Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

2.5 "has a whole lot of potential" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Cosmic Egg Books for an e-copy. This was released September 2019. I am providing my honest review.

I loves me a frightening gothic horror, an evil Satanic horror, a horror to to make me tremble and shake. I was hoping for this in this debut novel which is the first in a series.

I will not go over the plotline but suffice it to say that it was well planned out with dual timelines that at times were both terrifying and horrifying. The writer has some talent in creating an interesting and intriguing story arc. This is what kept me reading forward.

Although the author is able to write vivid scenes of violence and gore that make you shudder oftentimes the prose is too longwinded and overly detailed.

My biggest critique however is the two dimensionality of the characters and dialogue that is often cringeworthy. This detracted from what could have been an excellent horror like the Exorcist as opposed to a sloppy third rate copy of a Tarantino.

Although being mildly entertained and moderately horrified I was mostly conflicted and dissatisfied and will not be moving forward in this Satanic series.

A very powerful story - one I am still thinking about. I feel I need another read through soon! 10/10 would recommend and buy for others as a gift

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I'm a huge fan of books about cults... add in the horror aspect, and I'm sold.
This book had an unique storyline.. it added some religious horror to it, which is always interesting.
It easily kept my interest, and I'd definitely read more by this author.

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

Well, this one surprised me. I was expecting/dreading a Christian fiction tale similar to the "Left Behind" series from Lahaye and Jenkins (and to be fair, there are touches here), but in The Cult of Eden by Bill Halpin, the reader is treated to a full-throttle pageturner of horror and suspense. Following a home invasion, a father and son are kidnapped into a cult of Satanists, called the Edens. A memorable villain, bent on becoming one with Satan, stops at nothing to destroy the hearts of Christians in an intense battle of good and evil. This is the first of a planned trilogy. I can't wait to read the next one. Until then, I'll avoid eating burgers on Friday (read the book and you'll get the reference)!

The horror aspect of it was done really well but it took too long for me to be invested in the story. Everything outside of the horror aspect felt corny, cliched, and/or maybe me angrily roll my eyes. Would read the sequel though.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well developed. It had an interesting plot. I would be interested in reading more

A dark and gruesome,

firstly thank you to netgalley/author for the AVC in exchange for an honest review. i was excited by the blurb off this book and kept checking until it turned up on my shelf.

this book is amazing just as you think your going one way, Bam the author throws you a loop. it leaves you wanting to read the rest of the books and i can't wait to read the others in this series. i will be following this author closely from now (No stalking i promise) it had taken me only a few pages before i was hooked. it brings everything together but still leaves you wanting more and more.

Bill Haplin is definitely someone to watch and i will reading his others.

Halpin’s first part of The Cult of Eden is an interesting novel with some irritating factors but enough to keep the reader invested. The premise is good but some of the characters tend to act in a way that you really want to give them a good shake.

The Cult of Eden is basically about a cult who are against Catholics/Christians and prey to the lord almighty Satan. The characters of the cult are very three dimensional and extremely interesting although their reasoning is still a bit hazy but imagine this is being saved for the sequel where we get a fully fledge cult. The menace and thriller aspects all hinge on these characters and Halpin really excels on this dark element. He gives enough hints about the cult to keep the thriller aspect alive and this is where the novel excels.

The main family that have been traumatised by the cult are a mixed bag. Will is very annoying and he seems like a slacker in nature though at the same time, there are elements within the story that doesn’t add up to this surmise of this character. His character is what I found really irritating and found me wanting to scream at the character to man up. The father’s loss of faith, the strong wife and young brother are well drawn and are strong character types that actions fit within the personalities that are drawn for them.

The plot drives the novel forward and enjoyed the religious aspects of the story. Coming from a religious upbringing, I always appreciate the work that goes into this and Halpin has really exceled in these aspects of the story. When the two worlds collide, this is very well handled and he really knows how to drive up the stress levels and thriller aspects of the story which comes into full gear at the half way point. The reader is in for one hell of a ride once it all kicks into gear. The first third is introduction of characters with some strange events taking place, then we get the story ready to take off with the temperature turned up from chapter to chapter until its climatic conclusion.

Overall, this is a good neighbour and though there are aspects which turned me slightly off which is basically the character of Will. This of course is purely subjective as I am sure other readers would find more to invest into the character of Will. The rest of the story kept me fully invested, and I am interested enough to continue into reading the series when the second book is to be released. With strong aspects of religious imagery, thriller type setting with enough action and heart stopping plot points to make this a thrilling page turner.

