H. A. Goodman

Stewart and Layla gave up heaven so that they could find the root of evil and destroy it. Sure they could have been Angel’s and lived life in heaven, but that isn’t what they wanted to do. So now they are trying to find out, 1 – how the formula that the devil and the demons use to corrupt humankind works, and 2 – how to stop it.

Stewart is a smart man who does not give up. He is willing to do whatever it takes to take down evil and end human suffering. Layla is sweet and innocent, but you can see she is strong and just as determined. Together they are in a world of demons, angels, heaven and hell that is very fascinating!

I love how the story unfolds and the pace keeps a steady level of action. And the storyline is one of the most unique ones out there! The idea that we are offered a formula to commit evil deeds is fascinating and the ins and outs of the whole operation of hell is treat to read about.

I think the author did a lot of research to write this novel. There are a lot of historic occasions mentioned and I found it fascinating seeing it from the characters perspectives. The traveling and “flashbacks” of the characters was certainly a favorite aspect of mine. Not to mention the convoluted plot!

Definitely a novel to read if you like something different that makes you think.… (mere)

Stewart and Leyla are Observers, having turned down their chance to become angels. Not because they aren’t good and don’t want to fight evil – far from it. But angels labour under far too many rules and restrictions – they intend to take down Hell by any means necessary.

Hell has restructured, gone are the fiery brimstone pits and halls of the damned – now it’s cubicles, rows and rows of cubicles and officers – a corporate Hell where souls are bought and sold on the trading floor, where demonic telemarketers infect the brains of humanity

And teams of sales demons go to all parts of the world to peddle their Infernal Formula.

For Stewart and Leyla to bring down the Company, they need to find out what this Formula is and how to defeat it, along with the mysterious demonic Ponzi scheme. It’s a task that takes them into the depths of the Company and draws them to witness scenes of human evil – and hope – throughout history as they try to discover what drives humanity to such evil, trying to discover the very nature of evil and, through that, the antidote to it.

But not only are the answers far deeper – and more frightening – than they imagined, but we’re quickly plunged in the middle of plots within plots and a conspiracy far more cunning than I ever imagined.

This book is fascinating in so many ways, in particular in the way it makes you think.

Layla and Stewart’s quest to bring down The Company and end evil altogether leads them through scenario after scenario that truly does explore the nature of good and evil. We have some truly excellent consideration of the effect of time and place and culture on evil, raising uncomfortable questions about whether we, if we were brought up at that time, in that place, would commit the atrocities that so shock us through history. It raises nuanced and detailed questions about our white washed views of history – how the atrocities of our enemies often stand up starkly in our memories, but the atrocities we have committed, our culture and our society has inflicted, are so often justified, excused or brushed over as somehow less damaging and less atrocious.

It also has a deeply unflinching examination of the atrocities of the past. It’s graphic and it’s often disturbing – but if you’re going to examine human history, a history filled with war and torture and genocide and hatred, it should be graphic and disturbing. Not being graphic and disturbing is to ignore just how graphic and disturbing history actually is.

It’s also fascinating to see how this book examines the role of culture – and intolerance of other cultures – as the foundation of evil behind so much genocide. It has a very telling line about the only way to stop it is to “make apple pie taste bad” as generations of people fight, kill and slaughter in the name of their own cultural symbols. A person’s way of life being dominant is more important than someone else’s actual life.

And, of course, it very very powerfully presents the idea that there is absolutely no need for demons to make people do bad things. We see demons urging people to evil, but we see equal – or worse – evil acts perpetuated by people who have no demonic urging at all. From the lowest level selfish crimes to massive scale atrocities – humanity is the source of evil acts and the whole “Ponzi scheme” relies on that

I think it fails a little more on the question of “ends justifies the means”, there’s some attempt to label this as questionable and wrong including pointing at the various ways it leads to evil. But at the same time the protagonists repeatedly engage in “ends justifies the means” behaviour, excusing and using torture when necessary. They may feel guilty and questionable about it afterwards, before or during, but they still do it and it still pays dividends for them – even as they chant “torture doesn’t give accurate information” they still do it. However, when they do do it is often for emotive and revenge purposes rather than information gathering – I don’t think at any point torture is used to effectively extract information, which is something.

Read More… (mere)

Going into reading this book I wasn't sure what to expect, and didn't know that it was the second book in a series. Therefore, I never read the first book in this series The Logic of Demons, that being said, I didn't even notice it was the second in a series, It read fine as a standalone and I didn't feel like I missed anything that was crucial to the second book.

H.A. Goodman created such a unique world with this book. I'm not partial to a certain religion, but do believe in God and heaven and hell, and I loved Goodman's version of what primarily hell is really like. It was an interesting world where demons are salesman trying to sell the formula to humans on earth which makes them made the wrong decision, whether it be driving away from a hit and run, or stealing, or lying whatever it is. I know religion is a touchy subject for many people, but this book was in no way preachy. It does discuss values, the afterlife, and religion but not in a way that it's opinions shoved down your throat.

This book read like a paranormal book with almost a sort-of of dystopian feel in the respect that the world-building was so well crafted that it felt otherworldly in a dystopian type way. I was pleasently suprised by this book and H.A. Goodman's writing. This book was so different then anything else i've read, so if your looking for something new and insightful without being preachy this is a book to check out.… (mere)