On Earth as It Is in Hell

by Brian Hodge

Book Overview

One autumn night a group of seraphim attacks the Vatican, wiping out an entire floor of the Library. Hellboy and Abe Sapien are dispatched to investigate, and discover that the Vatican has been hiding an ancient scroll allegedly written by Jesus the Nazarene, decades after the crucifixion.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416507825
• ISBN13: 9781416507826
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Pocket Star Books
• Length: 359 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.7" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

"No one knows what the world is made of just around the corner"

This is the third Hellboy novel I've read, and the first by an author other than Chris Golden (who, let's face it, writes everything). The most obvious difference is that this book is 360 pages of small print. Brian Hodge likes to spend time on story and characters and the result is a rich, complex story, more occult mystery than action adventure, and that suits me fine, since there's nothing better than a good read that lasts more than a couple hours. One of the pleasanter results is that Liz Sherman, the female lead of the film, gets to be a fully developed character. The fire starter is suddenly much, much more. The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense usually doesn't have much to do with the Vatican. When your lead agent is a demon, there are serious communication difficulties. But sometimes events call for strong action, and this time the Vatican is attacked not by demons, but by angels. An entire section of the Vatican Library has been destroyed. Only an accident has preserved an ancient manuscript written by Jesus, many years after he was supposed to be dead. If you were thinking that 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' has suddenly come to Hellboy, you would be at least half right. Only the situation is even worse. It's not the New Testament that has come to life; it's the old bible of the Hebrews. And the taking of sides is strange indeed. Not just seraphim, but Leviathan, and the old and horrible gods that the Hebrews left behind as soon as they could. And within the Church itself lies the Opus Angelorum - an order of priests that have turned to the use of magic to fight the good fight. But, as in any struggle, not everyone can have power over the angels and remain uncorrupted. Brian Hodge has written a Hellboy novel even darker than the usual efforts, and this conflict rings especially true. But the answers to who stole Jesus' manuscript out from under Hellboy's guard and to what end all this is intended is disquieting and incomplete. Perhaps because the struggle is really unending, and each player must find their own was of coping as they put out one conflagration after another. This book lingers with you for a bit, because you too know that it may be over, but nothing has ended.

One of the best Hellboy novels to date

Brian Hodge really does himself proud in this novel and does justice to Mike Mignola's wonderful characters. For both Liz and Hellboy, Hodge gives some insight into their psyches that is quite moving. And, of course, Abe is there as the ultimate rock of support for both. I believe I liked that aspect of Hodge's effort even more than the story itself. However, I found the story of Angels attacking the Vatican to be an intriguing one and especially found the whole bit with the Leviathan fascinating. I enjoy a Hellboy story that doesn't make him too invincible; much more drama can be found if he loses once in a while, or, at least, has to fight with every ounce of his energy. Frankly, I wouldn't find it worth reading if Hellboy never had to struggle, either with himself or with the monsters he must defeat. But of course, in the long run, Hellboy, Liz, and Abe must overcome the foe by overcoming their own inner turmoils. As I said before, Hodge really comes up with some very moving stuff.

Hellboy & Hodge: A Perfect Match

Brian Hodge is a top-notch imaginative writer of horror, crime fiction, and lotsa other things you need to seek out. Mignola's HELLBOY is a pulp-flavored blend of Lovecraft and James Bond that redefines the genre. Sometimes good writers farm themselves out to shared worlds with mixed results. That ain't the case here. Seeing a great writer (and avowed Hellboy fan) like Hodge immerse himself in this dark and twisted world results in a terrific story that reads like THE DA VINCI CODE on LSD, written by David Cronenberg and directed by David Lynch. Would I rather be reading an original novel by Brian Hodge? Sure. But he clearly makes this piece his own. Nobody else could write a Hellboy novel like this one. If you're a fan of either Hellboy or Hodge, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

Mike Mignola should be proud!

Mignola's grumbled before about not being a "real writer" (i.e., of pure prose, but I agree with Frank Darabont's opinion in the Introduction to _Odder Jobs_, in that Mike's a great storyteller), but if he were to change his primary media and take the plunge into prose, I think that in the love for the characters involved and the obvious enthusiasm for the plot, he and Brian would come close to each other indeed. Hodge obviously did his homework, not just in history, geography, etc., but also in Mike's world, and did it proud. And even though "avidreader" beat me to the punch (darn it!), I can't help but agree with everything the Avid One said: can't wait to see what else Brian comes up with, and the ending (not your typical happy ending, by any means, but more like a real-life one, perhaps) rang the way the ending of his short story did in _Odd Jobs_. Bravo!

The best Hellboy novel yet.

I just finished this book, and all I can say is, "Wow"! I have enjoyed the previous novels (The Lost Army, Bones of Giants) as well as the short story collections, but this story is light years better. The plot (without giving too much away) involves an ancient scroll that could upset all of Christianity, and the BPRD's efforts to protect it, while at the same time trying to defeat the forces that would use it for their own purposes. Brian Hodge has reunited Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and Liz Sherman for the task, and adds a new character for variety. As with many Hellboy stories, things are not what they seem at first, and it takes some time to sort out the players and their ultimate agendas. Brian has created characters that are complex, with motivations that we can sympathize with as we deplore their actions. There are enough twists and turns to keep the most jaded reader engaged, and a new collection of mythical entities to test even Hellboy's stamina and resolve. The final resolution is fitting, but it is not obvious nor does it insult our intelligence with an impossibly sacchyrine sweet ending. In conclusion, I recommend this book to anyone, whether you are a long-time, died-in-the-wool Hellboy fan or a new convert. Brian Hodge has outdone himself in this novel, and lived up to the promise that he demonstrated in the short story "Far Flew the Boast of Him" (Odd Jobs). I hope that he will produce more Hellboy stories of this caliber - stories that deal with the human side of Hellboy as much as they do with his demonic encounters.