Acheron
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's, Aug 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 0312362153

In 9548 BC Katoteros, based on the prophecy of three of his bastard daughters, an irate Archon angrily directs his horde to kill their unborn child. Archon's wife of several centuries Apollymi and her Charonte demons flee as she refuses to allow him to murder her baby. Feeling betrayed by her spouse as she always remained loyal, Apollymi and her followers kill any in the Pantheon that get in their way. The baby she names Apostolos is lifted from her and hidden inside a pregnant Queen Aara having his essence merged with the baby inside. Apollymi gives her spouse a stone baby and warns him that when the time comes her son will return to destroy him and his followers; he vows to find and kill his offspring.

By the time he is seven years old Acheron knows his parents hate him though they know from an oracle to prevent his death or else; only his sister Ryssa cares about him. However, she cannot understand why he is treated so badly over the next few years. He concludes the Gods cursed him but has no idea why as everyone except Ryssa loathes and fears him. In his death, the horror comes to devastate the world; only he can save humanity but he does not want to return to save those who spurned him when he lived; besides which he knows who will come for him if he returns.

Throughout the extremely well written Dark Hunter saga, readers have waited for Acheron's tale to be told. The pressure on Sherrilyn Kenyon must have been immense, but like the Redeem Team she comes through with a great tale. From the opening sequence when a desperate Goddess tries to save her unborn from his father to New Orleans fans will relish the 'biography' of the titled character. In a sense two related novels with over four hundred pages each occurring eleven millennium ago and about three hundred in New Orleans, Ms. Kenyon's excellent thriller will be on most fans' shortlist for fantasy of the year.

Harriet Klausner