Book Review – The Devil’s Right Hand
Author: Lilith Saintcrow
Cover Artist: Calvin Shu
Publisher: Orbit
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: September 2007
Dante Valentine is the Necromance, Tierce Japhrimel is the demon and Valentine’s lover, and the Devil wants Valentine to use her skills as a bounty hunter to bring in four other demons who have escaped from hell.
The Devil’s Right Hand is Saintcrow’s third book featuring Dante Valentine. Danny is a smart, wise-cracking Necromance/bounty hunter who is something more than human. The story takes place in the seeming not too distant future in which Power and magick are commonplace. Not having read the first two books apparently puts me at some disadvantage as the story makes frequent albeit somewhat vague references to past events and former relationships.
This episode in the series of five books gets off to a rather slow start. Until Dante makes a deal with the Devil. Then, the action keeps this novel moving. Dante herself is being hunted by other lesser demons out to kill her before she can even consider hunting down the four who have escaped.
“I took a deep breath flavored with night air and the dry chemical reek of reactive, pain flaring through me as the thing’s clawswipes burned deeper, whittling like hot blades. Did it have poisoned claws? That would just cap the whole goddamn night, wouldn’t it? “Come on,” I whispered, my sword dipping slightly as it shifted position. Here on open ground with my sword, I felt a little more sanguine. A little? No, a lot. There’s just something about a bright length of steel that makes a girl feel capable of kicking ass.”
Until Dante starts distressing over her relationship with Japhrimel. Those moments of petal-plucking “he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not” were too frequent and annoying for my tastes, and seemed to clash too starkly against Valentine’s self-reliant, tough girl image. I guess even a Necromance has her insecurities.
“His hand brushed my elbow, slid up my arm to polish the bare skin of my shoulder, then slid under my hair, curling around my nape. He didn’t have to pull me forward, I leaned into him like a plant leans toward a window.”
Although much emphasis is placed on the romantic relationship between Japhrimel and Dante, there are no explicit sex scenes.
“I let him kiss my shoulder, my cheek, and finally my mouth. I sighed as he folded me in his arms and spoke to me the way I understood best-the language of the body, an instinctive semaphore used to tell me once again that he was real. His mouth against mine, his body against mine, and the rough hungry fire of my own desire swallowing me whole-but tears slid down my cheeks as I gave myself up to him.”
The better part of The Devil’s Right Hand is full of sword fights and hellhounds and Dante fighting for her life. The lesser parts are the not too successful attempts at providing the back story that took place in the first two books and Dante’s constant questioning of Japhrimel’s loyalties. It’s a quick, light read, but when you get to the last page, you realize that aside from all of the sword-fighting, not a lot happened in this book. While some questions are answered, the ending leaves the big questions for the next installment.
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