Author Interview: Tim Marquitz

Alright folks, I'm happy to announce that I've got another awesome author interview lined up for you.  This time Tim Marquitz has kindly offered up his time and wisdom to be part of Battle Hymns.  Not only does he write the awesome Demon Squad series, but Tim's also a big metal music fan, so he has cool points to spare.  Okay, that's enough from me.  On to the interview!

Battle Hymns:  Let’s start with a softball: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Tim Marquitz: Certainly. I’m a dark fantasy and horror author who hopes to one day write for a living. I live in Texas with my wife and daughter and way more cats than any sane person should be forced to cohabitate with. I’m also a big fan of heavy metal and mixed martial arts, both obvious influences upon my writing and my bad attitude.

BH: You have a number of published works, of which I’m only familiar with the Demon Squad books, would you mind talking a bit about the stuff you’ve written?

TM: I’m a bit compulsive when it comes to ideas, writing whatever hops into my head rather than worrying about brand and sticking to a single genre. Where the Demon Squad books are urban fantasy, I often write novella length horror stories in between to cleanse the palette, so to speak. My horror books tend to be darker and more graphic than the DS stuff, and certainly more serious.

I’ve also written some dark epic fantasy, though it’s more dark than epic, as well as some sword and sorcery. I like exploring new worlds and chasing different ideas, which drives me to jump around the genres a bit.

BH: You’ve created one of the most memorable characters of all-time in Frank Trigg.  What was the genesis for that character?

TM: Thank you. Frank is a mutt of ideas. He started out as Bob the minion of Death and evolved from there. I wanted a character that wasn’t just flawed, but was real. A lot of the concept came from the Die Hard movies, the Bruce Willis character getting his ass kicked but soldiering through to handle business.

Frank also evolved through my influences, heavy metal and fighting. While it’s nice to have good guys in the world, it’s less realistic than what’s really out there. People are selfish; it’s ingrained in our DNA. Our drive is to survive and breed and take pleasure where we find it. Frank takes that concept a couple steps further, and I think the foundation of human desire is what makes him interesting to people. He’s fun in small doses and you don’t have to take him seriously.

BH:  How much of Tim Marquitz is there in Frank Trigg?

TM: Way too much. Frank is me without the censors of polite society and the manners my mother beat into me growing up.

BH: The Demon Squad series is shaping up nicely, with a major plot thread that’s been simmering in the background about to come to the forefront and it appears things may be building towards a finale.  Do you see the series as a finite thing, with an ultimate ending in mind? If so, do you have the entirety of the series mapped out?

TM: I’m really not sure how far I’ll go with the series. I’ll write it until it’s no longer fun for me or the readers. The world is so wide open I can see myself writing ten or fifteen books without any issues, though, but I haven’t plotted beyond the books already written.

I’m very bad about contemplating the big picture. The pieces fit together as I go and give me ideas for future plots, but I don’t tie my hands by having a predetermined direction in mind. I like the idea of the end of the series being a surprise to both me and the readers.

BH: Can you tell us about your process that goes into writing a novel?

TM: For me, it’s pretty simple. An idea comes to mind and I think about what I’d like to get out of it. From there, I write a list of vague plot points, characters, concepts, cool scenes, or whatever else comes to mind. As I’m going through all that, the idea tends to sharpen and I begin to see it more clearly. If I feel It’s exciting and fleshed out enough to commit to, I sit down to outline the book, with nothing more than simple plot direction in mind.

Once I get into the writing, I know where I’m going and have spent enough time with the concept that I have a good idea of the voice I want to use for the characters. The story feeds off the writing from there.

BH: Are you able to write full time or do you have a day job?

TM: No, I definitely have a job. While things have picked up for my writing in recent months, I’m still dependent upon my job for money and health care. As much as I would love to write full time, I’d need to feel extremely comfortable before I left my job. I have a family to take care of, and I would hate to see them be hurt because something happened to screw the writing gig up after I quit working for a steady paycheck.

BH: Who are the biggest influences on your craft?

TM: Clive Barker is easily the first on the list, though I’d have to say that Jim Butcher is more of a direct influence when it comes to the Demon Squad books. Brian Keene is another, as is Stephen King of course. There are also a whole crop of newer writers that are inspiring me to step up my game. With the desire to get better, every book I read has an impact upon how I approach the next piece I work on.

BH: What inspired you to become a writer?

TM: Fame, fortune, and all the hot women waiting around to have sex with famous authors. Oh, and the lack of dress code. That’s a biggie.

BH: What goals do you have for yourself as a writer?

TM: My short terms goal is to better my writing/publishing situation at least once a year. I shoot to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way on my ultimate goal of writing for a living. I work to get better every time I sit down at the keyboard, and I push myself to keep moving forward in terms of new works and new ways to expose myself (sans a trench coat).

BH: You’ve been a grave digger, a bouncer, and have worked in public schools.  Which job was the toughest?

TM: Of all my jobs, I’d say working the graveyard shift at a convenience store was the toughest. While the work isn’t back breaking or mentally challenging, dealing with the late night customers was a chore I’m not emotionally equipped to handle. Between the drunks, the regular beer runs, and watching hookers exchange microwaved burritos for the promise of sex acts with other customers, a person just has to have more patience than I do to survive. 

It also takes so much more willpower than you’d imagine. I mean, come on, can you picture how difficult it is to turn down a blow job just to sell a woman a six pack after hours?

BH: Name three things you couldn’t live without.

TM: This is a tough question. I’m not very materialistic or sentimental. While it might not make anyone in my life happy, I can probably live without everything. I might not be the happiest man on earth afterwards, but I’d survive.

BH: Own up to a guilty pleasure

TM: Hmmm. I’m a big fan of the Duran Duran ballads the Chauffer and Save a Prayer, and I love listening to Faith No More’s covers of Lionel Ritchie’s Easy and the Bee Gee’s I Started a Joke. [Editor's note: Both are great songs!]

BH: You are a self-proclaimed metal head, and it shows in your writing.  Do you listen to music while you write?

TM: I don’t actually. I find myself writing to the rhythm of the music if something is on rather than to the rhythm of the story. My mood is affected by what I’m listening to so it’s almost impossible to separate the two processes. If I’m listening to something sad, that’s what I’ll write, and so on, so I prefer silence when I write.

BH: What bands are you listening to these days? Do you have an all-time favorite album/record/CD?

TM: I listen to a ton of different bands, but I always find my way back to the bands I grew up on: Metallica, King Diamond, My Dying Bride, Anathema, Candlemass, Venom, Slayer, Bolt Thrower, Cradle of Filth, etc.

As for all-time favorite, that’s tough. While I can listen to Metallica’s Master of Puppets over and over, I think Acid Bath’s When the Kite String Pops is the album I think of anytime someone mentions a favorite album. There’s just so much of what I love squeezed into the songs on this album.

BH:  Is there a band or a song you wish could be erased from the canon of rock/metal?

TM: I’m not much of a rock fan, and never have been. There are tons of songs I would happily sacrifice, and I’m sure it’d piss a bunch of folks off. Anything AC-DC, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and the vast majority of those bands could disappear and I’ve never even notice. [Editor's note: But then what would I sing at Karaoke?]

BH: What was the last concert you went to?

TM: It was Judas Priest, Testament, and Motorhead. The sound was shit, and it was a sour realization of just how old I’ve become, but it brought back good memories regardless.

BH: Have you read any books lately that you thought were especially good?

TM: Way too many. Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire books, Michael J Sullivan’s Ryria Revelations, Jeff Salyards Scourge of the Betrayer, Chuck Wendig’s Blackbirds, Theresa Frohock’s Miserere and a butt-load more I know I’m forgetting.

BH: What would you like to see change or see more of in the Fantasy genre?

TM: I wouldn’t change anything. There’s such a wealth of great new talent out there and amazing stories that I’m damn happy with how things are. With all the new opportunities presented by smaller publishers and self-publishing, the market is righting itself on the measure of quality. It’s a wonderful time to be a reader.

BH: What does the future hold for you?  Any new projects you can spill some beans on?

TM: I’m going to release my sword and sorcery novel, Witch Bane, in late December. I’ve been sitting on this book for nearly two years because of various opportunities, but I’m tired of waiting. The cover is being worked on as I type this, and I can’t wait to get it out there.

