Well, here we are at book number nine in the Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore. And it's about time - no really, a lot of this one is about time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this one.
On the first page of the book, Eric makes this pronouncement:

"I’ve never really gotten the appeal of car racing. It’s like baseball. When it comes down to it, it’s all just a bunch of guys running around in a circle. Although racing at least has the added benefit of one of them occasionally flipping over and exploding. If that happened in baseball, I would watch the shit out of that."

This pretty much sums up Eric's outlook on his life, death, re-birth and continuing existence - things flipping over and exploding. And, like in the previous eight iterations a lot of the mayhem centres around our favourite necromancer.

Cult Classic brings together a whole lot of threads from the previous stories and, in the long run, feels like a wrapping up of sorts.

The Oracle must be stopped, as it continues to mess with the present by changing the past (in little ways that have big consequence). And added to the mix is the workings of a 100-year old Doomday Cult that threatens the very existence of the present day. The spell is described as an elastic band that has been continually stretching, but at some point will finally snap back - with possible disastrous consequences.

But Eric has a new ally - a chronomancer newly come into their powers, (leading to one of my favourite pop culture references, "“All right, Officer Obie, let’s do this,” Danny says) - as well as his ex-wife, his new girlfriend(?), memories of his 'life' as Mictlantechulti and the powers that he can tap into.

Don't want to give too much away, as there's an awful lot going on, but be prepared for talking animals, various deaths and near-deaths, and returns from the dead. Will Eric find Amanda Werther's father's soul and return it to the now? That's only one of the questions that will be answered in this - literally - explosive entry.

Oh, and be prepared for the final twist - I never saw it coming. If this is, indeed, the final book in the Eric Carter series I have only one word to say - BRAVO!

Eric Carter is back in the the ninth installment of the dark urban fantasy series and this time we will finally see the oracle storyline come to a head. I must say I've not been a fan of the oracle storyline as the series has seemed to be just spinning its wheels lately. Hopefully it moves in a new direction and/or a return to form with earlier volumes. Way to easy to put down which is never a good thing.

If you like your Urban Fantasies a bit dark, with some snark and a complicated love life, Eric Carter is just the guy for you. There is a lot going on here, but that is nothing new in this series, and some old threads are finally tied up. He's grown a lot from the first book, but lots of action and the core qualities of Eric stay the same. Now if he only can stay alive....

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. I really enjoy this series and definitely recommend it for anyone looking for an action-packed urban fantasy series that's a bit different than the most.

Dark, fast paced, entertaining and action packed. Another winner by Stephen Blackmoore that kept me turning pages and have fun.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Stupendous ending for a Cult Classic book series. Now it's time to close the book and settle the accounts.

Here we are the final book in the series. Once again Stephen Blackmoore takes us on the rollercoaster that is Eric Carter's life. There is so much happening here that it's impossible to explain without spoiling the fun. From hunting down a crazy oracle head to dealing with time-travel-induced reality quakes, this book is one hell of a ride. The ending was a bit of a gut punch, but what a way to end it.

I have read all the Eric Carter books and have not been disappointed with any of them! Thank you Mr. Blackmoore for writing such an amazing series. Maybe it makes enough to continue, maybe it doesn't. Either way, I am thankful for what you provided by bringing Eric Carter out into the world

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars out of 5.

This ending better mean that someone is picking up the Eric Carter series because if not I am going to be REAL MAD.

As always, Cult Classic is an excellent, gory, squishy, urban fantasy thrill ride and I’m absolutely devastated that this is (purported) to be the last in series. Blackmoore’s Eric Carter is an absolute treasure of the darkest and most horrific sort on the fantasy scene and though he himself would deny it, one of the human bastards we all love to hate and love to love as loyal readers of these nine fantastic stories. Snide, rude, and always ready to murder, he will be missed but I’ll continue to hold out hope.
Carter is, after all, a necromancer…

Where do I even start? This book was amazing even though it completely gutted me. I can't believe this is the end of the Eric Carter series. It's rare that I am still so invested in a series after 9 books but I have eagerly awaited each book in this series. Eric is the perfect anti-hero. He always seems to be just trying to stay out of the way but somehow finds himself in the middle of everything from mage family wars to poker games with deities to being married to a (sometimes) death goddess.

