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Books of Darkness #1
The Boy Who Knew Demons
They talk to him. They say they're demons.
Sixteen-year-old Gabriel West begins to see people who aren't there.
He's afraid, but not yet prepared for the coming nightmare as the next day his little brother disappears from school without a trace.
Andrew Delancey, a drug-addled federal agent, tired of the world and the heinous crimes he has witnessed, takes on the case.
Soon after, the first horribly mutilated body is discovered, and Gabriel's own attempts to find his brother attract the attention of the kidnapper--a serial killer with powers beyond comprehension.
Sixteen-year-old Gabriel West begins to see people who aren't there.
He's afraid, but not yet prepared for the coming nightmare as the next day his little brother disappears from school without a trace.
Andrew Delancey, a drug-addled federal agent, tired of the world and the heinous crimes he has witnessed, takes on the case.
Soon after, the first horribly mutilated body is discovered, and Gabriel's own attempts to find his brother attract the attention of the kidnapper--a serial killer with powers beyond comprehension.
Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 26, 2022
This book was slightly YA compared to my usual reads, but I still really enjoyed it. When I think of demons, I think bad forces. Evil... In this story, that wasn't the case. Just imagine that every material thing is home to a demon. Then imagine having the power to speak to and control those demons. Very fun read
January 11, 2021
Gabriel (The Boy Who Knew Demons) can speak to demons. When bad things begin to happen he finds himself desperately trying to understand his powers and use them to help others, especially his younger kidnapped brother Matt.
The author does a great job of giving you just enough of a vivid description so that you can imagine the world and it's people on your own.
Coming across as a paranormal crime mystery with elements of fantasy and horror, making for reading that intrigues and entertains.
Written well, the story moves forward smoothly at an excellent pace and kept me turning pages to the end. Which by the way came as a complete surprise and answered questions as to what exactly was happening and why.
The characters are all well rounded and written with much depth. As the story moves forward Mr Dzikowski reveals the layers of each one, always exposing us to something new about them.
The writing also has a very distinct movie quality to it, that adds to the overall feel.
There is plenty going on throughout the story to keep a readers busy until they suddenly realize they are at the end of the story.
One last note goes to the cover art which is excellent to say the least. Dark colors, casting shadows, bright red outline around a planet, all of this absolutely inferring to what waits for you when you start reading the book.
This is a stella read, that should be on the shelf of readers who enjoy a well paced action story.
The author does a great job of giving you just enough of a vivid description so that you can imagine the world and it's people on your own.
Coming across as a paranormal crime mystery with elements of fantasy and horror, making for reading that intrigues and entertains.
Written well, the story moves forward smoothly at an excellent pace and kept me turning pages to the end. Which by the way came as a complete surprise and answered questions as to what exactly was happening and why.
The characters are all well rounded and written with much depth. As the story moves forward Mr Dzikowski reveals the layers of each one, always exposing us to something new about them.
The writing also has a very distinct movie quality to it, that adds to the overall feel.
There is plenty going on throughout the story to keep a readers busy until they suddenly realize they are at the end of the story.
One last note goes to the cover art which is excellent to say the least. Dark colors, casting shadows, bright red outline around a planet, all of this absolutely inferring to what waits for you when you start reading the book.
This is a stella read, that should be on the shelf of readers who enjoy a well paced action story.
October 27, 2020
Thank you to BookSirens and to the author for allowing me to read this copy in exchange for a honest review.
I rated this book two stars when it really is two and a half because of the following.
Honestly, this was a strange read for me. I wanted to like The Boy Who Knew Demons more than I actually did. The writing is rather simplistic for a dark plot dealing with a kidnapper and serial killer. I liked most of the characters, Delancey, Beatrice, Gabriel’s mother, Maurice the demon, but some of the qualities were not consistent in my opinion with the character him/herself. The dialogue did not always match up with the character, the transitions in development were too sudden, too quick to make real sense. Gabriel himself did not strike me as the intelligent kid who obtained himself a scholarship at a prestigious school to better himself and his situation. At most, he seemed like a kid playacting a role badly on stage with very few moments of intelligence and confidence shining through. Maurice and Delancey were the most consistent characters for me which is probably why I liked them the most.
