Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard
(Headline, 2010, PB, £7.99)
This is an easy, entertaining read, that reminds very much of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett at their most mischievous, which of course is a good thing. The titular Johannes Cabal is on a mission to win back his soul from Satan and he has one year to do it. The catch is that he needs to find one hundred souls in exchange…
There is a fearless humour at work here, matched by some accomplished plotting from debut novelist Howard, and his writing is skilful with some pleasingly dextrous bouts of wordplay. A cast of colourful characters (mainly grotesque and/or undead) coupled with boundless imagination make this an essential read for those looking for something new and excellent. A superb debut novel.
Andy Jamieson, Editor
Please note: This review originally appeared in issue 5 of the Edinburgh Geekzine newsletter, published in spring 2010.
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