lexlingua

Well, I have long tried to evade Kim Harrison's The Hollows series, which are already way past the 10-book mark. I don't know why I have tried to avoid them, they are a dark urban fantasy series, the kind I like the best. Maybe I thought they would be too much like Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, which are well-plotted but far too cutesy for me.

Kim Harrison's series revolves around Rachel Morgan, a witch who's a runner (or police officer) for Inderland Security (IS). The IS is the police for the paranormal species of societty, like weres, vampires, banshees, pixies, witches, demons, etc. The IS was established some 40 years ago, when humankind mutated into paranormal creatures due to a virus in bio-engineered tomatoes. Anyone who's seen the movie Contagion can tell that viruses spread like zatt! through innocent-looking food and cause much epidemics.

In book 1, Dead Witch Walking, Rachel's not happy with the kind of chores she's getting as a runner. She's being treated badly, not being paid well, given shoddy jobs-- and she's just about had it. She quits her job. Unfortunately (ha!), the IS doesn't let anyone quit their job so easily. Rachel is now being hunted down by the IS, which is why she is 'dead witch walking'.