Johannes Cabal the Necromancer - Jonathan L. Howard

I picked this book up by accident. It was originally purchased by my friend, and our books got mixed up one day. I was looking for a book to reread, and saw this, and enjoyed the first chapter so much that I kept reading instead of finding the book that I had originally been looking for. Now I own the first four books in the series, and am eagerly anticipating the next.

I shan’t review each book in the series unless there is a general request for me to do so. At the end of this review, however, I shall make some short notes about each of the next three books, so you can have some idea as to what you are getting into.

So, book one, the Necromancer.

The story starts with the titular Johannes Cabal summoning a demon and heading to hell, in order to make a deal with Lucifer to get his soul back. The main thrust of the book is that Cabal needs must acquire 100 souls, in a year, to replace his and keep the abilities of necromancy. In order to keep the deal relatively fair, Satan offers him the use of a diabolical carnival.

Johannes himself is very nearly a brilliant example of an asexual Asperger. (This is not the case, but his incredibly analytical brain, coupled with an obsessive dedication to his goal, make it seem like this would be a possibility of an interpretation.) As he has no idea what people do to have fun, or indeed much of any idea what people do otherwise, other than interfere with his studies, he decides to recruit his brother, Horst, to assist in the public relations side of the carnival.

The book is light to read, dark to enjoy, and fun throughout. The story is not completely predictable, which is nice. There are some serious theological and moral questions posed, and often answered with a level of thoughtfulness that is rare to find.

Howard manages a series of impressive tricks, making an utter bastard a character you can root for, keeping the satanic nature of the carnival present without being overwhelming, and keeping everything moving along at quite a nice clip. This is probably a three day read or so, and while the content is heavy, the book itself is a light read.

Book two, the Detective.

Johannes finds himself in a tiny European country to steal a book to further his studies, and is captured and used for political reasons. He escapes, and impersonates a civil servant to leave the country on the maiden voyage of a luxurious aeroship. While on board, a sudden death occurs, and Johannes, his analytical mind uneasy with unanswered questions and loose threads, decides to investigate. He uncovers plots and lovers, traitors and patriots, and even more politics than he feared. A bit of a slow start, and not quite as dark as the first book, this one shows a bit more of Johannes’ personality, such as it is. In the epilogue is perhaps the most ripping part of the adventure, and one that figures prominently in the future stories. A four day read, highly enjoyable.

Book three, the Fear Institute.

Johannes, resting at home, is approached by representatives of the Fear Institute, in hopes of acquiring his services to assist their main goal: the eradication of the spirit of fear, allowing all of humanity to progress to the next stage of their social and mental evolution. Doing so requires a trip to the Dreamlands (inspired by the works of Lovecraft and those who have expanded on it), an unusual leg, a series of surprise transformations, a bit of a crush, and vicious and stupid crabs. There is a ton of very interesting stuff going on in this book, and the nods to many other excellent writers are deftly handled and well used. This is a bit longer, and both darker and lighter than the previous books, nicely representative of the nature of the Dreamlands. Perhaps a five day read, delightful and fun.

Book four, the Brothers Cabal.

Horst, Johannes’ brother, returns to nurse Johannes back to health after a near death experience. He relates an unusual tale about what he has been up to for the last few years, and asks for his brother’s help in defeating a massive evil that threatens the world. The brothers Cabal ride again. This book has aeroships, vampires, zombies, a were-badger and other lycanthropic types, women wearing trousers, and more secret societies than you can shake an irritable necromancer at.

I have to agree with a friend that, while Horst is often delightful, I am really reading this series for Johannes. The first half and a bit of the book are almost exclusively Horst, and I find that, while interesting in some ways, it drags a bit, as I wait for Johannes to enter the narrative. A lot of the previous books are referenced thoroughly, and it is suggested that you not read this one first, though you could if you really wanted to. I imagine that the fifth book will be much better than this one, and since this one was not too shabby, I look forward to it. This is a four or five day read, and recommended, though not as strongly as the others.

Coming up soon, more reviews and excitement!