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    Pale Demon
    Pale Demon
    Pale Demon
    Audiobook17 hours

    Pale Demon

    Written by Kim Harrison

    Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    ""I wouldn’t miss a Kim Harrison book for anything.""—Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels

    New York Times bestselling urban fantasy superstar Kim Harrison is back with Pale Demon—her ninth electrifying adventure featuring contemporary witch Rachel Morgan. This time Rachel's leaving the Hollows, on a cross-country road trip with a pixy, an elf, and a vampire, as she races to clear her blackened name at a California witches' convention in order to avoid an eternity of torment at the claws of a soul-devouring demon. Pale Demon is Kim Harrison at her gothic best—combining mystery, action, intrigue, paranormal romance, and breathtaking dark fantasy in a delicious witches’ brew that fans of Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Stephenie Meyer, and Jim Butcher simply will not be able to resist.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 22, 2011
    ISBN9780062027429
    Author

    Kim Harrison

    The only girl in a large family of boys, former tomboy Kim Harrison invented the first Brigadier General Barbie in self-defence. She shoots a very bad game of pool and rolls a very good game of dice. When not at her keyboard, she enjoys lounging on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching action movies with The-Guy-In-The-Leather-Jacket. She plays her Ashiko drum when no one is listening, and is hard to find when the moon is new.

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    Reviews for Pale Demon

    4.5/5

    873 ratings87 reviews

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    • 3/5
      so when did rachel become a n emotional wreck? after kisten's death/ i mean she was really the hysterical ,overly emotional , paranoid, jumping to the wrong conclusion girly girl. i reread the previous book balck sanction and she was the same i figured she'd be back to normal and kicking ass and taking names by this book. umm seriously wasup?
    • 5/5
      Pale Demon, by Kim Harrison, is an excellent addition to her great Hollows series. I identify with Rachel because of her bad luck and taste in men, but she seems to be getting her act together. While Rachel still goes primarily for bad boys, her latest interest helped resolve some issues from her past. Much of the book does involve Rachel dealing with emotional baggage in a more mature way than previously. I liked to see her grow up some, although she still very much acts first and thinks later.Without giving anything away, Rachel does move forward in her relationships with her mother, Ivy, Jinks, and others. She also comes to a better understanding of just who and what she is as well. I found her development very compelling and almost read the book in one evening. Harrison continues with her interesting world development, adding heretofore unseen characters. She provides enough backstory to make these additions believable in her world. Like many series, it is helpful to have read the previous books to better understand many of the references throughout this novel. I eagerly await the next chapter in Rachel’s saga.
    • 5/5
      One of the best in the Hollow series so far. Gotta love Kim Harrison!
    • 5/5
      Rachel is on her way to San Francisco to try and clear her name at the annual witches’ convention. If she does not clear her name, she will have to live in the ever after, forever. She tries to get on a plane but someone makes it so that she will not clear security. So, she has to take a road trip with Ivy, Jenks, Trent, Pierce and a witch on the council joins them later in the book. This is a 2,300 mile trip with too many strong personalities, so chaos ensues. They must fight an assassin on their trail and a demon that can walk in sunlight, to name a few.Like most of the books before this one, trouble follows Rachel everywhere. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I was very excited when I realized that in this book I would learn much about Trent. Trent always fascinated me in the other books and I loved him and hated him at the same time. I felt the same way throughout this book, but everyone will discover some very interesting things about him. Al, “Rachel’s demon” is also a big part of the book and I like him more and more as I find out about him and his past. There is so much that I want to write about this book, because so much happens. If I write what I want to, then I will give away the plot of the book and that is not fair to anyone reading this. I have to say that as much as I love these books, I am sick of everyone blaming Rachel for everything that goes wrong. I know that she has Ivy and Jenks, who love her unconditionally, but I get sick of EVERYONE being against her. It is emotionally draining at times. I do have to say that I enjoyed this book even more than most, because I have always been captivated by Trent and Al and they are a big part of the story. Kim Harrison is a great writer and made this installment of the series action packed throughout.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book! I have been having a great time working my way through this series. I am only made that I waited so long to read these books. This book takes Rachel and the rest of the crew on a road trip. Road trip books in a series can really be hit or miss for me but this one was a definite hit. I was glued to my headphones once I started reading.Rachel needs to get to the west coast and it turns out Trent does as well. So Trent, Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks pile into Rachel’s mom’s car and head out. Of course, they run into more than a few problems along the way. I was especially thrilled to see them visit my hometown of St. Louis and they definitely made their mark during their stay. Once they get to their destination, things become even more intense and I was quite surprised by some of the turns that the book eventually took.Marguerite Gavin does a fabulous job with the narration once again. She does such a great job with all of the various character voices and flawlessly brings the story to life. I love how she is able to add just the right amount of emotion to her voice to really help the story have the biggest impact possible. I do believe that her narration added to my enjoyment of the story.I would highly recommend this series to others. This is the ninth book in the series which I would highly recommend reading in order. This book was a ton of fun and there were a lot of big developments that should have some major impacts on future books. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series.
    • 5/5
      This is a GREAT book! Non-stop action and suspense. I cried on at least three occasions but the ending was wonderful. Loved it!
    • 4/5
      After reading this I have a new found respect for Rachel even though I don't know how I feel about Trent anymore. He and Rachel have a lot of history, so it's hard to imagine him being the altruistic type. This book changes a lot of things for Rachel - her relationships, opens her eyes a little, gives her a new understanding about Al. I love Al, his craziness, double dealings, and how he jumps in to rescue Rachel. Pierce I'm a little sad for, I don't want to give too much away so all I'm gonna say is the next book is going to be even more amazing, i can't wait!!
    • 5/5
      AWESOME, I loved every page. What a ride, I loved it, the best roller-coaster i have ridden. Was any character's life not super charged and turned 180 ? The story was twisted masterfully, tangling me into a tight knot throughout the tale. Ms. Harrison did not miss a thing. I can't wait to re-read it.
    • 5/5
      Great book from start to finish!
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars. After struggling through Black Magic Sanction I almost didn't read this one but boy am I glad I did! If you love UF with lots of action than this one will keep you entertained. The change of scenery keeps pace moving faster and having Trent in almost every scene is fantastic!
    • 5/5
      Another great book in the series! Rachel on a road trip with Trent is hilarious!! I loved it and was with them the whole ride!!
    • 4/5
      I'm going to preface this review by saying that if I hadn't read interviews and blog posts about this and future books then I would've awarded more stars. Perhaps I'll calm down later and see the light but for now, I'm a bull pawing the sand with my head lowered snorting in anger and frustration despite the fact that I quite enjoyed this book. It's where we go from now that troubles me.

