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I’ve just binged all the books and the compendiums (The compendiums I did last not realising that, WOW there’s tonnes of ancillary details in there).
And just wanted to say that I’m absolutely in love with this universe. Amazing spread of characters, so much development and watching the status quo get abjectly torn up and shifted was amazing. I mean, the politicians all have that slight stereotype of abject stubborn War hawkishness, but the change from one Pres to another was a breath of fresh air.
I was hit by 3 moments that really swept my legs and made me, not uncomfortable but threw me: first off was the capture of the gang by the US gov post Washington. That bit felt like it should’ve almost been the start or middle of a new book as it kind of robbed the satisfaction from the wider novel. And undermined Chris’ overall win. Yeah it gets its impact reduced with the emergence of Omega later, but it threw me a bit. For me, this is just how I’ve viewed the overall pacing of the book. Once I read the next one it “softened the blow” of the anti-catharsis – and made me think that, really, all the books are just one REALLY BIG BOOK. Viewed in that manner, the pacing flows better (for me at least)
Second was the College Arcane bit and how Caeco seemed to suddenly shift. She seemed, at the time, a perfect fit for Declan, but I can see how his increasing power offset that and her being a fit would have possibly been TOO pat, what with Chris and Tanya being the original matched pair. But her attitude seemed off the scale as I love her as a character. CAECO the novel really helped set the tone of her attitude. I still feel her and Declan seem a more natural and comfortable fit. Her attitude at the end of College Arcane seems flawed and utterly unreasonable, but then again – teenagers. For me, that was the trickiest book to push through. Watching something crumble is always difficult, even in fiction and the fact it had that impact was, I think, darn good.
Third one is a broader one around Stacia – she’s changed a lot since we first saw her. In Fallen Star she seems to get more in depth but her personality becomes a lot more aggressive from there. Again she sometimes feels a more natural fit for Chris; as the remote discussions of Tanya do paint her as more in line with the other Vampires – how she sometimes seems to treat Chris. Her points she makes to Chris make a lot of sense. The compendiums do a lot to flesh out the Vampire perspective (Especially Tanya) and I think the upcoming Darkkin Queen will do a lot to flesh her perspective out as in later books she has become a tad condescending and almost one note. Chris is smitten but she can come across as treating him as a simple puppy.
Stacia and Declan were a great romantic setup but their ongoing relationship feels a bit off, as she appears again to be the long suffering woman to his easy going attitude. It seems a theme with many of the women in the books – only really showing affection when their other half is mortally wounded or in deep trouble. Also calling the guys pervs when they are just as bad! But hey, minor quibble that one.
The action scenes are amazing, the level of detail excellent and the knowledge of military process, police process and just attention to detail overall are amazing.
I’m going through the series again to just “stay in the world” and to recapture those emotional hits. I was hoping Nikka would end up with more screen time or perspective, so good to hear the Compendiums flesh her out, showing her level of skill and focus. Though her and Arkady…?
More points of view or compendiums with slightly longer stories would be amazing (Though I know how taxing and time consuming writing is!) and loved seeing the opening from Lydia’s perspective. A whole retell of the first novel from her POV would be amusing! Especially all those incidents we get described to us in the vaguest detail.
Well that was one heck of a ramble – but to say absolutely in love with the books and cannot get enough. It’s clearly a labour of love and that passion shows through. I avidly look forward to more!
I agree with you about book one from Lydia’s perspective would be awesome. Actually I’d buy any books retelling any of the stories from someone elses perspective.
/eBringing up Declan and Stacia’s relationship brings up a question. What happens if and/or when they have children, such as: How will that affect her situation such as fights and her shifting into her werewolf form? How will their children be like, a hybrid of half-witch and half werewolf? How (if at all) will Declan’s war tattoo’s affect them? Will his children be more powerful than him or as powerful as him?
Also, as a side note, you might want to join the Demon Accords wikia I created.
Yeah, we’ve seen a Were/witch child, but occupied by a demon. Would a normal one just be super fast changing AND crazy magical? Imagine a GOOD version of Dragan! Would their normal kid grow at a normal pace, or at his speed? Also, Declan, as we see from Holly’s short story, appears to draw weres to him (Or at least Demon Blood exposed ones); and is seen as an Alpha by their mini pack.
With Declan and Stacia I got thinking after listening to the compendium – we get a lot about how her “Wolf” chose him – but Nika talks in such a way that it looks like Lydia and her may have… made it happen somehow? I may be reading too much into it. I do find Tanya’s attitude towards “Wolf girl” ridiculously unpleasant at times. But if Nika, a powerful telepath, somehow manipulated Stacia towards Declan? That’s a whole level of insidiousness that borders on weird. I mean I doubt she WOULD but then again, Vampiric morality is OFF. To protect Tanya and her choice of Chosen? Would she do it?
I’m also re-listening to Executable and I actually really like Declan and CAECO – even if D is an idiot near the end around Ryanne (Teenagers!) I’m actually dreading College Arcane again – it feels like it’s a necessary book to flesh out the world, but its central premise is, basically, breaking Declan and Caeco up and making Declan into a Warlock. Now, that’s all normal for teens (the breakup), but their relationship doesn’t seem completely like it isn’t salvageable and even in God Hammer it looks like it could recover. A couple of good conversations, boundary setting could fix things. Rogues seems to spend a lot of time trying to convince us that Stacia does like him. But again… I don’t know. the short story about the NYC pack puts more weirdness there. But then again, we find out Caeco has been happily supplying both her mother and the government with details about Declan soooo…. yeah trust issues.
