Hunter's Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow

Hunter's Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow
Buy Hunter's Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Fantasy
Reviewer: Loralei Haylock
Summary: A fast paced action thriller perfect for female fans of fantasy. Though it falls into some stereotypes, it's still an entertaining read.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 352	Date: September 2008
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 978-1841497075
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Jill Kismet is a hunter, a dealer in dark things, spiritual exterminator and kick-ass bitch. She works alongside the police of Santa Luz, dealing with what they can't. Demons, Traders – humans who trade with Demons to get superhuman abilities, Sorrows, the things that go bump in the night. Together with her Were partner and lover, Saul, who can transform into a cougar at will, she keeps the streets of Santa Luz safe.

But something bad is brewing, and some demons of Jill's past come back to haunt her when murdered prostitutes start showing up, their bodies completely eviscerated. As Jill and Saul try to track down and identify the creature capable of such evil, they come to realise that whoever is controlling the creature has a truly terrible purpose.

They want to open the way for an ancient Elder God to enter the human realm. If they succeed, unleashing the bloodthirsty, savage and powerful Elder would spell the end of the world as we know it. It's up to Jill, Saul, and their sometimes ally Perry, the Demon with whom Jill Traded to get the strength to perform her job, to stop it.

But Perry cannot be trusted. He moves with his own agenda, because what he really wants is Jill, and that means getting Saul out of the way… With enemies on all sides, does Jill stand a chance of stopping the impending Armageddon?

Though classified as 'urban fantasy', this book is essentially chick lit. Saintcrow has traded handbags and shoes for American muscle cars and Jack Daniels, but it is still a story written for women – women who would rather watch Supernatural than Desperate Housewives. It's a fast paced action thriller with a strong female lead, and just enough sex and romance to keep it from becoming overrun with testosterone.

Much like chick lit, urban fantasy is prone to falling into stereotypes, something Saintcrow hasn't avoided. I actually laughed when Jill started talking about her '67 Chevy Impala, but then stereotypes are always born for a reason. A hunter just wouldn't look cool driving a Mini Cooper.

It's not the best book I've ever read, but it's great entertainment. Yes there are stereotypes, and it's not going to stay with you any longer than five minutes after you finish the last page – but who buys chick lit to make them think? Perfect lunchbreak reading, and certainly worth a borrow while you're waiting for the Fall Season of sci-fi and fantasy shows to grace our screens in England.

My thanks to the publishers for sending a copy.

If you're a fan of urban fantasy, check out Lilith Saintcrow's other series about bounty hunter Dante Valentine, and Jennifer Rardin's series about Jaz Parks.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Hunter's Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Hunter's Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow at Amazon.com.

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