The Water Crystal: Deal with the Devil & Rise of Azrisol Kaimana

by Alfred Muller

The monster in his nightmares calls him friend, but Anthony Luther wants nothing to do with the Man-in-the-Dark, wishing only to disappear into the small town of Heckhaven, TN. Unfortunately for him, that town has a long memory and it remembers he caused a fire that killed one of their own. Ten years later Anthony learns that sharing a drink with someone in the abyss of the afterlife is more than it seems.
His best friend, Dezeray Lilet is able to overlook his past transgressions making life in the small town bearable, until another fire threatens to unravel his happiness. Already marked by the first fire Anthony doesn't think he'll be able to overcome a second. To make matters worse Dezeray has hidden her past from herself as a coping mechanism, but when Anthony’s past resurfaces her own skeletons are pulled from the cobwebs of her mind unleashing her personal demons into the pot of chaos brewing.
All comes to a head when a demon crashes a graduation party and tips the pot flooding the town of Heckhaven with violence. Only then is a reluctant group of angels called Sciathan Zaldune dispatched to watch over Anthony, at least until the secrets of his past and his connection to the Man-in-the-Dark can be explained. Caught in an ancient struggle between good and evil Anthony finds himself forced to side against humanity to save himself and his few friends.

Back from the odd world of the Wandering Anthony Luther has a new look on life. His time away has left him on uneven ground however. While he was in limbo, life continued giving his enemies time to strengthen their positions. Detective Printer has been diligently uncovering more evidence against him and NewMark hasn’t stopped searching for him. Lucifer’s threat has come to pass Anthony learns when his family gets involved after his disappearance and new fears dominate his mind. Lucifer may know more about Anthony’s fate than he will share about what Anthony agreed to all those years ago.

Dezeray’s memories flood back bringing with it new struggles of soul. How she copes with it will impact the outcome of the world and how many of her friends will she take with her in the process. Her bond to Anthony is tested as she fights her own battle against faith and ideals.

In the aftermath who will be left standing. As the war between Heaven and Hell builds which side will Anthony and his friends fall on. Gabriel continues his defense of his mortal friends, but now Michael is unleashed as well. The epic struggle continues in book two.

777 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 22, 2022

About the author

I hated reading growing up for multiple reasons. writing always sought me out however whether it was picture books or short stories my imagination was never quiet. my mom would tell me stories growing up at bedtime while w e aped in upstate NY building the foundation of my creative instincts. My dad would play G.I Joes with me and this only furthered my desire to create. It wasn't until I found the Percy Jackson series did I find my love of reading.
From there my future was set. I devoured every book I could get my hands on. I also realized I didn't read anything I was interested in as much as the mythos around religion and death. many fantasy books peeked my interest and grabbed my attention, but stories I wanted to tell, I couldn't find so, with the frothing of my magi8nation to contend with, I started writing. in the end I came up with the epic novel, The Water Crystal: Rise of Azrisol Kaimana.

Reviews

[Jason Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The paranormal and theological research in this book was awesome, and taken to a level that would be terrifying in the world we know. The layered and secretive characters will draw you in, often leaving you with the impulse to swear at them until they each share that critical piece of personal history that contributes to revealing and solving everything. Take heart, Mr. Muller clearly did that on purpose to keep us on our toes.
I heard this book was recently split in two. That shows signs of an author who is clearly alert to the wants of his readers. Give it a look! You won’t regret it!

[bookworm.wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Water Crystal is an absolutely captivating fantasy book that completely swept me away into its mesmerizing world. Right from the start, I was completely immersed in the story, unable to put it down. Alfred Muller's ability to weave together such a vivid and unique world filled with monsters, demons, and angels is truly remarkable. The characters are well-developed, and as a first-time fantasy reader, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this supernatural fantasy. It's definitely a must-read for readers who enjoy the fantasy world!

[Markus Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A teenager with a dark secret, and then some!

Opening up with quite the extraordinary scene from the get-go, Anthony carries a heavy (and otherworldly) burden throughout his teen years which then begins to cross over into his personal world and everyone within it.