Like, they’re IDIOTS. And Brock and Aphena don’t seem that dumb. Stacia is referenced as amazingly unique and they WANT to get rid of her to save MONEY? I do hope Brock gets called out on that down the line in a main book. Ideally by a sardonic Chris who he KNOWS he shouldn’t eff with. Hell, Declan, Omega and Stacia should set up an online shipping company that puts Lupine sports outta business COMPLETELY. But the meeting seemed a tad out of character and really short sighted for the NY Pack. And Stacia was sort of justified in how upset she was, but… yeah It didn’t resolve well as a story for me. Maybe a line about her realising he had a plan. He did a lot for her there. Protects her. She seems to act a bit like a long suffering spouse at times!
CAECO we see she still has feelings in her book, even though she spends a LOT of time rationalising things and having Fan set up as the love interest. But I find her and Declan have a more interesting dynamic. Stacia has become a little bit… one note it feels. I think a book like Rogues that’s more low key threat, more pack focused, with Declan / Chris would be great. More of her perspective. Eh, I’m soppy, I kind of like overt displays in literature when someone actually says they care, not just snark. This isn’t Jane Austen! Have some declarations from the women, too! Maybe i just want a sitcom book or short stories where we see them building a business.
As for the wiki, yeah I’ll sign up. Be nice to contribute something as I seem to be a bit obsessed with the series!
https://demon-accords.fandom.com/wiki/Demon_Accords_Wiki
A little off-topic but there is another book series I’m into called The Gray Man, it’s really good. The character once was in a restaurant to kill his target and he killed his target with a blowgun while his target was surrounded by a security detail and he went unnoticed by the security detail and the character just kept eating his meal while his target was dying.
Aidan
I know how y feel about Declan and Caico to me she was more normal in executable than in any other book so far. I agree with y about the set up in collage arcane. But Declan was being himself with Ryanne a kind respectful person to everyone even other girls.
You make a good point about her rationalising everything and with fan I don’t see how that’s going to work as I doing that her respective governments are going to be as understanding. As for telling secrets what she has told are as secret as what she could say like his cromo cell thing.What upset me has the black mail in winterfall what happed to always having his back
Yeah I felt Caeco’s anger was really… weird. Declan IS a flirt even though he doesn’t realise it (the whole lusting after the sisters in the pub in Executable) but then he was a 17 year old boy and, well… I remember that. You get stupid around pretty girls!
But College Arcane he called her out for her hypocrisy and she had a very NON Professional soldier response. Which shows development, but it felt a bit TOO much. And then they throw the baby out with the bathwater, despite them both clearly still liking each other. They do the whole “not right now” thing, which is VERY teenagery, so it does fit. But it still feels very uncomfortable to read as part of me just keeps going “No you idiots, this is SOLVABLE! Poor communication kills!”
I suppose the College is her first major exposure to more people on her level so it gave her more to think about. I think the most difficult bit for me is where Delwood really leans into creepy nasty with the whole “Gonna take your girl” thing. It’s effective as a story point… and he’s damn lucky Declan didn’t kill him. But Caeco being “shocked” at D’s power feels REALLY weird. yeah in her novel we get her explanation that she thought his “excessive power” was his upper levels and were more rare. I liked her in executable. In College Arcane her character seems to get… broken.
I think that’s because there are SO MANY characters in the novel that she gets sidelined. In her novel she ends up briefing the whole Security Council on Declan, his background etc. And she seems to have briefed Krupp, the FBI and everyone about darn near everything. As she mentions, D has trust issues – break that and you’re dead to him. So I can see why he’s cold to her. And she still acts a bit “victimised” – her blackmail thing in Winterfall… I think that’s explained by her jealousy. But it does feel like it comes out of the blue after she a) broke up with him and b) only calls him when she needs something.
At least she admits that was a shitty thing to do in her book. And YET I still feel she and D work better than D and Stacia, despite really LIKING D and Stacia. I was hoping that Chris would end up with Stacia and Tanya in a weird poly thing because that’d have just been hilarious. Like Barbiel ends up with a memo speaking to Tanya going “uh… so… seems part of you ended up in HER.” But I think that might be too weird.
But maybe D and Stacia move to Faerie and he sets up like, a Were kingdom there and a witch college?
I wonder when they beat the Vorsook, whether they decide to invade Hell. Imagine – setup a portal then get a FOB in Hell itself, build out a camp, start taking the fight to the Demons PROPERLY.
No accord violation! All the humans! And what happens if you consecrate ground IN HELL?!
Here Audax: https://demon-accords.fandom.com/wiki/User:Audax
Random thought about taking the battle to Hell — given that the universe is already out-of-balance thanks to Chris’ actions, what sort of “rebalancing” would be required?
At that point I think we’re looking at the return of the Old Gods and, even with his level of badassery, I don’t see a mere fallen angel surviving that one.
For any new reader and czehner, I created the Demon Accords wikia and if only John Conroe posted it on his Facebook page that’s 6,000 potential people for the wikia.
I feel the “balance” thing seems a tad unfair – as the demons keep cheating and have been winning LOADS. The world seems deivilishly (pun intended) skewed towards cruelty and selfishness. So, Chris stopping a full on demon invasions doesn’t feel like tipping the balance in goods favour all that much.
I think that’s an interpretation of things – just that baddies used to getting their own way are ramping up in a panic. And the status quo is disrupted. So, less balance and more a removal of the prior stagnation.
And yeah, going to Hell, making the demons go on the back foot… that could be a plan.
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