OK, where to start, for those who said the beginning, congrats you've won nothing.

This is a tale of two halves. New York and the Amazon rain forest. Not exactly two places that you would put together I know. But, please bear with me.

There is a certain fixation with what could be represented from A. Burgess's A Clockwork Orange. This truly does give definition as to what 'Ultraviolence' could be.

Is it required: No
Is it graphic: Exceedingly
Mindless: Yes
Does it over step the mark: Probably, on more than a few occasions.
Should it be in print: Hell Yes

A families struggle for survival, in New York city. They have been taken to task by a (oc)cult, for want of a ritual. What follows is a blur of silenced weapons, hammers, fires and a rather handy extending double ended spear.

In essence it is a fight between good verses evil, with a big twist of Catholicism verses the Satanic.

What about the Amazon?

Well it pops up in several sections. The catholic church on a "mission" to convert the beliefs of an Amazonian tribe, to that of The Almighty, and his son Jesus Christ. And enter the.......

What next?

Personally I am sat on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next installment. Hopefully, it won't be to long on the old word processor.

Rating: 4.7/5

Status: Completed

#NetGalley #TheCultofEden

This was a perfect read for October and Halloween season. It was reminiscent of This Present Darkness by Frank Peritti. The creepiness was augmented by religious, particularly Catholic, references which are always scary to me. There were some pretty graphic scenes so its not for the faint of heart or easily offended. I did notice some weird plot holes, a good deal of unbelievability (Shannon not calling the police?) and his female characters had a bit of a stereotype. Overall I thought the ending was very clever and satisfying and the writing was above par.

This story was really creepy, intense, and might I say, even scary. It definitely had me speeding through it, and when I had, I regretted some of the hard core scenes that are now locked into my psyche. Well, regret is not the right word., but this book is not for the faint of heart. It's pretty hard core horror with some gruesome scenes. The characters really had me invested in the story. I like reading about stories in which the characters have struggles with their spirituality. I found it creepy that the cult in the story feeds off of these types of scenarios, trying so hard to make misery in the lives of the most faithful. QUITE CREEPY!!! I am definitely invested in this storyline and am looking forward to what's next in the upcoming sequel. I'll definitely be buying or renting that one when it comes out! If you like horror, and are not squeamish, you'll enjoy this book. I only wish I had read it for October, as it would've been a great scare-a-thon read!!!

We’re now more than 15 years removed from religious conspiracy thrillers bursting onto the scene with Dan Brown’s blockbuster, The Da Vinci Code. It was one of the first times that a book could tackle overtly religious themes without people immediately rejecting a book as a ‘Christian novel’ and since then there’s been a slew of thrillers in this vein, from the rest of Dan Brown’s books through to Robert Harris’ fantastic Conclave a few years ago.

Even with the burgeoning popularity of ‘religious conspiracy thrillers’ (an entirely made-up moniker I thought of while writing this review), I’ve always been slightly hesitant to pick up any books which seem too overtly Christian. Raised in a Catholic family, it feels both too close to home and a little exclusive sometimes, with a knowledge of Christian doctrine required to understand some of the elements of the plot.

On the surface, therefore, The Cult of Eden shouldn’t have ever made it onto my radar. But a combination of an intriguing cover and a blurb promising a cult, otherworldly powers and a demonic ritual convinced me that this might be enough of a Dan Brown/fantasy hybrid for me.

What I didn’t expect, but actually really enjoyed, is the B-Movie type feel of the novel. It’s got slightly campy, tongue-in-cheek humour and a shocking level of violence unlike anything I’ve ever read before. In parts it read almost like a 1980s direct-to-DVD horror, with visceral assaults, graphic descriptions of injuries, nightmarish humans and creatures, fantastical set pieces and an enjoyably overblown storyline. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but for the most part I really enjoyed it.

