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Berkeley Blackfriars #1
The Kingdom: A Berkeley Blackfriars Novel
The Berkeley Blackfriars are not your standard-brand priests--they swear like longshoremen and aren't above the occasional spliff or one-night stand--but if you've got a nasty demon on your ass, they're exactly the guys you want in your corner. In this, their first adventure, a magician destroys the archetypal avocado, and every last one of the purple fruits disappears from the face of the earth. When the Berkeley Blackfriars are called in to investigate, they discover that the magician was not working alone, and that avocados are not the only things slated to disappear. In order to stop those responsible they must face their own demons before a horrific disaster grips the world. A thrill ride from beginning to end, THE KINGDOM combines suspense, tragedy, whimsy, and horror in almost equal measure. Its world is peopled with characters that are poignant, complicated, and maddeningly human. Laced with a rich mythology worthy of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the smart religious iconoclasm of Garth Ennis' Preacher comic book series, THE KINGDOM is an utterly unique adventure.
404 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2010
10 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
John R. Mabry
50 books47 followersI've been writing ever since the third grade, when I produced my first short story. I am a United Church of Christ pastor, and teach world religions and spiritual direction at the Chaplaincy Institute (an interfaith seminary in Berkeley, CA). I also sing for two progressive rock bands, Mind Furniture and Metaphor. My wife Lisa Fullam and I live in Oakland with our two lovely dogs Judy and Sally. I don't write heavy, academic books. I write books for regular folk like you and me who want to explore their spirituality and get closer to God. In my fiction, I want to show people of faith as they actually are—screwed up, insecure, and often bumbling—but still usually trying to do the right thing.
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December 25, 2010
It all started with the disappearance of a lowly avocado and I was hooked. The Kingdom is the first book of the Berkeley Blackfriars. The Berkeley Blackfriars are a group of friars who fight and exorcise demons in the San Francisco Bay area. They are very efficient at their jobs, if not a little unconventional.
The friars are made up of Richard, Dylan, Terry, and Mikael. They all live together in the friary along with Dylan’s wife Susan, and Terry’s partner, Brian. Each member of the group has a specialty which helps them to fight demons. Susan offers computer support and Brian specializes in cooking and is a scholar in Kabbalah.
The book begins as a magician makes a deal with a demon and ends up in a coma. He is discovered by his sister Kat. Kat has heard about the Blackfriars and tries to approach them for help but is unable to enter their building. When they discover that Kat has seen a demon’s sigil, the friars decide that she must stay with them in a warded, safe house. The friars then begin to investigate the magician’s house.
At the same time, the friars are summoned by a nurse of a wealthy gentleman. She is convinced that he is being possessed by demons. The friars attempt an exorcism but are interrupted by the man’s son. They are told to leave immediately and do so.
I did have several favourite scenes. I loved how the friars managed to kidnap Kat’s brother from the hospital. Dylan was most memorable when he was spirit walking with his spirit Jaguar. I also loved Dylan’s irreverent baptism scene. It was priceless.
I enjoyed the camaraderie of the Blackfriars and their extended household. There was a lot of joking, a fun sense of humor, and a great deal of love and respect for each other.
I liked how the author set up the book. The beginning of the novel had a cast of characters which made it easier to follow. The end of the book has a glossary of terms which was greatly appreciated.
I found this book fascinating, clever, and thrilling. It was scary, exciting, and funny, too.
In case you are wondering about the avocados, it was only a dress rehearsal for something bigger and more ominous. But you’ll have to read the book to find out. There are two sequels planned for this novel The Power, and The Glory. I’ll be looking out for those books in the near future.
Thank you Goodreads First Reads program for a chance to read this book.
The friars are made up of Richard, Dylan, Terry, and Mikael. They all live together in the friary along with Dylan’s wife Susan, and Terry’s partner, Brian. Each member of the group has a specialty which helps them to fight demons. Susan offers computer support and Brian specializes in cooking and is a scholar in Kabbalah.
The book begins as a magician makes a deal with a demon and ends up in a coma. He is discovered by his sister Kat. Kat has heard about the Blackfriars and tries to approach them for help but is unable to enter their building. When they discover that Kat has seen a demon’s sigil, the friars decide that she must stay with them in a warded, safe house. The friars then begin to investigate the magician’s house.
At the same time, the friars are summoned by a nurse of a wealthy gentleman. She is convinced that he is being possessed by demons. The friars attempt an exorcism but are interrupted by the man’s son. They are told to leave immediately and do so.
I did have several favourite scenes. I loved how the friars managed to kidnap Kat’s brother from the hospital. Dylan was most memorable when he was spirit walking with his spirit Jaguar. I also loved Dylan’s irreverent baptism scene. It was priceless.
I enjoyed the camaraderie of the Blackfriars and their extended household. There was a lot of joking, a fun sense of humor, and a great deal of love and respect for each other.
I liked how the author set up the book. The beginning of the novel had a cast of characters which made it easier to follow. The end of the book has a glossary of terms which was greatly appreciated.
I found this book fascinating, clever, and thrilling. It was scary, exciting, and funny, too.
In case you are wondering about the avocados, it was only a dress rehearsal for something bigger and more ominous. But you’ll have to read the book to find out. There are two sequels planned for this novel The Power, and The Glory. I’ll be looking out for those books in the near future.
Thank you Goodreads First Reads program for a chance to read this book.
January 9, 2011
3 1/2
I won this book from goodreads giveaway.
When I first started reading this book I was a bit worried. Firstly because it was an indie book, and I've had varying luck with indie books, more bad than good. But mostly because it seemed like the author was trying a little too hard to have an inclusive cast - the happy gay couple, the conflicted bi dude, the Goth boy, the Wiccan girl, so on and so forth. I was concerned that the characters would be nothing more than placecards for moralizing.
I was also worried that it was going to be a preachy book - and agenda book. Now, I know that a lot, if not all, books have messages and whatnot - things that the author believes that will inevitably come through in the work. But there are different ways to get these messages across - and some books become so focused on the message that the story suffers.
But you'll note that I said I was worried.
After the initial set-up and introduction of the characters, however, when the story started to really get going, these concerns generally disappeared. The characters were real - they reminded me of people I know and have known, and the interactions were believable - the discussions, the arguments, the casual name-calling and light-hearted teasing all came together to create true-to-life characters. (I particularly liked Mother Maggie. Her tough-love approach to the counseling was pretty awesome and funny.)
I especially liked the magicians in their run-down house of a lodge, with reprimands of "magical name, please!", and interruptions about doing the grocery shopping. I think a lot of people have such a fantastic idea when you say things like "lodge" or "coven", and they forget how everyday and mundane such things generally actually are - or, at least, the easy mixture of the spiritual and the mundane, all in the same space.
There were a few times where it teetered on the edge of preachiness, but it never went over. I also thought the exposition and info-dump and the laying out of philosophical premises was well done. It gave enough info without going into overload. I read a similar type story sometime last year, and the parts where people sat around and discussed philosophical implications just went on for pages and pages, all while thy were being chased by demons.
But, and this, for me, is the most important part, the best thing is that these things, while present, never overwhelmed the characters or the plot. They were part of the story and woven well into it - even if I idn't agree with all of it, which I could overlook because, afterall, it is just a story. (In that vein, I suppose it could be considered a form of Christian fiction, since the worldview it espouses is Christian in nature; however, it's not as preachy as I've found other Christian fictions to be, and you could certainly read from a more neutral perspective and jsut enjoy it as pure story.)
And as a story, I liked the characters, and I enjoyed the plot. It wasn't earth-shattering or anything, but it was enjoyable - well paced and well told. The romance was a bit quickly established - but at least there's acknowledgement of the fact.
I'm definitely curious to find out what happens next, and would enjoy continuing with the series - especially after that bitter-sweet, open ended ending. Yeesh.
(p.s. I should add, for those who don't know me, that I'm a harsh rater. Something that I would rate 3 1/2 stars would proably get a 4 or more from a less critical reader.)
