Customer Reviews

A Devil in the Details: A Jesse James Dawson Novel (Jesse Dawson)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are so many urban fantasy novels glutting the market now days....and while being a huge fan...I was beginning to think they were becoming incestuous...like so many plots were nearly the same...then I pick up A Devil In The Details...and just found myself unable to set it down....it is filled with sly humor...some nasty demon characters trying to do our hero in...a plot that is original and vastly entertaining...and guess what...all of this great book with nary a single sexually explicit scene....now..don't get me wrong...I love a well done sensual scene as well as the next woman...but sometimes I just grow weary of them...I want the story to grab me...the characters to matter...the reason that good must overcome evil to mean something. And this book delivers!! K. A. Stewart is one of my newest favorite authors...and I will definitely be salivating for the next book in what I hope is a long series. There were moments where I grinned at the hero's snarkiness...other moments where I felt empathy for his plight to protect his loved ones and stand for honor. Definitely one of the better urban fantasy tales on the market today. Highly recommended to those who want something new and special.

Jesse James Dawson is a husband and a father and a bit of a geek -- oh and he's a modern day Samurai who slays demons. Can I say I loved this book?! I thought the characters & story were well thought out. It's told from Jesse's POV & starts out letting you get to know him and his motivations. It quickly builds speed until you're racing along with him as he works to save the day without compromising his beliefs or getting himself killed in the process. There's plenty of action, as well as moments that cracked me up. I loved the pop culture references. (Hello? Anime soundtrack? Too funny.) This is definitely a book worth reading & I'm hoping I'll be reading more about Jesse in the future.

If you're a fan of Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series or Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden, you'll enjoy this.

Started a bit slow and then opened a can of whoop-a$$, then didn't let up until it was finished. I have to admit I get seriously tired of the same ole same ole super heroines and the sex detracting from the story. To be honest if I want erotica I will buy erotica. This story delivered the old fashioned kick them in the butt story I like so much, with no distractions to cover a slow part of the story. I am honestly looking forward to another story by this author and will pre-order it as soon as it appears.

Jesse James Davidson has extraordinary fighting skills in the job he has chosen to do. Sometimes people make deals with a demon until they want to exchange for their souls and later decide the cost is too high. Jesse bets his soul that he can defeat the demon in a fight and so far he has won every bout. He got into the guardian profession when he risked his soul to rescue his younger brother.

His latest satisfied customer is the President of the United States. He gets a call from a potential client baseball giant Nelson Kidd who made a deal with a demon to restore his ability to be a champion baseball player. He took his team to the World Champions but now wants out of the deal. Jesse charges him a huge fee because he earns it to pay his medical bills from the fight with the demon. Two other champions Miguel and Guy have fallen off the radar and it is assumed they died. Both called the same number before they vanished and both tried but failed to log on to the guardian database. It looks like something is killing the guardians but Jesse has no time to investigate because he has a demon to fight. He is also staying away from Axel the demon who wants his soul and who apparently is stalking him.

K.A. Stewart is a welcome addition to the urban fantasy writers with a strong opening entry. Told in the first person by the laconic hero in a sardonic witty voice, readers get to know Jesse up front and in person. Flawed and courageous, Jesse risks eternity to help those who cut demonic deals although by doing so he shortens his lifespan because one day he will lose a fight. A Devil in the Details is a dynamic debut.

Harriet Klausner

It's refreshing to see a hero who is an unashamedly noble man. Jesse follows bushido, has a wife and a daughter, no dark tragic history, no half demon heritage, no nuthin awful. He's not a Gary Stu or a paladin by any means, just a good imperfect guy who is trying to do the right thing.

