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Dark Arts #1
The Midnight Front
On the eve of World War Two, Nazi sorcerers come gunning for Cade but kill his family instead. His one path of vengeance is to become an apprentice of The Midnight Front—the Allies’ top-secret magickal warfare program—and become a sorcerer himself.
Unsure who will kill him first—his allies, his enemies, or the demons he has to use to wield magick—Cade fights his way through occupied Europe and enemy lines. But he learns too late the true price of revenge will be more terrible than just the loss of his soul—and there’s no task harder than doing good with a power born of ultimate evil.
Unsure who will kill him first—his allies, his enemies, or the demons he has to use to wield magick—Cade fights his way through occupied Europe and enemy lines. But he learns too late the true price of revenge will be more terrible than just the loss of his soul—and there’s no task harder than doing good with a power born of ultimate evil.
453 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2018
About the author
David Mack
110 books649 followersDavid Mack is the New York Times bestselling author of 39 novels of science-fiction, fantasy, and adventure, including the Star Trek Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies.
Beyond novels, Mack's writing credits span several media, including television (for produced episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), games, and comic books.
Follow him on Twitter @davidalanmack or like his Facebook page.
Beyond novels, Mack's writing credits span several media, including television (for produced episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), games, and comic books.
Follow him on Twitter @davidalanmack or like his Facebook page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 25, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
The Midnight Front is the first installment in David Mack’s Dark Arts series, and without a doubt, the author has done an exceptional job coupling a cool concept with gritty, realistic World War 2 action. For those who find alternate history stories filled with magic their cup of tea, this is an adrenaline filled affair that is well worth their reading time.
In 1939, a young man named Cade Martin finds his whole life ripped from him when a sea monster kills his parents. Stranded at sea, only the timely rescue of a group of sorcerers led by the Scotsman Adair MacRae saves him from certain death. Quickly thereafter, young Cade learns that his rescuers are magicians working in the secret cabal called the Midnight Front, that they are foes of the Nazi magicians who killed Cade’s parents, and that he is a gifted magician as well, one who must join the ranks of the Midnight Front in order for the allies to triumph in the war.
Filled with a deep need for vengeance, Cade falls in with Adair and his fellows, breezing through his magical training due to his innate abilities, and gaining his own assignment in the war against the Nazis. His new path taking him down into the gritty, bloody and horrific events taking place across the globe during World War 2.
As an alternate history fan, the greatest strength of The Midnight Front was the outstanding world building, as David Mack does a superb job of realistically portraying World War 2 in all its brutality, highlighting the atrocities committed by all sides, and imparting the tragedies shown with the emotional weight they deserved. The magical elements of the tale seamlessly integrated into this true-to-life reality; the use of demons and the side effects of said use both amazingly interesting and splendidly portrayed.
The only real weakness of the story is quite honestly the main character himself, Cade Martin. This youth is quite obviously a “Chosen One” from the very beginning, one who’s identity is spoken of in hushed tones and who’s importance to the war is constantly heralded by those older and more experienced than himself. The fact that Cade never has great difficulty gaining his magical powers, breezes through his training, and instantly finds himself able to stand toe-to-toe with powerful sorcerers pushes the boundaries of believability beyond the breaking point at times, which did detract from my overall enjoyment of the tale.
Overall, The Midnight Front is an entertaining alternate history romp where the familiar events of World War 2 take on a far different appearance with the introduction of demon controlling sorcerers running around behind the scenes engaged in ultra secret, deadly magical battles which are shown having great affect on outcomes. And if this sounds tantalizing to you, then you need to pick up this novel and get ready to enjoy an action packed adventure in a familiar but far different war tale.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
The Midnight Front is the first installment in David Mack’s Dark Arts series, and without a doubt, the author has done an exceptional job coupling a cool concept with gritty, realistic World War 2 action. For those who find alternate history stories filled with magic their cup of tea, this is an adrenaline filled affair that is well worth their reading time.
In 1939, a young man named Cade Martin finds his whole life ripped from him when a sea monster kills his parents. Stranded at sea, only the timely rescue of a group of sorcerers led by the Scotsman Adair MacRae saves him from certain death. Quickly thereafter, young Cade learns that his rescuers are magicians working in the secret cabal called the Midnight Front, that they are foes of the Nazi magicians who killed Cade’s parents, and that he is a gifted magician as well, one who must join the ranks of the Midnight Front in order for the allies to triumph in the war.
Filled with a deep need for vengeance, Cade falls in with Adair and his fellows, breezing through his magical training due to his innate abilities, and gaining his own assignment in the war against the Nazis. His new path taking him down into the gritty, bloody and horrific events taking place across the globe during World War 2.
As an alternate history fan, the greatest strength of The Midnight Front was the outstanding world building, as David Mack does a superb job of realistically portraying World War 2 in all its brutality, highlighting the atrocities committed by all sides, and imparting the tragedies shown with the emotional weight they deserved. The magical elements of the tale seamlessly integrated into this true-to-life reality; the use of demons and the side effects of said use both amazingly interesting and splendidly portrayed.
The only real weakness of the story is quite honestly the main character himself, Cade Martin. This youth is quite obviously a “Chosen One” from the very beginning, one who’s identity is spoken of in hushed tones and who’s importance to the war is constantly heralded by those older and more experienced than himself. The fact that Cade never has great difficulty gaining his magical powers, breezes through his training, and instantly finds himself able to stand toe-to-toe with powerful sorcerers pushes the boundaries of believability beyond the breaking point at times, which did detract from my overall enjoyment of the tale.
Overall, The Midnight Front is an entertaining alternate history romp where the familiar events of World War 2 take on a far different appearance with the introduction of demon controlling sorcerers running around behind the scenes engaged in ultra secret, deadly magical battles which are shown having great affect on outcomes. And if this sounds tantalizing to you, then you need to pick up this novel and get ready to enjoy an action packed adventure in a familiar but far different war tale.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
February 8, 2018
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/08/...
The year is 1939, and aboard a ship bound for North America on the eve of World War Two, a young Oxford student named Cade Martin watches in horror as a sea monster drags his parents to their watery grave right before his eyes. Alone and stranded at sea, Cade is eventually rescued by a mysterious cabal of sorcerers led by a charming old Scotsman named Adair MacRae. With the Soviets on the Eastern Front and England on the Western Front, Adair claims that he and his associates represent a lesser known third theater of war clandestinely referred to as the Midnight Front. He further explains that the Nazis have their own dark magicians working on behalf of Hitler, and that they were the ones behind the monster attack that killed Cade’s family. As the Allies’ secret weapon, the Midnight Front is dedicated to waging the magical war from behind the scenes, and now they are looking to recruit Cade to their ranks.
Swearing vengeance upon those responsible for his parents’ deaths, Cade readily accepts the offer and immediately begins his training with Adair and his three adepts Stefan, Anja, and Niko. Thanks to his magical heritage, Cade masters years of skill and knowledge in just a few months, and before long, he and the other members of the Midnight Front are getting ready to depart on their individual assignments for the war effort. While the focus of the book remains on Cade as the central character, the story also allows us a good look through the eyes of the other members of the group as they travel through different parts of Europe bringing back their personal experiences and perspectives.
Without a doubt, the novel’s greatest strength is the world-building. David Mack has created a very robust system of magic that involves the summoning and harnessing of demons. Called karcists, sorcerers who deal in this type of magic can hold up to eleven demon servants at a time, giving them the power to fuel their abilities. However, this can be very taxing on the karcist, and even those who are well-versed in the art can succumb to the chaos of their demons, developing self-destructive habits like unconsciously scratching their skin to shreds or tearing out their own hair. At the age of 357, Adair MacRae is one of the oldest and most experienced karcists, but his arch nemesis Kein Engel who is working for the Germans has proven to be just as dangerous and cunning. Occasionally, the story’s perspective even shifts to the villains’ side so that we can get a glimpse of what’s going on behind enemy lines.
Speaking of which, Mack pulls no punches when it comes to depicting the horrors of war, the fantasy elements of his novel notwithstanding. Readers familiar with the history of WW2 may recognize a lot of the places and events mentioned in this book, as well as the tragedies and atrocities associated with them. The story takes you into the thick of things, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the darkness and violence.
And yet, even with the phenomenal world-building and historical aspect, something held me back from enjoying this book fully. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be the plot, which I thought was weakened by a few overused tropes. The “Chosen One” cliché was especially heavy-handed and impossible to ignore given the way our protagonist breezed through that obligatory training montage (because don’t you know he’s “special”?) as well as the constant reminders that “Without Cade, the war is lost!” In truth, I found Cade to be a lot less interesting than some of his fellow sorcerers, and frequently caught myself wishing the narrative had instead focused more on Anja, whose background, story line, and personality were all more compelling. For pulp-ish entertainment, I suppose this novel would do just fine, but I can’t say the story really resonated with me, and I have my doubts that I’ll remember any of the plot details six months from now.
That said, don’t let anything keep you from reading The Midnight Front if the premise strikes your fancy; there’s a lot here to like for fans of alternate history, especially if the idea of a secret magical war being fought alongside the real Second World War interests you. Sure, it’s nothing too deep, but at the end of the day this was a novel I had fun reading.
