The Long Way Down (Daniel Faust Book 1)

Outstanding start to what looks to be a good series. Not much I can add to what most other reviews have said, except the following:

I like the low level of magic exhibited by Daniel, the main protagonist. Often, in urban fantasy storys, the magic becomes almost a Deus Ex Machina (Jim Butcher, I'm talking to you! Although I love the Dresden Files, the magic is getting out of hand!) Not so here. Although the world is definitely magical, with demons, succubi, dark rituals, etc... the protagonist mostly survives by his own wits, rather than using magic as a crutch. Not to everyone's taste, of course, but that's what I like.

Also, gritty, as I mention in the title. People get hurt, and don't get auto-healed, either by magic, or other means. People die. I like that.

Another thing I like is conspiracies hidden within plots hidden within secrets. Keeps me guessing as to what exactly is going on, without being too vague or confusing.

Reading book two in the series as I speak, and it looks to be even better.

Private eye/wizard bro gets a case, case leads to bigger plots, faces were cut in half, fun was had.

Only reason the book gets 4 stars is because I could've done with a little more magic from the hero. We are told he is the strongest magic user on the west coast close to the beginning, but then he only really does a few card tricks throughout the book.

Otherwise, the book was good enough to read during the day. Good characters, just enough threads left open for sequels, some smooches for the hero, hot demon lady. Should be enough said.

it was a little darker than the kinds of stories I usually read, and not quite as gripping as I hoped—there could possibly be a relationship between those two—but it was a good story, and a promising start.

there were a few points where I feel like the misdirection went wrong, and I had to go back and reread to figure out what the character was taking about—notably including the climax of the book—but to once I figured it out it did finally make sense. Mr. Schaefer, if you happen to read this, the problem seemed to be because I didn't know the consequence of switching the offering. it made sense after it was explained, but I didn't see what he was trying to do at all.

in any case, on the whole I enjoyed it enough to buy the second one. it's a fun, exciting story, with only a couple of hiccups.

Somewhere there is a village. And they are sad. Why? Because they have lost their village idiot. He moved to Las Vegas and calls himself Daniel Faust.

I bought this book because it had good reviews and because Faust was described by the publisher as “a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients' problems.” Sounds cool, right? Especially when they continue, saying “Daniel will need every shred of his wits, courage, and sheer ruthlessness just to survive.” Sweet!

Except Faust is about as tough and ruthless as a plush bunny doll. He gets his ass kicked in every freaking confrontation in the book! Before narrowly escaping or being saved by someone else. What is this crap?

Ruthless? Are you freaking kidding me? Here’s a good example: (spoiler alert) He and a friend are in a safe room. Magical bad guys are on the way with theft and murder planned. Friend had arranged for a prostitute to visit, but calls her off when Faust appears to warn him. Then, surprise! Hooker appears on doorstep. And what do the two morons do? Stay in the room? No. Call her via cell phone? No. They EXIT THE SAFE ROOM. And, of course, are immediately clobbered by the bad guys. Because it was a trick. Duh.
Someone who is actually ruthless would look at the prostitute and say, “Oh, well. Too bad. Want some coffee?” And that would be it.

Or how about this: Faust’s favorite magical implements are playing cards. Okay, cool. How about CARRYING MORE THAN ONE DECK? So when he drops them, repeatedly, you have a spare. Jeez.

The story wasn’t bad, but Faust is so damn dumb I wanted to shout at him. This is crap. Read Harry Dresden or the Iron Druid Chronicles; they have magic and fairly good sense.

Not much to it as far as him being the most powerful magic user on the west coast, he gets his balls handed to him by pretty much everyone. There really isn't much to this story other than a murder, and the love of a good demon.

The writing/editing wasn't bad, very few errors in the text.

If you are looking for a shallow easy to read story and have a couple of hours with nothing better to do, go for it.

Overall Take: A Good Start To A Great Series!
Some of the underlying themes involve fate/destiny vs. free will, ancient grudges between the courts of Heaven and Hell, and a "much larger picture" that runs through the entire series. Faust is morally grey -- he has an internal code that's more important to him than laws and rules. He's deeply flawed. He fails at times -- nothing is a sure bet. His friends are similar. He's not above violating his own code if he feels like he has to -- even if he knows he'll hate himself for it later. He can be Machiavellian. The world he inhabits has no clear heroes -- but some pretty bad villains. There are some very strong female characters in the book as well -- on both sides of the line between "Not That Bad" (can't say "Good") and "Outright Evil." It's the sort of dark, troubled world John Constantine would recognize, so if that's a place you like to visit from time to time, you'll enjoy visiting this world too. There's violence (some of it graphic), a little sex (nothing graphic), a touch of creeping horror that lingers along later and a sense that the people in these books could be right beside you in a bar...because they're written like real people with all their inherent, lovely flaws. Totally worth your time to read -- but don't say I didn't warn you if you lose the weekend reading the whole series!

Amazing! Daniel Faust reminds me of Constantine. Love it!

This starts out and I think that what we have is a normal mystery with some paranormal aspects to it. Girl lost part of her soul and Daniel Faust is going to find out why. Simple right? Not in the least!

There is so much in this book. Honestly, as the plot gets deeper and more threads get piled on, I completely forgot about Stacey. Poor girl needs her soul back and I’m over here stuck in the middle of all this fabulous drama that Schaefer raised and loving life!

Daniel Faust really reminds me of Constantine. I’m not sure if Craig has read Constantine but the book, and the show, is the epitome of everything Daniel Faust is. He is no hero. He may save people but in the end the only person he is really saving is himself. He does what he does for reasons known only to him and the people that paid him. Which means he is bound by no one and no law. I love it! There’s no telling if he is going to go good or bad! He even admits that the only reason he wants to help Stacey, and trudge through all the rest of the mess that is brought up during his investigation, is because Stacey’s grandfather paid him! He’s a scoundrel but the best type!

The narration was beautiful. I was already loving the story because it really pulls you in but the narration added that cream and cherry to the top. Adam Verner was able to add the essence of each of the characters and the emotion came through.

Favorite character is probably Caitlyn. I can’t even explain why. I was not sure about her but the second she opens her mouth I could tell I was going to like her. She has a curiosity about her that meshes well with Daniel’s personality.

At first I hated the ending. And then there is one last chapter and everything fell into place! Love, love, love the way this ended! Bit of a twist that worked perfectly with the grime of the story. Already have book two!

Received by author, through audiobookreviewer.com, in exchange for an honest review.

<b>My original <a href="http://audiobookreviewer.com/reviews/long-way-daniel-faust-book-1-craig-schaefer/">Long Way Down</a> audiobook review and many others can be found at <a href="http://audiobookreviewer.com">Audiobook Reviewer</a>.</b>

I try to keep up with everything being published, but it’s gotten harder with all the ebook publications that have sprung up. One of the series I missed when it first debuted is Craig Schaefer’s Dan Faust fantasy series, but I’m catching up.

Dan Faust is an interesting character, a real-live mage who sometimes does street magic to pay the bills in Las Vegas. We meet him in the first book, The Long Way Down, which actually sounds like it could be the title of a Raymond Chandler novel. Chandler’s iconic private eye, Philip Marlowe, was one of Schaefer’s inspirations for his Faust character. Faust is just coming out of a broken relationship, too many booze-filled nights, and a slowdown in business.

Faust’s major occupation is revenge for hire. If a client can prove the person they want revenge on deserves getting Faust’s brand of justice, and they can meet the price, Faust can deliver on revenge that’s merely a financial crisis, a loss of public image, or even death.

I had a really good time with this book. Schaefer’s prose is easy to read, the plot is twisty but not overly complicated, and he brings in the backstory of the character and the world of magic pretty well. The reveals on Faust’s history and how he’d come to be where he is read well and are interesting.

Overall, the book has a definite Raymond Chandler vibe to it. There are bad guys doing nefarious stuff and it ties back to some of Vegas’s history, some to the main character’s history, and some that develops organically. The pacing is good and kept me flipping the pages throughout, wanting to know what was going to happen next even though most readers can put it together easily enough.

I like Faust’s “family” but they’re not as strongly developed in this novel as I would have liked. However, this is the first book of a series, so there’s time to get to all of that. They’re definitely an interesting mix.

The love interest in the book threw me off a little. The attraction seemed to come out of nowhere (at least to me) on both their parts. The decision to get together (even though there is a TON of reasons not to do it) felt more an author’s decision than an organic thing that developed. There was plenty of reason for them to work together without the romance so the relationship side of things could be developed at a slower pace. Even the acceptance by Faust’s family would have had more time to come into its own and not feel as contrived.

