During the month of October, I asked a few of my friends, what their favorite Monster is (some are not so scary) and what book(s) they read that they loved that associated with the Monster they picked. The answers are great and the recommendation are even better! Enjoy!
Demon Love
I want to thank Michelle for welcoming me to her blog as part of her October Favorite Monster series. When she asked for volunteers, I knew I immediately wanted to participate especially since Michelle always does such fun features. So I am here to talk about one of my favorite monsters (of course, I love them all) – demons. Ever since I was a little child, I think the concept of demons has scared me more than any other scary thing I can think of. And to this day, movies, books and shows about possession STILL freak me out. I think it’s because in my head, I have always thought, yep, that could happen. I mean, I really doubt that I will ever run into a werewolf or a vampire, but I do believe that there is a likelihood possession does happen.
I remember years ago watching “The Exorcist” with my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, and then having to drive 30 miles home on a pretty desolate road at 2:00am. AND it was snowing, which I find another chilling aspect to horror movies – snow and cold. Anyway, that scene were Regan spider walks down the stairs backwards – TERRIFYING.
I’ve read some pretty good books over the years with demons in them. And while I have to admit I sometimes like my demons with a humorous edge (as anyone who has read Kim Harrison’s The Hollow series can relate…I love me some Al!!!), one book in particular that I read this year which I still think about often is The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski. And since it’s one of my all-time favorite demon books, I want to share it with you!
DESCRIPTION: It was supposed to be a simple exorcism, a publicity stunt to firmly establish John and Theodora’s thriving paranormal investigation empire in the public eye. But something went wrong, leading to an on-air massacre that unleashed a malicious host of demons and left Theodora catatonic, possessed by countless spirits.
John sets out on a desperate quest to find a cure for his wife, but his obsession brings him face-to-face with an even more terrifying problem: Theodora’s possession is only one piece of a deadly plot that is threatening the entire world. Because an ancient evil is about to make Earth its battlefield.
MY THOUGHTS: The Demonists follows John Fogg and his wife, Theo. They have combined their skills in the paranormal for years and star in a famous television ghost hunter series. While many of their investigations turn out to be nothing more than raccoons in the attic, they both know evil does exist. One Halloween night, an investigation takes a wrong turn and Theo ends up absorbing hundreds of demons into her body. The remainder of the book follows John as he tries to save his wife, Theo, as she learns to manage the evil entities which have taken up residence inside her, and one of the scariest villains I have met in a long time – The Teacher. It also introduces the reader to the secret order of The Demonists, who are charged with protecting the Earth from the evils many doubt and rarely witness.
I really don’t scare easy but this book has come the closest to scaring me as anything I have read in years. It really plays on my fear of the classic movie “The Exorcist” and at times caused me to have flashbacks of the horrifying scenes between Regan and Father Karras. For some reason, I have always found possession to be one of the most terrifying elements in horror and it is the main focus of The Demonists. I cannot stress enough that the evil in this book is something to be feared. The Teacher is trying to resurrect Damakus, a long forgotten demon who wants to rule the world and send it plummeting into death and chaos, but in my opinion, The Teacher is much more scarier than the demon he wishes to serve (at least in this installment to this new series). This certainly isn’t a book for the faint of heart and if reading about writhing maggots, gut-wrenching pain and torture (both physical and mental) and ugly, horrific-looking demons isn’t your thing, you might want to skip this book. But if you love dark urban fantasy and horror, run out and buy a copy as fast as you can.
This novel is the perfect set up to a new series. Several questions remain unanswered at the end and Sniegoski does a fantastic job of making you wish you had waited until all the books in the series were released so you could binge read them and not have to wait months and years to find out where the characters are headed next. While it is true John and Theo are a couple truly in love, there is no romance in this book and their relationship is basically seen from the perspective of what will you do to help the one you love and are you are willing to risk your life, and the lives of many others, in order to save them. I also have to mention Nana, because she is clearly one of my favorite characters, even if she doesn’t appear a whole lot.
About the Guest
Barb is a blogger at BookerTsFarm
Barb (Boxermommyreads) @ Booker T’s Farm – Feel free to stop by and visit my blog or catch me on any of my social media outlets. I love reading all sorts of genres, but horror and paranormal books will always hold a special place in my heart. My co-blogger is my pup Booker T, and you will sometimes find him and his brother Cassius lurking around The Farm as well.
Blog: http://bookertsfarm.blogspot.com
Twitter: @boxermommyreads
Facebook: Boxermommy Briggs
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/boxermommy
Thanks for stopping by to check out A Monster and A Book!
Have a fantastic day!
ox
I’m with you Barb, demons are super scary because I can totally see that happening! I’m fairly chicken though and scare pretty thoroughly by reading ANY Horror. I don’t really think of vampires and werewolves as horror though. It’s more demons and Ghosts. Though I do love a funny demon, like Al. He scared the crap out of me at first though! Great post!
LOL I love demons too, Barb, but I’m thinking I prefer mine with more of a humorous edge…like Al! I can’t remember if I read this review from you before or not, but I think I’ll check out the book. 😀
Great post!! I loved the Demonist and can’t wait to find out what will happen next! 🙂
I actually haven’t read The Demonists, but their story sounds really good! I have read several series with demons in them, though, and I agree with you, the thought of being possessed is way more scary than most other things! Can you imagine being like a passenger in your own body? *shudders*
Thanks for sharing, Barb!
Oooooo, I never put it in context of being a passenger in your own body – yuk!