The Sacred Radiance, The Dragon and His Wrath, A Vital Breath (Paxton Locke Books 4-6) By Daniel Humphreys

Paxton Locke is that one kid from high school who didn't want to come to your after prom party because he was afraid he'd get in trouble. The twist comes when he decides that it's safer to go rob a bank or sumfin'. Like seriously, Paxton would be so much better off if he had a clue how much trouble he was getting himself into. That seems to be the common them of The Sacred Radiance, The Dragon and His Wrath, and A Vital Breath, Books Four through Six in the Paxton Locke series. 

Seriously, Locke has an issue with authority. Fans of the earlier books will realize that this is probably due to complications in his relationship with his abusive mother, who murdered his father. When your first authority figure is sick, twisted, depraved, deranged and in general not known for worrying about your well-being it kind of makes you a bit less than trusting of the people who are giving you orders. Paxton though, never lets his dislike of taking orders threaten himself or his partners.

No, it seems that he has other ways to do that. Locke is an extremely powerful mage who uses his arcane abilities in ways that aren't quite as safe as some others would prefer. He has a tendency to cast first and ask questions later. In fact, I'm not totally convinced that he has the knowledge to begin asking the right questions just yet, and I find that worrisome, although it doesn't seem to bother him much. 

Right from the beginning of Sacred Radiance Paxton seems to be learning a lot about not being a loner anymore, in both his private and professional lives. His career started off driving around the country in a motor home, all alone and never settling in one spot. Now he has a woman who means the world to him and a team that he is part of and accountable to. It makes a big difference in his life and in his job and he's adapting but it's harder than maybe he thought. I like that about the character though.

Paxton Locke is a character that is impulsive, perhaps a bit selfish at times and who quite frequently fails to make the most prudent decision possible given his situation, but he is eminently believable. Locke makes a list I have of characters that I almost feel like I've sat at a table and had a conversation with, because he's that lifelike and consistent. 

Seriously, I've compared the sensation of a new book coming out in one of my favorite series to having an old friend stop by for dinner. Paxton is a guy who could come in, have a glass of pop (Jimbo is not a coffee drinker and I don't own a coffee pot) or something stronger, and hang out for awhile telling me about his latest exploits. I'm sure we could all have a good laugh about the time he pulled all the en...

Yeah, never mind that ginormous spoiler. It sure was fun though.

I'm hoping that, since Book Five is literally named The Dragon and His Wrath, I can get away with revealing that it had a dragon in it. I love Humphreys's take on dragons. I've always preferred the intelligent, conniving, ruthless style dragon ala Dragonlance or the Temeraire series (I hope I spelled that right) over the mindless, crude, animals like the ones depicted in Harry Potter or Harry Turtledove's World at War series. Kudos to Humphreys for getting it right where two far more famous authors didn't. 

And listen, it's not my fault those other two authors are more famous. I'm sitting right here promoting Humphreys's work. Have you left your review on Amazon? If I can knock out a thousand words (my usual minimum) you can knock out twenty. It ain't hard folks. Who doesn't like telling everybody about something they like? And no, it's not your fault personally, but word of mouth worked for Larry Correia (twice, Monster Hunter International was originally self-published and Dead Six started off on a gun forum. Of course, that helped Mike Kupari get started too.) and Andy Weir (The Martian also appeared on a forum site, this one for science nerds I think) so we can make it work for some of these indy authors, too. For the record, I wasn't involved in any of these incidents. I'm just evilly plotting to help good authors sell good books.

But please tell me you're not just noticing that.

No, really PLEASE tell me you've picked up on that at some point.

In A Vital Breath, Locke pushes the Fwoosh Button  and heads off into the multiverse. I love this book because alternate realities are something I'm really into. I have been since I read my first alt-hist book right after my father passed. Locke does some bouncing, runs into some old friends, and does some things that might not technically be considered a responsible use of magic. It was a lot of fun. I wanna try. I mean, I know magics not real and that it's not actually possible, but I wanna do that one thing that he does. Of course, the reason he has to do it sucks..

