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De re dordica #1
Shagduk
The year is 1977. Professor Sherwood has gone missing. Between working at the library and playing gigs in Fort Worth holes-in-the-wall after hours, Steven and his pal Randy set out to discover why, unwittingly summoning a demon and setting into motion a chain of astonishing events that could put the entire world at risk of total destruction.
In the tradition of Roger Zelazny and Jack Vance comes the debut of a deftly comedic voice capable of circling back to dread in a moment, one strong enough to carry the crackle of North Texas before the oil bust, the solitude of youth spent under the wide prairie skies, resolving in a crescendo of album-oriented rock radio and dire conflict between the hard-bitten optimism of the natives of this strange land and something far more alien and sinister.
"As captivating as the works of Jim Butcher. Told by a character drawn with the depth of Jack Vance. It brings to mind my first time reading through the Dungeon Master's Guide. My father would have certainly added JB Jackson to his Appendix N." -- Ernie G. Gygax, Jr.
The second book in the De re dordica saga, Ursula of Ulm, was published August 2024. A third book is in the works.
In the tradition of Roger Zelazny and Jack Vance comes the debut of a deftly comedic voice capable of circling back to dread in a moment, one strong enough to carry the crackle of North Texas before the oil bust, the solitude of youth spent under the wide prairie skies, resolving in a crescendo of album-oriented rock radio and dire conflict between the hard-bitten optimism of the natives of this strange land and something far more alien and sinister.
"As captivating as the works of Jim Butcher. Told by a character drawn with the depth of Jack Vance. It brings to mind my first time reading through the Dungeon Master's Guide. My father would have certainly added JB Jackson to his Appendix N." -- Ernie G. Gygax, Jr.
The second book in the De re dordica saga, Ursula of Ulm, was published August 2024. A third book is in the works.
- GenresFantasy
243 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2022
2 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Jackson
4 books15 followersMusic freak, aesthete, and '70s aficionado, JB Jackson is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He currently lives with his family in Sebastopol, California. He is an editor of art reference books and his fiction has appeared in Black Rose, The Wells of Ur, and Death Flex. Shagduk is his first novel. The second title in the De re dordica saga, Ursula of Ulm was published in August 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 28, 2022
I actually finished this book a while ago, but I’ve been slacking on updating Goodreads. I enjoyed Shagduk, and it’s always nice reading books from debut or mostly-new authors! I gave it four stars out of five because I have decently high criteria for a book to be five stars, but this book did a lot of interesting things.
Pro: Incredibly unique style. I’ve never quite read a book like Shagduk before in terms of style. Sure, I’ve read “journal-style” books before, but this book committed to it in a way very few books do.
Con: Very slow-paced. It takes a *long* time to get moving and for things to happen. If the whole book took pace at the “event speed” of maybe the last 100 pages I’d give it a 5-star probably, as this was my biggest gripe. The pages didn’t go down easily or quickly while I was reading them, but I appreciated the book more after I finished it.
Pro: Felt true-to-life. With the exception of perhaps something listed as a nitpick below, the amount of care put into our main character’s life made it very realistic, as did the attention to detail. This felt like a journal, with all the pros and cons that come with that. This pairs with the earlier-mentioned commitment to the bit.
Con: Hard to feel invested/lack of peril. Until near the end (where I felt the risk posed to the characters well), I never really felt like the characters were in danger (see: nitpick at end). This pairs with that it generally took me longer to become invested in the characters than usual, perhaps due to the journal formatting, the amount of characters, or something else.
Pro: Fun wit and character interactions! This book is clever in spades, and I enjoyed reading the dialogue between characters, especially the band group and some of the love interest-esque characters. And the main character has plenty of sharp thoughts for the reader to take in.
Con: Hard to follow. This is mostly due to the large amounts of random detail, whether that was the main character’s very erudite academic remakes that were sometimes to parse or some of the period-specific stuff. There were also a lot of characters to remember, but part of that is the necessary consequence of being true to life.
Nitpick/neutral: The main character doesn’t seem to care nearly as much as he should about the demonic creature after him? That is kind of hilarious to me, and I appreciated it more after I finished the book. But it was a bold choice, and it contributed to the lack of peril I felt, as well as the slow pace. The main character is a lot of things, but he isn’t as active of an investigator as, say, the Bastard.
All in all, I enjoyed Shagduk, but I enjoyed it most once I had finished it and could look back on the book as a whole. It also gains a boost for me from being from a small author. Consider giving it a shot!