Sometimes I feel as though the author is trying a little too hard to be funny, and perhaps because of the hero's nobility there isn't as much emotional or moral complexity as there might be in some UF, but these two books (A Devil in the Details and its sequel, A Shot in the Dark) are still entertaining. It will be interesting to see where Stewart goes from here.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not a book that grabs you by the throat from the first chapter and keeps you riveted. Rather, it's a solid, well-written book that grows on you chapter by chapter as you get to know the main character, his friends, and the world in which he lives.
Jesse James Dawson is an interesting mix of Niko from Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden: A modern day samurai trying to live a life of honor with a sharp wit and a smart mouth. And balancing that with being a doting husband and father. The "family man" aspect added a refreshing maturity to his character. While he feels honor-bound to try to save his fellow man from their deals with demons, he struggles to reconcile that choice with the knowledge that he will someday leave his wife a widow and his child fatherless. And he actually has to work a real job at a hip clothing store to help cover the family's bills, because demon slaying doesn't pay nearly as well as you'd think. And yet he carries on and tires to maintain a sense of humor. Many of his observations had me smiling and even chucking out loud a time or two.
I really liked Jesse and I am totally intrigued by his personal demon, Axel. I can't wait to find out more about him.

In summary, for me it was not a captivating book, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining read with a main character I can like and respect. I have high hopes for the second installment.

A Devil in the Details by K.A. Stewart is an urban fantasy starring Jesse James Dawson. Dawson is a bushido-following, katana wielding demon fighter who also works part time at a trendy store called It.

Demons are real, and people can bargain with them in exchange for their souls. But a fairly small group of people know that these situations are real, and choose to fight the demons, taking on contracts with these people who have bargained their souls away. They then deal with the demon, and if they manage to defeat it, the person gets their soul back.

It was a pretty cool premise, and something that I hadn't really seen done before (I'm sure it's out there, and that someone will be able to point me to it, I just haven't read it myself before).

The writing reminded me quite a bit of The Dresden Files, which was good. If Harry Dresden had started out with a wife and a five year old kid, and used a sword, then you'd have A Devil in the Details. One problem that I had with the book was it's length. It felt short to me. Now, I'll preface that by saying that I just finished a Dresden Files marathon, reading them all back to back. Stewart's novel seemed about half the length of the later Dresden books. The story worked just fine, I was just left feeling a little surprised that it all happened so fast. There wasn't much in the way of convoluted plot, which was nice for a change. One guy, two problems that become one big problem (don't they always?). Straight forward.

The story takes place in Kansas City, which was fun to read about, since I've yet to read the other major urban fantasy books that have chosen KC as their setting. The secondary characters were believable, and Dawson's relationship with his wife and child was very well done.

I loved:

-the fact that it was a male main character.
-the fact that there was no paranormal romance of any sort in the story.
-the refreshing fact that the character is married, and has to make some tough decisions that involve thinking about someone else.

I hated:

-nothing, really. My only real complaints are that it was short-ish, and that there wasn't anything absolutely AMAZING about the book.

There's nothing startlingly brilliant in this first novel, but it's very solid and enjoyable. The fact that the main character actually has a functional relationship with a member of the opposite sex was refreshing as hell. I'd give it 8/10, and I'm looking forward to the second book,A Shot in the Dark, which should be out in July.

"A Devil in the Details" is Kari Stewart's debut but it really doesn't feel so. The novel begins with Jesse battling off a crab demon for the soul of perhaps the country's numero uno citizen. Jesse manages to save his skin and win the battle as well, but not without some significant injuries to himself. Thus with such an action packed beginning the reader is welcomed into the world of Jesse James Dawson. He's your average person but with a difference: he's the guy you might have to turn to when you strike up a Faustian bargain and aren't ready to live up to your end of the bargain. That's where he and his ilk come in as they try to fight off the specific demon that comes to claim the soul as per the bargain struck before. Life isn't exactly a bed of roses for Jesse but he manages to get by with the help of his wife Mira and his daughter Annabelle. Also there's a broad informal network of champions [Warriors akin to Jesse] who communicate with each other and help to keep track of what's happening on the astral side.

The story begins when a famous baseball pitcher approaches Jesse detailing his problem. What differentiates this case is a referral from one of Jesse's past clients and the fact that Jesse believes in the client's repentance. Jesse's odyssey begins here as the reader gets a window into the mundane aspect of his life. He works at a clothing store and also helps his wife out at her store whenever possible. Amidst all of this he also tries to stay away from temptation as a demon named Axel has formed quite a "Frenemy" relationship with him. Almost every other day he comes by and tries to trick Jesse into signing over his soul - due to his Champion status, he's become quite a catch for any demon to reel in.

