Demon Road trilogy

The Demon Road Trilogy, originally simply Demon Road, is a trilogy series of horror-adventure-road trip novels released in the years 2015 and 2016,[2] consisting of the books Hell and Highway (originally Demon Road), Desolation, and Infernal Finale (originally American Monsters), all by author Derek Landy, with cover illustrations from Alan Clarke. The books follow 16-year-old cursed demon girl Amber Lamont and her amnesiac guide Milo Sebastian, fleeing a family who wishes her dead, as they travel the titular "demon road", on which exists all manner of supernatural beings from whom all horror fiction antagonist creators were subconsciously inspired by to create (primarily the villains of the works of Stephen King and 1980s slasher film villains in the first novel, from which Milo depicted as having been the "real" driver of Christine, and the "real" Scooby-Doo gang in the latter two novels, from which the "real" Daphne Blake, Kelly, is depicted as a lesbian and Amber's love interest).

Not to be confused with Road Demon or The Demon of Brownsville Road.
The Demon Road Trilogy
The main title logo of The Demon Road Trilogy,
introduced with the second book in the series.
  • Demon Road (August 27, 2015)
  • Desolation (April 8, 2016)
  • American Monsters (August 26, 2016)
AuthorDerek Landy
IllustratorAlan Clarke
CountryIreland
LanguageEnglish
Genre
PublisherHarperCollins (English)
Loewe Verlag (German)
Published2015–2016
Media typePrint (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book
No. of books3

Originally receiving a nine-book order from HarperCollins, Landy elected to conclude the series after its first trilogy in 2016, deciding to use the remaining six-book order to launch a sequel series to his previous book series, Skulduggery Pleasant, established to be set in the same shared fictional multiverse as Demon Road via Easter eggs throughout the trilogy. The trilogy has received a mixed to positive critical reception.

Setting

The Demon Road Trilogy revolves around Amber, a seemingly ordinary 16-year-old YA fangirl from Florida who, after a shocking encounter, discovers a dark and twisted family secret: that her parents, their friends, and she herself are demons, out for her blood to fulfil a violent pact with a creature known as the Shining Demon. Forced to run for her life, Amber finds herself under the protection of Milo, a quiet, sarcastic and mysterious man driving a Dodge Charger, which seems to be alive. Tagging along for the ride is Glen, an annoying road trip companion from Hell, who has come to America from Ireland after being told he has forty days to live. Forced to flee across the United States of America via the eponymous Demon Road, from which all horror fiction is derived, the trio find themselves facing demonic and otherworldly dangers as they search for a way to stop Amber's parents; undead serial killers, vampires, servants of hell and, of course, the ebony-horned and red-skinned demons that are relentlessly hunting the trio.

In Desolation, the Devil is depicted as a monk in the likeness of Neil Patrick Harris, who allows for Amber to escape Hell.

In American Monsters, a selection of men in black founded by Amber's brother are revealed to be engaged in civil war.

Development
Unique Voodoo Studios' German language cover design of Amber Lamont.

In October 2015, ahead of the German language release of Demon Road, Carsten Biernat of Unique Voodoo Studios revealed that the institution had been commissioned to create the cover of the German version of the novel, sharing concept sculptures of Amber in her demon form they had created on being asked to "bring the character to life".[3][4] In April 2016, Derek Landy and Unique Voodoo expressed interest in the concept models being produced as Demon Road collectable merchandise.[5]

Promoting Desolation, elaborating on the series' premise of travelling the titular "Demon Road" from which all "the shining stars of horror [fiction], both on the page and on the screen" is derived, as "the perfect opportunity to tip my hat to Stephen King[,] Wes Craven[,] and a host of other creators",[6] Landy described the trilogy as "a love letter to American horror, books, TV, comics, movies [where] every few chapters there’s a new character with a new story and each one of these encounters is a different trope of American horror. It’s Stephen King books, it’s Wes Craven movies… [for example] the Dacre Shanks character is influenced by Freddie Krueger[…] It meant it could be a litany of horror tropes[…] Over the course of the three books, there’ll be a Nightmare On Elm Street, there’ll be X-Files, there’ll be Buffy, there’ll be [more] Stephen King, Psycho… everything I loved as a horror fan is all in this series."[7]

Novels

Hell and Highway (Demon Road)

For anyone who ever thought their parents were monsters... Amber Lamont is a normal sixteen-year-old. Smart but insecure, she spends most of her time online, where she can avoid her beautiful, aloof parents and their weird friends. But when a shocking encounter reveals a horrifying secret, Amber is forced to go on the run. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers and red-skinned, horned demons – Amber hurtles from one threat to the next, revealing the terror woven into the very fabric of her life. As her parents close in behind her, Amber's only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be...[8]

Desolation

In the second novel, reeling from their bloody encounter in New York City, Amber and Milo flee north. On their trail are the Hounds of Hell – five demonic bikers who will stop at nothing to drag their quarries back to their unholy master. Amber and Milo's only hope lies within Desolation Hill – a small town with a big secret; a town with a darkness to it, where evil seeps through the very floorboards. Until, on one night every year, it spills over onto the streets and all hell breaks loose. And that night is coming...[9]

Infernal Finale (American Monsters)

In the final novel, bigger, meaner, stronger, Amber closes in on her murderous parents as they make one last desperate play for power. Her own last hopes of salvation, however, rest beyond vengeance, beyond the abominable killers – living and dead – that she and Milo will have to face. For Amber's future lies in her family's past, in the brother and sister she never knew, and the horrors beyond imagining that befell them.[10]

Reception

Louisa Mellor of Den of Geek praised the trilogy as "like binge-watching an exciting Netflix series", expressing interest in a potential future television adaptation of the series.[7] Track of Words described Demon Road as "a classic young adult chase novel[...] great fun [which] demonstrates Landy’s skill with world building and storytelling".[11]

Angel Reads praised the "writing style [a]s easy to read and simple[...] nothing hard about it and even teens on the younger side will be able to read Demon Road. I loved the wit[…] the dialogue was sharp and hit you right in the chest, and it was different and fun", referring to "the characterisation of Landy characters [as] fun, different and bright", before concluding that "Demon Road was a fun, sassy and gruesome read [t]hat showed that sometimes the outside of people can be deceiving [and] that sometimes people can be good and evil all at the same time."[12] Heart Full of Books meanwhile called Demon Road "the perfect mix of Percy Jackson and the TV show ‘Supernatural’[…] pacy and a little gory, [concluding] if you’re up for that, then I would definitely give it a go."[13] Paper Fury similarly compared Demon Road to Supernatural, lauding its "snortingly good humour" and "fast moving wickedly captivating action scenes."[14]

See also

References
  1. Doyle, Martin (March 4, 2015). "Derek Landy signs book deal for new Demon Road trilogy". The Irish Times. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  2. Landy, Derek (August 27, 2015). "Shock horror! Derek Landy on the thrill of writing Demon Road". The Irish Times. Retrieved August 27, 2015. I thought of a girl, a girl with murderous, monstrous parents, and her flight across America in the company of a mysterious man in his 1970 Dodge Charger, and I realised what I was doing. I was writing horror.
  3. Biernat, Carsten (April 13, 2016). "Demon Road Concept Sculptures". ZBrushCentral. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  4. Unique Voodoo Studios (April 13, 2016). Amber Demon Form-Concept Sculpture for Demon Road Turntable. Retrieved April 13, 2016 – via YouTube.
  5. Unique Voodoo Studios [@unique_voodoo] (April 12, 2016). "Our #concept #sculpture for Amber in her demon form for the German version of @DerekLandy's #demonroad by @LoeweVerlag" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. Landy, Derek (August 27, 2015). "Derek Landy: How do I follow up Skullduggery Pleasant?". The Guardian. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  7. Mellor, Louisa (March 31, 2016). "Derek Landy interview: Skulduggery Pleasant, Demon Road". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  8. Landy, Derek (August 28, 2015). "Demon Road #1 (Demon Road)". Retrieved August 28, 2015 – via Goodreads.
  9. Landy, Derek (April 7, 2016). "Demon Road #2 (Desolation)". Retrieved April 7, 2016 – via Goodreads.
  10. Landy, Derek (August 25, 2016). "Demon Road #3 (American Monsters)". Retrieved August 25, 2016 – via Goodreads.
  11. Dodd, Michael (August 24, 2015). "Review: Demon Road – Derek Landy". Track of Words. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  12. Angel (January 22, 2016). "Review: Demon Road by Derek Landy". Angel Reads. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  13. Bee, Maddie (March 23, 2016). "Review: Demon Road by Derek Landy". Heart Full of Books. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  14. C.G. (August 30, 2015). "Review: Demon Road by Derek Landy // marvellously creepy!". Paper Fury. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
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