Book picks similar to
Against the Beast by R.J. Batla


fantasy
check-these-out
superheroes
steampunk

The Armored Saint


Myke Cole - 2018
    After witnessing a horrendous slaughter, the village girl Heloise opposes the Order, and risks bringing their wrath down on herself, her family, and her village.

The Hunter and the Valley of Death


Brennan S. McPherson - 2018
     A man wakes up in the Valley of Death and realizes he's given up everything, including his memories, to attempt to kill Death so that he can bring his wife back to life. But when he fails, who will be there to rescue him? The Hunter and the Valley of Death is a profound meditation on life, death, loss, and love. Formatted as a fantasy parable on the topic of surrender, this story shows that there is only One who could kill Death--and because of him, and him alone, we say, "Oh, Death, where is your sting?"

Faerie Killer


Emma L. Adams - 2016
    Just not the pleasant, happily-ever-after type.​I’m Ivy Lane, and this is the story of how I became known as the faerie killer.Ever since the faeries destroyed the world as we knew it, I’ve been a captive of an evil Sidhe lord, trapped in his realm with a hundred other human prisoners. I’m lucky to still be alive after this long.With the help of a master swordsman, I’ve been preparing to make my escape. But to do that, I need to achieve the impossible, and kill an immortal before he kills me first…Short story exclusively for subscribers of the author's newsletter.

Jack Wolfe, Paranormal Investigator


Craig Lunnon - 2011
    He is also a man of suspended beliefs, with a unique outlook on the universe. He works in Arcana City; a city that never sleeps. Unfortunately, it also never cleans its teeth or takes showers.When the daughter of one of his previous clients gets kidnapped by a high-ranking demon-lord, Jack is hired to find her, rescue her and then keep her out of the clutches of the underworld. He is helped along the way by Collymoddle, an eccentric professor; Helen Hiwater, a museum curator; and Zak, a demon he shares an uneasy alliance with.Things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the demon-lord’s ambitions are greater by far than the fate of a single girl, which leaves the detective the unenviable task of coming up with a fee for saving the whole world.To be successful Jack will need to do battle with demons, hellhounds, a homicidal fast-food proprietor, the most negligent bartender in the known world, annoying dramatic ambience, and many other obstacles besides.And if that wasn’t enough to be getting on with, he’s also been forced into taking on another case, looking for an elderly lady’s lost cat.

The Haunting of Tram Car 015


P. Djèlí Clark - 2019
    Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr shows his new partner Agent Onsi the ropes of investigation when they are called to subdue a dangerous, possessed tram car. What starts off as a simple matter of exorcism, however, becomes more complicated as the origins of the demon inside are revealed.

The First


Jason Mott - 2013
    Read how it all begins in this short story, The First.It's been just over a year since Edmund Blithe died, and just over a month since his fiancée, Emily, stopped wearing her engagement ring. Emily has finally begun to move on… Until Edmund mysteriously and inexplicably returns, sending the world—and Emily—into a tailspin.Edmund is only just the beginning. Around the world, people's loved ones are returning from beyond, seeking only to reenter the lives they left behind. As the world dives deep into uncertainty, Emily and Edmund are determined to find their way back to one another…even if it means risking everything.The reappearances continue in The Sparrow, and look for The Returned from Harlequin MIRA, a moving tale of a family given a second chance at life and a world where nothing—not even death—is certain.

A Rarer Gift Than Gold: Adventure for Art Lovers


Lucy Branch - 2015
    Abigail Argent is a skilled craftsman working in the world of sculpture. Her particular talent lies in seeing the beauty in a plain piece of metal and being able to draw it out. When she comes across a book that links her craft with the ancient myth of alchemy, she's intrigued. Digging deeper, she discovers that some types of research can be dangerous. Delving into one of Italy's oldest secret societies, curiosity comes at a price that no-one should have to pay. If you like a conspiracy theory that walks the line between myth and science, you'll love A Rarer Gift Than Gold. A Rarer Gift Than Gold takes everything you think you know about alchemy and turns it on its head Treat yourself to A Rarer Gift Than Gold as featured on Radio 4, BBC World Service & Timeout Magazine Interview with the Author Will you share a little about your book?  It’s a conspiracy theory about alchemy.  Set in the art and craft world, it’s low fantasy with high stakes. Readers who enjoy the Da Vinci Code should like it.   Will you share how you came up with the idea for this book?    I am a sculptural restorer specialising in metals. I wanted to convey my love of metals and the idea came to me when a historian friend was doing some research and calling up some pretty rare volumes. He got a warning to stay away from the material he was looking at. I wondered why anyone would be so protective of something so dry and academic. I wondered what motivation they could possibly have and what might happen if he ignored the warning. I built this book around this event.   Who or what was your inspiration for this book?   Every day, I work with historic objects and one of the questions I always ask myself when restoring them is ‘what is missing from this object. What can I not see?’ and ‘why might evidence have been lost?’ It has made me very interested in what’s absent from history and why.  This story is about how history can be manipulated by the removal of physical evidence for personal gain.   It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?   The only part of the lead character that is like me is her love of metals. That we share.   Have you been influenced by the writing style of other authors?   I adore and devour books, but trying to imitate someone else would just be too hard. Your own voice has to be authentic otherwise I think you come off as a hack.    Do you have plans to write another book?   Girl in A Golden Cage will be out at the end of 2016 – it’s another book in The Gold Gift Series

