Review of Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard

Johannes Cabal The Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard is a hilariously daring read. It is witty and funny and at times way over your head; and exactly what you need if you are in a bit of a reading slump. Which I found myself in recently after starting and not completing another book. The past thing about this book is its premise. A necromancer goes back into hell to confront Satan and to get his soul back. In order to get the soul back Johannes must run a demonic carnival; and he works along side his charming vampire brother Horst. As they go about from town to town collecting the souls little side stories begin to develop among the town folk that visit the fair. One of the creepiest had to be Trixie the doll. A young (and abusive man) named Ted ends up winning her for his girlfriend and he instantly becomes transfixed by the doll. At one point the way that the author describes the way Ted is touching and caressing the doll is down right creepy. As the story goes along you get the feeling that Johannes is a bit of an ass. He does not really explain himself, he is going about getting his souls because necromancy just has not worked out for him. He has learned all he can and nothing has changed. We never learn why he decided to sale his soul in the first place; and this is the point where I think I the author drove me mad. I wanted and needed to know why. Of course, its not until the end of the book that we find out that he was trying to bring back someone that he loved and that he was willing to move heaven and earth and sell his immortal soul to get her back. There is also a character that is introduced (a little more than half way through the book) that resembles the woman that he loves. I know that she will play a big part in the next two books (well at least I hope).

Favorite Quote from the book:
"We're supposed to be doing the devil's work and you've gone and contaminated it all with the whiff of virtue. I really don't think you've quite got the hand of being an agent of evil" - Johannes
"...early days yet, Johannes...Practice makes perfect" - Horst.