Customer Reviews

The Devil's Playground

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I hate to butcher old Willy S. here, but that's the feeling I was left with upon the conclusion of The Devil's Playground, fifth book of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist series. I've been reading this series since the first (The Devil Inside (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 1)) and have suffered the peaks and valleys along with Morgan and crew ever since. Up through Speak of the Devil (Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist, Book 4) my biggest problem with the series was, in fact, Morgan herself. Rarely had I read a more self-involved, hypocritical, judgmental, bigoted, unsympathetic 'heroine' in an urban fantasy series. Where a reader would expect some growth over the arc of a series, there just wasn't any of a measurable amount, though the glimmers were there at the end of the last book. The GOOD news about The Devil's Playground is that Morgan didn't annoy me NEARLY as much as she has in the past, and did, in fact, make both conscious and unconscious strides towards being an all around a better person. She wasn't great, by any means, but she was better. It made it much easier to read. Unfortunately, Morgan isn't the only problem in The Devil's Playground.

I'm not quite sure what to make of Jenna Black as an author. Her narrative is smooth, the mechanics of her writing are excellent, and her imagination is impressive, but there are so many very perplexing things about this book in particular and the series in general. Where I criticized Speak of the Devil for containing NOTHING of any consequence concerning the overall series arc of the Lugh/Dougal conflict, I'm still left feeling slightly agog that the pendulum swept so far in the other direction here. The Devil's Playground is almost EXCLUSIVELY about the Lugh/Dougal conflict. Heck, maybe that's why Morgan didn't annoy me as much, because with everything going on about the impending Lugh/Dougal showdown, there just wasn't time for Morgan to focus on Morgan to the degree she's done in the past. To put it bluntly, this book just wasn't about her (though the parts that were...especially the Morgan/Brian/Lugh troubles...I found to be a bit unsettling).

The published book description for The Devil's Playground is misleading. Yes, Lugh moans while Brian and Morgan are commencing an intimate moment - but not because he wants to share Morgan...in fact, it's because he's enjoying sharing Brian WITH Morgan. And in classic Lugh style, he's decided it's time Morgan tells Brian that. Lugh's sort of like a twisted Dr. Phil sometimes. Not surprisingly, Brian is a little disturbed by the knowledge that Lugh wants him, and he can't immediately reconcile that when he's with Morgan, he's also with Lugh, and that will always be the case. Relationship drama ensues due to that.

Also in the book description, it mentions that Shae, illegal demon and owner of the Seven Deadlies demon sex club, enlists Morgan's help heading off a crisis. No. Actually, Shae, annoyed at being ordered around by some big bad demon, goes to Morgan to sell some information about an unusual influx of demons in her club. Demons in bodies that look a little too hard-ridden and used up. Like perhaps demons were taking over the bodies of the fringe of society - junkies, prostitutes, and homeless. And if that's the case, Morgan knows Dougal has got to be somehow involved.

The majority of the book from that point on is about Lugh's council trying to find out what's going on. There's a lot of talking. A LOT of talking. The council talks (and argues) to each other, the council talks with suspects (but that's not all they do with THEM), the council talks with potential allies...

There's A LOT of talking. By the middle of the book all that talking had dragged down the flow of the story to such a degree I was quite painfully bored and almost completely apathetic about the whole thing. And there was still more talking. What little action that was peppered through the book didn't alleviate my boredom, though I will say, there WERE several scenes in there that I DID like (one in particular between Morgan and Lugh). And that's one of the things that is so frustrating about Jenna Black and this series. There are moments that just flat out work for me, that I think are valuable plot progression and interesting development...and a LOT of stuff that doesn't. That very inconsistency has been one of the few consistent aspects about the series as a whole.

Looking back on the last two books in the series, I would have preferred the plots have been more intertwined - giving a far more balanced story for each book that included Morgan's life going to hell AND the progression of the Lugh/Dougal arc. Also, Black's penchant for repetition is back in this book. In the last book it was Morgan saying over an over again just how bad a liar she was, in this one it was the 'hate/don't trust/don't believe Raphael' banner that got the most waves. All through the book that's mentioned over and over again. I know Raphael's been a bad boy in the past, but after awhile, I felt the pointed and repetitive smears to be pitiable.

Black's book isn't consistent and neither is the series. That's not to say some parts weren't awesome, because I admit, some were. The reason I didn't rate this book two stars, in fact, was the last twenty percent of the story. Not to give away any spoilers, but when the time came that all the talking was done, the story progressed rapidly and it was well written from that point through to the end (not including the epilogue). That final 20% or so is what prompted me to liking it just enough for the three stars.

Now, about that epilogue... I don't know if the series is over. Is this the final installment of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist series? When I finished The Devil's Playground I went to the author's website to see if I could find that answer, because it was very much written like it was, but I couldn't find anything. There are unresolved issues, but it appears that the overall arc between Lugh and his usurper brother Dougal is finally concluded. The anemic and slightly odd wrap up in the epilogue with those unresolved, not even truly addressed issues, though, made what closure there was feel more than hollow.

Honestly, I don't know if I would continue with Morgan and crew if there are more books in the works. I just haven't been satisfied with the world or the characters enough to enjoy hanging out with them any longer. I never DID feel like the demons were all that well conceived, as it's ALWAYS squigged me out that humans have willfully (sometimes against their will) subverted their lives to give a demon a body, and Black never quite gave her demons enough soul and heart to really make me okay with that. In that, I felt much like Morgan herself did. Demons take people's...lives - even if they're given voluntarily. And the demons of Lugh's council just aren't really all that nice, either. Lugh, perhaps, was the most honorable of them all and even HE wasn't someone I'd want to spend any significant time with. Adam and Raphael were just flat out scary individuals, and no matter how much I liked them, they were never NOT scary individuals. Ultimately, that's the core of why this series as a whole isn't a favorite of mine. If you don't necessarily like the good guys...and you surely loathe the bad guys...what's left?

A series full of sound and fury...signifying nothing.

Well, I have to say that this book was a disappointment. I might give 2.5 stars except for liking the first two books a good bit.

While I felt the last book was treading-water and not advancing the overall plot of dealing with Dugal's usurpation of the demon throne, this book advanced that plot in spades but without being compelling.

I guess the cover was my first indication. Normally a publisher likes to have similar covers for all the books in a series so that the readers will say "Oh yeah.." when they see one even if they have forgotten the author's name (which I do all the time..). That was the case for the first three books in this series, but this, the final book, goes in a completely different direction. The same goes for some of the series elements. It feels as though Black finally got feedback from the first book and was told: "Cut out all the gay S&M stuff! In fact, tone down all the kinky stuff!". This is done with finality early on in the book by killing off a certain ongoing character. There is also no trace of the mild kinkiness between Morgan & Brian which closed the last book. About all that is left of that is Lugh's desire to live in a ghostly menage-a-trois with Morgan and Brian.

So, after toning down the series atmospherics, how was the plot? Well, not good I'm afraid. It was as though Black wanted to close out this series and move on to something else, so she brought on a confrontation that seems very forced.

SPOILERS START HERE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Furthermore, she made the unusual and very unsatisfying choice to have the whole climax of the series entirely pass Morgan by. This is the kind of thing that happens in real life -- events rarely unfold as planned, but in fiction, for it to be satisfying the hero really needs to be involved in the story. In this case Morgan/Lugh is/are fighting traffic as the fate of two worlds is being decided and arrive only in time to watch it unfold as spectators. This was a wholly unsatisfying conclusion and was arrived at after a lot of unsatisfying prelude.

The series is not really "action adventure", but up until that conclusion, this installment was a bit talk-fest with council-meeting after council-meeting, leading up to the clever plan of "well, hell, let's brawl it out!".

And what did Morgan do in all of this? Well, she made a lot of coffee. In fact every other page she was making coffee. If she was feeling really emotional, she might drop the coffee grounds on the counter. Aside from that? Well, she went into dangerous situations without having her taser ready, and she fretted a lot about being attracted to both Brian & Lugh. She also came to the conclusion that her life had been a tragic mess until she was possessed by Lugh and taught meaningful life lessons. And you know something? I believe that about *this book's* Morgan. I sure don't believe it about the kick-butt exorcist we were introduced to in book one.

Exorcist Morgan Kingsley knows not to be complacent as no one has tried to killer in several months. However, because no one has made an attempt does not mean she should ignore her paranoia. Besides her boyfriend, Brian has issues with her sharing her human body with demon king Lugh.

