Eyes to See

** originally posted on www.bunnycates.com **


Ok you guys! So.. I read this book the other day and wanted to wait a bit before I actually wrote up the review. WHY? you ask. Well, you know when you read a book and you think its so awesome that you immediately run and tell everyone who will listen that they MUST READ IT! But then, like a few days later – you think about that book and you’re like “Damn, that really wasn’t THAT great…” yeah, well.

This book isn’t one of those because it has been a few days and ITS STILL AWESOME!

Seriously, you guys. IM NOT KIDDING!

Eyes to See (Jeremiah Hunt Chronicle) by Joseph Nassise is an urban fantasy tale that teeters on the edge of horror. The main character here is Jeremiah Hunt. He’s show more just a regular guy. Regular, right up until his daughter goes missing. He spends years of his life doing EVERYTHING he can to find her. Everything, including performing a ritual that was supposed to let him see “that which is unseen”. Little did he know that the “unseen” wasn’t his daughter, it was the paranormal world around us.

I thought the world building of this one was great! Its a modern world just like ours, only our main character is now blind to our world and can see all the paranormal around us. Ghosts, specters, witches, and even shifters. Hunt even makes his living by performing exorcisms when he needs some cash to help further the search for his daughter.

Character wise, I think Nassise did a fantastic job of giving us characters that you want to know more about and want to help. Jeremiah is that “broken” hero that you NEED in a story like this. Hoping against hope that his daughter is still alive and letting his own life slide because he is so wrapped up in that hope. He loses his job, loses his wife, all because he wont give up on finding his daughter. As a mom, it struck a chord with me and I totally connected with that. The characters that we meet along the way that help Jeremiah were just as “meaty”.

Story wise, I really don’t want to go too much into the plot because I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything for you. I will tell you this is a mans quest for his missing daughter, a multiple murder mystery, a paranormal fantasy, an action adventure, with a bit of thrilling horror thrown in – just incase your emotions weren’t already invested. You know, just a little something extra to “keep ya on your toes”.

The writing style has this casual feel and thus the story flows in such a way that you read half the book before even thinking about looking at the clock to see how long you’ve been reading. Its one of those books you get lost in. Where when you do look up the clock you realize you haven’t been sitting there for 15 minutes but instead, you’ve been there for HOURS.

In Conclusion:
I loved *LOVED* this one guys! If you like ghosts/paranormal/fantasy type books you MUST READ this one! Can’t wait to pick up book two King of the Dead (The Jeremiah Hunt Chronicle) by Joseph Nassise!

Mom Notes:
Maybe for ages 13 . Contains violence, language. show less

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/11/review-eyes-to-see-jeremiah-hunt-1-by-josep...

Jeremiah Hunt is a bit different from you and I. He’s blind,yet can see. However,the things he sees are probably things we’d prefer to leave to our imaginations. Ghosts and other supernatural beings are an everyday sight for Hunt,and he makes a tentative living as an exorcist of sorts. This is how we meet him at the beginning of Eyes to See,on his way to a job to get rid of an angry ghost visiting vengeance on the group of people that watched from their windows as she was raped,beaten,and left for dead,and did nothing to help. The author really gives the reader a good feel of what Hunt can do right off the bat and as show more the story unfolds,we begin to realize that Hunt’s “sight” is way more extensive than hinted at in the beginning. When Hunt is called to the scene of a murder by Detective Stanton,a cop with motives that are as shadowy as the creatures Hunt sees on a daily basis. This isn’t your everyday murder though and eventually Hunt will discover he may be more intimately connected to these victims,a revelation that will turn his world upside down.

Hunt is a tortured soul,still reeling from the disappearance of his daughter five years ago,under his care,and the subsequent disintegration of his marriage as a result of his all-consuming obsession to find Elizabeth. Out of desperation,Hunt turns to the occult,using a spell from a book left by a mysterious “preacher”,giving him the ability to see things that are “unseen”. It was way more than he bargained for,but he’s determined to make the best of his ability and continue the search for his daughter. With the help of hedge witch Denise and barkeep (and so much more) Dmitri,his search will lead him through the dark heart of a killer,to a former insane asylum where secrets and pain are almost living,breathing things. Eyes to See is a quick read,not because it’s short,but because it’s so engaging. His ghostly aids,a giant of a man he’s dubbed Scream,and a young girl he calls Whisper (and who’s sight he can borrow),add a wonderfully human aspect to the story in the lengths they’ll go to in order to aid Hunt. The novel goes back and forth between the present and the time right after Elizabeth’s disappearance,and we get a heartbreaking glimpse of a father that’s lost everything,and the journey that he’s taken to find his way back to the light. Hunt’s story will touch you,especially if you’re a parent,and the mystery of who is committing these murders is tied to Hunt and Elizabeth in a most diabolical way. Great characters,a world populated by creatures that go bump,and a new hero in Jeremiah Hunt,make this a strong start to a new series. Fans of a little police procedural served up with their urban fantasy should love this one! show less

