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Necromancer Rising #1
Death Eternal
Death is supposed to be the end.
Not in my world.
The dead never move on, not since Death walked off the job and disappeared. As a necromancer, it’s my job to police the spirits while they remain stuck and, well, problematic a lot of the time.
Death really needs to take his head out of his backside and get back to work, wherever he might be.
After a horrible incident in the tunnels of the London Underground, my life takes a sharp turn. It’s all my fault and I’m sent off to a small town, a move to keep me out of sight and mind for the time being. Shamed, reputation dragged through the dirt.
I’m not getting that promotion anytime soon.
On my first day in the town, I get caught up in a strange murder case, and Death saves my life.
Yes, the Death. The delectable, mysterious Death.
Goodness, he is hotness personified. But what happened to make him walk away from his responsibilities? And why is he so deliciously tempting, my desire a raging inferno every time he looks at me with those incredible eyes?
I shouldn’t be thinking of an immortal being like this, but with every passing hour I can’t stop myself from falling deeper into infatuation.
I want him.
Resistance is... impossible.
Death Eternal is the first book in an M/M Paranormal Urban Fantasy Romance series packed with mystery, danger, a knitting necromancer, a delectable immortal being, plenty of sizzle, and rather disgusting liquid mushrooms.
Not in my world.
The dead never move on, not since Death walked off the job and disappeared. As a necromancer, it’s my job to police the spirits while they remain stuck and, well, problematic a lot of the time.
Death really needs to take his head out of his backside and get back to work, wherever he might be.
After a horrible incident in the tunnels of the London Underground, my life takes a sharp turn. It’s all my fault and I’m sent off to a small town, a move to keep me out of sight and mind for the time being. Shamed, reputation dragged through the dirt.
I’m not getting that promotion anytime soon.
On my first day in the town, I get caught up in a strange murder case, and Death saves my life.
Yes, the Death. The delectable, mysterious Death.
Goodness, he is hotness personified. But what happened to make him walk away from his responsibilities? And why is he so deliciously tempting, my desire a raging inferno every time he looks at me with those incredible eyes?
I shouldn’t be thinking of an immortal being like this, but with every passing hour I can’t stop myself from falling deeper into infatuation.
I want him.
Resistance is... impossible.
Death Eternal is the first book in an M/M Paranormal Urban Fantasy Romance series packed with mystery, danger, a knitting necromancer, a delectable immortal being, plenty of sizzle, and rather disgusting liquid mushrooms.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2023
404 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Richard Amos
67 books386 followersRichard Amos is an author from England who is constantly lost in the worlds he writes about, and the ones in the queue yet to be written. He also has more books in his house than anything else, and is never without a book (and chocolate) in his hands when he's not writing. He’s a proud nerd who loves to dance. Hard.
Richard writes M/M Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance, all with tons of kick-ass action, adventure, twisty plots, and yummy times.
🔗 https://linktr.ee/richardamosauthor
Richard writes M/M Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance, all with tons of kick-ass action, adventure, twisty plots, and yummy times.
🔗 https://linktr.ee/richardamosauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
January 31, 2023
DNF @ 34%.
The story seems interesting, but the author’s writing is just not my cuppa. If I have to read one more description of a room, a meal, an outfit, a 5-page long car drive down the road, I’ll lose it.
The story seems interesting, but the author’s writing is just not my cuppa. If I have to read one more description of a room, a meal, an outfit, a 5-page long car drive down the road, I’ll lose it.
November 6, 2025
Wow!
Well this book definitely got better as it went along and ended making you want to dive immediately into the next book! 😲 4.25 stars! This should be a fun series!
Well this book definitely got better as it went along and ended making you want to dive immediately into the next book! 😲 4.25 stars! This should be a fun series!
December 12, 2023
By this point I've read enough books by Richard Amos to know how it goes. Book 1 usually sets the stage to what the plot will bring. In this series though, it took forever and a half for us to get a clue as to where the series will go. It will go uphill from here, but it is hard to go forward without an idea of where we want to go
April 16, 2024
Regurgitating any part of this plot. Would spoil the ending. What I did find interesting is that. In the lore if necromancy. One that peers beyond the veil. Well they slowly loose one's sight. Others become mad things. Laying waste to the living with their undead army. Here ... well...
April 12, 2024
I've given this an A for narration and a C+ for content at AudioGals.
Death Eternal is the first (of four) book in Richard Amos’ Necromancer Rising series featuring Marcel August, a half-French, half-English twenty-something necromancer based in London. That, right there, is one of the reasons I picked it up – it’s unusual to find this type of story set in England – and I liked the idea of Death himself as a love interest. Plus – Cooper North. Nuff Sed.
The starting point for this story is that, twenty years earlier and for some unknown reason, Death “walked off the job and disappeared”, leaving necromancers like Marcel to take up the slack. Without Death around, the spirits of the dead are unable to move on and it’s the job of the necromancers to both police the ghosts and make sure they don’t get up to any mischief that can damage the world of the living, and to guide them to sanctuary whenever they can. When the story begins, Marcel and his long-time partner Jenn have been sent to Baker Street tube station to deal with the spirit of a woman who was killed there a week earlier, and who is now, as Marcel puts it “using her kinetic ghostly energy to fuck shit up.” But what should have been a fairly straightforward job goes rapidly south leaving Jenn seriously injured and Marcel sent away from London, to the small West-Country village of Oakthorne.
Marcel has just driven into the village when a ghost – who later introduces herself as Louise – jumps out in front of his car. She tells Marcel she’s found the body of a man called Harry in a nearby cave, but that his ghost is missing. Suspicious, Marcel decides to call his new boss to alert him to potential trouble, but before he can do so, a zombie staggers into view, followed by a rogue necromancer who uses both zombie and ghost to overpower Marcel and take him down into one of the caves where she plans to use his blood to power a spell. The last thing Marcel remembers is hearing a deep male voice, the sound of a body hitting the ground and the scent of sandalwood as he’s lifted into the air.
Marcel wakes up to find himself in a hospital bed with his rescuer – who introduces himself as Death – sitting by by his bedside. Marcel is confused – how can this gorgeous man possibly be Death? What was he doing at the caves? Why did he just abandon his responsibilities? Death deflects the questions and turns to leave, instructing Marcel not to say anything about him and telling him they won’t see each other again.
So the last thing Marcel expects the next evening is for Death to show up at his new flat saying he’s come to check on him. Marcel doesn’t really buy it, but he doesn’t really care; the guy is hotness personified and when Death says he wants to get to know him better because Marcel intrigues him… well, Marcel is very much on board with that idea.
But here’s where the story starts to go off the rails a bit. Death offers to help Marcel find out what happened to Harry’s ghost and find his killer, although he once again insists on complete secrecy, meaning that Marcel has to lie to his new boss – which is a bit of a shitty position to put him in. And for an ancient, immortal being, Death does some pretty dumb stuff.
