Burklin has a crap life. He is part of an unholy trinity dedicated to keeping the adolescent demon Lord Avnas “Max” McPhee alive. This is a difficult and messy task, since Max is a serial killer and a moron. Low man on the trinity totem pole, Garrick follows Max from crime scene to crime scene, cleaning up Max’s gory mess and stashing mutilated bodies behind Hoppy’s Diner.

The rest of the trinity includes Burklin’s ex-wife, shape-shifter Lorraine, and his sadistic boss/possible father, Garrick. Three years ago, Garrick tore out Burklin’s soul and put it into a miniature dachshund, Pearl. Now Pearl talks, Burklin is an impotent wuss, Lorraine is sleeping with Garrick, and the group has two more years to protect Max. If they manage to get the asshat to his twentieth birthday, all the demons of hell will be set loose upon the Earth, and the trinity will be awarded the entire beachfront paradise of Iraq.

There is simply no one to like in this book. Even minor characters like doormen and security guards are slimy, dumb and disgusting. Then there is Pearl. You would think a dog, especially a talking one, would be a cute sidekick. Pearl says some funny things, but her eating habits make me nauseous.

Reading Nether, I wanted to spray my Kindle with Lysol. I felt the vinegar-smelling ichor called Netherite seeping onto my fingers. Brilliant! Nether gets three and a half tombstones as a superior example of creating and maintaining atmosphere and mood. Every word oozed and smelled — blackest comedy at its foulest. Now, does anyone know if it is safe to bleach a keyboard?

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Beer & TV (December 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615729509
• ISBN-13: 978-0615729503

Purchase a print copy of Nether from Amazon
Purchase a Kindle copy of Nether from Amazon