Review: Hell to Pay by Rachel Aaron
Blurb:
It's been one month since Bex's rebel crew took over the Seattle Anchor, and things have been suspiciously good. They're emancipating slaves by the busload, earning money from their thriving Free Market, and basically living the Gilgamesh-free life of their dreams. It's what Bex always wanted for her people, so why does she feel so uneasy?
It could be because she's working twenty-hour days desperately trying to free her wrath demons. Or because Gilgamesh has sealed off all the Anchors still under his control, creating a worldwide shortage of the magical quintessence their new fortress needs to stay afloat.
Everywhere Bex looks, timers are ticking down on the safe haven she's built for her demons, but the biggest threat is the one she doesn't see, because Heaven hasn't been idle. The man who killed the gods knows how to handle a rebellion. The closer the demons get to victory, the tighter the invisible noose becomes, and when the Queen of Wrath crosses the final line, there will be Hell to Pay.
Review:
Sometimes it is just a good time to read about witches, demons, and other nefarious characters. This is all contained within the Tear Down Heaven Series by Rachel Aaron. I really enjoyed the first two, especially as Bex and her crew team up with the witch Adrian to fight against Gilgamesh. The magic is intense and intriguing. I will say that there is a lot more world building and explanation in this book than in the first two entries. It is interesting and not overwhelming, but it is a bit of a step back from an attack on the armies as we would come to expect after the thrilling ending to book two. Bex is still doing her best to come to terms with her new role and how to lead the demons in the best way possible. Adrian is away from her again, looking for the solution to help his new found love. This is where the difference becomes very evident, as the two main characters don’t have as much interaction as is to be expected. I do have to say that this is not a bad thing, as it allows the reader to connect with them on a more individual level. It also sets up more of the series and the overarching ideas of what is to come.
The standout parts of the novel were still the characters. The side characters also take a backseat for the majority of the novel, which did make me a little sad as the banter and other actions from some of them are always fun to read and see. They do make more of an appearance towards the end of the novel and it is spectacular when they do. Adrian was the one who showcased more of what was happening and a lot of the explanation comes from his point of view. The other character of Gilgamesh actually makes an appearance in the novel, which is thrilling and well worth the wait of just seeing him mentioned in the first two. The pacing is a little slower, but is not overly slow. It does have moments of action interspersed in between the book learning that we get. The action in the entire series is different from typical fighting that is seen in urban fantasy or even fantasy novels, especially with the powers that each of them have. I love how the powers are complimentary but very different as well. I do not believe that I could actually pick which one I prefer more than another.
This series keeps shocking me in more ways than I could possibly explain. I found this review difficult to write without spoilers as the twists, shocks, and even more surprises are many. It makes it spectacular to read and a complete guessing game to try and figure out what could happen. Rachel Aaron has shown herself to be a master of character work that leads to amazing surprises that will leave readers shell shocked. It is just a joy to be able to continue to read more of her series as I find them fully captivating from beginning to end. This one will take the familiar and change it to be something fully it’s own from the very first page to the last one in this book so far. I look forward to continuing the series as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
