Customer Reviews

Sympathy for the Devil

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the previous two books, _Sympathy for the Devil_ (Sympathy for the Devil (Morris and Chastain Investigations))is the third book in the Morris And Chastain Investigations series by Justin Gustainis. The first two books are _Black Magic Woman_ and _Evil Ways_. The genre is dark urban fantasy, modern day occult, modern day paranormal, or some variation thereof. The main characters are white witch Libby Chastain and demon hunter / vampire hunter Quincey Morris.

Gustainis is *excellent* at interweaving popular culture references into his books. Quincey Morris himself is a descendant of the Texan Quincey Morris who died by Jonathan Harker's side in Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is a very funny passing reference to a vampire hunter in St. Louis named Anita who has become more concerned about who she's doing than what she's doing.

Gustainis does a good job with physical descriptions.

Unfortunately, that's about all I can say that's complimentary about _Sympathy for the Devil_.

Gustainis used to do a good job with characters & character descriptions -- many of the secondary characters in his previous books had complete back stories and their actions correlated nicely with what the reader knew about the character and their backstory. The South African detective from the first novel was haunted by black magic murders he'd seen in Africa (including that of his own daughter), but also sympathized with the FBI agent he worked with who didn't believe in magic. One of the evil witches from the second novel was after a particular white witch because of an oath of vengeance going back to the Salem witch trials.

But in _Sympathy for the Devil_, the characterization is much sparser and the book is poorer for it. There's a political operative whose back story apparently exists only so Gustainis can make numerous comments about how much dirty work the character did for "the Bushies" in 2004 (about the third or fourth time that character started whining about how far you've fallen in the Washington D.C. dirty tricks department when "even Karl Rove" won't return your phone calls, I wanted to throw the book across the room). There's an assassin brought back from hell and since he was brought back from hell, his back story is pretty much "you killed people for the U.S. government, turned out that didn't absolve you so you got sent to hell 25+ years ago, your wife's dead, we needed an assassin here on earth & you were the one we picked". Oh, and he's horny. That's about it for that character's backstory.

One of the primary antagonists in _Sympathy for the Devil_ is Mary Margaret. Her back story is pretty much non-existent. She's been a chief of staff for a particular politician for 18 years, is very efficient and good at her job. That's it for backstory -- school, college, friends, parents, siblings, family, and so on all unmentioned.

Even starting from a backstory that flimsy, Mary Margaret's character arc still makes NO sense. In previous novels, it's said time & again that magic in general is not that common in the modern world, black magic even less so, and really powerful black magic like summoning demons is pretty rare and only learned with great determination and at great personal cost. So Mary Margaret finds a black magician who can summon demons, knows exactly when & how to disrupt the summoning so the demon is here but uncontrolled, has brought along a good friend for the demon to possess, and is already on a first name basis with the demon who is summoned. But as the book progresses, she becomes more & more unhappy with the demon's callousness, cruelty, and delight in her degradation. And those two sentences don't go together AT ALL when they are describing the same character. How did Mary Margaret get to be so knowledgeable yet remain so naive about the nature of evil? How could she be that naive about the nature of evil yet be that knowledgeable about the names of mid-level demons & how to summon them?

What victories the good guys do achieve have almost nothing to do with the efforts of the good guys, but are because of arrogance and infighting among the bad guys. Yes, the good guys help, but if the bad guys hadn't been at times stupidly arrogant or intentionally working to disrupt the efforts of a rival bad guy, the good guys wouldn't have had a chance.

And speaking of the bad guys and good guys, where are the forces of heaven in all this? In previous books, there were human agents of good fighting human agents of evil. Actual demons were extremely rare. But in _Sympathy with the Devil_, we've got a mid-level demon possessing a public figure, another mid-level demon running around in human form, a former damned assassin resurrected from hell, and a 24-hour appearance by one of the top-level demon lords. And the forces of good are . . . having a centuries-long gin rummy tournament up in heaven? The forces of heaven can't even help get an exorcism right (totally different demon than all the ones I mentioned above, and that exorcism failed so when the book ends that particular possessed mortal is in a state mental institution, still possessed, her parents still grieving).

And that's not even getting into Gustainis making his main character Morris into a punching bag. If you thought the hellfire mark he received at the end of book two, _Evil Ways_, was unpleasant, wait until you get through _Sympathy for the Devil_.

Giving it two stars, and not one, because the writing was good enough to keep me reading it until the end & Gustainis does write some very insightful (and non-party specific) comments about the way the current state primaries & press coverage affects campaigns for U.S. president -- although I still wish Gustainis would have just written a political science non-fiction work & not tried to use a fiction novel as a vehicle for his political views.

This was another exciting episode in the Morris and Chastain series. Quincy Morris begins the story in a depressed state after an exorcism goes wrong. He feels guilt for what he feels were mistakes on his part. The priest who was conducting the exorcism and who is a friend of Quincy's was blinded by the demon inside the teenage girl. When Libby has trouble contacting Quincy, she visits him in Texas and helps to pull him out of his depression and self-destructive behavior. Just in time too....

Suspicions have been raised that one of the Republican presidential hopefuls - Howard Stark - might be a demon. Quincy and Libby are being asked to investigate. Libby is brought in when one of Stark's political opponents dies in a freak accident at home. Libby smells black magic at the scene and has her suspicions raised.

It seems that there are factions in Hell. One group of demons supports Stark's bid for the White House while a second group opposes it. The second group has returned a CIA assassin killed in 1983 to life and tasked him with killing Stark. He is Mal Peters. He has as his partner a fourth rank demon known as Ashley. Half the story is told from their points of view as they try to find a way to kill Stark.

Both groups come together after an assassination attempt on Stark is thwarted by Libby's actions. But they soon realize that their goals are the same - removing the demon from Stark's body and returning it to Hell before it can cause Armageddon. Only their ways of accomplishing the goal is different. They end up working together in a thrilling climax to the story.

The thing I like best about the Morris and Chastain series is how very real and possible it all seems. The paranormal is interwoven so seamlessly with reality as I know it. The world building is fascinating and well done. I recommend the series to all lovers of urban fantasy.

Barring a few rather insignificant details, this book is the best of the Morris and Chastain Investigation series. The story line in cohesive, entertaining, and believable, with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. It is helpful, but not necessary to know the details of previous books, so I encourage everyone to pick this up and give it a try. The characters are flawed, desperately human (except when they're not), and wonderfully believable. I really can't wait for the next one.

I had actually emailed Mr. Gustainis in February of 2010 to ask what happened to this book, because I couldn't find it! He emailed back to say it hadn't been published yet, but would be out in 2011. OK, so I finally got the book and read it immediately. Whew! Anyway, I am not going to give a book review, there are already enough peeps who posted what the story is about. I am going to tell you that I found it disturbing, fascinating, suspenseful, provocative. I like that in a book, at least when it is the urban fantasy/horror/sci-fi/mystery genre that I usually end up reading late at night. Justin Gustainis is a skilled writer, with the ability to create emotional responses from his readers. There is enough political and metaphysical content to stir up anybody's feelings, regardless of which side of the line one may fall in terms of beliefs in these areas. You may find yourself challenged or validated (or both), but I doubt you will be bored. I found myself trying to figure out how things were going to go down, and was not successful.. I also like that in a book. I really hate coming to the end of a story having seen the end coming from a long way off. Or worse yet, seeing it all unfold ahead of me before I even get there. Mr. Gustainis will not disappoint! I was surprised with many of the plot developments and twists and turns. I also liked the ambiguity of the protagonists' moral stances when faced with tough decisions. I highly recommend this book, and really, I think we should all read everything he has written. I have, so far, read 4 of his fictional works, and am eagerly awaiting the next Occult Crimes Unit tale (due out in April 2012).. Haven't gotten around to the non-fiction, but might even be impelled to give those a try.... check out the Justin Gustainis page on Amazon! Interesting guy!

This was another fun romp in the noir urban fantasy genre. For me it's the detail that make these so enjoyable. Probably few readers will recognize the obscure hit man returned from hell to "make the touch" on the possessed senator/presidential candidate - but that was Matt Helm, who despite Dean Martin's worst efforts, is still the best spy "who ever crushed an enemy's kidneys with a crowbar." The conclusion was also awesome. It isn't the working of the heroes that defeats evil, but the karma evil earns for itself.

Senator Howard Stark has been possessed by a demon who wants to be the next President of the United States, and begins removing the competition by any means necessary. If he makes it to the White House, humanity will suffer by apocalyptic proportions. When supernatural investigator Quincey Morris and his partner Libby Chastain discover the conspiracy, the two will try to exorcise the demon and will have to side with a rivaling faction of demons to bring down the evil within Stark.

This is the third installment in the Morris and Chastain Investigation series. Though. more than half of the novel doesn't actually revolve around Morris and Chastain. It centers on the Senator Stark conspiracy and the resulting fallout. The result is the feel of a political thriller meets urban fantasy in this latest release. Dark, suspenseful, with plenty of surprising twists, the story was completely engaging and hard to put down. And the characters are complex and gritty. Gustainis never fails to entertain.

The presidential election is coming up, and candidates are dropping like flies. All but Senator Howard Stark who has been possessed by the demon Sargatanas, whose goal is to win the election and destroy the world. Quincey Morris, occult investigator, and Libby Chastain, white witch, find out that their two separate cases are actually the same one and decide to fight evil, once again, together. What they are about to face is like nothing they've seen before, and it could very well kill them as they attempt to get passed the secret service, Stark's black magic dabbling assistant, and exorcise the senator.