*** A note included with my free copy asked me to let people know that they can download a free copy at www.apocryphile.org/kingdom/. If you like this sort of story, I would definitely recommend giving it a go. (The author notes Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an inspiration, and that definitely comes across. It also reminded me of 'The Order', a movie with Heath Ledger, which I liked, and perhaps a little bit of 'Stigmata' as well. It's demon-slaying, but with more real-world magical references than Buffy - as I said, both entertaining and informative. It's pretty quick and easy, with enough pathos to keep it grounded in relatable characters. It does generally espouse a specific worldview, but it's one of tolerance and interfaith cooperation and understanding, so at least it's a good worldview. *grins* And, as I said, it does not cross the line into preachiness, and, after the initial set-up, the story takes over and the message does not get in the way of the story, which can sometimes happen in these circumstances. ***
*****
Some philosophical nitpicking:
* I'm definitely curious to learn more about the Independent Catholics. I was raised Roman Catholic, and while I have heard of the Old Catholics before, it was only once, recently, in passing, and I don't know much about them.
* I was appreciative of the entry for shamanism in the glossary, specifically that it mentions that several nature cultures practiced forms of it, and it's not specifically a practice of the Native American tribes, which so many people mistakenly believe it is. (Interesting etymological side point, the word actually comes from Siberia.)
* I was a bit confused by the rules of "practicing magic" in the book. The friars have a few that they are not magicians, though they study it in order to understand it and, when necessary, to counter it. However, this gets a bit tricky depending on your definition of magic. If it's just the actual invocation or evocation of angels or demons then, fine, fair enough, I suppose.
However, it's also stated that Mikael is a Wiccan and while Wiccans call themselves witches, they still practice a for of magic, thus, magician.
It's just picking nits, perhaps, but I was hoping for some clarity on this point in the book, and it never quite came. (To that extent, doing an exoricism, itself, in some circles, is considered magic - or at least a form of shamanism, which, itself, has magical elements.)
* Speaking of Wicca, I generally like the definition given in the glossary of the book, except for the part where it says they "worship the Goddess". While there are certain branches - Dianic, for instance - which is Goddess-centric, "Wicca is typically a duotheistic religion, worshipping a Goddess and a God, who are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are often viewed as being facets of a greater pantheistic Godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities".
Of course, there's as much disagreement and in-fighting amongst the different types of Wiccans as there are the denominations of Christianity and the various occult orders, but I get tired of the Lord of the Wiccae getting short shrift all the time.
* On that note, though, I was glad to see Mikael a practicioner, as well as Kat, since there seems to be a big "for women only" view of Wicca that a lot of people seem to have.
*One last thing, about the European Witch Hunts - the 9 million number has been generally thrown out by scholars. The latest estimates vary anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000. Also, while a vast majority were women (75 - 80%), not all of them were. While this doesn't change the horribleness of what happened to those people, I am a great believer in historical accuracy for historical claims.
Recent Developments in the Study of The Great European Witch Hunt by Jenny Gibbons is a good and interesting article on the subject, for any who are interested.
(From a story viewpoint, this could be written off as a belief that Kat holds, since the information comes from her perspective; however, since the book tries to be informative as well as entertaining, I think it important that the information parts are correct.)
I won this book from goodreads giveaway.
When I first started reading this book I was a bit worried. Firstly because it was an indie book, and I've had varying luck with indie books, more bad than good. But mostly because it seemed like the author was trying a little too hard to have an inclusive cast - the happy gay couple, the conflicted bi dude, the Goth boy, the Wiccan girl, so on and so forth. I was concerned that the characters would be nothing more than placecards for moralizing.
I was also worried that it was going to be a preachy book - and agenda book. Now, I know that a lot, if not all, books have messages and whatnot - things that the author believes that will inevitably come through in the work. But there are different ways to get these messages across - and some books become so focused on the message that the story suffers.
But you'll note that I said I was worried.
After the initial set-up and introduction of the characters, however, when the story started to really get going, these concerns generally disappeared. The characters were real - they reminded me of people I know and have known, and the interactions were believable - the discussions, the arguments, the casual name-calling and light-hearted teasing all came together to create true-to-life characters. (I particularly liked Mother Maggie. Her tough-love approach to the counseling was pretty awesome and funny.)
I especially liked the magicians in their run-down house of a lodge, with reprimands of "magical name, please!", and interruptions about doing the grocery shopping. I think a lot of people have such a fantastic idea when you say things like "lodge" or "coven", and they forget how everyday and mundane such things generally actually are - or, at least, the easy mixture of the spiritual and the mundane, all in the same space.
There were a few times where it teetered on the edge of preachiness, but it never went over. I also thought the exposition and info-dump and the laying out of philosophical premises was well done. It gave enough info without going into overload. I read a similar type story sometime last year, and the parts where people sat around and discussed philosophical implications just went on for pages and pages, all while thy were being chased by demons.
But, and this, for me, is the most important part, the best thing is that these things, while present, never overwhelmed the characters or the plot. They were part of the story and woven well into it - even if I idn't agree with all of it, which I could overlook because, afterall, it is just a story. (In that vein, I suppose it could be considered a form of Christian fiction, since the worldview it espouses is Christian in nature; however, it's not as preachy as I've found other Christian fictions to be, and you could certainly read from a more neutral perspective and jsut enjoy it as pure story.)
And as a story, I liked the characters, and I enjoyed the plot. It wasn't earth-shattering or anything, but it was enjoyable - well paced and well told. The romance was a bit quickly established - but at least there's acknowledgement of the fact.
I'm definitely curious to find out what happens next, and would enjoy continuing with the series - especially after that bitter-sweet, open ended ending. Yeesh.
(p.s. I should add, for those who don't know me, that I'm a harsh rater. Something that I would rate 3 1/2 stars would proably get a 4 or more from a less critical reader.)
*** A note included with my free copy asked me to let people know that they can download a free copy at www.apocryphile.org/kingdom/. If you like this sort of story, I would definitely recommend giving it a go. (The author notes Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an inspiration, and that definitely comes across. It also reminded me of 'The Order', a movie with Heath Ledger, which I liked, and perhaps a little bit of 'Stigmata' as well. It's demon-slaying, but with more real-world magical references than Buffy - as I said, both entertaining and informative. It's pretty quick and easy, with enough pathos to keep it grounded in relatable characters. It does generally espouse a specific worldview, but it's one of tolerance and interfaith cooperation and understanding, so at least it's a good worldview. *grins* And, as I said, it does not cross the line into preachiness, and, after the initial set-up, the story takes over and the message does not get in the way of the story, which can sometimes happen in these circumstances. ***
*****
Some philosophical nitpicking:
* I'm definitely curious to learn more about the Independent Catholics. I was raised Roman Catholic, and while I have heard of the Old Catholics before, it was only once, recently, in passing, and I don't know much about them.
* I was appreciative of the entry for shamanism in the glossary, specifically that it mentions that several nature cultures practiced forms of it, and it's not specifically a practice of the Native American tribes, which so many people mistakenly believe it is. (Interesting etymological side point, the word actually comes from Siberia.)
* I was a bit confused by the rules of "practicing magic" in the book. The friars have a few that they are not magicians, though they study it in order to understand it and, when necessary, to counter it. However, this gets a bit tricky depending on your definition of magic. If it's just the actual invocation or evocation of angels or demons then, fine, fair enough, I suppose.
However, it's also stated that Mikael is a Wiccan and while Wiccans call themselves witches, they still practice a for of magic, thus, magician.
It's just picking nits, perhaps, but I was hoping for some clarity on this point in the book, and it never quite came. (To that extent, doing an exoricism, itself, in some circles, is considered magic - or at least a form of shamanism, which, itself, has magical elements.)
* Speaking of Wicca, I generally like the definition given in the glossary of the book, except for the part where it says they "worship the Goddess". While there are certain branches - Dianic, for instance - which is Goddess-centric, "Wicca is typically a duotheistic religion, worshipping a Goddess and a God, who are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are often viewed as being facets of a greater pantheistic Godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities".
Of course, there's as much disagreement and in-fighting amongst the different types of Wiccans as there are the denominations of Christianity and the various occult orders, but I get tired of the Lord of the Wiccae getting short shrift all the time.
* On that note, though, I was glad to see Mikael a practicioner, as well as Kat, since there seems to be a big "for women only" view of Wicca that a lot of people seem to have.
*One last thing, about the European Witch Hunts - the 9 million number has been generally thrown out by scholars. The latest estimates vary anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000. Also, while a vast majority were women (75 - 80%), not all of them were. While this doesn't change the horribleness of what happened to those people, I am a great believer in historical accuracy for historical claims.
