Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Reviews

Book Review: A Shot in the Dark

By Sandy Amazeen Jun 28, 2011, 15:44 GMT

THE ENEMY OF HIS ENEMYJesse James Dawson is a Champion, putting his life on the line for those foolish enough to bargain with demons and fighting to save their souls. But even a Champion needs some downtime, so Jesse takes his annual camping trip to Colorado for some male bonding over friendly games of paintball.Unfortunately, the fun and war games are interrupted by a pack of creatures summoned up from ...more

Jesse James Dawson is more then a mild mannered husband and the father of a lovely little girl, he is a champion who fights for those humans stupid enough to bargain with demons. Jesse places his life on the line every time he faces off against a demon for a human’s soul. It’s difficult work that takes a serious toll on the mind and body which is why a week of playing paintball with some friends in the Colorado Rockies is such a good idea. A warning from Jesse’s personal demon hints at impending danger on the mountainside but failed to adequately explain how dire their situation was about to become. An old advisory Jesse once vanquished has pulled out all the stops and nothing more then the champion’s death will end this knock down, drag out battle where demons keep coming back.

Fast paced and action packed, this quick read has enough battles, magics and demons to keep readers engaged to the last page. The characters are interesting, believable and appealing with witty dialog and some self-depreciating humor thrown in for good measure. Cameron, one of the guys taking part in the getaway proves Jesse right by turning out to be more then he appeared which adds a good twist. This different take on demons is a nice addition to the urban fantasy genre.