Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition has just been published
in a deluxe paperback edition and I cannot recommend any book more highly than
this one. Readers of this blog already know my passion for the Halos and
Horns fantasy saga, which I have spent four years crafting. I've often
compared this work of episodic fiction to television, likening each chapter to
a TV episode, and each book to an entire TV season. Continuing that analogy, Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition is the boxed DVD set.
An omnibus is a volume containing several novels previously
published separately. That means you can expect it to be a big book. A very big
book. Obviously, an omnibus will be a lot heavier than a single book and carry
a larger price tag (though cheaper than buying the individual books). Its sheer
size can be intimidating. Imagine the complete works of Shakespeare, or
Dickens, or whomever your favorite author might be, sandwiched between the
covers of a single book. It’s like buying a DVD set of your favorite TV series
or movie trilogy. While potentially overwhelming, there’s something magical
about that sense of completeness you get by knowing you hold an entire creative
work within your hands.
All four books in the saga are included in the omnibus,
along with never before published essays on the series, an interview with the
author, and a massive Guide to the Halos and Horns Multiverse. The
omnibus also includes the novelette, The Pandora Chronicles, a sneak
peak at the forthcoming Fangs and Fur fantasy series, a spin-off devoted
to the vampires and werewolves of the Halos & Horns multiverse. But
what really makes this 904-page book stand out are the 61 stunning illustration
that accompany the stories, in breathtaking color.
For the first time, you can read the entire story, from
beginning to end, in one book. All the pieces come together as the saga
unfolds, the color illustrations vividly bring the characters and settings to
life, and the essays and guide take you backstage, behind the scenes, providing
essential background for the saga. What’s it about? I’m glad you asked. I
proudly present, Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition:
There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than
are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 5). A naïve
angel and amoral demon discover the truth of Shakespeare's words, when a wager
between God and the Devil lands them on Earth. In the guise of Las Vegas
private eyes "Gabe Horn" and "Lou Cypher", the archangel
Gabriel and trickster demon Lucifer embark on personal quests of their own in
search of their humanity. Their personal journey is also a physical one,
spanning both time and dimensions, through the centuries to Camelot and 17th
century Salem, exploring the seven Heavens, the nine levels of Hell, the Dark
Dimension of the ancient Dark Gods, Thenesia – an ancient land of swords and
sorcery, the somnolent realm of the Dreamscape, the Otherworld – home of the
Fae, and the eerie emptiness of Limbo.
Beneath the prosaic veneer of urban life, mortal humans live
in blissful ignorance alongside preternatural and supernatural creatures:
warlocks and witches, vampires, werewolves, the Fae, kitsune, and creatures
whispered of in myths of African, Irish, and Japanese cultures. Seers gaze at
the Sands of Time as the golden grains tumble through the mystical hourglass,
seeking to divine what the Fates have woven. Through these memorable characters
and exotic settings, the author explores the nature of good and evil, free will
versus predetermination, man's inhumanity to man, universal versus moral
relativism, nature versus nurture, loss of innocence, coming of age, death,
love and friendship, the quest for power, individualism, sacrifice, and faith
versus doubt, among other literary themes. This Omnibus Edition collects all
four volumes in the Halos & Horns fantasy saga, replete with 61 new color
illustrations; the "Guide to the Halos & Horns Multiverse"
detailing each character, place, and object; previously unpublished essays by
the author; and the novelette The Pandora Chronicles, a preview of the
forthcoming spin-off trilogy, Fangs & Fur.
Available online from Barnes &
Noble and Amazon.