Recent Developments in the Study of The Great European Witch Hunt by Jenny Gibbons is a good and interesting article on the subject, for any who are interested.
(From a story viewpoint, this could be written off as a belief that Kat holds, since the information comes from her perspective; however, since the book tries to be informative as well as entertaining, I think it important that the information parts are correct.)
January 2, 2016
Full disclosure: I won this book from First Reads.
I think I would have liked this book rather more if I hadn't felt so very pummeled with the "Christians are awesome, really - I mean, not those judgmental ones you hear about on the news, but the special ones most people don't know about, who are totally ok with pretty much anything, as long as you are also nice to other people" message. It's not even necessarily that I disagree with the message - I would just really rather the book not take pages and pages from the story to promote it. It's like having a really cool conversation with someone, only to have them segue from telling you about a series of mysterious, world-altering disappearances to asking if you'd like a copy of their literature, and are you right with Jesus?
The plot itself is pretty absorbing, though it's rather heavily larded with "And here's ANOTHER branch of religious thought, with a witty and quirky character to make it interesting!" I mean, really. Here are the ones I can remember off-hand:
- self-hating bisexual Old Catholic friar who studies demonic magic (I refuse to spell it "magick," although the explanation included in the glossary - and yes, there is a rather entertaining one, though of limited utility - makes sense), who has a crush on
- a transgendered Swedenborgian scryer and works with
- a non-self-hating, married, gay Old Catholic friar and Enochian scholar, who is married to a hunch-backed Talmudic scholar grad student, and
- a pot-smoking good-ole-boy Old Catholic friar who is also a techie and a shaman and married to a Ruebenesque Lutheran techie, and
- a Wiccan Old Catholic friar with three nipples, childhood trauma, and a pronounced resemblance to Morpheus from Sandman
...and so on. It's a bit much - I know the point is that God loves and accepts and has a spiritual path for everybody, but it's overdone, in terms of number of characters over a small portion of time and space. Maybe this is a normal cross-section for Berkeley, but it's a bit alienating for those who aren't from there and are trying to engage with the world of the story.
You know what else is alienating? HORRIBLE SOUTHERN ACCENTS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONLY EVER HEARD THEM ON TV OR FROM ROGUE OF THE X-MEN. The irony here, I'm sure, is that the character upon whom this offense is perpetrated is probably based on a real person and the author feels he has transcribed the accent faithfully. Still. It's not just that it's horrible and unrealistic and insulting to all Southerners, especially those from Tennessee - it's inconsistent. If it's thick enough that you have to write "I" as "Ah," you have to keep it that way ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Or, for the sake of your readers' sanity, don't try to write the dialect. It completely threw me out of the story every time I had to read dialogue written for this character.
In all, the payoff of the story was not strong enough to overcome all of the distracting elements. It felt rather like the author was infusing his religious views with a bit of a mystery/suspense/horror plot, rather than a mystery/suspense/horror story infused with a bit of proselytizing.
It might be better just to read one of the many nonfiction books on spirituality and religion written by the same author. They're all listed in the front matter of this book.
I think I would have liked this book rather more if I hadn't felt so very pummeled with the "Christians are awesome, really - I mean, not those judgmental ones you hear about on the news, but the special ones most people don't know about, who are totally ok with pretty much anything, as long as you are also nice to other people" message. It's not even necessarily that I disagree with the message - I would just really rather the book not take pages and pages from the story to promote it. It's like having a really cool conversation with someone, only to have them segue from telling you about a series of mysterious, world-altering disappearances to asking if you'd like a copy of their literature, and are you right with Jesus?
The plot itself is pretty absorbing, though it's rather heavily larded with "And here's ANOTHER branch of religious thought, with a witty and quirky character to make it interesting!" I mean, really. Here are the ones I can remember off-hand:
- self-hating bisexual Old Catholic friar who studies demonic magic (I refuse to spell it "magick," although the explanation included in the glossary - and yes, there is a rather entertaining one, though of limited utility - makes sense), who has a crush on
- a transgendered Swedenborgian scryer and works with
- a non-self-hating, married, gay Old Catholic friar and Enochian scholar, who is married to a hunch-backed Talmudic scholar grad student, and
- a pot-smoking good-ole-boy Old Catholic friar who is also a techie and a shaman and married to a Ruebenesque Lutheran techie, and
- a Wiccan Old Catholic friar with three nipples, childhood trauma, and a pronounced resemblance to Morpheus from Sandman
...and so on. It's a bit much - I know the point is that God loves and accepts and has a spiritual path for everybody, but it's overdone, in terms of number of characters over a small portion of time and space. Maybe this is a normal cross-section for Berkeley, but it's a bit alienating for those who aren't from there and are trying to engage with the world of the story.
You know what else is alienating? HORRIBLE SOUTHERN ACCENTS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ONLY EVER HEARD THEM ON TV OR FROM ROGUE OF THE X-MEN. The irony here, I'm sure, is that the character upon whom this offense is perpetrated is probably based on a real person and the author feels he has transcribed the accent faithfully. Still. It's not just that it's horrible and unrealistic and insulting to all Southerners, especially those from Tennessee - it's inconsistent. If it's thick enough that you have to write "I" as "Ah," you have to keep it that way ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Or, for the sake of your readers' sanity, don't try to write the dialect. It completely threw me out of the story every time I had to read dialogue written for this character.
In all, the payoff of the story was not strong enough to overcome all of the distracting elements. It felt rather like the author was infusing his religious views with a bit of a mystery/suspense/horror plot, rather than a mystery/suspense/horror story infused with a bit of proselytizing.
It might be better just to read one of the many nonfiction books on spirituality and religion written by the same author. They're all listed in the front matter of this book.
January 8, 2011
First off I'd like to thank the publishers and the Goodreads First Reads program for giving me a free copy of this.
The Kingdom is an action-packed adventure that follows a very unique order of the Old Catholic Church and their demon-fighting ways. Combining the usual demon/angel mythology with a few unusual artifacts and ideas (Plato's Forms being one of them-took me back to intro philosophy), the Kingdom was certainly one of the most different books I had read in a while.
So I had a hard time getting into this one. While this could be attributed to other things I have been doing recently...I really didn't like reading this one, at least in the beginning. Later, it did grow on me but I pushed myself to finish this one just so I could read other things. In terms of writing, Mabry is pretty decent. He writes clearly and gives enough suspense yet uses a little too much cliches and pop culture references that might turn off some readers. Some of them, like Sandman, I got but some, even Sandman itself, were a little too obscure. Mabry also uses the dreaded Glossary to explain certain terms, a factor that breaks the flow for any story.
In contrast to this, the plot is probably the best part. It combines both the mythological aspects Mabry uses, lots of action and is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing for the most part. The plot itself was the part I enjoyed the most about this book but even I felt a lack of believability towards many of the things that occur in this novel. The Plato stuff was most likely where I was the most skeptic although I questioned a lot of stuff Mabry placed in here.
Mabry's characters were disappointing. While most of them seemed to be unique and interesting, I felt they were defined by their differences instead of actual personality or characteristics. The only character I found that wasn't a blank slate was Richard and he was too whiny for me to like at all. Mabry also writes in a third person style that lets you know what everyone is feeling at the same time and adds further to the feeling of confusing bland characters that all seem to blend together. The lack of believability also extends to the characters Mabry creates, especially in addition to the blank slates, and I questioned more than once how they were able to figure out what the baddies were up to.
In terms of the obvious Christian influences, I was surprisingly okay with what Mabry put in. Most of it, actually, worked well thematically and wasn't too overbearing, especially for readers coming from different religious backgrounds.
All in all, the Kingdom was an okay book. It had it's flaws but used many factors that worked well with the book. 2/5
The Kingdom is an action-packed adventure that follows a very unique order of the Old Catholic Church and their demon-fighting ways. Combining the usual demon/angel mythology with a few unusual artifacts and ideas (Plato's Forms being one of them-took me back to intro philosophy), the Kingdom was certainly one of the most different books I had read in a while.
So I had a hard time getting into this one. While this could be attributed to other things I have been doing recently...I really didn't like reading this one, at least in the beginning. Later, it did grow on me but I pushed myself to finish this one just so I could read other things. In terms of writing, Mabry is pretty decent. He writes clearly and gives enough suspense yet uses a little too much cliches and pop culture references that might turn off some readers. Some of them, like Sandman, I got but some, even Sandman itself, were a little too obscure. Mabry also uses the dreaded Glossary to explain certain terms, a factor that breaks the flow for any story.
In contrast to this, the plot is probably the best part. It combines both the mythological aspects Mabry uses, lots of action and is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing for the most part. The plot itself was the part I enjoyed the most about this book but even I felt a lack of believability towards many of the things that occur in this novel. The Plato stuff was most likely where I was the most skeptic although I questioned a lot of stuff Mabry placed in here.
Mabry's characters were disappointing. While most of them seemed to be unique and interesting, I felt they were defined by their differences instead of actual personality or characteristics. The only character I found that wasn't a blank slate was Richard and he was too whiny for me to like at all. Mabry also writes in a third person style that lets you know what everyone is feeling at the same time and adds further to the feeling of confusing bland characters that all seem to blend together. The lack of believability also extends to the characters Mabry creates, especially in addition to the blank slates, and I questioned more than once how they were able to figure out what the baddies were up to.
In terms of the obvious Christian influences, I was surprisingly okay with what Mabry put in. Most of it, actually, worked well thematically and wasn't too overbearing, especially for readers coming from different religious backgrounds.
All in all, the Kingdom was an okay book. It had it's flaws but used many factors that worked well with the book. 2/5
December 16, 2010
I loved it and I'm ready for the second book. I really enjoyed feeling back in Berkeley. Having walked on those streets for 2 years it is a real rush to be there again with these characters. I often turned at the Episcopal church on my way to study or work. I'm carried to Alameda with your descriptions and wonder why we did not live there instead of in the hills of Oakland. The city is great also although I spent more time other places.
I feel like I know the characters already but can't wait to see how they develop. I love books that continue the characters over the years and this book seems like it could continue forever. The southern drawl written out in the dialogue was not necessary for me. I don't hear anything else since I don't speak any other way! I loved Kat's conversion without loosing her Wicca. I'd love to find a community like this to live with or at least I like the idea of doing this. I can enjoy it through these books.
I was so glad to see the glossary in the back. I did not know it was there till I was almost done. Keep including it and adding to it so I can refer to it while I'm reading. I almost felt a SD session coming on as it started with mention of the dog being there. I love the mix with philosophy. I also love the information about the old Catholic Church and how these characters challenge the "fundy" notion of what a Christian is and what a priest/minister are.
Keep them coming!
I feel like I know the characters already but can't wait to see how they develop. I love books that continue the characters over the years and this book seems like it could continue forever. The southern drawl written out in the dialogue was not necessary for me. I don't hear anything else since I don't speak any other way! I loved Kat's conversion without loosing her Wicca. I'd love to find a community like this to live with or at least I like the idea of doing this. I can enjoy it through these books.
I was so glad to see the glossary in the back. I did not know it was there till I was almost done. Keep including it and adding to it so I can refer to it while I'm reading. I almost felt a SD session coming on as it started with mention of the dog being there. I love the mix with philosophy. I also love the information about the old Catholic Church and how these characters challenge the "fundy" notion of what a Christian is and what a priest/minister are.
Keep them coming!
February 28, 2011
Let's start the ball rolling with a non-voluntary acknowledgement of the anally-retentive, fun-sucking legal leeches representing Big Brother's obtrusive intrusion of their nose into my personal bookshelf and comments there upon solely because I am not a professional book reviewer who receives a complementary copy and reviews it for a paid publication...
In compliance with FTC’s draconian guidelines, I state that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaways.
Secondly, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the author, John R. Mabry for his largess in offering the book give away and then actually following through. I recently came across an author here who offered a book and then apparently (owing to the number of like comments I saw) never sent most of them out. John sent his out swiftly and it arrived far ahead of it's expected date. I was hoping it would be signed but in the end that is of little difference here or there. I'd also like to personally apologize to John for my being so tardy with my review. While it took me about two and a half nights of reading in bed to finish his book I found writing this particular commentary quite difficult and challenging. This is because it took some serious pondering on how I felt about certain personal issues the book raised for me and then to frame those thoughts into something representing coherent thoughts clear enough for words. Hopefully the delay will be found worth it.
I referred to these remarks a moment ago as a commentary rather than a review. That's because The Kingdom is more than just a book telling a story. Upon finishing it I found it to be at least 3 separate things under one cover; a story to be sure, but also a commentary on rigid Roman Catholic tolerances, or rather intolerances and dogged conservatism for the sake of stubborn adherence to possibly untrue dogma, as well an introduction to the premise that one can be a practicing Catholic without being bound by certain beliefs that the Roman Catholic Church has adopted over the years for reasons dealing more with social prejudices and political maneuverings than valid factual religious reasoning.
I disagree with those reviews that say this dominated the book and detracted from the story. The way I see it it was part and parcel to who the Blackfriars are, their daily lives and how their system of beliefs allow them to be the individuals they are doing what they do while yet remaining clergy. Being the introduction to what will presumably be a series of Blackfriars novels, one must expect a higher than normal amount of background information on recurring characters, their lives and world environment. Such is the norm for a series. I will concede however this information was probably more meaningful and insightful to those of the Catholic persuasion and therefore less of a distraction.
I have to confess I almost didn't read the book after receiving it. When I opened the book it became very quickly apparent to me that while the author had written a very compelling synopsis of the book which had hooked me when I read it at Goodreads he had (apparently deliberately) failed to make mention of, an in my opinion, critical aspect of the book: namely that the majority of the central characters were openly following alternative lifestyles. While demons, fallen angels, the examination of religions, and the fine line which denotes the point at which “magick” becomes “miracle” are all on my preferred reading list, homosexual/alternate lifestyles &/or openly gay characters are generally not, especially sans fair warning! Don't misunderstand, I have and have had several gay friends both in and out of the closet, I have attended a gay wedding, there are extended members of my family who are likely gay (that faction of the family practices "Don't Ask - Don't Tell"). This however is not to say I wish to be reading about their lifestyle, problems with it or interpersonal hardships with their significant others and especially not their sex lives. I feel quite strongly that this could have and should have been mentioned in some way on the book's Goodreads page so that readers might make a more informed choice about what they were about to order.
John, that will be 3 Ave Marias, 2 Pater nosters, and a Gloria Patri in penance for the sin of deliberate omission!
I did feel however that since the author had kept his part of the deal, I should at least try to keep mine by making an attempt to read it. I have to say I am glad I did so which is not to say I was entirely comfortable at the outset with the notion of gay catholic clergy having been raised Irish Roman Catholic, an alter boy and lector. Nor can I say that their inclusion added anything to the non religious portion of the story plot...but I will not say that it didn't either. What I will say it did was to clearly illustrate in my opinion one of the tenants of their "flavor" of Catholicism "Independent and Old Catholic Churches", that anyone and every one is well and at a belief level they are comfortable with. This alone made their inclusion a valid point from my perspective if for no other. I was also much intrigued and impressed with the description of the representational mural of Christ in their chapel area as well as the powerful, poignant and incredibly blunt message beneath it. Personally I find it a shame that there is no illustration of the mural or actual picture of it if it in fact actually exists.
Truth be told by the time the chapter dealing with the Synod rolled around, I was startled to find myself rooting for Bishop Tom and his "boys" as well as intensely disliking Bishop Casey, who was surely a Southern Baptist in another life. Again I am forced to disagree with a reviewer who was of the opinion the descriptive narration of regional accents was over done and off base. Having a residual Irish brogue I can state first hand that writing an accent in addition to a particular area’s inflection and an individuals speech habits into a section of narrative is far far harder than it seems and the author while maybe not scoring a bull's-eye made a credible effort in this area. I would hazard a guess that the author is well acquainted with Southern Baptists and in particular the Texas variety of the clergy as his portrayal of Bishop Casey Hammond could the the archetype for the breed. Its a crying shame, for my money, that his kind were not the test case the Lodge of the Hawk & Serpent chose, though in all honesty I could not fault the choice they made either as I find them vile and with out purpose as well! (Sorry no spoilers here! You want to know what this refers to read the book!)
