Cutting a deal with the god of sex and music was supposed to be Lucas' big break. But when the price of power is sharing your body with an ancient Egyptian spirit, things get complicated real quick.
At the turn of the century, the world was introduced to a group of 72 physical mystics called the 'Host'. Hosted individuals have struck a bargain with Ihy, Egyptian god of music, pleasure, lust, and fertility. A Host shares their mind and body with one of Ihy's children, keeping them safe and 'feeding' them with sensations from the vast array of human experience. In exchange, the Host receives supernatural powers based on the kind of music they're listening to at any given time. This allows them to bend physics, have supernatural strength and agility, and even influence the hearts and minds of those around them... if the right tune is playing.
'Rhythm' follows Lucas Andrews, known as 'Lucky' to his friends. Lucas is a young man who managed to become legally emancipated from his abusive parents. On paper he lives with the family of his deceased best friend, but in reality they can't afford to keep him. Instead, Lucas lives in an old station wagon parked in the Massachusetts woodlands. He endures constant bullying at school. He's able to muddle through the pain, work in a record store in order to earn food money, and quietly finish school as a straight B student.
On the morning of his 17th birthday, Lucky gets the offer of a lifetime. He's invited to become a Host if he willingly shares his body with Ihy's son, Izadore. After weighing all the pros and cons, Lucas accepts the god's offer and is merged with 'Izy'.
This fateful decision puts Lucas on a dangerous path. Being a Host also means being hunted. Will Lucas and Izadore be able to hone the power of their new partnership in time? Or will they be overrun by forces who will do anything, including murder, in order to maintain the religious status-quo?
WARNING: This book has themes of abuse, bullying, physical violence, metaphysical violence, gun violence, sexual discovery, bisexuality, religious extremism, and pagan religious power in the modern world.