The year is 1939, and aboard a ship bound for North America on the eve of World War Two, a young Oxford student named Cade Martin watches in horror as a sea monster drags his parents to their watery grave right before his eyes. Alone and stranded at sea, Cade is eventually rescued by a mysterious cabal of sorcerers led by a charming old Scotsman named Adair MacRae. With the Soviets on the Eastern Front and England on the Western Front, Adair claims that he and his associates represent a lesser known third theater of war clandestinely referred to as the Midnight Front. He further explains that the Nazis have their own dark magicians working on behalf of Hitler, and that they were the ones behind the monster attack that killed Cade’s family. As the Allies’ secret weapon, the Midnight Front is dedicated to waging the magical war from behind the scenes, and now they are looking to recruit Cade to their ranks.
Swearing vengeance upon those responsible for his parents’ deaths, Cade readily accepts the offer and immediately begins his training with Adair and his three adepts Stefan, Anja, and Niko. Thanks to his magical heritage, Cade masters years of skill and knowledge in just a few months, and before long, he and the other members of the Midnight Front are getting ready to depart on their individual assignments for the war effort. While the focus of the book remains on Cade as the central character, the story also allows us a good look through the eyes of the other members of the group as they travel through different parts of Europe bringing back their personal experiences and perspectives.
Without a doubt, the novel’s greatest strength is the world-building. David Mack has created a very robust system of magic that involves the summoning and harnessing of demons. Called karcists, sorcerers who deal in this type of magic can hold up to eleven demon servants at a time, giving them the power to fuel their abilities. However, this can be very taxing on the karcist, and even those who are well-versed in the art can succumb to the chaos of their demons, developing self-destructive habits like unconsciously scratching their skin to shreds or tearing out their own hair. At the age of 357, Adair MacRae is one of the oldest and most experienced karcists, but his arch nemesis Kein Engel who is working for the Germans has proven to be just as dangerous and cunning. Occasionally, the story’s perspective even shifts to the villains’ side so that we can get a glimpse of what’s going on behind enemy lines.
Speaking of which, Mack pulls no punches when it comes to depicting the horrors of war, the fantasy elements of his novel notwithstanding. Readers familiar with the history of WW2 may recognize a lot of the places and events mentioned in this book, as well as the tragedies and atrocities associated with them. The story takes you into the thick of things, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the darkness and violence.
And yet, even with the phenomenal world-building and historical aspect, something held me back from enjoying this book fully. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be the plot, which I thought was weakened by a few overused tropes. The “Chosen One” cliché was especially heavy-handed and impossible to ignore given the way our protagonist breezed through that obligatory training montage (because don’t you know he’s “special”?) as well as the constant reminders that “Without Cade, the war is lost!” In truth, I found Cade to be a lot less interesting than some of his fellow sorcerers, and frequently caught myself wishing the narrative had instead focused more on Anja, whose background, story line, and personality were all more compelling. For pulp-ish entertainment, I suppose this novel would do just fine, but I can’t say the story really resonated with me, and I have my doubts that I’ll remember any of the plot details six months from now.
That said, don’t let anything keep you from reading The Midnight Front if the premise strikes your fancy; there’s a lot here to like for fans of alternate history, especially if the idea of a secret magical war being fought alongside the real Second World War interests you. Sure, it’s nothing too deep, but at the end of the day this was a novel I had fun reading.
June 29, 2018
Quite disappointed with this one. I was expecting a really cool UF world war 2 style novel but this was not the case. The plot was a little too familiar and I felt like it had been done before with the magic system. I just found it overly predictable as well. My biggest issue was with the characters. Cade was a spoilt brat and I had a hard time really following him and seeing him fight off the evil guys. The characters were all a little cliched as well. The dialogue was stilted at times and the humour was what youd expect from the more cliched jokes. I also gelt at times the style bnb of characters and dialgoue suite the present time more than it did the past. A little miss here for me but hopefully there is some improvement in book 2. Will definitely find an audience that will adore the read just unfortunately wasnt me.
January 27, 2018
Amazing worldbuilding and a fascinating premise. A brutal, unsparing war drama mixed with rich fantasy. Like Supernatural on Steroids plus Inglorious Basterds.
Here's my (spoiler free) tweetstorm about it: https://twitter.com/AstralColt/status...
And my (spoiler free) live tweeting while reading it: https://twitter.com/AstralColt/status...
Here's my (spoiler free) tweetstorm about it: https://twitter.com/AstralColt/status...
And my (spoiler free) live tweeting while reading it: https://twitter.com/AstralColt/status...
June 6, 2018
After Ian Tregillis' excellent Milkweed Triptych trilogy and Kay Kenyon's compelling Dark Talents series, which both combine magic and World War II, comes David Mack's Dark Arts sequence. And although the premise was similar to those of the other series, I was nevertheless intrigued by The Midnight Front and decided to give it a shot.
Sadly, though Mack's worldbuilding was well-done, this novel wasn't as captivating as the Tregillis or Kenyon books. There is definitely room for improvement in the upcoming sequel, The Iron Codex, yet there is no denying that the opening chapter of the Dark Arts wasn't as interesting as Bitter Seeds and At the Table of Wolves turned out to be.
Here's the blurb:
On the eve of World War Two, Nazi sorcerers come gunning for Cade but kill his family instead. His one path of vengeance is to become an apprentice of The Midnight Front—the Allies’ top-secret magickal warfare program—and become a sorcerer himself.
Unsure who will kill him first—his allies, his enemies, or the demons he has to use to wield magick—Cade fights his way through occupied Europe and enemy lines. But he learns too late the true price of revenge will be more terrible than just the loss of his soul—and there’s no task harder than doing good with a power born of ultimate evil.
This is an alternate history novel, and David Mack managed to integrate the magical elements of his tale with the important historical details of that period. The author did a great job depicting the atrocities committed during World War II. The Midnight Front covers the six years of the war and takes readers across Europe, from occupied France, to the Auschwitz extermination camp, and to the heart of Nazi Germany. Mack came up with a new magical system in which the practitioners, called karcists, can summon and harness demons from Hell and their powers. The same can be done with angels, but the process is more difficult. These rituals and their repercussions were quite interesting, but too many scenes were only meant to show the protagonists blow stuff up. There were also countless massive info-dumps pertaining to how the magic works and these bogged down the narrative in many a chapter. I understand that Mack needed to convey the information to his readers, but I wish he could have found a way to do it in a more seamless fashion. Such scenes got in the way of the storytelling time and time again, and that definitely took something out of the overall reading experience.
The characterization left a lot to be desired and was the aspect that prevented me from fully enjoying this book. The old trope of the Chosen One was taken up a few notches too far with Cade Martin. And as the central protagonist of The Midnight Front, I just couldn't connect with him. The author made him dense and stubborn to compensate, but that did not quite work. The same could be said of Adair MacRae, the novel's badass alcoholic Gandalf analog. Other than complaining non-stop using old British slang from the 40s and the 50s, the sorcerer's main task was to train Cade before all is lost. His backstory was fascinating, but I felt that his characterization fell rather flat. Stefan and Niko were more likeable, true, but acted in decidedly stupid ways when the fate of mankind was at stake. Anja Kernova was by far the most engaging protagonist of the bunch, yet Mack was unable to make her really shine through. Another problem was the fact that Kein Engel and his acolytes were often depicted as generic bad guys with no substance.
The pace can be very uneven. At times, the rhythm can drag dreadfully. Especially when you get caught up in a chapter featuring one of those huge info-dumps, or an action sequence showcasing Cade and the others duking it out with inferior German karcists. David Mack has a cinematographic eye for detail when it comes to battle scenes and I have a feeling that some readers might enjoy those magical showdowns a lot more than I did. And yet, there is no denying that if you take away all those battles, in the end The Midnight Front has little else to offer. On the other hand, sometimes everything was rushed for no apparent reason.
Still, the endgame and the finale were exciting enough. Mack tied everything up a little too neatly for my liking, but I still might read The Iron Codex when it gets published. The sequel will deal with the Cold War and I'm curious to see if the author can elevate his game and avoid the pitfalls that plagued this novel.
Some cool concepts and ideas that were spoiled by poor execution and lackluster characterization; that's The Midnight Front in a nutshell.
Check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com for more reviews.
Sadly, though Mack's worldbuilding was well-done, this novel wasn't as captivating as the Tregillis or Kenyon books. There is definitely room for improvement in the upcoming sequel, The Iron Codex, yet there is no denying that the opening chapter of the Dark Arts wasn't as interesting as Bitter Seeds and At the Table of Wolves turned out to be.
Here's the blurb:
On the eve of World War Two, Nazi sorcerers come gunning for Cade but kill his family instead. His one path of vengeance is to become an apprentice of The Midnight Front—the Allies’ top-secret magickal warfare program—and become a sorcerer himself.
Unsure who will kill him first—his allies, his enemies, or the demons he has to use to wield magick—Cade fights his way through occupied Europe and enemy lines. But he learns too late the true price of revenge will be more terrible than just the loss of his soul—and there’s no task harder than doing good with a power born of ultimate evil.
This is an alternate history novel, and David Mack managed to integrate the magical elements of his tale with the important historical details of that period. The author did a great job depicting the atrocities committed during World War II. The Midnight Front covers the six years of the war and takes readers across Europe, from occupied France, to the Auschwitz extermination camp, and to the heart of Nazi Germany. Mack came up with a new magical system in which the practitioners, called karcists, can summon and harness demons from Hell and their powers. The same can be done with angels, but the process is more difficult. These rituals and their repercussions were quite interesting, but too many scenes were only meant to show the protagonists blow stuff up. There were also countless massive info-dumps pertaining to how the magic works and these bogged down the narrative in many a chapter. I understand that Mack needed to convey the information to his readers, but I wish he could have found a way to do it in a more seamless fashion. Such scenes got in the way of the storytelling time and time again, and that definitely took something out of the overall reading experience.
