Obsession Plus Power Equals Horror

Catherine Cavendish has outdone herself with this third part of her epic series. She's clearly incorporated extensive research to bring life to her characters and the dark, brooding atmosphere. I easily became deeply concerned for the young girls as the evil, immortal Emeryk Quintillus ensnared them to become victims of his schemes.

I've tried hard not to reveal any spoilers!

Aside from Quintillus, there were a few despicable characters in the book, but it was easy to sympathize with and root for the central characters and some easily became favorites. I was particularly fond of young Heidi and her delightful and spooky cat, Sekhmet. Introducing a cat to a story gets me every time.

I haven't read all the books in the series and Cavendish is such a good writer that I had no trouble following the plot while reading this one as a stand-alone, but I encourage you to read the books in order to get the full enjoyment of the series. I feel like I may have robbed myself of a fuller enjoyment of what was a great read for fans of ancient Egypt and black sorcery. I want to read them all!

I would like to thank Kensington Publishing Corporation and Netgalley for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted by the magnificent cover of this book, I just think it's a pity that the site didn't indicate that it was a volume 3 but I would gladly read the other two volumes.

The story takes place in Vienna in 1908 and nowadays in 2018.

In the 20th century, Gabrielle, an art student who fell in love with an archaeologist, fell in love with him except that she met him too late with his feelings and wanted to revive Cleopatra.

As for a family in the 11th century, it finds in its garage a portrait of the famous Cleopatra, and their daughter tells them that a man lives in their house.

A third captivating volume, full of suspense and twists and turns. The characters are endearing, really looking forward to this series coming out in in complete box set. I strongly recommend to all fantasy, story, paranormal fans to read this series.

I hadn’t realised that Damned by the Ancients was the third of a series before requesting it. I was relieved to see that some said it could be taken as a standalone and I do agree to a certain extent. Judging by their blurbs they all seem to follow a similar format – the story of Dr Quintillus’ quest to reincarnate Cleopatra, intermixed with a modern day family caught up with the curse.

I must admit I wasn’t very impressed with this installment and it certainly hasn’t inspired me to go back and pick up any more of the series or keep an eye out for future titles. The writing style is poor, there’s too many convenient plot devices and the writer seems to think that every bit of knowledge or skill has to be linked back and explained. The daughter can see a man in the basement and obviously this is because a side effect of previously having meningitis was see-in-the-dark eyesight. The mother sees something that looks like a firefly and we get an in-depth description of how she knew all about fireflies from something she had watched recently. It’s a very immature style – some things we just accept that characters know for themselves, I haven’t watched a documentary on fireflies, but I know what one looks like!

There are also some truly annoyingly bad decisions on the part of the characters; they finally manage to get into the basement and think there’s something evil down there and then leave the door open while going to another part of the house. The husband in particular seems to have no feelings or emotions, his reaction to something very sad that happens later in the book (no spoilers) actually made me laugh at how unrealistic it was. He thinks it’s fine for his daughter to see a child psychologist or that there might be something evil in the basement but then he leaves his wife and child there and go off to work several times right in the middle of the action.

The parts written in the past were a little less cringey and much more interesting. The whole book felt very repetitive towards the end though – they’d think they’ve escaped and then find out they hadn’t and it’d start all over again way more times than I felt was needed to remain interesting.

Overall it’s a storyline that intrigued me from it’s blurb but poor writing and bad plot let it down. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books – Lyrical Underground for a copy of the ARC in exchange for a (very!) honest review.

I love this book!!! It’s about a mans obsession/love for Cleopatra and the crazy/scary things he was willing to do because of it. The story takes place in today’s time but there are times when it goes back to the past time era and the writer does a great job of switching between the past and the present. Also the writer does a great job of giving enough details about the scenes that I could actually create the images in my mind and see it as if I was watching a movie and picture the room they were in, the items that were being discussed or the action that was going on without having the story drag on.

