Johannes Cabal the Necromancer (Johannes Cabal #1) (2009)

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 HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2026

by Jonathan L. Howard



A sardonic novel that balances gallows humor, irony, and sarcasm with a grim heart. 



The premise—Cabal, a necromancer and scientist, must win back his soul from the Devil by claiming a hundred replacement souls for him—sets the tone perfectly. 


"Soul Catcher" (German)


Satan is good enough to grant him ownership of a damned carnival to aid him in achieving his goal. 


"Johannes Cabal, the Necromancer" (Russian)


Each stop of the carnival plays like a self-contained morality tale, but together they form a coherent and rich arc. 


"Johannes Cabal, the Necromancer" (French)


The dialogue is razor-sharp, full of wit and bite. Another strength of the book is Cabal’s relationship with his brother Horst, a courteous vampire whose decency gives the book emotional weight. Their bond softens the novel’s caustic tone just enough to make its darkness resonate. Author Jonathan L. Howard sustains a comic voice without flattening the horror beneath it. 


Jonathan L. Howard


The humor and dread exist side by side, never tipping into farce or sermon. The larger stakes occasionally get blurred by the episodic structure, but the world is so engaging it hardly matters. The result is a grimly funny meditation on redemption, vanity, and the trouble with having a conscience after you’ve already sold your soul.

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