Sunday, October 6, 2013

Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute





Johannes Cabal is an anti-social Necromancer. He is invited by three members of The Fear Institute to help them on their expedition to the Dreamlands to find the Phobic Animus--the embodiment of fear. Having long desired access to the Dreamlands, Cabal agrees to act as a guide for the party. Not particularly caring for the company of those that hired him, he begins scheming as soon as he is paid, for a way to get rid of them. Practicality stays his hand for the moment, after all, unknown monsters await, but there is a tempting cliff in the distance...

I was pleased that the main character was a Necromancer. Often in fantasy the role of a necromancer is only briefly brought up, and usually as a foe to defeat. It was refreshing to see one portrayed in the main role of a story. Cabal does not struggle with morality, and is very much an anti-hero, which suits his character well.

I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Program.* This is the third book in the series. I have not read the first two, but it was fine as a stand alone book. There were some clear references to past adventures, but it created no difficulty in the flow or understanding of the story. I really enjoyed this book, and can not wait to read the first two books in the series: Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer, and Johannes Cabal: The Detective.

I found this book to be a unique humorous tale told in an entertaining manner. I did not want to put it down. I don't think I can say enough good things about it. It is a new favorite, and I am happy to give it a spot on My Favorite Books List. I would highly recommend entering the world of the necromancer Johannes Cabal.

*The Goodreads First Reads program does not require winners to give a review. They are encouraged to review the book, as the authors and publishers offering the books for free are trying to get the public interested in their book. If a review is given, it is not stipulated that it should be positive or negative, only an honest review.

8 comments:

  1. It sounds like a series I'd be interested in. I've been wanting lately to read a story where the protagonist is an anti-hero. There are too many bumbling, but eager heroes. I'd like a main character that is highly capable and doesn't obsess with saving people (or even really want to), even if they end up doing so for their own ends.

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    1. I thought it was an excellent book, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the books. There should be more anti-heroes! I like a character that can be honest with themselves, and realize they are not the proper person everyone struggles to be.

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  2. I love Johannes Cabal, & Howard's writing is top notch, but I've enjoyed each book slightly less than its predecessor. In the first book Cabal had a goal & a plan right from the off, but the next two seemed to put a very proactive character in a more reactive role. Further, the suddenly steampunk setting of the second book was a bit jarring, & I really wish that Howard would have stayed away from the Dreamlands Cycle/Cthulhu Mythos entirely (Lovecraft purist that I am). That said, the third book did end with a great (if predictable) hook, & I will definitely be reading the fourth installment when it comes out. Who knows, maybe it will retroactively justify the second & third?

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    1. I'm glad to see that you like Johannes Cabal. I still need to read the first two books, so I'm not sure how they compare. I am greatly looking forward to the experience though. I am also not as familiar with the original Lovecraft tales, so it is hard for me to say how well it was portrayed here. I too am looking forward to the fourth book. It would be nice if it tied them all together to make the others more appreciated.

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    2. Normally if I read a series & say "each book is better than the next" that's a bad thing, & while it's never ideal, if any writer could tie a series together & improve on each individual book with a cohesive overall storyline it's J. L. Howard. If my expectations for Cabal's sequels are so high, it is only because this is a great author with great characters who has a story to tell, & I very much look forward to future Cabal stories.

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    3. Why do you think it is bad for each book in a series to improve? Or is that just when you like the first book so much? I often find the first book in a series to be an introduction, and can often be improved on, and enjoyed more, once the preliminaries are out of the way. I'm not saying that there is always a huge improvement, and might even agree that there should not be a huge difference in overall quality of the story and writing, but I do not mind a story progressing in depth and quality as it continues. I also have many cases where I think a random book later in the series is not good at all and find myself very disappointed after loving the previous book(s) in the series, it simply depends on where the author takes the story and how they write it.

      I agree that Howard is a great author, and his series has a lot of potential. I am looking forward to returning to his characters and the world he has created.

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    4. Sorry, I should have constructed that sentence better. What I meant was that it's not ideal for the first installment to be the best.
      (I should acknowledge at this point that everything I've said is based completely off of my own opinion)

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    5. I understand what you meant now. I'm glad you have opinions and are sharing them. That is one of the things I wanted when creating this blog. To share my opinions on the books I read, and to discover what other people think.

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