Acheron, leader of the Dark-Hunters, is used to having things his way. But then a mysterious woman barges in on an equally mysterious quest, and they must band together or get slaughtered. With a one-day laydown on August 5; national tour. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Acheron has kept his secrets and those of Atlantis for thousands of years. Now a determined archaeologist has found proof of its existence. Thwarting her should be easy enough, but he finds there's more to Tory, and her discovery, than he imagined, including information that could disrupt the balance of the cosmos. Kenyon takes a gamble in this cornerstone addition to the Dark-Hunters series (Sins of the Night, 2005; Devil May Cry, 2007), devoting over half the book to Acheron's backstory of incessant abuse. It's evident part 1 is important to Kenyon, and it provides a number of interesting insights into Ash's personality and relationships. Yet, in some ways, seeing what happened not only makes some of what transpires later in his life confusing but also makes him less likable in certain situations. Part 2 becomes the usual Dark-Hunter story, and while it isn't the series' strongest outing, it is complete with the twists and oddball humor that are Kenyon's trademarks.--Davis, Nina C. Copyright 2008 Booklist