      The first half was slow with only a couple of blood-pumping action scenes. The road trip itself, although giving the characters time to bond with Trent was a bit tedious. I was beginning to believe the book had been misrepresented to me and was tempted to abandon it. And although it got better, I was kind of right. It's not what I expected at all.

      This book was supposed to be about two things: Trent and Rachel becoming closer and Rachel's fight to get the shunning removed. I was in it for the former but couldn't see it happening with Trent becoming criminally dangerous with his arrogance.

      I assumed, as I'm guessing many others will, that Rachel and Trent would have a fling, Trent would ruin things and they both would move on. Not so. Something more serious transpired. They learned to trust each other. Trent rightfully earned everyone's trust. He sacrificed much for Rachel and instead of imposing his will, he gave her a choice. A very important choice. Trent changed in this book partly due to a rather surprising development he'd been keeping secret which now has him tied to Rachel in a way that would have me believing Rachel and Trent will become an item in the next book, the last scene backing me up on this.

      However, and this is where I get annoyed, Harrison has stated that Rachel and Trent will not become long term romantic partners. She has even been dropping hints about Rachel's future love interests (all current ones except Trent are no longer possible) in blog posts. This made me angry. I feel like I've been manipulated despite knowing all of this going in. The writing was so good regarding this that I believed they would become an item. Everything points to it becoming a done deal. I don't understand why she would do this, other than to make Trent Rachel's protector, which she now desperately needs to survive.

      All of this makes me wonder what Harrison's long-term plan with this series is. I'm concerned about repetitiveness at this point. Rachel's predicament by the end of PD is a return to one she had at the beginning, just replace "black witch" with "demon". This is the 9th book. It almost read like the last. I could happily not read another and not just because I'm disgruntled. I can imagine what could come next but it probably doesn't match what Harrison has in store for us.

      I've been questioning my commitment to this series. Kisten's demise led to a break away from it and since then I've missed him. Trent is/was someone I could see Rachel settling with because even though he has, as she puts it: a 'disrespect of innocent lives' and the law, they have great chemistry and now they care and perhaps even love (at least a little) one another. Trent has proven he'll do anything, and I mean anything, to protect what and whom he cares about so I'm failing to understand why...Oh, never mind. This is embarrassing. I'm an action fan, not a romance queen. I'm whining so it's time to shut up now.
    • 4/5
      Another fun romp with Rachel. She's a hoot, but Jenks continually steals the show. As usual, no one can get into more trouble than Rachel, but she's beginning to handle it better, as she should after 8 previous books of practice. Still, the excitement was right up there & the character interactions were great.

