Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty is a Christian fiction novel that follows the investigation of Miami police detectives Ian Jelani and his partner Lane Madigan as they seek to apprehend a murderer targeting criminals through ritualistic killings. The detectives uncover a series of similar homicides occurring nationwide, garnering media attention and earning the perpetrator the moniker "Holy Terror." Unbeknownst to Jelani and Madigan, the perpetrator is revealed to be Thumos, an angel known as Yahweh's righteous enforcer who has historically punished evildoers on behalf of God. However, these recent killings deviate from God's divine will, putting Thumos' soul in jeopardy of succumbing to darkness. Concurrently, Jelani and Madigan grapple with their personal struggles in accepting God's plan. As the story unfolds, the characters confront their spiritual dilemmas and navigate the complexities of their faith. “Satan, where are you, you filthy scum?” This is my favorite line in Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty and I go back and forth between saying it in the voices of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Al Pacino. The last one is mostly because I don't feel like an angel would sound like a cowboy. Holy Terror is the first book in Dougherty's The Holy Terror series, which is not about your nephew but is even more exciting because it has really well-written epic battle scenes between theological giants, angels, and other creatures of God's divine creation. Unlike most novels in the genre, Dougherty employs a constant thread of humor throughout and this goes a long way in balancing out the biblical, scriptural, and doctrinal references that Christian fiction requires. As a non-Christian reader, I still found the overall story to be exactly as speculative fiction has to be above all else: entertaining. And Holy Terror is entertaining, indeed. Very highly recommended.

his debut novel—and series opener—is a blend of Christian mythology, crime drama, and arcane thriller that follows two detectives as they attempt to track down a seemingly unstoppable killer. Ian Jelani and his partner, Lane Madigan, are Miami police detectives tasked with finding a murderer who has been ritualistically butchering criminals—drug dealers, porn peddlers, terrorists. As the two investigate the elusive executioner, they discover similar homicides across the country. The “Holy Terror,” as the media have dubbed the killer, only targets hardcore criminals. Unbeknown to the two detectives, the entity behind the gruesome murders is an angel named Thumos, Yahweh’s right hand of justice whose flaming sword of vengeance has dispatched those who do evil against Yahweh’s children for millennia. But the recent killings have not been ordained by God—and Thumos is in danger of losing his soul to darkness. As Thumos struggles with his own spiritual demons, so do Jelani and Madigan, both dealing with their own issues with accepting God’s will. Fueled by Christian beliefs—relevant biblical verses and Christian doctrine abound—this tale about the spiritual awakenings of all three characters is powerfully moving. (Christian readers will also undoubtedly enjoy the pop-culture references, like the Christian metal band Stryper.) The pacing is brisk, and Dougherty’s narrative reads like a thriller, high intensity throughout with action-packed scenes from beginning to end. The big criticism here is the wild inconsistency in descriptions of both the setting and characters. Thumos, for example, is richly portrayed: He “shook his head, and his once long, flowing white hair floated away as multiple horns began to now appear out of his head. His once human-like ears stretched into elongated leathery appendages. His mouth expanded outward, creating almost a snout, with long, white fangs.” Satan, on the other hand, is barely described at all, with the devil wearing a black robe and having “grotesque fingers” and “grotesque appendages.” Faith-based speculative fiction fans should enjoy this tale of an angel vigilante’s glorious journey.

Holy Terror by John R. Dougherty is a novel that delves into the supernatural world of angels. We are introduced to a variety of murders occurring over the state. Interesting enough, all the victims are evil people with a history of criminal records. How they die is gruesome and despicable. Some don't seem to be by normal human strength. Who is behind all these mysterious killings? Who is passing such passionate judgment on the victims? Where will this frenzy lead to? Is killing off deserving individuals the best justice there is? Read on to know the perpetrator and, eventually, the ultimate decision at the end of the novel. This thought-provoking masterpiece is the work of a very interesting imagination combined with research. The author understands the working of the angels and has done an incredible job of bringing them to life. I especially loved Thumo's depiction of anger towards the evil upon the earth. I understand his predicament since this is what he was created for: to bring justice into the world. Sometimes we all wish we could do the same. Lane and Ian are also well-developed characters that will eventually become focal points for the whole story. Read this book if you want to know more about the working of the supernatural in the natural realm. This could be an eye-opener. What I loved about this story is the author's vivid description of scenes. It was not hard for me to get into the story from the very beginning. The author does not tally in the storytelling. Most of the scenes were fast-paced and did not bore me with redundancy. This is an aspect I look for in a book. There was nothing that I disliked about this book. From the plot, storytelling, and conclusion, everything falls together beautifully. I loved the timely delivery and introduction of characters. The book is suspenseful and filled with a variety of emotional rollercoasters. It is definitely a book worth reading. The author has borrowed heavily from concepts of Catholicism. Even though this did not affect the enjoyment of the book, I found it worth noting here. The reader will come across several Catholic beliefs. If one decides to read this book, one should do so with an open mind, as that will lead to an immense enjoyment of the book. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. From the many aspects aforementioned, nothing warrants a point deduction. I found only a few errors, and the book is professionally edited. I recommend this book to lovers of fictional novels with a touch of reality. Lovers of true crime and detective novels will also greatly enjoy reading this book. The book has a number of vividly described violent scenes. Reader discretion is advised.