Hourglass
"An exciting and complex tale with memorable characters, standout battle scenes, and riveting worldbuilding". -Kirkus Reviews
Brooklyn-born artist Clyde Williams has spent his life obsessing over comic books and chasing his big dream to one day break into the industry as a hot new artist. But chasing the dream isn't easy. It's tiring, dispiriting work.
And that was before the ghost of his recently murdered best friend and roommate, Kev Carpenter, showed up at their apartment. Shocked and confused, the pair have been trying to establish some sense of their old status quo, of normality, but normality left town and isn't coming back. Instead, they get a knock at their front door. Rose Hadfield, agent of Hourglass, has some understanding of what it's like to commune with the dead, living with the ghosts of her former military unit, and offers them the choice to educate themselves and train their abilities, or remain under Hourglass' scrutiny in the name of public safety.
Clyde's long-held distrust of all things military and federal, has him prepared to decline Rose's offer. Kev, however, has other ideas. Being restless and detached from the world, he sees this as his only real option. A purpose. Wracked with sympathy for his best friend's plight, Clyde accepts Rose's offer on one condition: upon completion of his training, he will remain a civilian. A fair compromise.
Unbeknownst to Clyde and Kev, their acceptance of Rose's offer has catapulted them on a collision course with an ex-KGB officer turned necromantic monk, and the ancient, wealthy, and morally dubious Cairnwood Society. Clyde and Kev will soon learn that death is only the beginning.
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"An exciting and complex tale with memorable characters, standout battle scenes, and riveting worldbuilding". -Kirkus Reviews
"James delivers a winning dive into the supernatural, blending mystery, buddy-comedy, urban fantasy, a touch of horror, and the everyday indignities of life as a would-be comic-book artist into a twisty adventure where the stakes are nothing less than souls." - BookLife Review
"In HOURGLASS, Daniel James presents a worldview that is at once dire and hopeful: the afterlife by way of The Expendables. While its apparent pessimism may not click with every reader, fans of paranormal and military fiction will find a lot to love here." - IndieReader
"Hourglass by Daniel James is a paranormal thriller for people who enjoy depth and substance. Bursting with supernatural beings and a unique plot this will be a huge hit with fans of comics and superheroes. Magical, intriguing and with a tremendous ending, this really is a paranormal thriller worth reading. Daniel James has taken the time to flesh-out both his characters and settings enriching the reader's visual journey. With a clever plot, and fabulous and quirky everyman-heroes, this is a great dark-paranormal adventure. Hourglass by Daniel James is a superb fantasy that will not disappoint, and comes highly recommended by Artisan Book Reviews." -- Artisan Reviews
"A genre-busting thriller, Hourglass is an occult masterwork of tension and grit. Like Mieville or LeGuin at their best, the world-building of this novel is expansive. James's breadth of language is impressive, as are the darkest storytelling corners of his ominous prose; grisly descriptions and vividly depicted scenes give the entire story an immersive feel, resulting in a page turner from the very first page, and a singularly original paranormal thriller." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★
