Review: Every Which Way But Dead

Reviewed by Jen
 

Nothing is ever boring for witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Which is a good thing, because that means nothing is ever boring in one of the Hollows books. As always, the characters and their relationships with Rachel are the real story here. But there is always conflict. In this installment, Rachel is dealing with the repercussions of her deal with the demon Al. She agreed to be his familiar, though she gets to retain her soul. She outsmarts him at the outset, even gaining a new ally in his old familiar Ceri. But Al’s not giving up; he is determined to drag Rachel to his world and make her his slave. In the meantime, there is a new “Big-Bad” in town, named Saladin. He is interfering with the current crime structure, which in turn, effects some of Rachel’s shadier friends, like Kisten and Trent. They need her help to fight Saladin… And Rachel wouldn’t be Rachel if she didn’t end up right in the middle of all the mess.

Rachel’s interpersonal relationships are changing. Her boyfriend Nick is edging out of her life. It’s just too hard for him to be her familiar (whether she made him that way by accident or not.) His absence is hard on her. She finally opened herself to someone and was abandoned. But then, there is Kisten offering to fill the void and then some. This is the book where I fell in love with Kisten. (Damn you, Kim Harrison for that. –We won’t talk about why I wish I never had.)

Ivy is still around. Her presence weighs heavy as she continues pining for Rachel. I believe they really care for each other, but having it all mixed up with blood and sexuality is a tough pill for Rachel to swallow –and frankly, for me too. Trent is back; and here we finally see a ray of “humanity” in him. We learn what drives him and it’s nice to see that he is not totally a monster. The undercurrent between him and Rachel is tangible and it’s easy to see why so many fans want them together. New characters Ceri & David are also wonderful additions to Rachel’s circle.

Even with everything going on, we’re also getting backstory on Rachel, Trent, and their families. We’re learning about the history of the elves and witches, and hints and what could be ahead for each race. This is a rich, complicated and wonderful book. And one any Hollows fan shouldn’t miss. 4 1/2 stars.

Click to purchase: Amazon

Every Which Way But Dead

by Kim Harrison

Release Date: June 28, 2005

Publisher: Harper Torch