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A review by vernavenisa
Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland
4.0
I've been out of the loop in the urban fantasy department for the past couple months, having gone on a romance spree, but I thought it was as good a time as any to make a quick trip into the Fantasy aisles of my local bookstore. After seeing a pretty flattering cover quote on a never-before published author, and I decided to give Mark of the Demon a spin. Aren't I glad I did!
Mark of the Demon introduces Kara Gillian, a Louisiana detective who has very recently been transferred to the Violent Crimes division of her force. Kara's irreverent and smart, which makes the book an interesting read. Like most UF heroines, she has quite a mouth on her, so be prepared for loads of witty comebacks and impolite expletives. In addition to her detective-ness (is that a word? Now it is!), Kara's also a Demon summoner, a person who can open portals to other universes (she likes to call them spheres) and summon other-planar creatures (see: demons). As a result, she has a nice fountain of knowledge that's both unique and incredibly interesting.
Plot-wise, this book is top-notch. Twists are unexpected but believable and Ms. Rowland manages a complex mystery with ease and good pacing. She shows that detective work isn't at all like TV without ruining all that fun stuff that makes the world watch CSI every week. Granted, the book has a lot of set-up before anything interesting happens (I want to say at least half of the book?), but I suppose that goes along with the quasi-realistic premise.
My biggest issues with this book ran with the secondary characters of the book. Kara's partner on this case, FBI agent Ryan Kristoff, runs a little flat for me. Though there is clearly a good deal of chemistry between Gillian and Kristoff, I'm rather underwhelmed with his character as a whole. Perhaps in later installments he'll expand into a more interesting character, but we'll see.
Rhyzkahl on the other hand, is a sexy bit of demon-meat that is interesting enough that I wished he was always around. Incredibly dangerous, the Demon Lord comes into the book with a bang (so to speak) and leaves with your mouth hanging open (and perhaps a little bit of drool). I'm interested to see where his character is going in the next installment of the series.
Overall, Mark of the Demon is a gritty, interesting read with enough real facts to keep the plot grounded. For Ms. Rowland's first novel, I applaud her. Her writing is clear and concise and she has a wonderful eye for pacing. Looking forward to reading her upcoming books!
Mark of the Demon introduces Kara Gillian, a Louisiana detective who has very recently been transferred to the Violent Crimes division of her force. Kara's irreverent and smart, which makes the book an interesting read. Like most UF heroines, she has quite a mouth on her, so be prepared for loads of witty comebacks and impolite expletives. In addition to her detective-ness (is that a word? Now it is!), Kara's also a Demon summoner, a person who can open portals to other universes (she likes to call them spheres) and summon other-planar creatures (see: demons). As a result, she has a nice fountain of knowledge that's both unique and incredibly interesting.
Plot-wise, this book is top-notch. Twists are unexpected but believable and Ms. Rowland manages a complex mystery with ease and good pacing. She shows that detective work isn't at all like TV without ruining all that fun stuff that makes the world watch CSI every week. Granted, the book has a lot of set-up before anything interesting happens (I want to say at least half of the book?), but I suppose that goes along with the quasi-realistic premise.
My biggest issues with this book ran with the secondary characters of the book. Kara's partner on this case, FBI agent Ryan Kristoff, runs a little flat for me. Though there is clearly a good deal of chemistry between Gillian and Kristoff, I'm rather underwhelmed with his character as a whole. Perhaps in later installments he'll expand into a more interesting character, but we'll see.
Rhyzkahl on the other hand, is a sexy bit of demon-meat that is interesting enough that I wished he was always around. Incredibly dangerous, the Demon Lord comes into the book with a bang (so to speak) and leaves with your mouth hanging open (and perhaps a little bit of drool). I'm interested to see where his character is going in the next installment of the series.
Overall, Mark of the Demon is a gritty, interesting read with enough real facts to keep the plot grounded. For Ms. Rowland's first novel, I applaud her. Her writing is clear and concise and she has a wonderful eye for pacing. Looking forward to reading her upcoming books!