The Quincey Morris series is a fast paced one. Each book brings in a new villain and a new group of conspirators, but it also brings back the characters we have grown to love. The alternating points of view allow the reader to easily see each side of the story, while still wondering what's going to happen and how are they going to get out of this one? They are also so well crafted that a casual reader could easily pick up on whose point of view they are reading, because each character has distinct quirks, personality, and voice.

Quincey and Libby are one of my favorite duos in this genre. They work well together and keep each other in line. They are funny and sarcastic. And they don't take crap from anybody, including each other, not even hell spawn. It was nice to see their relationship grow in this one. It didn't take an romantic leap, but their friendship thrives under the pressure and Libby's growing attraction can be seen. I don't know if this is a path Gustainis will take in future books, but I must say...I wouldn't mind.

As for the plot, I was really concerned when I saw that it was a presidential election and politics would be involved. At some parts I found the political talk drawing me out of the story, but I understand it was necessary to clarify characters and their roles and where the plot was going. This was probably the only down point in the whole story for me, thus the four crows instead of five.

What I enjoyed most was that the line between good guy and bad guy, while sometimes very obvious, blurred when it came to the secondary characters working on the case. Another duo entered into this book, and both are working for someone with their own agenda against Stark. They were probably one of the best additions, because they are witty and bring some sexual tension to the story.

Lastly, I'm super impressed with Gustainis' knowledge about how the secret service works, and this part, while heavily featured, never felt phony. It was well fleshed out and it's obvious that careful planning went into each scene.

I'm a huge fan of this series, and must say I have a tiny crush on Mr. Quincey Morris, he's a perfect gentleman.

The Devil goes to Washington in Justin Gustainis' spellbinding new Morris and Chastain Investigations novel, Sympathy for the Devil. This is definitely a book that lives up to and surpasses the intensity of the previous 2 books in the series as a senator is possessed by a demon intent of wreaking havoc and, by the way, becoming the President. Qunicey is worn out after an exorcism gone wrong, but is called upon by an old friend, and Libby's drafted by a sister witch to figure out why candidates are dropping left and right. A taut, adult, occult novel which keeps you captivated from the first words to the last. Highly enjoyed and recommended :-)

Some time ago I reviewed Black Magic Woman, another Quincy Jones Occult Investigator series. The engaging characters made the demon-hunting action fun and exciting. Sympathy for the Devil adds one thing more. This book is smart. The plot hums. The characters (good and evil) believe in what they are doing. And the pages practically turn themselves.

It reads very much like a Vince Flynn thriller.

Gustainis knows human nature and he never turns his characters into cardboard cut-outs. Best of all, he never underestimates his villains.

The plot begins when a major demon from hell takes possession of Senator Howard Stark, a Republican long-shot for president, and attacks the campaign trail--with a little help from black magic and a ruthless political operative named Mary Margaret Doyle. The betrayal that starts everything off is so obvious you'll never see it coming. I knew from that moment I would be hooked.

Stark wants to win the presidency so that he can begin Armageddon. The real one. He's got an uphill battle and a lot of candidates in the way. Smear campaigns work wonders, but he's going to need more than that. Poison? Torture? Electrocution, anyone?

But one faction in Hell isn't too keen on precipitating Armageddon. God beat them once, after all. Why tempt fate again? They send a condemned assassin (reborn in human flesh) and a minor demon with orders to kill Stark before election day. That little complication makes Sympathy for the Devil so much more satisfying. I say 'complication' because the real protagonists are occult investigator Quincy Morris and white witch Libby Chastain.

Despite its title, there is very little here in the way of investigation. The PI Quincy Morris is more of a demon hunter than an investigator, and while the plot slowly reveals itself to him the reader already knows the score, and the clues fall into Morris's lap with little effort. As in Black Magic Woman, Morris partners with libertine White Witch Libby Chastain, the most interesting character in the book.

By its very nature, Sympathy for the Devil contains a lot of politics. And, because the demon chooses to inhabit a Republican candidate, the politics are exclusively Republican. This gives the author plenty of opportunities to throw barbs at real-life Republican operatives, and a few at conservatives in general. The one-party nature of the barbs bothered me a little, but by page 150 or so the author seems to have gotten this out of his system and it never becomes an issue again.

I published a more complete review of this on NewMyths.com.

Quincy Morris and Libby Chastain return in this third installment of this great series. In this installment, a demon had taken up residence in a candidate for President of the United States with the plan to bring about armageddan. The demon inhabiting the Senator is intent on stacking the deck in his favor by killing off the competition either by scandal or actual death. Quincey and Libby have to not only get past the demon himself, but almost worse than that they have to get past the Secret Service to either exercise this demon or destory it's host.

This is an action packed novel, that moves at a quick and tense pace that keeps you guessing as each page turns. I can't wait to see what comes next for this interesting duo of evil fighters. Gustainis' books just keep getting better and better.