Customer Reviews

Hell On Earth

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

 

 

Hell on Earth is an occult detective story written by the author of the Shattered World novels. While Reaves has several other such stories to his credit -- including one featuring the reporter Liz Russell -- I believe this is his first based on traditional Judeo-Christian mythology.

Colin is an orphan trained at the Scholomance in Transylvania, a school of dark magic. He has a Door that can apport him to any place on earth, but won't retrieve him. He did have the Trine, a mystical token of great power, but something Fallen has stolen it and left a smell of brimstone behind. Moreover, he has Zoel, an Unfallen Angel, who has come to ask him to help with a little problem. It seems that a demon has been born, the undead are walking, and the apocalypse may be near. No big deal for a magic wielding detective with an Angel sidekick, right?

The remainder of the story is a matter of searching for the Trine, questioning the suspects -- demons and such -- and checking out the various locales -- Vlad Dracula's castle, for one -- and putting the clues together. Along the way he picks up a few more assistants: the demon Asdeon, reporter Liz Russell, and ex-ranger Terry Dane.

This novel is bloody and violent, but more like suspenseful mystery that a horror story. Recommended for Reaves fans and anyone who likes magical detectives and occult mysteries.

-Arthur W. Jordin

"Babylon is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit." (Revelations)

Perhaps it was the advent of the new Millennium that inspired so many fantasies with Babylonian demons, but I've read three in the past year including "Hell on Earth." I think Michael Reaves originally wrote this book with Millennarians as a target audience, since it makes isolated references to Armageddon. However, if that was the original theme, it has been transformed into a generic (or perhaps I should say gnostic) battle of sublime Light versus demonic Darkness.

"Hell on Earth" is the type of professionally crafted fantasy that we've come to expect from Del Rey. The reader is subjected to more cliff-hangers than Pauline in all of her perils, and Pauline's exclamations of horror and disgust have been thoroughly modernized. The action never stops from the birth of a demon and the loss of a magical talisman, to the epilogue when a famous ball descends in Times Square.

Even though the author makes several biblical references, "Hell on Earth" is not at all preachy. Humorous and inventive touches abound, including a demon that likes to masquerade as Humphrey Bogart. The three major human characters are Colin the magician, Liz the author of a best-seller about a serial killer called 'The Maneater,' and Terry, ex-Army Ranger and current bodyguard. They are all likeable, vulnerable, feisty, and willing to fight for the Right Side in the battle against evil. Although all three are battling current dilemmas, the reader is also treated to lengthy flashbacks---so lengthy that I began to wonder if there was a prequel to "Hell on Earth" that I had somehow missed. The book drops definite hints about a sequel:

"He [Colin] had to find out. If there was even the faintest chance of Lilith [a character seen only in Colin's flashbacks] still being alive, he would do whatever it took to find out. Even if it meant going back to the one place on Earth he had sworn never to set foot in again."

Michael Reeves has also written "Darth Maul Shadow Hunter," which was spun off from a movie. His "Hell on Earth" is a book that could head in the opposite direction and end up on film. It's got snappy dialogue (especially between Zoel the angel and the Humphrey Bogart demon), strong visuals, likeable characters, lots of action, and a plot that easy to follow. The flashbacks that slow down the book's momentum would probably be shortened, eliminated, or treated as part of the current action if "Hell" goes to the movies.

Suggestion: if this book gives you an appetite for Babylonian demons, try Jonathan Aycliffe's "The Talisman." His demon, Shabbatil (Lord of the Flies) is totally horrific and has no sense of humor at all.

For some reason I bought this book well after it came out and then let it sit on the shelf for a time before reading it. Perhaps it was because of the millennial associations the book had in my mind. It certainly wasn't any doubt of Michael Reaves as an author. He has been writing for some time, and has always done a solid, workmanlike job. Having finally read it, I can honestly say that, whatever my reasons were, I was much mistaken. Certainly, any book that deals with demons and cataclysms will have a touch of the millennial about them, but this book would have worked just as well in 1986 or 2021.

The book start's out with a horrific beginning when, in a fashion reminiscent of "Alien," a demonic child is born to a 15 year old victim of incest. The demon promptly slaughters all attending the event and disappears. Quickly, the scene shifts to the Greenwich Village home of Colin, a young and potent mage who discovers he has been robbed. Three enchanted objects, which together make up the Trine, have been taken. Without the Trine, Colin's powers are significantly weakened. While planning his next steps a pounding on the door reveals the angel Zoel, sent from divine dispatching to help Colin along.

Across the continent, Terry Dane, a bodyguard, finds himself confronted with an attacker who doesn't register pain, and who likes to shred his victims. And, in Oregon, Liz Russell witnesses the execution of a serial killer she had written a book about and suddenly realizes that there may be life after death, and it might not like her. All of these threads come together in a wild sleigh ride through purgatory, hell and beyond. Colin's 'simple' quest quickly goes sour despite the help the angel Zoel and a friendly demon, Asdeon. The book is barely started before the reader is creeping through the catacombs of Paris and exploring the site of Dracula's burial.

Reaves proves himself quite adept in creating a magical world. Colin's travels, and his memories of his school days produce many striking images of the occult. I particularly liked the images of the Scholomance and the scenes at Lake Snagov in Transylvania. He also draws on a surprising amount of both classical and Babylonian demonology. For some reason the latter seems unusually popular this year, I believe this is the third book that I've read with some sort of Babylonian bad guy in it. The plot moves too quickly for there to be much character development, but there is enough to keep character from going flat.

Reaves moves between suspense, horror, and sarcastic humor in his writing, which can be jarring at times. This is the kind of book that is quite easily read in a couple of sittings. I was expecting something a bit more ponderous or horrible, instead I found I had a high speed tale of occult suspense told with a light entertaining touch. I am not normally a fan of books which are mostly plot, but "Hell on Earth" is one of the better examples of that writing style. I enjoyed it right through to it's rather splashy and overdone ending. I'm even hoping that there might be a sequel some day.

The book started out great -- it didn't even lag through the middle! I eagerly flipped the pages until I got to the ending, and when I was done reading that... I threw the book against a wall. This isn't a spoiler, but man! That ending was weak and amateurish. I just hope he uh... comes up with a sequel... because there needs to be some closure to this whole thing...

This is a good, solid read about the supernatural. It won't set the world on fire (Bad pun! Bad!), but it's a very enjoyable book. The author weaves together serial killers, angels who lie, coffee-scoffing demons, nuns with machine guns and much, much more. I picked up this book despite the author's credit for a Star Wars book on the cover (I am not a sci fi fan), but after finishing this book I'll be looking for some of his other supernatural thrillers.

This is the best fantasy thriller I've read in a long time. It's horror with a touch of fantasy--or fantasy with a touch of horror...but whatever you call it, it's a thrilling, page-a-minute adventure in a world where magic and angels and demons are real, though most of us don't know it. The main character, Colin, is cool and sexy and mysterious; the supporting players come completely alive, so you share their fears and their victories. The angels and demons are particularly interesting, making me want to know a whole lot more about the supernatural world hidden behind our world in this book. Reaves writes with a natural flow and smooth style. I couldn't put this down. I hope there are more books to come about Colin and his mysterious calling. Michael Reaves is definitely an author to watch.

I had great hopes for this book. I usually really enjoy anything dealing with a new twist on the battle between good and evil, angels and demons. I thought this book was terribly unoriginal (demons with horns, bat wings, hooves and "brick red" skin? ....) with moments of inspiration. The shadowdance was interesting in that the author compares it to martial arts kata ....The angel Zoel and demon Asdeon, creatures who should be capable of vast unimaginable powers, are reduced to a bickering sidenote to the story. Asdeon, especially, was disappointing, a second-rate dandy spouting unfunny quips at the stoic and beautiful Zoel. .... The two battling "Grand Dukes of Hell" were nothing more than giant thugs, clawing at each other like Godzilla vs. King Kong. Do yourself a favor and skip this one. ....

I like horror novels, I like fantasy novels and so I figured I'd give "Hell on Earth" a try. I read this book in a few hours, it's not complex or hard to understand and the print is large. It's a good day at the beach book. "The Stand" it's not.

This isn't a bad book at all, it's entertaining and scary and suspenseful even. The writing is pretty good and I think that a few books down the line could be really good.

The book takes us through the lives of several characters - Colin the mysterious demon hunter, Liz the former tabloid writer who is being stalked by a serial killer and Terry, the bodyguard with a hidden past. Each of their lives becomes connected as they move toward a demonic convergence with apocalyptic proportions.

Amusing, entertaining and an easy read.

Three strangers find themselves pawns in a battle between hell and earth: A bodyguard who loses one of his clients to something supernatural. A journalist who finds herself stalked beyond the grave by a serial killer named The Maneater. And a third who has lived his life between three worlds-- Hell, Heaven, and Earth-- and is a practitioner of an ancient art called The Shadowdance. All of them will have to confront two battling demons where the winner takes all. Before it's all over there will be help from above and below. But will they be too late?... Michael Reaves gives us a wild modern-horror-fantasy that is epic in scope, but delivered in a meager 280 pages. Things move in a kind of staccato fashion and with some tongue-in-cheek humor that sometimes hurts the story's credibility. (Even though I laughed out loud a few times.) But the imagination of the author and a rich background that we're only given a glimpse of, makes it worthwhile and hints at more to come. Overall, an engaging and inventive book that I recommend for horror-fantasy fans.

When I read the title and jacket I was very interested. After the shocking first chapter which was pretty gross I was very disappointed. The book was filled with "demonology" terms and was very fustrating. I keep flipping back pages looking for the explainations to terms that were constantly thrown out as if the readers had a B.S in the history of spells and magic. With the exception of the opening chapter and a suprise near the end, the book was very disappointing. To sum it all up. This was the first book about Colin( the main character) but I felt like I was reading a sequel and was totally out of the loop. Too many questions and not enough answers is how I felt when I finished. The door was left open for a sequel but I won't be reading it.