The book does a great job at overcoming my resistance to ‘religious’ fiction. Yes, it’s about religious doctrine and belief, and yes there’s a lot of religious references, including quoted bible passages, symbolism and a deacon as one of the protagonists, but it’s actually handled really interestingly. Most of these thrillers fall into one of two categories. It’s either a conspiracy within the Church to overthrow the established order, or it’s an atheist sect or group that wants to destroy organised religion. Not here. The eponymous Cult of Eden is a cult that believes in God, with a total belief in his existence, but a burning hatred of him. When faced with some of the questions that Christians often struggle with – Why would God do bad things to me? Why are some people treated differently to others? Why do we require such specific rituals to praise God? – the Cult of Eden reject all of this, enacting horrific perversions of Christian practices such as marriage to diametrically oppose ‘God’ and everything he stands for. It’s a unique approach that I’ve not encountered before and hooked my interest much more than I ever though an overtly religious plot might.

After an intriguing, quirky opening, the book takes a real turn about a quarter of the way through, that shockingly kickstarts the rest of the plot, but then the next quarter is actually quite anticlimactic and limp, with little character or plot development and a lot of exposition. I appreciate that after intense bursts of violence it’s helpful to have some recovery time, but a quarter of a book feels maybe slightly more than needed. Luckily, the plot picked back up to a rampant fury in the last third of the novel, culminating in an incredibly bleak ending that somehow managed to leave me wanting to come back for more despite the darkness.

This is the first in a series and, though I find myself wishing that these characters could be left to enjoy the remnants of their lives without any more horror, I’d be keen to read another book in the series.

Is this a standout book that I’d recommend to everyone? No, probably not. The characters are interesting but not hugely developed, and the plot stutters at points. Beyond that it’s an acquired taste, with a slightly hokey storyline and a gruesome amount of hyper-violence, but this is exactly what I enjoyed. It was a horrifying, escapist, read-through-your-fingers thrill ride with an unashamed amount of ridiculousness and a cleverly-handled use of religion. In a world where it’s increasingly difficult to find an original idea and approach, this book finds something utterly fresh (and deliciously appalling), and for that alone it deserves reading.

This book took me on a ride with so many twists and turns that I didn't know where I was or which way I was going! Every time I thought I knew what was going on, BAM - crazy plot twist out of nowhere. I could not put this one down, I found myself opening it up on my iPad and reading it while prepping and cooking dinner, waiting in the car rider line, and any other time I had a free minute or two. The Cult of Eden is the first in a series called The Unrisen.

This is definitely a horror novel. It's filled with gruesome murder and evil at every turn. But it's also a fast-paced mystery/thriller that keeps the reader guessing - who, what, when, where, WHY?! The villain, Victor Degas, is perfect and was set up by the end of this book to become even more evil and vengeful as the series goes on. This is a book that pulls on the heartstrings of the religious and makes the nonreligious question everything. The premise of the Edens is essentially anti-God and Satan worshipping, but with a twist. Not only do they worship Satan, they also want to rid the world of believers and send as many people to hell as possible. There goal seems to be weakening the hearts and humanity of the most devout Catholics and bringing them down to the dark and madness of their world. As a nonreligious person, it was hard for me to resonate with the Battese family's views on faith and God - of course, I also didn't get a huge emotional response to the Edens and their Satan worshipping either! Halpen was able to tie both horror and religion together superbly, without being too preachy - or on the flip-side, without defaming the Catholic religion. This book is not for the weak of heart; it's truly a gory horror filled with murder and death. But the plot is there and keeps the reader wanting more. I'm very interested in what is next for the Batteses, Degas, and the Edens.

This book was definitely a page turner. I enjoyed the storyline and the many twists and turns it brought. I felt the multiple viewpoints were great and helped the reader to build attachments to the characters. I was a little bit confused regarding the story line that involved the Amazonian tribe, but maybe that will be cleared up in the future installments of this series.

Found this book an ok read, the old good bs evil take on things.
I found the plot to be lacking in some areas,

Heavy on graphic violence, light on actual substance in the plot, this book looks like it could be so much better, and just falls short of the mark. I didn't enjoy the graphic violence, and felt that this was ground that was being retread, so I couldn't see much originality in some of it.
The writing though was good, in the sense of descriptiveness, but I felt the character building was a bit light on the ground in places. The big bad was really just a pastiche in some ways, and though I understand this is a story with an arc, I'm not sure I'll continue with it.

Bit of a strange one this. A religion based horror, good vs evil and so on, but unfortunately there is so very little story and lots and lots (and lots) of graphic violence. I like a gory horror but it needs to have a good story too. Having said that I liked the ending and wonder whether the next book might have more depth of story rather than blood.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This book kept me on edge and was filled with twists. I hope to read more from this author.