Hallows fans rejoice! Harrison (A Perfect Blood) neatly segues readers back into her world of coexisting humans and Inderlanders, with many of the beloved characters and all of the fast quips and high-stakes magical action of her previous books.
Harrison's latest trilogy, set in a futuristic Detroit, is fast paced but muddled in execution, as the motives of those controlling Peri are left vague, with conspiracies and factions put on the page simply to create conflict. Peri is a hard character to root for, as she spends much of the book cycling between angry and gullible. Admirers of Harrison's "Hollows" books will be disappointed. [See Prepub Alert, 3/30/15.]
This is the final volume in Harrison's beloved series (after The Undead Pool) and there are a lot of loose ends to tie up, most of which are dealt with quite satisfactorily. Series fans will love the high-stakes action and will be anxious to find out how it all ends for Rachel. [See Prepub Alert, 5/19/14; see also the Q&A with Harrison in Eric Norton's "A Multiplicity of Realms," p. 22.
Readers who have followed this series will be overjoyed to have Trent and Rachel finally deal with their complicated history and chemistry, but there is a lot of backstory for a new reader to follow. Loose threads are gathered as Harrison prepares to end this series with one final volume, expected in 2015.
Whether exploring the backstory of Mia the banshee (“Dirty Magic”) or trying out a different sort of supernatural creature (e.g., the dryad in “Temson Estates”), this collection should attract Harrison’s sizable fan base.
Harrison's colorful cast of supporting characters (a foul-mouthed pixy, a frustrated werewolf bodyguard, a cat-riding fairy, and a posh vampire) keeps the story moving among the fast-paced action scenes. Longtime fans will obviously be standing in line for this one. However, readers with any interest in urban fantasy can easily jump into the story via Harrison's explanations of past events. [Ten-city tour; see Prepub Alert, 9/19/11.]