🌙 Paranormal

Lightbreaker: The First Book of the Codex of Souls

✍️ Mark Teppo
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$14.99
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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

An occultist uses a chain of souls to hunt a cabal in Seattle.

Markham wields the Chorus, a weapon made of human souls, to track a spirit leaping between hosts. He uncovers a secretive group of magicians linked to his past. The story combines Western magick and Hermetic traditions with shamanism. This approach creates a unique urban fantasy experience that focuses on the gritty reality of Seattle rather than a secondary world.

Key Themes
Western magick Hermetic traditions shamanism
Literary Context

Published by Night Shade Books in 2016, this work sits within the urban fantasy genre. It draws on Western magick, Hermetic traditions, and shamanism to explore the dark underbelly of Seattle, offering a blend of occult thriller elements with supernatural fiction.

Difficulty
●●● Challenging
Recommended For Fans Of
Clive Barker · Charles Stross · Neil Gaiman
🌙
Paranormal
🏛 Night Shade Books 📅 2016 📖 324 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781597808675

📝 Description: Lightbreaker: The First Book of the Codex of Souls

Mark Teppo returns us to Seattle in Lightbreaker, a narrative centered on Markham, an occultist-sorcerer haunted by a past trauma. A decade prior, Katarina tore his soul from his body, leaving him with a fragment of himself that he now carries as the Chorus. This phantasmal chain of human souls functions as both weapon and burden in his quest to find her. The story explores the gritty underbelly of the city, where Markham encounters dark magick and a desperate spirit jumping from host to host. His investigation reveals a secretive cabal of magicians whose history is intertwined with his own. The plot weaves together Western magick, Hermetic traditions, and shamanism to create an occult thriller grounded in specific magical practices rather than generic fantasy tropes. Readers who appreciate urban fantasy with a focus on the mechanics of spellcasting and the psychological weight of magic will find this compelling. Those seeking lighthearted adventure or traditional high fantasy may find the tone too dark and the setting too localized. The narrative relies on the tension between Markham’s internal struggle and the external threat posed by the cabal, culminating in a battle with earth-shattering stakes.

💎 Our verdict on Lightbreaker: The First Book of the Codex of Souls

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Mark Teppo delivers a gritty urban fantasy experience centered on Markham, an occultist wielding the Chorus, a chain of souls. The narrative effectively blends Western magick, Hermetic traditions, and shamanism to explore the dark underbelly of Seattle. This approach creates a unique atmosphere that avoids secondary worlds in favor of localized, realistic horror. The book suits readers who enjoy complex magical systems and psychological depth over lighthearted adventure. By focusing on the burden of magic rather than just its power, Teppo crafts a tense occult thriller. It is best appreciated by those willing to engage with a darker, more serious tone and specific esoteric traditions within a contemporary setting.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate urban fantasy with a focus on the mechanics of spellcasting and the psychological weight of magic will find this compelling. Those seeking lighthearted adventure or traditional high fantasy may find the tone too dark and the setting too localized. The narrative relies on the tension between Markham’s internal struggle and the external threat posed by the cabal, culminating in a battle with earth-shattering stakes. It appeals to those interested in occult thrillers grounded in specific magical practices rather than abstract or generic fantasy settings.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
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Horror Reads editorial team

Mark Teppo delivers a gritty urban fantasy experience centered on Markham, an occultist wielding the Chorus, a chain of souls. The narrative effectively blends Western magick, Hermetic traditions, and shamanism to explore the dark underbelly of Seattle. This approach creates a unique atmosphere that avoids secondary worlds in favor of localized, realistic horror. The book suits readers who enjoy complex magical systems and psychological depth over lighthearted adventure. By focusing on the burden of magic rather than just its power, Teppo crafts a tense occult thriller. It is best appreciated by those willing to engage with a darker, more serious tone and specific esoteric traditions within a contemporary setting.

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