So I finished the listen with mixed feelings. Most of the story is told from Marcel’s perspective, but there are a few chapters from Death’s PoV, and in them it’s clear that he’s more than merely “intrigued” by Marcel and that there’s more going on than we’re privy to. But his first chapter – seven – has him mooning over Marcel’s sapphire blue eyes and over how he longs for him, and it feels so much like overblown, flowery insta-lust that it made me roll my eyes rather than swoon. The narration is, of course, terrific, and I enjoyed the story and the worldbuilding – the mystery plot is interesting and the final twist is a real kicker. But Death, as a character, is seriously underdeveloped and while Marcel is more likeable – and I appreciated that he has a normal, loving family, because it made a nice change from family dysfunction and/or angst – he’s still a little bland. I did like that he knits as a hobby, though. The biggest problem, however, is the lacklustre romance; lots of mental lusting and a few sex scenes don’t make up for the lack of chemistry and emotional connection between Marcel and Death. The reveal at the end does explain some of the character choices (although it makes Death seem like a hormonally challenged teen rather than an ancient being), but it’s too little too late to make the romance convincing, and I wish the author had found some way to lead up to it that would have made it feel less like insta-lust.
With huge apologies to the very talented Cooper North, I have an admission to make. Although I knew this was a UK-set book from a UK-based author, I must have forgotten those things between requesting it for review and actually listening to it, because when the opening “Tantor Audio, a division of Recorded Books…” announcement was spoken in an impeccable English accent, I actually thought that maybe I was listening to the wrong book! It’s not the first time I’ve heard Mr. North using an English accent, but I’m so used to his “normal” American one that it threw me for a few seconds!
Maybe that’s the best/worst backhanded compliment I can pay him? :P
Anyway. Cooper North delivers a strong, well-paced and expressive performance featuring a variety of different character voices and clear differentiation between them all. He narrates the entire book – narrative and dialogue – in the same impeccable English accent and sustains it extremely well. I really liked his portrayal of Marcel – he’s upbeat and charming and a bit whimsical; the deeper pitch he adopts for Death is a good contrast, and he expertly captures Death’s world-weariness and the playfulness that comes out when he’s around Marcel. The one real criticism I can make is that the author has set the bulk of the story in a small town near Bristol and makes several references to “West Country” accents throughout the story – and while Mr. North has a pretty good stab at the accent, it doesn’t always hit the mark and sounds – to my British ears – rather strange.
In the end, I’m on the fence about Death Eternal. Apart from that one issue, the narration is great, and as I knew in advance that this is a same-couple series with an ongoing story arc, I was prepared for there to be a fair bit of set up in this book. I just wish some of that set up had been dedicated to the romance.
BUT – now I know what I know, I’m thinking I will probably listen to the next book, to find out what happens next, and to see if, now that Marcel knows the truth, there might be some actual relationship development happening. I can’t offer an unreserved recommendation for Death Eternal, but the reveal and cliff-hanger at the end have intrigued me enough to want to see where the story goes.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
Death Eternal is the first (of four) book in Richard Amos’ Necromancer Rising series featuring Marcel August, a half-French, half-English twenty-something necromancer based in London. That, right there, is one of the reasons I picked it up – it’s unusual to find this type of story set in England – and I liked the idea of Death himself as a love interest. Plus – Cooper North. Nuff Sed.
The starting point for this story is that, twenty years earlier and for some unknown reason, Death “walked off the job and disappeared”, leaving necromancers like Marcel to take up the slack. Without Death around, the spirits of the dead are unable to move on and it’s the job of the necromancers to both police the ghosts and make sure they don’t get up to any mischief that can damage the world of the living, and to guide them to sanctuary whenever they can. When the story begins, Marcel and his long-time partner Jenn have been sent to Baker Street tube station to deal with the spirit of a woman who was killed there a week earlier, and who is now, as Marcel puts it “using her kinetic ghostly energy to fuck shit up.” But what should have been a fairly straightforward job goes rapidly south leaving Jenn seriously injured and Marcel sent away from London, to the small West-Country village of Oakthorne.
Marcel has just driven into the village when a ghost – who later introduces herself as Louise – jumps out in front of his car. She tells Marcel she’s found the body of a man called Harry in a nearby cave, but that his ghost is missing. Suspicious, Marcel decides to call his new boss to alert him to potential trouble, but before he can do so, a zombie staggers into view, followed by a rogue necromancer who uses both zombie and ghost to overpower Marcel and take him down into one of the caves where she plans to use his blood to power a spell. The last thing Marcel remembers is hearing a deep male voice, the sound of a body hitting the ground and the scent of sandalwood as he’s lifted into the air.
Marcel wakes up to find himself in a hospital bed with his rescuer – who introduces himself as Death – sitting by by his bedside. Marcel is confused – how can this gorgeous man possibly be Death? What was he doing at the caves? Why did he just abandon his responsibilities? Death deflects the questions and turns to leave, instructing Marcel not to say anything about him and telling him they won’t see each other again.
So the last thing Marcel expects the next evening is for Death to show up at his new flat saying he’s come to check on him. Marcel doesn’t really buy it, but he doesn’t really care; the guy is hotness personified and when Death says he wants to get to know him better because Marcel intrigues him… well, Marcel is very much on board with that idea.
But here’s where the story starts to go off the rails a bit. Death offers to help Marcel find out what happened to Harry’s ghost and find his killer, although he once again insists on complete secrecy, meaning that Marcel has to lie to his new boss – which is a bit of a shitty position to put him in. And for an ancient, immortal being, Death does some pretty dumb stuff.
So I finished the listen with mixed feelings. Most of the story is told from Marcel’s perspective, but there are a few chapters from Death’s PoV, and in them it’s clear that he’s more than merely “intrigued” by Marcel and that there’s more going on than we’re privy to. But his first chapter – seven – has him mooning over Marcel’s sapphire blue eyes and over how he longs for him, and it feels so much like overblown, flowery insta-lust that it made me roll my eyes rather than swoon. The narration is, of course, terrific, and I enjoyed the story and the worldbuilding – the mystery plot is interesting and the final twist is a real kicker. But Death, as a character, is seriously underdeveloped and while Marcel is more likeable – and I appreciated that he has a normal, loving family, because it made a nice change from family dysfunction and/or angst – he’s still a little bland. I did like that he knits as a hobby, though. The biggest problem, however, is the lacklustre romance; lots of mental lusting and a few sex scenes don’t make up for the lack of chemistry and emotional connection between Marcel and Death. The reveal at the end does explain some of the character choices (although it makes Death seem like a hormonally challenged teen rather than an ancient being), but it’s too little too late to make the romance convincing, and I wish the author had found some way to lead up to it that would have made it feel less like insta-lust.
With huge apologies to the very talented Cooper North, I have an admission to make. Although I knew this was a UK-set book from a UK-based author, I must have forgotten those things between requesting it for review and actually listening to it, because when the opening “Tantor Audio, a division of Recorded Books…” announcement was spoken in an impeccable English accent, I actually thought that maybe I was listening to the wrong book! It’s not the first time I’ve heard Mr. North using an English accent, but I’m so used to his “normal” American one that it threw me for a few seconds!
Maybe that’s the best/worst backhanded compliment I can pay him? :P
Anyway. Cooper North delivers a strong, well-paced and expressive performance featuring a variety of different character voices and clear differentiation between them all. He narrates the entire book – narrative and dialogue – in the same impeccable English accent and sustains it extremely well. I really liked his portrayal of Marcel – he’s upbeat and charming and a bit whimsical; the deeper pitch he adopts for Death is a good contrast, and he expertly captures Death’s world-weariness and the playfulness that comes out when he’s around Marcel. The one real criticism I can make is that the author has set the bulk of the story in a small town near Bristol and makes several references to “West Country” accents throughout the story – and while Mr. North has a pretty good stab at the accent, it doesn’t always hit the mark and sounds – to my British ears – rather strange.
