From the first page I was hooked!  This book is has a plethora of mystery and non stop action.  Through the whole book you are guessing, then second guessing and still not getting it right!! That is the base of a great book, not knowing where going to happen - completely unpredictable.  The characters come alive with Mark de Jager's smooth writing style.  

The ending was a little abrupt.  With that being said though, it makes your want to hurry up and read the next book.  This is the first book I've read from this author - it will not be the last!

“I need to do something you probably won’t like very much. I know I won’t.” “You’re not stabbing me again.” “No,” I said, pointing to the body. “I just need to eat his brain.”

For all the brain-eating and decapitation that goes on in Infernal, this should be a dark, rather horrifying book. It is not. It’s actually quite funny (and not always in a gallows humour kind of way), with some beautiful world building and a couple of intriguing characters to lend weight to the story.

Stratus is…Stratus doesn’t know what he is. His blue-black skin, enormous build and second set of teeth would suggest not human though. So too would his ability to punch down trees and pluck arrows from his skin like flowers from a vase. And then there’s his ability to see in the dark.

Waking in a field, Stratus determines to find a city and ask its wise men to help identify him. But reaching the city isn’t easy when war rages between Penullin and Krandin and soldiers see him as either a threat to eradicate or a prize to capture. And even when he reaches the city, who’s to know who to trust, and who has time to help with an enemy army darkening the doorstep? Stratus can only react to the immediate threats and hope that, with time, all will become clear.

Stratus is not human and does not hold the same moral beliefs, expectations or values as (most) humans do. They do not differ wildly, and he has his moments of tenderness and gentility, but, on the whole, his blatant lack of concern for human life and civil behaviour (think brain eating) gives him away. That said, neither is he bloody-thirsty or sadistic like many a human antagonist. He simply does what he needs to do and moves on. Oddly, I found myself respecting him for that, and loving him for his dry humour.

“We are beneath St Tomas.” “What? How can you be sure? “The magic singing rainbow told me.”

One review I read before reading Infernal myself compared Stratus to Jack Reacher. I can definitely see the similarities. However, one thing I particularly liked about Infernal was that Stratus was not, in fact, invincible. He’s good in a fight, sure, but also fails (annoyingly frequently) to consider that the opposition may have a mind and talents of their own, and that leads to his own fair share of failures. Fortunately, his confidence and capability are not accompanied by the usual swaggering bravado, and Stratus is quite capable of conceding the fight to fight another day, or of admitting admiration or even fear when he feels it. I liked him, but better, I was intrigued by him.

I also liked Tayana Henkman, his sidekick of sorts. She’s capable without needing to shove that capability down your throat, and even-tempered, but not bland. Her interactions with Stratus form the basis for much of the humour in the book and did make me smile.

“I have yet to read of a demon who would save someone’s life or who likes eggs for breakfast and fine sculpture.”

I’m looking forward to seeing more of her and finding out if their relationship develops beyond friendship and admiration. It would also be nice to see more of Lucien, who can an initial look-in but then somewhat faded into the background.

In terms of world-building, I was reminded a little of games like Age of Empires, where the world you can see expands with time and as your scouts explore. Stratus’ world begins with a single field and grows to include a forest, and then a road and then more. It’s a clever technique because it allows you to digest the world in manageable chunks whilst maintaining that a wider world does exist and life there is carrying on.

In general, I liked Jager’s writing style. In particular, I liked his exploration of the world through smell – a perspective I found unusual but compelling – and his emphasis on how it felt to wield magic, rather than simply the mechanics of how it was done (incidentally this is barely touched upon). I was disappointed that he included so many racial slurs (Stratus is the only black character in the book and is seen as unusual for his colouring) and wish Jager could have found some other, less fraught, way to isolate Stratus. The end was also somewhat of a disappointment. I LOVED the twist but felt that that it was used as an excuse for an otherwise rather abrupt ending. That said, it does leave me wanting to read more so I guess that’s a win.

All in all, an enjoyable read which delicately balances gory action with good humour and a solid story. I’ll be looking out for Firesky next year.

For recommendations on what to read next (or whether you might like this based on books you've read), check out my blog, Off-Planet Books here: www.off-planet-books.co.uk/reviews/infernal-by-mark-de-jager

‘Infernal’ is the intriguing start of a new fantasy trilogy packed with magic, dry humour, and mystery. It has an old-school fantasy feel, yet the twists – especially the finale – feel fresh and unpredictable. For a debut author, de Jeger is incredibly assured, taking risks which initially made me doubtful but which work brilliantly, adding an air of cloaking and uncertainty without detracting from the story.

