Review: Black Magic Sanction
Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she’s never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.
It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.
Black Magic Sanction is eighth in Kim Harrison’s Hollows series [ aka Rachel Morgan] Rachel’s been through a lot in the last two years. She’s been attacked by Weres, run down by Elves on horseback, smacked around by angry demons, bitten by local vampires, eluded assassin fairies, fought off angry banshees and at the end of White Witch, Black Curse[# 7] she was left shunned, in the lowest point of her life. Now, with the Coven Council against her, she’s going to need to use everything in her grasp to fight back.
Black Magic Sanction was action-packed, with leaving you on the edge-of-your-seat action, tensions, and mystery. Though, with as much joy, there was equal sorrow [tissues were definitely needed for a few chapters]. Black Magic Sanction had the majority of the long standing characters taking an active part in either helping or hindering Rachel’s efforts, if they weren’t in it, than they were mentioned, and with individual motivations sometimes clear, or often gray, they added complexity and drama to the story. The [supposed] morally upstanding Coven Council has a hidden agenda against Rachel, but we learn even they have schisms within.
Kim Harrison continued to explore and reevaluate Rachel’s relationships with other major characters. Algaliarept became a surprising ally. [Even if he is only protecting his investment.] Sending Pierce, by orders of Newt, after a horrible accident of a spell gone utterly wrong, to protect Rachel from her follies. Rachel, though, exhibited greater confidence in her dealings with Al, moving more and more towards achieving some degree of equality, with some interesting results.
I’m not a huge Pierce fan and it seems the more I read about him, the more I grow to dislike him. I’m not quite sure what the issue is, because I am ultra aware of Pierce and Rachel’s similarities [even with her higher moral standards] Though, I’m sure it has, maybe, a little something to do with my own ideas about Rachel being with Trent. I just adore learning more about Trent and Rachel’s complex history and in Black Magic Sanction we delve further into their relationship, not only in present, but through flash backs. Kim Harrison has said that Trent will have a larger role in future books and I can’t wait to see what comes of it.
What I didn’t like about this book has more to do with the series and much less to do with the actual book itself. Rachel spends a large amount of time to maintain her status as a white witch with very high morals that she can no longer live up to. Some of her decisions to achieve this goal come with the result of hurting the ones she loves, or love her. I’m constantly hoping that some day she’ll take some cues from either Ivy or Jenks on how to be ruthless when enemies are coming for her. Instead of having such guilt about hurting them, show them what they truly deserve.
Black Magic Sanction, as expected, is one of the best in urban fantasy reads I’ll find this year. The world of the Hollows continues to enrich and fascinate me and there couldn’t be a more exciting guide than Rachel Morgan and company. The conclusion brings a new balance to their lives and the events of the novel introduce a whole new world of possibilities for Rachel Morgan #9. I highly recommend this new edition to the series, and if you haven’t started it yet, then I suggest picking up a copy of Dead Witch Walking [#1]
The Hollows/Rachel Morgan [UF]
Dead Witch Walking-April 2004
The Good The Bad & The Undead-January 2005
Every Witch Way but Dead-June 28, 2005
A Fist Full of Charms-June 27, 2006
For A Few Demons More-March 20, 2007
The Outlaw Demon Wail-February 26, 2008
White Witch Black Curse-February 24, 2009
Black Magic Sanction-February 23, 2010
Visit Kim Harrison’s Website
This book was purchased by KittNLuv.
I've read the review after following on twitter…am I missing something…I can't see where it says it's a giveaway…but this linked via twitter as a giveaway?
Great review though!
The giveaway is on the side bar. This is the review to one of the books in the giveaway:)