Having spent many a cold Connecticut winter's snowy night in my younger days with a good fantasy novel, book of myths and lore or one of many books dealing the the Catholic church and how it saw demons and exorcism as well as owing to my penchant for RPGs such as D&D ( in all of its many incarnations) and Rifts I am decently founded in in the subjects of demons and dealing with them...at least as it relates to literature. I found these subjects particularly well handled here. The author pays homage in his synopsis to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Garth Ennis' "Preacher" comics series. My semi-sophisticated palate also detected subtle hints of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files was well as a healthy dose of Katherine Kurtz's work - her Deryni series to a lesser extent but primarily her Adept novels. Anyone who is a fan of these authors and their novels should be able to identify their influence on the stew that is the Blackfriars readily enough and have their enjoyment heightened for it.
In summation the Blackfriars series is a lot like Guinness or Stout Ales, somewhat of an acquired taste. Most likely the first taste would not be an overly enthusiastic experience for most people. More likely it may take several glasses (chapters) before you begin to appreciate the subtle charms of these powerful brews and see past their unusual appearance and strong in your face personalities. Don't let the first sip put you off and you too may soon find your self a fan. I gave it 4/5 stars deducting one for the sin of omission which I equate to truth in advertising or deceptive package practices.
I look forward to my next trip to the Friary of The Old Catholic Order of St Raphael and tagging along with the Blackfriars on their next round of demonic interventions.
In compliance with FTC’s draconian guidelines, I state that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaways.
Secondly, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the author, John R. Mabry for his largess in offering the book give away and then actually following through. I recently came across an author here who offered a book and then apparently (owing to the number of like comments I saw) never sent most of them out. John sent his out swiftly and it arrived far ahead of it's expected date. I was hoping it would be signed but in the end that is of little difference here or there. I'd also like to personally apologize to John for my being so tardy with my review. While it took me about two and a half nights of reading in bed to finish his book I found writing this particular commentary quite difficult and challenging. This is because it took some serious pondering on how I felt about certain personal issues the book raised for me and then to frame those thoughts into something representing coherent thoughts clear enough for words. Hopefully the delay will be found worth it.
I referred to these remarks a moment ago as a commentary rather than a review. That's because The Kingdom is more than just a book telling a story. Upon finishing it I found it to be at least 3 separate things under one cover; a story to be sure, but also a commentary on rigid Roman Catholic tolerances, or rather intolerances and dogged conservatism for the sake of stubborn adherence to possibly untrue dogma, as well an introduction to the premise that one can be a practicing Catholic without being bound by certain beliefs that the Roman Catholic Church has adopted over the years for reasons dealing more with social prejudices and political maneuverings than valid factual religious reasoning.
I disagree with those reviews that say this dominated the book and detracted from the story. The way I see it it was part and parcel to who the Blackfriars are, their daily lives and how their system of beliefs allow them to be the individuals they are doing what they do while yet remaining clergy. Being the introduction to what will presumably be a series of Blackfriars novels, one must expect a higher than normal amount of background information on recurring characters, their lives and world environment. Such is the norm for a series. I will concede however this information was probably more meaningful and insightful to those of the Catholic persuasion and therefore less of a distraction.
I have to confess I almost didn't read the book after receiving it. When I opened the book it became very quickly apparent to me that while the author had written a very compelling synopsis of the book which had hooked me when I read it at Goodreads he had (apparently deliberately) failed to make mention of, an in my opinion, critical aspect of the book: namely that the majority of the central characters were openly following alternative lifestyles. While demons, fallen angels, the examination of religions, and the fine line which denotes the point at which “magick” becomes “miracle” are all on my preferred reading list, homosexual/alternate lifestyles &/or openly gay characters are generally not, especially sans fair warning! Don't misunderstand, I have and have had several gay friends both in and out of the closet, I have attended a gay wedding, there are extended members of my family who are likely gay (that faction of the family practices "Don't Ask - Don't Tell"). This however is not to say I wish to be reading about their lifestyle, problems with it or interpersonal hardships with their significant others and especially not their sex lives. I feel quite strongly that this could have and should have been mentioned in some way on the book's Goodreads page so that readers might make a more informed choice about what they were about to order.
John, that will be 3 Ave Marias, 2 Pater nosters, and a Gloria Patri in penance for the sin of deliberate omission!
I did feel however that since the author had kept his part of the deal, I should at least try to keep mine by making an attempt to read it. I have to say I am glad I did so which is not to say I was entirely comfortable at the outset with the notion of gay catholic clergy having been raised Irish Roman Catholic, an alter boy and lector. Nor can I say that their inclusion added anything to the non religious portion of the story plot...but I will not say that it didn't either. What I will say it did was to clearly illustrate in my opinion one of the tenants of their "flavor" of Catholicism "Independent and Old Catholic Churches", that anyone and every one is well and at a belief level they are comfortable with. This alone made their inclusion a valid point from my perspective if for no other. I was also much intrigued and impressed with the description of the representational mural of Christ in their chapel area as well as the powerful, poignant and incredibly blunt message beneath it. Personally I find it a shame that there is no illustration of the mural or actual picture of it if it in fact actually exists.
Truth be told by the time the chapter dealing with the Synod rolled around, I was startled to find myself rooting for Bishop Tom and his "boys" as well as intensely disliking Bishop Casey, who was surely a Southern Baptist in another life. Again I am forced to disagree with a reviewer who was of the opinion the descriptive narration of regional accents was over done and off base. Having a residual Irish brogue I can state first hand that writing an accent in addition to a particular area’s inflection and an individuals speech habits into a section of narrative is far far harder than it seems and the author while maybe not scoring a bull's-eye made a credible effort in this area. I would hazard a guess that the author is well acquainted with Southern Baptists and in particular the Texas variety of the clergy as his portrayal of Bishop Casey Hammond could the the archetype for the breed. Its a crying shame, for my money, that his kind were not the test case the Lodge of the Hawk & Serpent chose, though in all honesty I could not fault the choice they made either as I find them vile and with out purpose as well! (Sorry no spoilers here! You want to know what this refers to read the book!)
Having spent many a cold Connecticut winter's snowy night in my younger days with a good fantasy novel, book of myths and lore or one of many books dealing the the Catholic church and how it saw demons and exorcism as well as owing to my penchant for RPGs such as D&D ( in all of its many incarnations) and Rifts I am decently founded in in the subjects of demons and dealing with them...at least as it relates to literature. I found these subjects particularly well handled here. The author pays homage in his synopsis to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Garth Ennis' "Preacher" comics series. My semi-sophisticated palate also detected subtle hints of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files was well as a healthy dose of Katherine Kurtz's work - her Deryni series to a lesser extent but primarily her Adept novels. Anyone who is a fan of these authors and their novels should be able to identify their influence on the stew that is the Blackfriars readily enough and have their enjoyment heightened for it.
In summation the Blackfriars series is a lot like Guinness or Stout Ales, somewhat of an acquired taste. Most likely the first taste would not be an overly enthusiastic experience for most people. More likely it may take several glasses (chapters) before you begin to appreciate the subtle charms of these powerful brews and see past their unusual appearance and strong in your face personalities. Don't let the first sip put you off and you too may soon find your self a fan. I gave it 4/5 stars deducting one for the sin of omission which I equate to truth in advertising or deceptive package practices.
I look forward to my next trip to the Friary of The Old Catholic Order of St Raphael and tagging along with the Blackfriars on their next round of demonic interventions.
September 13, 2017
This book made me think. It made me think about religion, it made me think about relationships and it made me think about preconceptions. Then it got very good. How can you go wrong with a group of friars each with their own eccentricities, flaws, fears and strengths? Add in some intelligent demons, some power hungry bad guys, disappearing avocados and you have a story that doesn't stop. I didn't like the swearing and some of the colloquialisms are dated but the characters and the story more than make up for the parts I didn't like. I recommend this book.
May 11, 2017
I'm gonna go with a partial blurb from the second book in this series, "... too profane for the religious and too religious for the profane –...". I don't consider myself religious (though I do believe in God) or profane. But this one is going to upset a lot of people on both sides. It's like friars meet La Cage aux Folles meets Constantine. It's all over the place, kind of like a train wreck. I'm calling it 18+ for language and sex among other things.
January 18, 2023
I received this book in one of the Goodreads giveaways.