      This is definitely a series you want to read in order & it's worth it. Possibly the best UF fantasy of those I'm still reading. Definitely more complex than Sookie, no porn like Anita Blake, & a constantly developing world to top it all off. Can't wait to get the next one.
    • 5/5
      I get serious satisfaction from reading these books about Rachel Morgan. She is always getting into ridiculously difficult situations and there's a lot of creativity involved in resolving all the conflict. This is book...9?...and the series is still fresh and wonderful to read. The characters actually change and grow as the series progresses, and already I'm looking forward to book 10. What will Rachel do next?! Awesome!
    • 4/5
      I love the whole hollows series. Rachel, Ivy and Jenks pull it off time and time again. Magic, mystery and danger follow them where ever they go.Harrison just keepings getting better. Fantastic series for people who like urban fantasy but find the sexual overload necessary. I look forward to each and every book.Rachel has to really learn trust and acceptance in this book. As her power grows her sense of responsibility grows. Fantastic addition to the series.
    • 4/5
      ROAD TRIP! Pack your bags and fasten your seat belts, it's gonna get freaky! Pale Demon by Kim Harrison is the 9th book in The Hollows series. It has all the charm, action, fun, and snarkiness that all the other books in the series have. With everyone stuck in a car together, there's a lot of interaction between the ones making the trip - Rachel, Ivy, Trent, and Jenks. Although with ley line jumping, plenty of other characters get in the mix. They may even pick up a hitchhiker or two. The intense forced closeness of a car journey brought out a lot of bickering, but also some surprise revelations about the characters. They couldn't help but do a bit of bonding.The story is full of demons, pixy dust, and Rachel's trademark experimental magic. In my opinion, this book is better than the last. Kim Harrison never disappoints!
    • 4/5
      One of the things I have grown to love about Rachel Morgan through all of these nine books is her constant positive and hopeful perspective with others, despite how contrary their behavior. Though her friends and partners are telling her in so many ways that the rulers of her kind, the witches' council, will never let her make it to the coast and are more interested in killing her than anything else, she won't believe it until she sees for herself. And then there is her odds-defying ability to always find a way to survive against all attacks - she truly has become one of a kind, as is revealed in several ways in this book, with her match-up against the just-released demon creation that is her genetic match, as well as the sad speech that Ivy gives her about how Rachel is leaving her and Jenks behind with the way she can create change across all species.
      And if that is not enough to keep her busy, Rachel's love life only becomes more complicated, since Pierce has professed his love for her in the previous book, and Rachel feels a certain obligation to him. Of course, Al continues to pursue Rachel despite her refusals, and one violent-turned-steamy moment showed the kind of lust-filled potential that exists between them. Towards the end of the book, Rachel also makes a rather interesting observation about demons in general that could put Al in the potential category for future books. If two men is not enough to keep her busy, a very obvious growing attraction between her and Trent seems to show the most promise, and is ironically the one I found myself most rooting for, especially with some of the scenes in the book.
      Trent's part in the book is an elf quest of sorts that he is particularly silent about, but gets him in all kinds of trouble and just creates more work for Rachel and crew. Of course, the outcome of this quest makes Trent more likable in the end, but he has to do much to prove himself to Rachel. The newest element to the series in this book was the use of wild magic by the elves, which has an untamed, old world quality that Rachel dislikes immensely. Trent wields it well, though often secretly and against Rachel's wishes.
      In the end, the revelations that Rachel undergoes regarding herself and the people around her mark a major turning point for her and the series. I only wish I knew when the next book was due for release!
    • 5/5
      Synopsis: Rachel Morgan, shunned black witch/demon fancier, has three days to get to the coven meeting in San Francisco to have her shunning removed. This sounds easy, but although no one is trying to kill her (at least they are not supposed to be), she is blocked from airline travel. Trent must also get to the coast, but he must be in Seattle in the same time period. Together, along with Jenks, Ivy, and assorted good guys and villains, they make the trip in Rachel’s mom’s car. Of course, nothing goes as planned ~ typical road trip.Review: Kim Harrison’s books just keep getting better. The characters are evolving, as are the situations in which they must perform. There are no easy answers to problems and the outcomes set the stage for more complicated and unusual tales to follow.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It is one of the best of the series (definitely the best since Kisten's Death). It is fast paced and hard to predict. You get to see new sides to Pierce, Trent and Al. You even get to spend more time with Newt (who seems almost stable in several parts of the book). There is also a new demon that you meet. I will say that this book is a cliffhanger, but I can barely wait for the next book. I want to see where Rachel goes next. There are a lot of changes in her life in this book and she has options at the end that she has not had in a while (if ever, really).
    • 5/5
      Full Review to be posted soon.

