The Gates
Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Halloween, which is how they come to witness strange goings-on at 666 Crowley Road. The Abernathys don't mean any harm by their flirtation with the underworld, but when they unknowingly call forth Satan himself, they create a gap in the universe, a gap through which a pair of enormous gates is visible. The gates to Hell. And there are some pretty terrifying beings just itching to get out...
Can one small boy defeat evil? Can he harness the power of science, faith, and love to save the world as we know it?
Bursting with imagination and impossible to put down, The Gates is about the pull between good and evil, physics and fantasy. It is about a quirky and eccentric boy, who is impossible not to love, and the unlikely cast of characters who give him the strength to stand up to a demonic power.
In this wonderfully strange and brilliant novel, John Connolly manages to re-create the magical and scary world of childhood that we've all left behind but so love to visit. And for those of you who thought you knew everything you could about particle physics and the universe, think again. This novel makes anything seem possible.
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John Connolly
John Connolly’s writing explores the dark corridors where crime, horror, and the supernatural collide. Born in Dublin in 1968, Connolly’s journey into storytelling was anything but predictable. After earning degrees in English and journalism, he started his career as a freelance journalist, contributing to The Irish Times. But it wasn’t long before the allure of fiction pulled him away from articles and into the world of novels.
Connolly’s first novel, Every Dead Thing, marked the beginning of the now-iconic Charlie Parker series, a gripping collection of crime thrillers laced with elements of the supernatural. The novel, praised for its atmospheric tension and deeply flawed characters, earned Connolly the Shamus Award for Best First Private Eye Novel in 2000, making him the first non-American author to receive this honor. This achievement set the stage for a career built on blending crime fiction with darker, almost mythic elements that resonate with fans of both mystery and horror.
Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil
Samuel Johnson vs. the Devil consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