But every story has to have a problem right? And, trust me, at that point he has one. It's not a problem I'd want to deal with, that's for sure. I mean, unless I could do the thing.

Actually, not even then.

And on the way, Locke runs into some old friends and finds some new ones. I was really happy to see another friend in particular, even if it was only for a second. I'm not going to say who it was but if you read this blog and you can't figure it out on your own, you need to work on your reading comprehension skills.

Parts of the story focus more on Agent Valentine as well and I like that. Valentine is a bad ass with a lot going on and I'm not really sure what his story is (and that's intentional on Humphreys's part) but maybe when Humphreys gets sick of Locke he can do a series of Valentine prequels. That sounds like it would probably be a lot of fun and I'd buy them. I'm just sayin'.

 Overall, the only complaint I have about any of these books is that I can never read them again for the first time. I mean, I'm the guy who used to hang out in his grandma's basement watching the Star Wars films every holiday instead of socializing, but there's just something about that first time through and not knowing what's coming next. Speaking of which, there has to be a next book and I can't wait for it.

One last word of warning: These are not stand-alone novels. I highly recommend starting this series at the beginning. It'll make a lot more sense that way and they're all good books. 

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Frozen Lakes

The Sacred Radiance
Daniel Humphreys
Self Published, 2022

The Dragon and His Wrath
Daniel Humphreys
Self Published, 2022

A Vital Breath
Daniel Humphreys
Self Published, 2022

The books above can be purchased at the links below. If you click a link and buy literally anything from Amazon, I get a small percentage at no additional cost to you.

Come, Seeling Night by Daniel Humphreys

(Uhh... I'm not sure if this is supposed to be posted here or not. The book is available on the Silver Empire website but is not up on Amazon yet. If it disappears, just know that someone asked me to take it down. Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission though, right?)

Have you even been hardcore convinced of something in a series of books and had the author break your assumption into little bits and then feed it to you? Okay, right. That happens a lot. But have you ever been HAPPY about it? Yeah. That's me on reading the latest by Daniel Humphreys: Come, Seeling Night. I found out that I was not anywhere near as knowledgeable about this series as I thought I was. I love it.

See, Come Seeling Night opens up a much wider universe. I had assumed that this would be a series of stories about Paxton Locke versus his mother. Don't get me wrong. She is a major villain in the book. I'm just saying that by the time it's over you get the feeling that there is much more out there. This is not just a story about one dude and one enemy. Paxton Locke, our hero, finds himself surprised as well.

That's good. As he discovers things so do we. It's been that way this whole series but I had thought that most of the worldbuilding surprises were over. Apparently, so did Paxton. His eyes are much more open now and he knows that more is coming. It's kind of ironic. As the world opens further, I find myself expecting it to get even bigger. I'm excited to see where this goes.

Something else I like about Come, Seeling Night is the question it asks. (I'm not vouching that Humphreys actually had this in mind when he wrote it, but work with me here.) When is it too late to seek redemption? One of Paxton's major allies this time around is someone you wouldn't expect in a situation you wouldn't expect and, while they don't seem to be focused on redemption as a goal, they go a long way toward improving themselves at a point where you'd think they'd be done trying. I don't want to go any further than that, but I found that fascinating.

The other conundrum presented by Come, Seeling Night is this: How far is too far? If you thought you could save the entire world, what would you be willing to sacrifice? How far would you go? Is it okay to go that far? Is it NOT okay to go that far if it's the entire world in the balance? Do right and wrong even apply in that type of situation? This is complicated and it's probably a question that should be answered by someone with a much more philosophical bent than I have but it's a valid question.

