REVIEWS!

Amihan Lopez by MoonArc, a "Mayhem" illustration

Some great early reviews are in for "Mayhem!"

Ray Simmons at Reader's Favorite writes: "I read a lot of horror. I love the genre. If I have any complaint about the horror and fantasy genres, it is that so much of the writing, in so many cases, is very generic. This is not a genre where people boldly experiment. This is not a genre where people push the edges. This is a general observation. It does not hold true for some authors. It most definitely doesn't describe Michael Molisani. 

Mayhem by Michael Molisani is one of the most beautifully unique books I have ever read in any genre. The fact that it is fantasy makes the impact that much stronger, makes it that much more noticeable and noteworthy. If any other writer had told this tale, the story would have been predictable. The characters would have been less complex, and this future would have been more understandable. But this is Michael Molisani. The writing and descriptions border on pure poetry. The characters, mostly women, are the most complicated and powerful creatures you can imagine.

I loved these women. Of course, Margaret is my favorite. It’s her story. She is Lady Mayhem. But other powerful women and gods made a lasting impression on me. I love the Greek goddess Aphrodite any time she appears in a book. I love her in all her forms. She did not disappoint here. I love the world Michael Molisani created here. A post-apocalypse world where magic and science share hegemony but magic is gaining the upper hand. Mayhem is a marvel of magic, mystery, and primordial forces. I loved it. It is new, exciting and excellent literature."

Sophie Clark writes on Goodreads: "This novel merges fantasy and horror elements, telling the story of Mayhem, a battlewitch caught up in a fantastical struggle for power that involves many members of her dysfunctional family. There are a lot of interesting details included in descriptions of the setting and character relationships, making it clear the author has considered the story world’s history and culture in depth. Luckily for fans of this novel, the author is penning further works set in the same story world, providing further insight into some of the characters featured in Mayhem. I found the depiction of the lead character Mayhem as a battlewitch novel and surprising, as I’d never read a book in which witchcraft was positioned in this kind of military context before.

An aspect of the novel I really appreciated was just how many female characters play a dominant role in the plot, both as allies and adversaries (and sometimes both) to Mayhem. Just as a note, due to the sexual content and intensity of violence depicted in Mayhem, this novel would likely be an unsuitable pick if you’re shopping for a young fantasy reader or you're someone who finds such content offensive."