Reading level: Young AdultGenre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 368 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: February 1, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0312614782
Stand Alone or Series: 1st in Demon Trapper's series
Source: Loan from a friend
Rating: 5/5 stars
I got this book on loan from a friend. This is the first book in Oliver's new Demon Trapper series; right now Oliver is contracted for three books in this series. The book started off a bit shaky for me but I was quickly drawn into the story after that and ended up absolutely loving it.
Riley is a seventeen year old whose family life has been stricken by tragedy numerous times. Riley is training under her father, Paul, to become a Demon Trapper just like him. She is also trying to keep up with school three nights a week and deal with making ends meet in a world gone to Hell...literally. In the futuristic version of Atlanta Riley lives in people are constantly plagued by demons and Necromancers and survival is a struggle.
I pretty much loved all of the characters in this book. Riley is tough, smart, and sometimes takes on more than she can handle...but she does everything with a sort of honor behind it and I admired her. She had to deal with so many bad things in this book and she came out stronger because of it all. I love the boys who are her love interests; and there are many of them. She is friends with a hacker geek named Peter who helps her out with both social and techie problems. She has a strangely religious but handsome co-demon trapper apprentice named Simon to deal with. Then there is Denver Beck, her father's apprentice who used to treat Riley like his little sister but is suddently realizing she is all grown up. On top of this all there is a mysterious ninja-like man who pops in and out of fights constantly saves Riley's butt.
Then there are all the other Demon Trapper's; they are a diverse and interesting crew...I enjoyed them all.
The world is wonderful. I loved the gritty post-apocalyptic feel to it; the way the characters need their wits to survive. I enjoyed the different types of demons: the Biblios (book eating fiends), the Magpies (harmless hoaders), and the GeoFiends (elemental wielding towers of power). It has a big of a dungeon crawler feeler to it with all of the enemy encounters...but in a city. I also love the way the Demon Trappers wield magic against these fiends. The elemental globes and tricks they have are cleverly used and interesting to read about. Then there are the witches and the necromancers; this book barely touches the surface of those types of characters...and I soooo want to learn more about them too.
I just pretty much loved everything about this series. It has a bit of humor in it to keep things from getting too serious too. I would recommend for older young adults; a lot of the other Demon Trapper's say some pretty awful sexual things to Riley because she is the only girl demon trapper. It is also pretty grisly and violent at parts and there is some swearing
The first couple chapters were a bit slow and had me feeling like "Oh, geez this is just another young adult paranormal novel where the heroine is stuck between a couple of guys." but then things really started moving and I was totally blown away. This book ends well, definitely open for some more books in this series and I hope there are more than two more (although right now Oliver only has two more on contract).
Overall just a fantastic young adult urban fantasy; definitely more urban fanasy than paranormal. There are kick-butt action scenes, wonderful characters, a fantastic world, and awesome fiends and magic. Just a wonderful, wonderful read. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Fans of urban fantasy (even adult fans) should check this series out. Fans of strong female leads fighting against horrible odds will love this. I really haven't read any young adult urban fantasies out there that hit this level of action and grittiness with a female heroine. Absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
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