Stacia Kane is one of the hottest writers in paranormal fantasy. Her recently concluded Megan Chase trilogy—Personal Demons (5/08), Demon Inside (8/09), and Demon Possessed (2/10)—literally has a cult-like following. Whenever I bring up any kind of “best of” discussions in BarnesandNoble.com’s Paranormal Fantasy forum, Stacia’s name—and her books—are inevitably mentioned by numerous members of the aforementioned literary cult. And with the recent release of Unholy Ghosts, the first installment of her wildly anticipated Downside saga, her readership is about to explode.
While the Megan Chase novels were exceptionally written and entertaining, they weren’t what I would call particularly innovative. The same cannot be said for Unholy Ghosts. This is an ambitious novel, a novel that shuns the formulaic pitfalls and conventionality of other bestselling paranormal fantasy sagas. This is Stacia Kane at the top of her game—it is a writer evolved, a storyteller matured, an imagination fully unleashed upon the world...
But before I get into the specifics of this extraordinary tale, let’s focus momentarily on what Del Rey has decided to do with this series. Because the publisher believes so strongly in this saga, they’re going to release the first three novels back-to-back-to-back. Unholy Ghosts was just released in June, Unholy Magic will be released in July, and City of Ghosts is coming out in August! It’s indeed the summer of Stacia—and I challenge anyone to read Unholy Ghosts and not be hopelessly hooked.
Hooked is an apropos term for the Downside saga—the heroine of Unholy Ghosts is a drug-addicted, tattooed witch named Cesaria “Chess” Putnam, a Debunker for the Church of Real Truth. Although categorized as paranormal fantasy, this series could just as easily be described as an alternate history—during a seven-day span in 1997, humankind was irrevocably changed when ghosts rose from their graves and killed millions of innocents. Only one small group, called the Church of Real Truth, devoted to the theory and study of magic, had the knowledge to control and defeat the ghosts. Now, several decades in the future, the Church essentially runs the world. There are no governments and no religions: “Who wasted their lives believing in a god when the Church had proof of the afterlife on its side? When the Church knew how to harness magic and energy?” The Church has even gone as far as to vow to reimburse citizens being haunted by the wicked dead. Debunkers are brought in to either banish the offending spirits or expose those fraudulent citizens trying to cheat the church out of money.
World-building usually isn’t a major strength in paranormal fantasy—most sagas create a perfunctory realm and then focus on the storyline. In Unholy Ghosts, the world-building is truly exceptional—set in and around Triumph City, the American headquarters of the Church, Kane does an impressive job not only laying down a richly detailed and realistic backstory that goes all the way back to WWI but also creating a vibrant and authentic near-future. She has even created a fascinating vernacular to go along with a meticulously described “After Truth” culture.
But as remarkable as the world building is, it’s the unconventional—and unforgettable—characters that fuel this storyline: two in particular. Chess Putnam is a junkie whose habit has gotten her into trouble with her dealer. In debt for thousands of dollars, Chess is forced to agree to help the dealer/pimp (named Bump) with a dangerous job that may involve illegal magic. Terrible is a muscular giant of an enforcer who works for Bump. He’s covered with tattoos and ritualistic scars and doesn’t talk much but when he is tasked to keep an eye on Chess, she uncovers another side to the seemingly cold-blooded killer.
Kane, who has written erotic romance in the past under the pseudonym December Quinn, complicates matters for Chess by getting the dysfunctional addict sexually involved with three very different (and dangerous) men. Some of the scenes are erotic, others are disturbing; there are no linear storylines here and that is another strength of the novel. Chess, an addict whose decisions aren’t exactly rational, is living on the edge. Like the plotlines in Unholy Ghosts, Putnam’s life is serpentine—one hour she may be banishing a ghost, the next she’ll wake up on a soiled mattress and not know where she is… Chess may be considered a heroine by some, an antihero by others, but one thing is certain: readers will not soon forget this character!
A drug-addicted witch and an enigmatic killer. The dark, gritty characters—and dark, gritty ambiance, for that matter—is what kept me mesmerized throughout. There are literally dozens of “shiny happy” paranormal fantasy sagas on the shelves that are fueled by light-hearted storylines and PG-13 humor (and there’s nothing wrong with that) but if you’re looking for something deeper and darker, I would highly recommend this novel. I loved the (what some would consider) audacious premise; the downright tantalizing glimpses into the otherworldly City of Eternity; the cool, punk rock undertones (at one point Chess is wearing a Dead Kennedys t-shirt); and the wonderfully intricate mystery that intertwines it all together.
Dark, stylish, and wildly original, paranormal fantasy fans should seek out and read Unholy Ghosts—easily Stacia Kane’s most accomplished work to date.
Paul Goat Allen has been a full-time book reviewer specializing in genre fiction for almost the last two decades and has written more than 6,000 reviews for companies like Publishers Weekly, The Chicago Tribune, and BarnesandNoble.com. In his free time, he reads.