So a family rents a home that has an interesting past owner and the current owner rents it with an understanding that they are not allowed to go into a certain part of the house which is kept locked up. The daughter starts saying that she can see a man in the locked off area and the parents think that she is just seeing things until they too start hearing noises coming from that area of the house. When more unexplainable things start to occur the parents are determined to get into the locked off area to find out what is hidden in there and once they do they will wish they never stepped foot in that house.

This book had scary scenes and true historical information about the time and people around the Cleopatra era that made it an even better read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and books that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Damned by the Ancients (Nemesis of the Gods Book 3)Kindle Edition
by Catherine Cavendish
I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley and am leaving a fair and honest review.

I tried to read this book twice and both times I was unable to finish this plodding story of reincarnation and ancient gods and goddesses.

A mix of the Exorcist and the Bad Seed and an average reincarnation story. A family moves into the haunted house in Germany. The husband is a diplomat and mom is a cozy mystery writer. The daughter is nine years old and at the beginning, doesn't speak German.

In the kitchen, a large, heavy door is locked and is tempting to the family. Behind the door lurks the spirit of an evil archaeologist and two bodies of women. The daughter becomes possessed by one of the women and gets a familiar type cat that is the avatar of Sehkmet.

Just once, I wish that people who inhabited novels had a passing acquaintance of the paranormal, because the books they live in would move a long far more quickly! This is the case of DBTA. The mother, a writer, has no idea of what her daughter is going through, never mind the vast number of horror and fantasy novels and movies and shows that discuss reincarnation and possession.

The story is told in the semi-omniscient third person, yet still drags on. And on. It is the text itself and the way the mother constantly questions what she is told and what she observes.

The only interesting character was the cat.

I just couldn't put up with the vapidity of the parents and the way the text just didn't move along.

3 stars out of 5

https://www.amazon.com/Damned-Ancients-Nemesis-Gods-Book-ebook/dp/B07B77GLMH

The Book Nerd was bored to tears.

This is advertised as a standalone part of a series, but I found myself wishing that I had been able to read the others before reading this one. I could really relate to the characters, but I felt myself wishing that I knew more about them and had a deeper relationship like one would get from reading the previous books. I felt that this was pretty equal parts horror and thriller and the added dash of ancient Egypt made the story even better for me. I found that it was hard to get into the story at the beginning, but once I got into it (about halfway through for me) I couldn't put it down.

Damned by the Ancients is the third book in the Nemesis of the Gods series by Catherine Cavendish, but you don't need to read the others in the series to understand the plot of this one. I really enjoyed the second book in the series, Waking the Ancients, and I enjoyed this book just as much.

Ryan, his wife, Yvonne, and their nine-year-old daughter, Heidi move into Villa Dürnstein in Vienna, the former home of Dr. Emeryk Quintillus, an archeologist obsessed with Cleopatra. After they move in, strange things start happening, like Heidi suddenly being able to speak another language, and Heidi seeing a man in the basement that no one else can see. Dr. Quintillus won't stop until his beloved Cleopatra is brought back to life...even if he has to use a child as the vessel.

I was looking forward to Damned by the Ancients since I read the last one in the series, so I had high expectations and it did not disappoint. Cavendish is excellent at creating relatable characters and I truly cared about the family in this book.

I thought this book would be very similar to the last book in the series, but in addition to Dr. Quintillus's odd obsession with Cleopatra, and the haunted Villa Dürnstein, there were a lot of other spooky elements added. I loved the scenes with the creepy doll, the cat that protects Heidi and secretly talks to her, and how Dr. Quintillus forces Gustav Klimt to use ashes from Cleopatra's mummy.

The ending left an opening for a sequel and I really hope Cavendish writes another book in the series.

4.5 stars!

DAMNED BY THE ANCIENTS is Book 3 in the Nemesis of the Gods series, by Catherine Cavendish. In the first book, we're introduced to Dr. Emeryk Quintillus and his obsession with the former Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. His quest to bring her back to life to be "with him" for all time transcends the years, and even death, itself.

In this third book, Cavendish begins in the present time, with a new family--Ryan, Yvonne, and their nine-year-old daughter, Heidi, Mortimer--moving into Quintillus' former home, Villa Durnstein. It doesn't take long at all for the supernatural events that the fixated doctor set into motion to begin manifesting in front of the new tenants.

