Book Review: The Grim Reaper Chronicles by Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith’s The Grim Reaper Chronicles: Awakening throws the reader straight into an afterlife that’s equal parts bureaucratic supernatural thriller and rowdy buddy-comedy. The book opens with Kade surfacing in a bewildering white room and being bluntly told he’s dead and—more alarmingly—that his death triggered a rare and powerful “awakening.” Simon, a sardonic Reaper-sergeant, becomes Kade’s reluctant explainer and guide as the worldbuilding unfurls: Reapers, Fallen, fiends and demons, and a tenuous balance between Heaven, Hell and purgatory. The initial pages do a good job of selling the disorientation of death (Kade’s confusion and Simon’s clipped exposition anchor the opening scenes), and Smith leans into snappy banter to keep heavy exposition lively rather than leaden. 

Characters are sketched with broad, serviceable strokes that favor action and archetype over subtlety. Kade’s arc—small-town “loser” turned lightning-and-elements-born avenger—is the emotional spine, and we see him discover powers (speed, elemental control, temporary intangibility and a healing/endurance edge) through a sequence of training and clashes that read like a coming-of-power montage. Supporting figures give flavor and conflict: Simon’s weary pragmatism and loyalty, Bart’s comic-but-surprisingly skilled drunken-Apostle persona, and the Grim Reaper himself (a violent, contemptuous antagonist who rules with scorn) create a lively ensemble. The reveal that Bart is actually one of the Apostles (and that Heaven’s operatives are embedded in odd places) is a neat twist that reframes several earlier scenes. 

Plot-wise Awakening moves briskly: Kade’s discovery of his abilities (a memorable slow-bullet/gym scene and the “Speed Force” moments), an escape from Reaper HQ, a hideout at the Salty Saloon where training and companionship give the story heart, and an escalating confrontation with Hell’s players—Lucifer’s schemes, the Wild siblings, and a climactic battlefield where Kade both grows into his powers and delivers a shocking blow that ends the current Grim Reaper’s reign. Smith blends set-piece combat (lightning cleaves, elemental binds, and scythe-wielding showdowns) with occasional dark humor and one-liners; the scene where Kade’s lightning strike creates a crater and the subsequent moment in which he becomes the Grim Reaper himself are among the book’s more satisfying payoffs. The story also doesn’t shy from loss—an impactful, grim moment finds a beloved ally mortally wounded in the mêlée—so the stakes carry emotional weight amid the spectacle. 

Where the book shines is in momentum and imagination: Smith confidently mixes biblical-inflected cosmology (Apostles, rituals, princes of Hell) with pulpy superhero energy, and his fight choreography is vivid and often cinematic. Dialogue sparkles at times, and the protagonist’s voice—equal parts bewildered, snarky, and heroic—keeps the pages turning. Weaknesses are mostly structural: the novel leans heavily on expository scenes early on (Simon’s tutorial moments occasionally feel like telling rather than showing), and a few supporting characters (some members of the Fallen, a couple of Lucifer’s lieutenants) could be deepened so their motives land with more nuance. There are moments of tonal unevenness—comic asides beside somber deaths—and a few editing rough edges in transitions, but none of these fatally undermine the story’s forward thrust. The book’s ending is deliberately open (an epilogue and closing beats that tease larger conflicts to come), which will please readers who enjoy serialized worldbuilding. 

Verdict: The Grim Reaper Chronicles: Awakening is an energetic, entertaining start to a series—best enjoyed by readers who like urban fantasy with bold action, mythic stakes, and a wink of irreverence. If you prize tight, introspective literary character work above high-octane plot, this may feel a touch broad; but if you want imaginative supernatural worldbuilding, raucous set pieces, and a protagonist who grows into awe-inspiring power while still feeling grounded, this book delivers – with plenty of promise for the volumes to come.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)