Unfortunately, I did not read the book for a month and then did not write this review immediately after reading the novel because of recurring hospitalizations of a family member, but I did make notes that triggered my recall of it, so that I can write a review.
This book was written by a pastor, so I was worried about how preachy it would be. His characters are members of Old Catholicism, a denomination with which I was unfamiliar. In the early chapters of the book, it seemed that he was being a bit preachy and telling more than showing the beliefs of the Old Catholic Church. However, since Old Catholicism differs from Roman Catholicism (which is my initial impression when I see the term Catholic), it is useful information for understanding the setting and characters, although it seemed overdone to me. The author demonstrates the acceptance of diversity by the Old Catholic Church with diverse characters, such as homosexuals.
During my reading of the first couple chapters, I was tempted not to finish the novel, but since I had received it for free, I felt that I needed to finish it so I could write a review. I do not know if it was because I grew used to his style or if it became more focused on the plot than the illustrating the diversity of the Old Catholic Church, but I became interested and wanted to know what happened. Also, the friars fight demons, so the novel deals with Christian and other religions' mythological elements related to demons and angels, which I found intriguing. I wish there had been less swearing and sex scenes, because those seem to take me away from the story, but I wish that with a number of books.
In the end, I enjoyed reading the book. I do not know if I would buy the sequels, but I would read them if given them or if I found them in the library.
Unfortunately, I did not read the book for a month and then did not write this review immediately after reading the novel because of recurring hospitalizations of a family member, but I did make notes that triggered my recall of it, so that I can write a review.
This book was written by a pastor, so I was worried about how preachy it would be. His characters are members of Old Catholicism, a denomination with which I was unfamiliar. In the early chapters of the book, it seemed that he was being a bit preachy and telling more than showing the beliefs of the Old Catholic Church. However, since Old Catholicism differs from Roman Catholicism (which is my initial impression when I see the term Catholic), it is useful information for understanding the setting and characters, although it seemed overdone to me. The author demonstrates the acceptance of diversity by the Old Catholic Church with diverse characters, such as homosexuals.
During my reading of the first couple chapters, I was tempted not to finish the novel, but since I had received it for free, I felt that I needed to finish it so I could write a review. I do not know if it was because I grew used to his style or if it became more focused on the plot than the illustrating the diversity of the Old Catholic Church, but I became interested and wanted to know what happened. Also, the friars fight demons, so the novel deals with Christian and other religions' mythological elements related to demons and angels, which I found intriguing. I wish there had been less swearing and sex scenes, because those seem to take me away from the story, but I wish that with a number of books.
In the end, I enjoyed reading the book. I do not know if I would buy the sequels, but I would read them if given them or if I found them in the library.
January 9, 2011
I was a wee bit cautious of diving into a novel written by a Catholic priest-I was expecting a whole book of morals, lectures and agendas disguised as a story. I was very pleasantly surprised by a raucous hilarious and at times profound story that revolved around a group of unlikely friars and their attendant collection of Witches, Jews and freaks. Mabry gets off to a bit of a shaky start and there is a little burst of teacher/preacher to begin with, which although it does detract heavily from the story, fades after a couple of chapters. Then Mabry finds his fiction feet and off he goes. The switch from non fiction writing, which is Mabry’s usual domain, to fiction is a major jump of which the difficulties are rarely understood. Mabry survives that jump and begins to show the reader that lurking beneath the theologian is a hilarious and gifted storyteller.
There are gems that really shine in the book, for instance a scene whereby one of the friars sits around a table with a collection of invited demons for a polite chat and a nice sip of Catholic blood. I read the scene three times, with a big smile on my face. There are also moments in the book where Mabry touches upon the Divine Mysteries and opens the door ever so slightly on the immensity and sheer beauty of Divinity.
I will not spoilt it for readers by exposing more of the wonderful scenes, suffice to say I wait impatiently for the next in the series of the Berkeley Blackfriar adventures.
There are gems that really shine in the book, for instance a scene whereby one of the friars sits around a table with a collection of invited demons for a polite chat and a nice sip of Catholic blood. I read the scene three times, with a big smile on my face. There are also moments in the book where Mabry touches upon the Divine Mysteries and opens the door ever so slightly on the immensity and sheer beauty of Divinity.
I will not spoilt it for readers by exposing more of the wonderful scenes, suffice to say I wait impatiently for the next in the series of the Berkeley Blackfriar adventures.
April 20, 2011
As a former Roman Catholic who spent more time in Mother Superior's office as a lad than I did in the sanctuary, any book that adds a unique dimension to the Church is one that gets my attention. So many days as a frustrated altar boy were spent in my own little world dreaming of the Knights of Columbus wielding their swords during mass and swashbuckling and the like to break the monotony of the long winded homily of the day. If I only had this book back then to fuel my adventurous spirit... But good things come to those who wait, unless of course you have a terminal illness with no hope, then it kind of sucks, but alas I digress. The Kingdom is an awesome story filled with so much intrigue and adventure, that it is hard to do it justice by a humble review on Goodreads. It is dark, gripping, and filled with amazing characters which make it next to impossible to put down.
The author, John Mabry is a really nice lad who was generous enough to send me a copy of this. I loved it. My wife loved it. The three other folks that I have loaned it to loved it. See a trend here?? Do yourself a favour and pick it up and join the ranks of those of us who love this book. I can't wait to dive into more of his stories (hint, hint, John, you know my address ((wink))).
The author, John Mabry is a really nice lad who was generous enough to send me a copy of this. I loved it. My wife loved it. The three other folks that I have loaned it to loved it. See a trend here?? Do yourself a favour and pick it up and join the ranks of those of us who love this book. I can't wait to dive into more of his stories (hint, hint, John, you know my address ((wink))).
July 24, 2011
I found this book in a coffee shop. It was marked "this book is free".
I could not get into this book; it felt too much like propaganda. The author has some very clear beliefs about Christianity, and the characters are chosen to provide strong support for his beliefs.
Here's the main character; he's a friar, he drinks and curses and has lots of gay sex, he exorcises demons.
Here's the main character's friends; they're about the same as him, and I sort of lost track of who was who.
Here's the Conservative Bishop; he's a bad guy, he alienates people from the Church.
Here's the Liberal Bishop; he tries to soothe the damage caused by the Conservative Bishop, but he's afraid to really stand up to him.
Here's the Wiccan; she mistrusts Christianity, but she's moved to tears by how open and accepting the main character's friends are.
...And, I mean, it's not that I disagree with the author's politics.
But I wanted a story here, and what I'm getting is thinly veiled propaganda.
Also: I felt the writing was very awkward in places. It looks like the author has written a bunch of nonfiction (about religion) but this is his first venture into fiction.
I finished about a hundred pages before stopping.
I could not get into this book; it felt too much like propaganda. The author has some very clear beliefs about Christianity, and the characters are chosen to provide strong support for his beliefs.
Here's the main character; he's a friar, he drinks and curses and has lots of gay sex, he exorcises demons.
Here's the main character's friends; they're about the same as him, and I sort of lost track of who was who.
Here's the Conservative Bishop; he's a bad guy, he alienates people from the Church.
Here's the Liberal Bishop; he tries to soothe the damage caused by the Conservative Bishop, but he's afraid to really stand up to him.
Here's the Wiccan; she mistrusts Christianity, but she's moved to tears by how open and accepting the main character's friends are.
...And, I mean, it's not that I disagree with the author's politics.
But I wanted a story here, and what I'm getting is thinly veiled propaganda.
Also: I felt the writing was very awkward in places. It looks like the author has written a bunch of nonfiction (about religion) but this is his first venture into fiction.
I finished about a hundred pages before stopping.
April 16, 2011
This was a FirstReads win, and to be honest I don't know if I would have finished it if it weren't. It was mildly entertaining, but IMHO not especially well-written; lots of telling instead of showing, dialogue that didn't read smoothly (especially one character with a Southern accent whose lines were irritatingly written with "Ah" instead of "I" - I get it, he has a drawl, I don't need to be hit over the head with it).
On the other hand, it was a fast read that didn't get bogged down in excessive detail, and I REALLY appreciated the book's portrayal of Christians who are free of rigid prejudice and accepting of everyone. Again, the author was a bit too heavy-handed with that message, but it was a message that I was glad to read, given that I opened the book with some trepidation upon seeing that the author had written several non-fiction books about Christianity, wondering if this was going to be the kind of Christian fiction that would piss me off.
