Publishers Weekly
01/06/2014
Harrison’s slow but steady 12th and penultimate Hollows novel (following 2012’s Ever After) puts even more pressure on Rachel Morgan, a witch and bounty hunter turned day-walking demon. A series of magical accidents endangers Cincinnati and its undead community. On the personal front Rachel must balance her bodyguard duties for elf drug lord Trent Kalamack, who was once her sworn enemy, with her growing forbidden attraction to him. When Rachel becomes host to the Goddess’s sentient thought-entities, she holds the futures of elves and demons alike in her hands, but at a terrible risk to sanity and existence. The long-running romantic subplot makes substantial progress, with several cinematic action sequences and major world-building revelations interspersed among more intimate scenes. There’s a general sensation of closure and imminent climax as Harrison maneuvers toward the end, and patient readers are promised a substantial payoff. Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Associates. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A great ride in and of itself, rather than simply a buildup to the finale, which is sure to be whiz-bang.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Harrison delivers some amazing major payoffs and throws new wrenches into the life of day-walking demon Rachel Morgan....Huge kudos, as Harrison really nails this one!” — RT Book Reviews (top pick)
“Readers who have followed this series will be overjoyed to have Trent and Rachel finally deal with their complicated history and chemistry.” — Library Journal
“There’s a general sensation of closure and imminent climax as Harrison maneuvers toward the end, and patient readers are promised a substantial payoff.” — Publishers Weekly
“The world-building is complex and solid....and the cast of characters is immensely engaging. The Undead Pool doesn’t disappoint.” — Tor.com
“Fast-paced and entertaining.” — Publishers Weekly
“Longtime fans will find their emotions running the gamut, as events for many of Harrison’s familiar characters take new and sometimes tragic turns this time around. Rachel’s journey of self-discovery is hard, frightening and definitely life-threatening; it also makes for fantastic entertainment!” — Romantic Times BOOKclub
“Tense and thrilling.” — Miami Herald
“The world-building is incomparable” — Fresh Fiction
Romantic Times BOOKclub
Longtime fans will find their emotions running the gamut, as events for many of Harrison’s familiar characters take new and sometimes tragic turns this time around. Rachel’s journey of self-discovery is hard, frightening and definitely life-threatening; it also makes for fantastic entertainment!
Fresh Fiction
The world-building is incomparable
Tor.com
The world-building is complex and solid....and the cast of characters is immensely engaging. The Undead Pool doesn’t disappoint.
Miami Herald
Tense and thrilling.
RT Book Reviews (top pick)
Harrison delivers some amazing major payoffs and throws new wrenches into the life of day-walking demon Rachel Morgan....Huge kudos, as Harrison really nails this one!
Miami Herald
Tense and thrilling.
Library Journal
10/01/2013
Our heroine, witch and day-walking demon Rachel Morgan, has kept the demonic ever after from shrinking to puddle size, but can she stop the civil war that's looming? You bet she can. With a 250,000-copy first printing.
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2013-12-08
Love and doom are in the air in this penultimate volume of a popular urban fantasy series (Ever After, 2013, etc.). After so many series installments infused with daywalking demon Rachel Morgan's self-doubt, neuroses and rash behavior, it's nice to see her finally achieve some emotional maturity, expand her circle of trust and seize some happiness for a change. If this novel had a theme song, it would be the Etta James version of "At Last." Readers have been waiting quite a while for Rachel and elf Trent Kalamack to finally admit their feelings for each other and act on them, despite the hereditary enmity of their races and the fact that Trent is engaged to someone else. Fans will relish the moment and will also dig into the rest of the plot, which features Harrison's usual (and usually enjoyable) Evil Conspiracy and labyrinthine plot twists, Rachel rushing to save the day. In this latest crisis, waves of wild magic are flowing from Rachel's ley-line, causing charms to misfire, often with devastating results. The waves are also putting all of Cincinnati's undead vampire masters to sleep, leaving the living vampires to rampage through the city. How have vampires gained control over wild magic, which is the province of the elves? Is Rachel somehow responsible for these incidents, and if not, why do the waves seem to be tracking her? A great ride in and of itself, rather than simply a buildup to the finale, which is sure to be whiz-bang.