Pro: Incredibly unique style. I’ve never quite read a book like Shagduk before in terms of style. Sure, I’ve read “journal-style” books before, but this book committed to it in a way very few books do.
Con: Very slow-paced. It takes a *long* time to get moving and for things to happen. If the whole book took pace at the “event speed” of maybe the last 100 pages I’d give it a 5-star probably, as this was my biggest gripe. The pages didn’t go down easily or quickly while I was reading them, but I appreciated the book more after I finished it.
Pro: Felt true-to-life. With the exception of perhaps something listed as a nitpick below, the amount of care put into our main character’s life made it very realistic, as did the attention to detail. This felt like a journal, with all the pros and cons that come with that. This pairs with the earlier-mentioned commitment to the bit.
Con: Hard to feel invested/lack of peril. Until near the end (where I felt the risk posed to the characters well), I never really felt like the characters were in danger (see: nitpick at end). This pairs with that it generally took me longer to become invested in the characters than usual, perhaps due to the journal formatting, the amount of characters, or something else.
Pro: Fun wit and character interactions! This book is clever in spades, and I enjoyed reading the dialogue between characters, especially the band group and some of the love interest-esque characters. And the main character has plenty of sharp thoughts for the reader to take in.
Con: Hard to follow. This is mostly due to the large amounts of random detail, whether that was the main character’s very erudite academic remakes that were sometimes to parse or some of the period-specific stuff. There were also a lot of characters to remember, but part of that is the necessary consequence of being true to life.
Nitpick/neutral: The main character doesn’t seem to care nearly as much as he should about the demonic creature after him? That is kind of hilarious to me, and I appreciated it more after I finished the book. But it was a bold choice, and it contributed to the lack of peril I felt, as well as the slow pace. The main character is a lot of things, but he isn’t as active of an investigator as, say, the Bastard.
All in all, I enjoyed Shagduk, but I enjoyed it most once I had finished it and could look back on the book as a whole. It also gains a boost for me from being from a small author. Consider giving it a shot!
July 28, 2022
Loved it. The book is written in diary format, which is a unique and refreshing way to tell the story. Instead of the traditional way of narration, the protagonist is simply recording his private thoughts on the events unfolding in his day to day life. The entries are not necessarily intended for anyone other than himself. Steven’s observations about his life, love interests, and coworkers were hilarious. Especially because he wasn’t necessarily trying to be funny.
The author has a gift for painting a vivid picture with relatively few words. I really felt like I worked at the Porteous College library with him and the other faculty members pretty early on. I’m not really that familiar with Ft. Worth, especially in 1977 as I would be born six years later, but the attention to detail was amazing. It was really easy to picture the view through the windshield of the Rambler haha.
The book was the right mix of fantasy and reality. It felt more realistic of a story to me than if it was set in some alternate universe which made it easier to follow. I like keeping a foot in both camps as opposed to diving down the hobbit hole. It was more like typical 1977 America, but with a portal to a mystical Atlantean-like civilization that occupied the same land a few eons prior. That and a smelly imp. I’m really looking forward to book two. Five stars.
The author has a gift for painting a vivid picture with relatively few words. I really felt like I worked at the Porteous College library with him and the other faculty members pretty early on. I’m not really that familiar with Ft. Worth, especially in 1977 as I would be born six years later, but the attention to detail was amazing. It was really easy to picture the view through the windshield of the Rambler haha.
The book was the right mix of fantasy and reality. It felt more realistic of a story to me than if it was set in some alternate universe which made it easier to follow. I like keeping a foot in both camps as opposed to diving down the hobbit hole. It was more like typical 1977 America, but with a portal to a mystical Atlantean-like civilization that occupied the same land a few eons prior. That and a smelly imp. I’m really looking forward to book two. Five stars.
September 29, 2024
Shagduk ranks right up there with the great epistolary novels--Dracula, Satan Wants Me, Diary of a Nobody. Meticulously researched to ring true about the life of a twenty-something librarian in Texas in the year 1977 to whom nothing ever happens. Nothing, until January 1, 1977, when the shit hits the fan. Steven and his coworker Randy investigate the disappearance of their elderly colleague, Professor Sherwood, and in the process summon a demon. Whoops. How to get rid of him? What does his presence mean? Meanwhile, Jackson's handling of spooky-sounding occult books equals that of Lovecraft. Whereas Lovecraft simply name drops his, Jackson's tomes come to life. His characters read and discuss them. They don't go insane (yet?) but find out a bunch of arcane shit that has been out of view for centuries, perhaps millennia. And it turns their lives upside-down. Jackson, more than anyone else, has inherited the mantle of Jack Vance, chiefly in his characterizations and his sense of absurdity. Others have said so and I see it. But his book sits next to The Dying Earth and not behind it. Don't take my word for it. Find a copy and read one page, any page. Put it down if you can.
