By Leah Shoberg
Adversary: By Daniel Rhodes
This being the first novel I’ve read by Daniel Rhodes, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. But believe me, I got everything from it that any other horror novel would, but with an interesting twist. Now, don’t get me wrong this book has everything your basic horror story would: a crazed mad man, innocent by-standers, and his victims. But in Adversary, Daniel Rhodes presents to us something more than just the basics. It’s a carefully blended story with centuries-old black magic brought into the modern setting of San Francisco. And the spirit of a man named Guilhem de Courdeval, medieval French templar rumored to have sold his soul to Satan, rose from centuries of imprisonment to possess an American college professor who probed too deeply into the legend of Courdeval’s occult powers and evil deeds. And now surfacing in San Francisco, Courdeval resumes his career in the service of the Adversary. The enemy of all mankind.
Posing as a spiritual teacher by the name of Guy Luc Valcourt, Courdeval extends his influence over four young Americans who all want just beyond their reach. And the only ones who know the truth of his origin are across the ocean in France. The priest and Etien Boudrie and the housewife Melusine Devarre, who is gifted with second sight.
Adversary is a chilling, graphic tale of desperation, revenge, and black magic. On a 1 to 10 scale. This is a definite 9. I highly recommend this book.