This book picks up where the last book left off with Eric trying to track down Jimmy, the Oracle he created thirty years ago that has a limited capacity to change the past. Jimmy has found a way to increase his ability to change events which would make him all-powerful and Eric, Gabriela and Amanda are trying to put a stop to it. As usual for this series, there's a ton of action and plenty of mythology weaved in to the story. A few old friends show up in this book as well as a new character who is a chronomancer, a mage who can affect time. Janna is a great addition to the cast of characters and would make a great star of a spinoff series if anyone in the publishing world is listening! I would have liked more of Gabriela kicking ass too because she's such an awesome character.

Eric also does a lot of soul-searching in this story. Some of it is about his relationship with Gabriela, but a good amount of it is him ruminating over his body count. He's killed a lot of people and there's a key moment in the book where he wonders if he's becoming immune to it all. He's also responsible for Jimmy's body count since he created him. Eric's crisis of conscience really complements the larger story about being able to change the past. I sometimes have trouble suspending my disbelief with time-travel stories but the author always brings the focus back to the characters and how their lives are affected by the changes which keeps the story from getting too convoluted.

The end of this story is perfect but was also a gut punch. It was heartbreaking in the best way possible. I'm so sad that I won't get to read any more of Eric Carter's adventures. Go out and buy this entire series right now so Mr. Blackmoore can keep writing it!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Cult Classic, our favorite necromancer's past continues to haunt him as the Oracle he created decades ago starts messing with time, causing the past and future to overlap in deadly disasters. Eric teams up with old allies, makes new friends, and in a unique twist for this series, doesn't make everybody hate him.

I was almost reluctant to read this book, as I both hate time travel plots and I've been so disappointed with the previous few installments in this series. I'm pleasantly astonished to say I needn't have feared on either count! This was a satisfying page turner that flew by. Blackmoore blew me out of the water with a rise of talent that was a throwback to what hooked me on the series in the first place. The time travel plot was complicated, but the characters acknowledged how complicated it was and Blackmoore added the right elements to make it exciting, rather than annoying.

This was probably the first book in the series where Eric build and maintains healthy, positive relationships with other people. It wasn't everyone from his past who hated him for past misdeeds, or everyone in his current hating him for not playing by their rules. In Cult Classic, Eric has a sense of belonging that was previously missing, and it's done it a way that feels like character evolution, as opposed to forced. We also get a glimpse of Mictlan that keeps that story thread alive (always hoping for more!) without taking over the plot.

Stephen Blackmoore is a MUST read for fans of Jim Butcher, Richard Kadrey and others who love snark, but smart fiction. He's a bestseller for a reason, and books like his prove it!

"The ninth book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.

Eric Carter has a lot on his plate.

He's hunting the Oracle of Las Vegas, a literal talking head that manipulates the future to make its prophecies come true. But it has a new trick. It can change the past, too.

Now Jazz Age Los Angeles is invading the present. Long gone buildings suddenly restored, decommissioned Red Car trains appearing on paved over tracks, miles of the city changing back to orange groves.

Throw in a hundred-year-old doomsday cult, time magic, and a terrifyingly powerful spell to raise the dead and it makes for a busy week. Carter knows the Oracle is behind it all but he can't figure out how. Or why.

But he better figure it out soon or he, the city, and everyone he knows might be wiped from existence.

Cult Classic is noir urban fantasy at its finest, with a cutting voice, sharp wit, and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat."

Oh be still my heart, Jazz Age L.A. bleeding through to the present? Which is good because the art on the front doesn't look as much like Richard Armitage this time out...

I am highly upset that this might be the last Eric Carter book given how it ends. Its an amazing ride from start to finish, and ties up quite a few things from previous books. You will want to have read the entire series to get here for everything to have the maximum impact however.

A+, 5 Stars, This CANNOT be the last book!

Cult Classic by Stephen Blackmoore, a good read, Carter is back and as usual things are going to heck in a handbasket around him. Whether its his fault or not he still gets the short end of the stick.

Cult Classic (Eric Carter #9)
Cult Classic by Stephen Blackmoore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A lot of great wrapping up of older plot threads here. Jimmy the Oracle, for one.

If you know, you know.

This UF does certain things really well. The dead, magic, the dead, funny romance, the dead, and the sense that all of reality is about to slide into a hell-hole.

It's almost like reality. ;)

I am so blown away by this ninth (!) book in the series. I really can’t say too much about what happened to do that as I don’t want to give away what happened. This is probably my favorite book in the series, and since I’ve loved all of them, that’s saying something. In this latest, Eric is up to his normal shenanigans, killing people and trying to stop the apocalypse while figuring out his love life. This one really packed a punch since we examine Eric’s past a little closer than normal. This is well-written, action-packed, wonderful dark urban fantasy at its finest. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

First book by this author and if his other books are this enjoyable I'll be getting them next. The main character is a mage in a world where mages tend to be egomaniacs with unfathomable powers and a hair trigger. He is no exception. With his undead troops and necromantic skills he finds himself in all sorts of insane and dangerous positions that he always seems to wiggle out of. The banter between him and other characters is witty, dark and extremely entertaining. the action is fast paced and keeps you going from chapter to chapter not wanting to put the book down. In this book, Time has gone amok, buildings, orange groves and people keep appearing from the past and it's all the fault of our main character. Well somewhat, because he's always responsible for it somehow. There is an undead Oracle trying to run the show as well, which is a problem because our lead created it SO, he is somewhat responsible. I can't dig too much deeper without spoiling things but many former characters return from previous books. If you like the series you will enjoy this book, If you like dark gritty and humorous urban fantasy, you will enjoy this book. If you like your anti-heroes in the style of Dresden Files, you will like this book. I myself liked it and thank the Author, Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an ARC.

Cult Classic
(Eric Carter Book #9)
By Stephen Blackmoore
I have read all Eric Carter books and have not been disappointed with any of them! This one is another great addition to the series! In here, Eric is chasing a talking head, the Oracle, something he helped make long ago. Now he regrets it. The power it has obtained is too great, he needs to deal with it. Of course it isn't that easy besides dealing with the time slips happening everywhere! But that's not all he is dealing with!
There is so much happening in here it's impossible to explain without spoiling the fun. The characters are exciting and unique! There is plenty of action, fantasy, science fiction, and craziness for all fans! Humor, wit, snark (but not too much to be annoying), and cleverness abound!
I wouldn't have stayed with this series for nine books if the series was boring! These books are terrific! I fear this may be the last Eric Carter by the way many things were tidied up in the book. Do yourself a favor and pick up book one and start the series now!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this awesome book!

Classic indeed. Lots of snark, twisty plot, deadpan violence, a solid lead, colorful weird characters, fast pacing, and a sophisticated and sly undercurrent of clever commentary. A fine entry in the series.

Really enjoyed this ninth entry from Stephen Blackmoore, it had everything that I was hoping for and really enjoyed getting to go on this journey. It had everything that I enjoyed about the previous entries and was written perfectly.

This eARC was provided from Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

As stated above in the plot synopsis, this is the ninth book in the Eric Carter series. And for a bit of a spoiler, it is the final one as well, per the author in a tweet from Twitter, unless someone "pays me a lot of money". This saddens me quite a bit, as I have gotten to truly love this series, and was hoping for more, or maybe some other sort of world tie-in.

Our man of Death, Eric Carter is back, and as usual, the least-loved necromancer has his hands full. Between a poly-type relationship that is a work in progress, time flipping things around from a hundred years ago, and just trying to survive, Eric is hunting down the Oracle, a being he helped create in his younger, 'dumber' days. The story is full of the usual snark we expect from this character, and the usual 'I'm figuring out what I can do along the way' attitude. Having been a God, dead (literally), and brought back to life in your grandfather's body, can sure make for an interesting life.

As I stated before, I am pretty sad this is the last book. That being said, I think Blackmoore did a wonderful job wrapping up some little bits that have been floating out there, in regards to certain events. I'm not going to truly spoil them, but there is information about his Grandfather, and his Sister. If you have read the series, you'll probably know what I referring to. As usual, the author has done a wonderful job of creating and maintaining a possibility of what the southwestern US could be (mainly LA and Las Vegas) after a necromancer has had a few battles. His use of snark and sarcasm were spot on, and I just loved how the main character has changed since the first book, into someone that can actually care not only about what happens to them, but about others, whether he knows them or not.

This was an engrossing, non-stop exciting, totally scrumptious read. The lead characters were scrumptious, the villain was vile, and the supporting cast was delicious.