For A Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
Prior to finishing A Fistful of Charms, I found myself planning on moving over to a different series simply because I wanted to digest Kim Harrison’s entertaining Hollows series slowly. I thoroughly enjoy her characters and the magical contemporary world she’s invented. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the contemporary urban/paranormal fantasy genre, nor that I come down firmly on the “more action, less romance” side of the genre’s debate. Harrison deftly walks the razor’s edge between these two in her books, and I gravitate towards the amazing Rachel Morgan like a moth to a flame. I didn’t want to gobble up this series and planned to move on. Obviously, that didn’t happen as I’m now reviewing the next book in the series immediately following my review of book four. A Fistful of Charms ended in such a way as to suggest that much of the novel’s plot resolution was still forthcoming, so I felt inclined to jump right into For A Few Demons More asap. I’m happy to report that I’m very happy I did as the major plot introduced in book four moves powerfully along in book five.
What I Liked
The cursed figurine that allows weres to create more weres through bites rather than birth is still at the middle of Rachel’s current batch of problems to solve, and Harrison uses it to introduce some darker conflict than those seen in her previous entries in the series. I like the sense of doom and the out of control events introduced in For A Few Demons More. Just as I grew to enjoy the Dresden Files more when things got dark for Harry, I am also finding that I enjoy the Hollows even more as Harrison creates a deeper sense of world altering/ending conflict and despair. Rachel and her friends must rise to the occasion, and it is exciting to ride along with them as they do.
As with all of the previous books, what stands at the fore of what makes these fun reads are the characters. At the core, Rachel, Ivy and Jenks are what make me keep coming back. It’s rare enough to find a single ass kicking female lead who isn’t a cliché. Harrison gives you many and I can’t thank her enough for it. Sure, I’m a red-blooded male who likes guy movies filled with explosions and/or robots/dragons/armies/guns/sports teams/etc. I also like tough, sexy women and I’m unashamed to say that they can make awesome lead characters that are just as riveting as anything being published with guys at the helm. I dare you to spend some time with Rachel and not be enamored of her. She’s jut that good.
What I Didn’t Like
I’ve complained about the Ivy/Rachel vampire love thingamabob during each of my reviews of this series. I’m happy to say that it’s taken a much deeper, more endearing turn in this book. Harrison has done what so few authors have done with the vamp/human love theme. She’s made it truly tragic and beautiful. Ivy’s pain and Rachel’s willingness to free her from it are – to put it simply – beautiful. I wish that it had this depth to it in the previous four books. That’s my only complaint…that it took this long to become what it is.
Why You Should Read This Book
The contemporary urban paranormal fantasy genre(s) has exploded over the last few years. There are some great books coming out. There’s also a lot of formulaic crap. Kim Harrison’s Hollows series is an example of how to do the format right. If you enjoy fast paced, bone jarring action mixed with elements of mystery and magic, take some time to catch up on Kim Harrison’s Hollow series, and especially For A Few Demons More. It’s what you should be reading.
Book Information
Description: Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay just ahead of trouble . . . until now. A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, and no one living in or around Cincinnati—human, inhuman, or undead—is safe. An ancient artifact may be the key to stopping the murderer—a mysterious relic that is now in the hands of Rachel Morgan, fearless independent bounty hunter and reckless witch. But revealing it could ignite a battle to the death among the vast and varied local supernatural races. Rachel’s been lucky so far. But even she can’t hide from catastrophe forever.
Author: New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison was born and raised in Michigan, and has recently returned there to escape the South Carolina heat. Her bestselling Hollows novels include Dead Witch Walking; The Good, the Bad, and the Undead; Every Which Way But Dead; A Fistful of Charms; For a Few Demons More; The Outlaw Demon Wails; White Witch, Black Curse; Black Magic Sanction; and Pale Demon, plus the graphic novel Blood Work. She also writes the bestselling Madison Avery series for young adults, including Once Dead, Twice Shy and Early to Death, Early to Rise. [Official Homepage]
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