The characterization left a lot to be desired and was the aspect that prevented me from fully enjoying this book. The old trope of the Chosen One was taken up a few notches too far with Cade Martin. And as the central protagonist of The Midnight Front, I just couldn't connect with him. The author made him dense and stubborn to compensate, but that did not quite work. The same could be said of Adair MacRae, the novel's badass alcoholic Gandalf analog. Other than complaining non-stop using old British slang from the 40s and the 50s, the sorcerer's main task was to train Cade before all is lost. His backstory was fascinating, but I felt that his characterization fell rather flat. Stefan and Niko were more likeable, true, but acted in decidedly stupid ways when the fate of mankind was at stake. Anja Kernova was by far the most engaging protagonist of the bunch, yet Mack was unable to make her really shine through. Another problem was the fact that Kein Engel and his acolytes were often depicted as generic bad guys with no substance.
The pace can be very uneven. At times, the rhythm can drag dreadfully. Especially when you get caught up in a chapter featuring one of those huge info-dumps, or an action sequence showcasing Cade and the others duking it out with inferior German karcists. David Mack has a cinematographic eye for detail when it comes to battle scenes and I have a feeling that some readers might enjoy those magical showdowns a lot more than I did. And yet, there is no denying that if you take away all those battles, in the end The Midnight Front has little else to offer. On the other hand, sometimes everything was rushed for no apparent reason.
Still, the endgame and the finale were exciting enough. Mack tied everything up a little too neatly for my liking, but I still might read The Iron Codex when it gets published. The sequel will deal with the Cold War and I'm curious to see if the author can elevate his game and avoid the pitfalls that plagued this novel.
Some cool concepts and ideas that were spoiled by poor execution and lackluster characterization; that's The Midnight Front in a nutshell.
Check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com for more reviews.
March 17, 2018
Ok, so this has so called demons/devils in it, and it happened to one of my favorite period in human history, World War 2...................that is why I forgot all my previous books to do read this(sadly as I was so excited I forgot to put this one on this site, you might think I finished this in one seating unfortunately no it was two weeks worth of seating).
First Chapter, I was ok this is it, mood setting, rather dark and you can feel the panic people must have felt when Nazi Germany attacked, as the story continued, I felt the pacing a bit slow, but of course since we are dealing with the start of WWII, maybe it was just like that, after a few chapters, my exuberance faded, I was a bit disappointed, not only was demonology an uminportant part of the big picture but it was used in the shadows, this book felt like what spies would be doing if they had the ability to call up demons(term here was yoking), and yes it was like that we have a group of good demonologists going after their opposites, as usual the protagonists are on the losing side, historically the whole of Europe was on the losing side then specially from 1940-1941, and so the story continued, 1942 came and Europe was starting to fight back, still the German flattened all oppositions, on the magickal side the protagonists are losing their members one by one...........
Reading the succeeding chapters, we never saw our heroes triumph on a large scale, everything felt like a minor irritation, If I were the opposing karcist(oh yes demon yoking magic users are called by this appelation)I would have also laughed, the only redeeming part was 1945, or D-DAY, this is real action here no magic, no nothing, just simple human will to succeed against a dangerous ideal and a truly horrible person, by this time I was just reading along, trying to finish this one, why??? Well no more magic, demons were......well you will know, if you read the novel.
Much as I hate to stop reading this, I guess the concept of the whole thing still excites me plus there is a sequel(please Mr. Mack make this a real breath taker) and a sample chapter, as of now I am still hoping!!!
First Chapter, I was ok this is it, mood setting, rather dark and you can feel the panic people must have felt when Nazi Germany attacked, as the story continued, I felt the pacing a bit slow, but of course since we are dealing with the start of WWII, maybe it was just like that, after a few chapters, my exuberance faded, I was a bit disappointed, not only was demonology an uminportant part of the big picture but it was used in the shadows, this book felt like what spies would be doing if they had the ability to call up demons(term here was yoking), and yes it was like that we have a group of good demonologists going after their opposites, as usual the protagonists are on the losing side, historically the whole of Europe was on the losing side then specially from 1940-1941, and so the story continued, 1942 came and Europe was starting to fight back, still the German flattened all oppositions, on the magickal side the protagonists are losing their members one by one...........
Reading the succeeding chapters, we never saw our heroes triumph on a large scale, everything felt like a minor irritation, If I were the opposing karcist(oh yes demon yoking magic users are called by this appelation)I would have also laughed, the only redeeming part was 1945, or D-DAY, this is real action here no magic, no nothing, just simple human will to succeed against a dangerous ideal and a truly horrible person, by this time I was just reading along, trying to finish this one, why??? Well no more magic, demons were......well you will know, if you read the novel.
Much as I hate to stop reading this, I guess the concept of the whole thing still excites me plus there is a sequel(please Mr. Mack make this a real breath taker) and a sample chapter, as of now I am still hoping!!!
January 30, 2018
*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Historical Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Midnight Front is the first installment in author David Mack's Dark Arts series. Like the series name, this story is very dark. It takes place during World War II (1939 thru 1945) when the entire world was at war or holding its breath to see who would be victorious. The story encapsulates the Nazi death camps, the Allied landing at Normandy, the German invasion of Russia, the Allied bombing of Dresden, as well as the American bombings of Japan. But, it also includes a war within a war that might change the course of the world.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Historical Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Midnight Front is the first installment in author David Mack's Dark Arts series. Like the series name, this story is very dark. It takes place during World War II (1939 thru 1945) when the entire world was at war or holding its breath to see who would be victorious. The story encapsulates the Nazi death camps, the Allied landing at Normandy, the German invasion of Russia, the Allied bombing of Dresden, as well as the American bombings of Japan. But, it also includes a war within a war that might change the course of the world.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
April 13, 2018
4.25 Stars
July 20, 2018
I really wanted to like this one, but it failed to entertain.
I like the idea of WW2 fought with magic. But The Midnight Front tried to cram in too much. I think this book would have made a better series. There were a ton of characters, and they were all paper-thin. Even the main protagonists and antagonist. A series specifically about these characters would develop the character's motivations more. If they were likeable, I would have been more interested in the story.
There were several big set-piece moments that would have worked well as the climax of the story. For example, the battle of Normandy was the end of the book's second act. It could have easily been the culmination of a novel, especially considering the stakes presented.
Also, I didn't like the magic system in this one. It was one-dimensional and boring. The description of when characters used magic was in the following format: [Something cool] caused by [Specific Demonic Attribute]. The use of magic felt like a GURPS roleplaying game combining WW2 and Warlocks. I wish there were different sources of magic, too. I didn't like that I guess I was pampered by Bitter Seeds, where the magic had a more emotionally resonant source AND the Nazis got their powers from a different source than the Allies.
Also, the book doesn't have anything original to say about religion. It's a tired, lazy re-tread that is easy to see for miles off. For a book that has so much to do with the religion-inspired supernatural, it comes off as trite.
All-in-all, a disappointing read. I doubt I'll continue with the series.
I like the idea of WW2 fought with magic. But The Midnight Front tried to cram in too much. I think this book would have made a better series. There were a ton of characters, and they were all paper-thin. Even the main protagonists and antagonist. A series specifically about these characters would develop the character's motivations more. If they were likeable, I would have been more interested in the story.
There were several big set-piece moments that would have worked well as the climax of the story. For example, the battle of Normandy was the end of the book's second act. It could have easily been the culmination of a novel, especially considering the stakes presented.
Also, I didn't like the magic system in this one. It was one-dimensional and boring. The description of when characters used magic was in the following format: [Something cool] caused by [Specific Demonic Attribute]. The use of magic felt like a GURPS roleplaying game combining WW2 and Warlocks. I wish there were different sources of magic, too. I didn't like that I guess I was pampered by Bitter Seeds, where the magic had a more emotionally resonant source AND the Nazis got their powers from a different source than the Allies.
Also, the book doesn't have anything original to say about religion. It's a tired, lazy re-tread that is easy to see for miles off. For a book that has so much to do with the religion-inspired supernatural, it comes off as trite.
All-in-all, a disappointing read. I doubt I'll continue with the series.
March 9, 2018
A friend recently introduced me to the term "beige" as an adjective to apply to literature, and specifically this book. I have to agree. Mack has a perfectly serviceable premise and a perfectly serviceable style, but there's little here to glitter or appeal to my queer little language-loving heart. We have an alternate history setup, with arcane magic meeting WWII-era Europe as a setting, which, okay. Fine. Everyone else is already doing WWII-era Europe as the setting for their alternate histories. Why does nobody ever pick Malaysia in the 1300s or Australia during the time of its megafauna (Carnivorous kangaroos?! YES PLEASE.)?! And I get why WWII is of endless fascination to authors. Really, I do. Still ... been there, done that a million times. Beige.
Here too, the characters are bland. We have a prototypical white boy's magical "coming of age" (which ... yeah, that's only been done a gazillion times as well), during which time he earns the grudging respect of his sexy-but-damaged-and-oh-so-smart female fellow magician (don't even begin to try and argue Anja's not a manic pixie dream girl) and receives the tutelage of an older, father/grandfatherish figure. Mmm, nyah. Mack has the skill to do much, much better than this.