Overall, I had a good time with the book and have picked up the next one to read as well. Since the book is self-pubbed, I have to wonder why New York would have passed on this one. It will definitely appeal to the same audience who reads Jim Butcher and Patricia Briggs.

The formatting and grammar in the book are as impeccable as that beautiful cover. So if you’ve become wary of self-pubbed books due to editing mistakes, rest assured this one is very well done.

When the police didn't seem to help Jud, he hired Daniel Faust to look into Stacy, his granddaughter's, murder. The time of death by drowning is wrong, by two days, from the date of the storm that she was to drown in. Daniel agrees to look into it, not expecting there to be much of a case. What Daniel finds in the sewers is something else. Stacy was definitely murdered, but the ghost he found in her place is not what he's seen of ghosts. Her screams are powerful and dangerous. What had she become? "This has the stink of magic all over it." Daniel will fix it, solve the poor girls murder along with sending the deadly specter on, but when he digs deeper he finds demons and more are present and have others in the magic world spooked.

Adam has made my list of favorite narrators after just this one book! Adam starts strong and in character from the first word. I didn't feel like he had to ease into the story or characters at all. He had me believing he was, is, Daniel Faust at first sound. He even does voice differences for other characters, like with Jud an old man meeting with Daniel to easily differentiate the characters and draw us to them. Adam embodies the characters in tone and personality as he speaks. Yes! Adam makes the story fun to listen to! When he does the voice of a demon... I enjoyed it! Adam really is all the characters at all times.

Daniel.... Daniel has the feel of a vigilante when it comes to the magic world and the evil people in it. He's a strong character and has some serious power to him. We see part of it here, but what I've learned of his past and what Caitlin says about his past really has me curious as to how powerful he is. Daniel uses cards with his magic, fitting for being in Las Vegas. Neat! I really liked Daniel! Daniel seems to have morals, yet he's willing to cross a line to help people too. Daniel had a terrible history with his dad and the home he found himself part of when on the run but he tries to help those in dangerous situations or suffered from others terrible acts upon then.

I love the relationship started in this book with Daniel. There will be obstacles for them and they know it, but they are positive about it and willing to work through together.

There was a great balance in the writing here. We have dark deeds done and dark magic yet there is a sense of humor weaved through the story with Daniel and his friends. Also there is a being who says, magician toes tasting like candy... LOL! Well, I don't know if it's true, but it's one of the things that came up that kept the story light for me in this dark world. It made me smile at the thought.

Craig has done a fantastic job of writing sex into the story line as it's part of the plot. What Stacy was mixed up in with a few others is not pretty, and what she lived through was definitely not as well. The thing is it's the plot and not the whole world and only thought of all the characters. Well done! We do have a succubus present as well, and the thoughts do gravitate toward sex at times, but it's not the focus of the story. Now, there is a relationship started and the scenes felt to flow and fit the characters and story for them. I loved this balance and use.

I'm finding, after listening to his fantasy series and now this book, I'm a huge fan of Craig's writing style. He tells of the settings through the story that makes the surroundings real. I can mentally see and know the smells that's here with ease. Craig is wonderful at balancing delicate subjects in the proper ways to not seem overly dark or to let take over the story being told.

The story is dark with the deaths and 'monsters' but there is a humor in the comments as well. I was excited to keep listening to the story, to see what happened and what comment Daniel would have. There is sex and death, murders, and ghosts. It's all soooo well mingled together creating a world and story that is addicting. I'm looking forward to continuing on with Daniel in his adventures, as there will be more with how somethings end in this book (and there are already more books out).

Had to give this author a try... but just couldn't finish the book. It wasn't bad but it also didn't grab my attention. Craig Schaefer may be a talented writer and this being book one in the series may just be the plodding beginning to a fantastic series but it just wasn't my cup of tea. Meh. NEXT!

Daniel Faust is not one of those blow 'em up and kick 'em down sorcerers/wizards. This character is DEFINITELY not one of the happy, shinny people. He is a broken man who makes questionable decisions. I like him. I like the fact that the author didn't try to shove magic down my throat even though this is a story about magical people. The storyline was nicely put together and I found myself wanting to read more about the character. I do wish, however, that the author took the time to describe the characters -- perhaps he did this on purpose. We don't really know what anyone looks like ... other than hair color (of course we know the slutty woman has red hair! Go figure). There were times that I felt like many of the characters were faceless. Some readers may like this method -- with the idea that they can use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Me? I feel that it is the author's job to build a world that includes faces -- give me a description of the main characters so I can see them like the author envisioned. If I wanted to rely on my own imagination to fill in the blanks then I would write my own story. Lazy reader? Nope. I just like a great world builder with an impeccable attention to detail for an author.

