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amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely LOVED this book. Seriously, I'm addicted. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, since the blurb gives an EXORCIST feel. While the comparison is justified, this is so much more than your typical scary-exorcism-story. The DEMONISTS is inventive, exciting, brutal, original, vivid, and has one of the best female lead characters ever. The story branched off in directions I wasn't expecting, revealing secret societies, wicked treasures, and fearsome demonic entities, all of which lead to an ending worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. The characters are fantastic, and Theodora Knight is my new favourite hero. Is she the main victim? Yes. Is she a shrinking violet. NO. Seriously, I thought she would be strong, but I didn't expect her development to quite literally transform. The gore factor is also certainly amped up to degrees that made even me uncomfortable, but I was constantly engaged and needing to know what was happening next. This was a dark, grim, gory read, and I couldn't have loved it more. One of my favourite books this year. If you like your horror stories filled with action, creepiness, twists, and one badass female character, this is the book for you.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
John Fogg has long believed in the paranormal. He’s made a fine job of learning about and seeking out the things that go bump in the night. When he meets Theodora Knight, a self-proclaimed medium, he sees a real chance to bring his expertise to the masses. Jump ahead nine years and John and Theodora are married and have their own Ghost Hunters-type television show.
For their big Halloween special, they scoured hundreds of reportedly haunted places, and landed on a home in rural Pennsylvania dubbed “The House of Tribulation.” So far, the evening has been a wash. That is, until they actually stumble upon something. What happens next is John’s entire crew is killed, he’s injured, and his wife is host to umpteen demonic entities.
As John searches for a way to bring Theo back, it becomes ever clearer that the world as he knows it is about to change. The beings that reside in the dark are no longer happy remaining in the shadows, and as humanity remembers what it is to know true fear, the evil only gets stronger.
The Demonists reads like your typical good vs. evil story. It quite frequently brought to my mind The Exorcist. There were so many times I wanted to put down the book and get away from the grotesque vividness of the gory representations of evil, but I simply couldn’t. The pacing is really fast, and I always found myself wanting to find out what would happen next even though usually what happened next would make me a bit squeamish.
For all the fast pacing, however, I found that the timeline of events was probably my biggest problem with the book. I was just never quite sure of how much time passed between one event and another. The way the book runs it seems like John Fogg had an extremely bad couple of weeks, but then we would get reference, for example, to conversations that happened months ago as opposed to just a few pages ago. My mind had trouble wrapping around what were supposed to be slower progressions of time because the story moves so quickly.
Where the book really excelled for me was with Theodora’s character. Not to give anything away, but the book does not just focus on John trying to heal his wife. Although that is a main concern for John, there are road bumps and revelations along the way. Theo manifests, to me, as this awesome (although awesome may not always be the word I’d use to describe her) paranormal demonic superheroine. I’m hesitant to reveal too much because I think it’s really something to behold while reading, but suffice it to say, there is so much potential for her character that I’m excited to see what she can bring to the table in the next book.
Overall, The Demonists was really an introduction book. Preparing readers for what can be expected down the line in the series; what type of queasy, squishy manifestations of evil will try to wreak havoc upon the world. There seems to be a good team assembled by the end, I think they’ll be able to give evil a run for its money.
John Fogg has long believed in the paranormal. He’s made a fine job of learning about and seeking out the things that go bump in the night. When he meets Theodora Knight, a self-proclaimed medium, he sees a real chance to bring his expertise to the masses. Jump ahead nine years and John and Theodora are married and have their own Ghost Hunters-type television show.
For their big Halloween special, they scoured hundreds of reportedly haunted places, and landed on a home in rural Pennsylvania dubbed “The House of Tribulation.” So far, the evening has been a wash. That is, until they actually stumble upon something. What happens next is John’s entire crew is killed, he’s injured, and his wife is host to umpteen demonic entities.
As John searches for a way to bring Theo back, it becomes ever clearer that the world as he knows it is about to change. The beings that reside in the dark are no longer happy remaining in the shadows, and as humanity remembers what it is to know true fear, the evil only gets stronger.
The Demonists reads like your typical good vs. evil story. It quite frequently brought to my mind The Exorcist. There were so many times I wanted to put down the book and get away from the grotesque vividness of the gory representations of evil, but I simply couldn’t. The pacing is really fast, and I always found myself wanting to find out what would happen next even though usually what happened next would make me a bit squeamish.