Meanwhile Lugh ironically may be inside an exorcist, but has not sat back idly. Instead on the Mortal Plain, Lugh has established a royal council. They have evidence that Lugh's traitorous brother Dougal has set in motion in Philadelphia at the Seven Deadlies demonic nightclub the openings salvo of another fratricide assassination attempt in order to take over as the ruler of all demons. Lugh knows he has no choice but to kill his brother or be killed while his hostess body jumps head first into the fray.

Trust is the key to the latest superb Kingsley urban fantasy as the heroine distrusts everyone except to e a degree Brian and she has no choice with Lugh. The monarch has to rely on the obstinate Morgan to do the right thing for both of them. With betrayal everywhere, Kingsley and Lugh know no one has their back to the delight of fans of this excellent saga as the overarching devilish theme moves forward (except when the heroine pukes in a toilet due to control shifts) to the anticipated war of the brothers.

Harriet Klausner

Okay so how to start reviewing the fifth and last book in a series with spoiling it? I have to admit I have no idea so I will just go with the flow.

I had high expectations for this book. So many things were left in the dark and I wanted everything to work out the way I planned it in my head. Okay as it seems that were not the same things Ms. Black had planned for her story but this doesn't has to be something bad.

The Devil's Playground is a great ending for this series but I expected a bigger bang as the big showdown. After all this struggling and planning over the last few books I was a bit letdown with the way it worked out. But when I think about it now I have to admit it was a nice ending. I enjoyed the book from the first to the last page so perhaps I'm only sad that it's over.

Morgan as a character matured through all the books and I have to say she is a different person now. In book one she was such an explosive and untrusting girl. Now she can really make decisions and she knows how important it is to have someone to trust who has you back no matter what. I really like that the development was slow because it would have been wrong any other way. She was a bit damaged good at the start and it needs time to fix that.
Relationship-wise I was a bit disappointed. I expected something more. I wanted...not sure if I should say that now. But let it be said that I didn't get it. Me sad again. Okay so now I hope I will get my will in the short story Ms. Black will publish in an Anthology. At least something.

All in all the Morgan Kingsley series is a great urban fantasy with durty demon action and a faced paced story arc. Highly recommended to all lovers of this genre.

I strongly recommend you read the previous books in this series (Devil Inside, The Devil You Know, The Devil's Due and Speak of the Devil) prior to reading this book.

The basis for my review is pure entertainment factor alone. At last the Morgan Kingsley's journey has come to an end. IMO this was the best of book in the series. Morgan had such a huge transformation in this installment. She's gone from pig headed and irritating to only marginally annoying. I'm really going to miss Lou, he was a class act unlike Brian who was just as annoying as Morgan. I've always loved the creativity and originality of this series and overall, I am very pleased that the series ended on a high-note, instead of going on forever. If Jenna black were to release more Morgan Kingsley books in the future, I would definitely read them.

I also recommend:
The Iron Hunt (Hunter Kiss, Book 1)
Witch Craft (Nocturne City, Book 4)
Personal Demons
The Scent of Shadows (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 1)
Black Magic Sanction (Rachel Morgan, Book 8)

Morgan Kingsley is the best and strongest known exorcist around. Within her dwells Lugh, the demon king that is attempting to stop his brother, Dougal, from stealing the demon throne and turning the Mortal Plain into a playground for demons. Though Morgan used to believe all demons were bad and any human that voluntarily allowed himself to be possessed by one was insane, Morgan now realizes her bigotry of demons blinded her to how much they actually help mankind.

By Morgan's side is Brian, her lawyer boyfriend who is going through bouts of jealousy over Lugh. Why? Because Lugh is always present, even though Morgan is the one in control of her body when awake. Morgan and Brian are never alone, even when intimate. It does not help that Lugh is incredibly sexy and tries his best to seduce Morgan in dreamland. Also on Morgan and Lugh's side are the members of Lugh's royal council on the Mortal Plain. Since Lugh fights for humans and demons, not all of his royal council members are demon.

When Shae, the opportunistic owner of The Seven Deadlies demon club, informs Morgan that a sudden large influx of demons (in the bodies of unwilling humans) have been showing up recently, there is little doubt that Dougal is behind it. The time has finally come for Lugh and Dougal to come face-to-face.

