HELLFORGED - Nancy Holzner
A Deadtown Novel , Book 2
ACE
ISBN: 978-0-441-01980-9
December 2010
Fantasy

Boston, Massachusetts - Present Day

Vicky is a demon exterminator. If a demon is messing with your computer processor, or giving you nightmares, Vicky is the girl to call. And one of the perks of being a demon exterminator is being able to control and manipulate her own dreams…supposedly. But after a particularly bad night, Vicky climbs into bed, falls asleep, and finds her dream spiraling out of control, and an old nemesis haunting her nightmares.

It turns out her dreams are more than just fiction; every zombie Vicky comes in contact with before she goes to bed is dead by the time she wakes up. Someone or something is using Vicky's dreams as a gateway into the real world, and attacking zombies in Deadtown. A whole new kind of evil is coming to town, and Vicky must learn how to fight it. Oh, and somehow manage not to dream.

Vicky is the kind of kick-butt heroine fantasy lovers can get behind-rough and tough, afraid to jump into the fight but too stubborn to stay out of it. A character that feels genuine, with a family and relationships that she's willing to fight the worst of the worst to protect. Aided by a whole cast of interesting characters, including her Aunt Mab, who is a perfect mix of hard task master and sweet and comforting aunt, Vicky and crew are ones you can't help but root for in the battle of good versus evil.

HELLFORGED is a novel lovers of fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal fiction in general won't want to miss. The sequel to DEADTOWN, HELLFORGED can be read in order or even as a stand-alone. The author does a great job of working the previous plot naturally into the story of HELLFORGED, so readers who just pick up the sequel will be able to jump right in.

Amanda Toth