The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (Hollows, #2)

by Kim Harrison

The second book in the New York Times bestselling urban fantasy-thriller series starring sexy bounty hunter and witch, Rachel Morgan. During the last few months, former bounty-hunter Rachel Morgan has been rather busy. Having escaped relatively unscathed from her corrupt former employers, she's not only acquired a vampiric room-mate called Ivy, faced werewolf assassins and battled shape-shifting demons, but has also found the time to pick up a boyfriend (even if he is only human) and open her very own runner agency. But cohabiting with a vampire, however reformed, has its dangers. Ivy's evil vampire ex-boyfriend has decided that he wants her back, and views Rachel as a tasty side-dish. To make matters worse, Rachel's demon mark is the ultimate vamp-aphrodisiac; one that works both ways. The stakes are high, and if Rachel is to save herself and her room mate she must challenge the master vampire and confront the dark secrets she's kept hidden even from herself.

• ISBN10: 0061744514
• ISBN13: 9780061744518
• Publish Date: 13 October 2009 (first published 25 January 2005)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 464
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is the second novel in Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and it is a whirlwind adventure. One that throws countless surprises at Rachel and her newly found partners. It’s no wonder that this series has been one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series for years.
Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter – but not the type you’re probably used to hearing about. Instead, she tracks down all of the supernatural beings in the area that are wanted (for whatever reason).
So it’s safe to say that she’s seen her fair share of crazy things, and come up against some heavy hitters in her time. But nothing has quite prepared her for what life is about to throw her way. Ley line witches are falling all over the city, and it’s thanks to one merciless killer. It’s going to take the combined effort of I.S. and Rachel (plus her loathed magic) in order to track down this killer before the losses become insurmountable.

I should probably mention that I’ve already read The Hollows series (several times), but I recently noticed that I never actually reviewed them. So in preparation for the next Hollows book (so excited!), I’m going to do a reread and review run. I just finished Dead Witch Walking, but I couldn’t resist jumping right on to the next book in the series. I had forgotten how captivating this series can be!

“You cry, you get angry, then you do something about it.”

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead was another dynamic read from Kim Harrison. Her world is so vivid and alive, it almost feels like the characters are jumping right out of the pages. It was perhaps the best decision I’ve made all year to go back and read the entire series again. It has been a blast and a half, and I’ve still got so much of the series left.
The more I see of this world, the more I fall in love with it. There’s such a complex system of magical beings and humans, supernaturals and law enforcement, it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in it all.
Rachel is a fascinating character, and the perfect lead for this series. But I’ve got to admit that she’s not my favorite character (though I do like her). My favorite character tends to shift from book to book, though Jenks will always hold a special place in my heart.
I feel like The Good, The Bad, and The Undead is where the ball really starts rolling in The Hollows series. That is to say, Rachel is officially dealing with some longer running plots, some of which have consequences that lead far into the series (which is obvious now, since I’ve read the whole series).
This plot was an intense one, obviously. The ante has been upped from the first job, all thanks to a crazy killer on the loose. What made this plot so good was that it forced Rachel to take drastic measures – using magic that she would probably have avoided for the rest of her life otherwise. And that’s only the beginning.
The Good, The Bad, and The Undead was everything I remember it to be, and perhaps a little bit more. It was a fun read, even knowing how it was all going to play out in the end. In fact, I’d argue that knowing added to the tension (since there was some heartache involving certain characters).

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Chelsea]

This book was much better than the first. I liked the first book but I found it wasn't anything special. In The Good, the Bad, and the Undead we finally get to see the little things that set this series apart from the other urban fantasies. We dive deeper into the different supernatural races and we learn more about this crazy world. I'm actually really looking forward to reading the rest of the series now!

I think Jenks will forever be my favourite character. He's great and adds a little humour into the whole book. I also love that the author incorporates his family in some small scenes which makes them all come to life a little bit more. Rachel is also a great character, though she doesn't think before she does anything. I suppose it makes for a great story but it drives me insane a little. She's finally starting to notice that about herself so hopefully she dials it back from now on. I'm also really interested in the new characters we met in this book! I can't wait to see them more!

The plot was fast paced enough that I didn't want to put the book down. It still could have done with fewer pages because this was a pretty big book. Luckily it's full of action so you don't really need to worry about becoming bored.

[celinenyx]

Review of third read

I rarely truly binge. I am often a restless person, someone who gets up after reading for an hour, someone who will watch ten TV shows halfway through the season, rarely finishing any of them. Even when I love a series, or a book, or whatever, the odds are slim of me following it up in any consistent way.

