In Review: Something Deadly This Way Comes by Kim Harrison

Released: 5/24/2011                 256 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 978-0061718199

Madison is back again in her third outing as a Dark Time Keeper, with her reaper team of Nakita and Barnabas and her boyfriend Josh. Some things remain the same: her fighting the seraphs and the light reapers to give true choice a chance, her being dead and searching for her body, and of course the danger of breaking curfew.

Since her death she may be in charge of the dark reapers, but really they aren’t the bad guys, and being good isn’t without its consequences. She’s working hard to change a system no one else cares to change, and she’s having to fight against her own fate to do it. And when she finally locates her body, whole new dilemmas pop up, like what it means to take it all back. There are no reset buttons in real life, and Madison is quickly learning that sometimes even with the best intentions things and people get “ruined” in the process.

Again the story centers on one reap and potential death of a soul, that can make all the difference and show that the reaper system is truly broken. Alliances are tested further, and a sad goodbye takes place. It may be for the better, to further the story, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. Kim Harrison is good at giving us what we need, but may not want at the time. I only hope that we get more out of this departure than we did out of Kisten’s death in her Hollows series. Madison is excelling at mastering her powers, even if she’s banking more on luck than skill at the moment, but atleast she’s learning and new reapers are introduced.

The pace at which the story is accelerating is amazing, especially in a genre that gets bogged down with the teenaged angst. And the character growth is phenomenal. I loved the debate on whether or not the angels had souls, if only for the interaction between Madison,Barnabas and Nakita. And finally, the reason that Barnabas fell from Earth is talked about, barely more than in passing, but satisfactory none the less.

On the other hand, Josh, the whole perfect boyfriend is lost on me, especially when there are so many other characters whom are more interesting to me than he is. Maybe its because he’s too normal, maybe its because Madison is struggling so hard to be “normal.” I’m not sure, but I feel like he didn’t really have anything to do here except provide Madison with food and a cover for her dad.

Some big questions are answered, and some bigger ones are posed. Ms. Harrison has again weaved her magic and captivated, building a complex story of auras and timelines, fat and choice but making all the information thrown at you easy to digest and enjoyable.  It leaves the series in the perfect position for another novel, which seems to be the biggest problem. It’s billed as a trilogy at the moment, and as such it feels wholly incomplete, unless there is another jaunt into Madison's world even if she is not at the helm. A wonderful read, but it doesn’t wrap up the series.