Stratus wakes up alone. He knows very little except that the body he is in is not his own, and that he doesn’t seem to be its only occupant. Determined to find some answers, he sets off in search – only to stumble into a conspiracy of war, religion, and magic, with everyone convinced he’s on the other side. He isn’t helped by his complete lack of knowledge of human nature – or by his body’s companion, a being of pure rage which occasionally seizes control.

Mark de Jeger’s decision to tell an epic fantasy story with a single POV is unusual enough, but when that character also has near-total amnesia it becomes an even bigger risk. Stratus doesn’t understand the world, humanity, or even himself. This empathy barrier means each character except Stratus feels two-dimensional, yet it works – partly because Stratus himself is so intriguing, and partly because Stratus’s attempts to understand them are often darkly hilarious. De Jeger straddles the line between mystery and confusion expertly, revealing just enough at key moments to keep things engaging, but also making the final reveal a total – yet believable – shock.

Stratus doesn’t know what he is, but everyone else is convinced he’s some sort of demon – and gradually, throughout the book, this affects how he views himself too. He doesn’t share most human morals – quite happy to kill without compunction, take whatever he needs, and manipulate others with his sorcery – but he does respect and appreciate kindness and have a certain degree of loyalty. For a character who does pretty much a terrible thing per page, he’s a surprisingly likeable protagonist, making you root for him even when you’re not sure you should.

The world building is minimal – mostly because Stratus is more focused on who and what he is than what’s going on around him – but the magic system is fully fleshed out and developed. As systems go, it’s very conventional, but I love the descriptions of the Songlines and what it feels like to use them. It also has clear rules and limitations, meaning no character is ever over-powered.

Overall, this is an excellent debut, one that takes risks but ensures they pay off. Recommended for fans of non-human protagonists, dry and dark humour, and fantasy-mysteries.

Gripping from the first scene, with the protagonist lying on the ground, not being able to move. In danger of vultures trying to eat him, he only remembers his name, Stratus. Feeling that there's a monster within him, he tries to solve the mystery of his existence and why he knows about magic.

Stratus's POV feels like a natural internal monologue of undeniable wit, an exploration of being and is utterly engaging. The author has done such a great job with the protagonist's amnesia, the emotional turmoil. Having him puzzle about things you don't expect, while you enjoy solving the mystery with him. Cleverly the author lets the mystery linger.

Not knowing if he is a villain or not, you can't help but like him immediately. Especially the fact that he is brazen to the point of being funny and doesn't take shit from anyone. Also his stranger thoughts and many of his remarks are so chuckle-worthy. He blurts out whatever he's thinking, no filter.

As he discovers more about himself he slowly gets in touch with his power and deliciously dark traits. I love the way the magic is explained like it is a part and an extension of him. The internal musings and some explanations are sometimes a little long-winded but still interesting. There are quite a few "Aha!" moments but not enough to satiate your curiosity completely. And his 'interactions' with the beast within him are so captivating.

If you like fighting in your fiction you're gonna love this, since Stratus keeps beating others up or gets beaten (not that often) and it's fun to see what new way he will use to incapacitate his opponents next. You will also be taken by the smart-mouthed, wonderfully aggressive, badass character of Tatyana.

I imagined our 'hero" to be a Hulk like Idris Elba sorcerer. Caught in political machinations and the edges of war, he has to figure out who or what is the great evil and what it has done to him. Entertaining, exciting with a bit of gore, a bit of necromancy, and quite a bodycount. Presenting one of the coolest unconventional characters I've read all year, this a medieval of sorts, adventure fantasy like no other.

I ended up liking this book a lot more than I had anticipated. I made the mistake of reading a few negative reviews, and almost didn’t give it a shot.   Infernal ended up being an entertaining read. It was full of action and intrigue. Stratus’s journey, both physical and personal, kept me engaged. I can’t wait for the next book!

Awesome book! I really enjoyed reading this, and found it difficult to put down. I don't want to get into details in order to avoid spoilers, but the plot/story was not what I expected -- in a good way! Highly recommended and will recommend that my library purchase a copy of this book. 

Thanks to Rebellion and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this title for me to review.

this was a really good read, I enjoyed the story and was hooked from the summary. I look forward to more from the author and this series.

