A Dose of Brimstone (Van Helsing Organization #2)
by Noree Cosper
Try a little Brimstone to bring out the demon in you.
Gabby thought the brimstone drug was destroyed. However, now a multitude of demons plague New York, and from the look of their scaly skin, the drug has taken hold of the Big Apple. When Gabby finally uncovers the mastermind behind it all, she realizes this battle won't be easily won. Faust is unlike any demon Gabby has seen before, capable of possessing multiple entities at once; he’s even manipulated a corporation of vampires into spreading their own version of brimstone. If Gabby and the Van Helsing Organization don't put an end to Faust's plan, it'll soon be Hell on Earth.
My Review
I love a good adventure, and that’s what The Van Helsing Organization delivers in buckets. Since finishing A Prescription for Delirium over two years ago, I’ve eagerly awaited the return of demon hunter Gabby and the Van Helsing brothers Esais, Tres, and my favourite character, Adrian. So when I heard Noree Cosper was seeking reviews to coincide with the release of A Dose of Brimstone I leaped at the chance to read the sequel before its release. I was not disappointed.
The ever-deepening plot sinks its claws in and pulls you through the story hell for leather. All of the elements I enjoyed in the first book are present in the second: strong women, chiefly protagonist Gabby; non-stop action; glorious fights; vibrant imagery; and, of course, the Van Helsing brothers.
I’ve read a lot of vampire novels and in truth I’m sick of them. So much so, I now refuse to review anything that appears to be the same old vampire tale reworked to fit an author’s fantasy. I’ve read too many and I can’t stand the thought of consuming another. I have what I call a fangover. A Dose of Brimstone is different. Much like A Prescription for Delirium, the many other supernatural beings provide a cavalcade of colour to compliment the main focus of attention, the drug plot. Vampires are just another force of evil in the crazy world of The Organization. There are a few loose ends left dangling at the end, but this is a clear promise of more books to come.
What propels what could essentially be considered “more of the same” into five-star territory is how much time we get to spend with Adrian this time round. What makes him such a compelling character? How little of himself he gives away has a lot to do with it. Even though we spend two-thirds of this story in his company, he remains guarded throughout, compelling us want more from him. We catch snippets of his brilliance through Gabby’s eyes and can’t help but be intrigued by his denial of any gifts like those his brothers possess. He’s broken, and we want to see if he can be fixed as much as we don’t want him to change at all. Adrian is an exceptionally well-crafted character and I defy any reader not to end up loving him.
If you like the sound of A Dose of Brimstone, I strongly recommend you read A Prescription for Delirium first. If you’ve already read it and are unsure of the sequel (I mean really, how could you?) then rest assured, you’re in for a wild ride.
Noree Cosper
Noree Cosper loves writing about magic in the modern world. While
growing up in Texas she constantly searched for mystical elements in the
mundane. She buried her nose in both fiction and books about Wicca,
Religion, and Mythology. Everyday became an adventure as she joined a
group of role-players, acting out her fantasies of vampires, demons, and
monsters living in the world. She embraced her nerdom wholeheartedly. Noree grew, but never left her love for fantasy and horror. Her
dreams pushed her and her hand itched to write the visions she saw. So,
with her fingers on the keys, she did what her heart had been telling
her to do since childhood. She wrote.
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