“There are no good guys in the world of shadows … but maybe some bad men are better than others.”
So goes the hook for Esoterrorism, by CT Phipps. The novel focuses on Derek Hawthorne, a Red Room agent sort of like a James Bond of the supernatural. On the trail of a powerful wizard-terrorist, Derek finds himself saddled with a new, unwanted, but very sexy, partner. He also finds himself suddenly facing the possibility that his ex-wife is in league with the terrorists. Which puts him in an awkward situation, to say the least.
Like most of what I’ve read of Phipps’ novels, this book is just plain fun. It gets dark at times, takes on a well-constructed banter at others, and goes full tilt action/spy thriller when necessary. There’s a lot of backstory and mythos built in, but it doesn’t get cumbersome. Derek and Shannon make a good team and slightly less effective couple. I think they just moved a little fast for my taste in terms of believability with the intensity of their relationship. My favorite character, however, is Uncle Ben. He’s only in it for a short time, but he kicks ass.
Overall, Esoterrorism, which is the first book in the Red Room series, is a solid read. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series.
4.5 stars.
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C.T Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek. He is a regular reviewer for Booknest.EU and Grimdark Magazine.
He's written Agent G, Cthulhu Armageddon, Lucifer's Star, I was a Teenage Weredeer, and The Supervillainy Saga.
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