Damali Richards and Carlos Riviera are seriously out of synch.  The elevation of Carlos to the position of male Neteru and the subsequent battle with Lilith for control of Philadelphia has left them drained.  Carlos also seemingly longs for the power he controlled as a council-level master vampire and misses the riches and decadence of his former lifestyle.  Who wouldn’t, trapped in the desert of Arizona surrounded by Native Americans who really don’t want the Guardian team there?  Alas, that battle with Lilith has left some serious holes from Hell, through which a dangerous poison has seeped, causing ordinary humans to turn demonic.  Worst of all, these possessed souls are not stopped by sunlight and are hard to discern.  Top clerics from every major religious group around the world are frantically searching for a cure and are depending on Damali and her Guardians to go find it, but Carlos, under orders from an angelic host, has embarked on a mission of his own that he messes up badly, with an unspeakable cost.  Will Damali and Carlos be able to vanquish their own inner demons and save mankind once more? 

The Damned is Ms Banks’ sixth entry in her Vampire Huntress Legends.  This reviewer applauds the shifts in focus and numerous plot twists that allow Ms. Banks to keep this series from being repetitive and stale.  Every volume has featured fresh material and increasing insights into Ms. Banks’ extremely complex mythology.  Ultimately, The Damned is a story that compels the reader to take a long look at their own personal motivations as well as the ones of the main characters.  Carlos and Damali’s explosive sex scenes are not as prevalent is this tale as others in the series and that is appropriate for this particular story line.  The almost non-stop action and the richly detailed scenes that occur in the Himalayas are not to be missed!  Many authors have written tales about the struggle of humankind for personal redemption and Ms. Banks has penned one of the best this reviewer has ever read.  It must be noted that there are repetitions as well as seemingly superfluous details contained in this story, which this reviewer suspects are needed for the continuation of the series as well as to remind the reader through flashbacks what has occurred previously.  Highly recommended to all lovers of paranormal romance as well as those who love action-filled books! 

© Love Romances, 2001-2006. All Rights Reserved