Please do no misunderstand my intentions here: This is not a philosophical treatise. I haven't had the chance to talk Platonic perfection with Paxton Locke, but I have a feeling that he'd probably kick me in the pickle if I did. Dude is a man of action who is not afraid to take risks or a beating. If you haven't read the first two then trust me. Locke takes a bigger beating than anyone this side of Harry Dresden. I mean, I haven't seen Paxton cut a deal with a faerie queen yet, as a matter of fact I'm not even sure if the Fae even exist in the world of Paxton Locke, but I could see him doing it.

At the end of the day though, Paxton isn't the only character in the book who matters. His supporting cast is back, especially his girlfriend Cassie. There is a lot going on at multiple locations and we find ourselves hopping back and forth a bit. I like this technique because it brings things together in a way that forcing the story to go through one point of view character would not.

As an interesting (hopefully) aside, I hadn't heard of ley lines or nexuses until I got into the Rifts RPG as a teenager. I had always thought that the team at Palladium had invented the concept (they also used it in their Beyond the Supernatural RPG) but I'm seeing more and more stuff related to the concept and I'm guessing that not all of it came from one small RPG company. I've got some reading to do. *HORRORS* (Or sumfin')

I will say that Humphreys does a good job of introducing the concept and leading his characters to the appropriate conclusions. I'm not going to tell you what those are, but they make sense in the context of the universe and the books and add a lot to the story. I had a lot of fun with this.

As a matter of fact, Humphreys has a working knowledge of a lot of tropes, including another one he used in a manner that I hadn't seen before. And, if he mentioned a theory that has always driven me crazy and then gave it short shrift then good for him! I've always thought that one particular theory was a bit nutty anyway given that the square root of Pi divided by zero...

Ah, nevermind...

At any rate, it worked.

Oh, and kudos to Humphreys for not falling prey to J.K. Rowling Disease. I don't want to take this too far because I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan, but it kind of bothers me sometimes when you get the whole "hidden world" fiction and the author forgets the implications of magic existing in the twenty-first century, or when the characters in the book who have been raised outside of the magical society...

HARRY *COUGH* HERMIONE *COUGH*

I gotta get that looked at.

... seem to forget that not every tool is a magical tool and that sometimes you can solve problems without using cheap parlor tricks. Humphreys and Locke BOTH get that. I mean, I guess I'd be alright with flying someplace on a broom or in a Ford Anglia, but there are perfectly mundane ways to get things done as well and they, quite frankly, work better in a setting where the characters are trying to keep the hidden world hidden. It just makes sense.

Anyway, I gotta run. Duty calls. But buy the book. Read the book. Then come back and tell me I'm right.

Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Lost Companions

Come, Seeling Night
Daniel Humphreys
Silver Empire, 2019

Come, Seeling Night is available for purchase at the following link:

https://silverempire.org/product/come-seeling-night/

The first two books are available at the following links:

Daniel Humphreys's Night's Black Agents

One day soon I'm going to have to sit down and have a chat with one Mr. Daniel Humphreys. You see, Mr. Humphreys seems to enjoy messing with me by putting the best parts of the books right where I'm about to be interrupted. Now you, dear reader, may be tempted to tell me that Mr. Humphreys had no way to know during what part of his stories I would be interrupted while reading. Others out there may want to point out that even if he did, I am hardly his only reader and so why would he tailor everything to me? In response I can only state the obvious: I am the Great and Terrible Jimbo, sole possessor of Jimbosity and many other good things. My sheer amount of awesome and good looks is surpassed only by my incredible humility...

>AHEM< So, now that I've set all of your bullshit meters off... I received a copy of Daniel Humphreys's Night's Black Agents because I'm on his ARC team, so I get to review all of his stuff as soon as it comes out. Of course, it's always been my pleasure (all two times I've done it) because he writes really well. He gives us all some really believable characters and a world only slightly outside our own. Seriously, it's just far enough off to be interesting but close enough so that it all feels familiar. I really liked this one, in large part because of how well Humphreys blends the two worlds.

