The 12th Demon (Vampyre Majick)

Bruce Hennigan
Synergy Books (2008)
ISBN 9781934454091
Reviewed by Wendy Cleveland for Reader Views (6/08)




“The 12th Demon (Vampyre Majick)” is Volume II in the Jonathan Steel Chronicles.  This epic opens with both Jonathan and new Christian teenager, Josh Knight, settling back into their lives in Dallas after killing off the 13th Demon.  This doesn’t last long however.  While meeting with the attorney representing Josh over his mother’s will (she died in the previous book), Jonathan encounters someone from his past, Raven, when she tries to assassinate the attorney.  She was sent by the 13th Demon’s wife, Vivian Ketrick who is trying to take over her husband’s company as well as his demonic status.  This does not last long as the 12th Demon, Rudolph Wulf, comes knocking.  Mr. Wulf’s pharmaceutical company is located in Romania (a/k/a Transylvania).  He has come to the United States with “vampyre majick” which is blood that puts demons inside of vampires if they drink it.  He hopes to prepare an army of vampires according to old legends.  During this encounter, Raven is hiding in another office.  She witnesses as both Rudolph and Vivian fight and turn into demons (Rudolph was half-dragon and half-wolf, while Vivian sprouted tentacles and orbs for eyes).  With Wulf winning the fight, Vivian agrees to help him by leading him to all the local vampire clans. Meanwhile, Jonathan finds out that the 12th Demon has arrived when Josh is drawn back into his old vampire cult in hopes of saving his girlfriend, Ila.  Unfortunately, he was tricked. Instead, he was kidnapped and taken over to Romania so that the 12th Demon can fulfill the ancient prophecy of unleashing the “vampyre majick.” Up until the end, Steel had his work cut out for him trying to save Josh and the world.

“The 12th Demon (Vampyre Majick)” was a heart-stopping thrill ride from beginning to end.  I couldn’t finish it fast enough.  Even though this was the second volume in the series, there was enough background information that you didn’t feel lost.  The dialogue and characters were well developed.  I particularly enjoyed “Theo Nosmo King” who was a six-foot-seven homeless man that Steel helped “save.”  He said that his mother named him for the first thing she saw when he was born which was the “No Smoking” sign.  Also, the history of vampirism was well researched and interesting. Anyone who enjoys the Laurell Hamilton, Anita Blake series needs to jump onto the Jonathan Steel bandwagon.  Who knew you could be a Christian and still fight demons and vampires?

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