This is so well written it is almost tragic how uninspired and mediocre the plot turned out.
The book has a fantastic opening that immediately builds a strong connection to the MC and teases an interesting premise.
But it never manages to actually tell an interesting story.
It gets caught up in unnecessary detail a lot but not in the usual overly descriptive way.
It creates depth in places where it is really not needed and it's not relevant to anything really while neglecting other areas that are far more relevant to the story which leads to uneven pacing.
Again, the tragic thing is that it does what it does very well. It just does it at the wrong time and place.

This all sounds very negative but tbh I generally enjoyed reading this one.
It show more truly was heart-balm to read this after a very long string of badly written sub-par books but it just doesn't manage to convince me beyond a 3-star rating.
There is a reason why so many books even with atrocious writing are so successful. A good story needs more than just good basic writing. show less

Eyes to See by Joseph Nassise is an urban fantasy novel about a man, Jeremiah Hunt, who is on a quest to find his missing daughter. When all roads of discovery lead to a dead end, Jeremiah gives up his eyesight so that he might see things beyond what normal people might see. His life is in shambles and everything around him falls apart. Jeremiah takes up some PI work. While helping the local police investigate a crime he stumbles across a clue that might lead him to his daughter. This new clue leads Jeremiah on a chase and he starts to uncover something more sinister than just a random kidnapping.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this novel. The concept sounded really interesting but I wasn't sure if this book was show more going to make me want to sleep with all the lights on. It didn't take me very long before I was invested in the story. One of the many things I like about this book is that Nassise divides the chapters into "Now" and "Then" The author gives glimpses into the past to help the reader understand what has led Jeremiah Hunt to where he is now.
I really like the range and depth of emotions the author gives Jeremiah. It seems like everyday on the news you hear about someone's missing child. It's every parents worst fear. The author really digs down and explores the tenacity of the emotions that parents must experience in these situations. How obsession and compulsion can lead you down a dangerous path. Jeremiah is a man with nothing left to lose. However his drive to find his daughter is inspiring. He's rough around the edges, stubborn but really he's just a man who would do anything to get his daughter back.
The story line in this book is really interesting. Nassise kept me intrigued chapter after chapter. The author has created a world that is full of interesting characters along with frightening creatures. This novel in a way took on a detective vibe but I like it. In my mind I was picturing Jeremiah Hunt as a bit of a film noir character. The ending of this book really pulled at my heart strings. I won't tell you any details, but it was really touching.
Overall this is a good read. I really like the story and I'll definitely continue reading this series. It has suspense, drama and things that go bump in the night. The next book in this series is King of the Dead. show less

See my review of this book, and many more, at Tales from the Great East Road.

"I gave up my eyes in order to see more clearly…"

Jeremiah Hunt is a man determined for justice when his young daughter, Elizabeth, suddenly disappears. When the police find nothing, he can’t stand idly by and wait for action. He turns to the supernatural and does something drastic… Now Jeremiah is blind, but he can see the souls of the dead. Having given up his marriage and career for this ability, Jeremiah ends up assisting the police with odd cases, in the hopes that one day this will lead him to his daughter. Despite the belief by some that he may have actually killed Elizabeth, he lives a life that isn’t happy, but is at least something – until a show more series of murders come to light that may or may not be connected to his family.

As an urban fantasy with a male protagonist, it was inevitable that Eyes to See was going to be compared to The Dresden Files, a great series filled with humour, police investigations,, a little romance, and a mixture of fantastical creatures. Whilst both are enjoyable for fairly different reasons, there is not in fact that much similar about these two books. Eyes to See is a much more somber book, with the pain of Elizabeth’s disappearance weighing heavily on Jeremiah, who as a character is lacking Harry Dresden’s easy humour and charm. Also, it only features ghosts – no vampires, werewolves, or faereis here. Despite all this, Eyes to See is a good book, with a great premise and a main character whose suffering is relatable and sympathetic throughout. Though it can feel a little too serious at times, this mood fits with the overall tone. The scene where Jeremiah finally discovers what happened to his daughter and visits his ex-wife was very moving, and probably the best part of the book – it brought a tear to my eyes.