So a while back I snagged a bundle of Urban Fantasy books and I have slowly been reading them. Yesterday while waiting to catch a flight home from a funeral, I started reading The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer and I just ran through the whole book.

It is super fun, some really cool characters. It started as the murder mystery that we all know and some love, but quickly turned to something else. The main character Daniel Faust is a con man sorcerer living in Vegas. He does some off the book PI work now and then when he finds himself in a mess surrounded by wickedly powerful bad guys with some crazy powers.

Luckily he has his own powerful friends to help him, ranging from all sorts of different backgrounds and powers. It is just the first in the series, but I think it is really worth checking it out. I plan to buy the rest of the paperbacks in the next few weeks and tear through them. One thing I really liked is that Daniel plays the morally grey hero well and his powers aren't just a matter of luck mixed with trying to survive. He has some wicked abilities and isn't afraid to throw down with bad guys.

This surprisingly strong novel starts out as a small-scale noir/occult mashup and eventually develops into an occult affair of biblical proportions with some serious consequences at stake. The tone smacks of World of Darkness and one can't help but wonder if Craig Schaefer is translating his Mage: The Awakening chronicle into novel form. While most of the ideas in the novel are not particularly original, Schaefer draws upon enough tricks from the classic author's bag, such as the unreliable narrator, that he manages to keep the novel engaging throughout. While the noir elements quickly give way to the supernatural aspect of the story, Schaefer does manage to keep enough to make his world, and his protagonist, feel gritty and downtrodden. Even after the surprising, albeit ultimately predictable, love interest comes on board, Schaefer manages to keep things interesting by developing tension between the characters as no one knows just who they can trust.

Noir fans and those looking for solid detective stories will probably ultimately be disappointed by The Long Way Down as much of the mystery is unraveled halfway through the novel but urban fantasy fans will likely enjoy the use of noir tropes and mechanical devices to create tension in the novel. Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans and a guarded recommendation for noir fans who are looking for something a little different. I'll be on board with Schaefer for Book 2 of this series and am looking forward to a solid ride.

It's a hit. Stumbled on this series through I think an the store recommendation. Love this series and the characters. Its fast pace, little lage . For those who want a drawn out character development story this isn't it. And that makes it better. I rate this series arc along with the Hellequin series and Coreia's Hard Magic and Monsters. All of these are A series in my book.

I've the reviews saying this isn't Butcher. And thankfully. Lets all be real here. Butcher wrote a great Book 3-9 Dresden series and then the wheels came off. Who hasn't been disappointed in how the series has gone sideways and drifted quite a bit. The arc on the Dresden series just disappeared. The way to tell if a series has gone south is when the reader goes from being a paying customer to a library customer to a none customer { David Weber].

I have been using this series as my mind candy book alongside my dry reading [Wright Brothers at the moment]
All I expect is a good time, not much thought and thats what you get.

As a fan of dark fiction from the likes of Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, and Jim Butcher, this novel was precisely the kind of book I get into. I found all my favorites within these pages.

Daniel Faust is a gifted sorcerer with a dark, violent, troubled past and a knack for biting off more than he can chew as a private investigator. Faust's character walks on the perpetual crumbling edge of hell, often doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, and makes for such wonderful dark fiction reading. Craig Schaefer struck a genius balance of the ever-darkening grey moral fiber of Daniel Faust, a man who just might surprise you when he does the right thing once in a while.

Faust faces corrupt cops, half-demon mobsters, sorcerers delving in the blackest of magics, a pornographer with a succubus on a leash, a well-organized group of religious fanatics, and steps squarely in between the forces of heaven and hell to avert apocalypse -- with nothing more than a few cards up his sleeve ... and his friends, of course.

Faust's friends are the oddest bunch of conjurers and sorcerers ever assembled at a Vegas convention. Faust's new girlfriend pulls his ass out of the fire a few times, but dating The Hound of Hell has its consequences.

Fans of paranormal suspense, horror, thriller, urban fantasy, or dark fantasy will be glad they found a new series to enjoy with Daniel Faust.

