Wrong Side of Hell is a fun paranormal with a bit of a twist
Wrong Side of Hell
The DeathSpeaker Codex, Book 1
by Sonya Bateman
General Fiction (Adult), Sci Fi & Fantasy
Pub Date 23 Jan 2016
Review
Urban Fantasy is a bit like fast food. While it isn’t haute cuisine, it is fast, and if well done can be quite tasty. Sonya Bateman isn’t the next Neil Gaiman, but she is a good storyteller, able to put a slightly different twist on the human vs other scenario.
One nice difference is that she uses a male lead. Gideon has an amiable nature and an easy charm that keeps him from coming across too powerful. He is also clever, but pleasantly lacking ego. Also unlike the female leads in many urban fantasies, he does not have a harem of potential mates. All of this makes it easier to focus on the story. Various supernatural creatures have long been hunted by Milus Dei, a cult whose influence is wide reaching. Gideon is of interest because of his newly awakened ability to speak to the dead. His ability draws him into the conflict.
The story is pretty straightforward, but is nicely done. The writing is also quite professional. If you like urban fantasy, Wrong Side of Hell is a good choice, a pleasant change from the vast quantity of mediocre choices. It may not be great literature, but it is a fun read.
4/5
I received a copy of Wrong Side of Hell from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
Description
"The dead never bothered me. That honor was reserved for the living."
Hauling dead people around Manhattan is all in a day's work for body mover Gideon Black. He lives in his van, talks to corpses, and occasionally helps the police solve murders. His life may not be normal, but it's simple enough.
Until the corpses start talking back.
When Gideon accidentally rescues a werewolf in Central Park, he's drawn into the secret world of the Others. Fae, were-shifters, dark magic users and more, all playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with Milus Dei, a massive and powerful cult dedicated to hunting down and eradicating them all.
Then a dead man speaks to him, saying that Milus Dei wants him more than any Other. They'll stop at nothing to capture him and control the abilities he never knew he had.
He is the DeathSpeaker. He is the key. And he's not as human as he thought…
Life was a whole lot easier when the dead stayed dead.
