The Cursed
L.A. Banks
Griffin (St. Martin's), July 2007, $14.95, 512 pp.
ISBN 0312352379

She is Lilith the wife of the Lord of Hell and he blames her for the death of vampires he had plans for; but instead of torturing or killing her, he forgives her because she has done the one thing that makes him happy. She has created a child with him and hidden the embryo inside a hybrid-angel residing in the land of Nod. The inhabitants of Hell can't enter there and the people who fight for the Most High are forbidden to enter there.

Lilith knows she is in trouble because nothing grows is the place of banishment and if her husband finds out, he will be furious, a situation she wants to avoid at all costs. While husband and wife share a romantic two weeks together it ends when, Carlos, a Neturu married to Damali (also a Neturu) causes total chaos in Hell. He is helped by fellow Neturu Adam who breaks the first seal signifying the beginning of Armageddon. When Lilith tries to mess with Damali,, she enters Hell and deals Lilith and her minions deadly blow. However Lilith has a plan to free the angel-hybrid by using Damali as the instrument ensuring the birth of the antichrist. Carlos and Damali who don't know anything about her plans find themselves in a struggle that could kill them and all they hold dear.

THE CURSED is a great horror novel filled with superb characters that one easily understands as one set works for the Creator and the others work for the devil. Lilith is particularly well drawn as a villain readers will love to hate. There is plenty of action in this fast paced work with the Neturus and the dead battling one demonic attack after another. L.A. Banks is one of the best horror authors writing today.

Harriet Klausner