Without ruining anything, there’s a lot to digest in this Urban Fantasy novel with many connecting characters’ stories coming into contact with the main lead’s and developing a well thought-out and interesting plot. A good investment of your time for vivid fantasy readers

[Mellisa Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What drew me into this story was the setting Heckhaven, Tennessee, is as much a character as Anthony or Dezeray. The way this town “remembers” what happened and almost holds a grudge gave the book a mythic, haunted quality I loved. You feel the weight of every burned-down building and whispered accusation. The fantasy elements are incredibly ambitious. Angels named Sciathan Zaldune, mysterious organizations like NewMark, liminal spaces like the Wandering this book swings big. Sometimes it’s a little much to track all the mythos, but it’s worth it for the payoff. The scenes involving Michael and Gabriel add epic weight to what is at heart a very personal story about trauma and trust. The writing style reminds me a bit of Neil Gaiman lyrical, shadowy, and layered. I docked one star only because I wanted a few more answers by the end, but I’m guessing they’re coming in the next installment. And I’ll definitely be reading it.

[Z. Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing story. The characters were very immersive and gripping. The plot line was a very new take on the battle of good and evil. This book had me up late into the night trying to see what was coming next. I can’t wait to see what Muller has in store next.

[Peter Last · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potential: one word to sum up this novel and its author. The backdrop, a war between heaven and hell with earth caught in the middle, is an interesting premise but leads to problematic theology. God barely exists. People go to hell because their guardian angels fail to protect them on the way to heaven. These are just two of the problematic concepts. To be fair, the book is guided more by general principles of mythology than any specific religion, but it is still abrasive to my sensibilities since I am a Christian, the basic faith system explored in this novel. Despite its sacrilegious nature, the story is engaging. Its fantastic characters are the strongest part of the book. The protagonist, Anthony, is very relatable. Initially timid and self-loathing due to his past, he develops in realistic fashion. Though improvement is torturously slow at times, the pace of his arc gives it even more weight. To keep things grounded, he does not turn into a perfect character but develops new flaws alongside his strengths, flaws which I hope will play a role in later books. A standout supporting character is Dezeray. An interesting backstory and character logically based on her experience make this broken person sympathetic and likable. She is developed extensively enough that she could be a main character, but the book doesn’t always treat her as such. The rest of the supporting cast is a mixed bag. Some are caricatured and stupid, some are over the top, and others are a perfect mix. It is often difficult to tell which of the many supernatural and physical characters are the good guys, making for a dynamic read. By contrast, the plot is all over the place, and the pacing suffers for it. The same general arc drives the novel from beginning to end, but smaller plot arcs come and go in haphazard fashion. Most notably, Anthony changes location at one point, none of the supporting characters accompany him, and a new cast is introduced. Secondary plotlines are put on hold and new ones are introduced. The material of this section is interesting but feels like an intermission to rather than a continuation of the main storyline. From interpersonal conflict to superhero-esq fights between towering angels and demons, action in this novel is thrilling, well-described, and easy to visualize. Unfortunately, scenes lack cohesive arcs with little push and pull as each side gains or loses ground over time. Instead, characters bash at each other until one of them wins. The scenes aren’t bad, but they could be better. The writing is by far the weakest part of this book. Bad punctuation, missing/misspelled/wrong words, mixed tenses, run-on sentences, and general poor sentence structure abound. Paragraphs are often bloated with unnecessary sentences. On the other hand, dialogue is usually natural and raw in the best possible way, though sometimes it is hampered by poor attribution, lack of contractions, and stilted wording. Despite the plethora of writing errors, the strengths of the story make this weakness fade into the background to a certain extent. Normally I would rate this book two-stars on the writing alone; however, the story and characters are interesting enough to make it worth reading. The excellent aspects of the story are the most difficult to teach while the weakest ones are the simplest to fix. This is Muller’s first book, so he can certainly improve his skill with time. I will definitely read the sequel to these books and am excited for the future of this promising new author.

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything from this author, and while it took me a bit to get my footing (there’s a lot of backstory to catch up on), once I was in, I was in. The horror elements are real and disturbing, but it’s the emotional darkness that stuck with me. Anthony is not a classic hero. He’s broken, he’s angry, he’s scared and that’s why I love him. The Man-in-the-Dark is probably one of the creepiest figures I’ve come across in horror fiction in years. He's not just a demon; he's trauma personified. It’s not a light read, and you probably need to read book one first, but this is a solid second entry in what feels like a grand, epic saga.

[Annette Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first page. Anthony’s internal struggle with the Man in the Dark is beautifully unsettling, and the way this small town of Heckhaven hides both secrets and supernatural elements is nothing short of brilliant. Dezeray’s storyline hit me hard. The emotional depth paired with the intense stakes of good vs. evil had me tearing through the chapters. Highly recommended for fans of layered horror and dark fantasy.