July 11, 2022
This book takes us on a wild and mysterious 4 month adventure of a 23 year old librarian/bass playing linguist named Steven.
He was given a journal from a professor who eventually ends up missing.
While going through the professor’s home, Steven and his friend/colleague Randy discover a codex which is the beginning of Steven’s experimentation with the dark arts.
You don’t have to be into fantasy to enjoy this book. It has everything and it hit every mark for me. It’s got humor, suspense and a lot of rock n’ roll. Most of the book is written as Steven’s journal entries. He journals everything from the crazy patrons he encounters at work, to the questionable friendship he has with his upstairs neighbor, to the gigs he plays with his band. And of course the sulphuric smelling demon that appears at the most inopportune times. The descriptions are very detailed and you feel like you are living in that time period.
I really felt for the character of Steven. Most of the people in his life were assholes, especially the women. I even questioned Randy’s loyalties but in the end, he has the upper hand. I’m already wanting to see what happens next.
He was given a journal from a professor who eventually ends up missing.
While going through the professor’s home, Steven and his friend/colleague Randy discover a codex which is the beginning of Steven’s experimentation with the dark arts.
You don’t have to be into fantasy to enjoy this book. It has everything and it hit every mark for me. It’s got humor, suspense and a lot of rock n’ roll. Most of the book is written as Steven’s journal entries. He journals everything from the crazy patrons he encounters at work, to the questionable friendship he has with his upstairs neighbor, to the gigs he plays with his band. And of course the sulphuric smelling demon that appears at the most inopportune times. The descriptions are very detailed and you feel like you are living in that time period.
I really felt for the character of Steven. Most of the people in his life were assholes, especially the women. I even questioned Randy’s loyalties but in the end, he has the upper hand. I’m already wanting to see what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2023
Behold the gentle egghead as he laments how boring his life is. But you, the reader, know by this put on, that things are about to change.
The Short: A slow boil magical mystery with dusty manuscripts and 1970s bass breakdowns. Great character development of an awkward but hip man walking into weirdness.
The Long: The cover of Shagduk mentions Fernwood 2 Night. I haven’t seen that, but if it evokes the same awkwardness of Between Two Ferns that is a gooddescriptor of the feeling underlying Shagduk.
I cant quite characterize it as cosmic horror or action adventure, and urban fantasy doesn’t quite do it justice. Like many Indie works, it doesn’t slip easily into one category.
Difficulties I had-
The journal format was a stumbling block for me. It’s not my preferred style, but the issue was easy enough to put to the side. If you are down with journal formats, no sweat.
Shagduk has a slow pace. This is not always a negative. Pacing is about style. In this character exploration, a slow pacing is fine. I’m used to high paced action adventures, so a change of gears was needed. I do think the first 30-50 pages drags, but after that the story finds itself.
There is an incomplete feeling to ending. Throughout the story I expected a cosmic horror tale to drag the protagonist to an untimely end. But Jackson has other plans. I thought the ending would better fit a short story, but here we must take into account that this is De Re Dordica BOOK ONE - the end sets up for book two. I am interested to see what’s brewing, as Jackson’s writing has a lot going for it -
Positives-
As I’ve said, Shagduk is about character development, and JB does excellent character development. An academically capable but not terribly wise MC, just cool enough to be the bassist in a local band, but not cool enough to get laid. I feel the writer personally knows the behind the scenes of both libraries and the local band scene. Steven feels real and sympathetic. I alternately rooted for and cringed at the choices he made. When you speak to a book to tell the MC what he should do next, you are invested.
JB also summons much 1970s nostalgia and lore. The book follows the sensibilities of the times - a welcome change from recent media which grinds everything into grey goo under a global post-modern lens. The 1970s were the 1970s, not the 2020s thank goodness. The flavor JB brings to the text inspires me to be a little more thoughtful in adding the same spice to my own Sword & Seventies series. If I can meld character and setting as he does, I’ll be happy.
As the story goes, the awkward intellectualism and weirdness of the world seems to grow about the MC, Steven, creating unexpected turns.
