T.V. HOLIDAY'S CATACLYSM

A conflicted hero gets caught up in a battle for his soul during a war between good and evil in T.V. Holiday’s paranormal novel, one in a series.

Travis Holiday (aka The Iron Warrior), God’s appointed savior of humankind, has been recovering from a great personal loss following the events of series-starter Slaying Paradise (2024). He rescues a woman named Crystal Kelly from being assaulted by two men, and they fall into a casual relationship. Crystal tells him about the “Night Night” case—a rising body count is hitting the city of Carnage Coast. Intrigued, Travis visits his old friend, police officer Sgt. Hicks, who partners Travis with Rebecca Walters, the detective assigned to the case. Although Rebecca doesn’t want to hear it, the bite marks on the victims are caused by a vampire—all of the dead bodies (which go on to become more vampires) are the work of the Crimson Queen. She’s the advance scout for her husband, Monsoon, the “Harbinger of the Black Sun” who has been assigned to destroy Carnage Coast by the devil, Luc. Wrestling with his own darkness, Travis (along with an ever-growing group of allies) must find some way to stop the Crimson Queen and Monsoon. Holiday has created a complicated backdrop with the champions of God and Luc fighting over seven battlegrounds, and he smartly maintains focus on Travis; this keeps the story from feeling too chaotic. This series entry brings back winning supporting characters such as former divine champion Mike and his wife, Shannah, while introducing new players (including Travis’ girlfriend, Crystal, and his adopted daughter, Ashley) to help pull Travis back from the abyss. The author spins a twisty narrative, frequently springing surprises just when events seem to be settling down. Holiday’s playfulness regarding vampire myths, such as one character’s use of garlic missiles, is highly enjoyable. This is a fascinating story charting one man’s evolution in the midst of a war.

A seamless blend of action and character development.