FIVE STAR PARANORMAL BADASSARY

I am feeling generous, so I gave this book 2 stars. There's just nothing new here. It's a typical urban fantasy/wizard book. The book drags despite lots of mayhem and killings. And it does the same thing that the Jim Butcher/Harry Dresden books do. Whenever the wizard is in trouble, a new magic thing appears or happens so that he's ok.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes urban fantasy with a male hero so much that you don't care if the book itself isn't particularly good.

My. God. This book is astounding. If I could give it 6 stars I would. The Long Way Down is as good as anything Jim Butcher puts out. Seriously. It only took me about 20 pages to become obsessed.

Schaefer has created a damaged but fascinating hero and placed him in an incredibly interesting world. What starts as a simple investigation takes a sharp, dizzying turn. If you're a fan of world building, the magic systems here feel authentic and also completely new.

This is what Clive Barker should have done with his Harry D'Amour character. But Schaefer has something Barker (as much as I love him) never has: a sense of humor.

This book is an insane amount of fun. So stop reading my review already and get this book. Immediately.

Daniel Faust is not one of those blow 'em up and kick 'em down sorcerers/wizards. This character is DEFINITELY not one of the happy, shinny people. He is a broken man who makes questionable decisions. I like him. I like the fact that the author didn't try to shove magic down my throat even though this is a story about magical people. The storyline was nicely put together and I found myself wanting to read more about the character. I do wish, however, that the author took the time to describe the characters -- perhaps he did this on purpose. We don't really know what anyone looks like ... other than hair color (of course we know the slutty woman has red hair! Go figure). There were times that I felt like many of the characters were faceless. Some readers may like this method -- with the idea that they can use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Me? I feel that it is the author's job to build a world that includes faces -- give me a description of the main characters so I can see them like the author envisioned. If I wanted to rely on my own imagination to fill in the blanks then I would write my own story. Lazy reader? Nope. I just like a great world builder with an impeccable attention to detail for an author.

So a while back I snagged a bundle of Urban Fantasy books and I have slowly been reading them. Yesterday while waiting to catch a flight home from a funeral, I started reading The Long Way Down by Craig Schaefer and I just ran through the whole book.

It is super fun, some really cool characters. It started as the murder mystery that we all know and some love, but quickly turned to something else. The main character Daniel Faust is a con man sorcerer living in Vegas. He does some off the book PI work now and then when he finds himself in a mess surrounded by wickedly powerful bad guys with some crazy powers.

Luckily he has his own powerful friends to help him, ranging from all sorts of different backgrounds and powers. It is just the first in the series, but I think it is really worth checking it out. I plan to buy the rest of the paperbacks in the next few weeks and tear through them. One thing I really liked is that Daniel plays the morally grey hero well and his powers aren't just a matter of luck mixed with trying to survive. He has some wicked abilities and isn't afraid to throw down with bad guys.

This surprisingly strong novel starts out as a small-scale noir/occult mashup and eventually develops into an occult affair of biblical proportions with some serious consequences at stake. The tone smacks of World of Darkness and one can't help but wonder if Craig Schaefer is translating his Mage: The Awakening chronicle into novel form. While most of the ideas in the novel are not particularly original, Schaefer draws upon enough tricks from the classic author's bag, such as the unreliable narrator, that he manages to keep the novel engaging throughout. While the noir elements quickly give way to the supernatural aspect of the story, Schaefer does manage to keep enough to make his world, and his protagonist, feel gritty and downtrodden. Even after the surprising, albeit ultimately predictable, love interest comes on board, Schaefer manages to keep things interesting by developing tension between the characters as no one knows just who they can trust.

Noir fans and those looking for solid detective stories will probably ultimately be disappointed by The Long Way Down as much of the mystery is unraveled halfway through the novel but urban fantasy fans will likely enjoy the use of noir tropes and mechanical devices to create tension in the novel. Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans and a guarded recommendation for noir fans who are looking for something a little different. I'll be on board with Schaefer for Book 2 of this series and am looking forward to a solid ride.

It's a hit. Stumbled on this series through I think an the store recommendation. Love this series and the characters. Its fast pace, little lage . For those who want a drawn out character development story this isn't it. And that makes it better. I rate this series arc along with the Hellequin series and Coreia's Hard Magic and Monsters. All of these are A series in my book.

