Book Review: Pale Demon (Rachel Morgan/The Hollows #9) by Kim Harrison

Summary: 
Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passanger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.
 
Review: 
Pale Demon was another excellent installment in the Rachel Morgan series.  I've really come to enjoy Harrison's blend of witches, warlocks, weres, vampires, pixies, elves, and faeries.  She blends the species in together and has such great plots that her books are difficult to put down.  I made myself go slowly reading Pale Demon, because like a piece of Godiva chocolate, I wanted to make it last. 

My suspicisions regarding Trent's feelings for Rachel have finally been confirmed.  I knew it, I knew it!  I know he's bad and has done terrible things, but I still like Trent.  I think he has much more to him than we know right now, and I think he's going to keep growing on Rachel.  Like Steve Urkel used to say to Laura, "I'm wearing you down, baby, I'm wearing you down!" 

Jenks and Bis are my favorite characters in the series.  I think that they both steal every scene that they are in.  Rachel is not one of my favorite heroines, and I'm not sure why.  She has not been inherently likeable for me, but her personality and actions have endeared her to me over the span of the series.  I definintely liked her more in this book than any of the others.

I have to say that I have long thought that Al secretly likes Rachel, and the events of Pale Demon have only furthered that suspicion.  I loved how the book ends, with Rachel making the choice about how to live her life.  I've always liked Pierce because I love the way he speaks---I love his phrases, such as "make a die of it"---but I did not like him with Rachel.  It was nice to have Rachel alone for this book, as she has kind of gone from man to man throughout the series. 

While nine books can sometimes be too long for some series, Kim Harrison's work just keeps getting better, and I hope we get at least three more.  According to Harrison's website, she is under contract for twelve to thirteen Morgan books!  Sign me up, this is one series that I want to keep going for that long!

Just One Gripe: 
I hated the name Ku'Shox.  It was difficult to read and say to myself.  I stumbled over it just about every time I read it.

The Best Thing About This Book: 
I love the cast of characters.

Appropriate for a younger audience: 
No

Score: 
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Setting/Imagery: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Total Score:  25/25


5 comments:

  1. Fabulous review! I started this series a while ago and really enjoyed it until a certain someone died and I was so upset about it that I couldn't bring myself to read the rest of the books. I wasn't a huge fan of Rachel either, but I loved the world and the writing, so maybe it's time to give these another try!

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  2. I haven't started this series, but I liked your review! That name would bug me, too, by the way! :)

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  3. Great review. I don't think I've tried anything by this author. I love the cover. It's so Storm from X-Men ;)

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  4. SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE! Thanks for the review. Makes me want to read it even more now!

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  5. I believe this is the series that you recommended to me. I have yet to get to it but I plan to this year.

    I'm with you on the difficult to pronounce names. I usually make up a nickname (close to the actual name) and stick with that during the book.

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