Weird energy is going down, and demon-killing Damali is not at all herself in Banks's seventh Vampire Huntress Legend (after The Damned
). Soon after Damali walks out on her soul mate, ex-vampire Carlos Rivera, she meets a mysterious stranger who frightens—and tempts—her more than anyone or anything has before. Is he from the Light or from hell? Something is seriously wrong in the universe, and the forces of evil may be getting the upper hand. Banks lays a lot of wisdom on the line about male-female relationships, along with more of her complex cosmology that samples various religions, folklore and a wide array of myth. But it's the characters and their passions coupled with the author's wild imagination that drive the narrative. The story has gotten so complicated it may be difficult for a newcomer to fathom, but readers already enthralled with this sizzling series can look forward to major plot payoffs. (July)