      I hearted this book so much! The last book wasn't that engaging for me but this book has put the series back on track and more. Rachel has definitely grown from the first book and has learned from her past mistakes but this book has tied up some old plot threads and started a few but it does feel that things the series is heading for the final stretch. I am eagerly awaiting for the next book to see how the repercussions from this book pans out and the tentative hint of a new relationship for Rachel which I think will make a few people happy!
    • 3/5
      I do enjoy these books - it's like meeting up with old friends again. However, the story seems to be fast slipping out of control and into despair. This book contained some truly nasty moments. And some rather weird ones. Would have liked to learned more about Trent's Elf Quest. Enjoyable, fun and fast-paced, but I believe I am starting to look forward to this series wrapping up - if only so the characters can get a break.

      Btw, I'd kinda like to see her hook up with Al. Just cos... Trent's sexy and all, but he's an elf, and therefore not genetically compatible. Pierce is kinda sweet but also kinda a prick. Al's definitely not a nice guy, but I kinda like him. And Rachael doesn't seem to really go for nice guys, does she just?
    • 5/5
      One of the best road trip books written. It has the usual suspects (Rachel, Ivy, Jenks and Trent) plus a coven member in a car going west. Kim Harrison, combines character development with mayhem and magic. Since this is the ninth book in the series, I recommend this for a fan but I will recommend the whole series.
    • 4/5
      A great and compelling book. If you're a fan of The series you'll like this book. If you're new to series skip This one and start with the next or the first book. I've read this in a few days. Pale Demon is full of action and ideas it can easily be split to 2 books. So you won't get bored. However this causes some low points and ending seems a bit fractured. However still a nice read.
    • 3/5
      A solid new installment in the The Hollows series. While I would not recommend this as a place to start (new readers should really begin with the first book, Dead Witch Walking, or they will be hopelessly lost), author Kim Harrison has managed to show us new sides to some of her characters through the trials and tribulations of a cross-country road trip, complete with Milk Duds, pixies, questionable motels, and Las Vegas. This is all, of course, only part of the story. Can't forget the soul-eating demon unleashed when a landmark is destroyed, or the looming witch trial. Good times.

      Main character Rachel Morgan doesn't really grow or change herself, but the glimpses we get into Trent, Al, Newt, and even Jenks when they are dropped into new situations are surprising and interesting. While this series lagged a bit near the middle, it has been picking up lately and book #9 makes me want to find out what happens in book #10!
    • 3/5
      The road trip book. I still kind of can't stand Rachel - she's a complete idiot 98% of the time - but the worldbuilding is really paying off at this point and it was fascinating to see the big-picture stuff really come to a head. The demons are now fascinating, somewhat sympathetic characters, Trent is just as much of an idiot as Rachel but at least he's a real character now (and those two deserve each other, if that's not the relationship the whole series has been building to I will eat the first three books with lemon frosting) and it seems like the will-they-or-won't-they relationship with Ivy has finally, at long last, been really and truly put out of its misery.

      I will gripe for a moment that it is painfully obvious that Harrison did not have the series plotted out anywhere near the beginning. "I trusted you since camp" is a retcon of the first quality. But the last three books have showed signs of being based around a coherent, if somewhat late, plan.
    • 4/5
      What happens when a witch, a pixy, a vampire and a fairy take a road trip? Sounds like a setup for a bad joke. Rachel, Trent, Jenks and Ivy have to get to the West Coast in three days. Rachel has to get to the annual Witches' Meeting where she is supposed to have the sanctions on her lifted. Trent has his own secret reasons for needing to go to the coast too. Jenks and Ivy come along to help Rachel and Rachel agrees to help Trent with his journey in exchange for his positive testimony at her hearing.I loved the family dynamics and the sly humor of the road trip. I cracked up when Trent asked the universal question, "Are we there yet?" But it wasn't an ordinary road trip. Along the way they are joined by Coven witch Vivian who was following along to report to the Coven if Rachel did any black magic and Pierce who is sent by Al to keep Rachel alive even though he currently hates her for preventing him from killing Al.They also have to deal with a group of pixies kidnapping Jenks and a day-walking demon named Ku'Sox who has the nasty habit of eating souls and who is more than a match for Rachel's skills. I liked that Rachel is learning more about her demon powers and coming to some self-acceptance. I also liked that the long-running conflict with the Coven looks like it is coming to some sort of resolution.The most interesting part of the story for me was Rachel's changing relationship with Trent. She has always had sort of a love-hate relationship with him. Trent doesn't make it easy to love him as he is extremely guarded and shifty. We get more of a chance to see into his character in this one than we have in previous books. I look forward to continuing on in the series to find out what happens next with that relationship.This story had a lot to do with changes. Rachel grows and changes throughout the series but this one seemed especially to focus on her growth. Rachel wants to have her life back and resume the activities she did earlier in the series. She is kind of blind about what is happening to her. It takes Ivy talking to her for her to realize that she isn't the same anymore and has to find a new normal. This story was well-written and engaging but not a good entry point for readers new to the series. Fans will love it and not want to miss it though.
    • 5/5
      Harrison could have ended the series with this book and I think it would have been a perfect ending. Things are resolved, as much as they could be with Rachel, and things seem calm at the end (i.e. Rachel isn't waiting for the next hammer to drop).I quite liked it and though I still think Rachel should have left Trent with the demons two books ago, he did manage to redeem himself to some point here.Of all in the series, this book seemed to mellow out the line between good and evil (not all black and white) more than the others and I'm glad it went that way. I was getting tired of Rachel hating herself for what she is/can do - especially since what she does helps the world. Overall, this book had a greater sense of justice-injustice and a resolution of this imbalance that actually felt "fair". And I like this fairness - something that was missing in a lot of the other books in this series where Rachel just bit-the-bullet and took the blame even if it wasn't fair that she had to.
    • 5/5
      I love Harrison's characters and love reading their adventures together. I have to admit my favourite is probably Jenks, since he's so honest and adorable in his mighty sized strength! Of course he doesn't fail to deliver in "Pale Demon" either. I enjoyed the honesty of Rachel in this book and the end result is as it should be. Without spoiling it I think we can all (by all I mean those of us who have read the series) agree that the conclusion was inevitable. Bravo, Harrison, Bravo. For making the wrong seem so very right.
    • 5/5
      I have felt like this series has been in a slump for awhile. Nothing about it excited me anymore. I did like #8 more than most of the recent ones so I had high hopes for "Pale Demon" yet the 7th book was one of the most boring and disappointing that I can remember. I have to say that "Pale Demon" brought back to the forefront everything I loved so much from the first four novels or so. Maybe it is the format the book takes as the first half of the book is a very eventful road trip with Rachel, Ivy, Trent and Jenks. The add a couple additional players to the line up along the way. Trent is heading on an Elven quest (oh, yeah for the surprise revealed there!) and Rachel is headed to the Coven's convention to get her shunning (hopefully) revoked.I won't linger on the plot other than to say it is non-step action and twists and turns along the way. There are some big developments for this series and the conclusion of the book leaves us with consequences that will have to play out in the 10th installment "A Perfect Blood".Where this book goes from merely exciting to unforgettable is with those characters that series readers have come to know and love through the course of the series. Jenks is acting more like his old self since his wife's death. Biz is absolutely adorable and plays an interesting part here as well, even in a minor role. Ivy and Rachel seem to have come to a good place that I can actually have peace with as a reader. I have never cared for Pierce but he plays an interesting role here as well. I can't emphasize enough how in love with all of these characters I am. They feel like friends. The previous books faltered in a lot of ways because of the inner struggles between them and Rachel's poor decision making. I think things go a lot more smoothly here although she faces some of her biggest struggles yet.My single favorite thing about this book was getting to spend so much time with Trent. I have liked Trent and I have hated Trent along the way. I have never really wanted him and Rachel together as a couple because I couldn't buy it. I think this book may have changed my mind about that as we get to see many news sides to Trent that have been hidden in the shadows along the way. I am not sure that Harrison is heading toward a Trent/Rachel love connection and thats ok too. I just appreciate getting to see these two together, almost friends, in this way. I can't really say much more without spoiling things but I can find nothing to really say disappointed me with "Pale Demon". In fact, at points I laughed aloud, gasped with surprise, and had my heart leap in giddiness. I sound like a Rachel Harrison fangirl but what is most impressive is that until this book, I really wasn't.
    • 5/5
      Really good, one of the best in a while. (I got less confused than I did with some of them.) Gotta go buy the next one for the Nook today!