The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu

My second title for Literary Escapism's The Firsts Mini-Challenge is Marjorie M. Liu's The Iron Hunt.

As you saw in my post on Monday, Liu is just all over the place! Her popular Dirk and Steele series has been running since 2005 and now she's got a game based on one and reprints due out soon. In 2008, Liu launched a new series that began with The Iron Hunt.

In the series, Maxine Kiss - Hunter's Kiss - is the latest in a long line of female warriors set to defend humanity from demons. Maxine is armed with a handful of demons herself: demons of the flesh who appear as tattoos during the day and free themselves each night to help her do battle. These demons are her only family. They are transferred from mother to daughter, which unfortunately for the host, leaves them then defenseless. Which means that when it comes time for Maxine to pass them along herself, she will be left without any protection against the beings that she has been so ardently fighting against. She will die. But that day will be a while coming. Unless the rumors that Maxine is the last are true. Though there are demons on this Earth. Most of them have been trapped behind a prison veil. That veil is losing strength and a war is coming. Maxine is the only true defense against this.

I'll admit that while I really enjoyed Liu's book -- it's a totally original concept, a big plus in the urban fantasy/paranormal genre and something that always stands out for me -- I was somewhat confused throughout much of the book. I find this happens to me a lot when an author has to introduce something that is so completely different, though. I kind of love it. Usually by book two I have a handle on this new world and I'm able to completely lose myself in it. It's definitely a downside of doing something original, but it's never a deterrent for me. It's more that I have to change gears.

I find that most readers don't have this problem. It's fun to be introduced to a whole new world with a new mythos as well.

Book two in the series, Darkness Calls, was released last summer (I was desperately searching for a copy last night so that I could continue the series, but my local big box is well-known for their crappy selection. I'll be looking elsewhere today and then ordering it if I still can't track it down). Book three, A Wild Light, is due out in July.