A man wakes up in a field with no memory of who he is, only the feeling that he is not wholly human. Infernal follows Stratus, who discovers he is a powerful sorcerer but doesn't understand how he came to be where he is, only that he must fight for survival. As he travels a countryside that is being torn apart by war, he realizes that dark magic is at the heart of all that is happening. Stratus' journey of self discovery brings him into contact with wizards, priests, kings, paladins and lots and lots of walking dead guys. Infernal is quite the start of an epic fantasy series, the pacing is fast, with a quirky grimdark humor, that helps propel the story along as the body count rises.  I enjoyed the magic system in the book with the different wards that the wizards employ to protect themselves and others, plus how Stratus discovers his own powers and how to wield them. The relationship between Stratus and Tatyana is a highlight of the book, love their back and forth banter and the lightness is brings to many of the scenes. The discoveries Stratus makes about himself drives the story to a an ending that makes you want to find out what happens next. The phrase "cheerfully brutal" is certainly an appropriate description for this story that, it should be noted does have its gory moments. Overall, the story grabbed me right from the start and I certainly wanted to find out exactly what was going on with Stratus and how everything was going to unfold. Will certainly read the next installment in the series, Firesky.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started reading it since Stratus, after being found paralysed and almost dead goes on a sort of accidental killing spree as people see him with his strange skin and size and want to kill/capture him.  It was pretty graphic, but kind of got funny since Stratus doesn't know anything about himself and so stabbing someone might end up with a head flying off. I really wanted to know about the "beast" in his brain and who Stratus was, so I kept reading and was drawn in, especially when he meets Tatyana.  I like their relationship! It was very sarcastic on Tatyana's part but they work well together. 

The ending is one big WHAT!!! and I had fun reading this book.

I didn't have many details when I picked this up, but the little bit I had seemed like it fit pretty snugly into my typical fare.

The opening was not the most incredible, masterful writing I've ever encountered, but it was solid and prompted me to continue reading.

This was a fairly well done example of MC "waking" up and not knowing who/what they are. The story develops pretty well, around Stratus learning small bits about his own capabilities and hints towards his own provenance. The hints are scattered without, so the big reveal at the end is fitting, without seeming like it's completely out of left field.

I definitely finished the book feeling satisfied, and am interested in picking up the sequel in the future when it is released. Worth the time and effort to read.

DNFed at 20%.

Don't usually review DNFs but this one has peeved me. So far, this enormous Black dude (he's so black! No one's seen anyone this black before!) is failing to pique my interest at all, two hearts or no. Also:

- the "infirm" have a "stench of corruption"
- he levels up in strength and magical power every time he encounters any adversity - the threat level is zero, no matter how hungry he gets
- the author thinks he's funny, I think?
- he eats people. I think we're supposed to think that's fine because he isn't human (my money is on dragon in human form)
- 20% in and not a single woman. Not one. Not even in the background. MC has met an entire army, this is fantasy, it is not that hard??

The memory loss hook just makes me want to reread K.J Parker's Scavenger series so I'm just going to do that instead.

Have you read the Jason Bourne novels & thought... this, but science fiction, and also more action sequences?  Well!  This is the book for you!   

I didn’t find the protagonist to be super relatable but he is entertaining & his interactions are amusing.    Should Naughty Dog be looking- this book would make an excellent video game.

Thank you Netgalley & Rebellion for this advanced e-ARC.

First of all, allow me to appreciate the author, publishers, and the Netgalley team for the opportunity to review the book.  

The protagonist founds himself in an unknown location, with no prior memory and with no interest and desire in helping creatures he physically appeared with. However, it appeared that he is a carrier of some inhuman skills and appears to be very useful in the upcoming "battle". And Status takes advantage of these powers and gains knowledge my tasting the opponent's essence, the brains. 
A bit underdevelopment of characters, due to the storytelling of the protagonist's POV. 

The work is a 3  star read for me, overall an interesting dark fantasy work, with hints of animism, 

The book perfectly shows human nature, behavior, and the consequences of some behavior. 
I loved the mythology, the world, and would love to dive deeper into that aspect. 
Many thanks for the opportunity to review the book.

I’m not quite the target audience for this book.  It is very very bloody.  
The protagonist awakens naked in a field with no memories. The entire book has him slaughtering his way through countless opponents on his path to figure out what happened to him and who he is. He gradually regains memory and power as he hacks his way through the book.  It’s solidly written if a straight up action power fantasy sounds good to you.  If this sounds good to you this book would be a good read.
 The more sensitive natured are not going like how he refers to women as females probably but he’s a killer and not a rapist, nor does he have any particular interest in hurting non threatening individuals.

