K.A. Stewart

Jesse James Dawson — (2010-2011) Publisher: Every lost soul needs a champion. Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate), until the day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon. Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death. Jesse lived to free his brother — and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

A Devil in the Details

A Devil in the Details introduces us to the wry and wiry Jesse James Dawson, a 21^st century Midwestern samurai who saves souls in the best tradition of The Seven Samurai. If you sold your soul to the devil, or one of his demonic henchmen, who you gonna call? JJD, of course, or one of his fellow demon-fighting champions. His wife, Mira, a practicing Wiccan white witch, owns a shop in Westport, a trendy Kansas City district of specialty shops and bars. Together they attempt to corral their young daughter, Annabelle, appropriately nicknamed Hurricane Anna. Ivan, a retired Ukrainian demon killer, mentors Jesse and several other champions scattered around the globe. When two champions fail to report in, Ivan warns Jesse and travels to Mexico to investigate Miguel's disappearance.

Meanwhile, Jesse is juggling life and a new client with wisecracking adroitness. An aging major league baseball pitcher struck a deal with a demon to revitalize his professional career. He feels the consequences of selling his soul when his infant grandchild screams at his touch, for the very young can sense the demon taint of the damned. So can dogs. Jesse gives Kidd an hour to give him good reason to put his own soul on the line to rescue Kidd from his own foolish greedy devilish deal. Kidd barely manages to persuade Jesse, after which the real negotiations begin with Kidd's hellhound of a demon.

K.A. Stewart uses a first person narrative, telling the story from Jesse James’ point of view for the entire novel. Thanks to Jesse's overdeveloped sense of honor, the story does not suffer from any unreliable-narrator twists. Stewart keeps the prose concise, witty, and demonically delicious. Jesse doesn't do zombies (or vampires or werewolves), but he does beat the crap out of Hell's minions with his katana and mixed martial arts, regardless of his tall, skinny physique.

A Devil in the Details is fun. It offers a welcome alternative to cloying paranormal romances and is a great addition to the urban fantasy scene. —Jon Moss
FanLit thanks Jon Moss for contributing this guest review.

A Shot in the Dark

A Shot in the Dark continues a few months after A Devil in the Details, with Jesse James Dawson mostly recovered from his last demon death-dance and tornado tango, but still suffering from nightmares of an earlier near-fatal demon fight. His annual Colorado camping trip with his buddies should provide ample opportunity for rejuvenation and recreation. A walk in the woods, dodging paintballs and pine cones, to a mountain cabin retreat should fit the bill.

His hiatus from demon hunting sputters when Axel, the demon personally plaguing Jesse, invites himself to the pre-vacation barbecue at the Dawson home, despite the wards maintained by Jesse's wife on the house and the yard. Axel acts strange, even for a demon, and attempts to warn Jesse against making the camping trip, but Jesse just wants Axel gone and ignores the friendly overtures.

Jesse's road trip across Kansas reminded me of similar adventures west on I-70 — long and boring. Thankfully, K.A. Stewart kept that portion of the narrative succinct and riddled with a bit of humor. Once in Colorado, Jesse and his friends gear up for some paintball hiking. All seems like fun and games until they reach the cabin close to sunset. What should have been a relaxing retreat quickly turns into a siege reminiscent of the Alamo. Jesse's nightmare demon corrals them with his vaguely zombie-like aggressive minions. After just a couple of days of defensive combat and little sleep, Jesse reaches the limit of his resources. Even an undercover cleric can't hold the forces of Hell off much better or longer than Jesse. Jesse needs help, but he's cut off from his colleagues. Help arrives, but does Jesse dare accept the consequences?

A Shot in the Dark provides a good mystery, a few thrills, a new take on zombies, MacGyver-esque innovations in demon fighting and a peek into the true identity of Jesse's favorite demon sidekick, Axel (hint: read To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust or Milton's Paradise Lost). This is a strong sequel to last year's A Devil in the Details and a great summer vacation read. Just don't forget the holy water, mirrors and swords. —Jon Moss
FanLit thanks Jon Moss for contributing this guest review.