Monk

Rating:
Summary: The Monk covers familiar ground in an engrossing manner
Review: I thought this book was horror when I picked it up, so I'm not sure why I read it. However, it was more in the vein of an adult urban fantasy (like the YA Dark is Rising books) rather than horror. It's a quite engrossing battle of eternal good vs. eternal evil. Oddly enough, it has some strong parallels with the wacky book _Good Omens_ by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Recommended for fans of Kurtz's Adept series, Warren Murphy & Molly Cochran, or Andrew Greeley.

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting spin on the Eternal Battle
Review: It's been a few years since I've read this book (it's now out of print), but I do have some sharp memories of it. This text, often overshadowed by the classic of the same title, I'm sure, is very entertaining. Hallahan has taken the traditional Child of Light (a young Christian fellow with some eerily believable powers) and the Child of Darkness (a typical demonic type entity. The beauty of this book, though, is how Hallahan has taken this epic storyline and made it realistic with endearing and lifelike characters. I've long been a fan of novels and movies that deal with religious beliefs and battles (like the movie 'The Seventh Sign' for example), and this short novel is a prime example of how a good author can take familiar storyline and make it unique and entertaining. This book is obviously not a classic, but it is an enjoyable read. A claim that, sadly, many classics cannot also make.