". . . Reality has lost some of its meaning . . . "

Then we change scenes/time and revisit Vienna in 1908. Once again, we are given some more insight into what Dr. Quintillus actually did and another innocent who was tangled into his web of deceit. Each of these sections that we are shown (including the ones from the first two books in the series) begin to show us a more complete picture of the complexity of his design. The ramifications--and all the lives impacted--by this one man spreads outward over the course of the years in a ripple effect.

". . . Some men don't have to do anything before you know they are inherently evil . . . "

When the author brings us back to events in the present time, we have a much better picture of the entire history regarding Quintillus' evil legacy.

". . . Some things shouldn't be meddled with."

Overall, I fell in love with this historical fiction series that Cavendish has given us. While each book tells its own complete story, they also build upon the knowledge gleaned from their predecessors. The brilliance and the complexity of this obsessed doctor's designs really comes full circle in this latest installment. Events that happened previously give us a whole new understanding and appreciation of the author's skills as we are able to "connect" the events of both past and present.

"You take normality for granted . . . until nothing in your life is normal . . . "

This was more than a mere journey. I felt as if this were the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle that I'd been anticipating. Cavendish shows true talent in her weaving of different timelines, true history, and fiction. The "Nemesis of the Gods" series is a great testament to that.

Highly recommended!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book. All opinions expressed are uniquely my own.*

2018, Present day, a young couple, Ryan and Yvonne move in the Villa Dürnstein. One would believe this haunted house was rid of its ghostly inhabitants would be sadly mistaken. When doors are bolted and walls sealed shut, usually it is for good reason. So when Yvonne hears scratching noises coming from the kitchen wall, what on earth could it be? Rats? A larger animal? Something else not of the living, perhaps? She brings her suspicions to her husband, who quickly dismisses her notions as merely a rodent problem and promises to have an exterminator come out and take a look. Hmm, how many times have we been down this road, readers? If you’ve been following this series as I have, we know the scratching noises can only mean one thing? Dr. Quintillus is rearing his ugly century old head again.

However, in order to truth grasp what is happening at the Villa Dürnstein, the reader must go back a hundred years or more to figure out why Quintillus refuses to let this house go! His beloved Cleopatra is always within his sights, as well as his heart, finds a new soul he can use as his vessel to bring her back to this world—Heidi, Ryan and Yvonne’s little girl. But can this be true? It’s one thing for Quintillus to take adults’ souls, but would he even dare try one so small? Well, if you know anything about Quintillus, you know he will stop at nothing, and I do mean, nothing, to bring the love is his life, Cleopatra back in his arms. Ooh, but what Quintillus didn’t count on were other Egyptian Gods to come to the rescue, or were they apart of a bigger scheme as well?

You’ll have to read to find out. As usual, Cavendish does a great job in bringing Egyptian mythology to life among the pages. This is really a great series! I love how each novel shows you a different perspective of the Villa Dürnstein and how other characters met Quintillus along the way bringing forth a colorful tale of horror. What a great read for October! Well done!

With the third novel of her Nemesis of the Gods saga, Catherine Cavendish shifts the mood and feel away from the Victorian Gothic of Wrath of the Ancients, past the New Gothic of Waking the Ancients, and into the realm of Modern Horror with Damned by the Ancients. It's a move I wasn't expecting, but one which works exceptionally well, perfect for exploring new facets of the mystery, and entirely suited to the new fears at its heart.

The story takes us, once again, into the haunted halls and cursed cellar of Villa Dürnstein, once home to Dr. Quintillus. Where the first book saw a young woman facing those horrors, and the second a couple, this time we have a family - including a precious, slightly odd young girl and her dolls. The first half of the story has a very Poltergeist feel to it, and you'll understand how much of a compliment that is if you share my love for the original. The addition of a child is neither clichéd nor tedious, but entirely chilling. As for the hauntings inside the house, they are not dissimilar from the first two books, but experiencing them through different eyes changes the feel of the tale, leaving us to fear not for the woman at the forefront of the tale, but for that child.

