(Note: I have discovered that I am not very good at writing succinct reviews of books, video games, or movies. I keep wanting to add far to much back story, and explain too many nuances. This isn't going to stop me from trying, however, and this is my next attempt).
Anyone who knew me growing up knows that I read a lot as a child and teenager. I read a variety of genres, mostly brain candy. A lot of mysteries, teen fiction, the occasional piece of "real" literature (my parents were amazed then I decided to read "1984" on my own), and my secret shame, romance novels (which I don't read anymore, thank goodness). One genre that I didn't get into however, was ScFi/Fantasy. I am not sure why I didn't read any, probably put off by the silly covers they all seemed to have.
Then, about 8 years ago, I discovered the world of fantasy novels via the incredibly brilliant Terry Pratchett. He is not the topic of this review, however, but I feel that his wonderful novels deserve mention in this review since they started me on my search for new fantasy fiction. I do intend to do a thorough review of the Pratchett universe one day. Suffice it to say that I am continually on the hunt for good fantasy fiction. I have decided that I like the escapism it allows me.
I recently discovered Kim Harrison and her Hollows series. The protagonist is a female witch named Rachel Morgan (witches are both male and female in the Hollows universe, and are a different species than humans). Rachel lives in a parallel reality to ours, in Cincinnati, Ohio. In her universe, witches, werewolves, fairies, pixies, elves, and vampires (the inderlanders) came out of hiding during the "Turn", a time when genetic engineering killed off about 25% of the human population from a killer virus attached to tomatoes (a result of which is that most humans have an irrational fear or tomatoes, even if the virus is long gone).
Rachel is introduced in Dead Witch Walking, as a Runner for the Inderland Security, (think FBI for the supernatural), bringing in inderlander lawbreakers. After an encounter with a leprechaun, she leaves the IS along with a living vampire named Ivy, another runner, and her pixy backup Jenks, and the three of them set up an independent runner service called Vampiric Charms.
There are six novels to date, all of the titles are spoofs on movie titles (mostly Clint Eastwood movies). They deal with various situations Rachel gets herself into, involving demons, living and dead vampires, werewolves, death threats, and dating. I find the novels very clever ad interesting. The characters are complex and flawed. Rachel insists she is a "white" witch, yet keeps getting more deeply involved in demon magic, the blackest magic there is, for "good" reasons. Ivy, a "living" vampire, has a hard time separating her blood lust from sex, and since she wants to bite Rachel, there are some interesting scenes involving same sex attraction.
These are not kids books, and if you are squeamish about sex in books, either same sex or opposite sex, these aren't for you (although the amount of sex is not gratuitous by any means). There is some swearing, although Rachel seems to have an aversion to it herself, and uses one of my favorite non swearing swear phrases, "crap on toast". While the main storyline is tied up be the end of each novel, there are always threads left hanging that may or may not be tied up in later books, which is great storytelling, but makes it a little harder to pick up the series in the middle. I definitely recommend reading them in order.
If you like fantasy, I highly recommend these novels. Harrison does a good job of blurring the lines of morality. Is it wrong to do a bad thing for the greater good? She has created some great adversaries for Rachel, Piscary the undead vampire, and Trent Kalamack, a mysterious City Councilman and billionaire businessman, who alternates between trying to kill Rachel and hire her to work for him are two who figure into most storylines. Trent is an especially complex character, one who does seemingly unforgivable things, but still seems like a sympathetic character.
To close, read these books!
In chronological order they are:
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
www.kimharrison.net
(2nd Note: I listened to all of these instead of reading them. I liked the narrator for the first 5 books, but they changed her for the 6th, and obviously she did not ask how any names were pronounced. I did not like the narrator for the 6th book at all and hearing her mispronounce ley line, Piscary, Algaliarept, and worst of all Takata, was like nails on a chalkboard. If any of you do decide to listen to any of the first 5, I recommend actually reading the 6th book instead).
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