Clearly written in the early 00's with jokes and references anyone younger than 30 won't get. Slightly lazy writing which borders on the inane at certain points. The author constantly refers to moments as "pregnant" and incorporates such wonderful vocabulary as 'hirsute' from a character that is both admirably brave and intellectual but dumb as rocks. I'm on the fence but had a good chuckle here and there.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own.* ( )

5 of 5 Stars

Not long ago, I received an advance copy of The Angel of the Abyss: A Jake Hatcher Thriller by Hank Schwaeble. Having previously read American Nocturne, I was excited about the prospect of reading more of Hank's work. Then I found out, the new novel is the third book in a series. Even though I was assured the new book works well as a stand-alone novel. I had to read the whole series. Maybe I have a touch of OCD.

Long story, slightly longer. I'm so glad I'm a completist. Had I not read Damnable, I would have missed a terrific read, and a Bram Stoker Award winner for best First Novel, which I didn't realize until after I read the book.

In the beginning of Damnable, the author shows a bit of his love for noir. It doesn't hold through the entire book, but it was nice to see.

At the counter nearby, the babe, a sultry minx with milky skin, sat sidesaddle on one of the stools, smartly arrayed in a taupe linen skirt and vest, sipping her coffee like a lounging starlet nursing a gin and tonic.

The we meet Jake Hatcher, in military prison, basically for doing his job, perhaps a bit too well. When Jake is released to attend the funereal of a brother he never knew he had, things start going sideways, quickly.

Meet Valentine, an amazingly well-crafted villain and a truly despicable character, bent on bringing an end to heaven. His scheme is complex and includes a monster he calls the Get of Damnation.

They stood there watching as the thing in the cage finished the heart. It ate it like a piece of fruit, crouched over, shifting its weight on its haunches, hiding partially behind its shoulder, looking sideways at them every few seconds. Between bites.

They say the devil is in the details and some of the smallest bits in Damnable are some of my favorites, like Jake Hatcher's mother's obsession with flamingos. Certainly not needed, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Schwaeble creates powerful images, both with spurts of lyrical prose and the ability to get down and dirty when he needs to. Damnable is both a captivating and horrifying read. It's also an adult read,with both hardcore sex and extreme violence, all totally relevant to the story.

There are a number of well timed twists throughout Damnable, enough to keep the reader guessing to the very end.

Published by Jove, Damnable is available in both Paperback and e-book formats.

Hank Schwaeble is a writer and attorney in Houston, Texas. His debut novel, Damnable, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. He is also the author of Diabolical, and the soon to be published, the Angel of the Abyss (all three in the Jake Hatcher series). Hank is also the author of the horror-noir collection American Nocturne and numerous short stories.

Hank is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers Association. ( )

You may read the entire book here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/01/review-damnable-by-hank-schwaeble.html

Jake Hatcher is a man with a problem. A special military operative, he’s been wrongly imprisoned, and on the day of his release, finds out his brother has been killed; a brother he never even knew existed. This mystery begins a journey for Hank that will take him into the darkest heart of man, and beyond.

Damnable is a wonderful debut novel, and Jake Hatcher is my kind of hero! In a sea of kick ass, tough chicks, he’s a male hero to root for! Wisecracking, resourceful, and tough, I had a blast following Jake as he battled zombies, half-human, half-demons, and his own growing feelings for a certain beautiful woman. I loved the author’s unique take on heaven and hell, and the creatures that inhabit them. Add to the mix Demetrius, a truly nasty villain that loves a good torture chamber, the mystery of Jake’s brother, plus a dash of romance, and you have a fun, fast-paced read! I couldn’t help thinking that Damnable just about has something for everyone, however, with Schwaeble’s talent for description, the violence may make you squirm a little. That said, I never felt that anything was gratuitous. If anything, it appealed to the horror fan in me, and gave us a picture window into the villian’s twisted psyche.

The novel switches from third person view between Jake and Demetrius, and the only complaint I have is I would have loved to have Jake’s passages be first person. Although, Schwaeble makes up for this with fun asides of Jake’s funny, sarcastic train of thought.

Damnable won the 2009 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, and it shows! It’s a testament to the author’s talent when he can make an over-the-top plot seem believable and make us sympathize with a hero that has such a shadowed past, but we do, and for me, that makes it a successful story. If you loved Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger, or Nelson DeMille’s John Corey, then you’ll love Jake! I know I do, and I’ll follow him anywhere!
5/5 ( )

Damnable, the surprising debut novel by Hank Schwaeble, is well written, intricately crafted, highly imaginative, and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. It features a likeable and sympathetic hero, a diabolical villain, and a cast of supporting characters that enhances the fast-paced plot. It’s a quick, enjoyable read.

But the book has a big problem in its sexual content, which is so overdone and explicit that the narrative seems more like erotica than thriller in spots. This unfortunately detracts significantly from the otherwise highly engaging story.

The plot centers on Jake Hatcher, a wrongly imprisoned ex-military man. When he receives word that his brother has died—a brother he didn’t even know he had—he is temporarily released to assist his grieving mother with funeral arrangements. The trouble starts when he begins investigating the circumstances of his mysterious brother’s death. As Hatcher uncovers a series of increasingly confusing and disturbing clues, all signs seem to indicate that something very sinister is unfolding. Soon Hatcher comes face to face with true evil, and when he does, all bets are off as to whether he has what it takes to prevail.

There’s a lot to like about this book. The writing is good. The hero is sympathetic and realistic and displays an appealing combination of street-honed toughness and cerebral dexterity. Schwaeble does an admirable job of building the suspense and tension from the first pages right to the climactic conclusion. The story contains a nice blend of mystery, fantasy, and dark thriller characteristics. But the positives are seriously marred by the overdone sexuality and crass language. The depiction of evil in the book is stark and graphic as well.

The title is derived from Jake Hatcher’s description of himself when he reveals why he was imprisoned: after a politically sensitive operation, someone in his special-forces unit had to take the fall, and he was chosen—the damnable one.

In the end, the book’s positives don’t outweigh its negatives. Hopefully, with his next book, Schwaeble will focus more on the aspects of his writing that almost make this book really good and less on the explicitness and vulgarity that overshadow it. ( )