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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The coming of age of Diana, June 27, 2003
I enjoyed the previous 2 books in this series, however I would have to say that this installment has been a distinct disappointment for me. The focus of the novels have now shifted to Claire's younger (and most powerful of the keepers as we are constantly reminded) gay sister Diana. Claire is still part of the story, but more of a sub plot, with Dean and Austin as a back story to the save-the-world-from-the-mall main storyline. Huff has tried to split the story between the two sisters, and in the process you feel like the novel lacks focus. A great deal of time is spent crawling around the mall trying to work out what is wrong and with a rather heavy handed "romance" developing between Diana and Kris, one of the street-people-turned elves inhabiting the mall. The whole Diana romance subplot seemed rather a waste in many ways as you never really do get to know much about Kris aside from the fact that Diana is attracted to her and in now way does it compare to the Dean/Claire storyline of the previous books. I'm sorry to say, that if this series continues to focus on Diana I'll probably drift away from it. As a character I like her much less than Claire, and in this particular novel I found the sub-story of Dean/Austin and the Mummy more interesting than what was happening at the mall, and Diana's constant little sister put downs of Claire didn't help me make like her any more as a person. For a novel that tries desperately to be witty and fast moving and contemporary I would have to say that the cats and Hell probably are the funniest bits of the story and this is the weakest installment in the Keepers series so far.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mall elves, angel-cats, and King Arthur, oh my!, May 25, 2003
So, what do you do when you're a Keeper who is just graduating High School? You're one of a valiant few who can alter reality and make sure that the various other worlds don't intrude on Earth too much. You keep mystical forces in balance. You have a talking former-angel, now-feline sidekick, and the whole world is opening up for you.
Well, you go save the world, of course. But when you're a young lesbian Keeper and the Otherside has decided to take an entire suburban mall and cram it full of evil, things might get a little out of control. Especially with the forces of good being made up mostly of runaway street teens who are turning into Mall-Elves, and being led by an Archetypal King Arthur (with boy-band looks and a leather ensemble). Definitely bring the cat.
This is the third in the "Keeper" series by Tanya Huff, and it's a blast. Diana, the heroine, just blasts out contemporary sarcasm throughout the tale, and as usual, the humour and punny nature of Evil is just a joy to read. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you too could find a saucy leather-clad Mall Elf.
'Nathan
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Mall From Hell, May 9, 2003
Long Hot Summoning (2003) is the third novel in the Keeper's Chronicles series, following The Second Summoning. The Keepers maintain the balance between good and evil. Their primary tool is possibility itself. Their task is to repair breaches between the Realities, such as here and Hell, as well as between the Realities and the Otherside, a universe of unresolved possibilities. Their companions are cats.
In this novel, Diana is attending her last day of high school when she discovers an anomalous bracelet, with the feel of the Otherside, on the wrist of a female jock. She learns that the bracelet has come from Erlking's Emporium in the Kingston mall. She and Sam, former angel turned cat, investigate and find the store managed by a Troll and full of Otherside items, including a pink magic wand. Moreover, Diana meets a magic mirror, Jack, who tells her that the mall is becoming a segue, an area accessible to more than one Reality. Jack really wants to get away from his owners and Diana promises to take him away ASAP.
Recognizing that the task is more than she can handle alone, Diana calls upon her sister, Claire, whom she finds kissing the boyfriend, Dean. After Diana gains their attention, Claire, Dean, and Claire's cat, Austin, discuss the situation and decide on their tactics. The next morning, Diana, Sam, Claire, and Austin try to sneak through the Erlking's Emporium into the Otherside; everybody but Austin makes it into a very similar, but distorted, mall. There they find Elves and the Immortal King.
Austin, whose path to the Otherside has been rejected by the possibilities, sneaks out to Dean in the parking lot of the Realside mall and they return to the Elysian Fields Guest House. Since time doesn't run the same on the Otherside, they don't even know how long they will have to wait for the others to return, so they carry on as usual. After the midget basketball team, nine dwarfs and a pale female manager, checks out, a Professor of Archaeology shows up with his Mummy and requests a room with a dehumidifier. Then Austin finds a dead mouse in that room.
This novel has much the same irreverent feel as Asprin's Myth series. Diana, however, reminds one more of Dairine in Duane's Young Wizards series, full of energy and power, with a gung-ho attitude. The cats are much like those in Duane's Book of Night with Moon/To Visit the Queen duology. The plot is reminiscent of Cook's Mall Purchase Night and Lisle's Mall, Mayhem and Magic. Despite the various similarities, the author has produced a book that is uniquely hers while being just as enjoyable as these other works. Definitely a keeper (sorry, couldn't resist).
Highly recommended to Huff fans, to the fans of Robert Asprin, Diane Duane, Rick Cook, and Holly Lisle, and to anyone who enjoys light fantasy with a cheeky attitude.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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