Dead Man by Domino Finn

Is Black Magic evil? That’s what we all know…or are we mistaken? Zombies, Bokor, Voodoo Houngans and Vampires. Conspiracies, politicians and bad decisions. Also, a zombie cat. This story has it all.

Title: Dead Man
Author: Domino Finn
Series:  Black Magic Outlaw #1
Publish Date:  December 24, 2015
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
Cover: James Egan
Narrator:  Neil Helligers
Source: Purchased

Publisher’s Description:  I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw. Sounds kinda cool, doesn’t it? It was, right until I woke up half dead in a dumpster.

Did I say half dead? Because I meant 100% dead. Full on. I don’t do things halfway.

So here I am, alive for some reason, just another sunny day in Miami. It’s a perfect paradise, except I’m into something bad. Wanted by police, drenched in the stink of dark magic, nether creatures coming out of the woodwork, and don’t get me started on the Haitian voodoo gang. Trust me, it’s all fun and games until there’s a zombie pit bull on your tail.

I’m Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw, and totally screwed.

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel (or, in other words, SPOILERS).

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Nervous Nellie says…

Everyone’s damaged in some way. That’s what life does to a newborn. It slowly gives and takes indiscriminately, piling on and stripping away like so many coats of paint. People are just the remnants, the left behinds.

This is an urban fantasy. No sex, plenty of death, blood and gore. Voodoo ritual, gang violence, and black magic. There is a satisfying ending, but it took a lot of blood and tears to get there. Seriously.

Cisco is a typical 24-year-old kid/man. He thinks he knows everything. Playing with black magic is a game . . . until it isn’t. Someone or someones are trying to kill him. He is at times arrogant, self-pitying and cold blooded. He’s an assassin albeit involuntarily.

This story has more twists and turns to it than the back roads of the Missouri Ozarks. I could never tell if Cisco’s friends were really his friends or if they were an enemy in disguise. The same with his enemies. You know the saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend . . . for now.

I listened to the audio and read the book. I liked both, but I did enjoy reading better than listening. The narrator was fine, but he didn’t differentiate much between characters. It won’t stop me from trying another audio of his, though.

Will I listen or read to book #2? Hell, yes. I enjoyed Mr. Finn’s writing and the characters were very colorful and animated (hee hee . . . see what I did there? No? Read the book.  You’ll get it.). I am not all that keen on Cisco’s attitude, but since this is the first book, there always needs to be room for growth. I have faith that Cisco will grow up and take more responsibility for his actions. I believe that is going to be true because of the last few words in the book: “With a checkered past and a decade of bad deeds, I had a lot to atone for.” I am looking forward to #2. Bring it on.

If you like this book…

…you might try Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore.