Ark Press
American Paladin by Larry Correia
$29.95
Add to your order
First entry in an all-new contemporary fantasy series by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Larry Correia, creator of Monster Hunter International. Paranormal worlds collide, monsters emerge, and one man stands alone to face them down when no one else will.
One Man to Step Into the Darkness
Mike Spears is a drifter, a vigilante, an expert in taking down the evil in our world one monstrous incursion at a time. He’s anonymous and low profile because he needs to be. A man with a name only whispered in legend and only spoken aloud in desperate straits.
Welcome to the dark places of the modern American west—a west where mythic worlds roam the landscape like so many weather fronts. And when those fronts collide, horror often spills out. Blood-soaked ground. Vanished neighbors. Towns gutted by monstrous horrors no one dares name. The so-called authorities won’t touch this stuff. Most won’t even admit it’s real.
But when the last shred of hope is nearly spent, there’s one man who will step into that darkness—and deal with it.
Now a true-crime podcaster is closing in on the truth about Spears and the strange world he navigates. Too close. She’s drawn something demonic through the door between worlds—a kill team from another deeply twisted reality. And, if Spears is right, these techno-Aztec operators are only the tip of an apocalyptic invasion set to bathe our land in blood.
But first they’ll have to get past Spears.
Print ISBN: 978-1-945649-55-4
- Jacketed hardcover, linen on board, debossed
- Painted edges, endpapers
Free U.S. shipping on orders over $75. International shipping available. 30-day return policy for undamaged items.
More in Ark Press
Real Reviews
★★★★★
4.51 average (366 ratings)
★★★★★June 2026
Loved it. So much fun. A little John Wick+modern western+vigilante/revenge story+creepy ass monsters/cults= one of my favorite books of the year.
★★★★★June 2026
John Wick vs. Monsters (human and otherwise)
This book is terrifying, brutal, epic, and awesome. This new series has a tonal shift and is quite distinct from all of his other books. It certainly has some elements of Monster Hunter, but this book takes itself more seriously. Monster Hunter is a bit more light-hearted, pulpy, and fun. This book, on the other hand, is dark, gritty, and brutal.
I won't get too far into it to avoid spoilers, but, in my opinion, this is my favorite of Larry's books thus far. I think this is where Larry's strengths really shine.
Speaking objectively, I loved practically everything about it, but did have a couple of minor nit-picks. There were 2 instances where Larry was critical of our former president, and while I may agree with him, it felt a bit unnecessary and pulled me out of the story for a moment, but then I was right back in.
Overall, excellent story that has left an unlimited amount of opportunities for the future. Really looking forward to the next one!
This book is terrifying, brutal, epic, and awesome. This new series has a tonal shift and is quite distinct from all of his other books. It certainly has some elements of Monster Hunter, but this book takes itself more seriously. Monster Hunter is a bit more light-hearted, pulpy, and fun. This book, on the other hand, is dark, gritty, and brutal.
I won't get too far into it to avoid spoilers, but, in my opinion, this is my favorite of Larry's books thus far. I think this is where Larry's strengths really shine.
Speaking objectively, I loved practically everything about it, but did have a couple of minor nit-picks. There were 2 instances where Larry was critical of our former president, and while I may agree with him, it felt a bit unnecessary and pulled me out of the story for a moment, but then I was right back in.
Overall, excellent story that has left an unlimited amount of opportunities for the future. Really looking forward to the next one!
★★★★★June 2026
I was very worried about this book. For one, I had heard Baen passed on it due to quality and feeling it was an inferior Monster Hunter International. Two, Larry is a very mixed author for me. Luckily, some early political cringe lines aside, this book is mostly very good. The main character actually reminded a bit of Oathbreaker, in a good way. He’s a man in over his head with quick thinking skills who can take a punch and has just enough little extra magic to be helpful. He even fails to identify the make and model of a firearm at a certain point, which for Larry is downright progress.