Our hero, once again, is Paxton Locke, budding mage and a Fade who can both see and communicate with ghosts. Locke is at war (and, despite my saying the same thing about my mother over some teenage spats this fits) with his mother Helen. Helen, you see, killed Paxton's father while Paxton watched. This was all covered in the first book Fade but it's worth repeating. It's not a fight he particularly wants. He's been forced into it by his mother who has broken out of prison and wants something that he has.

Helen Locke, for her part, is like a modern day female Raistlin Majere, only without the hourglass eyes and regret that saves the universe. She is four parts evil and no parts even tolerable. This is a woman who covets power for its own sake and will do whatever it takes to get it. She will lie, cheat, steal and murder. As a matter of fact, she has done all of the above and doesn't seem to be the slightest bit remorseful for any of it. I love to hate this chick. The only thing that I can kind of identify with about her is that she's chasing a rare book. Granted, it's a grimoire full of magic with potentially evil applications,but hey, it's a book, right?

Helen and her group of three followers make up a coven of witches that are actually pretty frightening. None of them are all that experienced in magic and mayhem but they more than make up for the lack with power and enthusiasm. These girls want to kick ass and they manage to do so. I can't help but wonder if a certain amount of subtlety might serve them better than just charging ahead seems to do, but that's how crass newbies act. They're dangerous enough already. If they actually get their poop in a group they're going to be horrifying effective. It's a good thing Paxton still has room to grow because things are looking rough for him in the near and far term future.

Of course, Paxton has friends too. The government agents in Division M are on Paxton's side. Well, for the most part. It's not like they actually TRUST him, but they damn sure don't like his mother so as long as he's up against her, they'll back him. Or maybe they'll use him, but whatever he needs the help. And if not everyone is who they seem to be, at least it's fun to watch him try to figure it out.

Of course, as far as Paxton knows, his mother isn't, and really shouldn't be, the main focus of his life. He finds out in the first chapter (or maybe two, I didn't take notes) that there are two missing young boys and that they've been taken by a cult. The cult appears to be out to sacrifice them. Mr. Locke, not wanting to see something terrible happen to two kids who have done absolutely nothing to deserve it, goes to their rescue. A large part of the book involves his search for them. He's not exactly clueless about the fact that his mother is looking for him. He just isn't focused on her because he has other things going on. He does realize that he has her grimoire and that she'll be looking for it but he has other things on his mind.

While I'm happy to say that this book features far less depravity than the first one, it is not without its fair share of mayhem and destruction. That's good though, because it just wouldn't be Paxton Locke without some blood (or maybe ichor) and gore at some point. Night's Black Agents, like Fade before it, has a very strong central conflict which can only be resolved though explosions and force blades and magicky stuff. (What's a force blade? Sorry, I can't tell you. I guess you'll have to buy the book to find out. I can tell you that it has nothing to do with Star Wars.) So, if you're a person who likes things that go BOOM, this is the book for you.

I can't really find anything to complain about. The book moves. The characters are believable. There really is never a chance to catch your breath, but that's a good thing. Humphreys switches back and forth between different point of view characters to always keep things fresh and moving forward. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind seeing this as a television/Netflix series once there are a few more books out. Humphreys's writing has an ability to consistently shift to wherever the action is that would work well on the small screen. I'd even hang on through the commercial break and make the sponsors happy.

Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Ichor Splatters.

Night's Black Agents
Daniel Humphreys
Silver Empire, 2018

Night's Black Agents is available for purchase at the following link:

Daniel Humphreys's Fade

Have you ever gotten so lost in a book that you couldn't focus back on the real world for a minute or so when your reading was interrupted, you had to blink and try to refocus on the real world? Have you ever been so stuck in a scene that you couldn't put a book down even though you knew you needed to? Have you ever been so affected by a scene that you were thinking about it for hours after you were forced to put the book down? If the answer is yes then you get it. If not, you don't. Either way, you should read Daniel Humphreys's Fade.