In the end, I’m on the fence about Death Eternal. Apart from that one issue, the narration is great, and as I knew in advance that this is a same-couple series with an ongoing story arc, I was prepared for there to be a fair bit of set up in this book. I just wish some of that set up had been dedicated to the romance.
BUT – now I know what I know, I’m thinking I will probably listen to the next book, to find out what happens next, and to see if, now that Marcel knows the truth, there might be some actual relationship development happening. I can’t offer an unreserved recommendation for Death Eternal, but the reveal and cliff-hanger at the end have intrigued me enough to want to see where the story goes.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
January 25, 2026
Sí y no. Necesito pensar y el siguiente
February 15, 2023
Meh. Characters are superficial and the action is rather unbelievable.
I’ll read the next one in hopes it gets better.
I’ll read the next one in hopes it gets better.
dnf-for-now-may-finish-later
August 14, 2023Going to pause this at 13% I did not realize this was a 4 book series with the same couple and the 4th one isn’t out yet.
January 28, 2023
I had the great pleasure of reading this amazing book in Richards's new series I enjoyed it, Richard has a way with twists and turns that you don't see coming. I got so engrossed with this book that I banged it out in one day 😍 a must read
February 10, 2024
this was such a good book!
i loved the characters.
except emma? what is wrong with her?
can't wait to read the next book!
i loved the characters.
except emma? what is wrong with her?
can't wait to read the next book!
July 19, 2024
**Audiobook Review**
Well this was interesting. The blurb caught my attention and this is a new author to me and I figured I'll give it a try. This paranormal world the author created was interesting and somewhat entertaining. The secrets...the sexual tension...the ghosts living amongst humans...necromancers born and can wield magic...and many other paranormal beings lurking and causing havoc kept me intrigue. A lot of twists and turns...not very predictable which was great...but it ended in somewhat of a cliff hanger. I'm not sure if I'm invested to keep on with the ongoing story of evil rising and the complicated relationship between Marcel and Death. The narrator was great so I might venture on with Book 2.
Well this was interesting. The blurb caught my attention and this is a new author to me and I figured I'll give it a try. This paranormal world the author created was interesting and somewhat entertaining. The secrets...the sexual tension...the ghosts living amongst humans...necromancers born and can wield magic...and many other paranormal beings lurking and causing havoc kept me intrigue. A lot of twists and turns...not very predictable which was great...but it ended in somewhat of a cliff hanger. I'm not sure if I'm invested to keep on with the ongoing story of evil rising and the complicated relationship between Marcel and Death. The narrator was great so I might venture on with Book 2.
July 15, 2025
The concept of this book was intriguing and since necromancers have always been one of my favorite magic classes, I was excited to see what this book had to offer. Unfortunately, I found myself pretty disappointed. While there were nuggets of potential, I felt like, overall, this book was poorly executed. It was reminiscent of a first draft that hadn’t been fully fleshed out or edited. Some parts almost read like bullet points or unfinished streams of consciousness.
All of the characters felt very one dimensional and the main love story lacked any real emotional depth or chemistry, despite the insta-lust between them. The world building, such as it was, came across as rather info dumpy. It was a prime example of telling, rather than showing. The world itself was interesting, the concept of Death just walking off the job and leaving necromancers around the world to pick up his slack is *good*, and there was so much that could have been done with that, but it just felt underutilized.
The dialogue was very stilted and at times it was difficult to keep track of who was speaking. All of the characters spoke with the same bland tone and there was nothing that really set them apart or made them unique, with the exception of maybe Louise and Marcel’s mom.
The decisions the characters made were confusing and came across as juvenile and immature, despite many of these people being trained professionals in their mid 20s or older. Death especially bothered me. He lacked the gravity and maturity that an immortal being should have, and instead ran around acting like an entitled teenager. There was no rhyme or reason for any of the things he did, and it came across as painfully juvenile. The only character I found myself caring about was Marcel’s partner, who we never even see on page again. I want to know what happened to her. Is her face scarred? I she still working as a necromancer? Does she blame Marcel for what happened? Did she snag her man? How’s is she coping with the trauma of being munched on by a zombie?
The main plot felt cobbled together, almost like the author forgot that they were supposed to be writing a mystery along side the romance. There was almost no tension or buildup before the reveal of the big bad, and the mystery that kicked off the entire introduction to Marcel’s new life in Oakthorne also went unsolved and was largely ignored.
The romance itself was lackluster and the spicy scenes were cringey at best. I won’t spoilt it here, but even after Marcel realizes why he’s so drawn to Death, their connection still feels forced and doesn’t hook me emotionally.
I know this book is part of a series, and some of the glaring plot holes and unresolved mysteries may be resolved in later books, but there was nothing that enticed me to read more from this series.
That said, I know completing a book, let alone a whole 4 part series is hard work. It takes dedication and effort to finish an undertaking like that and, even though I didn’t enjoy this book, the author deserves credit just for putting their work out there and completing it.
All of the characters felt very one dimensional and the main love story lacked any real emotional depth or chemistry, despite the insta-lust between them. The world building, such as it was, came across as rather info dumpy. It was a prime example of telling, rather than showing. The world itself was interesting, the concept of Death just walking off the job and leaving necromancers around the world to pick up his slack is *good*, and there was so much that could have been done with that, but it just felt underutilized.
The dialogue was very stilted and at times it was difficult to keep track of who was speaking. All of the characters spoke with the same bland tone and there was nothing that really set them apart or made them unique, with the exception of maybe Louise and Marcel’s mom.
The decisions the characters made were confusing and came across as juvenile and immature, despite many of these people being trained professionals in their mid 20s or older. Death especially bothered me. He lacked the gravity and maturity that an immortal being should have, and instead ran around acting like an entitled teenager. There was no rhyme or reason for any of the things he did, and it came across as painfully juvenile. The only character I found myself caring about was Marcel’s partner, who we never even see on page again. I want to know what happened to her. Is her face scarred? I she still working as a necromancer? Does she blame Marcel for what happened? Did she snag her man? How’s is she coping with the trauma of being munched on by a zombie?
The main plot felt cobbled together, almost like the author forgot that they were supposed to be writing a mystery along side the romance. There was almost no tension or buildup before the reveal of the big bad, and the mystery that kicked off the entire introduction to Marcel’s new life in Oakthorne also went unsolved and was largely ignored.
The romance itself was lackluster and the spicy scenes were cringey at best. I won’t spoilt it here, but even after Marcel realizes why he’s so drawn to Death, their connection still feels forced and doesn’t hook me emotionally.
I know this book is part of a series, and some of the glaring plot holes and unresolved mysteries may be resolved in later books, but there was nothing that enticed me to read more from this series.
That said, I know completing a book, let alone a whole 4 part series is hard work. It takes dedication and effort to finish an undertaking like that and, even though I didn’t enjoy this book, the author deserves credit just for putting their work out there and completing it.
January 10, 2023
"Death Eternal" is the first book in the Necromancer Rising series, and also the first book by Richard Amos I picked up. I'll admit I'm glad did; I really enjoyed the world this author created where ghosts are walking among the living, and necromancers are trying to manage the impact of all these ghosts. It's a cruel existence to be part of the world of the living, without being able to hug someone, enjoy good food, ... I can easily imagine not everyone stays sane and friendly like that.
