By J.M. McDermott
Night Shade Books, $14.99, 232 pages
Never Knew Another tells the story of Corporal Jona, who is a demon’s child. While others of his kind may have hidden their true identity, Jona goes through life in a cocky and arrogant manner, doing what he wants, when he wants. His world is turned upside down when he meets Rachel Nolander, a newcomer to the area. She lives in fear and squalor as she is supported and tormented by her older brother Djoss. But Rachel is also a demon, a fact that terrifies even her. Never Knew Another is the story of how Jona and Rachel meet.
While the overall idea of Never Knew Another is interesting, the book is so poorly executed it was difficult to get through. The story is told from multiple perspectives and the book does not always clearly transition between one storyteller and another. The story opens with two unnamed individuals, presumed to be demon hunters, finding the remains of Jona. Using their magic, they track him back to his hometown looking for the places and people he interacted with. The book remains busy with a splintered plot line and too many tangential tasks to be completed.
Because this book is scattered in terms of who is telling the story and what the ultimate goals to be completed are, I do not recommend this book to others.
Reviewed by Rachel J. Richards
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