Hostile Takeover


Cristelle Comby - 2018
    But unless he can send beasts back to the Otherworld, losing his life will be the least of his worries…PI Bellamy Vale’s near-immortality doesn’t give him a moment to rest. Completely worn down as Death’s supernatural detective, he’s starting to think he got the short-end of his do-or-die deal. So when a string of savage attacks grip the city, Vale abandons all hope of sleep and sets out to discover who let the Otherworld beast free…Reading dead crime victims’ minds for clues, Vale attracts the very unwanted attention of a fresh-faced journalist and his jealous police officer ex. Reluctantly agreeing to let the women tag along for the danger, the investigation reveals his worst fears. It turns out letting the brutal monster loose may only be the first wave of destruction.Can PI Vale catch the puppet-master before the whole world is dragged to hell?Hostile Takeover is the first book in the fast-paced Vale Investigation urban fantasy series. If you like classic noir-style action, out-of-control mythology, and a healthy dose of sarcastic charm, then you’ll love Cristelle Comby’s edge-of-your-seat adventure. Independent Press Awards Winner (Urban Fantasy Category in 2019)

Chosen Ones


Veronica Roth - 2020
    . . by destiny or by choice.A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones. Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.

The Missing Motive


Nova Nelson - 2019
    After solving her first case using her powers as a Fifth Wind witch, she thinks she might have this sleuthing thing down. After all, it’s just a matter of means, motive, and opportunity, right?Not according to Ruby True, Nora’s mentor and the only other psychic in town. She’s been doing this job since before Nora was born and knows that sometimes getting to the bottom of a murder can be incredibly complicated business. Especially when everyone in town has a motive…The Missing Motive tells the tale of a murder that takes place two years before Nora arrives in Eastwind. With Sheriff Bloom by her side, Ruby True attempts to figure out who killed the insufferable druid who has taken up residence in her home. Enjoy the divine duo of True and Bloom, and revisit some of your favorite Eastwind townsfolk in this humorous paranormal novella!**Note: This novella is only available to members of the Cozy Coven. To join, go to www.cozycoven.com

For Sale by Owner


D.D. Godley - 2017
    Lieutenant Joshua Simpson receives his final order, “bond with it.”While “bonding with it” the Lieutenant discovers the frightening truth about humanity. Where did we come from? How did we get here? Who are these visitors?˃˃˃ Disclosure: October 16th, 2020 -One-thousand breeding couples are abducted.Why? How are these abductions related to Lieutenant Joshua Simpson?Book Two of this series is Refuge Planet: Colonization.You will believe.

A Memory Of Demons


David Ambrose - 2003
    But Tom's demons return with a vengeance as he discovers the baby is possessed by the spirit of another girl, who went missing 10 years ago - the night Tom had his last drug-fuelled blackout.

Something Came Through


Joe Hart - 2019
    In “Down In The Valley” a young fire service member discovers the horrifying truth regarding the missing persons in the lonely state park his fire tower watches over. A man whose entire life has been haunted by a hideous childhood event gets a second chance to make things right in “You Can Never Go Back”. And a young woman’s tragic mistake while driving and texting literally comes back to haunt her in “More”. Written in Hart’s hypnotic and unnerving style, Something Came Through features ten new terrifying stories that peel back the surface of everyday life to expose the darkness waiting beneath.

In Pursuit


K.C. Stewart - 2016
    The wolf she once considered a pet is now her mate. She needs time to process but Owen feels it is his duty as alpha to help them along into a happy marriage, starting with their honeymoon. For the next week, Sadie will only have Tyson for company as they hike through the Adirondack Mountains. Figuring out sleeping arrangements with only one extra-large sleeping bag will turn out to be the least of their problems as Tyson informs her that someone has been pursuing them since the very beginning.

Serpent Con!


T.S. Paul - 2017
     Chuck and Mongo find themselves face to face with visitors of the third kind in a place that no one would ever suspect them. Serpent Con in Atlanta. The boys are there for a little fun and relaxation among the science fiction and fantasy world. Only trouble could come of this when these two are turned loose together. Enjoy this short tale ripped from the headlines of Comic cons everywhere.