Here too, the characters are bland. We have a prototypical white boy's magical "coming of age" (which ... yeah, that's only been done a gazillion times as well), during which time he earns the grudging respect of his sexy-but-damaged-and-oh-so-smart female fellow magician (don't even begin to try and argue Anja's not a manic pixie dream girl) and receives the tutelage of an older, father/grandfatherish figure. Mmm, nyah. Mack has the skill to do much, much better than this.
January 16, 2018
I would not have picked this up based on the description or the cover but I am a fan of David Mack's work and I'm glad I read it! In The Midnight Front, Mack has created an entertaining blend between a gritty WWII story and a magical adventure tale.
Mack does a good job of unveiling his Dark Arts universe as the story unfolds. Where most writers would probably spend more time at the top of the book delivering a lot of exposition and world-building, Mack lets the reader find their footing along the journey.
There are three characters that could be described as being members of the LGBTQ community. None of them makes out terribly well but Mack treats them with respect and I'm interested to see where their stories go next.
Mack doesn't shy away from describing the horrific tragedies of WWII. This is definitely a war story; in fact, it is two war stories. There is the surface war that everyone is familiar with and then a war of Dark Arts that's waged simultaneously but outside of the knowledge of most people. Mack cleverly gives magical reasons for historical events, blending the two wars together.
Mack has created a really interesting tale of demonology, sorcerers, and heroes. I think it will be fascinating to see where the series goes next.
Mack does a good job of unveiling his Dark Arts universe as the story unfolds. Where most writers would probably spend more time at the top of the book delivering a lot of exposition and world-building, Mack lets the reader find their footing along the journey.
There are three characters that could be described as being members of the LGBTQ community. None of them makes out terribly well but Mack treats them with respect and I'm interested to see where their stories go next.
Mack doesn't shy away from describing the horrific tragedies of WWII. This is definitely a war story; in fact, it is two war stories. There is the surface war that everyone is familiar with and then a war of Dark Arts that's waged simultaneously but outside of the knowledge of most people. Mack cleverly gives magical reasons for historical events, blending the two wars together.
Mack has created a really interesting tale of demonology, sorcerers, and heroes. I think it will be fascinating to see where the series goes next.
July 27, 2018
This was hard to rate because I think that overall, it was well-written, but not to my tastes. Set during WWII, Hitler & the Allies both have magicians that indirectly affect battles. They aren't in the middle of the fray, blowing up tanks, but rather use magic to protect key leaders (such as Hitler), cause havoc, and create favorable weather conditions. (The book is about the battles between the magicians themselves, since this is historic fiction. Hitler dies, D-Day still happens, etc)
So, we have the 'good' mages & the 'bad' mages...except they BOTH summon & bind demons to their souls. Using the names of angels & God. This just didn't sit well with me. The internal logic seemed broken & I couldn't get over it. The good guys used animals or enslaved demons as their blood sacrifices and the bad guys used children....but they're both making offerings to evil beings for power. It was interesting, there were lots of fights and gore, but overall, I was glad to be done with it. If you believe the ends justify the means, then this might be the book for you.
So, we have the 'good' mages & the 'bad' mages...except they BOTH summon & bind demons to their souls. Using the names of angels & God. This just didn't sit well with me. The internal logic seemed broken & I couldn't get over it. The good guys used animals or enslaved demons as their blood sacrifices and the bad guys used children....but they're both making offerings to evil beings for power. It was interesting, there were lots of fights and gore, but overall, I was glad to be done with it. If you believe the ends justify the means, then this might be the book for you.
February 28, 2018
I think the pace hurt this one a bit as both the characters and the magic could have used to a little room to breath. Otherwise, this is still an entertaining and breakneck romp full of magic and mayhem.
March 12, 2018
An entertaining read with a dashing mix of war and dark magic. It is extremely fast paced with tons of action and gore, flavored with tension. David Mack brings a cinematic and graphic depiction of the violence in war through the story. It is very well-written with slight doses of wry cynical humour, and maintains the grim dignity of a war story.
'Midnight Front' is a book with excellent worldbuilding. Its setting is the Second World War, and, it describes the situations and circumstances with a surgical precision. The extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany, the war of Stalingrad are depicted with all its brutal grandeur and bloody detail. Mack weaves the element of Demonic magic to add adrenaline to the story. The Axis and the Allied forces are fighting the war on several fronts, and, one of the secret fronts is related to the dark and magical warfare fought in the shadows. The sorcerers called as Karcist harnesses the demons of Hell, make pacts, and wield fearsome powers trying to win their own war.
This is mainly an action oriented and event-centred book. So, there is little scope of character development. The protagonist Cade is a special prodigy who brisks through his training and gains awesome Demonic powers. He is confident and determined, but is without any complex personality and conflict which we want in a character. The master Adair is the typical Gandalf, albeit a little foul-mouthed and a sobered drunkard at times. However, Anja the Russian girl is a deeply scarred, flawed and a complex personality. She is one character I hope to read more about. The antagonist Kein also appeared pretty simple to me, despite his magical prowess and intelligence. He is opposed to science and yearns for total magical domination of the world, and this is his only motivation for his grisly acts. In contrast to him, Briet his apprentice is a complex fickle bitch. She is a character who could've made a better villainess. I would definitely love to see a confrontation between her and Anja.
David Mack has written a brilliant war story brimming with demons, angels, and dark magic, which has a thrilling taste of its own. There are a few minor twists in the midst, but, otherwise the events of the story appears quite predictable. The writing is simple and easy to read. It's not overly descriptive, neither analytical, but hovers in the midst, which best suits the purpose of the story. The historical accuracy is kept throughout, and we get to see a few figures like Eisenhower, Churchill, Stalin, Hitler, in cameos. Also, the major attacks like in France Pont De Huc, Dresden, Stalingrad are done with excruciating details. Especially, the killing of the Jews will fuel your hatred towards the fucking Nazis and Hitler. The explosions, the gunshots, and the bloodshed will haunt the reader for days after reading this book.
I greatly enjoyed reading 'Midnight Front', and I finished it in just two daus which says a nice deal about the book. It isn't something extraordinary, but, rather a book which you can breeze away. As the setting of this novel was the 2nd World War, I think the next one will be set during the Cold War era which would be even more interesting. I'm eager to see what David Mack does in the sequel 'The Iron Codex'.
'Midnight Front' is a book with excellent worldbuilding. Its setting is the Second World War, and, it describes the situations and circumstances with a surgical precision. The extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany, the war of Stalingrad are depicted with all its brutal grandeur and bloody detail. Mack weaves the element of Demonic magic to add adrenaline to the story. The Axis and the Allied forces are fighting the war on several fronts, and, one of the secret fronts is related to the dark and magical warfare fought in the shadows. The sorcerers called as Karcist harnesses the demons of Hell, make pacts, and wield fearsome powers trying to win their own war.
This is mainly an action oriented and event-centred book. So, there is little scope of character development. The protagonist Cade is a special prodigy who brisks through his training and gains awesome Demonic powers. He is confident and determined, but is without any complex personality and conflict which we want in a character. The master Adair is the typical Gandalf, albeit a little foul-mouthed and a sobered drunkard at times. However, Anja the Russian girl is a deeply scarred, flawed and a complex personality. She is one character I hope to read more about. The antagonist Kein also appeared pretty simple to me, despite his magical prowess and intelligence. He is opposed to science and yearns for total magical domination of the world, and this is his only motivation for his grisly acts. In contrast to him, Briet his apprentice is a complex fickle bitch. She is a character who could've made a better villainess. I would definitely love to see a confrontation between her and Anja.
David Mack has written a brilliant war story brimming with demons, angels, and dark magic, which has a thrilling taste of its own. There are a few minor twists in the midst, but, otherwise the events of the story appears quite predictable. The writing is simple and easy to read. It's not overly descriptive, neither analytical, but hovers in the midst, which best suits the purpose of the story. The historical accuracy is kept throughout, and we get to see a few figures like Eisenhower, Churchill, Stalin, Hitler, in cameos. Also, the major attacks like in France Pont De Huc, Dresden, Stalingrad are done with excruciating details. Especially, the killing of the Jews will fuel your hatred towards the fucking Nazis and Hitler. The explosions, the gunshots, and the bloodshed will haunt the reader for days after reading this book.
I greatly enjoyed reading 'Midnight Front', and I finished it in just two daus which says a nice deal about the book. It isn't something extraordinary, but, rather a book which you can breeze away. As the setting of this novel was the 2nd World War, I think the next one will be set during the Cold War era which would be even more interesting. I'm eager to see what David Mack does in the sequel 'The Iron Codex'.
July 18, 2018
I'll state upfront that Dave is a friend and I am predisposed to support him and his work. Then, let me add in that I was really happy to see this book because it shows a step forward in his already-considerable skills as a writer.
Here, he posits a world with a limited number of mages and has, of course, opposing forces in conflict. Then he set it against World War II where things got bloody really fast and the stakes were already high. He takes them further.
Adair has rescued Cade Martin who knew nothing of his magical heritage, plunging him into a world he never knew existed. He has to come up to speed impossibly fast because, you know, the fate of the world is counting on him.
This is a belated coming of age story, it's also a tale of love, honor, friendship, and competing worldviews. Dave has come up with a fresh magical system that truly shows the costs of using magic. The hierarchy of demons that are summoned and yoked to the mages results in being cut off from humanity, restlress nights, and the need for nicotine, alcohol, and drugs to manage the pain.
Dave nicely renders this dark, dirty world with nice character turns and some interesting revelations about Heaven and Hell after the big battle on D-Day. It's compelling stuff and I am delighted this is just the beginning of his Dark Arts trilogy.
Here, he posits a world with a limited number of mages and has, of course, opposing forces in conflict. Then he set it against World War II where things got bloody really fast and the stakes were already high. He takes them further.
Adair has rescued Cade Martin who knew nothing of his magical heritage, plunging him into a world he never knew existed. He has to come up to speed impossibly fast because, you know, the fate of the world is counting on him.
This is a belated coming of age story, it's also a tale of love, honor, friendship, and competing worldviews. Dave has come up with a fresh magical system that truly shows the costs of using magic. The hierarchy of demons that are summoned and yoked to the mages results in being cut off from humanity, restlress nights, and the need for nicotine, alcohol, and drugs to manage the pain.
Dave nicely renders this dark, dirty world with nice character turns and some interesting revelations about Heaven and Hell after the big battle on D-Day. It's compelling stuff and I am delighted this is just the beginning of his Dark Arts trilogy.
December 31, 2019
A superb adventure-thriller that is so much more than magicians battling in WWII. This is one of my favorite reads of 2019.
I met David Mack at the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Con and was fascinated by his description of The Midnight Front. I talked about it so much my friend Jenny bought me a copy to cheer me up and it was one of the best gifts I've received.
Mack weaves in deeply faceted characters with a fast-paced adventure that is well above most fantasy or adventure novels. The key to his characters is that, in order to use magic, they must yoke demons to their soul. The struggle with fighting the demon inside and using the power of evil to do good is the real novel here and Mack really hits home with some of the decisions that the "good wizards" must make. Without giving much away, the struggle of how to handle concentration camps is dark and disturbing and is just one of the moral struggles that take place. The magical battles are riveting. Though I love Harry Potter, this isn't people using "Stupify," this is the power of demons clashing and it's intense and propels things forward.
Through it all, Mack weaves a sold mystery and adventure story that has you engaged and entertained. It's rare that an adventure/spy/magic novel gets you examining your morals, but The Midnight Front did that while thrilling you to the very end.
July 17, 2018
What I liked was the clever use of historical dates to correspond with the plot line. What I didn't like so much was how perfect the main character was. All of the other characters seemed alive, or at least more believeably alive than the main character. Beyond that it felt like the author was trying to focus on their story line, and not ramble on. And for the most part they accomplished that with time jumps.
February 11, 2018
I would really give this 3.5 stars. The concept is excellent, as is the historical placement. I love the pre-WWII and WWII setting, and I did enjoy the characters - good and evil. The pace of the novel overall moves quickly and wasn't boring.
What did not thrill me was the overly modern dialogue between characters -- that dropped me right out of 1938-45 and right into 2018. I thought also that the start of the novel was too quickly begun and ended. Yet, this is what motivates our hero's initial path into magic(k). It also felt to me like everything Cade (hero) accomplishes is...too easy. Even when he fails.
Likewise, Cade's revelation as to is simplistic as is his response. His reaction was underwhelming and childish -- not what I would expect from an adult male already educated at Oxford.
I feel that there was unrealized potential in this novel for it to have been much better than it is. Whether I would look at the author's editor, who perhaps should have nudged him in the direction of more fitting dialogue and language between his characters, or the author, who probably was aware of this himself. Perhaps it was simply a market acknowledgement that many modern readers are simply most comfortable when reading thoroughly familiar language.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the novel, I just want to acknowledge what I feel are its shortcomings.
I do recommend that you read it!
I will be reading the next novel, though I won't rush out to buy it as soon as it is released.
What did not thrill me was the overly modern dialogue between characters -- that dropped me right out of 1938-45 and right into 2018. I thought also that the start of the novel was too quickly begun and ended. Yet, this is what motivates our hero's initial path into magic(k). It also felt to me like everything Cade (hero) accomplishes is...too easy. Even when he fails.
Likewise, Cade's revelation as to is simplistic as is his response. His reaction was underwhelming and childish -- not what I would expect from an adult male already educated at Oxford.
I feel that there was unrealized potential in this novel for it to have been much better than it is. Whether I would look at the author's editor, who perhaps should have nudged him in the direction of more fitting dialogue and language between his characters, or the author, who probably was aware of this himself. Perhaps it was simply a market acknowledgement that many modern readers are simply most comfortable when reading thoroughly familiar language.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the novel, I just want to acknowledge what I feel are its shortcomings.
I do recommend that you read it!
I will be reading the next novel, though I won't rush out to buy it as soon as it is released.
November 22, 2018
This is a quick read with historical figures, events, and locations sprinkled throughout. And for me, I had never read a fantasy novel set during this time period. I went in with high expectations and really wanting it work out, but in the end, I found some of it lacking. One dimensional characters and at times, the plot is predictable. I’m not sure if I will be trying the second book.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2018/11/13/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2018/11/13/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
February 27, 2018
Sadly, while I wanted to like this book, I kinda didn't. That said, I did finish it, and it did end strongly. But the final excellent 25% doesn't really completely make up for the initial blah 75%. It isn't overtly *bad*, it's just not good. I can't say that I ever really felt anything for any of the characters, despite repeated descriptions of how tough life was for each of them, how hard it is to wield magick (as Mack chooses to spell it), and just how important the idea of the soul is. Ultimately, none of the characters seems to have any soul, there is nothing to really draw you in, and it felt like a disjointed book overall. I'm disappointed, as a new, good urban fantasy series would have been nice to get hooked on.
July 10, 2018
An excellent, gripping read. The Midnight Front had me turning pages into the wee hours. I can't wait to get my hands on The Iron Codex (the novel, not the ancient tome), and it was a struggle not to read the preview simply because it'll be too long a wait to read the rest of the book.
Excellent stuff, David Mack! Can't wait to see where it goes from here!
Excellent stuff, David Mack! Can't wait to see where it goes from here!
June 27, 2018
"Killed a bunch of bad guy magic users... ho hum, just another day at the office. Now I'll get drunk and high because the demon magic makes me feel down."
Completely unrealistic emotional reactions from characters!
Completely unrealistic emotional reactions from characters!
March 25, 2021
Lze spasit svět za pomoci démonů?
Hitlerova fascinace okultismem je známá věc. Jak by to ale vypadalo, kdyby byl vůdce schopen magii skutečně uplatnit na poli války?
/V roce 1939 započalo nejtemnější období naší historie… Cade Martin se spolu s rodinou pokouší před nacistickou hrozbou uprchnout, leč jejich loď potkává osud horší než Titanic. Po útoku Leviatana se jako jediný přeživší probouzí kdesi v honosném sídle obklopen neznámými lidmi, kteří se mu posléze představují coby členové tajné organizace čarodějů povolaných pro boj proti zlu. Mladík zjišťuje, že na pozadí vojenských střetů Osy a Spojenců probíhá i jiný konflikt, skrytý očím civilistů! Hlavním nepřítelem vůbec není Třetí říše, nýbrž spolek karcistů v čele s Keinem, Führerovým váženým rádcem – a tím, kdo tahá za nitky, zatímco sleduje své vlastní zvrácené cíle. Oproti tomu Adair, odpůrce režimu a hlava Půlnoční fronty, nabízí Cadeovi vstup do jejich řad, plus (kromě zapovězených znalostí, tréninku či bezpečného útočiště) neodolatelnou možnost pomsty. A zlomený hoch pro odplatu udělá cokoliv… Třeba i upíše duši ďáblu./
Americkému spisovateli Davidu Alanu Mackovi vyšlo v ČR již několik knih z univerza Star Treku, nyní však smí pod praporem nakladatelství FANTOM Print dobývat srdce čtenářů i úvodním dílem připravované trilogie Temná umění s názvem Půlnoční fronta (2020), jež se nese na vlně alternativní historie s prvky fantasy.
Vyprávění se odehrává v er-formě minulého času, přičemž se střídají perspektivy hrstky významných postav – pokud se jich ovšem sejde v rámci jedné kapitoly více, nejsou tyto pasáže nijak odlišeny (v ideálním případě by byl text proložen nějakým oddělovačem nebo alespoň odenterován), což má za následek časté zmatení a vytržení z děje. Nicméně jde o zajímavý koncept díky zahrnutí úhlů pohledu jak protagonistů, tak antagonistů. Čísla kapitol jsou velmi pěkně graficky vyvedena a pro snazší orientaci se úseky knihy člení dle „aktuálního“ roku.
Autor se opírá o dobové reálie, a ač si je přetváří k obrazu svému, události líčí natolik autenticky, že by mu záviděl lecjaký konspirační teoretik. Zprvu se příběh tváří jako svižné urban-fantasy čerpající pouze z kulis Druhé světové, později však nahlíží i za oponu. Do ulic napadeného Sovětského svazu, kde záleží na každém obsazeném domě; do vyčerpávajícího výcviku vojína, kde by byl byť sebemenší náznak nadpřirozených sil nebezpečnou kompromitací. Nechybí naturalistické popisy a situace plné emocí, akce proložená intrikami a filozofickým hloubáním.
Magie, rovněž přezdívaná Umění, využívá jakési faustovské principy – aby člověk získal zvláštní dovednosti, potřebuje si porobit démona. Učiní tak pomocí smlouvy, jakmile během experimentu v kruhu naváže komunikaci s Peklem a zvolí si svého patrona. Jenže kouzla mají svoji cenu, takže se operátor za dočasnou moc uvazuje k věčnému posmrtnému zatracení. A ani zaživa není úplně v bezpečí… Stačí chvilka nepozornosti a zotročení sluhové se mohou proti svému pánu vzbouřit, navíc kontrola většího počtu démonů nositele fyzicky i psychicky oslabuje.