***** FIVE STARS! This fifth installment of the series is finally on the store shelves, but will disappear rapidly as readers sprint to grab themselves a copy. With action, danger, and suspense an ever-constant presence, the pulse rate of readers will pound double-time as events escalate to the book's climatic ending. And believe me when I say this book has a very dramatic ending. Wow! Unforgettable and in-freaking-credible! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

A romance triangle is the least of Morgan's worries when a demon wants to kill her and the demon she possesses.

Morgan Kingsley is an exorcist, probably the best in the world. Therefore, it is ironic that she is possessed by the demon King Lugh. Morgan and her boyfriend have been through a lot together, but Brian may have reached his limit.

Lugh reveals to Morgan that not only does he desire her, but he desires Brian as well. Brian doesn't take well to the news that he has to accept Lugh with Morgan as a package deal, so he pushes Morgan away. Morgan realizes it will take some time for Brian to come to terms with it, and she grants him that space, even though it hurts.

When Shae, the owner of the Seven Deadly Sins Club, comes to Morgan with information about a sudden influx of demons showing up lately, in unwilling human hosts, Morgan and Lugh believe Dougal is behind it. Dougal is Lugh's brother and he will do anything to get the throne, even kill Lugh. But to get to Lugh, he'll have to go through Morgan first, and she hopes that Lugh's Royal Council has a good enough plan that they can all live through.

THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND is a sensational addition to the Morgan Kingsley series. There is a lot of character growth for Morgan and Brian, as well as real progress with the problem of Dougal trying to take over Lugh's throne. Romance, turmoil, character conflict, and a page-turning plot mesh together admirably. Paranormal and urban fantasy fans will love this!

This whole series has had it's ups and downs, different I'd say, not urban fantasy but dark urban fantasy all the way. Still enjoyed it and will be sad to think it's over.

It's time for the showdown every reader of this series has been waiting for: will demon king Lugh defeat his brother Dougal? Morgan Kingsley is an exorcist who is possessed by the king of Demons. She hated it at first, but Lugh has become a part of her life. Even her boyfriend is dealing with Lugh's presence. But now they have to finally face Dougal once and for all.

Morgan has struggled with her relationships with both Brian and Lugh. Lugh makes it clear that he enjoys the relationship between Morgan and Brian and Brian has to deal with that knowledge. The sex in the previous novels has been hot, whether in Morgan's head with Lugh or in real life with Brian. There isn't as much sex in this book, but the relationships - the love triangle between them - finally get what resolution it's going to have. The Devil's Playground is a great (possible) finale to a fantastic series. Fans of the series will love this book!

Niki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Jenna Black's Morgan Kinglsey series has been an uneven mix of good and mediocre entries. `The Devil's Playground' belongs in the latter category. The novel begins promisingly enough with an opening chapter that has the feel of a pulp fiction detective story, reintroducing the nasty and devious Shae, proprietress of the shady Seven Deadlies demon club. Shae is a character that really should have been made better use of over the series. Her introduction in the first book, The Devil Inside, was one of the most compelling elements in that novel and I had hoped that she would become one of Morgan's arch foes in the series. Disappointingly, for me, this did not happen.

Lugh is King of the Demon Realm and he resides in Morgan's body: demons are incorporeal on the mortal plain. They inhabit usually willing human hosts. Some rogue demons take their hosts illegally by force. Lugh's ruthless brother, Dougal, has ambitions to wrest the throne from him, killing Lugh if necessary. Meanwhile the novel's fast-paced opening fizzles out and we are soon inflicted with yet more relationship issues between Morgan and her tedious boyfriend, Brian.

Jenna Black is such a good writer that it's disappointing that the ideas that underpin this series have not really been developed. Morgan's occupation as an exorcist is not explored to any great extent. Indeed, over the series there are very few exorcisms performed. Dougal's threat has always been a mainstay, lurking in the background building in the reader an anticipation that is not really rewarded in `The Devil's Playground'. Given its subject matter and its length, this is a novel that should have delivered more action. Tellingly, the author's acknowledgments include one thanking someone "for helping me find my way out of the corner I wrote myself into near the end."

Although my overall feeling is that this series delivered less than I'd hoped, the basic idea of demons existing inside human hosts and the possibilities and handicaps that this notion presents is admirably inventive. It gives the author great scope for character development of the series' main cast. This is, in my opinion, the main success of the series.