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For a Few Demons More
5th book in the Rachel Morgan series
by Kim Harrison

Wow. That was my final impression of the much anticipated fifth book in Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan series. Much like Harrison’s previous work, For a Few Demons More was a non-stop, action packed romp through an alternate version of Cincinnati. My only complaint was that the relationship of two of the main characters seems to have taken two steps back for the single step forward it gained. And of course the death of a beloved character never sits too well with anyone. But enough of the teasing.

Poor Rachel, she’s a witch whose only desire was to become as good of a runner (a combination of investigator and bounty hunter) as her late father. But political machinations forced her to leave the I.S. and go it on her own. When she left she unknowingly took with her two new friends, Ivy Tamwood the last living Tamwood vampire and Jenks a temperamental pixie with a large family to care for. Throughout the series we’ve watched the friendship between this trio bloom as they overcame numerous obstacles set in their paths. Schemes were unraveled, trust betrayed and yet through it all they stuck it out and weathered the storm.

Now in the fifth book the numerous conflicts that have been simmering beneath the surface all come to a boil. Newt, the powerful demon who strikes fear in the demon Al and the elf Ceri alike, and the same demon whose mark Rachel now carries as a price for being carried over the ley lines, comes after Rachel seeking something that she has and that Newt wants back. Problem is Newt can’t remember what it is she’s looking for. If a crazy demon isn’t scary enough add to that the fact that this demon can blasphemy the holy ground she walks on without a conscious effort. There is no safe hiding place from this demon. The trio suspect Newt wants the Focus, the werewolf artifact that Rachel got stuck with in the previous book, which means now they have to guard the artifact that could cause a war from the werewolves, the vampires, and a demon.

At the same time the powerful and dangerous Trent Kalamack is getting married and wants Rachel to play bodyguard. After Newt’s visit she’s in dire need of money to fix the church and it’s really no surprise that she eventually caves and accepts Trent’s offer. We’ve seen that pattern before folks, her morals and ethics cause Rachel to tell Trent what he can do with his offers but in the end a combination of guilt over their father’s shared friendship, Trent’s father’s kindness, and sheer need usually force Rachel to give in. Maybe someday she’ll learn to save herself time and just accept the offer up front? After what happened in this book that’s not likely though.

So Trent is getting married, Newt makes an appearance, and everyone is fighting for control of the focus, that alone is enough to make a good fifth installment. But Kim Harrison wouldn’t be the author she is today if she decided to do things half way. Every “villain” Rachel and company have had to contend with puts in an appearance. From a walking in the sun Al to a free and clear Piscary, they’re all back and there is a murder mystery to solve to boot. Just reading the book had my mind boggling at the stress and my nerves became frayed at the thought of dealing with everything Rachel had to contend with. Fans will be pleasantly surprised to see how Harrison wraps everything up, it’s not exactly what you would anticipate but it’s far from a let down.

Perhaps what I found most enthralling was the developing relationship between Ivy and Rachel. After finally allowing Ivy to taste her blood in the previous book and Ivy’s fear of losing control I anticipated that Harrison would just briefly touch on this and let the matter rest where it is, especially considering everything else that is going on. I was wrong. The relationship plods along realistically as two very stubborn women try to come to terms with their fears and emotions. Rachel seeks to establish a blood balance with Ivy , despite being unwilling to admit that she does love Ivy while Ivy is running scared. It’s enough to make you want to bang your head against the wall. True to form Rachel doesn’t see what’s in front of her eyes until the last second.

I was disappointed though to see this issue go unresolved between them, but considering the events that happened in the end it’s not surprising that there are some new barriers being erected between them while the old are torn down. So many twists and turns abound in the book and it’s impossible to discuss them all without giving everything away. Unlike other authors in the genre, namely Laurell K Hamilton, Harrsion does a spectacular job in tying together the events of books previous and wrapping up most of the loose ends that kept you up at night wondering ‘what if…’. That is not to say that everything is wrapped up in a tidy package and stamped with a big the end. Far from it! There are just enough loose ends and added twists tied on to keep the reader hanging on and eagerly awaiting the next book.

What happens next, will Ivy and Rachel achieve a blood balance, where does Skimmer fit into all of this now? What games is Ceri plotting and how will Trent handle being put in his place? And most importantly, what is it that Newt really wants? All of these questions remain unanswered and yet the reader can rest assured that they will be answered soon. If they can survive the suspense that is.

I will forever cherish the mental image of Rachel in a black ball gown complete with black platform boots, riding a public bus to a church in order to make a tag. That moment was all Rachel Morgan at her finest.

Joana’s rating: