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Nekromant Johannes Cabal (2011)

by Jonathan L. Howard(Favorite Author)

3.95 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Plus

series

Johannes Cabal

review 1: Absolutely awesome.Very British humour about an anti hero necromancer trying to win a bet against the devil with the help of his vampire brother, several undead crew members, a ball of diabolical influence and a carnival.There is literally nothing in that above sentence that doesn't sound at least mildly entertaining.I picked this up on a whim in Waterstones a week ago, and I am so glad I did. I don't want to give too much away from the plot but what I will say about it is that it moves along at a speed where you don't feel like it is stalling, but it doesn't feel rushed either.In Johannes Cabal , Howard has created an absolute anti hero that you can't help but enjoy. His cutting humour will make everyone's inner cynic smile a little.I don't normally write reviews, preferr... moreing instead to gush to everyone within listening distance about how good or bad a book is, but in this case I made an exception.It may not be a book for everyone, but trust me when I say that it's definitely worth at lerast a cursory glance.
review 2: I loved this book. I loved this book. I loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Maybe it comes from the fact I had just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and I needed something light and entertaining, or maybe it comes from the fact Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer is one sprightly and wickedly funny piece of fiction. I'll go with Option B.The novel follows the smarmy and sarcastic Johannes Cabal, who sold his soul to the Devil some years previously in order to gain the knowledge of necromancy. Now he wants his soul back, so upon a visit to Hell, he strikes a second deal with the Lord of Fire and Brimstone: secure 100 souls for Satan in one year, and he'll get his own in return. To aid Johannes on his quest, Satan allows Cabal the use of his own twisted carnival, which features a seductress made entirely of latex, a ghost train full of, you know, real ghosts, and penny arcades that teach you rather amoral ways to solve your worst problems. Oh, and by the way, the train is driven by two walking corpses rotting right in front of your eyes. Johannes, having no clue how to manage a carnival, enlists the help of his brother, Horst, a vampire he locked in a crypt several years before, and hilarity ensues as the two embark on the journey to save Johannes from eternal damnation. Hilarity literally ensues. I find sarcastic humor the best, and I just relished all of the wisecracks and cutting remarks that fly around this book like the Wicked Witch of the West's army of monkeys. I loved that this book didn't take itself too seriously - Satan is one lackadaisical fallen angel - but at the same time, employed some real creativity in the supernatural elements. For example, the Cabal Brothers' carnival train pulls into a station one day that looked bright, shiny, and new, and was manned by a cheery and eager stationmaster. Turns out that station had actually burned down several years before, and the stationmaster had committed suicide. Huh! How did the station suddenly reappear and the station master suddenly re-emerge? Well, I'll leave that to you to find out. But through all the smarminess and wisecracking humor, there is a heart as well. Can Johannes reallycondemn 100 people to an eternity of torment just to save his own soul? Especially the enchanting Leonie Barrow who makes Cabal's heart pitter patter? And what happens when Johannes starts forcing true innocents to commit heinous acts so their souls are his for the taking? It is a fun and glorious read. I am anxious to continue the series with Johannes Cabal: The Detective. less

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