This book has a few elements I really like but can’t talk about without spoilers. One thing I can is I love how the characters from our world view things as tech and ones from the fantasy world view things as magic. I also think, right at the end, Larry introduces a few elements I hope to see explored in future books that add some surprising depth and subtlety to the whole “evil magic Aztecs from a fantasy dimension fight modern gunslingers” thing. Sons of the Black Sword ended really great, hopefully Larry can pull off the same thing with American Paladin as we go forward.
This book has a few elements I really like but can’t talk about without spoilers. One thing I can is I love how the characters from our world view things as tech and ones from the fantasy world view things as magic. I also think, right at the end, Larry introduces a few elements I hope to see explored in future books that add some surprising depth and subtlety to the whole “evil magic Aztecs from a fantasy dimension fight modern gunslingers” thing. Sons of the Black Sword ended really great, hopefully Larry can pull off the same thing with American Paladin as we go forward.
★★★★★July 2026
Larry Correia is one of my all time favorite authors, and he strikes gold again with American Paladin. This is a vigilante story with a guy fighting blood thirsty Aztecs from another dimension, and it has one of the best protogoinst introduction chapter I have read in a long time. The pacing is incredible for a fantasy novel.
If I had to pin down the theme, it would be justice and retribution. That quote says it all: “Evil thrives because good people don't want to serve time.” That is the heart of the book. Most modern books have made a mockery of justice, the villian is forgiven because he felt bad or he was victim somehow or his grandpa's grandpa was enslaved. I don't like that, it makes for shi**y stories and terrible morality within the novels. I like justice and retribution being the theme here, actual justice and retribution.
I got hooked on Mike Spears’ POV right away. Larry does a very good job of showing why Paladin does what he does. The action is awesome, the villains are truly evil, and Middle America feels authentic. I want more books from this world. Mike Spears is a very active, straight forward character. A lot of modern fantasy protagonists have become silly...
If I had to pin down the theme, it would be justice and retribution. That quote says it all: “Evil thrives because good people don't want to serve time.” That is the heart of the book. Most modern books have made a mockery of justice, the villian is forgiven because he felt bad or he was victim somehow or his grandpa's grandpa was enslaved. I don't like that, it makes for shi**y stories and terrible morality within the novels. I like justice and retribution being the theme here, actual justice and retribution.
I got hooked on Mike Spears’ POV right away. Larry does a very good job of showing why Paladin does what he does. The action is awesome, the villains are truly evil, and Middle America feels authentic. I want more books from this world. Mike Spears is a very active, straight forward character. A lot of modern fantasy protagonists have become silly...
★★★★★June 2026
Just some good gruesome fast paced fun! Looking forward to future entries in this setting.
★★★★★July 2026
Great pacing, exciting book. It is violent, so if you are sensitive to that be warned.
★★★★★July 2026
This was a new book that I discovered because I fell in love (and I do mean IN LOVE) with another one of this author's fantasy series (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior). I hadn't even read the summary of the new series before hitting the "Buy" button - talk about faith.
Anyway, this new series could NOT be more different than the prior one above. This is more of an Urban Fantasy series where we meet new MMC Mike Spears. He lost his family when he was a teenager and the circumstances were not ones that anyone ever believed. They were camping in the mountains (his father, mother, 2 siblings and his girlfriend) when they inadvertently crossed over some line or door or barrier into another world. What they found was NOT Narnia or anything pleasant, in fact they began being hunted by things that were so horrifying and frightening that the mind could not even compute what was happening. They were separated and he was the only one to survive - though not without many, many scars.
After the loss of his family, he ended up finding himself waiting and searching. Deciding that he was going to find the way back to that place and this time, he would be ready -he was not a kid. That required...
Anyway, this new series could NOT be more different than the prior one above. This is more of an Urban Fantasy series where we meet new MMC Mike Spears. He lost his family when he was a teenager and the circumstances were not ones that anyone ever believed. They were camping in the mountains (his father, mother, 2 siblings and his girlfriend) when they inadvertently crossed over some line or door or barrier into another world. What they found was NOT Narnia or anything pleasant, in fact they began being hunted by things that were so horrifying and frightening that the mind could not even compute what was happening. They were separated and he was the only one to survive - though not without many, many scars.
After the loss of his family, he ended up finding himself waiting and searching. Deciding that he was going to find the way back to that place and this time, he would be ready -he was not a kid. That required...
★★★★★June 2026
"A wise man once told me that the main reason evil men prosper is because decent folks don't want to serve time."
I'm not usually someone who harps on "prose" when writing a review, because when people talk about the prose it's usually because that's the best part of the story. However, "American Paladin" draws you in so quickly and the writing is so smooth and professional that you'll feel like you've been reading this series for years. Correia hooks you effortlessly, and the story whisks you away on a nearly non-stop adventure through an America that's equal parts "I'm glad this stuff isn't real" and "wow I need to go out and see all these sights."
The characterization in this is fantastic. Unlike your typical book where an angsty teenager or snarky woman learns how to do everything in the span of weeks, we're presented with a protagonist, Mike Spears, who's spent his entire life training to hunt down and take revenge on the supernatural terrors that once kidnapped him and slaughtered his entire family. He's a well-rounded hero, proficient if not expert in many different forms of combat, and yet believably so. He's put in the years, he's suffered the losses, and he's honed the...
I'm not usually someone who harps on "prose" when writing a review, because when people talk about the prose it's usually because that's the best part of the story. However, "American Paladin" draws you in so quickly and the writing is so smooth and professional that you'll feel like you've been reading this series for years. Correia hooks you effortlessly, and the story whisks you away on a nearly non-stop adventure through an America that's equal parts "I'm glad this stuff isn't real" and "wow I need to go out and see all these sights."
The characterization in this is fantastic. Unlike your typical book where an angsty teenager or snarky woman learns how to do everything in the span of weeks, we're presented with a protagonist, Mike Spears, who's spent his entire life training to hunt down and take revenge on the supernatural terrors that once kidnapped him and slaughtered his entire family. He's a well-rounded hero, proficient if not expert in many different forms of combat, and yet believably so. He's put in the years, he's suffered the losses, and he's honed the...
★★★★★June 2026
Mike Spears is the kind of good guy that has a freshly, permanently neutered pedophile in his flatbed and still keeps both hands on the steering wheel when the cops pull him over.
Perfect is a hard label to slap on a piece of entertainment. Your perfection might not mirror mine, and mine might be your definition of utter schlock. But as far as real-life narratives that blend the supernatural for some high-impact horror and mystery thrills, it’s hard to beat American Paladin…
There’s enough of the real there to keep it grounded, much of it stemming from Correia’s great use of down to earth dialogue and mannerisms - as well as his extensive knowledge of guns and grappling. This solid base allows for plenty of weird shit to be lathered in ever-thickening layers on top without dilluting the us versus them feeling. Humanity versus the demons. Guy with gun versus Nigel Gorman and his dark tower’s worth of alleged sins.
This juicy cake of bullets, badassdom, and berserk fury from another dimension is not served in slices. Rather it piles itself into your drooling, gaping mouth wholesale, that you may choke on the multitude of flavours and textures while your strained jaw is struggling...
Perfect is a hard label to slap on a piece of entertainment. Your perfection might not mirror mine, and mine might be your definition of utter schlock. But as far as real-life narratives that blend the supernatural for some high-impact horror and mystery thrills, it’s hard to beat American Paladin…
There’s enough of the real there to keep it grounded, much of it stemming from Correia’s great use of down to earth dialogue and mannerisms - as well as his extensive knowledge of guns and grappling. This solid base allows for plenty of weird shit to be lathered in ever-thickening layers on top without dilluting the us versus them feeling. Humanity versus the demons. Guy with gun versus Nigel Gorman and his dark tower’s worth of alleged sins.
This juicy cake of bullets, badassdom, and berserk fury from another dimension is not served in slices. Rather it piles itself into your drooling, gaping mouth wholesale, that you may choke on the multitude of flavours and textures while your strained jaw is struggling...
★★★★★July 2026
Well, American Paladin was mostly a fun, easy read. It didn't tax the mind much, lots of implausible action sequences and contrived dialogue. Having followed Larry on social media for a while, it sort of read in places like his Twitter or Facebook feed with a story placed on top of it. References to Biden, references to the "Strong men create good times, etc." meme, even a pretty obvious character meant to be Neil Gaiman (Nigel Gorman=Neil Gaiman)
The main character Mike Spears is a combo vigilante and supernatural monster fighter. He kills bad people that the law can't touch while searching for the monsters that killed his family. Sort of like Owen Zastava Pitt from the Monster Hunter universe Spears is a highly trained killing machine who can kill you with guns or his bare hands.
The other characters are completely forgettable. Kate, the true crime Youtuber obligatory female sidekick/girl in distress, gives him someone to rescue. The other characters just serve as plot devices to move the story along.
Then again I have read most of Larry's books and I don't read them for the scintillating dialogue but because they are fun, sort of like the Jack Reacher series. If you like...
The main character Mike Spears is a combo vigilante and supernatural monster fighter. He kills bad people that the law can't touch while searching for the monsters that killed his family. Sort of like Owen Zastava Pitt from the Monster Hunter universe Spears is a highly trained killing machine who can kill you with guns or his bare hands.
The other characters are completely forgettable. Kate, the true crime Youtuber obligatory female sidekick/girl in distress, gives him someone to rescue. The other characters just serve as plot devices to move the story along.
Then again I have read most of Larry's books and I don't read them for the scintillating dialogue but because they are fun, sort of like the Jack Reacher series. If you like...
★★★★★July 2026
I recently rewatched The Shield, and it got me thinking that I should try to read some books by conservative authors, get out of my bubble a little bit. Well, now I've read one, and I'm mixed on the experience. It was funny, because this book felt like the conservative answer to Stephen King, who loves shoehorning in annoying talking points that are so woke that even my liberal ass starts eyerolling him, like his most recent novel about how we should still be wearing our COVID masks fifty years after the fact. Meanwhile, this book's talking points are just as dorky, with references to Hunter Biden's laptop and lines about how "the feds don't arrest real criminals anymore, they're just looking to bust old grannies who happened to be too close to the Capitol on a certain day in January." The one part where the conservative angle gave this book an edge was that the characters were proper badasses instead of whiny little pussies. There's no wishywashy crap about how if you start killing bad guys, you might turn bad as well. No, some people just need killing and there's no point acting all emo about it after the fact. I look forward to them killing a whole lot more people in the next...
★★★★★July 2026
If you're a fan of Jack Carr, Lee Child, Mark Greaney, or Greg Hurwitz, but always wanted them to have their loner heroes fight monsters, than Larry Correia's kick-ass new pulp thriller 'American Paladin' is for you.
Right off the bat, this isn't Monster Hunter International. Our hero Mike Spears is cut from the same cloth as Frank Castle, a stoic, take-n0-shit badass who's made it his life mission to serve up beat downs to bad guys. Much like Castle, Spears also lost his family, but that's where the similarities end. Spears's family was killed by the Kultec, Aztec-style predators from a world just outside ours. As the only survivor, Spears makes takes on the mission of hunting these things down and making them pay for what they did to his family, dishing out justice to any human scum he sees fit to in-between monster killings. This time around he's helping out Kate, a young True Crime podcaster who's show has gotten too close to the truth in several instances, and Spears finds himself protecting the woman from supernatural assisination.
Correia is a master at this kind of pulp thriller, and 'American Paladin' zips along at a fast pace, delivering several cool action...
Right off the bat, this isn't Monster Hunter International. Our hero Mike Spears is cut from the same cloth as Frank Castle, a stoic, take-n0-shit badass who's made it his life mission to serve up beat downs to bad guys. Much like Castle, Spears also lost his family, but that's where the similarities end. Spears's family was killed by the Kultec, Aztec-style predators from a world just outside ours. As the only survivor, Spears makes takes on the mission of hunting these things down and making them pay for what they did to his family, dishing out justice to any human scum he sees fit to in-between monster killings. This time around he's helping out Kate, a young True Crime podcaster who's show has gotten too close to the truth in several instances, and Spears finds himself protecting the woman from supernatural assisination.
Correia is a master at this kind of pulp thriller, and 'American Paladin' zips along at a fast pace, delivering several cool action...