Once again, we get that abrupt shift in the second half of the novel to past events, exploring more of Dr. Quintillus' history, and shedding more light on the women in his life (and death). Maybe it's because all the pieces are starting to fall into place, but this time around that shift was neither as jarring as in the first book, nor as unwelcome as in the second book. What's more, it takes us away from the contemporary story just long enough for us to be suitably shocked by the developments waiting when we fast forward once again.

Somehow, against all odds and expectations, Cavendish has presented us with the strongest book in the series, finding ways to reinvigorate a haunting we thought already explored, and offering new surprises that lead to a satisfying climax. If Damned by the Ancients is then end, then it's a damned fine one, and if there are more stories to be told, then I look forward to seeing how Cavendish reinvents the tale next.

Catherine Cavendish does it again with an eerie tale in Damned By the Ancients.

The Mortimer family has moved into a new home in Vienna, closer to Ryan’s new job. Very quickly, they realize that things aren’t what they seem. There is a padlock on the basement door and they are told by the owners that no one is allowed down there. Their daughter Heidi very quickly imparts some very disturbing information about their new home.

“Mum. Dad. There’s a man in the basement.”

While her parents are quick to deny her statement as part of her active imagination, her mother Yvonne starts experiencing strange happenings herself.

“The rapping was coming from behind the locked basement door.”

And then there’s the stray cat, who seems to commune with Heidi. Is the voice her parents hear that of Heidi, or of something more sinister?

These things however are only the beginning for the Mortimer family and Heidi. When they decide to find out for themselves what lies beyond the basement door, they will set into motion events that cannot be stopped. Dr. Quentillas’ obsession with Cleopatra is not halted even by death and he will do whatever it takes to have his true love brought back to him.

Cavendish has managed to write not only a paranormal story that will raise the hairs on your arms, but one that is rich with Egyptian mythology. During the very first chapter the tension is ratcheted up, leaving the reader on the edge of their seats. She then crafts an elaborate plot spanning from Vienna 1908 to present day. Everything falls into place as the mystery is unraveled and the secrets are revealed. Damned By the Ancients proves once again that Catherine Cavendish weaves creepy tales with believable characters in an atmospheric melding of history and horror.

Actual rating of 3.5 stars.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I must admit that the premise interested me, hence why I requested it, but I didn't hold high hope for its execution. Boy, was I wrong!! Thank you Catherine for your story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ryan, Yvonne and their nine year old daughter Heidi have recently moved to Vienna for Ryan's job. They found a big beautiful house that was relatively cheap for its size, everything was going well. That is, until Heidi tells her parents about the man she saw in the basement. The basement stands behind a large solid steel door, which is firmly closed behind numerous locks, so how is there someone down there? After going against the wishes of the landlord, and against better judgement, they hire a locksmith to open the door. Big mistake. What follows are nail biting and hair raising events all centered around Heidi, and Dr. Quintillas's (basement man) obsession with his one great love, Cleopatra. He wishes to resurrect her, and this time he is certain he will succeed, where before he failed.

The story starts in Vienna following the story and happenings of the small family in present day, about a third of the way through it switches to 1900-1908 and gives a bit of background on Quintillas and his previous attempt at raising Cleopatra. I found that the story's pacing was slightly interrupted by the switch, but once I got through it and back to the family in Vienna, I feel like it was appropriate because it gave more insight into Quintillas himself. As I haven't read warth of the ancients, I believe the switch was needed to give me a look into what happened before.

The creep factor was definitely there for this story and as I said at the start, I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first horror story I've read in a while that actually gave me the creeps at times. Well done. At times I felt it was a little repetitive, with the capture of the girl, then she escapes, then the capture, but overall, it made sense in the story itself.

What drew me to this story was the involvement of Egyptian mythology, and Cleopatra herself. While there wasn't actually a lot of the mythology itself in the story, it still entertained. I especially enjoyed the part with Klimt and him painting the portrait, very creepy.