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geekwayne's review against another edition
3.0
'Hard Spell' works as a good cross between police procedural and urban fantasy. I found it to be a good story and I liked the characters I ran across while reading it.
Stan Markowski is a cop assigned to the supernatural unit in Scranton, Pennsylvania. When a series of corpses show up bearing strange symbols and they all turn out to be vampires. This is a problem because Stan's daughter might be next. Another problem is that one of Stan's consultant's is being hunted by witch hunters who want to burn her, and he's got a strange helper on the case who shows up at odd times and Stan really doesn't like.
I liked the setting and the way the world works. There was some decent humor and references to other horror films and novels. I'll definitely read more in the series.
Stan Markowski is a cop assigned to the supernatural unit in Scranton, Pennsylvania. When a series of corpses show up bearing strange symbols and they all turn out to be vampires. This is a problem because Stan's daughter might be next. Another problem is that one of Stan's consultant's is being hunted by witch hunters who want to burn her, and he's got a strange helper on the case who shows up at odd times and Stan really doesn't like.
I liked the setting and the way the world works. There was some decent humor and references to other horror films and novels. I'll definitely read more in the series.
nyxki's review against another edition
1.0
Why are so many urban fantasy books written by men so casually misogynistic? The main character mentions, as an aside, how he and his male cope buddies spied on the female cop while she showered until she got confrontational with them about their sexual harassment. And it's just...no big deal that they're sexist assholes. Also, the nicknaming of another woman as "Louise the Tease" because she... doesn't date cops? Oh, and she wears sexy clothing. Well, how dare she! How dare she look attractive and not want to date them. I spend enough time in the real world hearing casual sexism and the sexualizing of women who are just trying to exist. I don't need it in my escapist fiction.
ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting police procedural set in Scranton, PA in a world where magic works.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
My name's Markowski. I carry a badge.
As you might expect from the hard-boiled detective novel cover, not to mention his deadpan introduction, Stan Markowski, the hero of Justin Gustainis' Hard Spell, is a Detective Sergeant of the Stranton PD.
Also a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9 mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.
What makes this such a fun story, however, is the fact that Stan is a Detective Sergeant for the Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit. Part Joe Friday and part Agent Mulder (with a little Gil Grissom mixed in), he's the kind of man who commands immediate respect. Meanwhile, his partner, Karl Renfer (a hotshot cop with James Bond aspirations) makes a perfect foil. Their relationship borders on the clichéd, but that's intentional - the entire book 'borders' on it, but cleverly challenges every cliché it comes across.
This was just a fun story. The narrative style worked perfectly, and the dialogue was consistently strong. It's not often I pay so much attention to dialogue, but this was the kind of book I wished I could 'watch' in a serialized TV format, just so I could hear the sarcasm. The supernatural elements are handled beautifully, coming across as entirely plausible, and not at all comic or surreal. In many ways I was expecting a Men In Black kind of approach, but this is much closer to The Night Stalker - assuming, of course, that the show was filmed a few decades later, uncensored and granted the kind of budget that cable TV can command.
Much to my surprise, this was a story that worked well as both an urban fantasy and as a police procedural. Take away the supernatural elements, and there is still a good detective story here, but it's the mix of the two that make this such a great read. It's not often you come across a group of goblins, addicted to meth, who have to be apprehended for robbery . . . and even less often that you need to dial 666 to summon help from the Sacred Weapons And Tactical (SWAT) unit.
A quick read, this is also a good one - definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I've encountered in a long time. I really hope Justin continues with this world, and gives us more adventures with the Scranton PD.
As you might expect from the hard-boiled detective novel cover, not to mention his deadpan introduction, Stan Markowski, the hero of Justin Gustainis' Hard Spell, is a Detective Sergeant of the Stranton PD.
Also a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9 mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.
What makes this such a fun story, however, is the fact that Stan is a Detective Sergeant for the Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit. Part Joe Friday and part Agent Mulder (with a little Gil Grissom mixed in), he's the kind of man who commands immediate respect. Meanwhile, his partner, Karl Renfer (a hotshot cop with James Bond aspirations) makes a perfect foil. Their relationship borders on the clichéd, but that's intentional - the entire book 'borders' on it, but cleverly challenges every cliché it comes across.
This was just a fun story. The narrative style worked perfectly, and the dialogue was consistently strong. It's not often I pay so much attention to dialogue, but this was the kind of book I wished I could 'watch' in a serialized TV format, just so I could hear the sarcasm. The supernatural elements are handled beautifully, coming across as entirely plausible, and not at all comic or surreal. In many ways I was expecting a Men In Black kind of approach, but this is much closer to The Night Stalker - assuming, of course, that the show was filmed a few decades later, uncensored and granted the kind of budget that cable TV can command.
Much to my surprise, this was a story that worked well as both an urban fantasy and as a police procedural. Take away the supernatural elements, and there is still a good detective story here, but it's the mix of the two that make this such a great read. It's not often you come across a group of goblins, addicted to meth, who have to be apprehended for robbery . . . and even less often that you need to dial 666 to summon help from the Sacred Weapons And Tactical (SWAT) unit.
