GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: A Quincy Harker novella
Showing posts with label A Quincy Harker novella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Quincy Harker novella. Show all posts

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Book Review: Heaven Sent (Quincy Harker Demon Hunter Book 5) by John G. Hartness

Heaven Sent - a Quincy Harker Novella (Quincy Harker Demon Hunter Book 5)
by John G. Hartness

July 29th 2016 by Falstaff Books
Kindle Edition, 111 pages
BOOK 5 in the Award-Winning Dark Fantasy Series takes us back to where it all began.

He's the immortal magic-wielding child of Jonathan Harker and Mina Murray from the classic novel Dracula. But to him it's not a story, it's family history. Quincy Harker is what you'd get if Constantine were renewed by HBO and taken to the darkest of dark sides. When things go bump in the night, he bumps right back.

It's the summer of 2009, and Harker has a brand-new guardian angel. Her name is Glory, and she's here to try to keep Harker from getting himself killed. Try is the operative word. Because not even a divine guardian with a Joss Whedon fetish can get Harker through this mystery unscathed.

Someone is murdering Nephilim, the rare offspring of human and angel, and using their blood for a terrible ritual. Harker, with some help from his Uncle Luke (you probably just call him Count Dracula), has to find out who the next victim is, who the murderer is, and what the plan is. All in three days. Because no matter what kind of help Heaven Sent, it might not be enough to prevent someone from raising a lot of Hell. Heaven Sent is a prequel novella, with far-reaching effects that will change Harker forever.

Heaven Sent is Book 5 of the best-selling Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. Book 1 of the series, Raising Hell, was awarded the 2016 Manly Wade Wellman Award by the NC Speculative Fiction Foundation.

This is such a fun series. If you love action-packed dark edged urban fantasy with mystery, humor and a lot of foul language then check this one out. Don't worry too much about what order you read them in. Each novella is a full start to finish mystery. There are a few series arc threads, but Hartness does a good job of cluing you in so you don't feel lost. And the stories can be read in one sitting. He is a regular wham-bam-thank-you-ma'ma writer that will leave you satisfied. Lots of bang for your buck...and that's probably enough cliches from me. And there is an unexpected twist at the end. If that doesn't sell you: he uses a Firefly and a Buffy reference.

This book is about a case that happened seven years ago when Quincy first meets his guardian angel, Glory. Glory is my kind of angel. I've always loved the dynamic between her and Quincy. The book ends seven years later, right after the fourth book, and there are signs that what happened seven years ago is getting ready to start again...

I also look forward scenes with Quincy and his Uncle Luke (psst...he's actually Dracula) I love Quincy's personality...if you dealt with monsters on the daily you might be a bit of an a**hole too <G>.

Quotes: had to censor a bit
"It was a dick move, and I knew it, but I didn't respond well to fright, especially when I wasn't allowed to kill the thing that frightened me. I didn't particularly want to kill my guardian angel because that seemed like a bad idea on so many levels." -Quincy

Exchange between Mort (demon) and Quincy-
Mort turned back to me. "Are all humans this f***ing stupid, or are you just a shining example? Look, f***wit, you're missing the point. The point is not that something killed Baxter; the point is that something killed Baxter. Killed. Made dead. Took the part-angel son of a bitch and made him not here anymore. That takes a lot of juice. And this ain't the first time it's happened, either."

Now I was really interested. "There are more?"

"More what?" Mort asked

"Goddammit, I can't tell which part of you is the bigger douche, the demon or the cat!" I exploded. "More dead Nephilim, you fuzzy pr***!"

"There's no need for name-calling," Mort said, suddenly all prim and proper licking one paw and washing behind his ears.

4.5 "apocalypse bring" Sheep





SharonS

About the Author:
This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Book Review: Hell Freezes Over (A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella #4) by John G. Hartness

Hell Freezes Over - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella (Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter #4)
by John G. Hartness

January 2nd 2016
125 pagesby Falstaff Media
He's no stranger to blood. His uncle is Count Dracula, the most famous vampire in history, after all. But what he finds in a quiet North Carolina family home rocks even the jaded Quincy Harker. Families are being slaughtered, butchered like animals, and it seems like the loving fathers are to blame.

But a ghostly visitor shows Harker that there is more to the story than he can see, even with his mystical Sight. So he goes chasing justice, and his quest takes him deeper and darker places than even his guardian angel can follow, and pits him against foes stronger than any he has ever faced before.

Will Harker solve the mystery before more men, women and children are brutally murdered? Can he fight the powers that are moving behind the scenes to keep the truth hidden? And will he be able to stop the murderer when he finds him? Or it?

This is the darkest Harker story yet, from the author of Hell on Heels, Raising Hell, and The Black Knight Chronicles.

Quincy says it best: "Oh well, when you're the demon-hunting part-vampire magic-wielding nephew of Dracula, there aren't really that many uneventful evenings at home in front of the TV." And this time Quincy must track down something so big and bad that no one in the supernatural world will even talk about it...not even his guardian angel, but children are being slaughtered and evil needs a good ass-whupping.

Each Quincy Harker book feels like a fast pace, hard hitting supernatural TV episode, except only on cable, cause there's a lot of violence and cussing. I've said this before, this series would be awesome as a graphic novel and now I'm adding TV show too. Just saying...

We are learning more about Quincy's guardian angel, Glory. Seems Quincy needed someone a bit tougher than a run of the mill guardian angel. Will be interesting to find out who she really is. And Detective Flynn's link to Quincy is giving him "feelings" he'd rather not deal with.

Hell Freezes Over is another riotous ride for those who love horror and humor and supernatural shenanigans.

Quincy-isms:
"Technically, yes. I mean, they still carry out the will of God and all that shit, but ever since the Great War, they've had free will, so when they're not doing what the big guy wants, they come up with ideas of their own. Most of those ideas are really stupid, like New Coke and Jar-Jar Binks, but every once in a while they decide to do something truly dangerous, like try surfing. That's where we get tsunamis. So I warded my place against the Host from both zip codes, north and south. If I can go through my life without speaking to another angel, I'll be thrilled."

"Perfringo!" The magic enveloped the handgun, and it blew up. That did a number of bad things to Danvar, including blowing his fingers off. one whizzed by my ear, splattering bloody mist all over the right side of my face. One blew backward and smacked Danvar in the forehead, and I think the rest were reduced to tiny pieces by the explosion.



4.5 "bled-out" Sheep




SharonS

About the Author:
This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.