Review of Beating Death: Witch Hunters
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Goodness Richman
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Review of Beating Death: Witch Hunters
[Following is a volunteer review of "Beating Death: Witch Hunters" by Sean O’Banion.]
Sean O'Banion's urban fantasy novel, Beating Death: Witch Hunters, follows the life of Robert O'Banion, a man burdened by his ability to fly. He has a traumatic past that includes forced government experimentation when his ability was discovered and a wrongful prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. After life throws him another chance in the form of a massive lottery win, Robert becomes a wealthy philanthropist. However, his life takes a turn when he meets and falls for three powerful witches: the lawyer Jolie, the psychic Emily, and the neurosurgeon Dr. Greta. They became his lovers as well as his partners in a world far more dangerous than he ever imagined.
The peace of their new life is shattered when an enemy from Robert's past, Colonel Nick Shavers, whose boss is the Devil himself, resurfaces. Shavers' forces stole Robert's revolutionary wormhole research, which Robert intended for medicine, to create a weapon: an interstellar wormhole that threatens to tear the universe apart. At the same time, the group, Robert and the witches, is stalked by a psychic vampire who is a witch hunter. So, with these two fronts threatening their lives and humanity’s fate, Robert and the witches must protect themselves and prevent the impending global catastrophe.
I like many aspects of this book. The most relevant is the very creative story-building. I was hooked by how the author blended fantasy, like divine goddesses and pagan rituals, with crime, like biker gangs, government conspiracies, and technology theft. Another highlight is the vivid depiction of the narrative, with the messy details not being left out. An example of the messy details not being left out is that the book won't just say that a character was killed but, with words, will explain the scenario so that you witness the murder, the killer's cold satisfaction, and the victim's final terrified moments.
I appreciate the well-developed characterization and the writing style of the author. I was about to empathetically connect with Robert, who is the protagonist. Of course, the story was written from his point of view, but aside from that, his development from a broken man into a reluctant hero terrified of his own power is very interesting. I mean, I initially wondered why a mere flier would be the protagonist. Another highlight is that this book is exceptionally well-edited, since I didn't notice any errors while reading it. I don't dislike any aspect of this book.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for everything I've mentioned above. Noteworthy is the fact that this book contains extremely graphic sexual content. Also, the supernatural aspects antagonize core beliefs of traditional religions, like Christianity, in ways that may appear offensive to some readers. For this reason, I recommend this book to any reader who loves urban fantasy without issues concerning religious portrayal. I also recommend this story to readers who enjoy stories rooted in paganism or witchcraft.
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Beating Death: Witch Hunters
View: on Bookshelves
Sean O'Banion's urban fantasy novel, Beating Death: Witch Hunters, follows the life of Robert O'Banion, a man burdened by his ability to fly. He has a traumatic past that includes forced government experimentation when his ability was discovered and a wrongful prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. After life throws him another chance in the form of a massive lottery win, Robert becomes a wealthy philanthropist. However, his life takes a turn when he meets and falls for three powerful witches: the lawyer Jolie, the psychic Emily, and the neurosurgeon Dr. Greta. They became his lovers as well as his partners in a world far more dangerous than he ever imagined.
The peace of their new life is shattered when an enemy from Robert's past, Colonel Nick Shavers, whose boss is the Devil himself, resurfaces. Shavers' forces stole Robert's revolutionary wormhole research, which Robert intended for medicine, to create a weapon: an interstellar wormhole that threatens to tear the universe apart. At the same time, the group, Robert and the witches, is stalked by a psychic vampire who is a witch hunter. So, with these two fronts threatening their lives and humanity’s fate, Robert and the witches must protect themselves and prevent the impending global catastrophe.
I like many aspects of this book. The most relevant is the very creative story-building. I was hooked by how the author blended fantasy, like divine goddesses and pagan rituals, with crime, like biker gangs, government conspiracies, and technology theft. Another highlight is the vivid depiction of the narrative, with the messy details not being left out. An example of the messy details not being left out is that the book won't just say that a character was killed but, with words, will explain the scenario so that you witness the murder, the killer's cold satisfaction, and the victim's final terrified moments.
I appreciate the well-developed characterization and the writing style of the author. I was about to empathetically connect with Robert, who is the protagonist. Of course, the story was written from his point of view, but aside from that, his development from a broken man into a reluctant hero terrified of his own power is very interesting. I mean, I initially wondered why a mere flier would be the protagonist. Another highlight is that this book is exceptionally well-edited, since I didn't notice any errors while reading it. I don't dislike any aspect of this book.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for everything I've mentioned above. Noteworthy is the fact that this book contains extremely graphic sexual content. Also, the supernatural aspects antagonize core beliefs of traditional religions, like Christianity, in ways that may appear offensive to some readers. For this reason, I recommend this book to any reader who loves urban fantasy without issues concerning religious portrayal. I also recommend this story to readers who enjoy stories rooted in paganism or witchcraft.
******
Beating Death: Witch Hunters
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: How to say a Good-bye! by Dr Maria Stylianou