For all the fast pacing, however, I found that the timeline of events was probably my biggest problem with the book. I was just never quite sure of how much time passed between one event and another. The way the book runs it seems like John Fogg had an extremely bad couple of weeks, but then we would get reference, for example, to conversations that happened months ago as opposed to just a few pages ago. My mind had trouble wrapping around what were supposed to be slower progressions of time because the story moves so quickly.
Where the book really excelled for me was with Theodora’s character. Not to give anything away, but the book does not just focus on John trying to heal his wife. Although that is a main concern for John, there are road bumps and revelations along the way. Theo manifests, to me, as this awesome (although awesome may not always be the word I’d use to describe her) paranormal demonic superheroine. I’m hesitant to reveal too much because I think it’s really something to behold while reading, but suffice it to say, there is so much potential for her character that I’m excited to see what she can bring to the table in the next book.
Overall, The Demonists was really an introduction book. Preparing readers for what can be expected down the line in the series; what type of queasy, squishy manifestations of evil will try to wreak havoc upon the world. There seems to be a good team assembled by the end, I think they’ll be able to give evil a run for its money.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
I like scary movies and scary books, but they need to be honestly scary, not just gratuitous slasher blood and guts muck. Sniegoski scared the crappe out of me many times as I read this; definitely horror way more than UF. Cringe-worthy horror of the finest kind. Vivid wording that made me pretty much gag in reflex. If I could draw, I'd be able to recreate on paper the demonic creatures Sniegoski creates with words, so meticulously are they described. Not boring meticulous...more like *gack* want-to-kewp-up eloquent.
John and Theodora are hosts of a paranormal investigation television show and one night it goes horribly wrong. That is the first domino in a cascade of events that are seemingly disparate but are tragically tied together.
Ancient cults, paranormal hunters, government agencies, all find themselves in the thick of evil.
Superbly written and I can only hope that there will be a next in the series.
Definitely recommend.
John and Theodora are hosts of a paranormal investigation television show and one night it goes horribly wrong. That is the first domino in a cascade of events that are seemingly disparate but are tragically tied together.
Ancient cults, paranormal hunters, government agencies, all find themselves in the thick of evil.
Superbly written and I can only hope that there will be a next in the series.
Definitely recommend.
mferrante83's review against another edition
3.0
The Demonists by Thomas E. Sniegoski marks the start of a new series. John Fogg and Theodora Knight are paranormal investigators; hosts of a popular television program. During a Halloween special where the couple and their team investigate a house filled with dark energy, a supposed haunting, things suddenly take a horrific turn as malevolent forces kill John’s team and leave Theodora in a catatonic state; possessed by countless demonic spirits. Confronted by the veil now inhabiting his wife John must face off against threats both worldly and otherworldly in order to save the woman he loves.
The biggest problem with The Demonists is that John Fogg isn’t a very interesting character. Sure being driven by love is a noble thing it didn’t really help John feel like that noteworthy an individual. The novel is saved by its supporting cast. First there is FBI Agent Brenna Isobel, investigating a string of recent child abductions, who has a tragic past that pushes to complete her investigation as fast as she can. Then there is the novel’s sort-of antagonist Barret Winfield, also-known-as The Teacher, who was a bit twisted before being contacted and enlisted by darker powers. However, the most interesting character by and large is Theodora herself; particularly later in the novel. I don’t want to go into details, though what happens to Theodora isn’t a complete surprise, but she remained the most interesting part of the novel from the minute she is re-introduced. I was also particularly enamored with the psychic guardian that looks after both Theodora and John.
With the bond between Theodora and John being so integral to driving the novel’s action there is surprisingly little time spent on their relationship. While the novel’s opening scene reveals how the couple first met it quickly shifts forward to the haunted house element. While we are told, through John’s perspective, about their relationship it isn’t anything that is ever actually scene. As a result there is little to no emotional investment in John’s quest. In truth the novel’s opening, where Theodora openly challenging John’s initial skepticism of psychic abilities, might have made for a more interesting jumping off point that would have allowed Sniegoski to better flesh out the tenuous beginnings of their relationship as well as flesh out the world he has created.