I read the first 20% of the book but then I gave up becuase the story didn’t interest me much. The main character Stratus wanders on mostly aimlessly, fights random soldiers. He is hurt a lot but somehow he heals almost immediately. He doesn’t remember who he is but than seems to know stuff he shouldn’t. 

Thank you to NetGalley a d the publisher for my copy,

“I set him on fire before his brain melted, then burned his corpse.” I’m afraid that this book just wasn’t for me. I made it to the 20% point and by that time Stratus had been in countless fights, he was injured but healed rapidly, he ate a lot and he was gradually remembering who he was and what his magical powers were. I also read the last chapter and discovered that he (and the reader) don’t find out the answers to those questions until the end of the book. And then they have to read a second book. He is also naked a lot of the time. There is some male fantasy thing going on here to which I do not relate. 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for giving me the ARC for INFERNAL by Mark de Jager. I must say that this book took me on a roller coaster for the first 50 pages or so. Great start, then to a “Yuk! heroes don’t do that” stage. I did not stop at the “Yuk” point, thankfully. The story took an exciting upturn and eventually revealed the reasons for the main characters violent nature. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the story’s ups and downs, the characters, and the satisfying “ending” that leaves room for the next chapter in the series. Overall, I definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes a kick-ass main character, a strong female soldier partner, surprising twists, and the promise of it all continuing.

Review

I have to admit to fan boy begging for a copy of this book, the cover just shouts out to be read. I’m a big fan of a decent cover, and yes you can judge a book by the cover, because if the cover sucks i’m probably never going to read it….

I’m also a sucker for a debut, keeping a look out for the next great read, the person who will hit the genre like a very irate Balrog (fully committing to a geek reference), demanding notice and attention and deserving it.

So how did this stack up? it was very different, which as an opener can be good or bad. The Protagonist Stratus neither a hero or a villain wakes at the beginning of the book unable to move. The book follows his first person account / voyage of discovery to who and what he is. Strength sorcery and a very irate mental passenger all make for a dangerous force crossing the landscape of this world, and the first person allows for a clever use of descriptive to info drop the nuances of the world and its geopolitical framework.

There is a rich darkness to this book, being given free passage to a persons thoughts is a voyeuristic ride, one that is slightly disturbing, because  Startus clearly isn’t human (any fantasy reader will guess very quickly what he is, but i’m not really sure that will win any prizes). This is also clearly the start of a longer journey, as we learn about the magic of the world, the beings that inhabit it and its history, all of which both draw you in and and ask more questions, for me the sign of great writing.

I will admit to a few times being frustrated with the first person nature of the book when Stratus asks himself the same thing yet again, but like anything different it needs time to bed in, when i first read Julian Stockwin it took me time to get used to the Sea shanty nuance of the language. I did get used to those subtleties in Infernal and by the later part of the book it was hard to put down, and the hooks were well embedded by the end, leaving me wanting more more more. As ever D H H Literary Agency have found a winning combination of author, clever writing and something unique in style, bring on the next great debut (please).

Highly recommended

(Parm)

The premise to this was certainly interesting - a creature of unknown origin wakes up in a strange place with amnesia. I liked the strangeness of Stratus' character; he is violent, even eating people, but he navigated the world with a strange sort of logic that I understood. He was also unexpectedly funny, and I enjoyed reading about his journey to discover exactly who he is and what he had been trying to do. I also liked Tatyana and Lucien, side characters that he ends up befriending. However, I sometimes found the writing difficult to get through; at times, there was too much description and not enough dialogue, resulting in many long paragraphs which I ended up skimming. The big reveal of who/what exactly Stratus is was also left to the very last page, which felt a bit abrupt. In general, I felt that the second half of the book dragged on at times, and this made me lose interest.

Overall, this is a decent book with an intriguing protagonist and premise. However, the writing left more to be desired.

This is a dark and violent fantasy, but also laced with some sardonic humour. A large and powerful individual wakes up with no memories of who (or what) he is. There is something dark and very powerful within him and he sets off into a world at war to find the truth about himself. He becomes more and more aware as we go through the book as he realises that there is something very evil in the land and confronting it might give him some answers. So he teams up with a female fighter to track the bad stuff to its source.
Our main character is a little hard to like (he is NOT a good guy) and does some things that you wouldn’t expect and the story is told through his eyes.
I enjoyed it but the story gives us a big reveal at the end and then….stops. Obviously a second one to come, but this was far too abrupt and unsatisfying as an ending for me so I have gone for three stars whereas with a more complete ending I would probably have gone for four.
But I will pick up the next one, so there was plenty to enjoy here.