Eyes to See also features other great ideas, like two ghost called Whisper and Scream. These ghost provide Jeremiah with “ghost-sight” and super strength to aid him in his investigations. He also has help from a bar tender with links to the supernatural, Dmitri, and a witch, Denise, who has prophetic dreams about Jeremiah. This relationship with all these people (ghost and human) is slowly built upon, which is realistic considering what Jeremiah has been through, though can become a little frustrating to read. Thought there is no romance, there is a possibility for one to develop between Jeremiah and Denise in the rest of the series. It is however very satisfying to read a book about the supernatural that doesn’t offer a easy solution out of every problem, and leaves Eyes to See nicely open for a sequel.

Overall, I would recommend this book, but only for those in the mood for a quieter, more serious urban fantasy.

3.5 stars. show less

The back of EYES TO SEE promises a lot. A scary, thrilling, dark urban fantasy novel that will leave you wanting the lights on while you sleep. For me, it didn’t quite reach that level. With 275 pages of buildup to a climax that was extremely convenient, EYES TO SEE doesn’t live up to the aspirations I had for it when going in. It’s a decent beginning to a new urban fantasy series for adults, particularly fans of THE DRESDEN FILES and CSI, but it could have been so much better.

EYES TO SEE is the story of a former Harvard classics professor named Jeremiah Hunt whose daughter is kidnapped without a trace. His wife leaves him, he loses himself in the process, and he finally performs a ritual that allows him to gain the ability to see show more ghosts, among other supernatural beings that inhabit Boston. The goal is simple – he wants to find his daughter. Five years have passed since she went missing, and a string of murders has given him the break he needs to find the killer. Except now he needs help.

The biggest asset of this novel is great world-building. From ghosts to witches to Norse legends, everything is covered, and it’s covered well. Nassise’s imagination is given a chance to flourish here, combining together myths, legends, and real stories well to create a

For the first 275 pages, the story is fine. It moves along at a nice rate, there is plenty of interesting world-building to keep you enticed, and there is nothing particularly wrong about this. Yes, the narrator can be hard to connect with (his daughter’s disappearance made him almost insane), and the POV changes did throw me off a bit. The story switches between first person past in the now and in the past, in addition to third person POVs from the villain and two other characters. If the story had stayed with Hunt, I think the narrative would have been tighter and less spastic. The way it was, I enjoyed it, but it could have been better.

I think one of the problems I had with it was the fact that the beginning was great, but the story went downhill from there. By the time we reached the climax and the big reveals and the conclusion, it felt too contrived, too convenient. When mixed together with plodding pacing during action scenes, where Hunt stopped in the middle of the narrative to suddenly piece together clues in long monologues, it slowed things down and squandered what could have been an amazing ending. Nassise clearly has the ability to craft a great urban fantasy novel, but somehow EYES TO SEE ended up being nowhere near as amazing as it could have been. Yes, it was a good novel. Yes, I would recommend it to fans of Jim Butcher and procedural urban fantasy novels. But I think it could have been a lot better.

VERDICT: Amazing world-building and the author's burgeoning imagination are letdown by little emotional connection and a flat climax that seemed too convenient to be plausible. Still, if you like urban fantasy with a male protagonist, it's worth a look. show less

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
www.allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

The whys and wherefores of Jeremiah Hunt's world are fascinating, a mix of grim reality and arcane practicality. As the chapters switch between the past and present, Hunt's growth from comfortable academic to iron-hard, isolated mystic unfolds page by page. While I loved all of the chapters from Hunt's perspective, I could have done without the present-tense chapters from other characters' points of view. They never reached Hunt's level of charisma and interest, and I found myself anxious to get back to our hero.

Hunt's personal magnetism is well established from page one. Riding along on an exorcism provides a front row seat for how ghosts and magic show more interact in his world, and so much action mixed with exposition gives the reader a lot of information in an interesting way. I was captivated by this meticulously imagined ghost world, though I enjoyed Hunt's expertise more than the flashbacks of how he had come by it.

If I could have spent the whole book in the first half of Hunt's point of view, this book would be one of my favorites. Unfortunately, while the world building never lost it's magic, by the last few chapters the plot comes un-spooled. The exposition that was so interesting from a magical theory perspective becomes less natural when it's plot threads are being tied off one after another in haphazard fait accompli. I enjoyed so much of EYES TO SEE, it was disappointing to have the ending feel so rushed and underdeveloped. If nothing else, however, Nassise has piqued my interest in his other books, in hopes of finding more of those elements that were so captivating.

Sexual Content: None. show less