Despite my disinterest in John as a character Sniegoski’s presentation of the supernatural definitely hooked me in. The scenes involving The Teacher and his “students” were particularly horrific and well crafted. Sniegoski also delves into some interesting psychic landscapes with his characters that definitely helped keep me engaged. As a series opener Sniegoski hints at a deeper and more significant looming threat and introduces at least two organizations; one involved in fighting evil and the other in hastening its arrival. Along with those hints of a doom yet to come there is the definite feeling that the world Sniegoski has created has more depth and detail than glimpsed within the pages of The Demonists. We are introduced to several demons in the novel, glimpse some raw and furious elementals, and even catch the brief glimpse of a long forgotten god all with just barest of illuminating brush strokes. While there are moments where this is frustrating, blame the long-time fantasy reader used to complex magic systems, for the most part it works. The action late in the novel is fast and furious and moral and emotional quandaries posed by the closing chapters will definitely have me checking out whatever is next for Theodora and John. Even though it stumbles at the outset fans of horror and urban fantasy should The Demonists a shot.
The biggest problem with The Demonists is that John Fogg isn’t a very interesting character. Sure being driven by love is a noble thing it didn’t really help John feel like that noteworthy an individual. The novel is saved by its supporting cast. First there is FBI Agent Brenna Isobel, investigating a string of recent child abductions, who has a tragic past that pushes to complete her investigation as fast as she can. Then there is the novel’s sort-of antagonist Barret Winfield, also-known-as The Teacher, who was a bit twisted before being contacted and enlisted by darker powers. However, the most interesting character by and large is Theodora herself; particularly later in the novel. I don’t want to go into details, though what happens to Theodora isn’t a complete surprise, but she remained the most interesting part of the novel from the minute she is re-introduced. I was also particularly enamored with the psychic guardian that looks after both Theodora and John.
With the bond between Theodora and John being so integral to driving the novel’s action there is surprisingly little time spent on their relationship. While the novel’s opening scene reveals how the couple first met it quickly shifts forward to the haunted house element. While we are told, through John’s perspective, about their relationship it isn’t anything that is ever actually scene. As a result there is little to no emotional investment in John’s quest. In truth the novel’s opening, where Theodora openly challenging John’s initial skepticism of psychic abilities, might have made for a more interesting jumping off point that would have allowed Sniegoski to better flesh out the tenuous beginnings of their relationship as well as flesh out the world he has created.
Despite my disinterest in John as a character Sniegoski’s presentation of the supernatural definitely hooked me in. The scenes involving The Teacher and his “students” were particularly horrific and well crafted. Sniegoski also delves into some interesting psychic landscapes with his characters that definitely helped keep me engaged. As a series opener Sniegoski hints at a deeper and more significant looming threat and introduces at least two organizations; one involved in fighting evil and the other in hastening its arrival. Along with those hints of a doom yet to come there is the definite feeling that the world Sniegoski has created has more depth and detail than glimpsed within the pages of The Demonists. We are introduced to several demons in the novel, glimpse some raw and furious elementals, and even catch the brief glimpse of a long forgotten god all with just barest of illuminating brush strokes. While there are moments where this is frustrating, blame the long-time fantasy reader used to complex magic systems, for the most part it works. The action late in the novel is fast and furious and moral and emotional quandaries posed by the closing chapters will definitely have me checking out whatever is next for Theodora and John. Even though it stumbles at the outset fans of horror and urban fantasy should The Demonists a shot.
aeglaeca's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mftaylor's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun read. Similar to The Conjuring movies.
Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, medium Theodora Knight take on what was supposed to be a simple job. A haunted house at Halloween. Little do they know the house is much worse than they ever imagined and they find themselves fighting against demons to save themselves and the world.
Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, medium Theodora Knight take on what was supposed to be a simple job. A haunted house at Halloween. Little do they know the house is much worse than they ever imagined and they find themselves fighting against demons to save themselves and the world.
laurla's review against another edition
-This was more a horror novel than fantasy. it got slow in the middle. I didn’t enjoy this the way I did his remy chandler series. I just couldn’t get into the characters.
paigedelavega's review against another edition
I struggled so hard to finish this book. The concept was awesome, but I found the writing style lacking. It grated my nerves. Just glad it's over.
tiffanyann's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0