When Jesse accepts this case he doesn't realize where it will lead to. Adding to the confusion is the disappearance of Mexico's champion Miguel. On conferring with the overseer amongst the Champions, a Russian man named Ivan Zelenko, it dawns upon both of them that there might be other missing champions which could potentially signal a whole new level of trouble. Ivan is also trying to find out more about this spate of disappearances. Jesse also has to deal with his Mom's birthday present which he cannot forget to buy under any circumstances and there is his scheduled fight with the demon as well. All of the action occurs within the span of a few days.

So the main story begins and we will see Jesse fight demons, find out the mystery of Miguel's absence, and possibly not forget his mother's birthday gift. There's a lot more to this than the aforementioned events, namely Jesse's laconic & dry wit which gives us an honest view of his life and his thoughts. Kari Stewart needs to commended for writing such a terrific debut involving such a character. She has established a wonderful voice in Jesse James Dawson who is funny, evocative and human at the same time.

He's the stereotypical hero model but he's presented in such a way that you empathize with his life, life which isn't easy due to his routine demon battles which have left him with more scars than he would like. And he's frequently getting dropped by Insurance companies which I thought was a wonderful way to highlight the inadequacies in our current medical system. The only drawback to "A Devil in the Details" is the predictability that has set within this genre and it is in evidence here too. You easily see what will happen in the end, but the author has made the journey as pleasant a read as possible and this very quality makes this book one of the excellent UF debuts of 2010.

In the world of Urban Fantasy thrillers, currently "The Dresden files" by Jim Butcher is the standard against which series are measured & Kari Stewart can rest easy as her novel can stand quite well against her idol. With such an enticing setup and with the promise of more mayhem to follow, courtesy Axel's revelation in the end, Kari Stewart has made sure that readers bookmark her debut series as one to be followed in the future too.

Overall Rating = 4 & 1/2 stars!

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, that there are champions out there who fight demons to win back souls of
people who sell their souls to demons in the first place.

The book is a quick read which I went through in a couple of nights. I like the hero and his family as well as the "team", the book is set up at the end for some continuing adventures which I will definitely want to read.

Overall, I would highly recommend it, it has a saracastic comedy tone to it kind of like the old Stainless Steel Rat series.

Wanna be a rockstar? A billionaire? The president? Demons make it possible. The only thing they demand in return is your soul. You won't miss it ... much. Honestly. Kids and animals might be scared of you and you'll have some kind of tattoo on your forearm, but you won't miss them. And tats are hot. Right?
Some of these demon clients come to regret their deal though. If they're very lucky they find a champion and are able to convince him (or her) to do battle for their soul.
Jesse James Dawson is one of these champions. Don't mess with him. He might not have magic but he is a geek powered samurai.

There is a fine line between a funny loudmouth and a stupid annoyance. While Harry Dresden belongs to the former, there are too many of the latter.
The hero of A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS walks this line without stumbling once. Jesse's silent observations are hilarious, his quips on point and sarcasm his weapon of choice. His good natured personality and positive - if sarcastic - outlook on life are his defense against the dark forces in his life. As a self appointed samurai without a speck of magic Jesse battles demons for the souls of their clients. If he continues on this path, death is inevitable. Jesse will be dragged to hell for eternal torment, his beloved wife and daughter left behind. A good portion of the book deals with the questions why a family father - any man, really - would choose such a profession and why any women would stay with him, patching him up when he lingers at death's door once again. The answers are not clear cut, I don't think they could be, but Jesse and his wife's way of dealing and their doubts are portrayed with sensitivity. A hero, who is a family father, is a rare thing in speculative fiction and I loved reading about one. I think that K. A. Stewart did a great job with Jesse.
A DEVIL IN THE DETAILS is a fast read and an entertaining one. Thinking back, though, there doesn't happen a lot. It is just right as an opener for a series. The story is interesting and somewhat self contained, but it also lays the groundwork for much bigger things to come.

Jesse James Dawson is one of my favourite new urban fantasy series. It is fun, without being over the top, dramatic without melodrama and the characters are 100% believable. Great stuff.