I’m also plotting a new urban fantasy title I’d like to experiment with, and I’m starting the process for the fifth Demon Squad book. I’ve also got a story in the Angelic Knight Press anthology, No Place Like Home, out in January, and I’ve a story in the Triumph Over Tragedy anthology arranged by author R.T. Kaelin with Sarah Chorn (of Bookworm Blues). All of the money for this project goes to the Red Cross to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy, so I’m honored to be a part of it.

BH: Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

TM: Just that I appreciate each and every one of them. It’s so humbling to see the reviews and comments across the net, people digging what I’m doing. Not ten years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to picture doing what I do now, and it’s all thanks to the readers supporting me and telling their friends that allows me to do it. I’m beyond grateful.

And thanks to you for having me, Ryan. \m/

And Thank You Tim!  Thanks for taking the time to be part of Battle Hymns.  I greatly appreciate it.  I hope everyone enjoyed that one as much as I did.  If you haven't given Tim's Demon Squad books a chance yet, (or any of his other published works) I strongly urge you to check 'em out. They are a ton of fun.  

Book Review: Echoes of the Past

It's always an exciting day here at Battle Hymns HQ when a Demon Squad book makes its way into my mailbox.  It was especially exciting this time around because the last installment in this urban fantasy series left me more eager than usual to see where things would go next.  Once it arrived, Echoes of the Past only sat on the shelves for a few days before I picked it up and dove in.

From the get-go the personal stakes are high for our hero Frank Trigg.  Up to this point, a typical Demon Squad novel usually finds Frank fighting long odds in order to save the world, but this time around we see Frank trying to sort out and deal with some very personal business while dire threats to the world build around him.

Echoes of the Past is a stand out novel in the Demon Squad series for many reasons, but likely the biggest reason is because so many burning questions get answered here...I don't want to be rude and spoil anything, but there were some very satisfying reveals in this installment. All of which upped the stakes a few notches and added layers of depth to the series.

I was surprised to find that Echoes of the Past felt like a much different read compared to the past Demon Squad books...and not just because Frank finally has himself a steady lady-love.

Each of the books in this series focus on some sort of threat, and Frank's battle to stave off that threat. This time around we see a similar situation crop up, but while Frank hustles to find a plan to save the earth from a cross-dimensional war with demon-aliens, he uncovers some particularly unsettling bits of information about his past.  This sets Frank off on a path of personal discovery, the likes of which he probably hasn't seen since he hit puberty.

Jokes aside, I learned a lot about Frank Trigg in this one, and it was really nice to get some of the back story on this character.  These reveals also informed a lot of the whys and wherefores of the grand, over-arching plot which has been sort of hovering just out of reach for the past three books.  That grand plot has now moved to the forefront, and the result is that the stakes for this series have somehow managed to get higher than ever before.

I will say that Echoes of the Past is less of a thrill ride than the past Demon Squad books, but that's not a bad thing. This book still has it's share of action, plot twists, and large scale battles, just less of that than the past volumes. It was interesting to see this book, and series, take a different direction than what has been the norm for rest of the series.  This change of direction caught me unawares at first, but I eventually came to really enjoy the level of character development and plot building that takes center stage in Echoes of the Past.

I was pained (in a good way) by the fact that this book doesn't provide much sense of closure. There's a brutal cliffhanger ending that makes Echoes of the Past feel like more of an opening salvo, or first act to a much larger story.  Even though many of my series-long burning questions were answered in this installment, the tantalizing ending meant that those questions were replaced with new ones that will beleaguer me until the next Demon Squad book.

Tim Marquitz' Demon Squad series is one of the few series I've managed to start, and stick with as the series progresses... Not something I've been so good at the past few years, which is a testament as to how good this series is.  Not only that, but it's a series that has grown on me and gotten better with each installment.  This is a series that appears to be building towards great things, and I'm very much looking forward to what's in store next.

Grade: B+

Short Story Review: Betrayal

In case you missed it, I got a Kindle.  The first thing I did upon opening said Kindle and firing it up was head to the Kindle store and download Tim Marquitz' Betrayal, which is a short story set in his awesome Demon Squad world.  The price point (FREE) was perfect and to sweeten the pot even further, there is not one, but two short stories in this package.

The first story, the titular Betrayal, is the perfect bridge between Resurrection and At the Gates. This little story not only fills in the gap between the two novels, but is the first Demon Squad story to feature a point of view not that of Frank Trigg.  In this one, we see events through his angelic cousin, Scarlet, who is fighting for her life as a deadly coup takes place in Heaven.

If you haven't read the first two Demon Squad books, Armageddon, and Resurrection, hold off on this, as it will spoil few key story developments. However, I highly recommend reading this before going on to read At the Gates.  I sure wish I had.  Sure, you can get by without having read it, but it does add a bit of background to the novel and enriches the story.

The second story, the existence of which came as a complete surprise, is titled Prohibition Blues and featured our old pal Frank Trigg.  This story was pretty cool as it is a story from Frank's past when Lucifer and God were still at their respective posts.  The story is set during the prohibition era and is a slick tale that features some of Lucifer and Frank's dealings with the mob, and other various unsavory characters.  It was nice to get an up close and personal look at Frank's past, which for the most part, has only been hinted at, or briefly mentioned thus far in the series.  I enjoyed how Marquitz tied the story in with real life events, which made Hell's influence on Earth, which is a pivotal part of the series,  seem more real and tangible.

Both of the short stories are entertaining and solid reads.  These are a must if you are a fan of the Demon Squad series.  They help flesh out the world and give some important character development, and background.  Great Stuff.

Grade: A-

Book Review: Demon Squad - At The Gates

How good are Tim Marquitz' Demon Squad novels?  They're good. Good to the point that I was excited enough when At the Gates arrived here at Battle Hymns HQ to give it the rarely seen "double bump".  What the fuck is a "double bump" you might ask?  Well, a double bump is when I get a book, bump it to the top of my to-read pile, then when I'm done reading it, bump it to the top of my review queue.  See? Pretty special.

Things pick up in At the Gates more or less mere moments after things left off in Resurrection. Frank Trigg's angelic cousin showed up at his front door, beaten to within an inch of her life and bearing the news that Heaven has fallen.  That's a lot to take in all at once and before he can wrap his brain around all that, Frank is forced into action as he must deal with a trio of thugs sent to put an end to his cousin, Scarlett.

Once the dust clears and Frank has a chance to catch his breath, he learns that there's a brutal war going down in heaven with the gates of Eden and a few stalwart defenders the only things that can hold back an army bent on the destruction of not only Earth, but the destruction of Heaven and Hell too.  As per usual, our old pal Frank Trigg finds himself right smack dab in the middle of things, out manned, out gunned, and playing catch up on just exactly what the hell is going on.  The stakes, and the action have never been more epic in a Demon Squad novel as Frank and his friends from DRAC must face down half breed angels, lycanthropes, vampires, and epic death storms that are wreaking havoc all across Earth.

Once again, with another Demon Squad book comes noticeable improvements in every aspect of the book. The plotting is tighter, the dialog sharper, the characters continue to develop, and the world building is greatly improved.  Marquitz is a writer that is improving in leaps and bounds with each novel he turns out, and it is nice to see such developments play out on the page, to the benefit of both the novel itself and the reader's enjoyment.

The most marked improvement comes in terms of the world building.  After reading Armageddon Bound I mentioned that the events that take place in the real world, didn't seem to have too much effect on the regular non-demonic/non-angelic folk who populate the world.  That problem was addressed and remedied to an extent in Resurrection, but Marquitz pretty much put that gripe to rest and buried it six feet deep with the events that take place here.  This improvement is due in large part to the death storms that rock the world.  What I liked best about this element is that it showed just how high the stakes are for Frank and his friends.  The demons and angels are no longer just meddlesome pests that make Frank's life miserable, they are some extremely powerful beings that have the ability to wreak a whole shit-ton of havoc should they choose to and it's the lives of innocents that are affected most.

Craft improvements aside for the moment, I gotta say, it was nice to be back inside the mind of Frank Trigg.  At times Frank's mind can be a pretty strange, horny and awkward place, but most times it isn't that different than being inside my own.  Sure, he'll make you cringe with some of his naughty thoughts, the worst of which pop up at the most inopportune times, but Frank is a pretty lovable guy, with a big heart, and after some of the events that unfold in At the Gates I'm very interested to see where his character arc goes from here on out.

There are times when I've worried that this series might get a bit formulaic: world ending threat, Frank and to some extent, his pals deal with threat, mix in some great dialog, funny jokes, some metal references and Frank trying and failing to get laid and boom, you've got yourself a Demon Squad book.

