HELL HOLES

A captive on a sinister planet vows revenge against the demons and aliens who have enslaved humans in this fourth installment of an SF series.

Paul Chapman is only 15 years old when vicious demonic creatures abduct his family from their Alaska cabin. He, his mother, and his twin sister wind up in hell, which is its own red desert planet, where humans are enslaved. They suffer vile treatment from the likes of imps, trolls, and hellhounds. Both the captors and the captives include alien creatures Paul has never seen before, like the kextuxixes, each sporting six eyes, a cylindrical head, and a third arm jutting from the chest. Though the defiant ones generally become demon food, Paul’s attacking an imp guard impresses an administrator, who enlists him as a gladiator. As years pass, Paul builds his strength and experience battling others in hell’s Prime City Coliseum. But more than anything, he craves revenge against the lord commander for what he and his minions have done to Paul’s family. Awaiting the right time to strike, Paul struggles to keep his fellow captives safe, even if he has to compromise his morals. Firesmith jampacks his engaging story with otherworldly beasts. They’re a motley assortment that, like the humans, features affable types among the mostly villainous group. Devils nevertheless stand out, having such names as Sêṣķ Ṭõṣ-ṭõṕ (footnotes and an addendum assist with pronunciation). The author deftly describes a bleak but colorful hell—a “clear, coral sky” and a unique pale pink (or burgundy red) fruit, munga, which is poisonous to humans. While the relatively simple plot sticks close to Paul’s vengeance quest, readers may want to read the series’previous installments, as the final act adds returning characters without any sort of introduction. This novel’s black-and-white illustrations by Bellio effectively showcase the fantastic creatures, even if most look as if they’re merely posing against plain backdrops.

An engrossing dystopian thriller with a vibrant, beastly cast.