Bohužel navzdory skvělému world-buildingu a neotřelému magickému systému se titul pyšní i pár klišé. Hlavní hrdina je totiž vyvolený! Vše se naučí rychleji než ostatní a je z nich samozřejmě nejlepší. Neustále trousí rádoby vtipné hlášky a součást jeho výbavy tvoří plot armor obrněného tanku. Ostatní postavy naštěstí působí propracovaněji a fanoušky sociálního inženýrství jistě potěší i elementy homosexuality, etnických menšin a odvážných ženských hrdinek.
I přes mé výhrady vůči ústřednímu klaďasovi a delší rozsah, než na jaký jsem zvyklá, knihu hodnotím jako čtivou a zábavnou. Nejvíce se mi líbilo pojetí čarodějnictví, že nestačí jenom mávat hůlkou.
Titul bych vzhledem k hojnému výskytu násilí, užívání návykových látek a vulgarismů doporučila až od patnácti let, především drsnějším povahám – ale určitě nezáleží na tom, zda jste chlapec nebo dívka, či kolik si toho (ne)pamatujete z hodin dějepisu.
3,5/5*
Za recenzní e-book děkuji nakladatelství FANTOM Print!
Hitlerova fascinace okultismem je známá věc. Jak by to ale vypadalo, kdyby byl vůdce schopen magii skutečně uplatnit na poli války?
/V roce 1939 započalo nejtemnější období naší historie… Cade Martin se spolu s rodinou pokouší před nacistickou hrozbou uprchnout, leč jejich loď potkává osud horší než Titanic. Po útoku Leviatana se jako jediný přeživší probouzí kdesi v honosném sídle obklopen neznámými lidmi, kteří se mu posléze představují coby členové tajné organizace čarodějů povolaných pro boj proti zlu. Mladík zjišťuje, že na pozadí vojenských střetů Osy a Spojenců probíhá i jiný konflikt, skrytý očím civilistů! Hlavním nepřítelem vůbec není Třetí říše, nýbrž spolek karcistů v čele s Keinem, Führerovým váženým rádcem – a tím, kdo tahá za nitky, zatímco sleduje své vlastní zvrácené cíle. Oproti tomu Adair, odpůrce režimu a hlava Půlnoční fronty, nabízí Cadeovi vstup do jejich řad, plus (kromě zapovězených znalostí, tréninku či bezpečného útočiště) neodolatelnou možnost pomsty. A zlomený hoch pro odplatu udělá cokoliv… Třeba i upíše duši ďáblu./
Americkému spisovateli Davidu Alanu Mackovi vyšlo v ČR již několik knih z univerza Star Treku, nyní však smí pod praporem nakladatelství FANTOM Print dobývat srdce čtenářů i úvodním dílem připravované trilogie Temná umění s názvem Půlnoční fronta (2020), jež se nese na vlně alternativní historie s prvky fantasy.
Vyprávění se odehrává v er-formě minulého času, přičemž se střídají perspektivy hrstky významných postav – pokud se jich ovšem sejde v rámci jedné kapitoly více, nejsou tyto pasáže nijak odlišeny (v ideálním případě by byl text proložen nějakým oddělovačem nebo alespoň odenterován), což má za následek časté zmatení a vytržení z děje. Nicméně jde o zajímavý koncept díky zahrnutí úhlů pohledu jak protagonistů, tak antagonistů. Čísla kapitol jsou velmi pěkně graficky vyvedena a pro snazší orientaci se úseky knihy člení dle „aktuálního“ roku.
Autor se opírá o dobové reálie, a ač si je přetváří k obrazu svému, události líčí natolik autenticky, že by mu záviděl lecjaký konspirační teoretik. Zprvu se příběh tváří jako svižné urban-fantasy čerpající pouze z kulis Druhé světové, později však nahlíží i za oponu. Do ulic napadeného Sovětského svazu, kde záleží na každém obsazeném domě; do vyčerpávajícího výcviku vojína, kde by byl byť sebemenší náznak nadpřirozených sil nebezpečnou kompromitací. Nechybí naturalistické popisy a situace plné emocí, akce proložená intrikami a filozofickým hloubáním.
Magie, rovněž přezdívaná Umění, využívá jakési faustovské principy – aby člověk získal zvláštní dovednosti, potřebuje si porobit démona. Učiní tak pomocí smlouvy, jakmile během experimentu v kruhu naváže komunikaci s Peklem a zvolí si svého patrona. Jenže kouzla mají svoji cenu, takže se operátor za dočasnou moc uvazuje k věčnému posmrtnému zatracení. A ani zaživa není úplně v bezpečí… Stačí chvilka nepozornosti a zotročení sluhové se mohou proti svému pánu vzbouřit, navíc kontrola většího počtu démonů nositele fyzicky i psychicky oslabuje.
Bohužel navzdory skvělému world-buildingu a neotřelému magickému systému se titul pyšní i pár klišé. Hlavní hrdina je totiž vyvolený! Vše se naučí rychleji než ostatní a je z nich samozřejmě nejlepší. Neustále trousí rádoby vtipné hlášky a součást jeho výbavy tvoří plot armor obrněného tanku. Ostatní postavy naštěstí působí propracovaněji a fanoušky sociálního inženýrství jistě potěší i elementy homosexuality, etnických menšin a odvážných ženských hrdinek.
I přes mé výhrady vůči ústřednímu klaďasovi a delší rozsah, než na jaký jsem zvyklá, knihu hodnotím jako čtivou a zábavnou. Nejvíce se mi líbilo pojetí čarodějnictví, že nestačí jenom mávat hůlkou.
Titul bych vzhledem k hojnému výskytu násilí, užívání návykových látek a vulgarismů doporučila až od patnácti let, především drsnějším povahám – ale určitě nezáleží na tom, zda jste chlapec nebo dívka, či kolik si toho (ne)pamatujete z hodin dějepisu.
3,5/5*
Za recenzní e-book děkuji nakladatelství FANTOM Print!
November 28, 2018
I paid three bucks for this book and...yeah, it's worth that, just. On Kindle Unlimited, it'd be an entertaining read, on Audible, with voice-actors, especially someone decent and Scottish, and some good sound effects for demon-summoning and such, it might be really enjoyable in a guilty pleasure kind of way, but not in a way that would have you using up your monthly book credit, because, just...nope. The world-building is very good, and the magic(k) system is well thought out and overall great stuff...but...
Everything else kind of...is not the best. It isn't horrible, but...it just...isn't that...good. Or good at all, really, but sometimes you need bad fiction to unwind and unplug because you're staying with your family for a week of shit and you just want to turn your brain off and this will do that...
But in the same way everclear will. You will be mildly embarrassed if your friends found you with this book on your shelf. In your kindle where only you can see and you can lie and say it is something more highbrow like Alan Furst (Furst is leagues above this, even without magic...though if Furst wanted to share this world, the shit he could do in it would be fucking golden, but maybe that'll be my little fanfic project that I write and then burn)...it's a fine thing to have, but make it look like you are drinking something mildly classier than this everclear of spy-fantasy. The author tries, kind of, with the characters, but not enough. You have the Scottish master sorcerer who just oozes low-rate-Sean Connery/Brian Cox-vibes of 'Do you want to solve this [magic] crime' (Rising Sun, anyone?), and the other lackluster viewpoint characters, and very hammed up Thule Society villains, and a main character who is (seemingly really anachronistic to me, but maybe it's just me and I'm off base with this, but, Cade? Really, that's the best you can do.) just not likable but seems to be the Magic Savior of the Allies for Reasons...
leave me hesitant to plunk down money to read the second book...
But that's probably what I'll do at Christmas because we each get through the holidays and the resultant slow-burn of familial quasi-strife and unpleasantness in our own ways.
And my way is schlock sci-fi and fantasy because I have problems that I probably should address with a paid professional, but, really, why bother with that when reading about this sort of thing is much cheaper and requires no appointment, right?
I am giving this book three stars because the world-building, again, is just tops. The characters and dialogue (oh, the dialogue) leave...many things to be desired. It is not the sort of book you'd be quoting to your friends unless you have some sort of bad fantasy quote drinking game which if I drank anymore, yeah, I'd play that game, and while this wouldn't win (though everyone wins in Swords and Shots), it'd get you good and hammered. If you want great literature, which, sure, that's what you're looking for reading this review, I can recommend a bunch of really top notch writers. But this makes John Conroe look like Milton. (lots of love to John Conroe)...if you want to read good trashy fantasy, read that, but this...I mean, read it, but...only so I can have someone to talk to about how cool the magic system is and how it is nice to see someone else who finally paid attention to the Ars Goetia, for once.
Everything else kind of...is not the best. It isn't horrible, but...it just...isn't that...good. Or good at all, really, but sometimes you need bad fiction to unwind and unplug because you're staying with your family for a week of shit and you just want to turn your brain off and this will do that...