Sure, there is a familiar feel to At the Gates and all those elements, (which for me have become hallmarks of the series), make an appearance here as well, this is the first time that I've felt the series was moving towards something bigger.  Marquitz doesn't go as far as the big reveal, but he does craftily deliver some tasty morsels that seem to hint at a much grander scheme than I anticipated for this series. Marquitz added a nice layer of history and put in the foundations for greater depth to the story that hint at playing out as the story and series progress.  Let me just say that I am very pleased with these developments.  The layers that  Marquitz added to his characters and to his world all point towards even more greatness for the series.

If you haven't had the pleasure of reading either of the two previous Demon Squad novels, Armageddon Bound and Resurrection, do so because these be some good readin'. At the Gates is easily the best of the Demon Squad books thus far.  Every aspect of the previous book is improved upon and Marquitz delivers yet another tantalizing cliff-hanger ending that has me yearning for the next installment.

Grade: A-

Book Review: Demon Squad: Resurrection

After reading and enjoying the first Demon Squad book, Armageddon Bound, I knew it wouldn't be long before I read the second installment in the series, Resurrection.  I tried really hard to put it off for a while though, because, you know, you gotta spread the good stuff out over time, but that damn thing sat there on my shelf staring at me. Demanding my attention.  Like a crow spotting something shiny and reflective, I was lured in.

After the epic events of Armageddon Bound things have returned to business as usual for our intrepid hero Frank Trigg.  By "business as usual" I mean trying desperately, and failing miserably to get himself laid.  Just when it looks like Frank has found true love, or at least a prostitute who's good at pretending, his night is rudely interrupted by a horde of marauding zombies.  The strange thing is, the zombies appear more inclined to capture humans than to feast on them, a sign that points to greater schemes.  Schemes that Frank Trigg is bound to get caught up in.

As per usual, Frank soon finds himself in over his head, right smack dab in the middle of a sea of supernatural shit.  With a necromancer, demon assassin, Satan's ex-wife, and an ultra powerful demon all using him as a pawn in elaborate schemes, Frank must do what he does best, survive, and if possible, stave off the resurrection of the Anti-Christ.

Zombies... Have I mentioned before that I hate Zombies?  Well, those pesky bastards keep popping up all over the place these days, to the point that I've become a bit numbed by all of it.  That said, the zombie element in Resurrection is just that, an element; one among many others at play in this slim, yet densely packed novel.  And truth be told, they didn't bother me in the least here. In fact, I dare say they entertained me, which is saying a lot.

Love him or hate him, (pencil me in for a man-crush) Frank Trigg is back as the unwitting hero of this dark and twisted tale of back-stabbery, secret alliances and hidden agendas.  Once again, the story is told through Trigg's first person perspective, and once again, that voice is pivotal to the story.  Trigg is a great character to hitch the narrative onto because for better or worse, he is sure to find himself in the middle of the action, where ever that may be.


I was impressed by just how many insane elements Time Marquitz was able to pack into this novel.  Just when the odds seemed terribly stacked against Frank Trigg, Marquitz would chuck in another villain, or demon or beast, or jilted ex-lover just to further stack the odds. Add in a boat load of plot twists, double and triple crosses, and plenty of surprising moments, Resurrection is pretty much non-stop action.

With Armageddon Bound I found myself slightly frustrated with the world building.  I felt that the events of the story only seemed to affect the characters and had no ramifications to the innocent bystanders or regular folks who seemingly populated the world.  This time around things are different.  Reading Resurrection I definitely got the sense that there was an effort made to populate the world with regular everyday people, and have the events of the story make waves in the regular non-supernatural world.  Marquitz makes this adjustment in a variety of ways, and it definitely serves to add another layer to the story.

Speaking of layers and elements, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that once again Tim Marquitz gives a nice nod to fellow metal heads out there.  Though there were many metal-moments I appreciated, and some I'm sure I missed, the greatest metal and comical moments all came when Chatterbox, the body-less zombie head, belted out metal hits in two part harmony with Trigg.  You had to be there.

As far as sequels go, Resurrection is something for other series minded writers to take note of.  Not only does this installment build on and improve the best parts of its predecessor, but it also adds plenty of new elements, characters and situations and ends with a nice little cliff-hanger that makes me wish I had the next volume, At the Gates, locked and loaded on my shelf.  For as good as Armageddon Bound was, I'll definitely say Resurrection is a marked improvement.

