As the gripping second installment in the Black London series opens, mage Jack Winter and former DI (Detective Inspector) Pete Caldecott are attempting to raise the ghosts of a recently-deceased couple at the request of their surviving children who seek to learn why nothing was left to them in the will. Jack and Pete have gone into business together, essentially, pooling their respective talents into marketable skills. After returning to Jack’s flat after the less-than-satisfying end to their spirit-raising job, Pete leaves for the store, and Jack receives a visit from a demon – the one he promised himself to thirteen years earlier when he almost died. Reminding Jack that only days remain until he must give his soul over to the demon and begin his residence in Hell, the demon disappears when Pete returns.

Fearing for her safety, Jack determines that Pete can know nothing of his bargain with the demon so he keeps the visitation and its further implications to himself. That same evening, Pete and Jack receive a visit from another potential client whose family home seems to be haunted. The man’s brother recently committed suicide there and he wishes to have the place cleansed. Prior to leaving for the country, Jack and Pete observe a pair of sluagh, restless spirits, in the train station. After their arrival at the Naughton estate, the two are beset by additional creatures from the black. Fearing that these events are connected to his demon situation, Jack bears the burden of this knowledge alone as he seeks to find his way out of his bargain.

As before, Kittredge deftly depicts a dark, shadowy, thoroughly creepy world so tangible that the reader feels as though they are witnessing the action first-hand. A considerably bleaker tone and atmosphere than its predecessor demonstrates that this book is essentially Jack’s story, told from his perspective, whereas the first book revolved around Pete. From the very beginning, this approach is apparent: “Always, the Black clawed at his mind, and the dead, which came to Jack because he radiated power like a torn electrical cable, hovered. The madness that had caused him to shove a needle in his arm in the first place sat in the corner with its face hidden, and it laughed” (20).

Jack’s dependence upon Pete as the only truly good aspect of his life gets exhibited in ways both visceral and heart-rending, a characteristic that adds depth and layers to the narrative. As with the first installment before it, the excellent  Demon Bound deserves a space in any core collection of treasured urban fantasy. This reviewer fears the wait for book three will be much too long.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks; Original edition (December 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312943636
• ISBN-13: 978-0312943639

To purchase a print copy of Demon Bound from Amazon click here.

To purchase a print copy of Demon Bound from Barnes & Noble click here.
To purchase an eBook copy of Demon Bound fro Barnes & Noble click here.

Books in the Black London Novels series in the order they should be read:
Street Magic
Demon Bound

If you enjoyed this post, please rate it and spread the word using one of the services below:

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...