Review: The Outlaw Demon Wails (Rachel Morgan, Book 6) by Kim Harrison
Monday, March 10, 2008 1:00
Gwen’s review of The Outlaw Demon Wails (Rachel Morgan, Book 6) by Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Eos on 26 Feb 08
I know I’m not alone here. I know there are other Rachel Morgan fans out there. I know there are some former Rachel Morgan fans out there who wrote her off as being TSTL. I’m here to tell all of you, current and former, that RACHEL GETS A CLUE in this sixth entry in the series!! Yes!! Really! No seriously! I’m not kidding!
In this latest episode of the Saga of Rachel, she discovers some home truths about herself and her family. These revelations open whole new doors and exciting possibilities to our heroine. She is still battling Algaliarept, Minias, Newt, Trent, Quen, and the FIB. She has made an uneasy truce of sorts with the vampire and werewolf communities. Her fellow white witches generally don’t want to have anything to do with her, believing she is a black witch who deals in demons (they deal in her, she insists).
This is also the Kisten-less Rachel. I’m actually kind of glad that loser is out of her life. He always struck me as vain and not very into what was good for Rachel. Rachel begins a relationship in this book that has promise for something good in her life, with a guy who can deal with her, shall we say, eccentricities. I won’t spoil the details, not that there are many to spoil, but this is a nice note in the book.
Rachel finally grows up in this book. She realizes some things about her relationship with Ivy, and vampires in general, that she should have realized YONKS ago. I’m glad she reached this point – at long last. It makes her previous stupidity about Ivy (and Kisten) somewhat tolerable. She kept putting herself, and her friends, in all these idiotic situations because she was such a bonehead. Well, she finally twigged that perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.
What I like the most about Harrison’s writing is that we’re not so much reading a book, as we are a diary of what happens in this witch’s crazy life. Harrison really does a nice job of moving us from one story arc to the next and still moving her overall plot along. Yes. This book has a plot. It isn’t just one interesting story after another, strung together loosely by some details. We actually, almost, have an HEA at the end of the book, even if Rachel isn’t exactly riding off into the sunset with the love of her life at the end.
This was a VERY satisfying entry into The Hollows and Rachel Morgan world. I learned a lot about our intrepid, sometimes stupid, little heroine. And enjoyed the hell out of the story along the way. I didn’t see anything on Harrison’s site, but I’m hoping we get a few more entries into the Rachel Morgan world.
I recommend this book to anyone reading the Rachel Morgan series. If you’ve walked away from it, this might be a good entry to rejoin the fun. If you’re new to the series, I recommend reading the extra materials on Harrison’s site before you attempt the book – it’s a complex world.
Grade: A
Summary:
To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her.
As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocking family secret throws Rachel’s entire life into question. If she is ever to live free, Rachel must first walk willingly into the demonic ever-after in search of long-lost ancient knowledge.
But when you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . . and there are some lines that should never be crossed.
Read an excerpt.
Hey Bev – Unabridged Audio is released!
Other books in this series:
 |
Book 1, Dead Witch Walking, mmppb (mass market paperback) (Eos, Apr 04), coming in hardcover (EOS, Apr 08) |
 |
Book 2, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, mmppb (Harper Torch, Jan 05), coming in hardcover (Eos, Jun 08) |
 |
Book 3, Every Which Way But Dead, mmppb (Eos, Jun 05), coming in hardcover (Eos, Sep 08) |
 |
Book 4, A Fistful of Charms, mmppb (Harper Torch, Jun 06), coming in hardcover (Eos, Oct 08) |
 |
Book 5, For A Few Demons More, mmppb (Eos, Nov 07), hardcover (Eos, Mar 07) |
Devon says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Damn you! I was determined to give up on this series, but now I’m curious about whether or not Rachel actually grew a brain. She finally got a clue about Ivy? Jeesh. I’ll keep it in the back of my head for when I have time.
Gwen says:
March 10th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Devon – nobody was more surprised than me to see Rachel start acting her age.
Something just occurred to me, though. The lifespan of witches in Harrison’s world is 160 years. Rachel is barely 30. So, she’s technically a teenager and acts that way, now that I think about it.
BevQB says:
March 10th, 2008 at 11:29 am
(Trying again since the satanic dotster ate my first try)
I am sooo glad you wrote this Gwen. Now I can actually look forward to reading it. I was afraid that, with our beautiful Kisten gone (sorry, but I ADORED him!), that the way would now be clear for Rachel and Ivy to explore a more intimate relationship between them. First of all, f/f doesn’t trip my trigger, and secondly, I.cannot.STAND.Ivy. I practically cringe whenever she is “onstage”. Can’t find anything even remotely likable about her, and wish SHE had been killed off.
But it sounds like maybe Harrison took a step back and found a way to reinvigorate the series. After the so-boring-I-couldn’t-finish-it story in the Holidays are Hell anthology, I had my doubts whether she was going to remain on my must-read list.
Now I just have to decide whether I want to listen to this one, or read it.
raspberry swyrl says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
So it’s not as depressing as some of her other Morgan books have been? I’m tempted to get this one from the library but I am not buying another one of her books, even with your excellent review. I have to say I am curious who her new love interest will be, how she is going to deal with the demons and the new insights into past but thats about it. Series that never end annoy me and the last couple of books were sort of the breaking point for me and this series, so we will see.
Jennifer Estep says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I’m only on the fourth book, A Fistful of Charms, but I’ll probably keep reading if only for the titles. Harrison has some of the best titles around!
Monday Review Round-Up « Urban Fantasy Land says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
[...] TheGood, The Bad and The Unread [...]
Devon says:
March 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I wouldn’t have minded an f/f romance, and at first thought that’s where it was going. But Ivy grew increasingly annoying, and Rachel was just as unbearable for playing head games with her. Yes, no, yes, no…
I thought Kisten was an Ivy substitute.
Josie says:
March 10th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
God I’m so glad to hear Rachel and Ivy didn’t get together – I’m with BevQB – I can’t stand Ivy!
I didn’t read the last one after I heard that Kisten died so maybe I should try again… only when they are in paperback though!
Sylvia says:
March 10th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I thought it was great, and had some surprises in it too. Can’t wait for the next one.
Sasha says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
I liked it. I’m glad too, cuz I was sort of on the fence after the last one.
As for the new guy, I’m not so sure I like him. Something feels a bit off there.
raspberry swyrl says:
March 10th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Something has to be wrong with him…otherwise that would mean she might actually get some sort of functional relationship.
loonigrrl says:
March 11th, 2008 at 2:41 am
I just finished this last night and I totally agree with you. This book was pretty dang good.
I’m also rather happy Kisten is gone. I’ve never liked any of Rachel’s boyfriends, actually- her relationships just lack oompf to me. I’m more of a Trent or Al fan, myself- I LOVE what happens in the end with Al and what it may mean for the next book.
Retro Roundup: The Week of February 25 : The Good, The Bad and The Unread says:
March 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
[...] The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison (Eos, 26 Feb) – reviewed by Gwen [...]
jamie gordon says:
March 27th, 2008 at 7:56 am
i hope kim harison can allow ivy and rachel to get together even for a while.