Paxton Locke is our hero. He is also a scarred individual who has dealt with way more than any human being should ever have to. I won't go into specifics because I try to avoid spoilers, but ummm... damn. Like seriously, some characters you'd love to meet in real life. Paxton is kinda-sorta one of those. I mean, he's an awesome dude who sounds like he's got some really cool stories to tell. On the other hand, Paxton has been through things that no human being should have to endure. He's a weird one. At the end of the day, I'm kind of glad that this guy isn't real. Wow.

I love the way Fade is set up. This is the first book in a series and it lays things out well to move forward. It is, however, a good standalone even if it makes me hope for a prequel before the first sequel is published. Paxton has an amazing if, as previously mentioned, horrifying history. We get just enough of it in the work to make me want more. Humphreys is a good enough author to wind it all together and make it work. I'll be watching his progress in the future. And the good news is that I know more is coming. I don't do end of book excerpts, but there was one included in my E-ARC. So it's coming, it's just not here yet. Faster please.

Fade starts out in a manner that is a bit creepy, but not overly so. By the end of the book it's straight up horrific. Things proceed logically, but quickly. And boy, oh boy do they get ugly. Actually I don't mean ugly. I mean ooglay. As in bad. As in eww, eww, AGAIN! AGAIN! (Ok, so maybe I'm a bit twisted.) The villains in this one are well, villainous. You want to see them get theirs. The heroes are heroic. You want to see them succeed. Sometimes there really are good guys and bad guys. This is one of those times.

Ok, so sometimes even the positive stuff in this book can be a bit gross. I'm okay with that.Hell, I enjoy it. A little bit of grossness makes the story more believable and good fiction produces an emotional response. A bit of squirming uncomfortably is precisely that. After all, sometimes natural processes can be a bit disturbing, but it gets even worse when it's sped up. And, let's face it, anesthetic is for wimps. Paxton is hard core. And I feel you, bro. I want a whole box of Twinkies right now too. Granted, I didn't do what you did to earn them, but hey nobody's perfect right?

Paxton himself is a bit of a complicated character. I mean, he wants to do what's right. He earns his living by banishing ghosts. He sends them away, stopping their torture and keeping them from tormenting the living as well. He only charges for his services sometimes. He's a good person. He works hard and plays little. He's been through a lot but has come out stronger. He's a tough dude.

And yet, he has a heart of gold. There is one part of Fade where no one, and by that I mean not a single human being living, dead or as yet unborn, could fault him for giving up on an unwinnable situation and walking away. I mean, sure it would have been a sad day but it's something that he probably could have lived with. Instead he damn near kills himself saving another human being using methods that he doesn't truly understand. If there has ever in the history of fiction been a character that has earned the right to be bitter, it is Paxton Locke. The fact that he put himself out there like this in spite of all of that is amazing.

Yet, when he is presented with a potential tool to use he dismisses it as evil. This strikes me as perhaps not the most intelligent method of handling things. I mean, I get that the tool in question is something he has a history with and that it's not a good one. I just don't understand the fact that he destroyed something that was potentially useful just because someone had used it for evil. Listen folks, tools are not inherently good or evil. The knife you cut a tomato with is used to make a salad. It can also be shoved between someone's ribs simply because of a strong dislike. The hammer that you used to hang a picture last night can be used to murder someone. . Oh, and yes weapons can be used for good purposes as well. Self-defense is a positive.Pick a holy text. (And yes, a holy text is a tool. It is used to pass on knowledge of a religion and help convert people.) It can be used as the reason to help people. It can also be used for purposes of hatred and conquest. And so on. Paxton burns something that is potentially his most valuable tool. It irks me. I mean, in context it makes sense but it's just frustrating.

Oh, and let me say this about the ending: Humphreys gets it right. Fade ends in a way that a.) makes me want to read the next book and b.) isn't a freaking heart stopping moment meant to make me buy the book. Seriously. It's kind of relaxed but looks toward the future. I like that.
I'll be reading it, too.

Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Apparitions

Fade
Daniel Humpreys
Silver Empire, 2018

Fade is available for purchase that the following link: