SERVANT: THE AWAKENING

Author: L.L. Foster ISBN: 0425218740 10/2007 CONTEMPORARY/FANTASY Publisher: BERKLEY

To most people, demons look like regular citizens. But Gabrielle Cody has the ability to see these creatures as they really are—and the responsibility to destroy them. Hers is a special purpose, a divine obligation, and a heavy burden. Detective Luther Cross finds himself attracted to Gaby even as he becomes suspicious of her proximity to a murder victim. Despite his mistrust, he tries to offer her a tenderness he's never experienced—and doesn't dare accept.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

A new name and an enticing new series propels Lori Foster into an exciting new direction.

Writing as L.L. Foster, the well-loved author spreads her wings and soars.

SERVANT: THE AWAKENING will capture a reader's imagination with a uniquely refreshing heroine who has the ability to SEE evil within humans. Ms. Foster outdid herself with Gaby Cody. An interesting contrast of worldly and innocent, gutsy and vulnerable, the sad, bleak, lonely Gaby will most definitely pull at a reader's heart strings. This finely tuned character will need all the sympathy she can garner because Gaby's mission in life is to destroy the evil she sees in humans. She is, for all intents and purposes, an assassin, executing murderers and pedophiles preying on society. Even if she knows a person is soulless and evil, her gift will not help her if the police discover what she's up to.

The elusive, impressive Ms. Cody is about to butt heads with the police in the form of Detective Luther Cross. Be it Lori or L.L., Luther Cross is pure Foster hero—decidedly macho, intelligent, with a wide streak of compassion. Gaby and the yummy Luther might appear to be a mismatched romantic couple, but the chemistry, the soul mate thing is there. While the first of the series is like love in early bloom, future installments of their attraction promises to be full-blown sexy.

Without many secondary characters to muddle this story, the focus, most exclusively on Gaby and Luther, is a good thing because these two are extraordinary characters. A third character, Gaby's pitiful, sweet landlord, Mort, is another wonderful Foster invention. These three characters are the heart and soul of SERVANT: THE AWAKENING and provide bright spots in an otherwise relentlessly bleak landscape.

SERVANT: THE AWAKENING practically blew me away. When I first read the promos for this new series, I was expecting something like Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. I could not have been more wrong. SERVANT: THE AWAKENING is brash, darkly edgy and insightful. And all grown up.

Kudos to Ms. Foster for this fascinating, utterly unique fantasy.

Debbie Jett