There were times when the action was great and some of the killer’s moves would have gone down well in a horror film. I liked the premise and the initial idea of the book when I read the summary. However, there are too many things that nag at me regarding this work. I found myself getting into the story and then dropping out of interest at intermittent times when reading. But I was determined to finish because I still like the premise of a teen going through a very different coming-of-age story. The ending fell a little flat for me, but with that said, I am glad that I did finish this book and that I got enough closure to satisfy.
I rated this book two stars when it really is two and a half because of the following.
Honestly, this was a strange read for me. I wanted to like The Boy Who Knew Demons more than I actually did. The writing is rather simplistic for a dark plot dealing with a kidnapper and serial killer. I liked most of the characters, Delancey, Beatrice, Gabriel’s mother, Maurice the demon, but some of the qualities were not consistent in my opinion with the character him/herself. The dialogue did not always match up with the character, the transitions in development were too sudden, too quick to make real sense. Gabriel himself did not strike me as the intelligent kid who obtained himself a scholarship at a prestigious school to better himself and his situation. At most, he seemed like a kid playacting a role badly on stage with very few moments of intelligence and confidence shining through. Maurice and Delancey were the most consistent characters for me which is probably why I liked them the most.
There were times when the action was great and some of the killer’s moves would have gone down well in a horror film. I liked the premise and the initial idea of the book when I read the summary. However, there are too many things that nag at me regarding this work. I found myself getting into the story and then dropping out of interest at intermittent times when reading. But I was determined to finish because I still like the premise of a teen going through a very different coming-of-age story. The ending fell a little flat for me, but with that said, I am glad that I did finish this book and that I got enough closure to satisfy.
September 28, 2020
Wow, just wow.
When I first discovered the book I mainly wanted to read it because of its very appealing title and cover and promising blurb but I honestly didn't expect it to love it as much as I do now.
It's a story about a 16 year old boy called Gabriel who wants to stop a kidnapper/killer with the help of some demons he can see and control. Gave me all the "Death Note" vibes and had me glued to the page from chapter one. Would have finished it in one sitting if not for work because I couldn't put it down, such a page-turner. The author did a great job creating this dark and mysterious world and you just can't help feeling for the characters.
Has to be one of my favorite crime novels to date and I can't wait for book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When I first discovered the book I mainly wanted to read it because of its very appealing title and cover and promising blurb but I honestly didn't expect it to love it as much as I do now.
It's a story about a 16 year old boy called Gabriel who wants to stop a kidnapper/killer with the help of some demons he can see and control. Gave me all the "Death Note" vibes and had me glued to the page from chapter one. Would have finished it in one sitting if not for work because I couldn't put it down, such a page-turner. The author did a great job creating this dark and mysterious world and you just can't help feeling for the characters.
Has to be one of my favorite crime novels to date and I can't wait for book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 1, 2022
Wow! I didn’t think I would get into this book! Since I can’t share the spoilers LOL! I’ll say it’s definitely a good read and get you engaged into it. Buy! Buy! Buy! This author will not disappoint you! I’ll definitely buy this book for my bookshelves. I received a free ARC and review it voluntarily.
October 24, 2020
Oooo, I really enjoyed this book by Blazej Dzikowski. Demons, murderers and paranormal justice – what more could a girl ask for?
Gabriel is only 16 when he discovers he can speak to demons. Initially, he wants nothing to do with it, but when his little brother, Matt, goes missing, he realizes just how useful his new skill is. With the help of Maurice, the demon he’s transferred into his bracelet, he embarks on a desperate search that will take him deep into the world of the Hidden Empires, and down paths much more dangerous than he could have ever thought.
This was an excellent read. I loved Gabriel’s character and how Maurice was his ‘guardian demon’. It was refreshing that the demons in the novel weren’t the stereotypical brainless evil, but had their own personalities and quirks – I giggled when Captain Nakamura and Giovanni introduced themselves, and I definitely felt sympathy for the demons who were mistreated. I thought the author did a fantastic job incorporating the Hidden Empire world with the ‘real’ world and it was easy to fall into the plot right from the beginning. The suspense was well crafted and I appreciated how it was carefully doled out through the book. Overall, an exciting and completely engaging novel and a great start to his Hidden Empires series. I will be eagerly waiting for book two!
