Adrian Phoenix is one of my favorite paranormal fantasy authors – and her Maker’s Song saga (A Rush of Wings, In the Blood, Beneath the Skin, and Etched in Bone) featuring vampire goth rock star Dante Baptiste and former FBI special agent Heather Wallace is arguably the most underrated urban fantasy series ever written. (Yes, you read that correctly: the Maker’s Song saga is arguably the most underrated urban fantasy series ever written.) Simply put, Phoenix is an extraordinary writer at the top of her game; her labyrinthinely plotted and character driven storylines are addictively readable and offer up a uniquely immersive reading experience.
Her latest offering, Black Heart Loa – the second installment in her Hoodoo series and sequel to 2010’s Black Dust Mambo – is a perfect example of Phoenix’s “full sensory” narrative.
Set in and around New Orleans and featuring Kallie Rivière, a sexy 23-year old Cajun hoodoo apprentice who is described as a “dark-haired swamp beauty” with “mysterious purple eyes and heart-stopping curves,” this series is a little less thematically intense as Phoenix’s Maker’s Song – but it’s just as wildly entertaining. Powered by a cast of undeniably sexy (and sexual) characters – and erotic plotlines (Black Heart Loa features an absolutely jaw-dropping tantric sex sequence!), this series is down-and-dirty, dark juju-powered literary gold: paranormal fantasy and paranormal romance readers alike should devour this supernatural – and super sexy – series.
But the Hoodoo saga is so much more than just a story about a witchy woman trying to come to grips with her mysterious past and her otherworldly abilities – the brilliance is in the rich tapestry of a narrative. The majority of writers use primarily visually descriptive terms. Phoenix’s narrative immerses the reader in the story by an almost continual bombardment of full sensory (sight, smell, sound, touch, taste) imagery. It really is amazing – I’ve never come across a writer so in tune with the narrative on such a primal level.
Black Heart Loa is just loaded with wondrous sensory descriptions, particularly pertaining to smell. So much so that Pocket Books really should consider releasing this in a special scratch-n-sniff edition!
Think I’m crazy? Here is just a sampling from the literally hundreds of examples:
• “A medley of odors swirled around him, familiar and intimate – lily pads floating on still, green, water, the cool silver scent of fish beneath the surface, pungent diesel from the humming engine, fresh sweat slicking bare skin, the musky aroma of wet dog fur, rank mud, and the thick, coppery reek of blood.”
• “The late Lord Basil Augustine’s New Orleans office smelled of black tea, vanilla, and dark tobacco…”
• “Leaning forward, Kallie breathed in the sandalwood and sweet orange scent of Layne’s thick, coiled hair. She also smelled sage and myrrh on his skin, mingled with something astringent.”
• “Tendrils of steam fragrant with the smells of Ivory soap, Listerine, and jasmine-and-honey shampoo curled into the hall.”
• “The closed-in air of the car smelled of jasmine, old French fries, leather, and sandalwood.”
• “He became aware of cold hands latching around him, lifting him up into air cooled by the rain and savory with the smells of mint and rosemary and frying bacon.”
• "What about how Kallie's lips, all soft and heated, felt beneath yours, or how she smells – hyacinths and white honey..."
Like the novels in the Maker’s Song saga, an impressively complex storyline and a cast of well-developed and intriguing characters power Phoenix’s Hoodoo series. The heady, earthy sexuality is certainly compelling as are the supernatural elements – werewolves, zombies, voodoo spirits, etc. – but it’s Phoenix’s immersive narrative style that makes this series so remarkable.
Paranormal fantasy fans looking for an intense and immersive reading experience should most definitely pick up Black Dust Mambo and Black Heart Loa. Can you smell the hyacinths and white honey yet?
Paul Goat Allen has been a full-time book reviewer specializing in genre fiction for the last two decades and has written thousands of reviews for companies like Publishers Weekly, The Chicago Tribune, Kirkus Reviews, and BarnesandNoble.com. In his free time, he reads.
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