I've the reviews saying this isn't Butcher. And thankfully. Lets all be real here. Butcher wrote a great Book 3-9 Dresden series and then the wheels came off. Who hasn't been disappointed in how the series has gone sideways and drifted quite a bit. The arc on the Dresden series just disappeared. The way to tell if a series has gone south is when the reader goes from being a paying customer to a library customer to a none customer { David Weber].

I have been using this series as my mind candy book alongside my dry reading [Wright Brothers at the moment]
All I expect is a good time, not much thought and thats what you get.

As a fan of dark fiction from the likes of Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, and Jim Butcher, this novel was precisely the kind of book I get into. I found all my favorites within these pages.

Daniel Faust is a gifted sorcerer with a dark, violent, troubled past and a knack for biting off more than he can chew as a private investigator. Faust's character walks on the perpetual crumbling edge of hell, often doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, and makes for such wonderful dark fiction reading. Craig Schaefer struck a genius balance of the ever-darkening grey moral fiber of Daniel Faust, a man who just might surprise you when he does the right thing once in a while.

Faust faces corrupt cops, half-demon mobsters, sorcerers delving in the blackest of magics, a pornographer with a succubus on a leash, a well-organized group of religious fanatics, and steps squarely in between the forces of heaven and hell to avert apocalypse -- with nothing more than a few cards up his sleeve ... and his friends, of course.

Faust's friends are the oddest bunch of conjurers and sorcerers ever assembled at a Vegas convention. Faust's new girlfriend pulls his ass out of the fire a few times, but dating The Hound of Hell has its consequences.

Fans of paranormal suspense, horror, thriller, urban fantasy, or dark fantasy will be glad they found a new series to enjoy with Daniel Faust.

FIVE STAR PARANORMAL BADASSARY

I am feeling generous, so I gave this book 2 stars. There's just nothing new here. It's a typical urban fantasy/wizard book. The book drags despite lots of mayhem and killings. And it does the same thing that the Jim Butcher/Harry Dresden books do. Whenever the wizard is in trouble, a new magic thing appears or happens so that he's ok.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes urban fantasy with a male hero so much that you don't care if the book itself isn't particularly good.

My. God. This book is astounding. If I could give it 6 stars I would. The Long Way Down is as good as anything Jim Butcher puts out. Seriously. It only took me about 20 pages to become obsessed.

Schaefer has created a damaged but fascinating hero and placed him in an incredibly interesting world. What starts as a simple investigation takes a sharp, dizzying turn. If you're a fan of world building, the magic systems here feel authentic and also completely new.

This is what Clive Barker should have done with his Harry D'Amour character. But Schaefer has something Barker (as much as I love him) never has: a sense of humor.

This book is an insane amount of fun. So stop reading my review already and get this book. Immediately.

I enjoyed the main character and the diverse characters involved in the story. It’s definitely not a young adult novel and some parts are actually kind of scary in a horror, gore type way. I’m not totally convinced of the relationship with the succubus, but whatever, not all stories have to be perfect. I’m definitely reading the next one in this series and I plan on reading the author’s other work. I’ll recommend it to anyone looking for a good contemporary fantasy story.

Very pleasantly surprised about this book and this author, never read any book by the author prior and it is very well done; it has an organic feel to it where the action and drama flow very well and nothing seems forced; I have read other books were they can only keep it interesting by ramping up the action and when there isn't any action and the characters have to talk to each other you are already looking for another action sequence; this author does a great job of having great dialogue and action to create a nice flow and the plot is really good, look forward to reading the rest of the series now.

Brilliant Otherworldly P.I. story. I was unaware of this author and it is so grand to find a good one among all those out there. Like a lottery for bibliophile's. Mr Schaefer offers us a perfect flowing story of life that inhabit other realms of a paranormal world. It is a pretty intense read dealing with the demented in all realms of life. No holds barred here as to what is acceptable for a narcissistic soul to get what he or she is aiming for. If you are an admire of Paranormal P.I. do not hesitate.

I read one of the author's Harmony Black series so went back and read this, the first of his efforts. If you are a fan of supernatural fiction this could be for you. Schaefer fills out main character Daniel Faust far more than in other novels of this genre. Same goes for his secondary characters as well. While not as well developed, neither are they cardboard cut-outs which makes for a much more interesting read.

Similarly, Schaefer's storyline is well plotted and the pace is steady throughout the book.

I have now read two of Schaefer's efforts and I am looking forward to reading more.

This is a great book - only reason I didn't give it five stars is that it took some time to build up steam - however, having read the next three after this one, I know these books just keep getting better and better. Kudos to mister Schaefer.

One person mentioned that Faust uses very little magic and he liked that in contrast to Harry Dresden who nowadays uses too much magic, he's grown too powerful. A comment regarding that - Butcher's stories have taken place over a period of perhaps 20 years while Schaefer's have only covered a few months at most. Dresden has had time to develop. I'm sure Daniel will too ..

Great mix of detective/PI story with a heavy dose of the occult. That combination could get messy and unfocused, but the author handles it well. If you like both genres, this is the book for you. Started out with a light dose of magic/occult aspects, then became much heavier on the occult side. I would have preferred the emphasis be more balanced throughout, as in the beginning, but it still held my interest. (so actually 4.5 stars overall).
The characters are well-drawn. I liked the camaraderie of Faust's magical club acquaintances. That added a nice sense of belonging and community for the main character, even though he's a loner by nature. Las Vegas is the perfect setting for the action, as you can really envision these characters (both good and evil) choosing Sin City as their "haunt."
Faust's love interest added a very interesting twist. I won't elaborate so as not to spoil it. Even though you'll see it coming, it's still a very satisfying and believable team-up. I'm quite interested to see how that progresses (or doesn't??) in the next book.
All in all, a fun read. Looking forward to reading Book 2.

Many Modern Fantasy author's first books are rough around the edges. This one does not suffer from such. It is a fast paced thriller with a compelling protagonist. If you're looking for a realistic setting with a well built mythos based in Christian theology look no further than this book.

I don't know what it is about the genre of supernatural fiction that appeals to me, but authors like Craig Schaefer just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Daniel Faust isn't perfect, by human means or sorcerer means, but his heart is usually always in the right place. When he gets called to a case about a murdered young woman, imagine his surprise when he unravels a plot that involves layers and layers of corruption across both human and demonic forces. Great read! Can't wait to continue the series!

I spent a long time ignoring this in my recommended list, and now I feel like an utter idiot for doing so. There was absolutely nothing wrong to say about this book. The characters are strong, the story is stronger. It's both dark and gritty, while holding enough amusement and comedy not to ruin it completely.

If there is anything, anything at all to say bad about this book. It would be Amber's end. And while sad. Stacey's makes up for it in the justice is served department.

Seriously it's annoyed me for years that the Dresden files, a series that is a self proclaimed, gender bent rip off of Anita Blake ( which completely misses the point of Anita blake) is held as the gold standard for supernatural mysteries. This is better. This is diverse, well written, creepy, and better put together in terms of origins and explanations. A+ dude.

This is my fourth time through this book. I enjoy it each time, finding new bits that I either didn't catch the first time or had forgotten about.
Daniel Faust is one of my top 3 main characters in any book. He's flawed, and human, and oh so relatable.
I'm going to go read book 2 now!

One of the better urban fantasy books I have read. A good cast of Misfit heroes and Nasty bad people makes an interesting, fast paced and different wizard story. Takes place in Las Vegas , which makes for great backgrounds to tell the tale in. The lead is a very flawed individual with a horrendous past but a good heart. The Succubus is a major player in the story and the relationship there is a convoluted one. I am looking forwards to reading the rest of the series.

The Long Way Down
Wow what a story it starts out rolling and never stops. If you like wizards and things that go bump in the night you will love this book.
The Author takes you on a journey that is so detailed you can it unfold before your very eyes.
There is great evil out there can it be stopped before it is too late? Can one wizard get ahead of the game before more are murdered and a great evil is cut loose on the world? Great job on this very good attention to detail.

I love his books have already read 3. The content has magicians demons cambions etc but for some reason I have become quite entertained in reading. I think it s the way he writes it is easy to follow at lest for me and excitement at every page turn. I will read every one of his books!

I enjoyed this first installment and will continue reading the series. It was a quick fun read that allows you to keep turning the pages to fine out what happens next. There's some common plot lines that won't surprise you if you've read any of the supernatural detective series, but can still enjoyable read.

Really enjoyable read! Parts of the story are dark and necessary for the overall plot to work as well as it did. Seriously good action and a fantastic cast of characters! Looking forward to the rest of the books in this series.