If you're considering reading this, be aware that the friars who are the main characters curse and swear, some are homosexual, they smoke the occasional joint, and have one-night stands. If this offends you, this is not the book for you.
On the other hand, it was a fast read that didn't get bogged down in excessive detail, and I REALLY appreciated the book's portrayal of Christians who are free of rigid prejudice and accepting of everyone. Again, the author was a bit too heavy-handed with that message, but it was a message that I was glad to read, given that I opened the book with some trepidation upon seeing that the author had written several non-fiction books about Christianity, wondering if this was going to be the kind of Christian fiction that would piss me off.
If you're considering reading this, be aware that the friars who are the main characters curse and swear, some are homosexual, they smoke the occasional joint, and have one-night stands. If this offends you, this is not the book for you.
February 20, 2011
I received this book in a GoodReads First Reads Giveaway.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Kingdom by John Mabry! And look forward to more in the Berkeley Blackfriars series.
The Kingdom was a bit shocking when I first sat down to read it. Don't get me wrong, I am as liberal as they come but it was still shocking to hear (read) friars swearing like truck drivers. Over time (pages) you become accustomed to the language...primarily because of the way the main characters express their beliefs. Beliefs I happen to share.
The story was different than anything I'd read, though a bit predictable in spots...but nothing that takes away from the enjoyment of the story. A story that had me laughing, cheering, crying...the characters were people I grew to love and would love to know more about in the future.
I also loved the different cultures and beliefs the author included. Old Catholic vs. Roman Catholic, Shamanism, Hindu, Wicca just to name a few. As someone who has been drawn to religious studies, I did enjoy the references and did send me running to google to do further research.
A great read!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Kingdom by John Mabry! And look forward to more in the Berkeley Blackfriars series.
The Kingdom was a bit shocking when I first sat down to read it. Don't get me wrong, I am as liberal as they come but it was still shocking to hear (read) friars swearing like truck drivers. Over time (pages) you become accustomed to the language...primarily because of the way the main characters express their beliefs. Beliefs I happen to share.
The story was different than anything I'd read, though a bit predictable in spots...but nothing that takes away from the enjoyment of the story. A story that had me laughing, cheering, crying...the characters were people I grew to love and would love to know more about in the future.
I also loved the different cultures and beliefs the author included. Old Catholic vs. Roman Catholic, Shamanism, Hindu, Wicca just to name a few. As someone who has been drawn to religious studies, I did enjoy the references and did send me running to google to do further research.
A great read!
June 18, 2011
The writing is really bad. Like, hilariously bad. The style of the first few sections creates the characters as caricatures -- goofy lgbtq drama queens with enough issues to fill hours of therapy, with complete irreverence for but curiously solid mastery of their art. The majority of the exposition is "tell" instead of "show", so you're nearly always completely aware that you're reading a book, and it's hard to get a real feeling for what's going on and whether or why the characters care. It's a total shame, because the story idea itself (the case they solve) is completely compelling. The author lives directly in the community he's set the story in; he shouldn't need to use so many 2x4s to open that world to the reader. There is some real power in many of the character interactions, and in what the blackfriars' church is able to do for people in the story who thought that a church would be the last place they'd be able to find solace. It's just drowned in bad dialogue, mechanical descriptions of rituals and mealtimes and emotional states, and heavy-handed two-dimensional faggy stereotypes.
December 19, 2010
I loved the *idea* of this book more than I liked the book itself. The concept is quite original (rough-talking, demon-hunting Independent Catholic priests), and the premise is chucklesomely clever--evil magician swaps souls and threatens avocados all over the world.
I also liked the prevailing attitude of the main characters regarding how religious people should act. Our heroes embrace differences such as homosexuality and other religions and speak of God as a real person without a trace of holier-than-thou elitism.
I just found the book very hard to get into, as it seemed to focus (at least initially) more on the personal/romantic life of Our Hero more than on the demon-slaying. That, and excessive use of the term "sweetie" between characters.
Still, it was nice to read something new and original in paranormal fiction/dark fantasy, and I thank the publisher for sending me a copy to read through the First Reads program. I'd definitely consider picking up future books in the trilogy.
I also liked the prevailing attitude of the main characters regarding how religious people should act. Our heroes embrace differences such as homosexuality and other religions and speak of God as a real person without a trace of holier-than-thou elitism.
I just found the book very hard to get into, as it seemed to focus (at least initially) more on the personal/romantic life of Our Hero more than on the demon-slaying. That, and excessive use of the term "sweetie" between characters.
Still, it was nice to read something new and original in paranormal fiction/dark fantasy, and I thank the publisher for sending me a copy to read through the First Reads program. I'd definitely consider picking up future books in the trilogy.
January 6, 2011
The Kingdom by John Mabry is a good story. I read it nearly nonstop over a weekend, drawn in from the beginning and not released until the last pages. There is enough detail in the telling to underscore a reader’s feelings that there really is something ‘else’ going on in the world today, as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s serious and funny at the same time. In short, a good read.
I appreciate the weaving in of information about world faith traditions as well as an explanation of various Christian approaches. The camaraderie among the Blackfriars household members shows them to have flaws, strengths, insecurities, and everything else that makes them real people, even those wearing ‘the cloth.’
The book is better cast in the science fiction than horror category, though. It does require learning some new vocabulary, although no more so than reading works by JK Rowling, Anne McCaffrey, CS Lewis, or Orson Scott Card. Author Mabry does readers the service of including a glossary. I’d rate it R for sexuality and language.
I’m looking forward to the Power and Glory sequels.
I appreciate the weaving in of information about world faith traditions as well as an explanation of various Christian approaches. The camaraderie among the Blackfriars household members shows them to have flaws, strengths, insecurities, and everything else that makes them real people, even those wearing ‘the cloth.’
The book is better cast in the science fiction than horror category, though. It does require learning some new vocabulary, although no more so than reading works by JK Rowling, Anne McCaffrey, CS Lewis, or Orson Scott Card. Author Mabry does readers the service of including a glossary. I’d rate it R for sexuality and language.
I’m looking forward to the Power and Glory sequels.
March 4, 2011
I received this book as a part of the GoodReads First Reads giveaway.
I thought the concept of the story as listed in the giveaway description sounded right up my alley. I love stories about the supernatural and unexplained mysteries of life. I felt that the plot of this story was really fabulous. There were twists and turns that I just didn't see coming.
On the other hand, it took me a little longer than usual to get through this book because of the language and the way some of the dialogue was written. Maybe it's just because I live in the south, but when a character's southern accent is all written out, using "Ah" for "I", etc., then I have trouble reading it.
Overally, if you enjoy stories about demons and the supernatural, then this is a read I would recommend. But if you are easily offended by language and sexual situations, then I definitely would not recommend this book for you.
I thought the concept of the story as listed in the giveaway description sounded right up my alley. I love stories about the supernatural and unexplained mysteries of life. I felt that the plot of this story was really fabulous. There were twists and turns that I just didn't see coming.
On the other hand, it took me a little longer than usual to get through this book because of the language and the way some of the dialogue was written. Maybe it's just because I live in the south, but when a character's southern accent is all written out, using "Ah" for "I", etc., then I have trouble reading it.
Overally, if you enjoy stories about demons and the supernatural, then this is a read I would recommend. But if you are easily offended by language and sexual situations, then I definitely would not recommend this book for you.
March 3, 2011
At first, I wasn't sure what to make out of the band of friars. AFter reading this book, I wish they were real people as they would be so cool to hang out with and there is so much that could be learned from them. The pace of the story was great. The story had a bit of history, a bit of magic, a smacking of religion, humor, a touch of romance and oh yeah some demons too. I read in the back of the book there are to be two sequels to this book. Oh yeah, I'm going to the bookstore this weekend. They'll be coming home with me if they've been released. I got to see what happens to one of the friars, what happens with the two that "hooked-up", and see how they get rid of the demon. I've told my "niece" about it as well as my mom and another close friend. They all want to read this book. I think I've started something!
