping hunters is not what I was expecting when I first started reading this book.
Reminds me of shadow hunters with a twist as I read it. The story of a demon helping hunters is not what I was expecting when I first started reading this book.
July 14, 2022
Nate's character immediately drew me into this book and kept me highly entertained. Nate is a subpar demon (by his own explanation he's too "lazy" to be a good one) who is dragged into protecting two young adults by an angel who seems to dog Nate every step. Now they must all work together.
There is a lot of action, mystery, and of course plenty of angels and demons. Nate's character was very believable and not overdone like I was expecting from a book about a demon. Many parts made me chuckle while others had me wondering what was going to happen next. The relationships that developed between the characters (no spicy relationships here though) felt very believable in how they progressed. The story was engaging throughout because of the characters and the plot.
This book is set in the modern-day United Kingdom. The one thing I noticed was that there was a mild lack of details that indicated that. Besides the reference to a "flat," the way the majority of characters spoke and what they did not indicate the setting. It didn't detract from the story for the most part. I also wanted to know a bit more about the Occultus before the story ended and how it would keep the characters safe but maybe that will be in a future book.
Very enjoyable read and I'm hoping to see more coming out so I can hear Nate's voice through the story again.
There is a lot of action, mystery, and of course plenty of angels and demons. Nate's character was very believable and not overdone like I was expecting from a book about a demon. Many parts made me chuckle while others had me wondering what was going to happen next. The relationships that developed between the characters (no spicy relationships here though) felt very believable in how they progressed. The story was engaging throughout because of the characters and the plot.
This book is set in the modern-day United Kingdom. The one thing I noticed was that there was a mild lack of details that indicated that. Besides the reference to a "flat," the way the majority of characters spoke and what they did not indicate the setting. It didn't detract from the story for the most part. I also wanted to know a bit more about the Occultus before the story ended and how it would keep the characters safe but maybe that will be in a future book.
Very enjoyable read and I'm hoping to see more coming out so I can hear Nate's voice through the story again.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews