"Will appeal to fans of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake"

Fallon Nuit is a master vampire who had a seat on the vampire council but when he went rogue he was banished into eternal darkness. Through a series of accidents Fallon was able, with the help of the evil Egyptian deities known as Amanthra, to free himself and make several second- generation vampires that his rescuers can inhabit. Fallon's goal is total control of the vampire territories on Earth and the death of the slayer.

Street smart Damali Richards is making a name for herself and her group as a singer for Spoken Word. She is also the slayer protected by seven Guardians who battle the creatures of the night including the Amanthra vampires. As she is nearing her twenty-first birthday, she is coming into the full use of her considerable power and both Fallon and the vampire council want her stopped. There is only one person who can get close enough to her to achieve this objective, but she is also the only woman he ever cared about. It will be interesting to see if he will sacrifice his humanity for untold power and riches.

MINION is the first book in a three book series (the other books coming out in 2004) that will appeal to fans of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Executioner novels. L.A. Banks has written an urban fantasy novel that deals with several social issues in a manner that is both educational and entertaining. The character that is the most intriguing is the man who will be either the Slayer's savior or doomslayer which is why readers will want to read AWAKENING as soon as it is published.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted May 16, 2003

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Summary

There is one woman who is all that stands between us and the eternal night. Here is an account of her legend.... All Damali Richards ever wanted to do was create music and bring it to the people. Now she is a Spoken Word artist and the top act for Warriors of Light Records. But come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demonsĀ—predators that people tend to dismiss as myth or fantasy. But Damali and her Guardian team cannot afford such delusions, especially now, when a group of rogue vampires have been killing the artists of Warriors of Light and their rival, Blood Music. Strange attacks have also erupted within the club drug- trafficking network and drawn the attention of the police. These killings are a bit out of the ordinary, even for vampires. No neat puncture marks in the neck to show where the lifeĀ's blood has been sucked from the body. These bodies have been mutilated beyond recognition, indicating a blood lust and thirst for destruction that surpasses any Damali has encountered before. Damali soon discovers that behind these brutal murders is the most powerful vampire she has ever met, and this seductive beast is coming for her next. But his unholy intentions have also drawn the focus of other hellish dark forces. Soon Damali finds herself being pulled deeper into the vast and horrifying vampire world.