But in the same way everclear will. You will be mildly embarrassed if your friends found you with this book on your shelf. In your kindle where only you can see and you can lie and say it is something more highbrow like Alan Furst (Furst is leagues above this, even without magic...though if Furst wanted to share this world, the shit he could do in it would be fucking golden, but maybe that'll be my little fanfic project that I write and then burn)...it's a fine thing to have, but make it look like you are drinking something mildly classier than this everclear of spy-fantasy. The author tries, kind of, with the characters, but not enough. You have the Scottish master sorcerer who just oozes low-rate-Sean Connery/Brian Cox-vibes of 'Do you want to solve this [magic] crime' (Rising Sun, anyone?), and the other lackluster viewpoint characters, and very hammed up Thule Society villains, and a main character who is (seemingly really anachronistic to me, but maybe it's just me and I'm off base with this, but, Cade? Really, that's the best you can do.) just not likable but seems to be the Magic Savior of the Allies for Reasons...
leave me hesitant to plunk down money to read the second book...
But that's probably what I'll do at Christmas because we each get through the holidays and the resultant slow-burn of familial quasi-strife and unpleasantness in our own ways.
And my way is schlock sci-fi and fantasy because I have problems that I probably should address with a paid professional, but, really, why bother with that when reading about this sort of thing is much cheaper and requires no appointment, right?
I am giving this book three stars because the world-building, again, is just tops. The characters and dialogue (oh, the dialogue) leave...many things to be desired. It is not the sort of book you'd be quoting to your friends unless you have some sort of bad fantasy quote drinking game which if I drank anymore, yeah, I'd play that game, and while this wouldn't win (though everyone wins in Swords and Shots), it'd get you good and hammered. If you want great literature, which, sure, that's what you're looking for reading this review, I can recommend a bunch of really top notch writers. But this makes John Conroe look like Milton. (lots of love to John Conroe)...if you want to read good trashy fantasy, read that, but this...I mean, read it, but...only so I can have someone to talk to about how cool the magic system is and how it is nice to see someone else who finally paid attention to the Ars Goetia, for once.
December 15, 2019
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I am a pretty easy grader. If I enjoy something, if I can lose myself in it for the period I'm reading it, if it induces me to think about the setting or characters, then I am a soft touch for a "five-star" rating.
This book met those criteria. It was a page-turner that took us from setting up through conflicts to resolution and planted the seeds of a second story without leaving us hanging.
The storyline introduces Cade Martin on the eve of World War II. Cade is an American at Oxford, returning to the US with his parents to avoid the war. Their ship - the Athena - is sunk and his parents are killed by a Kraken. The next thing we know is Cade is recruited into a super-secret fraternity of sorcerers. In author David Mack's universe, all "magick" is performed by "yoking" demons. The demons perform because of rituals that involve mortgaging the soul of the adept ("Karcist") for future damnation.
Naturally, Cade is the "chosen one" and masters the system quickly, which is good because World War II is clicking along and the Nazis have their own Karcists working for them. The ending of the book resolves itself through missions involving Point du Hoc and the Firebombing of Dresden.
The characters are fairly two dimensional with simple motivation. The magic system seems like it would make a good card game where players would select no more than ten demons to yoke and battle each other, e.g., The flaming scimitars of BARTISON against the invisible cloak of GORGONEX. (Honestly, this got tedious and laughable at some points, but I could see the attraction for the YA readers.)
A nit I had to pick was the "cosmological reveal" where we find out that humans don't get to go to Heaven or Hell. This seemed to take away the existential conundrum of trafficking with demons. I felt that this was almost a requirement for modern urban fantasy, i.e., obviously, no one believes in that religion nonsense in a world where there are actual demons. Disappointing, actually.
The end of the book leaves us with the burgeoning Cold War as the Allies and Soviet Union seem to be cooking up their own demon-yoking systems to go along with their nuclear weapons.
I don't know if I will read the sequel. That may be in the distant future, but I did enjoy this book
I am a pretty easy grader. If I enjoy something, if I can lose myself in it for the period I'm reading it, if it induces me to think about the setting or characters, then I am a soft touch for a "five-star" rating.
This book met those criteria. It was a page-turner that took us from setting up through conflicts to resolution and planted the seeds of a second story without leaving us hanging.
The storyline introduces Cade Martin on the eve of World War II. Cade is an American at Oxford, returning to the US with his parents to avoid the war. Their ship - the Athena - is sunk and his parents are killed by a Kraken. The next thing we know is Cade is recruited into a super-secret fraternity of sorcerers. In author David Mack's universe, all "magick" is performed by "yoking" demons. The demons perform because of rituals that involve mortgaging the soul of the adept ("Karcist") for future damnation.
Naturally, Cade is the "chosen one" and masters the system quickly, which is good because World War II is clicking along and the Nazis have their own Karcists working for them. The ending of the book resolves itself through missions involving Point du Hoc and the Firebombing of Dresden.
The characters are fairly two dimensional with simple motivation. The magic system seems like it would make a good card game where players would select no more than ten demons to yoke and battle each other, e.g., The flaming scimitars of BARTISON against the invisible cloak of GORGONEX. (Honestly, this got tedious and laughable at some points, but I could see the attraction for the YA readers.)
A nit I had to pick was the "cosmological reveal" where we find out that humans don't get to go to Heaven or Hell. This seemed to take away the existential conundrum of trafficking with demons. I felt that this was almost a requirement for modern urban fantasy, i.e., obviously, no one believes in that religion nonsense in a world where there are actual demons. Disappointing, actually.
The end of the book leaves us with the burgeoning Cold War as the Allies and Soviet Union seem to be cooking up their own demon-yoking systems to go along with their nuclear weapons.
I don't know if I will read the sequel. That may be in the distant future, but I did enjoy this book
March 14, 2018
This book took me by surprise. It was so action packed and fast paced.
It was easy for me to get into. In a lot of fantasies, the world is made up and it takes a long time to explain the world to the reader. This book takes place during World War II, a time which many people learn about in school and already know about to some degree. It took place along with all the events of the war, not changing anything. It explains things differently than history explains them.
The main character is Cade. At the beginning he doesn't know anything about magick. Once he meets Adair, he has a lot to learn. We learn it with him. His questions were questions I wanted answers to and when he repeated answers back to Adair, it was something we needed to remember or may have forgotten.
The chapters in this book were sometimes headed with month names. I think that was very helpful to keep track of the years this book took place (and reference with the actual history). It also cut out anything unnecessary in my opinion. It felt like all we got were the scenes that mattered.
There were many things in the book that made it feel very realistic even though it was about magick. Stefan, another one of Adair's adepts, had a job to find and retrieve a codex inside enemy territory. Does he get it on his first try? No, it took him many months to even find it and even more months to get it back. There are also many graphic scenes on the front lines of the war and things done to Jews (Auschwitz etc). I feel like in a lot of fighting/graphic scenes in books, the characters just fight/watch it and get on with it. In this one, these things are so intense and the characters truly act like it is. They throw up and cry and freeze up and get scared among other things. This book was annotated by the author and he said in one of the annotations, a lot of the scenes came directly from first hand accounts of soldiers.
One of my favorite characters was Adair, the master. He was very smart and protective. He was also strong and always fought for good. He also had the best insults like "sod a dog, you beetle-headed basket-cockle."
Although it took me a while to get though this book, I really did enjoy it and gave it 4 stars.
It was easy for me to get into. In a lot of fantasies, the world is made up and it takes a long time to explain the world to the reader. This book takes place during World War II, a time which many people learn about in school and already know about to some degree. It took place along with all the events of the war, not changing anything. It explains things differently than history explains them.
The main character is Cade. At the beginning he doesn't know anything about magick. Once he meets Adair, he has a lot to learn. We learn it with him. His questions were questions I wanted answers to and when he repeated answers back to Adair, it was something we needed to remember or may have forgotten.
The chapters in this book were sometimes headed with month names. I think that was very helpful to keep track of the years this book took place (and reference with the actual history). It also cut out anything unnecessary in my opinion. It felt like all we got were the scenes that mattered.
There were many things in the book that made it feel very realistic even though it was about magick. Stefan, another one of Adair's adepts, had a job to find and retrieve a codex inside enemy territory. Does he get it on his first try? No, it took him many months to even find it and even more months to get it back. There are also many graphic scenes on the front lines of the war and things done to Jews (Auschwitz etc). I feel like in a lot of fighting/graphic scenes in books, the characters just fight/watch it and get on with it. In this one, these things are so intense and the characters truly act like it is. They throw up and cry and freeze up and get scared among other things. This book was annotated by the author and he said in one of the annotations, a lot of the scenes came directly from first hand accounts of soldiers.
One of my favorite characters was Adair, the master. He was very smart and protective. He was also strong and always fought for good. He also had the best insults like "sod a dog, you beetle-headed basket-cockle."
Although it took me a while to get though this book, I really did enjoy it and gave it 4 stars.
March 15, 2022
In a word, disappointing. A chosen one trope with a potentially interesting magic system but sadly, the story just bored me. I found I had to force myself to pick it up. And finally, a little more than half-way through, I started skimming, skipping entire sections, and then read the last few chapters. I found I missed nothing.
WWII is an interesting backdrop for this book, especially given Hitler's apparent obsessions' with the occult. And so the world building is rich. I have the Page Habit copy of the book and one of the author's annotations is that he drew from first-hand accounts, particularly of D-Day. But the story's biggest issue was that the author tried to cram too much into this novel. Almost detailing the war month-by-month, it got a bit much. And then trying to follow nearly all the characters, not only Cade, but Anja, Stephan, Niko, Briet, etc. And so none of the characters were really well developed. All felt a bit flat despite the author's attempt to flesh them out (e.g., Stephan's sister, Anja's brother). And the writing got a bit tedious. The author must be a serious WWII buff because the detail got a bit much. The dialogue felt stilted and not always genuine. There were several conversations where I stopped and wondered if a real person would actually react that way. Maybe, but if I'm even questioning it, then it's disrupting the flow of the story.
