Review by Asen Stoyanchev -- Demon Freaks

[Asen Stoyanchev]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Demon Freaks" by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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When I first looked at the cover of the book and I saw a demon with golf clubs, I told to myself “I don’t know why, but I might want to give this novel a try”. One second later, after I read the ludicrous title I was already convinced that I wanted to know everything about it. Moreover, I was eager to understand what could possibly connect a sinister demonic creature with such an aristocratic sport as the golf.

That is how my genuine curiosity and thirst for original titles made me start reading the comedy-horror ‘Demon Freaks’ by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison. If you are already wondering (like I was) why there is an abundance of ‘R’ letters in the name of the author, it is simply because, as per his own words, it adds credibility and quality in the fantasy genre. Just think about renowned authors such as George R.R. Martin or J.R.R. Tolkien, for example.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? ‘Demon Freaks’ is a supernatural tale involving interesting characters, plenty of witty dialogue, and fast-paced storytelling. The twin brothers and band-mates Ron and Bing Slaughter are two high-schoolers whose college plans strongly depend on the SAT test they are due to take in just one day. If they fail it, the brothers will face their biggest fear – working for their parents at McDonald’s.

Decided to avoid that scenario, by all means, Ron and Bing gather to study at a remote cabin in the woods, owned by the parents of their bandmate, the drummer Meat. The story takes a sinister turn when suddenly their nerdy history teacher appears in the middle of the night with a dagger in his hands and tries to kill them.
Meanwhile, Kaitlyn, the fourth member of the band also arrives at the cabin only to find her friends involved in an absurd situation, trying to quell their freaked out teacher who waves a silver dagger like a maniac.

The things get seriously out of control when it turns out that there is a living soul in the dagger and it manages to possess the poor drummer Meat, thus starting to totally control him. Soon, the four friends realize that the night has a lot more extraordinary troubles to offer. Ron, Bing, Kaitlyn, and Meat find themselves fighting for their lives, unwillingly involved in a plot to summon an ancient demon.

All that, being skillfully organized by the powerful sect of ‘The Golfer’s Association’ with the sole purpose of taking control over the world. The rest of the night is full of supernatural adventures, psychic forces, and horrific events that often take a comical turn.

If I had to define the book by only using three adjectives, they would be intense, hilarious, and action-packed. What I really liked about it is that it made me turn the pages one after another in the speed of light. It captured my interest since the very beginning and held it until the explosive finale.

For that, two thumbs up to the author who managed to create an atmospheric and enjoyable enough read. The characters are very likable and the one thing that I truly enjoyed throughout the whole novel is the witty, cleverly elaborated dialogue. It is truly astonishing and often, it made me laugh out loud like crazy.

The character of the dagger is very amusing and it is in my opinion, the main driving force of the book and certainly one of the things that maintain the high levels of humor. Just think about it – a dagger that speaks, demons, golfers, and star-crossed teens who must deal with all that just several hours before their crucial SAT test. Absurd, ludicrous, crazy, call it what you want and you will be right. And that is exactly what makes ‘Demon Freaks’ so remarkable and fun to read.

The storytelling often focuses on the four different characters and their respective adventures which is another thing that makes the book so engaging. The action and the comedy go hand in hand but there are also some true words of wisdom coming from the whole story and this is very well incorporated into the narrative.

If you like the mixture of several genres in a book that is exactly what you will find in J. R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison’s creation for there is thriller, action, fantasy, comedy, horror, and adventure. The story is very interesting and it contains some unexpected twists that make the whole experience even more satisfactory. Probably some people would find the gruesomeness a bit too much, especially towards the end but hey, it is a horror book after all.
Compelling, original, and utterly entertaining, ‘Demon Freaks’ is a light-hearted gem in the horror-comedy genre and quite an imaginative roller-coaster of a read. That is why I give it 4 out of 4 stars.

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Demon Freaks
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Like Asen Stoyanchev's review? Post a comment saying so!

[G M]

This book would not usually catch my eye, but the review made me reconsider. Might be a good choice after all

[BumBum]

This book would not usually catch my eye, but the review made me reconsider. Might be a good choice after all

Same here. I´ve seen several horror-comedy-movies that were pretty funny. So I might also find this book amusing. Who knows. I would give it a try.

[Asen Stoyanchev]

Hey guys,

Indeed, the book is excellent! It exceeded my expectations, to be honest. I don't like comedy books but when I read the plot summary, I really wanted to start reading it right away. It turned out as one very amusing experience.

[Manang Muyang]

Hi, Asen. Your review is engaging. That's a wonderful first review, if you ask me.

I saw your other post about your still being at Level 0. Please check out the earlier replies to that topic. You can easily climb to Level 1 and get paid reviews. There are 46 points within your control. I think you need only 35 points to get to Level 1. All the guidelines are explained in clear detail in the review team page, too. Good luck, and I eagerly await your first official review!

[Asen Stoyanchev]

Hi, Asen. Your review is engaging. That's a wonderful first review, if you ask me.

I saw your other post about your still being at Level 0. Please check out the earlier replies to that topic. You can easily climb to Level 1 and get paid reviews. There are 46 points within your control. I think you need only 35 points to get to Level 1. All the guidelines are explained in clear detail in the review team page, too. Good luck, and I eagerly await your first official review!

Thank you for the warm words, Miriam.I appreciate your feedback and I am happy that you enjoy my review. When I happen to truly like a certain book (or a movie), I do everything possible in order to express that in my writing.
In regard to the level system, I am still educating myself about it and I hope that soon I will be able to climb to level 1 as I follow the guidelines.

Once again, a heartfelt thank you for the encouragement.

[Libs_Books]

I loved the energy of your review. I think others have mentioned the golfing element but the way you highlighted it intrigued me. I used to live near a Very Important Golf Course (we're talking Open here) so that amused. I also hadn't previously noticed the personality of the dagger, so thanks for bringing that up.

[Asen Stoyanchev]

I loved the energy of your review. I think others have mentioned the golfing element but the way you highlighted it intrigued me. I used to live near a Very Important Golf Course (we're talking Open here) so that amused. I also hadn't previously noticed the personality of the dagger, so thanks for bringing that up.

I am very happy that you liked the review. Take care and beware of the Golfers near you!