The Devil Pulls the Strings is the pulse-pounding first tale in the Archivist series.
This second edition exists because readers, producers, and studio executives took the time to share what they wanted: a protagonist who arrives sooner, whose motivation hits harder, who drives the story instead of chasing it, along with deeper backstory and expanded details. Their feedback made this story better, and this edition is the result.
For readers who felt lost keeping track of the book's rich cast of characters, a character glossary was added to the front of the book. For fantasy readers who craved deeper detail on the world and its mythology rooted in authentic Slavic folklore, a comprehensive glossary was added to the back.
The Librarians. The Magicians. The Dresden Files. Neil Gaiman's Sandman. The Devil Pulls the Strings belongs in that conversation, and then goes somewhere none of them have gone before.
Set across modern-day Wentzville, MO, New York City, and 1813 Genoa, Italy, the story weaves bromance, Slavic mythology inherited from oral tradition, secret societies, Paganini's music, and time travel into something that operates on layers upon layers upon layers.
Twenty-two-year-old Boone Daniels experiences the world differently. Music floods his vision with color and taste. Action words materialize around him like panels leaping off a comic book page. And his memory never lets anything go.
Not helping is the evil spirit, a wendigo, that has haunted him since age six, nor the debilitating panic attacks and gut-wrenching guilt he feels for almost killing his best friend in a joust. And when he fills in for that same injured friend at a New York gig, he goes to meet the gig's contact at a NYC brownstone, only to watch him fall from the balcony as gunfire erupts around him.
Boone barely escapes and uncovers a sinister plot to perform Paganini's secret sonata that summons the Devil, to be used to trap Baba Yaga. Not the two-dimensional villain you have seen before, but the full, ancient, terrifying supernatural force of Slavic folklore. And destroy modern-day New York City.
Now he is racing through time to capture a cursed melody before it ends everything. A Romani immortal, steampunk vampires, and Baba Yaga herself set the stage for war. Boone will have to risk death for redemption. And all he really wants is to keep a promise to a friend. The same friend he almost killed last Sunday.
Can a small-town Missouri musician outplay the supernatural and save NYC's soul?
If you love tortured heroes, epic battles, time travel, twisted history, and secret societies colliding, and a Baba Yaga rendered in her full folkloric glory for the first time, you will love J. W. Zarek's spectacular page-turner, The Devil Pulls the Strings, Second Edition.
About the Author :
J. W. Zarek is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author who has written or co-authored seventeen books. Nine are published, and seven are number one bestsellers. He helps catch naughty folk for the Government. His global adventures fuel his authentic storytelling: teaching English Conversation in Japan, climbing Mount Fuji, getting kicked off Mount Rainier, hunting pirates in the Persian Gulf, navigating the Suez Canal, ...and successfully completing the Walt Disney World Marathon as a woman. The Walt Disney World website shows he successfully completed the marathon as a 44-year-old woman. That made him laugh so he never asked that it be changed. After the race, he called his mom to congratulate her daughter on completing the marathon, and asked what other secrets she'd been keeping from him.Beyond storytelling, Zarek has created 48 professional lesson plans (24 comprehensive and 24 topic-focused, spanning Pre-K through 4th grade) for four of his published children's books, with the lesson plans available free to educators via his website. Suzanne Purvis is a writer, artist, and editor transplanted from Canada to the northwest Florida Panhandle. She writes poetry and fiction of the long, short, and flash variety for both children and adults, usually with a touch of humor. Her awards include first place in the University of Toronto Trinity College Short Fiction Contest and RWA Launch a Star. She teaches writing workshops and offers private editing services. Find her at suzannepurvis.com. Peter Johnston (also known as Monkey Paw) has produced concept art and illustrations for clients around the world. Peter was born in Tooting, London and was raised on a diet of military history, Greek mythology and comic books. His earliest drawings were strange re-imaginings of the battle of Hastings with Normans fighting the Avengers. He studied visual art and printmaking in Wales, learning various techniques of painting, etching and mezzotint. He has now replaced the printing press with Photoshop and has been a digital artist for over 15 years, designing and creating illustrations in many styles and genres including steampunk, sci-fi and fantasy scenes for books, games and software.Published Credits with Osprey Publishing (part of Bloomsbury Publishing): Burrows & Badgers: Second Edition - praised by Goonhammer as "incredible art" and called a "tour-de-force" by Miniature Wargames MagazineHeirs to Heresy: Faith & Fear (2024)Through the HedgerowPortfolio Galleries (petejohnstonart.com): Recent Paintings, Game Illustrations & Concepts, Cartoon Concept Characters, Mechs & Environments, Horror & Macabre, and Children's Illustrations - all updated through 2023.
Review :
"J. W. Zarek weaves magic on the page, developing an epic, urban fantasy - first in series - readers will want to stick with for a long time. Highly recommended." - Chanticleer Reviews
"A remarkable paranormal tale that delivers plenty of plot developments, curious characters, and otherworldly things." - Kirkus Reviews
"With the glimmer of a potential series in the making, The Devil Pulls the Strings is an urban fantasy novel whose broken hero stumbles through Earth-shattering events, carried by the music and humor in his heart." - John M. Murray, Clarion Reviews
"The world Zarek creates for readers is a wonderful blend of science fiction and present day reality. The contrast between the two is amazing and gives readers the best of both worlds. Readers looking for an exhilarating storyline will become instant fans. The plot is involved but will have readers on the edge of their seats rooting for its main character, Boone." - Literary Titan
"The Devil Pulls the Strings is a twisted, joyous, and bloody shifting kaleidoscope of a fantasy adventure. It is a story so arresting, so action-packed and personality-filled, that even readers unfamiliar with or not usually interested in the historical setting will be enthralled by it. Author J. W. Zarek's writing is immediate, vivid, and easy to sink into." - Andrea Marks-Joseph, Independent Book Review (Starred Review)
"A combination of the television series Warehouse 13, The Librarians, and The Magicians, the storyline flows swiftly and is spellbinding from the first page until the last. The story ends on the ideal place to segue into a sequel and is the perfect beginning for a sensational series." - Readers' Favorite
"The Devil Pulls the Strings is a brilliant blend of time travel, suspense, action, mythology, secret societies, humor, adventure, and history." - Readers' Favorite
"Narrated in lyrical prose, Mr. Joe Zarek weaves a tale no less compelling for its slow, gradual development. Like all the best fantasy tales, the author draws on the setting to create an atmosphere that promises magic and suggests many horrors. One reason why this book works so well is that the stakes remain extremely high throughout the entire story." - The Bookish Elf
"J. W. Zarek appears to have a boundless imagination and is able to develop an engrossing atmosphere that makes for one epic adventure." - InD'tale Magazine
"The story is unique, ingenious, thrilling, distinctive, and just plain fun to read, and told at a good pace that kept my interest. I also enjoyed the unexpected and warmly written ending very much." - Brian M., New Zealand
"This is great writing and over the top imagination. I could visualize everything and loved every minute of it. This will have a huge audience." - Betty K., California
"The story was very entertaining to read. I found the plot and the writing style pretty captivating. Boone's character is funny, lighthearted, and easy to like. Its tone reminds me of the adventure/fantasy books I enjoyed as a kid." - Francis K., Arizona
"Zarek is a talented writer who did an outstanding job of blending fantasy elements and characters from a variety of cultures to create a unique story. His world building is excellent." - Amazon Reviewer (United States)
"It's refreshing and original. There are many fascinating and unique characters with varied and complex personalities. Our male lead Boone feels real and you get very attached to him. He's not your typical main character, and I liked that." - Amazon Reviewer (Canada)