The magic system was an interesting concept, but I felt that it wasn't fully developed. It stayed one-dimensional and so it got a bit boring. Yoke a demon, then magic is performed by that particular demon's attributes. Both sides were drawing from the same sets of demons. Ultimately, it felt more like playing a RPG game. And the fact that the chosen one learned magic *just like that* whereas his fellow adepts had taken years. Although the author provides an explanation, it felt too convenient.
The author makes some comments on racism and religion but these comments really get buried and where these comments are in the book didn't work. It was a bit too late in my opinion to provide any worth to the story.
WWII is an interesting backdrop for this book, especially given Hitler's apparent obsessions' with the occult. And so the world building is rich. I have the Page Habit copy of the book and one of the author's annotations is that he drew from first-hand accounts, particularly of D-Day. But the story's biggest issue was that the author tried to cram too much into this novel. Almost detailing the war month-by-month, it got a bit much. And then trying to follow nearly all the characters, not only Cade, but Anja, Stephan, Niko, Briet, etc. And so none of the characters were really well developed. All felt a bit flat despite the author's attempt to flesh them out (e.g., Stephan's sister, Anja's brother). And the writing got a bit tedious. The author must be a serious WWII buff because the detail got a bit much. The dialogue felt stilted and not always genuine. There were several conversations where I stopped and wondered if a real person would actually react that way. Maybe, but if I'm even questioning it, then it's disrupting the flow of the story.
The magic system was an interesting concept, but I felt that it wasn't fully developed. It stayed one-dimensional and so it got a bit boring. Yoke a demon, then magic is performed by that particular demon's attributes. Both sides were drawing from the same sets of demons. Ultimately, it felt more like playing a RPG game. And the fact that the chosen one learned magic *just like that* whereas his fellow adepts had taken years. Although the author provides an explanation, it felt too convenient.
The author makes some comments on racism and religion but these comments really get buried and where these comments are in the book didn't work. It was a bit too late in my opinion to provide any worth to the story.
May 4, 2021
In reality 3 stars. For me personally 2.5 stars.
I should have loved this. Maybe not the most original concept (Dennis Wheatley was covering WWII occultism and demons about 70 yrs ago after all) but still a good concept and definitely in my wheelhouse. Unfortunately the story did not live up to the idea. I am not a concept first reader. I require excellent characterisation, good world building and most of all Story is King. So while I enjoyed parts of this there were long tracts that did not intrest me. None of the characters felt well developed enough. Cade - the MC - had grown older by the end of the book but not really changed otherwise. Ditto Anja or any of the others (most of whom were dead to be fair).
The historical detail often didn't mesh with the fantasy aspects. The cast was mostly male, straight and white - which is fine because authors owe is nothing but I have read hundreds of books with this sort of cast before authors started allowing women to be more than just femme fetales or sexy lamps, and it just doesn't hold my interest. It's still a legitimate pov for a story but it's not one I will pick now there are other optiobs. In the interest of honesty, there is one male character who is both poc and gay. He gets approximately 5 pages of screen time out of 400. So not exactly representative of what Britain or America was like during WWII. I applaud the author for not making his single female lead into the love interest though. At least not in this book.
So a frustrating read. Lots of good ideas. A setting which should have been ideal for me. In reality a fairly off the peg reading experience that was more boys own adventure shallow entertainment. Not terrible but clearly not for me.
I should have loved this. Maybe not the most original concept (Dennis Wheatley was covering WWII occultism and demons about 70 yrs ago after all) but still a good concept and definitely in my wheelhouse. Unfortunately the story did not live up to the idea. I am not a concept first reader. I require excellent characterisation, good world building and most of all Story is King. So while I enjoyed parts of this there were long tracts that did not intrest me. None of the characters felt well developed enough. Cade - the MC - had grown older by the end of the book but not really changed otherwise. Ditto Anja or any of the others (most of whom were dead to be fair).
The historical detail often didn't mesh with the fantasy aspects. The cast was mostly male, straight and white - which is fine because authors owe is nothing but I have read hundreds of books with this sort of cast before authors started allowing women to be more than just femme fetales or sexy lamps, and it just doesn't hold my interest. It's still a legitimate pov for a story but it's not one I will pick now there are other optiobs. In the interest of honesty, there is one male character who is both poc and gay. He gets approximately 5 pages of screen time out of 400. So not exactly representative of what Britain or America was like during WWII. I applaud the author for not making his single female lead into the love interest though. At least not in this book.
So a frustrating read. Lots of good ideas. A setting which should have been ideal for me. In reality a fairly off the peg reading experience that was more boys own adventure shallow entertainment. Not terrible but clearly not for me.
March 7, 2018
I was skeptical of the hype The Midnight Front had when I began it. There were certain things that slowed down the process of me getting deeply into the novel, like Cade being a bit whiny, his inner voice being a bit silly to me, little details.
But, as soon as the novel hit fortress Europe I was sold. Especially when we follow Stephan and Niko into their respective operations behind enemy lines. Mack has a talent for weaving historical events with the Dark Arts, and he also brought forth a number of lesser known atrocities of the war into the limelight (such as the Babi Yar massacre). His research into demonology and kabbalistic cosmology was also very well done and well woven into the novel.
While the beginning wasn't glorious, the rest of the novel did much more than compensate, and Mack certainly did not have qualms about playing hardball with his characters. There were some surprising revelations as the climax approached that gave depth to the novel that I did not expect, and I ended up quite pleased with Cade's growth from annoying little brat into a Ranger and master Karcist.
One thing that did irk me a tad was that there were setups for important encounters, ambushes, and battles, that we didn't get to see, but we did get to hear about it after the fact. To show them would have made the novel 200 pages thicker, but I would have enjoyed seeing those scenes in detail. That said, I understand the need to keep the plot rolling, so in the novel, glossing over them worked.
I am curious to see how the series develops, and will definitely pick up the next novel in the series.
But, as soon as the novel hit fortress Europe I was sold. Especially when we follow Stephan and Niko into their respective operations behind enemy lines. Mack has a talent for weaving historical events with the Dark Arts, and he also brought forth a number of lesser known atrocities of the war into the limelight (such as the Babi Yar massacre). His research into demonology and kabbalistic cosmology was also very well done and well woven into the novel.
While the beginning wasn't glorious, the rest of the novel did much more than compensate, and Mack certainly did not have qualms about playing hardball with his characters. There were some surprising revelations as the climax approached that gave depth to the novel that I did not expect, and I ended up quite pleased with Cade's growth from annoying little brat into a Ranger and master Karcist.
One thing that did irk me a tad was that there were setups for important encounters, ambushes, and battles, that we didn't get to see, but we did get to hear about it after the fact. To show them would have made the novel 200 pages thicker, but I would have enjoyed seeing those scenes in detail. That said, I understand the need to keep the plot rolling, so in the novel, glossing over them worked.
I am curious to see how the series develops, and will definitely pick up the next novel in the series.
June 27, 2024
I didn't know what to expect going into this book, and while I did enjoy the story, I really expected something different to what I got. I expected a kind of cross between Harry Potter and Captain America movie in style, but it was more a small group of Allied magicians (called karcists) fighting against another small group of karcists working with the Nazis and the Thule Society.
The plot sees Cade Martin, an American leaving Britain at the beginning of the Second World War, along with his parents. The ship they are on is attacked by a demon, and his parents sacrifice themselves to save Cade's life. He's found by a trio of karcists, and taken to a remote castle in Scotland, where he learns the art of Magic and Demon-summoning.
It turns out that Cade was magically bonded to an Angel to be able to fight on the side of Good, against Kein, who is magically bonded to a Demon, and who is using the Nazis to achieve his ultimate plan, to rid the world of science so that Magic can reign.
After several sub-plots dealing with the Jewish Holocaust and the Battle of Stalingrad and the D-Day landings take place, with both sides suffering through defeats and victories, it comes down to a one on one battle between Cade and Kein, and depending on who wins, Earth will suffer from a permanent Gate to Hell opening to allow demons to take over the world, or the Gate remaining closed.
It's not a bad book, but it needed a little more actual fighting in it, and a little less intrigue and spying for me to really want to recommend it. The next book sounds like it takes place in the early Cold War years, so I look forward to reading that.
The plot sees Cade Martin, an American leaving Britain at the beginning of the Second World War, along with his parents. The ship they are on is attacked by a demon, and his parents sacrifice themselves to save Cade's life. He's found by a trio of karcists, and taken to a remote castle in Scotland, where he learns the art of Magic and Demon-summoning.
It turns out that Cade was magically bonded to an Angel to be able to fight on the side of Good, against Kein, who is magically bonded to a Demon, and who is using the Nazis to achieve his ultimate plan, to rid the world of science so that Magic can reign.
After several sub-plots dealing with the Jewish Holocaust and the Battle of Stalingrad and the D-Day landings take place, with both sides suffering through defeats and victories, it comes down to a one on one battle between Cade and Kein, and depending on who wins, Earth will suffer from a permanent Gate to Hell opening to allow demons to take over the world, or the Gate remaining closed.
It's not a bad book, but it needed a little more actual fighting in it, and a little less intrigue and spying for me to really want to recommend it. The next book sounds like it takes place in the early Cold War years, so I look forward to reading that.
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