Thank you Voracious Readers and Blazej Dzikowski for my copy!
Gabriel is only 16 when he discovers he can speak to demons. Initially, he wants nothing to do with it, but when his little brother, Matt, goes missing, he realizes just how useful his new skill is. With the help of Maurice, the demon he’s transferred into his bracelet, he embarks on a desperate search that will take him deep into the world of the Hidden Empires, and down paths much more dangerous than he could have ever thought.
This was an excellent read. I loved Gabriel’s character and how Maurice was his ‘guardian demon’. It was refreshing that the demons in the novel weren’t the stereotypical brainless evil, but had their own personalities and quirks – I giggled when Captain Nakamura and Giovanni introduced themselves, and I definitely felt sympathy for the demons who were mistreated. I thought the author did a fantastic job incorporating the Hidden Empire world with the ‘real’ world and it was easy to fall into the plot right from the beginning. The suspense was well crafted and I appreciated how it was carefully doled out through the book. Overall, an exciting and completely engaging novel and a great start to his Hidden Empires series. I will be eagerly waiting for book two!
Thank you Voracious Readers and Blazej Dzikowski for my copy!
May 2, 2024
All of the books that I have read by this author I have enjoyed and this one is no different. I like that it is fast paced and keeps your interest. Usually demons are seen as evil, which some of them were, however they were almost like spirits of inanimate objects. Although he denied it, I do feel that there is a connection between Maurice (demon of the playground and later of a wristband ) and the killer and am interested to see if that “story” turns up in the next book.
May 11, 2021
Find this review and others like it at aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com
tw: child abduction, drug use, cheating, child death, use of word retard, parental death, police brutality, incest, child abuse, suicidal thoughts, animal death, graphic suicide scene
One way to get me to read any book is if you put the word demon in the title and make the book about demons. It’s one of my favorite things to read about. So I thought I would like this book. The synopsis reminded me of The Girl Who Heard Demons so I was pretty excited to check it out. But unfortunately, this book wasn’t nearly as good.
I think I had a problem with the writing and bonding with the main character, Gabriel. He was a lot younger than me and I oftentimes have a hard time bonding with characters younger than me. He was in middle school, I believe, or just started high school. I might have been able to bond with him better if the writing wasn’t so stilted.
I also had a problem with the way the plot was. Every single item had a demon attached to it and I thought that was just weird. If you are going to add things like demons into everyday life, you have to have it make sense. And this just didn’t make sense to me. You have to have it make some sense.
Overall, I just wasn’t a fan of this book at all and I’m so disappointed. I really wanted to love this book. I still might give this author’s other work a try because I like to give author’s second chances. I don’t know if this is a series or not but I probably won’t be continuing on with it if it was.
tw: child abduction, drug use, cheating, child death, use of word retard, parental death, police brutality, incest, child abuse, suicidal thoughts, animal death, graphic suicide scene
One way to get me to read any book is if you put the word demon in the title and make the book about demons. It’s one of my favorite things to read about. So I thought I would like this book. The synopsis reminded me of The Girl Who Heard Demons so I was pretty excited to check it out. But unfortunately, this book wasn’t nearly as good.
I think I had a problem with the writing and bonding with the main character, Gabriel. He was a lot younger than me and I oftentimes have a hard time bonding with characters younger than me. He was in middle school, I believe, or just started high school. I might have been able to bond with him better if the writing wasn’t so stilted.
I also had a problem with the way the plot was. Every single item had a demon attached to it and I thought that was just weird. If you are going to add things like demons into everyday life, you have to have it make sense. And this just didn’t make sense to me. You have to have it make some sense.
Overall, I just wasn’t a fan of this book at all and I’m so disappointed. I really wanted to love this book. I still might give this author’s other work a try because I like to give author’s second chances. I don’t know if this is a series or not but I probably won’t be continuing on with it if it was.