For me, this was a book I could enjoy on a lot of different levels. There was the story on itself, that was really engaging and interesting and kept me captivated while reading. But I also realised there were parts of this story that didn't entirely let go after I finished the book. Maybe it's because I had to wait two days to write this review after finishing the book, but I kept on looking back at some parts. The unfairness some of these characters have to deal with, the massive amount of unanswered questions, the way nothing is clearly black or white, ... Something tells me this might become one of those series I would enjoy reading a second time, just to pay more attention to the deeper layers to it.
For me, this was a book I could enjoy on a lot of different levels. There was the story on itself, that was really engaging and interesting and kept me captivated while reading. But I also realised there were parts of this story that didn't entirely let go after I finished the book. Maybe it's because I had to wait two days to write this review after finishing the book, but I kept on looking back at some parts. The unfairness some of these characters have to deal with, the massive amount of unanswered questions, the way nothing is clearly black or white, ... Something tells me this might become one of those series I would enjoy reading a second time, just to pay more attention to the deeper layers to it.
January 28, 2023
Fated for Death
There's star-crossed lovers, and then there's Marcel and Death. Taking 'doomed' to a whole 'nother level. I can't want to see how they try to derail the cursed train barreling towards them.
There's star-crossed lovers, and then there's Marcel and Death. Taking 'doomed' to a whole 'nother level. I can't want to see how they try to derail the cursed train barreling towards them.
August 7, 2024
1/5 ⭐️
plot so poorly executed, i have no desire to read what follows this
plot so poorly executed, i have no desire to read what follows this
September 21, 2025
I'm definitely intrigued, tell me more.
May 2, 2024
2.5 / 5 book
5 / 5 audio (Cooper North)
Oh... Oh. Okay! The last 20 minutes saved my interest and motivated me to go for book #2. The rest of it was... underwhelming. The trope itself I would go batshit for, if executed differently. High hopes for the next book! ''Death Eternal'' felt like a very long and confusing prologue.
By the way - didn't like Death as a person, why is he acting like a 19-year-old? It's also a bit cringe that he doesn't have a street name?! Poor Marcel has to moan ''death'' in the sheets 💀💀💀 Maybe that's sexy and I've got no style.
Overall, it read like... something, and then that something got turned upside down with the big reveal at the end, and now I have to look at the whole thing retrospectively and differently... so maybe the next book will save my overall enjoyment of the series. It is very rare of me to give below 3 stars and continue the series, but I am intrigued.
5 / 5 audio (Cooper North)
Oh... Oh. Okay! The last 20 minutes saved my interest and motivated me to go for book #2. The rest of it was... underwhelming. The trope itself I would go batshit for, if executed differently. High hopes for the next book! ''Death Eternal'' felt like a very long and confusing prologue.
By the way - didn't like Death as a person, why is he acting like a 19-year-old? It's also a bit cringe that he doesn't have a street name?! Poor Marcel has to moan ''death'' in the sheets 💀💀💀 Maybe that's sexy and I've got no style.
Overall, it read like... something, and then that something got turned upside down with the big reveal at the end, and now I have to look at the whole thing retrospectively and differently... so maybe the next book will save my overall enjoyment of the series. It is very rare of me to give below 3 stars and continue the series, but I am intrigued.
March 12, 2025
Had some unneeded spice but over all I really like the book!
January 17, 2026
Last year, I dipped my toes into what I don't normally venture into, and that's paranormal romance. What originally attracted me to the book I chose was that it was described as Supernatural, only if Sam and Dean were "togther" (wink, wink). It was also described as Urban Fantasy. When the horror sections disappeared from the bookstores, urban fantasy, with its vampires, werewolves, and witches (oh my!), is watch scratched my horror itch. And while I liked the characters, and I liked the storyline, I was put off by all the sex. Not that I'm a prude or anything, but it was too much, and the guys boinking every chapter detracted from the story.
Well, this year I decided to dip my toes into that water again, but this time I sought out a male author, not a female author and not a female author using a male pseudonym. I settled on Richard Amos's "Necromancer Rising" series. Why? Because with the central character being a necromancer, it harkened back to my early UF days with the Anita Blake series by Laurel K. Hamilton.
In Death Eternal, Book 1 of a 4-book series, we're introduced to Marcel August, the necromancer of the series. We also find out that, thanks to Death walking off the job 20 years ago, the necromancers have gained more power. Where previously there were able to raise and speak to the dead for brief periods, usually to help with police investigations, they can now scan, reanimate, control, bind, and release ghosts. You might think the job of a necromancer would be boring, sitting around waiting for the police to require your assistance. Not so. Not now. Not since Death walked off the job. You see, now there's nobody to escort the ghosts to the spirit plain, so they're stuck here.
During the course of a routine poltergiest call, Jenn, Marcel's partner and BFF, is injured. The High Warden basically blames Marcel for what happened, even though it wasn't his fault. Their routine call had been interrupted by a rogue necromancer and a zombie. Rogues are necromancers who have gone crazy, unable to handle the power upgrade because they opted not to take the Necrojuice, which necromancers must inject on a regular basis in order to keep the powers under control.
Jump to Marcel's transfer out of London to the town of Oakthorne, where upon his arrival, he's encounters a ghost named Louise and is abducted by a rogue and almost killed, until he's rescued by a tall, dark, and handsome stranger.
Yep, you guessed it. Death.
And the two men immediately feel some connection. Under the guise of wanting to help Marcel find out what happended to a missing ghost, Death admits to being fascinated by Marcel, but there's something more going on. Needless to say, the sparks fly and the clothes eventually come off. But surprisingly, it doesn't happen for a while. And there's actually a story here, a mystery that becomes the major focus of the novel despire the overarcing storyline, which is Death and Marcel finding a way to love safely. What do I mean by that? Not giving that away. You'll have to read the book to find out.
I said previously that I was originally drawn to the series because of the echoes of Anita Blake, a series I loved, to a point, but as I was reading, I also picked up echoes of Richelle Meade's Georgina Kincaid series, another UF series I loved. So I was surprised to find that the series wasn't a tired retread of something that I'd read before. The story is fast-paced and action-packed (Amos knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat), and the author has populated his world with cast of likable and not-so-likable characters. Outside of Marcel and Death, my favorite here was Louise, an overly chatty ghost who Marcel befriends (this is the ghost Marcel encounters the night he arrives in Oakthorne).
I mentioned previously that the clothes don't come off for a while, and that was the only shadow hanging over my head as I was reading. I was totally caught up in the story, but with every turn of the page, I cringed, wait for the boinking to start and the story to derail. Thankfully, it never happens. I'm not talking about the boinking (this is, afterall, billed as a romance in addition to an urban fantasy novel); I'm talking about this not turning into an orgy and the story forgotten. Amos has created a well-balanced story that never lets up. The reader is compelled to keep reading to find out what happens next, and the brakes are never put on for the gratuitous sex scene. When it happens, it happens naturally as part of the narrative, not dropped in because the author thinks now is a good time for a boink. And surprisingly, I didn't even mind that this ended on a cliffhanger, which I usually hate, only because the next book was readily available. Also surprisingly, I jumped right into the next book. Normally, if I like a series, I space the books apart in order to savor it and enjoy the company of the characters, but that didn't happen here. Ten days, four books. Not because I wanted to get it over with, but because I needed to know what happened next, not just with Marcel and Death, but with the mystery itself, which only deepened and evolved with each book. If all of Amos's books are like this, I'm in big trouble, especially if the series runs long. It means I'll need to carve out large blocks in my reading schedule.And trust me, I will be returning to this author.
Recommended? Most definitely, especially if you're a fan of the early Anita Blake books.
Well, this year I decided to dip my toes into that water again, but this time I sought out a male author, not a female author and not a female author using a male pseudonym. I settled on Richard Amos's "Necromancer Rising" series. Why? Because with the central character being a necromancer, it harkened back to my early UF days with the Anita Blake series by Laurel K. Hamilton.
In Death Eternal, Book 1 of a 4-book series, we're introduced to Marcel August, the necromancer of the series. We also find out that, thanks to Death walking off the job 20 years ago, the necromancers have gained more power. Where previously there were able to raise and speak to the dead for brief periods, usually to help with police investigations, they can now scan, reanimate, control, bind, and release ghosts. You might think the job of a necromancer would be boring, sitting around waiting for the police to require your assistance. Not so. Not now. Not since Death walked off the job. You see, now there's nobody to escort the ghosts to the spirit plain, so they're stuck here.
During the course of a routine poltergiest call, Jenn, Marcel's partner and BFF, is injured. The High Warden basically blames Marcel for what happened, even though it wasn't his fault. Their routine call had been interrupted by a rogue necromancer and a zombie. Rogues are necromancers who have gone crazy, unable to handle the power upgrade because they opted not to take the Necrojuice, which necromancers must inject on a regular basis in order to keep the powers under control.
Jump to Marcel's transfer out of London to the town of Oakthorne, where upon his arrival, he's encounters a ghost named Louise and is abducted by a rogue and almost killed, until he's rescued by a tall, dark, and handsome stranger.
Yep, you guessed it. Death.
And the two men immediately feel some connection. Under the guise of wanting to help Marcel find out what happended to a missing ghost, Death admits to being fascinated by Marcel, but there's something more going on. Needless to say, the sparks fly and the clothes eventually come off. But surprisingly, it doesn't happen for a while. And there's actually a story here, a mystery that becomes the major focus of the novel despire the overarcing storyline, which is Death and Marcel finding a way to love safely. What do I mean by that? Not giving that away. You'll have to read the book to find out.
I said previously that I was originally drawn to the series because of the echoes of Anita Blake, a series I loved, to a point, but as I was reading, I also picked up echoes of Richelle Meade's Georgina Kincaid series, another UF series I loved. So I was surprised to find that the series wasn't a tired retread of something that I'd read before. The story is fast-paced and action-packed (Amos knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat), and the author has populated his world with cast of likable and not-so-likable characters. Outside of Marcel and Death, my favorite here was Louise, an overly chatty ghost who Marcel befriends (this is the ghost Marcel encounters the night he arrives in Oakthorne).
I mentioned previously that the clothes don't come off for a while, and that was the only shadow hanging over my head as I was reading. I was totally caught up in the story, but with every turn of the page, I cringed, wait for the boinking to start and the story to derail. Thankfully, it never happens. I'm not talking about the boinking (this is, afterall, billed as a romance in addition to an urban fantasy novel); I'm talking about this not turning into an orgy and the story forgotten. Amos has created a well-balanced story that never lets up. The reader is compelled to keep reading to find out what happens next, and the brakes are never put on for the gratuitous sex scene. When it happens, it happens naturally as part of the narrative, not dropped in because the author thinks now is a good time for a boink. And surprisingly, I didn't even mind that this ended on a cliffhanger, which I usually hate, only because the next book was readily available. Also surprisingly, I jumped right into the next book. Normally, if I like a series, I space the books apart in order to savor it and enjoy the company of the characters, but that didn't happen here. Ten days, four books. Not because I wanted to get it over with, but because I needed to know what happened next, not just with Marcel and Death, but with the mystery itself, which only deepened and evolved with each book. If all of Amos's books are like this, I'm in big trouble, especially if the series runs long. It means I'll need to carve out large blocks in my reading schedule.And trust me, I will be returning to this author.
Recommended? Most definitely, especially if you're a fan of the early Anita Blake books.
April 13, 2023
Death Eternal showed real promise, with an exciting and interesting premise that ultimately didn't stand up to my expectations. The first third or so of the story follows Marcel in his duties as a necromancer (far different from the traditional necromancer role of just raising the dead) and how he gets sent to a small town after an accident on the job.
This is when the story really began to go downhill. Unfortunately, the introduction of Death was what really derailed this story, as Marcel and Death are supposedly fated lovers but have zero chemistry. While Marcel has some personality, the same cannot be said for Death, who we know nothing about (and also learn nothing about as well).
The story was definitely insta-love with no meaningful build up to the first spicy scene, which can only be described as dull because Marcel and Death have no chemistry. They are still basically strangers at this point. In fact, the second time Death meets Marcel, he gives him an illegal drug and causes him to almost lose his job. Just a couple chapters later, Death has the nerve to claim that all he cares about is Marcel's wellbeing and reputation. Really? Then you probably shouldn't give him an illegal drug that could've killed him and led to to lose to job and reputation.
Marcel of course doesn't push on this topic and Death basically has to do nothing except apologize to get back in Marcel's good graces. This was a real missed opportunity by the author to actually make Death work for Marcel for once, and in the process give him some more personality. But no, instead the focus is on a slap-dash mystery that Death tries to help Marcel on, but really only causes him to lie even more to his peers and feel shitty about himself. It's really not a healthy relationship in any way, and Marcel really needs to learn to say no- not only does Death come across as really creepy, but it would also help the plot in the long run by actually providing some build up.
*Spoilers*
My thoughts on the ending are also fairly negative. We learn at the end Death has abandon his duties to humanity, and essentially everyone has to become a ghost when they die and are unable to move on to the afterlife. Ghosts can cause major damage to towns and city, and can even kill people in extreme situations. Ghosts are also solid and are basically human, minus the ability to eat and drink.
Naturally, the author presents this situation as very negative for the people still alive and as a slow building crisis that is causing chaos and death around the world. The only person that can stop it is of course Death. So why doesn't he get back to work? Because then he wouldn't be able to be with Marcel.
Honestly, this is an entirely unjustifiable position for Death, as he is causing global misery, just so he can bone some rando. That really makes me hate him as a character and Marcel for not standing up for the rest of humanity and doing the right thing. Oh well, I'm sure the author will write them out of this hole, but I won't be around to read when he does.
2 stars
This is when the story really began to go downhill. Unfortunately, the introduction of Death was what really derailed this story, as Marcel and Death are supposedly fated lovers but have zero chemistry. While Marcel has some personality, the same cannot be said for Death, who we know nothing about (and also learn nothing about as well).
The story was definitely insta-love with no meaningful build up to the first spicy scene, which can only be described as dull because Marcel and Death have no chemistry. They are still basically strangers at this point. In fact, the second time Death meets Marcel, he gives him an illegal drug and causes him to almost lose his job. Just a couple chapters later, Death has the nerve to claim that all he cares about is Marcel's wellbeing and reputation. Really? Then you probably shouldn't give him an illegal drug that could've killed him and led to to lose to job and reputation.
Marcel of course doesn't push on this topic and Death basically has to do nothing except apologize to get back in Marcel's good graces. This was a real missed opportunity by the author to actually make Death work for Marcel for once, and in the process give him some more personality. But no, instead the focus is on a slap-dash mystery that Death tries to help Marcel on, but really only causes him to lie even more to his peers and feel shitty about himself. It's really not a healthy relationship in any way, and Marcel really needs to learn to say no- not only does Death come across as really creepy, but it would also help the plot in the long run by actually providing some build up.
*Spoilers*
My thoughts on the ending are also fairly negative. We learn at the end Death has abandon his duties to humanity, and essentially everyone has to become a ghost when they die and are unable to move on to the afterlife. Ghosts can cause major damage to towns and city, and can even kill people in extreme situations. Ghosts are also solid and are basically human, minus the ability to eat and drink.
Naturally, the author presents this situation as very negative for the people still alive and as a slow building crisis that is causing chaos and death around the world. The only person that can stop it is of course Death. So why doesn't he get back to work? Because then he wouldn't be able to be with Marcel.
Honestly, this is an entirely unjustifiable position for Death, as he is causing global misery, just so he can bone some rando. That really makes me hate him as a character and Marcel for not standing up for the rest of humanity and doing the right thing. Oh well, I'm sure the author will write them out of this hole, but I won't be around to read when he does.
2 stars
November 13, 2023
The premise was so exciting and different. I was looking forward to reading this book.
The first third was interesting. We followed Marcel on duty as a necromancer in a bit different sense than they usually portrayed. I guess this part was fine but at the same time so much missed potential. It could've used more worldbuilding and the writing style is so light and fun that all those heavy things didn't feel real.
That's the prime example of the style. I dunno its fun and all but a bit stupid I guess (and you know not fun stupid but a strange stupid lol)
Then we meet Death and omg instant attraction and all that jazz not my cup of tea really.
Insta-love at its finest.
The characters were flat and two-dimensional. I didn't see any chemistry whatsoever (it turned out that they are fated mates or some shit so I guess the author decided to skip all the build-up and just make Marcel remember that Death is his one and only, honestly meh, just meh)
The mystery was questionable. Don't get me wrong it was quite entertaining but at the same time, it felt so unsubstantial that I can't.
The ending, the big reveal - once again meh, just meh.
Not sure whether I would continue with this. I am sure the author will justify Death's sabbatical and turn this out, but honestly, I don't see myself reading it.
The first third was interesting. We followed Marcel on duty as a necromancer in a bit different sense than they usually portrayed. I guess this part was fine but at the same time so much missed potential. It could've used more worldbuilding and the writing style is so light and fun that all those heavy things didn't feel real.
Why did Death like staying there? I guess its emptiness was appealing to an immortal on sabbatical...
Was it a sabbatical? Would he go back to work eventually? Was he like us mortals, burned out and in need of a mental health break? Totally valid, only I wasn't so sure.
That's the prime example of the style. I dunno its fun and all but a bit stupid I guess (and you know not fun stupid but a strange stupid lol)
Then we meet Death and omg instant attraction and all that jazz not my cup of tea really.
Insta-love at its finest.
The characters were flat and two-dimensional. I didn't see any chemistry whatsoever (it turned out that they are fated mates or some shit so I guess the author decided to skip all the build-up and just make Marcel remember that Death is his one and only, honestly meh, just meh)
The mystery was questionable. Don't get me wrong it was quite entertaining but at the same time, it felt so unsubstantial that I can't.
The ending, the big reveal - once again meh, just meh.
Not sure whether I would continue with this. I am sure the author will justify Death's sabbatical and turn this out, but honestly, I don't see myself reading it.
October 2, 2025
4 binding stars! ***Mild spoilers!***
Marcel is a necromancer, able to bind spirits who haven't moved on and are bound to the Earthly realm. Why!? Because Death has stopped working. He hasn't collected a soul in years and the spirits are becoming more and more upset. Some are turning rouge and reaking havoc in London. Killing innocent mortals and necromancers alike.
After a binding goes terribly wrong, injuring Marcel and badly wounding his partner, Jenn, the High Warden sends Marcel to another town. Oakthorne, overseen by High Warden Nicholas West.
After Marcel becomes involved in a dangerous murder case on his first day in his new town, Death, in human form, steps in to save his life. Their attraction is immediate and intense. Death is beyond handsome...he is HOT!
As the two become closer and the heat between them rises, Marcel finds himself drawn deeper into Death's desires. But when more dead bodies begin to appear in Oakbrooke, Marcel finds that loving Death and doing his job do not necessarily mix well.
With amazing world building, Marcel's obsession with knitting and very witty banter between the two protagonists, this book was truly delightful and unique. But who (or what) is murdering the people in the town? And why? And why did Death cease doing his job?
Can Marcel and Death make their relationship work AND a secret? Read this first book in the Necromancer Rising trilogy to discover the answers to these questions. Let yourself become "spellbound!"
Marcel is a necromancer, able to bind spirits who haven't moved on and are bound to the Earthly realm. Why!? Because Death has stopped working. He hasn't collected a soul in years and the spirits are becoming more and more upset. Some are turning rouge and reaking havoc in London. Killing innocent mortals and necromancers alike.
After a binding goes terribly wrong, injuring Marcel and badly wounding his partner, Jenn, the High Warden sends Marcel to another town. Oakthorne, overseen by High Warden Nicholas West.
After Marcel becomes involved in a dangerous murder case on his first day in his new town, Death, in human form, steps in to save his life. Their attraction is immediate and intense. Death is beyond handsome...he is HOT!
As the two become closer and the heat between them rises, Marcel finds himself drawn deeper into Death's desires. But when more dead bodies begin to appear in Oakbrooke, Marcel finds that loving Death and doing his job do not necessarily mix well.
With amazing world building, Marcel's obsession with knitting and very witty banter between the two protagonists, this book was truly delightful and unique. But who (or what) is murdering the people in the town? And why? And why did Death cease doing his job?
Can Marcel and Death make their relationship work AND a secret? Read this first book in the Necromancer Rising trilogy to discover the answers to these questions. Let yourself become "spellbound!"
June 5, 2023
I've already read one series by Richard Amos,
Dark Caress
series, and loved it to bits and pieces. I just devoured every book and loved the romance, plots, angst. So I had some expectations for Death Eternal. And I have to say that I did not really love it.
Marcel and Death are interesting characters but I think that they lacked a certain depth. I liked that Marcel actually has a really loving family which seemed quite refreshing (no common trope of family angst).
The romance is really fates-mates kind and... I think this trope is not my cup of tea. I am okay with instalust/insta attraction. But I did not really find Marcel and Death's connection realistic and believable.
The plot was also a bit... lacking. We were halfway through the book and... nothing much was happening. So I felt quite lost or that it is draggy.
There was a bit more romance than I expected which was a plus.
Some characters (like the fellow necromancers in the new town) felt like filler characters - Marcel barely interacted with them but they hated his guts?
The ending definitely redeemed most of the book. I was actually shocked by what was happening and did not want to finish the book as I feared the worst. So I am open to reading more, but I am actually sad that I did not love the book as much as I loved The Cursed Prince .
Marcel and Death are interesting characters but I think that they lacked a certain depth. I liked that Marcel actually has a really loving family which seemed quite refreshing (no common trope of family angst).
The romance is really fates-mates kind and... I think this trope is not my cup of tea. I am okay with instalust/insta attraction. But I did not really find Marcel and Death's connection realistic and believable.
The plot was also a bit... lacking. We were halfway through the book and... nothing much was happening. So I felt quite lost or that it is draggy.
There was a bit more romance than I expected which was a plus.
Some characters (like the fellow necromancers in the new town) felt like filler characters - Marcel barely interacted with them but they hated his guts?
