Review: Hell for Hire by Rachel Aaron

Blurb:

The Crew

A hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn't see the point of any of this. They're not the sort of mercenaries you hire on purpose, but Bex wouldn't trust her life to anyone else.

Ever since the ancient Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh decided death wasn't for him, killed the gods, and conquered the afterlife, times have been rough for a free demon. But the denizens of the Nine Hells aren't the quitting sort, and Bex and her team have been choking a living out of the Eternal King's lackeys for years. It's not honest work, but when Heaven itself declares you a non-person, you smash-and-grab what you can get.

This next gig looks like more of the same...until Bex meets the client.

The Job

Adrian Blackwood is a witch with a problem. His family has skirted the edges of King Gilgamesh's ire for centuries, but thanks to a decision he made as a child, Adrian is personally responsible for putting his entire coven in Heaven's crosshairs.

Determined to set things right, Adrian drags his broom, caldron, and talking cat thousands of miles across the country to Seattle where he can fight the Eternal King's warlocks without bringing the rest of his family into the fray. But witchcraft--like all crafts--takes time, and if the warlocks catch him before his spells are ready, he's dead. So Adrian does what any professional witch would do and hires a team of mercenaries to keep the warlocks off his back.

He didn't expect to get demons, but when you're already on the killing-edge of Heaven's bad side, what's a bit more fuel on the fire?

Sometimes, you get more than you paid for.

Neither Adrian nor Bex knew what to expect when they signed their contract, but witch-plus-demon turns out to be a match made in the Hells. With this much chaos at their fingertips, even impossible dreams start to come back into reach, because Bex wasn't always a mercenary. She used to be the Eternal King of Heaven's biggest nightmare, and now that she's got a witch in her corner, it's time to put the old magics back on the field and show Adrian Blackwood just how much hell he's hired.

Review:

Hell For Hire is Rachel Aaron’s first entry within the Tearn Down Heaven series, which  is an urban fantasy tale about a Witch named Adrian Blackwood. Hunted by warlocks, Adrian hires a crew to protect him while he constructs his abode in Seattle. Unexpectedly, the crew turns out to be a group of demons led by Bex, who seeks to kill the evil King Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, who wanted immortality and power, killed the gods in heaven and took their place as ruler. Unaware of what they have signed up for, Adrain and Bex must trust each other with their secrets to survive. When one the strongest warlock, sent by Gilgamesh himself, tracks Andrain to his abode before he is ready, Bex and Adrian realise they have a common enemy and a common goal.

I picked this book up because I wanted to read more urban fantasy, having caught up with the Dresden Files series, which is one of my favourite ongoing series. The cover art was just absolutely amazing that I had to dive in and see what it was all about. I chose not to read the description/blurb because I wanted to go in blind and have no idea about the story.  

Rachel Aaron did not waste any time and went straight into the meat of the story and provided essential information about character backstories and the lore of the world when required. This approach was welcomed as I had many unanswered questions which were slowly revealed throughout the narrative.

The characters were instantly likeable and provided a very black and white to the good vs evil tale. Slowly understanding character motivations such as Adrian’s reasoning to construct his abode or Bex’s motivation to kill the evil King. These revelations provided a deeper connection to the characters due to understanding what they had to go through and what their current situation is.

There was one aspect within the book that I didn't really care for: during an impending conflict, the characters thought it would be okay to get bubble tea which I felt took away from the actual danger that the characters were in. However, I understood why this direction was taken, as it helped flesh out the characters a little and showed how they are risk takers and very confident in their abilities.

The magic system within the story was fresh and intriguing, especially with Adrian nature magic and how it would affect his surroundings. Additionally, Bex and her crew have some extraordinary abilities that I want to know more about. I feel like the characters' full capabilities have not been revealed; this iteration has just scratched the surface and there are more surprises in store within future iterations.

In conclusion, Hell for Hire is a captivating addition to the urban fantasy genre, featuring a fresh magic system and intriguing characters. Rachel Aaron’s direct storytelling and gradual reveal of character motivations kept me invested. This book is perfect for urban fantasy fans looking for something new after finishing the Dresden Files.