"If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him." — 1859 Malechai ben Pallache, a Ukranian-Jew and soldier of fortune who has made his way through the world fueled by blood and pain has been enlisted to hunt down Dragan, the bastard priest who kicked off the pogroms before fleeing to California. But the profane holy man has more than blood on his hands, he has also stolen a box that holds terrible evil. Brodie is infested with hungry demons and dangerous men, gold and vice drawing in the worst that humanity or demonkind have to offer, all standing between Malechai and the priest. But, he does not travel alone. Joined by a succubus of terrible power and the silent golem Mishpat, Malechai will stop at nothing to find Dragan and bring his twisted reign to an end. What follows is a blood-drowned, hatred-fueled battle of wills, bullets, and mutilation that will forever stain the ground of Brodie California.
Author
John Baltisberger is an author of speculative and genre fiction that often focuses on Jewish Elements. Through his writing, he has explored themes of mysticism, faith, sin, and personal responsibility. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and his daughter. Though mostly known for his bizarre blend of Jewish mysticism and splatter, John defies being labeled under any one genre. His work has spanned extreme horror, urban fantasy, science fiction, cosmic horror, epic verse, and he has even written a guide for mindful meditation. While relatively new to the writing community, (his first book was published in 2018) John has become known for his work in verse, having worked in both extremely short works and massive novella-length poetic epics. He continues to work to push himself to explore new avenues of expression and horror literature.
