The Palladium is a fast-paced fantasy thriller about an unemployed fiction writer named Michael Baker who takes a chance at a monetary prize he hears announced over the radio. He could really use the $500 US dollars, even if the money is from a radio station that exists in a nebulous liminal space. Winning this prize entangles Michael in a bizarre drama involving a mysterious Circle of characters who must fight a battle with "them" (slowly, the reader learns the identity of "them"). The stakes are high, and the fate of humanity is in Michael Baker’s hands. He is not hero material. Will he rise to fight the enemy? The vague and suggestive plot developments keep the pages turning. The author is skilled at mystifying and setting up cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, making this book hard to put down.

The central action takes place in 1996, in the German city of Karlsruhe. The radio station exists on the sixth floor of the Orchid Hotel, a hotel with only 5 floors. The charming DJ plays top hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s; but, is he just a DJ? Hit songs accompany the dramatic ups and downs of Michael Baker’s story. Michael visits a series of unusual settings that the characters access through portals that open after they draw doors on walls with a piece of white chalk. This novel re-imagines Dante’s Inferno and Classical Greek mythology in this modern setting, giving this story a perfect blend of timelessness and urgency.

The characters surprise us too. Michael is not a hard-boiled fighter. He expresses genuine fear, which makes him relatable. He experiences confusion and doubt, and when the tension is at its peak, he surprises himself. This is an honest portrayal of a common man thrust into unusual circumstances. A popcorn salesman at a zoo reveals a demon face, signaling desperate threat levels. No place is safe, and it is up to Michael and the Circle to restore peace, if they can organize themselves and get along.

When Michael learns that he is Omega, and another Circle member who he saves from a bullet wound, Cleo, is Gamma, the reader wonders whether or not their relationship will develop into a romance. Readers are left in the dark, with Michael, as to what Omega and Gamma really mean. Are they ancient members of the Palladium? What’s the significance of the crest? What will happen to Michael if he sees a mysterious woman’s true identity? Not only does the reader receive satisfying answers to these questions, but there is also a fulfilling emotional arc.

The narrative development gives the reader a feeling of spiraling deeper and deeper into the heart of an ancient mystery. Elements featured in this book include a charming canine companion, tough female characters, seduction, sexual tension, gun violence, bloody deaths, diabolical evil in game play with enigmatic divinity.

Quill Says: The Palladium is as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful, giving readers a unique, vicarious experience of the battle between primordial good versus evil.

The Palladium follows a dispirited and lonely writer who’s trying to find his way back into life. He is lured to a bizarre hotel by the promise of a cash prize from a pirate radio station. With a bit of help from a curious bell hop, he stumbles into Wonderland just like Alice. From that moment on his life takes a series of supernatural turns, from slight to outlandish, that sets him on a wild and immensely entertaining journey. When a supernatural portal materializes in his living room and a woman jumps out and punches him in the chin, I knew I was hooked.

“Imagine it as a twisted game based on an ancient contract between a divine being and the realms of hell. And every person on this … planet, alive or dead, is not only a potential player but also the bet.” – The Palladium

Author Thorsten Brandl has created a story with an innate sense of mystery and intrigue. This urban fantasy novel exudes magic, action, and adventure throughout. Readers follow two main protagonists who separately are thrust into surreal situations before eventually coming together to embark on an epic journey.

I was enthralled with Michael’s story from the beginning. There was a palpable air of intrigue that was so fascinating. While I was a bit confused by the POV switch between chapters, I was excited to see that Cleo and Michael’s storylines collide. The story immerses the reader in the action and starts building the world’s lore right from the beginning. There are so many questions built into the storyline which, even when answered, lead to further questions. This left me always wanting to know.

Creative imagery and powerful metaphors are two elements that really stand out in this book. This is a unique urban fantasy novel with some intriguing mystical elements that is hard to put down. The writing is inventive and gives the whole story a magical atmosphere. There are many elements and locations throughout that are enhanced by the authors use of vivid imagery. Every character in the story has their own unique flair or feel. What’s interesting, and a nod to the authors writing talent, is that the characters are rarely simply described. Their uniqueness comes about naturally and through the story, which gives them surprising depth that I always relished.

The Palladium is wonderfully written and wildly imaginative. Thorsten Brandl’s novel reminds me of Jordanna Max Brodsky extraordinary reimagining of Greek mythology in her book ‘The Immortals’, but with the inherent fun of Dan Hanks ‘Swashbucklers’ novel. I heartily recommend this slick adventure novel for its creative use of mythology, history, exceptional character building, and relentlessly entertaining plot.

The Palladium by Thorsten Brandl contains all the ingredients that make for an exciting urban fantasy. You have the tried and tested formula of a down-on-his-luck writer who accidentally finds a good story. Michael Baker is that writer, and he doesn’t expect to find an unlikely story in the most unlikely of places. He has no plans to check in at The Orchid Hotel, but the need for shelter and warmth plus the fact that he got lost drew him there. The bellhop tells him that the hotel has its own share of crazy stories. Michael will soon become embroiled in a death-defying tale in that hotel with some portal travels. With a gorgon on his side, he is about to become part of protecting a mighty artifact.

The Palladium breathes new life into a familiar premise, thanks to Thorsten Brandl’s wicked imagination. It is truly one hell of a dream on which he has based the plot. Think of the hotel in John Wick that caters to assassins except this one caters to gods of mythology—now that’s an idea worth exploring. Brandl’s exploration results in a page-turning action fantasy with a romantic angle on the side. It gives a great degree of escapist pleasure, and especially when the hero falls into the trope of a loser who saves the world - as if to say that everyone is given a moment to shine. It has good pacing by showing and not telling. You learn more about Michael through his thoughts and actions. The Palladium puts a modern touch on the age-old gods and in the heightened aesthetics of this hotel. Highly recommended for lovers of urban fantasy. It’s a blast.   

Sometimes life can be stranger than fiction. This was the case for the down-on-his-luck writer, Michael Baker. His adventure begins while looking for a radio station that doesn’t exist in the hope of claiming a prize promised. Lost and cold, Michael stumbles into the lobby of an expensive-looking hotel. This would be his initiation into a secret circle engaged in the ultimate battle between good and evil. Nothing Michael wrote in his fantasy stories could prepare him. Michael found himself fighting alongside historical and mythical warriors for the fate of humankind.

The Palladium is Thorsten Brandl’s second independently published novel. High in action and drama, this epic adventure is a real page-turner. Brandl offers a lot to the reader. From battles of good versus evil to Greek mythology, a bit of history, art appreciation, and a little Dante thrown in. Even though this book can be predictable at times, Brandl’s descriptive style and thrilling fight scenes pique the reader’s interest. Brandl offers a cast of memorable characters and much peril in this dream-like saga. Join Michael as he struggles against the hordes from hell in The Palladium.