I DO want some loose ends tied up, and the end seems primarily like a hook for book two. As a mystery and a character study of a soul exploring increasingly weird horizons, I look forward to a follow up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ four stars for those looking for a horror or adventure, but I will give it
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ five stars for those that like a slow boil magical mystery.
The Short: A slow boil magical mystery with dusty manuscripts and 1970s bass breakdowns. Great character development of an awkward but hip man walking into weirdness.
The Long: The cover of Shagduk mentions Fernwood 2 Night. I haven’t seen that, but if it evokes the same awkwardness of Between Two Ferns that is a gooddescriptor of the feeling underlying Shagduk.
I cant quite characterize it as cosmic horror or action adventure, and urban fantasy doesn’t quite do it justice. Like many Indie works, it doesn’t slip easily into one category.
Difficulties I had-
The journal format was a stumbling block for me. It’s not my preferred style, but the issue was easy enough to put to the side. If you are down with journal formats, no sweat.
Shagduk has a slow pace. This is not always a negative. Pacing is about style. In this character exploration, a slow pacing is fine. I’m used to high paced action adventures, so a change of gears was needed. I do think the first 30-50 pages drags, but after that the story finds itself.
There is an incomplete feeling to ending. Throughout the story I expected a cosmic horror tale to drag the protagonist to an untimely end. But Jackson has other plans. I thought the ending would better fit a short story, but here we must take into account that this is De Re Dordica BOOK ONE - the end sets up for book two. I am interested to see what’s brewing, as Jackson’s writing has a lot going for it -
Positives-
As I’ve said, Shagduk is about character development, and JB does excellent character development. An academically capable but not terribly wise MC, just cool enough to be the bassist in a local band, but not cool enough to get laid. I feel the writer personally knows the behind the scenes of both libraries and the local band scene. Steven feels real and sympathetic. I alternately rooted for and cringed at the choices he made. When you speak to a book to tell the MC what he should do next, you are invested.
JB also summons much 1970s nostalgia and lore. The book follows the sensibilities of the times - a welcome change from recent media which grinds everything into grey goo under a global post-modern lens. The 1970s were the 1970s, not the 2020s thank goodness. The flavor JB brings to the text inspires me to be a little more thoughtful in adding the same spice to my own Sword & Seventies series. If I can meld character and setting as he does, I’ll be happy.
As the story goes, the awkward intellectualism and weirdness of the world seems to grow about the MC, Steven, creating unexpected turns.
I DO want some loose ends tied up, and the end seems primarily like a hook for book two. As a mystery and a character study of a soul exploring increasingly weird horizons, I look forward to a follow up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ four stars for those looking for a horror or adventure, but I will give it
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ five stars for those that like a slow boil magical mystery.
October 4, 2022
The best SFF novel of 2022.
January 5, 2024
I lovedddd this story so much! The author is such a brilliant writer, I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
September 28, 2024
Librarians, imps, and wizards in 1977 Texas. Yee haw! What more can you ask for? Recommended to me by a trusted friend with impeccable tastes, Shagduk amazed and delighted me. As if a real guy wrote a diary about his harrowing experiences, then later it was printed up, attractively bound, and sent into the 21st century so I could read it and gasp, "What the?" Anachronisms are a pet peeve of mine, but Jackson nails 1977 hard. Seventies-o-philes rejoice. Truth and fiction woven together seamlessly. You'll think what happened to Steven Miller, Esq., Master Cataloger, really happened. It may as well have. I'd rather live in a world where cool shit like this goes on. Gonna go summon an imp now and name him Glen. Just kidding. I wouldn't wish one of those on anyone. Demons suck! Fans of Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny ought to dig this. Dig it now. Evidently, it's Book 1 of a longer book--not a series, though--think Lord of the Rings.
July 27, 2024
One of the best things I have read over the past few years. The world building is excellent and lived in and real. The novel is a journal of a librarian in 1977's Fort Worth who quickly gets wrapped up in machinations beyond his imagining. While the book is about the entry of the fantastical into Steven Miller's life, the true to life details of Steven's love life (and lack there of), his friendship with Randy, and his escapades as the bass player in a local band are the backbone of the book and are just as if not more compelling than the occult themes.
The first installment of the De re Dordica series is can't miss and I eagerly await the release of the second volume Ursula of Ulm here soon.
The first installment of the De re Dordica series is can't miss and I eagerly await the release of the second volume Ursula of Ulm here soon.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews