Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, Book 1)
by Kim Harrison
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Book Reviews of Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, Book 1)
Book Review: Kim Harrison Doesn't Pull Her Punches
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow. I got this book on a whim since I usually find vampire books to be somewhat predictable, either lacking in characterization or in plot. Not only does this book have multiple other "magical" creatures, the main first person character being a witch, but it also boasts a bevy of intriguing personalities each with their vulnerabilities & flaws(though they all appear to be gorgeous and have perfected sexy slinking through dark alleys).
Add a very unique What If situation: the world suffers a serious genetic plague carried by a engineered tomato (I had flashback to B movies on that little tidbit ) but the magical "inderland" creatures are immune and thus are able to reveal that they've been living alongside humanity for an indefinitely looong period of time. Yep interesting.
And that's not all. Not only does kim harrison manage to bring about a fresh look on vampires with a vast difference on the undead vs. dead, she also brings her own interpretation to the inherent nature of witches, pixies, fairies etc.
Finally, I was very excited that on top of the cool, if overly hot and always badass, characters with complicated stories and drives, this book did not descend into an internal character study- a particularly likely scenario since it is in the gothic first person POV. Instead there are some all out bloodletting, bonebreaking and hair-raising action scenes that are described with all the glee of a horror movie. Again Wow.
As a woman I love to see a heroine doing her thing and kicking some A** in the process . It should be no surprise I loved this & the second book, The Good, The Bad & The Undead, which may be even better.
Buy it!
^_^
Book Review: For fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Tonya Huff
Summary: 5 Stars
On an alternate Earth a bioengineered weapon escaped from a lab, spread around the world killing off a quarter of the world's population. Beings of myth and legend known as Inderlanders because they were immune to the disease held civilization together until the germ died out. Local enforcement was dissolved and the Federal Inderland Bureau was formed to monitor the actions of the Inderlanders. The I.S. was created by out of work Inderlander law enforcement officials to police the supernatural beings.Rachel works for the I.S. but every case she is sent out on results in failure. She knows her boss Denon hates her so she decides to quit and go freelance. Her friend Ivy, a live vampire, also quits much to Demon's dismay and he calls for Rachel to be assassinated for luring Ivy away.. The earth witch is no match for the creatures he sends against her so she decides to find the evidence that will convict Congressman Trent Kalanack for trafficking in Brimstone. If she is successful her contract with the IS is nullified and she is a free woman but Rachel almost gets killed in her attempts to expose the congressman.
Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Tonya Huff and Charlaine Harris are going to love DEAD WITCH WALKING, a supernatural action adventure novel set in what feels like a fantasy realm. The gutsy and honorable heroine goes through a lot of perilous adventures to gain her freedom, but uses her earth magic powers as a defensive weapon that won't permanently injure or kill those attacking her. Kim Harrison has the magic touch to enchant her audience with her storytelling while placing a spell that requires reading future books in this series.
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: More fun than I've had with a book in a very long time!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was one of the most enjoyable reads imaginable, an absolute delight. I positively cannot wait for the sequel. I'm shocked not to have found anything else by Kim Harrison out already, considering just how great this was. Amazing first effort. Amazing effort, period.
I was a huge Laurell K. Hamilton fan on the Anita Blake series, though recent efforts have been a disappointment. This was, for me, as much fun as early LKH. Similarly, it was a strong, funny, female character, in a supernatural alternate modern reality with fangs, and fur, and fey.
That, however, is where the similarities end, as this actually managed to be unique, with its own wonderful voice and style, and a whole new alternate world, like no other I've seen.
The book was strong on plot, with lots of nice twists and turns, had wonderful, enjoyable, well thought out and developed characters, well described scenes, and plenty of action.
The magic and magical beings were both impressive, and at times, hysterically amusing. (I will not post a spoiler, of course, on what her shape changing spell does, but suffice to say, it's original, and it's pretty darned funny!)
The Pixie that the main character, Rachel Morgan, partners with is a blast, and at the same time, sympathetic. I loved the blend. She gave the characters, even those other than Rachel, some real dimension. She also made the character Rachel come across as someone whose fate you could care about.
Overall, a terrific, fun read, that kept me up until done. I'm a pretty voracious reader, and I don't say that about too many of late.
Book Review: Maybe I just didn't get it..
Summary: 2 Stars
I ordered this book because amazon recommended it highly. Frankly, I was bored throughout and very nearly didn't finish it. I was recommended this book because I am a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton and Sherrilyn Kenyon among others. I'm not sure what book the other reviewers were reading but I don't think it was this one. I found the characters shallow, the plot contrived, and frankly, the action was weak. I never did understand the heroine's motivations for any of her actions and quite frankly, I found her laughable and not in a good way. You've tried to get into the villain's compound as an animal once, got caught..so the next time you try again but the SAME WAY?? What? Wow, big surprise, you get caught AGAIN. Shocking. The little pixie family was interesting but I thought the villain was a bit bland. There were many continuity errors and strange leaps in logic that left me bewildered for much of the book. There is a 'hit' out on you and you leave the house in a flimsy disguise that gets found out and you nearly get killed, okay fine, but you do it TWICE??? I did enjoy the author's dedication to her universe especially the inclusion of slang and profanity based on the world changing Turn. That was entertaining and consistent throughout the book.
Would I recommend this book to paranormal/fantasy/romance/erotica fans? No. Would I recommend it to paranormal/fantasy fans? Possibly. The world she's created is interesting and original. I'm just hoping that the other books in the series are better- better written, better executed, and have better editing. I'm just glad I didn't order them all when I ordered this one.
Book Review: Great Mystery with Plenty of Room for Sequels
Summary: 4 Stars
Who knew that a book about a bounty-hunting witch running from her own bounty would have such a sweet soul?On alternate Earth where half the human population has been wiped out from a vegetable-borne virus, all the creatures from the fairy tales, (ie, witches, vampires, pixies, fairies, "Weres," etc), dubbed "Inderlanders," have live a "seperate but equal" existance with humans, complete with their own police force, "Inderland Security." When Rachel, an down-on-her-luck bounty hunter quits the I.S. and takes one of the agency's best operatives with her, a bounty is put on her head by her boss. She has to fight off advances from her hormonally-challenged roommate, and THEN she discovers that one of the city's leading human citizens is growing and smuggling drugs. Things spiral out of control from there.
After a strong set up, Harrison takes time to develop her characters fully. The main plot of the book takes a backseat to several of the subplots involving secondary characters. And that's a GOOD thing. The book comes to a satisfying conclusion (not a cliffhanger), but there are enough mysteries and unanswered questions to fill the next several volumes.
This is a very strong early novel. Harrison really spends time letting the reader get to know the characters. Her style is descriptive, yet tight and well-paced. More importantly, this ostensively neo-goth story has a real heart behind the fangs and there's a sweetness to all the characters that surprised me but also entertained me. The tone is not nearly as dark as the cover would indicate. This is a good title for most anyone who wants a little adventure.