Review: a kickass summit meeting in the Bullionverse
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 8, 2013
Okay, fair warning, this'll be more promotional than critical. First, to promote transparency, I confess I dove into DEMON'S DOORWAY solely for one character, for him what's undying and evil-tempered and who enthralled me in Glenn Bullion's earlier novel,Jack Kursed. Bullion is so good at telling a story, man, so good at hooking you in. In this one, he also makes prominent use of two former protagonists, Alex Teague fromDemonspawnand Kevin Mishnar fromA Witch to Live. And after reading DEMON'S DOORWAY I caved and purchased those two other books. (All these links, by the way, take you to the Kindle version.)Next, to promote the crossover... I imagine, for those who'd read the three earlier novels, that there's huge fun in soaking in the interplay amongst Jack, Alex, and Kevin. We all love it when disparate characters turn out to exist in a shared universe. I know I loved it when Magnum P.I. crossed over with Simon & Simon and with Murder She Wrote and when Freddy Krueger tangled with Jason Voorhees. We know how the Avengers raked in the box office loot. I guess I'm also promoting going off on a tangent.Admittedly, Alex, the even-keeled half-demon, and Kevin, the remarkable young witch, are featured more conspicuously than Jack Kursed. If you're a fan of F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack, then you know what I'm talking about when I draw comparisons between the two Jacks. They both snub social conventions. Jack Kursed is burdened by a spell that renders him practically immortal. The same spell has stripped away Jack's ability to sleep, and so imagine what that's like, how that would wear down a guy. Jack no longer has inhibitions, pulls no punches. He's restrained only by the two women in his life, his understanding girlfriend and his adopted 9-year-old daughter. Like Repairman Jack, Jack Kursed is more of a street-level player trapped in a supernatural backdrop. Alex and Kevin, conversely, have direct access to magic and so exert more influence whenever the paranormal fit hits the shan.The obvious story conflict: A new supernatural menace threatens to open up the gates of Hell. Whatever. It's all about Alex, Kevin, and Jack converging and sizing each other up and creating a fascinating (and not always convivial) group dynamic. Victoria, a sympathetic vampire now immune to the sun, is once more the through thread character. She's the common denominator and the catalyst. Alex and Cindy are having a Baltimore wedding, and Alex's close friend/mentor Victoria ends up inviting Kevin and Jack. Kevin desperately requires a distraction so he comes along. Jack, trying to be a good dad, brings his daughter, Tiffany.I've bought but haven't yet cracked open A WITCH TO LIVE, but I'm very impressed with Kevin's skills set. He's a full-blooded witch who is very innovative in how he crafts spells out of common household supplies. What makes him right away endearing is that he suffers from low self-esteem. He's a forlorn nerd but, omigosh, his potential for causing damage is wicked scary.When I say that Alex, of the three, comes across as the least intriguing character, don't think that I'm saying he's boring. Alex is written as a good guy with demonic powers and a bump of responsibility and, on his own, he can definitely carry a story. But I prefer Kevin's quirks. And Jack, in terms of sheer commanding presence, looms over both.Another subplot? For a long, long time now, Jack has sought that rare full-blooded witch because only one such can lift his curse. And Kevin is a full-blooded witch, except he isn't sure how to lift Jack's curse. Can Jack rein in his nasty temper long enough for Kevin to come thru? Will Kevin come thru?DEMON'S DOORWAY is a riproaring read. Bullion balances gratifying character moments - that's what I call it whenever Jack Kursed is p!ssing people off - with explosive occult action. (Okay, my most favorite moments, as with the JACK KURSED book, revolve around Jack and his kid's interactions.) Alex, Kevin, Jack, and Victoria each handle their business, each gets an opportunity to shine, with Kevin, in my mind, coming off as the most frightening and badass of them all. Kevin actually borders on being a deus-ex-machina plot device. Good thing he's awesome. But I love how satisfying the ending is. And, to promote fickleness, I say to Glenn Bullion, "What have you done for me lately? When's the next book, dude?"