All told, another successful, satisfying, and incredibly entertaining reading adventure for yours truly.

Grade: B+

Review: Demon Squad: Armageddon Bound

Under almost any circumstances just by looking at the cover, I would have passed on Armageddon Bound.  Just look at that cover.  Ok, the cover isn't terrible, but the scantily clad girl whose boobs look like a bob-omb from Super Mario is pretty damn off-putting. It's one of those covers that made me feel self conscious whenever I was reading the book in public.

Boy am I glad I listened to my mom when she told me not to judge a book by it's cover...I'm also glad for all the solid reviews for this book kicking around the internet.  Those two elements helped me keep my preconceived notions in check. Oh, and the author, Tim Marquitz, promised there'd be a few metal references throughout the book...

Strong reviews from trusted sources? Metal music mixing with Fantasy?  Yeah, I'm in.

In Armageddon Bound, Frank Trigg, a human/devil hybrid, finds himself out gunned and undermanned on the front lines of an epic battle between pro and anti-Armageddon forces. In a godless and Satan-less world,  Frank is fighting on the anti-Armageddon side, along with his fellow members of DRAC, an organization of wizards, telepaths and other supernaturals, who must do what they can to prevent one of Lucifer's lieutenants from fulfilling a diabolical plan that would truly fuck over humanity once and for all.

The first thing I noticed about Armageddon Bound is that it's not like any other fantasy novels out there.  While many fantasies these days strive for that dark and gritty feel and often come up short, Marquitz achieves this feel in the opening paragraph and carries it out throughout the course of the book.  In many ways, the tone of Armageddon Bound reminded me of a hard-boiled crime story.

The dark tone of the novel is primarily achieved through the voice of the narrator Frank Trigg.  Trigg is not exactly your typical hero.  While most heroes run around vanquishing bad-guys, slaying monsters and deflowering virgins, Trigg spends most of his time getting beat down by his enemies, and lusting after his angelic cousin.  Not exactly the first guy I'd pick to save humanity.  However, there's no quit in Frank Trigg, and no matter how shitty the situation, he's gonna give it his all.  Trigg's never say die attitude, political incorrectness, and horn-dog rating that is hovering somewhere between College Frat Dude, and Sketchy Uncle, somehow all come together to make one hilarious and strangely endearing character.  Without a doubt, Trigg is one unforgettable anti-hero.

While the characters and narrative voice were the strongest parts of Armageddon Bound, the plot was no slouch either.  Like most first-person perspective stories, the plot is linear, which Marquitz uses to his advantage by continuously shoving the action down your throat.  Like any great metal show, the action is cranked up to eleven from the get-go and there is little to no let-up until the epic finale.

While the characters, and plot were both strong points, I felt the world building was on the weaker side of awesome.  It's not that Marquitz didn't create an interesting world where demons, angels, vampires, and dark magic can all co-exist, he did...it just felt like that world wasn't populated by anyone other than the characters on the page.

For the most part, the book takes place in a city which, from what I could tell, was located somewhere in the South West of the United States.  However, there were many scenes where epic battles occurred, car chases ensued, and plenty of collateral damage, wreckage and ruin was laid down.  However, there never seemed to be regular people fleeing the carnage for their lives, or police or nosy neighbors investigating why the roof got blown off Frank Trigg's house.  There were times when the world felt completely devoid of any life aside from the characters of the story, which made it hard to care about the "regular people" who would be unwitting victims should Frank and his buddies fail to stop Armageddon.  This element didn't cause too much of a hang up for me, but it did take away from the tension a bit.

I am happy to report there there were metal references aplenty in Armageddon Bound.  Though there was a great and timely reference to Iron Maiden's Die with Your Boots On, my favorite metal moments involved Trigg's battles with the black metal trio.  There's just something hilarious about black metal dudes getting the shit kicked out of them.

I'm not so sure Armageddon Bound is a book for everyone, but there was plenty for me to like in this novel.  Brutal and dark with an uncompromising flair, this is a book that is less like a fine wine and more like a shot of mid-shelf whiskey; quickly ingested, delivering an enjoyable and satisfying taste, while leaving the consumer with a thirst for more.  With the sequel Resurrection waiting on my shelf, it is only a matter of time before I refill my glass.

Grade:B