Rating: 9.5/10
Synopsis
A revolt in Heaven, angels fighting angels. Who better to mediate a peaceful resolution than the Devil’s nephew, Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg?
Don’t answer that.
When Scarlett arrives at his door, beaten to within an inch of her life, Frank finds himself in the middle of a war as the Nephilim arrive to finish the job. With only Eden still standing, the battle for Heaven spills over and ravages the Earth with deadly storms. Amidst the chaos, Frank must find a way to end the war before the battling hordes of half-breed angels, vampires, and lycanthropes reach Eden and bring about the end of existence.
No pressure.
Review
I have been a huge fan of the Demon Squad series since I discovered it in 2011. I was just getting into the indie SFF scene at the time, and the discovery that there were indie urban fantasy series that were as good, if not better, than some of the big name trad-pub UF series like the Dresden Files was a welcome surprise. Demon Squad is probably my favorite urban fantasy series, indie or traditionally published. It has so many elements I find appealing in a story, no matter the genre.
The first of those elements are the characters. Frank Trigg is just such a fun character. He’s not a deep, brooding character like Harry Dresden. Nope. He’s a sarcastic, give no sh*ts kind of character, who gets by on attitude and luck as much as skill with his guns and what magic he has from his demon heritage. In fact, he forgets he has magic half the time, leading to some utterly hilarious situations, especially when he’s fighting magically enhanced beings. You can always expect an inappropriate comment at exactly the worst time with Frank, which is part of his charm, if you can call it that. He does have flashes of growth throughout the series, although he tries to hide it under bluster and self-deprecating humor.
The secondary characters are really fun in this series, and this book is no exception. Frank’s usual companions from the supernatural enforcement group DRAC are all still here, with the angel Scarlett (Frank’s cousin) and vampire Katon being the more frequent partners with Frank. Scarlett is a true warrior, and Frank irritates her to no end, but she is always willing to do the right thing, no matter the cost. Katon is death on two legs, and is determined not to let his vampire nature rule him. He’s never sure if Frank can be trusted, but is willing to work with him to complete their missions. The other secondary characters each add their own personalities to the mix, really rounding out the protagonists.
The antagonists in this book are an interesting mix of supernatural creatures. The Nephilim are a large group, but there are three of them, led by Venai, that are particular thorns in Frank’s and company side throughout the book, joined by a nasty piece of work werebear name Grawwl who wants a piece of Frank’s hide. This group, along with another who’s power dwarfs theirs, are looking to put the hurt on Frank and make their way into the Garden of Eden, the only part of Heaven rebellious angels don’t control. If this happens, nothing good can come of it for humanity, so Frank needs all his attitude, as well as a lot of bullets and luck, to see his way through to the end.
The narration is handled by one of my favorite narrators, Noah Michael Levine. He really makes this series his own, bringing Frank and the other characters to rich, vibrant, absolutely hilarious life. The sheer snark and attitude he exudes is perfect for this series, and you get so wrapped up into it, you won’t want to turn the audio book off. I highly recommend checking out the audio edition.
I was very serious when I said this was my favorite Urban fantasy series. As much as I like Harry Dresden and The Iron Druid books, this one just speaks to my sense of humor and adventure. I highly recommend this series to fans of Urban Fantasy, or just good writing in general. You won’t regret it.
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