October 14, 2020
The Boy Who Knew Demons (Hidden Empires Book 1) by Blazej Dzikowski is a wonderful story to read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series written by a brand new author for me to read. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about fantasy and horror in their stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 14, 2021
Darker than Anticipated
A sad, poignant, and terrifying ride. I anticipated a story with great adventures and negligible losses due to the youthfulness of the main character. While the adventure part held true, I couldn’t have been more wrong about the protagonist’s losses. It turns out that great power has its own snags. I look forward to reading more of this character to see how his power continues to develop.
A sad, poignant, and terrifying ride. I anticipated a story with great adventures and negligible losses due to the youthfulness of the main character. While the adventure part held true, I couldn’t have been more wrong about the protagonist’s losses. It turns out that great power has its own snags. I look forward to reading more of this character to see how his power continues to develop.
October 13, 2020
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2021
I began reading this book about a week ago and could not stop reading it. I had to know why a teenager was having really bad headaches and what happens next. No spoiling here. Read the book, it's not vary long book. I'm not sure if the author is new or been around but I plan to read another book.
March 9, 2021
Wow just, WOW !
The story begins quietly, then it picks up speed and the tension builds and explodes! The action will take your breath away. Wow... just WOW!
The story begins quietly, then it picks up speed and the tension builds and explodes! The action will take your breath away. Wow... just WOW!
June 25, 2021
It was a new idea with decent characters. It definitely has some holes left in the story; but if don't think about it to much and just enjoy the story it's a good read
October 5, 2021
Nice fast reading
It was intersting and could be reading over a waiting room or like a book for travel. Nice and easy lecture, take me 2 days to finish
It was intersting and could be reading over a waiting room or like a book for travel. Nice and easy lecture, take me 2 days to finish
September 21, 2024
4.5
A very creative imagination kept me reading this unusual story from start to end. Great characters and a unique plot.
A very creative imagination kept me reading this unusual story from start to end. Great characters and a unique plot.
February 21, 2021
Well, the start is a little mysterious but then the plot turns interesting as Gabriel turns out to be Seer. Then when his brother goes missing, the story takes a completely different turn.
The character of Officer Andrew is very good. The way he sticks to the case and gets so engrossed in solving it and finding the kidnapper.
The story takes a dark turn when one of the kid is found dead.
I liked this book because it is fascinating in the presence of demons and their totems and the way they communicate.
The character of the psycho killer is very gripping and his identity suspense grabs your interest.
When Gabriel becomes grave serious due to the recent incidents, the way he uses and the strategies and the plotting to catch the killer is riveting.
It's is a mystery, suspense, YA fantasy novel.
It is an amazing book for the fans of YA. The people who are interested in the combo of supernatural and mystery and things like demons, totems and crazy pieces of stuff, investigating, crime and solving cases.
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The character of Officer Andrew is very good. The way he sticks to the case and gets so engrossed in solving it and finding the kidnapper.
The story takes a dark turn when one of the kid is found dead.
I liked this book because it is fascinating in the presence of demons and their totems and the way they communicate.
The character of the psycho killer is very gripping and his identity suspense grabs your interest.
When Gabriel becomes grave serious due to the recent incidents, the way he uses and the strategies and the plotting to catch the killer is riveting.
It's is a mystery, suspense, YA fantasy novel.
It is an amazing book for the fans of YA. The people who are interested in the combo of supernatural and mystery and things like demons, totems and crazy pieces of stuff, investigating, crime and solving cases.
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 22, 2021
It started out great, then kept on escalating. I honestly devoured this in one sitting and I really didn't want it to end.
When I read it, I instantly had this dark rich imagery in mind, like a Constantine or a Guillermo del Toro film. The whole epic world and demons was just so creative, and the murder mystery, paranormal detective storyline was quite thrilling! I guess this could technically be YA, but seriously good for any age. I'm really looking forward to more in the series!
When I read it, I instantly had this dark rich imagery in mind, like a Constantine or a Guillermo del Toro film. The whole epic world and demons was just so creative, and the murder mystery, paranormal detective storyline was quite thrilling! I guess this could technically be YA, but seriously good for any age. I'm really looking forward to more in the series!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews