The Demonists

Fantastic Exorcism/Demon Invasion Story

I would like to thank Roc & NetGalley for a copy of this e-ARC to review. While I received this ebook for free, that has no impact upon the honesty of my review.

Goodreads Teaser: "From the New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series and the Remy Chandler series, a new dark fantasy series filled with demons, exorcisms, and the fight against the worst that hell has to offer...

There is more to our world than meets the eye - darker things, crueler things. Exorcist John Fogg and his wife, psychic medium Theodora Knight, know what lurks in the shadows. But even they're not prepared for the worst Hell has to offer...

It was supposed to be a simple exorcism, a publicity stunt to firmly establish John and Theodora's thriving paranormal investigation empire in the public eye. But something went wrong, leading to an on-air massacre that unleashed a malicious host of demons and left Theodora catatonic, possessed by countless spirits.

John sets out on a desperate quest to find a cure for his wife, but his obsession brings him face-to-face with an even more terrifying problem: Theodora's possession is only one piece of a deadly plot that is threatening the entire world. Because an ancient evil is about to make Earth its battlefield - and without John and Theodora's intervention, there is no chance for salvation..."

Quite the mysterious horrifying thriller, to say the least. Much of this story revolves around John and his lovely wife, Theo; both characters of depth and creative integrity. These two have seen far more of the darkness that invades our world than most of the population, and rather than running scared they elect to stand between the unaware and those terrifying things that go bump in the night. Sadly, there is a heavy price to pay for their willingness to stand on the front lines of a mostly invisible war. A price that Theo pays in spades, making John's suffering look almost paltry, though it's not.

While John and Theo are well crafted characters, whose development continues smoothly throughout the story, they are by no means the only important players. There are several others that weave in and out of the story as the plot evolves, granting us clearer and deeper knowledge of them. Each is interesting in their own way, which is not only good for the moment, but also looking forward since it would seem that most will be playing greater roles as this series progresses. At least I'm assuming this will become a series based upon the arc of the story and of course the manner in which it ends. As with Theo and John, these other characters develop smoothly and naturally; they never detract from the tale as their backgrounds are explained, but rather they add yet more important facets to an already well rounded story. Even though she had less time than many characters, Nana really grabbed me. Completely unique, Nana has a spine of steel, and a wonderfully entertaining personality. She manages to be someone different, and badly needed, for every character she interacts with. I find myself sincerely hoping that Nana continues making timely appearances in the future of this series.

Aside from the great characters there's no shortage of action and suspenseful moments woven into the very fabric of this story. I really enjoyed the way Mr. Sniegoski used the characters and the action to propel the plot forward. It never felt as though he relied to heavily upon one or the other to keep the story moving along, but rather made it appear to be a series of seamless transitions throughout the book. I find myself seriously hoping that I am correct in assuming that this is indeed the start of a new series, as I most definitely want to know what happens next for these characters I've come to care about. If that's not the mark of a well crafted story I'm not sure I know what is!