September 19, 2012
An imaginative, creative story about an Order of Catholic Friars whose charism is demonic exorcism. They live in Berkeley, California (where else?). The author is also well-versed in spiritual traditions other than traditional Catholicism, such as Thelema, Wicca, Goetic Magic, and Kabbalah and he brings all of these quests together very harmoniously. For example, we find out what happens when Magicians invade the Hall of the Forms in Heaven where the Akashic records are kept, and delete the form of the avocado. the resulting worldwide disappearance of avocadoes is unimagineable, but what happens when future plans include dogs and more? Trippy stuff this, but Universally engaging. I'd like to be friends with this author. By all accounts this is his first in the Blackfriars series but more are on the way.
December 14, 2010
I won this book as part of the goodreads giveaways. Thank you for the opportunity to read and comment this novel.
I could not put this book down. I was engaged from the fist paragraph. It was well written, fast paced and very entertaining. The characters were depicted as truly human with goodness and flaws, not always in balance. I liked the way that some of the world religions were integrated into the story line and have to admit that this book also made me want to do research on Old Catholics, a sect that is seeing increasing numbers in the area I live. It has been a long time since a novel inspired me to research a topic within the story line and for that alone the novel more than exceeded my expectations.
I could not put this book down. I was engaged from the fist paragraph. It was well written, fast paced and very entertaining. The characters were depicted as truly human with goodness and flaws, not always in balance. I liked the way that some of the world religions were integrated into the story line and have to admit that this book also made me want to do research on Old Catholics, a sect that is seeing increasing numbers in the area I live. It has been a long time since a novel inspired me to research a topic within the story line and for that alone the novel more than exceeded my expectations.
Want to read
January 3, 2011 At first glance, the cover and print had the appearance of a young adult read. Which, granted it could very well be, because of the current keen interest in the occult arts, as advertised in the media, towards that youthful segment of the general population. You would not see anything dealing with black magic on my bookshelf.
Thus, with an open mind, I decided to go for it. As I made my way further into the story, I sensed an element of humor, and, so, allowed myself to enjoy it. There is a silliness aspect to the story,yet, strong lessons of morality - friendship, fairness, compassion, allegiance... All told in the vein of inherit wickedness. Such is life!
Well written, and moves fairly smoothly. Finished in a couple of days. Thanks.
Thus, with an open mind, I decided to go for it. As I made my way further into the story, I sensed an element of humor, and, so, allowed myself to enjoy it. There is a silliness aspect to the story,yet, strong lessons of morality - friendship, fairness, compassion, allegiance... All told in the vein of inherit wickedness. Such is life!
Well written, and moves fairly smoothly. Finished in a couple of days. Thanks.
July 19, 2011
This amazingly well written novel comes alive and takes your imagination hostage until the final page. John Mabry’s tale is cast in the vast liminal spaces between "good" and "evil". His detailed research into the facts behind his fiction smartly weaves into the story a compendium of religious and esoteric practices, their history and more than a few surprises (Think Dan Brown). The story is entertaining; its many characters are varied, richly textured, and oh-so human. Recommended to fans of Firefly, Serenity Dollhouse, Buffy, Dan Brown, Christopher Moore, Dean Koontz, Stephen King Joss Whedon, Eliza Dushku, and sci/fi-horror fans in general.
It is fun to read and asks you “When life matters, how big do you draw the circle?”
It is fun to read and asks you “When life matters, how big do you draw the circle?”
January 29, 2011
Received in the mail today!! Sounds like some fun and interesting reading. Thanks for choosing me as a First Reads winner!
Cursing Pot Smoking Blackfriars vs. Demons
There is nothing I didn't lovr about this novel. It was the most original piece of fiction I read in a long time. It's a funny and at the same time insightful. It's classified as horror--it is in plot but not in tone.
I thought the character's were beautiful.
I was hooked from the beginning. I thought the plot moved along at the right pace. I was not bored one moment. I laughed many times.
Liked the glossary. Flipped to it many times.
Overall, Loved it! Can't wait to read more from John Mabry!
Cursing Pot Smoking Blackfriars vs. Demons
There is nothing I didn't lovr about this novel. It was the most original piece of fiction I read in a long time. It's a funny and at the same time insightful. It's classified as horror--it is in plot but not in tone.
I thought the character's were beautiful.
I was hooked from the beginning. I thought the plot moved along at the right pace. I was not bored one moment. I laughed many times.
Liked the glossary. Flipped to it many times.
Overall, Loved it! Can't wait to read more from John Mabry!
February 21, 2011
While reading about the occult and things "otherworldly" is not usually my cup of tea, this book was a grand adventure into strangeness. The rag-tag group of priests were a wonderful array of personalities and each had qualities that one could really enjoy in a friend. Even Bishop Tom was a brave and awesome character who never bowed to the establishment.
The story was well done and entertaining. It was a book that was read easily and time seemed to evaporate as some of the demons in the book. A very well done story!
I was lucky enough to receive thisbooki free of charge in a giveaway from goodreads.
The story was well done and entertaining. It was a book that was read easily and time seemed to evaporate as some of the demons in the book. A very well done story!
I was lucky enough to receive thisbooki free of charge in a giveaway from goodreads.
February 12, 2011
I won this book thru the Goodreads giveaways - THANK YOU :)
This book was similar yet unlike any I have read. Fantastic story line and very interesting characters. What keeps this from being a 4 star rating are the sex scenes - I felt they were unnecessary and distracting to the story. Instead of adding to a character's development, the sex scenes seemed to be there for shock value of writing about homosexual encounters. The constant use of the F-word was also unnecessary. The presence of both lends the feeling of a forced graphic crassness that doesn't click with the characters or the story. I recommend reading this for the great use of magic, religion, and philosophy.
This book was similar yet unlike any I have read. Fantastic story line and very interesting characters. What keeps this from being a 4 star rating are the sex scenes - I felt they were unnecessary and distracting to the story. Instead of adding to a character's development, the sex scenes seemed to be there for shock value of writing about homosexual encounters. The constant use of the F-word was also unnecessary. The presence of both lends the feeling of a forced graphic crassness that doesn't click with the characters or the story. I recommend reading this for the great use of magic, religion, and philosophy.
March 8, 2011
I was so excited to receive this book through Goodreads First Reads program since it sounded so unique, and I was definitely not disappointed. You don't read about Catholic friars battling demons and using magic everyday!
I quite liked how the author really made me root for the Berkeley Blackfriars. I liked the character of Richard in particular. He had many major faults, but he was still able to pull his team together to battle evil and do the right thing! Also, a little spoiler, but I thought it was HILARIOUS that every dog returned with the word "Viagra" written on it!
A truly unique story!
I quite liked how the author really made me root for the Berkeley Blackfriars. I liked the character of Richard in particular. He had many major faults, but he was still able to pull his team together to battle evil and do the right thing! Also, a little spoiler, but I thought it was HILARIOUS that every dog returned with the word "Viagra" written on it!
A truly unique story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2013
What a fun read! As with any good book, I couldn't wait to get back to it to see how it was going to unfold. John's ability to weave different aspects of human nature into the plot of a story is amazing. John speaks to the subjects of relationships, self-confidence, love, community, spirituality, guilt, church politics, evil, and more and brings them all together as integral parts of the lives of the characters in this book. Whether you are Christian, religious, pagan, atheist; you will enjoy this book. I've shared it with several friends from all walks of life who have all enjoyed it and who, along with me, are eager for the next installment of the Berkeley Blackfriars.
December 9, 2010
Absolutely fantastic! Full of characters I completely believe in, rich with history and theology without being cloying. I'm a non-Christian, and I didn't have any trouble with the mythos. The action was gripping, and it had the same kind of balance between funny and heart-wrenching that I liked in Buffy or Neil Gaiman's work.
There is a fair amount of arcana discussed, but if you've read "Lord Of The Rings," this is a cakewalk. I can't wait for the sequel, and I'd love to see this made into a movie!
There is a fair amount of arcana discussed, but if you've read "Lord Of The Rings," this is a cakewalk. I can't wait for the sequel, and I'd love to see this made into a movie!
July 18, 2011
As a receiver of this book through Goodreads' First Read program, I cannot be more thrilled that I won this book. It kept me captivated throughout the whole read, even missing lunch and dinner because I could not put the book down. I loved the whole concept of the book, including, if not especially, how easy it was to root for the Blackfriars. Mabry has done a wonderful job with this book, and I highly recommend it to any person who wants a fantastic, cannot-put-it-down-for-the-life-of-me read. Thanks Goodreads!
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