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The Enduring #1
Help Wanted: New Devil
Even the afterlife gets decided in a committee.
The afterlife is more like a large retirement community than a fiery pit where even collecting souls has been automated. Death has nothing on his to-do list until his co-worker, the Devil, tells him she’s retiring. For years he’s relied on her to keep the ever-growing population of Patala running smoothly. After five hundred years he needs to replace the most important woman in his life.
To avoid mutiny from the residents (and having to do anything), he forms a politically charged search committee. An increasingly absent Death fidgets as the process drags out for over a year. When the worn-out incumbent’s unstable powers cause a magical blackout, Death fears the living world will be overrun by the dead. Now desperate to fill the position with a fresh recruit, Death needs to make a decision.
The only good thing is that the hiring process can’t kill him.
If you like clever takes on familiar characters, rich worlds, and seeing Death suffer then you’ll love S.R. Marks’ sarcastic take on the afterlife. Time has almost run out for Death, but not for you to read Help New Devil, the first book in The Enduring urban fantasy series.
The afterlife is more like a large retirement community than a fiery pit where even collecting souls has been automated. Death has nothing on his to-do list until his co-worker, the Devil, tells him she’s retiring. For years he’s relied on her to keep the ever-growing population of Patala running smoothly. After five hundred years he needs to replace the most important woman in his life.
To avoid mutiny from the residents (and having to do anything), he forms a politically charged search committee. An increasingly absent Death fidgets as the process drags out for over a year. When the worn-out incumbent’s unstable powers cause a magical blackout, Death fears the living world will be overrun by the dead. Now desperate to fill the position with a fresh recruit, Death needs to make a decision.
The only good thing is that the hiring process can’t kill him.
If you like clever takes on familiar characters, rich worlds, and seeing Death suffer then you’ll love S.R. Marks’ sarcastic take on the afterlife. Time has almost run out for Death, but not for you to read Help New Devil, the first book in The Enduring urban fantasy series.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2022
About the author
S.R. Marks
9 books6 followersS.R. Marks is the pen name author Sara Marks uses for her horror and fantasy books. Sara is a librarian with two masters degrees and plans to never stop getting over educated. She likes the idea of having all the academic regalia she can ever possess. She cries at nearly every movie she sees (ask her about when she cried at a horror movie), but it’s full-on weeping for Disney animated movies. She loves reading nearly every genre but likes to write romance and fantasy books. Writing horror keeps her perspective of the world more balanced and allows her to write all her hopefully romances without getting angry.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 7, 2024
Deathly Romp
Is it weird to call death and the afterlife adorable? Probably, but that’s how felt about this. This was a humorous switch on the ideas we all expect and I appreciated every moment.
Is it weird to call death and the afterlife adorable? Probably, but that’s how felt about this. This was a humorous switch on the ideas we all expect and I appreciated every moment.
November 16, 2023
It felt like a chore to read this.
July 4, 2026
Interesting premise but... (some spoilery stuff, and one specific)
First, let me say this book did not remind me of Terry Pratchett or the Incarnations of Immortality series [as other reviews have stated] other than the underlying conceit. That being said, the character that annoyed me the most in this book was Death- and for quite a long time too. He has some major issues, and i think if any other characters had addressed them in my way, that would have changed my perception. Or even, if only once, he had mused on why he was acting the way he was. Second, the character everyone loves to hate was an entitled out of touch person (almost a social media sponge before Social media really existed. Okay, granted, but why then do we have to see all of the other characters (except one) act like spoiled brats back to her? Death we get, he's not really human, but, the others are or were. And at the end? Being cruel to someone who is down on their luck and who will in no way affect your life going forward? That action totally tainted the way I felt about a character I had quite liked (SPECIFIC SPOILER........... Matthew).
I don't think the philosophy of the afterlife was explained beyond a fairly surface level, but maybe it is fleshed out in the other books in this series. The writing isn't bad and I was really into the book at first but by the middle, I was only staying to see if I was right about how it ended. Spoiler alert, I was. Unfortunate, as I actually purchased it, but am going to remove it from my Kindle as I don't feel a need to go to it again. That being said, it was well edited which has really been lacking in many of the books I have read lately; so, kudos to the editor.
First, let me say this book did not remind me of Terry Pratchett or the Incarnations of Immortality series [as other reviews have stated] other than the underlying conceit. That being said, the character that annoyed me the most in this book was Death- and for quite a long time too. He has some major issues, and i think if any other characters had addressed them in my way, that would have changed my perception. Or even, if only once, he had mused on why he was acting the way he was. Second, the character everyone loves to hate was an entitled out of touch person (almost a social media sponge before Social media really existed. Okay, granted, but why then do we have to see all of the other characters (except one) act like spoiled brats back to her? Death we get, he's not really human, but, the others are or were. And at the end? Being cruel to someone who is down on their luck and who will in no way affect your life going forward? That action totally tainted the way I felt about a character I had quite liked (SPECIFIC SPOILER........... Matthew).
I don't think the philosophy of the afterlife was explained beyond a fairly surface level, but maybe it is fleshed out in the other books in this series. The writing isn't bad and I was really into the book at first but by the middle, I was only staying to see if I was right about how it ended. Spoiler alert, I was. Unfortunate, as I actually purchased it, but am going to remove it from my Kindle as I don't feel a need to go to it again. That being said, it was well edited which has really been lacking in many of the books I have read lately; so, kudos to the editor.
February 17, 2024
Save your time
I was really confused throughout this book and I honestly have no idea what pov we were supposed to have in that first chapter. It seemed to keep switching even in the middle of paragraphs. As I continued through the book I found I wasn't impressed with deaths POV and had to keep forcing myself to read the next sentence. I even started skimming chapters trying to find anything that would peak my interest but couldn't. And the magic system didn't make any sense. No one is physical except for demons so technically the rooms, house and food aren't real either because they wouldn't otherwise fit in a dimensional pocket plane. And something seemed off with all of the characters. Like I've read bad characters before but it felt like AI wrote what they thought people were supposed to act like. And the epilogue where everything was worse off than I would have otherwise been with Joan in charge? What's with that? It's a poor way to lead into the next book. That's not what an epilogue is for. I'm really glad I got this book for free, otherwise I'd be demanding a refund.
I was really confused throughout this book and I honestly have no idea what pov we were supposed to have in that first chapter. It seemed to keep switching even in the middle of paragraphs. As I continued through the book I found I wasn't impressed with deaths POV and had to keep forcing myself to read the next sentence. I even started skimming chapters trying to find anything that would peak my interest but couldn't. And the magic system didn't make any sense. No one is physical except for demons so technically the rooms, house and food aren't real either because they wouldn't otherwise fit in a dimensional pocket plane. And something seemed off with all of the characters. Like I've read bad characters before but it felt like AI wrote what they thought people were supposed to act like. And the epilogue where everything was worse off than I would have otherwise been with Joan in charge? What's with that? It's a poor way to lead into the next book. That's not what an epilogue is for. I'm really glad I got this book for free, otherwise I'd be demanding a refund.
June 8, 2026
An enjoyable fantasy novel with a unique premise. The story follows Christina, the current Devil, whose fading magic means a successor must be chosen, exploring themes of choice, responsibility, and consequence.
The concept was original and engaging, and the writing was smooth and accessible. One character in particular felt especially well developed.
At times, I wanted more depth in the characters and worldbuilding, and some aspects of the realm and afterlife system were unclear. However, these issues didn't detract too much from my enjoyment.
While not a standout read for me, it was an imaginative and entertaining fantasy with a fresh take on familiar themes
The concept was original and engaging, and the writing was smooth and accessible. One character in particular felt especially well developed.
At times, I wanted more depth in the characters and worldbuilding, and some aspects of the realm and afterlife system were unclear. However, these issues didn't detract too much from my enjoyment.
While not a standout read for me, it was an imaginative and entertaining fantasy with a fresh take on familiar themes
June 29, 2026
Great Concept, Too Much Distance
As noted, The novel has a very interesting and intriguing concept The major difficulty With it is that A central character Is thoroughly un-likeable. Like, majorly unlikeable. Like, I-hate-reading-about-her-and-want-her-to-die-and-disappear unlikeable. And unfortunately, she continues to be featured for about 4/5 of the book. In the final fifth, we finally get to spend time with a character that we like and are interested in.
Worth reading for the concept, but it's a bit of a struggle to hang around for the final fifth.
As noted, The novel has a very interesting and intriguing concept The major difficulty With it is that A central character Is thoroughly un-likeable. Like, majorly unlikeable. Like, I-hate-reading-about-her-and-want-her-to-die-and-disappear unlikeable. And unfortunately, she continues to be featured for about 4/5 of the book. In the final fifth, we finally get to spend time with a character that we like and are interested in.
Worth reading for the concept, but it's a bit of a struggle to hang around for the final fifth.
October 15, 2024
PG-13 for some slight language and the topic (afterlife) which is an important topic but could cause confusion amongst younger readers. This book gives napoleon dynamite vibes in the way that the entire thing is a “day in the life” type vibe. It was a very intriguing idea for a book but definitely not what I expected. It’s a bit more on the boring side. It was still very well written though just not my type of book.
April 20, 2025
This wasn't what I was expecting at all. It sounded like it was going to be more like the show Lucifer but it was far from it. I didn't enjoy this book. I read another review about it and they said it was a chore to read and I couldn't agree more. Maybe I'll check out the second "book" (I use quotes because its on Patreon), but I doubt it.
February 27, 2026
Interesting idea, needs work...
I liked the premise of the story, the devil is not who we thought they were, mythology got it all wrong. Its a job. Granted, its not a job often vacant. There is definitely an idea there, and the bones of a very interesting story. But it seems rough. It needs work. The characters are flat, the stakes never seem to be high, though they should be. Its just a shoulder shrug. Not bad at all, but not compelling.
I liked the premise of the story, the devil is not who we thought they were, mythology got it all wrong. Its a job. Granted, its not a job often vacant. There is definitely an idea there, and the bones of a very interesting story. But it seems rough. It needs work. The characters are flat, the stakes never seem to be high, though they should be. Its just a shoulder shrug. Not bad at all, but not compelling.
December 26, 2023
New Devil Wanted
I love it. It has a taste of Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series and a great deal of thought and attention. I very much look forward to reading further stories.
I love it. It has a taste of Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series and a great deal of thought and attention. I very much look forward to reading further stories.
January 3, 2024
Don't hurry
Death has shurked his duty. Now they need a new devil immediately. With no time left they hire Joan but she is not a good fit and they have to locate another person to be the new devil and fire Joan. Can he get hell back on track or is it going to crash and burn?
Death has shurked his duty. Now they need a new devil immediately. With no time left they hire Joan but she is not a good fit and they have to locate another person to be the new devil and fire Joan. Can he get hell back on track or is it going to crash and burn?
January 14, 2024
Ok...it starts out SUPER confusing but please stick with it! This book was a great first in a series. Took a bit to get into but loved the foreshadowed conclusion. Wonderful writing!
March 13, 2024
50% in, DNF
May 26, 2024
This just wasn't good, and I didn't finish it. The premise sounded interesting, but it was bland. It's not awful, but life's too short to read mediocre books.
November 14, 2025
2.75 stars
Was excited for the concept of this book, I was not a huge fan of the execution. All the living humans seem very hateful/spiteful and it was hard to like them at times.
Was excited for the concept of this book, I was not a huge fan of the execution. All the living humans seem very hateful/spiteful and it was hard to like them at times.
January 8, 2026
Interesting
This is definitely an interesting version of hell...and i will more than likely try to read the next book in the series
This is definitely an interesting version of hell...and i will more than likely try to read the next book in the series
June 10, 2026
3.5/5 ★★★☆ rounded up.
June 13, 2026
Very different kind of tale. I loved it
Read
June 24, 2026Wonderful concept and strong start. It felt very teenager-esque with the constant drama. Unfortunate as it had good bones and prowess to unfold further. The family curse in Patella, the magic branches, the actual changes to Patella once Anne was in charge.
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews