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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
For this third book in The Dominic Grey Series and his first with the Thomas & Mercer imprint, Layton Green kicks things up a notch and delivers a novel that should, if there's any justice to be found upon the shelves, make him a household name. The Diabolist is a dark, intelligent, spellbinding novel that is destined to appeal to readers of Preston & Child, David Gibbins, and Dan Brown . . . as well as the likes of Peter Straub, John Saul, and James Herbert.
This is a novel about two things - the nature of belief, and the dichotomy of good versus evil. Yes, it's a rip-roaring, pulse-pounding adventure, but it's also an intelligent, deeply philosophical look at the concept of evil, and how it's defined (or justified) within the bounds of faith and belief. It all begins with the mysterious deaths of two prominent religious figures, one of the House of Lucifer and the other of the Church of the Beast, both condemned as heretics. I won't attempt to summarize the details that Layton provides in the course of the novel, but it turns out the public perception of a 'Satanist' is just as troubled and diverse as that of a 'Christian' faith.
At the same time, a charismatic leader by the name of Simon Azar has begun making a name for himself, amassing over a million followers for his Order of New Enlightenment. It's a very attractive, very seductive sort of humanist religion, one that celebrates the natural enjoyment of life in all its forms, all without guilt or shame. It's an intelligent form of belief, and one that's easy to see the appeal of, but there's something suspicious at its heart.
Enter our heroes, Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, working on behalf of Interpol to solve the murders and prevent the death of more . . . including the Pope.
Readers who are already familiar with the series will appreciate the opportunity to delve into Viktor's surprisingly dark past, to learn what made him into the expert on cults and religious phenomenologist he is today. There's a very good reason he so often loses himself to the oblivion of Absinthe, and an equally good reason he is so good at what he does. New readers need not fear, for Dominic's past is recapped nicely in bits and pieces throughout the book, providing them with enough of an introduction to enjoy the story.
The incredible action sequences of the first two books, with Dominic's unique brand of hand-to-hand combat have been perfected here, providing more than a few heart-stopping moments of action and drama. The blood and the gore are here again as well in all their lurid detail, but necessary to the plot, and never used for mere effect. The drama and the suspense are at an all-time high for the series as well, particularly once Viktor receives one of the mysterious letters promising his own death.
Like the first two books of the series, Green deftly balances faith, belief, science, and reason throughout the tale. The question of the supernatural is just that - a question - one that is wisely left somewhat opened ended, with just enough room for readers to believe there's more to life than Viktor and Dominic can explain. It's not a cop-out or a soft ending by any stretch of the imagination. This is an intelligent read that rewards, rather than dismisses, our intelligence in tying up the loose ends. It's just that Green is smart enough to leave a few unanswered questions, a few events that we are free to either believe haven't been explained yet, or simply cannot be explained.
I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you're new to the series, dive in and enjoy a read that will stimulate all your senses. You'll feel smarter for having read it, I guarantee, but you'll also enjoy every moment.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
This is a novel about two things - the nature of belief, and the dichotomy of good versus evil. Yes, it's a rip-roaring, pulse-pounding adventure, but it's also an intelligent, deeply philosophical look at the concept of evil, and how it's defined (or justified) within the bounds of faith and belief. It all begins with the mysterious deaths of two prominent religious figures, one of the House of Lucifer and the other of the Church of the Beast, both condemned as heretics. I won't attempt to summarize the details that Layton provides in the course of the novel, but it turns out the public perception of a 'Satanist' is just as troubled and diverse as that of a 'Christian' faith.
At the same time, a charismatic leader by the name of Simon Azar has begun making a name for himself, amassing over a million followers for his Order of New Enlightenment. It's a very attractive, very seductive sort of humanist religion, one that celebrates the natural enjoyment of life in all its forms, all without guilt or shame. It's an intelligent form of belief, and one that's easy to see the appeal of, but there's something suspicious at its heart.
Enter our heroes, Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, working on behalf of Interpol to solve the murders and prevent the death of more . . . including the Pope.
Readers who are already familiar with the series will appreciate the opportunity to delve into Viktor's surprisingly dark past, to learn what made him into the expert on cults and religious phenomenologist he is today. There's a very good reason he so often loses himself to the oblivion of Absinthe, and an equally good reason he is so good at what he does. New readers need not fear, for Dominic's past is recapped nicely in bits and pieces throughout the book, providing them with enough of an introduction to enjoy the story.
The incredible action sequences of the first two books, with Dominic's unique brand of hand-to-hand combat have been perfected here, providing more than a few heart-stopping moments of action and drama. The blood and the gore are here again as well in all their lurid detail, but necessary to the plot, and never used for mere effect. The drama and the suspense are at an all-time high for the series as well, particularly once Viktor receives one of the mysterious letters promising his own death.
Like the first two books of the series, Green deftly balances faith, belief, science, and reason throughout the tale. The question of the supernatural is just that - a question - one that is wisely left somewhat opened ended, with just enough room for readers to believe there's more to life than Viktor and Dominic can explain. It's not a cop-out or a soft ending by any stretch of the imagination. This is an intelligent read that rewards, rather than dismisses, our intelligence in tying up the loose ends. It's just that Green is smart enough to leave a few unanswered questions, a few events that we are free to either believe haven't been explained yet, or simply cannot be explained.
I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you're new to the series, dive in and enjoy a read that will stimulate all your senses. You'll feel smarter for having read it, I guarantee, but you'll also enjoy every moment.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
The third in the Dominic Grey series is another hit, with some great background on Viktor which was great. The good thing is that you can read each book as a standalone. The other two books are reviewed on my blog, The Summoner and The Egyptian.
Another dark novel, with plenty of travel between San Francisco, Paris, New York, London and Sicily.
There are no grammatical or spelling mistakes.
There is plenty of background on the subject and the author, Layton Green has done plenty of research on his subject and on the places visited. This book is almost is very hard to put down, you might find your real life gets in the way and could even be ignored.
If you liked Dan Brown´s books, well this is better.
Another dark novel, with plenty of travel between San Francisco, Paris, New York, London and Sicily.
There are no grammatical or spelling mistakes.
There is plenty of background on the subject and the author, Layton Green has done plenty of research on his subject and on the places visited. This book is almost is very hard to put down, you might find your real life gets in the way and could even be ignored.
If you liked Dan Brown´s books, well this is better.
Dark, intriguing, thought-provoking, and at times downright scary, The Diabolist is a fascinating read. Many will be turned off by this type of story line, but as they say, you need to know your enemy in order to defeat them. 4.5 stars.
The Diabolist is the third book in the Dominic Grey series. I have had the pleasure to read all 3 books in this series and I have to say I absolutely love the entire series. This book was just as good as the other two. I got sucked into the book and couldn't stop reading. I highly recommend this book and I highly recommend this series.
I'm not at all surprised that Green has been picked up by Amazon's publishing imprint, Thomas and Mercer. I regarded both [b:The Summoner|9989602|The Summoner (Dominic Grey, #1)|Layton Green|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328366691s/9989602.jpg|14884337] and [b:The Egyptian|11885796|The Egyptian (Dominic Grey, #2)|Layton Green|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1313561461s/11885796.jpg|16844470] as unique and exciting thrillers and I am glad the author has gained recognition for his work.
The Diabolist is the third cleverly crafted novel in the series featuring Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek. In this installment, the investigator and the renowned phenomenologist are convinced that a series of bizarre murders of the worlds religious leaders are the work of a charismatic prophet preaching for a new age. As Dominic attempts to infiltrate the upper echelons of the international cult, Viktor works to unravel the chilling end game planned by the ghost from his past.
Fast paced and action packed The Diabolist is an intelligent psychological thriller. Moving from San Francisco, to the catacombs of Paris, and between the streets of London and a hidden monastery in Sicily, Radek and Grey need to sort fact from fiction, truth from illusion in order to prevent further murders and expose the mastermind of a plot to destabilise organised religion.
A larger question in the novel addresses the nature of faith and how the concept of good and evil is defined within it. The focus on darker occult practices might disturb some readers but it is where faith, science and the inexplicable intersect that interests the author and his protagonists.
Though you could read The Diabolist as a stand alone, familiarity with Radek and Grey strengthen the appeal of this novel. Central to the character development of both men is the way in which their beliefs are challenged by the events that take place.
I liked having the opportunity to learn more about the enigmatic Radek in this installment. Radek's cool, academic persona is rattled by the confrontation with an old friend, now enemy, triggering a personal and professional crisis. The troubled past of the absinthe-drinking professor reveals his motivation for his study of the world's belief systems, and his particular interest in unexplained phenomena.
As with the earlier books in the series, this novel is characterised by an original, complex, and meticulously researched plot and intriguingly flawed characters. The Diabolist is a provocative thriller that challenges a simple world view and I am looking forward to the next installment.
Dominic Grey is back and this time he is in hot pursuit of a new age cult that has resurrected an old evil. The charismatic leader of this new order has a way of making those that oppose him burst into flame. As the story progresses, the ancient concepts intercept modern Christian belief and Viktor must face his past. The story is well written and very enjoyable. I look forward to the next in the series.
Layton Green is one of my favorite indie authors who I first started reading in 2011. While I do think that overall this book could be read as a standalone novel, as there are very few references to the previous books other than a few sentences here and there, it is the character development in the previous books that would be missing in this series as well as quite a bit of Grey's back story. Plus I enjoyed both of the first two novels, so I personally think that you should pick them up. The first two books are The Summoner and The Egyptian.
In the third book in Green's Dominic Grey series, Layton had Grey and Viktor traveling all over the world in order to solve murders of Satanic leaders.
There are some bizarre murder occurring on the religious scene, however, these are not your typical religious figures. First, a satanic priest in San Francisco, where witnesses claim that a robed figure appeared out of now where and set him on fire. Then another satanic priest of a highly secretive cult is murdered under very strange circumstances Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, are brought in to assist in the investigation. Nothing that Grey and Viktor have done before will have fully prepared them to what lays ahead and Viktor is forced to face his past, that he wished to keep buried in order to keep his sanity as absinthe becomes more and more his friend. Grey and Viktor will have to questions everything they believe in as the lines between good and evil, black and white and real and paranormal become more and more blurred as the body count raises, Grey and Viktor must rely on each other in order to survive.
This is the best Dominic grey book yet, once again Green was able to hook me in right from the very first chapter. The mystery, thrills and action are unsurpassed within this book as Green keeps them coming, but even with all the action (which I will say Green does an awesome job with fight scenes that you feel like you are there and they are not unrealistic, he knows the limits of his characters) he is able to produce well round, interesting and realistic characters that you will instantly become attached to. Furthermore, you will find yourself learning something about history, cults, psychology and the cities that Grey and Viktor visit, that the book will hold your interest just with these aspects. If you think that this seems like a lot to take in or occur within a book, do not worry, Green combines them all together without the book feeling over whelming to create a sit in the edge of you seat novel that you will keep you wanting more.
Green has really developed and learned from his first book the Summoner. He now is able to meld the information he needs to portray within religion, history, and cults smoothly into the plot that it does not seem slow. The information is well placed, informative, interesting and you can tell that Green has done his due diligence in the portrayal of the information about cults. Speaking of the Cults, Green's imagination for cults is unsurpassed in any other cult based book that I have read and each book has a different take on a cults that I have personally never heard of. Green lays out the cults in a very scary way that never actually leaves you feeling like they are fake or made up. Although all the books within the Grey series have some sort of "paranormal" aspect to them, I like how Green is able to eventually explain what is happening either through science or the power of thought/mind. I think that this is even more creative (and more research needed) than just relying on the paranormal to remain unexplained.
I love love that the further Green gets into the series the more we get to know about another main character Viktor Radek. I am personally happy that Green decided to make both Grey and Viktor main characters as they each bring entirely different aspects (both strength and weaknesses) to the mystery, thrills and overall plot within the book as the reader gets to view what is happening from two different point of view, trains of thought and experiences that Grey and Viktor have had. While in the previous books the main focus as been Grey and his past (which was not pleasant and we do get a few more tidbits from his life as a street fighter), this book we get to divulge into Viktor's past and all of it is interesting, but not all of it is pretty. Viktor is really a man of mystery before this book as it is only hinted that he has a dark past especially with his constant need for absinthe. I find both Grey and Viktor as very fascinating characters and probably one of my favorite duo in the books I read, as they both bring something very different to the plot and story.
This is a great book that leaves me wanting more from Green and his Dominic Grey Series. If this is the first time you have heard of this series I suggest you run out and get started. Green's books are going to become a household favorite to those who want to delve into the darker side of society, those where the morals of people are skewed very far to the left, and where cults survive with a flourish. If you are looking for the next up and coming author in the thriller/mystery genre Layton Green is the author you are looking for and Green will give you everything you have been asking for. As you can probably guess I highly recommend this book and the first two within this series, so get out there and pick them up.
Enjoy!!!
Note: As this book does involve satanic cults, there are scenes that some readers may find disturbing as there are some descriptive parts in regards to sacrifices and ritual.
In the third book in Green's Dominic Grey series, Layton had Grey and Viktor traveling all over the world in order to solve murders of Satanic leaders.
There are some bizarre murder occurring on the religious scene, however, these are not your typical religious figures. First, a satanic priest in San Francisco, where witnesses claim that a robed figure appeared out of now where and set him on fire. Then another satanic priest of a highly secretive cult is murdered under very strange circumstances Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, are brought in to assist in the investigation. Nothing that Grey and Viktor have done before will have fully prepared them to what lays ahead and Viktor is forced to face his past, that he wished to keep buried in order to keep his sanity as absinthe becomes more and more his friend. Grey and Viktor will have to questions everything they believe in as the lines between good and evil, black and white and real and paranormal become more and more blurred as the body count raises, Grey and Viktor must rely on each other in order to survive.
This is the best Dominic grey book yet, once again Green was able to hook me in right from the very first chapter. The mystery, thrills and action are unsurpassed within this book as Green keeps them coming, but even with all the action (which I will say Green does an awesome job with fight scenes that you feel like you are there and they are not unrealistic, he knows the limits of his characters) he is able to produce well round, interesting and realistic characters that you will instantly become attached to. Furthermore, you will find yourself learning something about history, cults, psychology and the cities that Grey and Viktor visit, that the book will hold your interest just with these aspects. If you think that this seems like a lot to take in or occur within a book, do not worry, Green combines them all together without the book feeling over whelming to create a sit in the edge of you seat novel that you will keep you wanting more.
Green has really developed and learned from his first book the Summoner. He now is able to meld the information he needs to portray within religion, history, and cults smoothly into the plot that it does not seem slow. The information is well placed, informative, interesting and you can tell that Green has done his due diligence in the portrayal of the information about cults. Speaking of the Cults, Green's imagination for cults is unsurpassed in any other cult based book that I have read and each book has a different take on a cults that I have personally never heard of. Green lays out the cults in a very scary way that never actually leaves you feeling like they are fake or made up. Although all the books within the Grey series have some sort of "paranormal" aspect to them, I like how Green is able to eventually explain what is happening either through science or the power of thought/mind. I think that this is even more creative (and more research needed) than just relying on the paranormal to remain unexplained.
I love love that the further Green gets into the series the more we get to know about another main character Viktor Radek. I am personally happy that Green decided to make both Grey and Viktor main characters as they each bring entirely different aspects (both strength and weaknesses) to the mystery, thrills and overall plot within the book as the reader gets to view what is happening from two different point of view, trains of thought and experiences that Grey and Viktor have had. While in the previous books the main focus as been Grey and his past (which was not pleasant and we do get a few more tidbits from his life as a street fighter), this book we get to divulge into Viktor's past and all of it is interesting, but not all of it is pretty. Viktor is really a man of mystery before this book as it is only hinted that he has a dark past especially with his constant need for absinthe. I find both Grey and Viktor as very fascinating characters and probably one of my favorite duo in the books I read, as they both bring something very different to the plot and story.
This is a great book that leaves me wanting more from Green and his Dominic Grey Series. If this is the first time you have heard of this series I suggest you run out and get started. Green's books are going to become a household favorite to those who want to delve into the darker side of society, those where the morals of people are skewed very far to the left, and where cults survive with a flourish. If you are looking for the next up and coming author in the thriller/mystery genre Layton Green is the author you are looking for and Green will give you everything you have been asking for. As you can probably guess I highly recommend this book and the first two within this series, so get out there and pick them up.
Enjoy!!!
Note: As this book does involve satanic cults, there are scenes that some readers may find disturbing as there are some descriptive parts in regards to sacrifices and ritual.
Dominic Grey is back in The Diabolist and he has become a favorite of mine among recurring main characters in a book series. This is largely due to Layton Green's talent of creating compelling characters with interesting back stories. Green also has a knack for writing thrillers that are one step away from horror, which I enjoy.
In this installment, Satanic cults and the murder of their leaders are at the center of the plot. Dominic and his partner, Viktor, are drawn into the world of the occult as they investigate the murders. Not only are we treated to the thrills that accompany one's journey into that world, but there are historical and philosophical elements in the book that make the story even more interesting.
The Dominic Grey series was picked up by Amazon's Thomas and Mercer imprint and their acquisition was justified. I'm glad to see Green's books getting recognition for the excellent works they are and I look forward to continued books in the series.
In this installment, Satanic cults and the murder of their leaders are at the center of the plot. Dominic and his partner, Viktor, are drawn into the world of the occult as they investigate the murders. Not only are we treated to the thrills that accompany one's journey into that world, but there are historical and philosophical elements in the book that make the story even more interesting.
The Dominic Grey series was picked up by Amazon's Thomas and Mercer imprint and their acquisition was justified. I'm glad to see Green's books getting recognition for the excellent works they are and I look forward to continued books in the series.
Dominic Grey is back and this time he is in hot pursuit of a new age cult that has resurrected an old evil. The charismatic leader of this new order has a way of making those that oppose him burst into flame. As the story progresses, the ancient concepts intercept modern Christian belief and Viktor must face his past. The story is well written and very enjoyable. I look forward to the next in the series.