Which I why I find it fascinating that I read two Hollows books right after each other without a second of unrest or boredom. No need to pick up another novel in between. Kim Harrison writes so wonderfully smoothly - her scenes flow into the other, her character's banter fueling the pace in moments where plot takes a back seat. Most of the characters are flawed, well-rounded, and fully themselves. The triad at the core of the series, witch Rachel, pixie Jenks, and vampire Ivy, balance each other in interesting ways. Their family bond (though they don't see it yet as one) is what makes me return to these books. It scratches an itch that TV shows such as Friends and Gilmore Girls do as well - a group of people that care for each other, not romantically involved, and who always stand up for each other at the end of the day.

Finally, I think Ms Harrison has done a great job on Trent. Reckless businessman, mobster, and all-round mysterious, he is the character I find most intriguing. His collected manner is a fantastic foil to Rachel's fiery temper, and he is deliciously evil yet vulnerable. I never read the last few books of this series, and I am now looking forward to see more of his layers peeled away.

Review of second read

In honour of the release of Pale Demon, the ninth book in the Hollows series, on the 22rd this month I'm rereading the whole series.

When I first read these book I didn't even know the "urban fantasy" was a genre and I devoured these books, enjoying every bit of them. They introduced me to this wonderful world where humans, vampires, werewolves and witches all live together in a contemporary world. Every detail about this world was new for me, never having read anything like it.

And even though my innocent fascination is gone after reading my share of urban fantasy, this series is in my opinion one of the best out there. It has the right mix of fast-paced action, suspense, true friendships, drama, character development and even some romance to keep the story interesting.

In this book the FIB (the investigation bureau for non-Inderlanders, also known as those boring human beings) contracts white earth witch Rachel to help find something or someone that's killing ley line witches one after the other. The trail leads to extremely rich and attractive young bachelor Trent Kalamack, that also runs most of Cincinatti's underground. But as always, nothing is what it seems...

Rachel is flawed, but that makes her so much easier to relate to. She doesn't always make the right decisions and is extremely stubborn at times which makes me love her even more. She cares about her family and her close friends/business partners and she tries to make the best out of everything. Throughout the series we see her struggling with her morals. What is the line between good and bad? In this book she starts to realise not everything is black and white. Even though she has sworn never to deal with demons (as people who are stupid enough to do that usually end up dead or worse) the smut on her soul is only increasing. And what to do about that demon-summoning boyfriend?

These books are quite long (about 450 pages in paperback) you read through them at an incredible speed. I like reading about how Rachel deals with her blood-craving living vampire roommate, her delicate relation with the FIB, the investigation part of the story. Kim Harrison's writing is clear and adds to the story, describing the witch spells and other magic in detail.

I would also like to give Ms. Harrison credit of her incredible cast of secondary characters. They all have their distinct personalities, and I love them all for that. Especially the mysterious Trent is awesome, and the tongue-in-cheek pixy Jenks is hilarious.

Even if you've already know where the story is going these books are extremely engrossing. I would recommend them to everyone interested in paranormal stories. Even if the books take some time to get into at the start, they are totally worth it.

[littleread1]

I'd read the first 2 books in this series previously. I plan to continue. But I have a buddy read on audio to get to now, so these will have to wait a bit. Enjoyed them!

[Berls]

My Initial Reaction…
This was my second time reading The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, but my first time listening to it. I slowed down a bit and actually savored some of the details this time around and I have to admit I’m pretty blown away by the layers of forethought that this early book presents for the longer arch of the whole series. And I still loved it!

The Narration…
I think that I would love Marguerite Gavin if I weren’t encountering her after having already read the series on my own. Now that it’s the second book listening to her, I’m starting to get comfortable and her voices for the characters are slowly replacing the ones I had in my head. She does an excellent job giving each character a distinct personality and her pacing seems just right for every situation. And it’s really great hearing how some names that I was never too sure of are supposed to be pronounced.

The Characters…
I adore these characters. Rachel starts off The Good, the Bad, and the Undead seeming to have everything together. Her death threat is gone and she has an ok stream of business, and a boyfriend that she is happy with. But then she gets involved in a case involving a serial witch killer and things get sketchy again. I think what I love most about Rachel in The Good, the Bad, and the Undead is the way she’s growing – not just as an individual, but in her skills. We saw that she can be pretty kick ass in Dead Witch Walking, but we also saw that she would be screwed royally without the support of her friends. That’s still fairly true, but there are some pretty great moments where she’s stretching beyond her own abilities with ley line magic, not to mention her incredible detective skills.

Like I said, though, her friends are super important. Ivy Tamwood – her partner and living vampire partner – is slowly revealing herself to Rachel (and us). She remains a bit of a mystery to me, though I do love how fiercely loyal she is to Rachel. Jenks, too, is incredibly loyal. He may be my absolute favorite character in this series. He’s more than a sidekick, he’s the heart of this trio. Despite being a little pixy, he’s got a huge heart and some fierce skills of his own. I’m loving the glimpses of his family and the workings of pixy life – which Rachel is slowly discovering herself.

Trent Kalamack remains Rachel’s chief target and enemy in The Good, the Bad, and the Undead – but I want more from him. I know she’s happy with Nick, who seems really nice and caring, but he’s not enough for Rachel. Not to mention, he’s not the average Joe he likes to pretend to be. She needs someone with a big personality, skills of his own, and the ability to challenge her… like Trent. That’s just my opinion though.

The Story…
The basic plot for The Good, the Bad, and the Undead centers on a series of witch murders – ley line witches to be exact – and Rachel’s efforts to solve the mystery and stop the killer. This is a new element for Rachel, whose work as a runner never involved solving mysteries – she just had to tag the already identified bad guys. Seeing her and the gang in this new element, where she mostly excels was pretty fantastic. The story is complicated by tensions between the Rachel and Ivy, particularly in the wake of her demon/vampire attack in Dead Witch Walking, her own vendetta against Trent, and developments in her relationship with Nick.

The complex world that Harrison laid the foundation for in Dead Witch Walking is already finding it’s payoff in The Good, the Bad, and the Undead. The character development and relationship threads in particular are developing into several complex webs that I can’t wait to see work themselves out.

Concluding Sentiments…
I’m really glad I decided to give The Good, the Bad, and the Undead an audio re-read and savor the details I missed the first time around. The world building and character development is incredible – to an extent I didn’t even realize before having read further along in the series.

[Linda]

I really, really enjoy reading about Rachel's adventures! Ivy, Nick, Trent, Glenn, Jenks... they're all excellent characters as well.

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews

The Good the Bad and the Undead starts in the middle of a run that doesn't go exactly as planned, and it kind of sets the mood for the whole story.

[tellemonstar]

Cross-posted at Book Reviews With The Blogmonstar

Poor Rachel. She’s really getting into all sorts of problems in The Good the Bad and the Undead, and they aren’t going to be easy to get out of, that’s for certain.

In The Good the Bad and the Undead, Rachel is asked by the FIB to help them investigate the deaths of several ley-line witches, in an ‘unofficial’ capacity. This itself causes some major issues because Rachel believes that Trent Kalamack is behind the deaths. Turns out she’s a little bit off the mark, although she was correct about him being interested in them – he wanted one to work for him on a particular project. Rachel’s stubbornness is what causes her to find most the the trouble she gets into. It certainly doesn’t help in this case.

I really like the rules Kim Harrison sets for her vampires in the world of the Hollows. They make sense for vampires living in a modern society where those who aren’t magic know that they exist. The difference between the ‘living’ vampires like Ivy and Kist, and the undead vampires like Ivy’s mum (for example) is also really well done. Most importantly, Harrison sticks to these rules, and doesn’t change them just to suit her needs.

The relationships between Rachel and Ivy, and Ivy and Piscary are interesting. Piscary is pretty much the sort of jerk you would expect a ‘Master’ vampire to be, and he has a wonderfully written sense of almost fatherly affection towards Ivy that hides a much nastier side of him very well. Ivy’s emotional state is really well done – as Rachel points out to herself at one point – Ivy really has been emotionally abused by Piscary from a young age, seeing as he wants her to be his scion and act on his behalf.

Rachel starts to learn more about herself in this one, and she certainly learns quite a bit about her father and about Trent. In fact she learns what he is – and uses that information to keep him from blabbing about her past. The relationship between Rachel and Trent is really well done, especially because although neither one particularly likes the other, they can’t help but require one or the other’s help as various times.

For people who have sank their teeth into some of the better vampire series – either television or book – and like their vampires and supernaturals to have personalities and bite, I would definitely recommend this series.

[Hixxup]

loved this book! So much better than the first one. But now I'm wondering what's going to happen between Nick & Rachel, or is there something in the works between her and Kisten or even trent??? Both seem very plausable, (no one tell me though I want to find out for myself).

[kimbacaffeinate]

this book was better then the first, it has the kind of gripping suspense, that won't let you stop reading. Kim Harrison is a wonderful story teller and captures the reader from page one. Her characters come to life on the pages, making you love and hate them with a passion. I can't wait to begin book 3.

[ibeforem]

Man oh man, I like this series. I really hated for this one to end! I like Rachel, even if she tends to be bull-headed and downright stupid sometimes. I can relate to some of her indecision and refusal to see what’s right in front of her. The supporting cast of Ivy, Jenks, Nick, and even Trent Kalamack are back in this one, and this is one of the only series I’ve read lately that really has a continuing storyline through the books. There’s a lot of danger and mayhem, and a little more sex in this one than in the last. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Rachel in the next books. The return of Detective Glenn, perhaps? This may not be high quality literature, but it’s fast and furious and fun, and a lot of the time that’s all I need.