A quick read, this is also a good one - definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I've encountered in a long time. I really hope Justin continues with this world, and gives us more adventures with the Scranton PD.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
Original review posted over at Book Lovers Inc
I always say that you should try all kinds of genres and books that are out there, but do I follow it? Not really and that is why I wanted to try this book. It is urban fantasy but not the kind I am used to. No kick-ass woman in leather and sexual tension between her and whoever alpha hottie that is around. Instead we have an older guy, a detective in this more old school detective novel with supernatural elements. I am thinking of that more hardboiled fiction (well ok not that violent) but you get the general idea. It’s just the general tone of the book, and I could so well see this in black and white on the screen. With that in mind I started reading.
Hard Spell is about Stan, a detective who works investigating crimes done by and to supernaturals. Together with his partner he gets a hard and messy crime to figure out. Someone is killing supernaturals and if they can’t stop that person, all hell will break loose. He is struggling with a new partner, his own past and his dislike for vampires. It’s not a good day in Scranton.
Yes Stan is certainly not like the main characters I am used to. His is a lot older and he has seen a lot. He is quite serious too at times and just hard on the edges. But I like him because he took his job seriously and he is good at it. His partner Karl is more a newbie on the force and they work together well. New and old, a good team. Karl also brings in a bit of humor, even if we get it through Stan’s sarcastic eyes. But it is all fun.
It’s a bloody and dark world; they are cops so they see the worst things the city has to offer. If you like cop shows then you will like this book and if you like your UF with a more detective theme and without any romantic entanglements then this is the story for you. Though I as the eternal romantic do have a woman in mind for Stan, because he is not blind and he has checked someone out. So who knows if he will find a good woman at the end.
I did like the book because it was fast paced, I wondered if they would catch the bad guy and if Stan would soften up a bit (you will just have to read and find out). But is it my kind of genre? Perhaps not, I do need tiny flicker of romance to root for and I will just stick to my normal UF. But that does not mean that I cannot enjoy a book like this. Because in the end it is a good book.
I always say that you should try all kinds of genres and books that are out there, but do I follow it? Not really and that is why I wanted to try this book. It is urban fantasy but not the kind I am used to. No kick-ass woman in leather and sexual tension between her and whoever alpha hottie that is around. Instead we have an older guy, a detective in this more old school detective novel with supernatural elements. I am thinking of that more hardboiled fiction (well ok not that violent) but you get the general idea. It’s just the general tone of the book, and I could so well see this in black and white on the screen. With that in mind I started reading.
Hard Spell is about Stan, a detective who works investigating crimes done by and to supernaturals. Together with his partner he gets a hard and messy crime to figure out. Someone is killing supernaturals and if they can’t stop that person, all hell will break loose. He is struggling with a new partner, his own past and his dislike for vampires. It’s not a good day in Scranton.
Yes Stan is certainly not like the main characters I am used to. His is a lot older and he has seen a lot. He is quite serious too at times and just hard on the edges. But I like him because he took his job seriously and he is good at it. His partner Karl is more a newbie on the force and they work together well. New and old, a good team. Karl also brings in a bit of humor, even if we get it through Stan’s sarcastic eyes. But it is all fun.
It’s a bloody and dark world; they are cops so they see the worst things the city has to offer. If you like cop shows then you will like this book and if you like your UF with a more detective theme and without any romantic entanglements then this is the story for you. Though I as the eternal romantic do have a woman in mind for Stan, because he is not blind and he has checked someone out. So who knows if he will find a good woman at the end.
I did like the book because it was fast paced, I wondered if they would catch the bad guy and if Stan would soften up a bit (you will just have to read and find out). But is it my kind of genre? Perhaps not, I do need tiny flicker of romance to root for and I will just stick to my normal UF. But that does not mean that I cannot enjoy a book like this. Because in the end it is a good book.
gsatori's review against another edition
4.0
This is fun. It struggles a little and sometimes tries too hard, but the characters are interesting and the plot well constructed.
I will pick up the next in the series, sure that having worked through the kinks in the first novel the author will have it downc by book two.
I will pick up the next in the series, sure that having worked through the kinks in the first novel the author will have it downc by book two.
marklpotter's review against another edition
1.0
I marked this as finished only because I'm finished reading it, after one chapter. I want the time it took to read that chapter given back to me. I'd rather watch Tapeheads than read any more of this book. I suppose there's an audience for this sloppy, inconsistent type of writing but it's not me. I can't even comment on the plot because the writing is so bad I never bothered to figure out if there was one. I usually don't pan books and there's plenty around I haven't finished but this one is so poorly written I had to say something. Save yourself the time and stick forks in your eyes for twenty minutes, it'll be more enjoyable than trying to wade through this book.
mferrante83's review against another edition
4.0
The first thing that drew me to Justin Gustainis’ Hard Spell is the cover. The layout, title and art style are all explicitly designed to mimic that of Hard Case Crime, itself a recent imprint (founded in 2004) whose covers are known to mimic pulp covers of the 40s and 50s. Always on the lookout for clever use of the fantastic combined with pulpish fun Hard Spell quickly jumped to the top of my read list. While Gustainis has written several other novels in the Urban Fantasy vein this is my first foray with his work.
Hard Spell takes place in the supernatural mecca of Scranton, PA (apparently a major nexus of ley lines) and features Detective Stan Markowksi of the Scranton PD’s Supernatural Crimes department. It’s Markowksi’s job to investigate crimes by and against the “supe” community; it’s not a job he always likes but come hell or high water he will get the job done. The novel is narrated in his delightfully dour voice that expertly mimics the tone of a noirish voice over. There is a sort genuine delight in reading Markowski’s wry, sardonic narration that manages to stave off any difficulties with the exposition heavy introduction. There is a certain humor to Markowski’s run down of US history in the supernatural infused world of Hard Spell. I was particularly taken with the brief section oregarding Dr. Martin Luther King:
There is (to my sense anyway) something of a wry smile and a wink in that delivery. Or later when Markowski states that he and his partner were looking into “fairy-bashing” there is something of a wink in that sort-of play on words. It isn’t the most elegant of introductions but Markowski’s voice makes it work. (Note: Because I need to mention it, I love that SWAT stands for Sacred Weapons and Tactics, and has volunteer trained clergyman on it.)
The opening, eventually involving Goblin meth heads holding up a liquor store, also does a great job at laying out one important fact: while the perpetrators or victims might be supernatural in origin the crimes are the same.
Markowski is often played as the typical tough guy with a voice and dialogue straight out of a cop drama. However, over the course of the novel Gustainis carefully doles bits of information about him that help round him out some. Despite he seems an individual defined be his job, the reason for which is revealed in the novel, and there is some hope at the novel’s end that we might see Marksowksi evolve into a more dynamic character as the series progresses. However, Hard Spell is very much a procedural; a format not known for rapidly evolving character beyond their start mode.
Hard Spell is an exciting entry into the urban fantasy genre and is one of the first in a long time to really embrace the noir and crime fiction parallel in a meaningful way. Gustainis has developed a fascinating world that closely resembles our own but is just different enough to prove exciting. His clever insertion of supernatural aspects into the everyday lives of humanity is welcome change from the all-too-frequent shadowy underworld aspect. I look forward to seeing more of Markowski and crew in future cases of Occult Crimes Unit Investigation.
Hard Spell takes place in the supernatural mecca of Scranton, PA (apparently a major nexus of ley lines) and features Detective Stan Markowksi of the Scranton PD’s Supernatural Crimes department. It’s Markowksi’s job to investigate crimes by and against the “supe” community; it’s not a job he always likes but come hell or high water he will get the job done. The novel is narrated in his delightfully dour voice that expertly mimics the tone of a noirish voice over. There is a sort genuine delight in reading Markowski’s wry, sardonic narration that manages to stave off any difficulties with the exposition heavy introduction. There is a certain humor to Markowski’s run down of US history in the supernatural infused world of Hard Spell. I was particularly taken with the brief section oregarding Dr. Martin Luther King:
There was a rumor going around that J. Edgar Hoover had a tape of King “entertaining” a vampire, but I don’t believe that. No human as good as Dr. King would mess around with a vamps. Probably. But nobody’s ever explained why the bullet that killed him was made of solid silver.
There is (to my sense anyway) something of a wry smile and a wink in that delivery. Or later when Markowski states that he and his partner were looking into “fairy-bashing” there is something of a wink in that sort-of play on words. It isn’t the most elegant of introductions but Markowski’s voice makes it work. (Note: Because I need to mention it, I love that SWAT stands for Sacred Weapons and Tactics, and has volunteer trained clergyman on it.)
The opening, eventually involving Goblin meth heads holding up a liquor store, also does a great job at laying out one important fact: while the perpetrators or victims might be supernatural in origin the crimes are the same.
Markowski is often played as the typical tough guy with a voice and dialogue straight out of a cop drama. However, over the course of the novel Gustainis carefully doles bits of information about him that help round him out some. Despite he seems an individual defined be his job, the reason for which is revealed in the novel, and there is some hope at the novel’s end that we might see Marksowksi evolve into a more dynamic character as the series progresses. However, Hard Spell is very much a procedural; a format not known for rapidly evolving character beyond their start mode.
Hard Spell is an exciting entry into the urban fantasy genre and is one of the first in a long time to really embrace the noir and crime fiction parallel in a meaningful way. Gustainis has developed a fascinating world that closely resembles our own but is just different enough to prove exciting. His clever insertion of supernatural aspects into the everyday lives of humanity is welcome change from the all-too-frequent shadowy underworld aspect. I look forward to seeing more of Markowski and crew in future cases of Occult Crimes Unit Investigation.
namulith's review against another edition
2.0
If I had to take a guess, I would say that the author was aiming for the little-known sub-genre of hard-boiled supernatural detective exposition. At least for the exposition part he is succeeding. So, if you're into loads and loads of explanations with more than a dash of cliches, this is the book for you. Me, I did not like this book. But I somehow still cared enough to finish it, so that's something. In sum it's an OK book. If you can find it for free (I think I got it in some ebook bundle), it's fine. It's like the book equivalent of styrofoam balls. Used to bolster up the more worthy stuff in a package.