The ending definitely redeemed most of the book. I was actually shocked by what was happening and did not want to finish the book as I feared the worst. So I am open to reading more, but I am actually sad that I did not love the book as much as I loved The Cursed Prince .
April 17, 2024
Richard Amos has been on my radar of "to be read" authors for some time and honestly when I got a hold of this book, I was so glad as we have the awesome narrator Cooper North roped in and what a listening treat it was, especially with Mr. North in a British accent, which surprised me as I've only heard him in an American accent. More surprising was how he kept his cadence, pace, and voice variation with all characters so well, especially with the main MCs Marcel and Death (yeah this has Death as the main protagonist). Marcel being half-French and half-English fluently switched in both languages, and Mr. North shows us how good his hold on another language is. Marcel is a bit jaded fellow and has a snarky sense of humor because of his profession as a Necromancer, but his upbeat and good-natured voice style was something I enjoyed listening to a lot. Death got a deeper cadence in his voice style which suited him, especially when he was acting all flirty and lovey-dovey with Marcel. The other support cast did not get a lot of chance to stay put in the story for long, except for the police chief/ Warden where Marcel got posted his voice doesn't have a northern English accent, but no complaints, because his voice still sounded more mature and had a laid-back nice guy vibe to it.
Now world-building is quite intriguing as we are introduced to a time where ghosts, Necromancers, vampires, magicians, and the like exist. Yes, magic exists and human kids born as Necromancers have Silver hair, and most of them end up getting hired as detectives to send errant ghosts to sanctuaries because Death has resigned from the job of sending people to the afterlife or into the light. Anyway, because of no Grim Reaper, the ghosts problem has arisen and even rogue ghosts are also being a menace to law and order. Then there is the existence of Sanctuaries, where exciting and tame ghosts are sent (it's almost like an exile sentence), but the ghosts have experts, including Necros taking care of them, still just like any prison, it has issues too. There are ghosts whom the Necros leave be, as they are not troubling anyone, and humans are quite used to seeing them as well.
Marcel, is an overworked, underslept Necromancer consultant who works for the London police, but he's good in taming the ghosts instead of forcefully capturing and sending them to sanctuaries. When he and his partner are assigned a situation in a London tube tunnel with a berserk new ghost, he tries and almost fails to capture the ghost because a rogue ghost intervenes. This incident doesn't end pretty, his partner gets badly injured and Marcel gets reprimanded by his chief for not resting enough and taking on a case, endangering himself and everyone around him. With a heavy heart and marching orders to the North, a west-country village of Oakthorne. But, as soon as he reaches the village he faces another rogue ghost situation when another ghost finds a dead body. But when he finds the rogue ghost, he's attacked and is saved by an unexpected rescuer.
Death, is kind of a mysterious entity/fellow, who keeps a watch on Marcel, but why? Not only is he rescuing him from near-death situations, but he also helps Marcel to solve the ghost disappearance incidents. Yes, someone is taking the ghosts away, so much so that the necros cannot even sense their soul essence. Death knows about the problem, but even he doesn't know who is trying to do this to the ghosts. He's also busy courting Marcel, and the chemistry between them is smoldering, unfortunately, the character development is a bit stuck and we will not know the real reason till the very end.
So, even if it's a good listen, there is a lot more development left to happen. Its a series so, more will be unveiled soon. I just hope the characters and romance get more screen/book time.
Now world-building is quite intriguing as we are introduced to a time where ghosts, Necromancers, vampires, magicians, and the like exist. Yes, magic exists and human kids born as Necromancers have Silver hair, and most of them end up getting hired as detectives to send errant ghosts to sanctuaries because Death has resigned from the job of sending people to the afterlife or into the light. Anyway, because of no Grim Reaper, the ghosts problem has arisen and even rogue ghosts are also being a menace to law and order. Then there is the existence of Sanctuaries, where exciting and tame ghosts are sent (it's almost like an exile sentence), but the ghosts have experts, including Necros taking care of them, still just like any prison, it has issues too. There are ghosts whom the Necros leave be, as they are not troubling anyone, and humans are quite used to seeing them as well.
Marcel, is an overworked, underslept Necromancer consultant who works for the London police, but he's good in taming the ghosts instead of forcefully capturing and sending them to sanctuaries. When he and his partner are assigned a situation in a London tube tunnel with a berserk new ghost, he tries and almost fails to capture the ghost because a rogue ghost intervenes. This incident doesn't end pretty, his partner gets badly injured and Marcel gets reprimanded by his chief for not resting enough and taking on a case, endangering himself and everyone around him. With a heavy heart and marching orders to the North, a west-country village of Oakthorne. But, as soon as he reaches the village he faces another rogue ghost situation when another ghost finds a dead body. But when he finds the rogue ghost, he's attacked and is saved by an unexpected rescuer.
Death, is kind of a mysterious entity/fellow, who keeps a watch on Marcel, but why? Not only is he rescuing him from near-death situations, but he also helps Marcel to solve the ghost disappearance incidents. Yes, someone is taking the ghosts away, so much so that the necros cannot even sense their soul essence. Death knows about the problem, but even he doesn't know who is trying to do this to the ghosts. He's also busy courting Marcel, and the chemistry between them is smoldering, unfortunately, the character development is a bit stuck and we will not know the real reason till the very end.
So, even if it's a good listen, there is a lot more development left to happen. Its a series so, more will be unveiled soon. I just hope the characters and romance get more screen/book time.
February 22, 2025
4.5 stars
I loved the world building here. Very creative. I loved the characters and how they interacted, especially the MCs. I love that Marcel knitted to relax and wore his pieces proudly. I liked the different personalities. I wasn't quite sure if normal humans could see the ghosts but I got the impression at a couple of points that they did. That was different although I'm not sure how I feel about it.
But different is good these days when I feel so much is rehashed formulaic claptrap. Many of the pieces here have been seen before but I felt they were presented in a fresh new way.The plot was interesting and not what I expected. The pacing was good. The mystery and its resolution were entertaining as well. I liked the ending between Death and Marcel. Some may figure it out but I didn't.
My only problem with it is that if everyone who dies is stuck as a ghost on Earth, space would fill up very, very fast. They certainly couldn't provide the ghosts with their own apartments at a sanctuary.
I am eager to read the next one.
The narrator, Cooper North, was wonderful. His voices were varied with both men and women (no nonbinary characters here) and the MCs were distinct. His voice for Death was perfect. He did varying accents for the people who the story described as having different ones, and they sounded good to me as an American. He did the humor, the drama, and the action, all very well. He made the sex really hot.
I loved the world building here. Very creative. I loved the characters and how they interacted, especially the MCs. I love that Marcel knitted to relax and wore his pieces proudly. I liked the different personalities. I wasn't quite sure if normal humans could see the ghosts but I got the impression at a couple of points that they did. That was different although I'm not sure how I feel about it.
But different is good these days when I feel so much is rehashed formulaic claptrap. Many of the pieces here have been seen before but I felt they were presented in a fresh new way.The plot was interesting and not what I expected. The pacing was good. The mystery and its resolution were entertaining as well. I liked the ending between Death and Marcel. Some may figure it out but I didn't.
My only problem with it is that if everyone who dies is stuck as a ghost on Earth, space would fill up very, very fast. They certainly couldn't provide the ghosts with their own apartments at a sanctuary.
I am eager to read the next one.
