Daniel Faust Books In Order

Publication Order of Daniel Faust Books

The Daniel Faust series are a series of novels by Craig Shaefer, the American novelist best known for fantasy and horror crime fiction titles such the Harmony Black and the Revancha Cycle series. Schaefer published the first novel in the series “The Long Way Down” in 2014 and has never looked back since. After the first novel attained much critical success and massive popularity with the fans, Schaefer turned prolific churning out six more titles in the series within the year. Daniel Faust the lead protagonist in the series is no hero and is best described as a sorcerer, thief, card-carrying villain trying to make a dishonest living in Sin City. Unlike your ordinary villain, Faust does not have to engage in investigations or look for trouble, as it seems to always find him. He uses his wits to survive and though he may come out as a non-caring jerk, he will do the best to save the day if he is invested in the endeavor and most of all if he has something to gain. Set in Las Vegas, the city where people lose or acquire massive fortunes with a simple roll of the dice, the series of novels is an exposition of the sleaze and glitz of Las Vegas beneath which is the less glamorous underworld that is the real Las Vegas. Underneath all the glitz and glamor of the casinos and world-famous hotels is the Las Vegas underworld, drenched in occult corruption and infested by human skin wearing monsters. It is the place where a gun and a dash of black magic could be the difference between living and dying early – a place tailor made for the likes of Daniel Faust.

Daniel Faust the lead character in the Daniel Faust series is not your regular villain as apart from being a magician, he also uses magic, sleight of hand, and bullets to make a dishonest living in the dark underworld of Las Vegas. For Faust, all these are necessary for survival as he not only has to survive, but also has to face off with a range of paranormal beings, mobsters, and mercenaries that prey on the weak and vulnerable. Nonetheless, even as he is a fierce and vicious combatant when he needs to, he is not your typical villain that will murder just for the sake of it. However, his city is a place where almost everyone is looking to take advantage of someone like him and the coming apocalypse to enrich themselves or gain advantage. Most of the novels in the series may be read as standalones given that for the most part, each novel introduces a new problem for the enigmatic Faust to resolve. Even so, each narrative has recurring characters alongside Faust that help to flesh out the narratives. Overall, the Daniel Faust series of novels may best be described as urban fantasy heist novels in the mold of Ben Aaaronovitch’s police procedurals or Jim Butcher’s Living End detective series. However even as they have thematic similarities with the above mentioned novels, it is important to note that these novels do not focus on the detective or investigation side of things, but rather on the commission side.

The intrigue of the Daniel Faust series comes from its all action nature. The series comes with unbelievable and detailed combat sequences that will have the fantasy fiction reader drooling. Even as Craig Schaefer incorporates magic in the series, it is not the earth-shattering, powerful, or inexhaustible supply found in similar novels. The magic fits as a weapon right alongside Faust’s exceptional combat skills. Faust is not one to pull some satellite from the heavens but woe to you if you cornered him in an alley. Over the course of the series, the author introduces romance and writes quite well about confusing and complicated relationships that Faust and the other characters go through. Just like in real life, the characters have complicated social politics and motivations, which lead them to obsess, worry, and doubt, making them even more human. Even as he writes well about romance, it is with the world building that Schaefer really excels. The universe in the Daniel Faust series is set is quite creepy and dark. The Garden of Eden is one concept that Schaefer takes from mythology to give it innovative twists that make it very interesting. Still, the author is understated in his descriptions of the world even as he is detailed. The horrors of the shadows and darkness are implicit and suggestive rather than explicit making for highly charged narratives.

“The Long Way Down” is the first novel in the Daniel Faust series that introduces the Las Vegan ex gangster and sorcerer for hire Daniel Faust, who solves the problems of his clients using bullets and black magic. When an elderly client comes to him asking for vengeance against his granddaughter that has been murdered, what Faust believes is a simple job soon turns very dangerous. He soon finds himself standing in the crossfire between a corrupt police officer with itchy trigger fingers, a homicidal porn director, and a supernatural racket boss. Things get even more interesting when he meets the beautiful and brilliant Caitlin, the demon prince’s right hand. Having been in the magic game for so long, he should know better than to interact or fall in love with demons. Racing to unlock the secrets of an ancient magical box that nearly everyone in town would kill to get their hands on, Daniel will need all of his ruthlessness, courage and wits if he is to survive. Now that he has let himself fall in love with a demon, he has one foot on the threshold of Hell.

“Redemption Song”, the second novel in the Daniel Faust series of novels opens to Daniel Faust challenged by the demon Prince Sitri to kill an innocent man, something that he has never done. Given his love for Caitlin who is the infernal prince’s right hand, he cannot just refuse without risking never seeing her again. Working to unravel the prince’s twisted game, he put his life and principles on the line even as Caitlin is struggling with her own challenges. A pack of half-human half demon troop of renegades from Caitlin’s past just arrived in town. Their leader is hell bent on exacting revenge on Caitlin for leaving him centuries past. To make matters worse, Daniel learns that a powerful arm of law enforcement is going after everyone that he cares for. Dealing with 15 century killer, law enforcement, and Sitri’s games is one tough ask, but Daniel and Caitlin need to solve the puzzle of how it is all connected if their love is to become nothing more than a figment of the imagination.