Reviews

Bottle Demon by Stephen Blackmoore

redeyesinferno's review

5.0

I really enjoyed popping this bottle open.

From a cliffhanger to a satisfying ending. This was a great closure for the Eric Carter series.

Stating five years after the last installment, we find Eric naked, confused, and looking better than ever. And considering, how he looked like before, it's one hell of an improvement. As he tries to get a handle on things, the universe decides to keep on laying the smackdown on Mr. Eric Carter.

It's honestly entertaining to see just how much punishment the guy can take on and dish out. And while I'm glad about how it ended, I'm kind of looking forward to more Eric Carter adventures. Maybe he and Joe Sunday will cause some mayhem in Hawaii.

Either way, it was a fun read to get back into my reading challenge.

5.0 out of 5 stars.>

cnvair's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

4.75

lpcoolgirl's review

5.0

Yeah, loved this book! I needed to read it after the ending of the previous book! I loved the story, and I can't wait for the next one!

stephanien's review

4.0

 

Bottle Demon is the next entry in the Eric Carter series, and I was immediately intrigued by the premise (and the ending in  the previous book) as I wondered how the author was going to pull off a miracle resurrection and make is plausible.  And..., he definitely managed it.  I thoroughly enjoyed Eric's confusion as he navigated a world that was both the same and quite a bit different from what he was used to, and attempted to piece together what happened and how he was going to solve this mystery.  Personally, I think this might actually be my favourite book by this author.

Eric Carter is such a fascinating character: he comes from a world that is run by wizarding families who seem to have lost their empathy over the years, which requires some tough-love on Eric's part to keep the world from imploding.  Being a Necromancer certainly doesn't help matters as he is looked upon with suspicion just because of what he can do.  I really thought it was interesting that Eric didn't want to come back and actually mourned the fact that he was resurrected: from pretty much the first page Eric is chased, shot at, attacked, etc...., with little knowledge as to what is happening, but through it all, his humanity still shines and we have this guy who mourns the peace he had when he was dead.  Although he is not the kind of person who whines about his fate, I did appreciate the interesting dialogue about what may be waiting for us on the other side, or at least on Eric's other side.  For a guy who has not had a lot of peace, it must be comforting.  There was one scene, in particular, that showed how much Eric cares about the people around him and I would be lying if I said it didn't being a small tear to my eye.  The author is able to capture many different sides of his characters which is something I really enjoy about his writing.  

The plot was full of twists and turns, but I definitely think the author's strength is exploring thematic devices by giving us flawed characters who are just trying to make the world a better place in which to live.  Naturally, some of the decisions these characters make go badly wrong, which creates some interesting scenarios and these plot twists. 

 

Verdict

Bottle Demon is well-written and certainly contains a number of surprises that I wasn't expecting.I really do feel like there is a different vibe to this book which makes me think the author is planning on shaking things up for Eric and the rest of the characters and that we may see things go in a very different direction than in previous books.  I like a good shake-up in books and although certain characters didn't make an appearance in this one and others were relegated to more minor roles, there are some characters that seem to be taking centre stage, so perhaps something new is coming.  I am looking forward to seeing what happens to Eric and company next.   

annarella's review

5.0

Dear Daw,
I’m writing these post because it’s time you stop approving my requests for urban fantasy books that are not the first in series.
My credit card is begging you to stop making me discover excellent series as I usually go and buy the others books.
It happened with Titan Song (loved it, great storytelling, lots of humor and a great series) and it happened again with Bottle Demon.
Bottle Demon is an excellent story, gripping, dark and highly entertaining.
I don’t know how Eric was in the previous books, I know that I liked him in this books and he’s a fleshed out and complex characters.
The world building is amazing and tightly knitted plot is fast paced and action packed.
I loved the storytelling, the character development and read this books as fast as I could.
Now I have to read five other books but it’s not a problem.
This one is strongly recommended.
Many thanks to DAW and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

eldritchrain's review

5.0

Yes!

decafjess's review

5.0

[spoilers ahead for the series as a whole, but not for this specific book]

I had written in a review in the past that the main character, Eric Carter, was a real jerk and would be better off dead, so imagine my surprise when Eric is beaten to death at the end of the last book. Of course, main characters never tend to stay dead in urban fantasy, and Eric is mad as hell when he is forcefully resurrected and yanked out of his peaceful afterlife in Mictlān in the opening pages of Bottle Demon.

Freed from the chronic traumatic encephalopathy that plagued his former body and made him impulsive, violent, and irritable, Eric is much more likeable now. His time in Mictlān has made him more introspective and concerned about the collateral damage of his choices. I was rooting for him this time without guilt.

This series is continuing strong, and the author said in a recent interview he had another three books planned in this series.

I'm eagerly looking forward to them.

arc received for review

irish's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

katalynbc13's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sentientnoodle's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0