The narrator, Cooper North, was wonderful. His voices were varied with both men and women (no nonbinary characters here) and the MCs were distinct. His voice for Death was perfect. He did varying accents for the people who the story described as having different ones, and they sounded good to me as an American. He did the humor, the drama, and the action, all very well. He made the sex really hot.
February 6, 2023
Welcome to Death Eternal, author Richard Amos’s latest dark paranormal series that will keep you page-turning and coming back for more! Marcel, the main character, is a necromancer. His job? Investigate crimes, and deal with the ghosts – reigning them in when needed and either sending them to Sanctuary or to a Facility if they choose to bring death and chaos to the world. Not what you’d expect, right? Well, there is a reason for that. Death? Well, he walked off the job and hasn’t been seen since. What’s going on? Well, that’s quite the interesting tale – so dive in!
Death Eternal is an engaging novel, and probably my latest favorite by this author. The storyline will immediately engage you from the beginning. It will shock you how quickly things devolve for Marcel. You’ll even be suspicious of how quickly things go from good to bad for him. Is there something to this thread? Only time will tell. The author weaves darkness throughout, with danger, and it’s hiding closer than anyone could possibly think. Packed with twists, surprises, and delicious steamy this author intends to keep you coming back eager for more and more! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
5 out of 5 stars
Death Eternal is an engaging novel, and probably my latest favorite by this author. The storyline will immediately engage you from the beginning. It will shock you how quickly things devolve for Marcel. You’ll even be suspicious of how quickly things go from good to bad for him. Is there something to this thread? Only time will tell. The author weaves darkness throughout, with danger, and it’s hiding closer than anyone could possibly think. Packed with twists, surprises, and delicious steamy this author intends to keep you coming back eager for more and more! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
5 out of 5 stars
February 4, 2023
Death Eternal, the first book in the Necromancer Rising series by Richard Amos is yet again another fabulous MM paranormal urban fantasy romance that will pull you right in!
Marcel, a Necromancer who finds himself working overtime since Death himself disappeared, soon finds himself in a rough place after an accident left his partner badly injured, his reputation in tatters and him being reassigned to a small town. Where he instantly finds himself in her again another hot spot…and gains the attention of the deliciously tempting immortal being known as Death.
I absolutely loved the connection between Marcel and Death and the buildup of all the suspense and mystery of this little town was utter perfection! The amount of tension, angst and twists and turns made this a captivating read that couldn’t be put down—especially as the chemistry between Marcel and Death became explosively addicting!
If you love MM paranormal romances packed full of action and danger, suspense and mystery, a sexy necromancer and a deliciously tempering and of course lots of steam and chemistry this is the one for you!
Marcel, a Necromancer who finds himself working overtime since Death himself disappeared, soon finds himself in a rough place after an accident left his partner badly injured, his reputation in tatters and him being reassigned to a small town. Where he instantly finds himself in her again another hot spot…and gains the attention of the deliciously tempting immortal being known as Death.
I absolutely loved the connection between Marcel and Death and the buildup of all the suspense and mystery of this little town was utter perfection! The amount of tension, angst and twists and turns made this a captivating read that couldn’t be put down—especially as the chemistry between Marcel and Death became explosively addicting!
If you love MM paranormal romances packed full of action and danger, suspense and mystery, a sexy necromancer and a deliciously tempering and of course lots of steam and chemistry this is the one for you!
January 14, 2023
Is there anything finer than a brand new series from one of your favourite urban fantasy authors? Well, maybe…but not many things, and the first outing in the Necromancer Rising world is brilliant. Death Eternal has all the imaginative and interesting world-building you’d expect from this author, who showcases his usual flair for blending real-world stuff with magic and mystery. I really like a lot of the elements that separate out the necromancers (like their silver hair and the colour of their magic) and that there are rogues who must be stopped from using their particular powers. The role of necromancers in society and the interaction between the living and the dead are great, too.
As main characters Marcel and Death are engaging. Marcel is down after incidents in both his personal and professional life cause upset. At work, those incidents lead him away from the path he's working towards and to a small village away from London and his family. Marcel’s resilient, though, and immediately gets thrown in at the deep end in his current situation. Death? Well he's a different prospect altogether. He’s very well-written in that, to me, he feels both contemporary and a man outside of his time, making him charmingly mercurial. He frustrates a little at times and he’s needy when it comes to Marcel, but he's also fiercely protective and laser-focused when it comes to our favourite necromancer.
My recommendation? Dive right into Death Eternal for a great introduction to Marcel and Death’s world. Love it!
An ARC was provided by the author. This is my honest review.
As main characters Marcel and Death are engaging. Marcel is down after incidents in both his personal and professional life cause upset. At work, those incidents lead him away from the path he's working towards and to a small village away from London and his family. Marcel’s resilient, though, and immediately gets thrown in at the deep end in his current situation. Death? Well he's a different prospect altogether. He’s very well-written in that, to me, he feels both contemporary and a man outside of his time, making him charmingly mercurial. He frustrates a little at times and he’s needy when it comes to Marcel, but he's also fiercely protective and laser-focused when it comes to our favourite necromancer.
My recommendation? Dive right into Death Eternal for a great introduction to Marcel and Death’s world. Love it!
An ARC was provided by the author. This is my honest review.
January 16, 2023
I love a good MM romance and if you do as well, this is a great book for you. The MMC is Marcel, a Necromancer in the UK. He has been having a really tough go of things, from a bad break up to a work accident that left his partner barely escaping with her life. When he is reassigned to a small town, a few hours away, he feels lost. Any hope of a fresh new start dies a quick death when he's barely entered the town limits and is attacked. Surprisingly, just when he's sure he's finally met his end, Death shows up, saves his life and steals his heart. The connection between them is intense and unexplainable. Between his growing feelings for Death and a string of ghostless deaths in the normally peaceful town, Marcel is struggling to find answers. There is a lot of angst in the first half of the book, as he tries to come to terms with the turn his life has taken. There are twists and turns, a plenty, and the chemistry between Marcel and Death is a joy to watch unfold. There is still plenty to discover with these two men and I can't wait to find out more in the next book.
January 28, 2023
Death Eternal is the first book in Richard Amos’ new urban fantasy series. I love a good Necromancer story and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. Death Eternal is definitely a fun read. It has a wonderful mix of romance, action, suspense, drama and magic. It’s excellently paced, with lots of twists and turns, set in a new and unique world superimposed on our own.
We first meet Marcel, our Necromancer, when he has a work mishap with a ghost and a rogue Necromancer. Unfortunately, his boss (whom I find I disliked intensely) decides the best course of action is to ship him off to another location. Marcel lucks out and finds himself in trouble on his way to his new job only to be saved by Death himself, whom the world thinks walked away from his job 20years ago. The sparks between these two were visible from the moment they met and I really enjoyed their way their relationship developed over the course of the book.
This was a unique and intriguing story and I’m excited to know what’s to come.
We first meet Marcel, our Necromancer, when he has a work mishap with a ghost and a rogue Necromancer. Unfortunately, his boss (whom I find I disliked intensely) decides the best course of action is to ship him off to another location. Marcel lucks out and finds himself in trouble on his way to his new job only to be saved by Death himself, whom the world thinks walked away from his job 20years ago. The sparks between these two were visible from the moment they met and I really enjoyed their way their relationship developed over the course of the book.
This was a unique and intriguing story and I’m excited to know what’s to come.
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