By: Lilith Saintcrow
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: September 1, 2007
Format: ebook, 317pgs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: 1st in Dante Valentine series
Recommendation: Yes, magic and amazing world full of Demons and more.
Synopsis:
When the Devil needs a rogue demon killed, who does he call?
The Player: Necromance-for-hire Dante Valentine is choosy about her jobs. Hot tempered and with nerves of steel, she can raise the dead like nobody's business. But one rainy Monday morning, everything goes straight to hell.
The Score: The Devil hires Dante to eliminate a rogue demon: Vardimal Santino. In return, he will let her live. It's an offer she can't refuse.
The Catch: How do you kill something that can't die?
First Sentence:
My working relationship with Lucifer began on a rainy Monday.
Purchase At:
Amazon / Barnes & Nobles / Book Depository
**I read this story for my own enjoyment.
My Thoughts and Summary:
A Lord of Hell shows up at Dante's door with an invite from the Prince for a contract - she fulfills and she'll be allowed to live with riches beyond her dreams. The Prince, Lucifer, wishes an escaped demon executed and the Egg, a demon artifact he's about to break, brought back to him. Jaf, the demon assassin of Lucifer's is to go with her and keep her alive until the job is done. The demon - Santino - is a dangerous serial killer and Dante and Jaf have personal vendetta's to settle with him. Why Dante? Because the demon was granted immortality years ago. Lucifer hopes since Dante is neither human or Demon she will be able to do the job.
One thing that stuck out in a huge way to me, the world building. Lilith is a pro at it. This world is similar yet so different to what we know. There is an advance in tech here, as demons do love tinkering. There are hover trains, plasguns, holovids, AI pilotdecks on hovers and freight fliers. Magic exists here strongly and is accepted, mostly. There's an Academy to be accredited in area of expertise. But people are still nervous of some of the areas, necromancy being top of the list. Such an interesting creation with psi and even demon intervention in the world.
Demons aren't all that bad. Err, lack of a better word? They are not angels, but they are interesting in humans and the way of the human world as well. Demons are not looked upon with any love by many. But then there are many that don't know there are Demons walking around. But people sure know there are Necromancers and Shamans and others of magic walking around by their living tattoo on their face.
Dante just wants to be left alone to get through her days the best she can. Pay off her Academy loans and buy a house sooner than most her kind. She dabbles in bounty hunting of small things, not an assassin though, to get ahead. And she is. She's a tough shell though. She has a softer side, but hides it well. Then we have Jaf...I...I think 40 pages in and I was falling for the demon.
We meet other friends of Dante as well. They show a broader verse to the world. More magic present and what they can do. Cool. Gabe and Eddie and Jace. And...I think I really like Jace as well. But I doubted the friend relationships a few times as we went. Well done by Lilith.
I will be reading more of this series. The world and magic has caught me. And, seeing Dante as she is now, I want to know what she'll do next.