Very enjoyable. Enough to continue with the series. Similar feel to Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim books. Those are a tad bit better, but also pricier, and to be honest, I'm several books into that series and so more invested in the characters. There's good potential here, though.

The introduction to Faust and his world in this book is amazing. The author makes you root for the bad guys, as they take on worse bad guys. Fantastic read if you like Sandman Slim and anti-heros. The supporting cast is also really well done.

Really a fun and engaging series to read.

Caitlin's a real interesting character; alluring, rich, and absolutely terrifying. Her relationship with the main character is surprisingly soothing, two people who are a little broken, holding each others hand.

I was looking for a new author with some different twists to the world as myth type of genre. I wasn't disappointed! Fast paced, good twists and turns, different types of characters, and the main character actually has lots of flaws. Loving the series!

Big monsters, big prizes! I loved it! A fantastic read. Hard boiled detective meets urban fiction, and wonderfully dark. Great characters that are flawed just right. You won't regret reading this.

These are great reads combining supernatural and detective fiction. Our Protaganist, ironically named Faust, deals with demons from hell, half demons, and all other sorts of monstrers . He himself is a sorcerer.
Done really well. Very entertaining.

I started with the first Harmony Black book and then found out about this series which I'm currently devouring. It's entertaining, fast-paced and fun. It's also dark. but I'm loving the world the author has created and the characters.

I got the audio book and LOVED the story, not crazy about the reader though. It had a sing-song quality about it and just did not sound like the way someone would tell a story. I will read more of the Faust series, but not the audio version.

I'm a huge Jim Butcher fan and would favorably compare this book to the Dresden Files. I read a spin-off of this series and wanted to jump in. No regrets at all. I'm already tearing through the second book in the series and am bummed my books from the library are coming in because I don't want to take a break.

I LOVE Craig Schaefer's books. I have read everyone and eagerly await new releases! Craig takes you outside the box with this series of witches and demons. Daniel Faust fights for the greater good when he isn't really that good himself. I love the character development and eagerly await a new release in the series!

Fairly good read but the forced, unnecessary romance kind of killed it for me. Basically took a cool character and made her into a mediocre stereotype for no reason. Probably won't continue the series.

Mr. Schaefer has a good start to a series. I enjoyed that the Daniel, the main character, didn’t always rely on magic to get of sticky situations, he actually used his wits to do so. Will read more of this author.

I don't generally read much urban fantasy, but this book rocked my socks. I listened to it audio, and the narrator did a fantastic job. The only other urban fantasy I had read was the Dresden files. This one certainly leans heavily into that but is much better at the same time. It is a dense story, with plenty of detail despite its brevity. Highly recommended.

Daniel is a vigilante your going to fall in love with. His twisted life is slowly unveiled with in a story that is just as twisted. If you like fantasy and magic give this book a read. I was not disappointed.

The author is a good story teller and while I understand the value of a having a very negative antagonist, the sexual violence was simply too much and approaches gratuitous. If you are not into gross misogyny or bondage/S&M you might want to give this one a pass. I put it down and will not finish it..

Daniel is a vigilante your going to fall in love with. His twisted life is slowly unveiled with in a story that is just as twisted. If you like fantasy and magic give this book a read. I was not disappointed.

The author is a good story teller and while I understand the value of a having a very negative antagonist, the sexual violence was simply too much and approaches gratuitous. If you are not into gross misogyny or bondage/S&M you might want to give this one a pass. I put it down and will not finish it..

I found this very entertaining for anyone who likes modern supernatural fantasy. The main character isnt your typical good guy which was a good change. Fun and gripping. I couldn't read it fast enough.

This is the first book from Craig Schaefer that I read. Ended up reading all the books in the Daniel Faust series. Loved all of them. Great character development among all his friends. Exciting plot twists. Can't wait for next book in series.

Schaefer has offered up a poor man’s Dresden Files. Uncomplicated and unimaginative magic encircles one-dimensional characters that are either hot or cold. Schafer manages to copy a winning series, The Dresden Files, while making an effort to make it boring. Faust has a spark of magic, was raised in a cult like atmosphere, was taken in by a kindly mentor(s), grew up to help people with his talent and is disgusted by the abuse of women and children. Add in emotion and a bit more magical power and you have your very own Harry Dresden. I am a fan of this genre, just not when it is without explanation or feeling. I was disappointed with this book and probably won’t continue reading.