SECOND SUMMONING

Keeper's Chronicles #2

by Tanya Huff

After closing the portal to hell, Claire and her talking cat, Austin, acquired a new companion--Dean, who was a Bystander and should not have remembered Keepers existed. But with Dean around, and a little of her sister Diana's meddling--the world is heading for Chaos, and Claire is about to face a challenge beyond her wildest imagination.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Humor, Magic

Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Tanya Sue Huff is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood Ties.

Reviews

[Lois Bujold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to Summon the Keeper, which should be read first. The further adventures of itinerant patcher of holes-to-evil Claire Hansen and her handsome sidekick/former innocent bystander Dean McIssac, now with added annoying teenage sister, and an inadvertently summoned angel and demon highly confused by their respective placements in gendered, fully human bodies with all that this entails. More Canadian humor, weather, scenery, and cats.

I enjoyed it enough to want to keep an eye out for the third one, which is pretty good for my rather jaded reading appetites at present.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huff's three Keeper's Chronicles books (which should be read in order; this is the second) are funny, light, entertaining, and very well written. The characters are quite realistically portrayed, the books are cleverly plotted, and readers who enjoy fun fantasy or cats or Canada should give them a shot.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another light, funny story, picking up shortly after the end of book one. Claire and Dean have been travelling around dealing with ghosts and other magical manifestations. Claire is wrestling with her feelings for Dean, and ends up sending him away. She then returns to Toronto, miserable, where she ends up helping older Keeper, Nalo, with a TTC-related manifestation. (Nalo has to be Tanya Huff's shout-out to Nalo Hopkinson.)
After some straight talking from everyone around her, Claire admits she was in the wrong and convinces Dean to return. Almost immediately after, a new, big Summoning occurs. Now Claire, and her younger sister Diana, are running around disagreeing with each other in fine sisterly style (many humourous arguments ensue) about the best way to deal with the problem. Austin is in fine form, commenting on the stupid creatures around him for all their foibles and attitudes, while insisting that no one is paying him attention.
Austin remains my favourite character in these stories, and by the end of this installment, there are two cats, one for each Keeper, making sure each Keeper keeps her priorities in line with what's really important, which is feeding cats.

[Lori S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still like Austin, Dean, and Diana, but Claire is a little too self-righteous. I'd forgotten that but about her character. Also, Hell arguing with itself is still funny.

[Kathryn Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again this book gets an extra star because of Austin, the talking cat. I thought this book was going to be better than the last one because we get to follow Diana as well. But, for some or other reason that I can't quite figure out, this book was tedious, I really had to push myself to finish it. The humour was still good, but not as good as the first book. I also wasn't really into the romance. At least this book better explained what exactly a Keeper does. What I did like is how the ending of this book managed to tie in with the first book. I'm really hoping that the final book in the trilogy is better--because of course I'm going to read it for the sake of Austin.

[Kara Babcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Claire Hansen returns in this sequel to Summon the Keeper . It’s rare that I manage to read the next book in a series in such close succession, but here we go! The Second Summoning embraces and builds upon certain elements of absurdity present in the first book. I admire how Tanya Huff can write urban fantasy that is simultaneously tense and intriguing yet also funny and lighthearted. However, the plot of this book didn’t entertain me as much as the first; I think this Huff series might just not be for me.

Spoilers for the first book ahead but not for this one.

Picking up shortly after the conclusion of the first book, The Second Summoning sees Claire and Dean have a fight over Dean’s continued association with her. Despite being in lurrrve, Claire is worried that Dean will get hurt (you know, standard superhero stuff). When they do finally consummate their love, it’s apparently sooooo good, so magically significant, that it leaves enough raw energy lying around to help jumpstart some shenanigans of Claire’s sister into a real, living embodiment of an angel. And where there’s an angel, there’s bound to be a demon….

I’m starting to realize that maybe being disinterested in sex is one of the reasons I am less enthusiastic about Huff’s writing in this series. Her Gale Women trilogy certainly mentions sex (and in semi-incestuous ways even), but I don’t know—something about this series just feels so horny, and it doesn’t work for poor, ace Kara! The constant innuendo about Claire and Dean’s relationship, followed by all the references to Samuel having genitals (oh my!) … I’m trying to register how much I didn’t enjoy this writing while not condemning it, because my goal is not to be prudish but instead communicate what didn’t work for me.

My favourite parts of the story probably involve the dynamic between Claire and her younger sister, Diana, who is an even more powerful Keeper but, of course, less mature. Diana acts not just as Claire’s foil but at times can even be an antagonist or anti-hero. Her fluid role in the story helps to keep things interesting. Ultimately, she and Claire are always on the same side—but as with her other series, this one demonstrates how Huff has a great handle on family dynamics and the ways in which family members will often be at odds over smaller issues even as they agree to work together on larger ones.

Like I said at the start of my review, the actual plot did very little for me. It is a lot of running around in Toronto, a lot of sex jokes, a lot of “isn’t being human weird but also kind of fun?” Though the stakes are arguably higher in this book, they don’t feel all that higher.

I guess my overall opinion of The Second Summoning is that it was fine as a distraction, a decent novel, but nothing I got excited about. I will read the last book in the trilogy because I have already bought it; I’m curious to see what Huff brings and whether it will alter my “meh” reaction.

Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Keeper Chronicles:
Summon the Keeper (1998, mmpb), #1
The Second Summoning, (2001, mmpb), #2

These are light, clever, agreeably-girly fantasy-romances set in Canada, featuring Claire, a modern-day witch; Austin, her familiar, an elderly, smartmouth cat; Dean, Claire's Newfie boyfriend; Diana, Claire's witchy teenage sister; and the Powers of Darkness!

The first book introduces the characters, who must close a Doorway to Hell in a rundown B&B. I liked it, but it had some slow stretches: "B+".

The Second Summoning moves along more briskly, has more cats, more angst-ridden teenagers, and more laughs: "A-".

Both books are pleasant rainy-day reads, with well-drawn characters, snappy dialog and, well, catty cats. As with all humor, your mileage may drastically vary, but #2 in particular kept me smiling. You should read #1 first.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

better than the previous one, funnier too.

[Andree · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's one of the books I semi-forgot was on my bookshelf!

Yeah, maybe 2.5 stars? Turns out there's probably a reason it took me years to get to this. I mean, I read the first one in/just after Kingston, which puts this on the shelf for probably 8ish years. I'd actually forgotten a lot of how the mythology worked. I picked it back up eventually though, well, enough to get by.

It doesn't quite get there (despite having magical cats). I do enjoy the setting. I enjoy that I pretty much know exactly where the "Elysian Fields Guest House" would have to be if it existed. I also really enjoyed how very Canadian it is (the demon showing gratitude and then cursing and declaring she was never manifesting in Canada again, and the discussions of how many hours it is possible to make the drive from Kingston to Halifax and back in were my favourite, oh also the snark in the direction of the Ontario Conservative government that pretty much places this in the Harris years...)

But on the other hand, I could have done without all the sexual jokes and such (all played for humour), and my biggest problem with this is that I find Diana, Claire's younger sister as annoying as all get-out.

I do enjoy that Dean is from Newfoundland though, and winds up in, well, essentially two degrees of separation conversations with every Newfoundlander he comes across. Also, accurate.

Essentially, it gets a lot of the details right, but maybe not the story as a whole?

2016 Reading Challenge - A book set in your home province

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay. I didn't love it as much as the first book in the series, but I liked it enough to finish it.

This time around, I felt like the story - and the author - were trying just a tad to hard to be continuously clever with the humour and the cheek. It had its moments, but it also went over the top a lot more than I saw in book 1. I did find myself rolling my eyes at points, and thinking: "okay, already, we get it! They're clever! They're funny!"

I also felt like this book dragged a bit for me about 100 pages in. It wrapped up okay, but I really feel like this could have told the story faster, with better pacing, and a little less angst on the parts of both Clair and Diana.

It was okay, but I'm not reading the third book, because Diana as the main character would get on my last nerve REALLY quickly. I don't care if she IS the most powerful Keeper ever, she's still a seriously annoying teenager. No thanks!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, if anything, significantly more than the first book.

This was practically a completely new adventure for Claire and Diana and it was less romancy, although sex still was a central conflict. And the cat continued to be the runaway star. This makes me want to read some of Tanya Huff's other works, despite recommendations against.

There are a lot of references to Canadian geography which are mostly relevant to locals, but its still very entertaining, the dynamics between the characters and the magic adventures.

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot of this one doesn't do much for me, but the DETAILS pop up hilarious left and right.

[Chrystopher’s Archive]

DNFing this for the same reason I bailed on Diane Duane's Young Wizard series - which this actually quite reminded me of - that is to say, for entirely me reasons.

I have so, so many sticky feelings about sibling rivalry subplots and I just can't do them, unless they're done like Magic for Liars, which is a whole other kettle of fish.

ANyway, this is really fun urban fantasy with a talking cat and if you liked the Young Wizards series, I feel like you'll also really enjoy this.

[Erika Sellers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the first book in this series, it was an uncomplicated but fun read. The characters from the first book made another appearance and were clearly recognizable. Relationships progress but there really isn’t much character development. I found the book entertaining but not deep or really thought provoking.

[Olga Godim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reread, but after a dozen years, it reads like new. And this is one of the rare cases when I want half a star: 3.5 stars.

As the second novel in a series, this one has to do with several familiar characters from book #1: Claire, the snarky Keeper, her lover Dean, and the cat Austin.
(See my review of book #1 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
The other players in this novel include:
• Claire’s younger sister Diana, a seventeen-year-old budding Keeper with tremendous potential
• Samuel, an angel, looking like a teenage boy
• Byleth, a demon, looking like a teenage girl
The action takes place at Christmas time, all over Ontario, as Claire races from place to place in an attempt to find and banish both the angel and the demon and restore the balance to the universe.

Contrary to Claire’s claims to the protagonist’s role, the real stars of this show are Samuel and Byleth. The embodiments of good and evil respectively, they have been brought into the world as beings of the opposite genders by accident. According to the Keepers’ lore, angels are supposed to be genderless. But as Samuel acquires genitalia during manifestation, thanks to a zealous father of a teenage girl, so Byleth is forced by the metaphysical rules to manifest with the opposite genitalia.
Thrust into the world they don’t know, both teenagers struggle to understand the society and their place in it. On top of that, they must work out their own emotions and physical urges. The perplexing truth is that aside from the occasional angelic or demonic splashes, both act like typical modern teenagers (or as typical as the childless writer could imagine.)
Reflecting her origins as an actual hell-spawn, Byleth comes through surly and spiteful, ready to perform evil deeds, but the kindness of strangers repeatedly thwarts her attempts to infuse hell into Canada. The above-mentioned kindness transforms her as well, erasing her evil matrix and substituting it with the makeup of an abused, rebellious street girl. Unfortunately, not much of a difference is evident on the surface.
Samuel, on the other hand, acts heavenly, which is a euphemism for a busybody. Predictably, by telling people the un-sugared truth, he offends and insults those he tries to help. His angelic bumbling brings forth a realization: our society is not based on truth but rather on politeness and, to a degree, on tolerance or indifference. It takes time for an angel to grasp those concepts and behave accordingly.
The juxtaposition of Samuel’s saintly code and Canadian reality makes for a few good jokes. The readers also laugh, as Samuel comes to terms with his male parts and their often inexplicable, hormone-induced movements. The antics of the young angel lighten the story considerably, remodeling it from a gloomy wannabe apocalypse to a farce.
But I have a bone to pick with Ms. Huff: I think it’s stereotypical of her to cast a girl as a demon and a boy as an angel, which equals the Bible’s position on the sexes. Nothing I’ve read in this novel would make it impossible to switch the genders. It might’ve actually been even more entertaining if the boy were a ‘demon’ and the girl – an ‘angel’. Furthermore, Byleth doesn’t seem to struggle with her femininity as much as Samuel does with his manliness. She seems to know instinctively how to handle her gender. Another bias on the writer’s part?
Despite this one little objection, I enjoyed the novel. Its pace is fast, its dialog hilarious, and its ambience purely Canadian. Recommended.

[Narilka · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not as funny as the first book, I did find this entertaining. I liked the concept a lot of keeping the balance between darkness and light through an angel and demon being exact power balances for each other when they manifested. It's was unfortunate for both of them that they didn't manifest as, ah, expected, though it did make other people's reactions to them interesting and that their portions in the middle of the book had pacing issues. I also liked that the story ties back to the first book at the end.

[Jeremy Preacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I scared the cats by laughing too hard several times while reading this. The idea of an angel and a demon taking flesh on Earth as hormonal teenagers during Christmastime leaves plenty of openings for hilarity, and I don't believe Huff missed a single one.

[Lindig · Rating 4 out of 5]

getting just a trifle "chick-lit-y"

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and funny urban fantasy with a cat.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this trilogy has been SO much fun! Lovers of comedy, paranormal and cats will fall into this world with relish. I really hated to see it come to an end.

[Natty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even funnier than the first, always a fun read.

[Culture-Vulture · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nowhere as good as the first book in the series.

[Laurin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part 2 of a series (The Keeper Chronicles), that began with Summon the Keeper. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and the second was just a continuation of the first. We still have Claire, Dean, and Austin (the best character in the series), but we also get more of Claire's sister, Diana, and her new friend, Sam. This time they're trying to find an angel and a demon who have been thrust into the mortal realm into the bodies of teenagers.

Admittedly the set up for this one is a little *hmm, ok Tanya, whyyy* (you'll know what I mean when you read it), but once the story gets going it's entertaining to the end. The way Huff treats the teens is humorous and clever, and just pretty darn good.

And I won't say anything else besides omg SAM!!

Read this if you enjoyed the first book and want more of Claire, Dean, and Austin. Or want to get to know Diana more. She is pretty cool, too.

I gave it three stars because for me:
1 star = I couldn't even finish it it was so awful
2 stars = I finished it but only because I was curious about how it ended
*3 stars = I enjoyed the story but don't intend to ever read it again
4 stars = I really liked the story, may read again, and definitely recommend
5 stars = I love it and own it and will read it again

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow-up to Summon the Keeper further develops Claire and Dean's relationship and its initial difficulties inasmuch as it's someone magical and has a lot of responsibilities with a more normal guy. The first time they have sex, it acts in tandem with other factors to bring an angel into the world, only it's an angel who has genitalia when he's well aware he shouldn't. This also results in a teenage girl demon materializing and trying to cause trouble, only to encounter so many polite people that she doesn't have much luck. How they both interact with the world, or more specifically with Canada, makes for some amusing moments. There's a recurring joke in this, continuing from the first book, that everybody from Newfoundland knows each other, or at least knows some of the same people, probably a stereotype I hadn't previously come across. Claire's younger sister Diana is given a more significant role here. And we're informed that angels aren't all that different from cats.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It helps a lot to think of the first Keeper novel as a short prequel to this one, since the first mostly sets up the characters and relationships but doesn't go a whole lot of anywhere, while the plot picks up the pace in this Second Summoning. Freed from being tied to a backwater guesthouse for the rest of her Keeper career, Claire drives off into the sunset with Dean and his well-maintained truck, sassy cat along to provide color commentary on the foolishness of human hearts. Things start to work out a little too well when the power of their finally requited joy (HA!) results in an angel and a demon stepping into this reality. The light and very dry humor woven throughout this one feels like an extended joke about how polite and friendly Canadians stereotypically are, e.g, when the demon's efforts to sow destruction results in nothing more than a requirement to apologize for being rude.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only are Claire and Dean are together keeping evil out of the world. Aided (?) by Austin the cat. Younger sister Diana is bored at high school and jumps in when a spell she put on prom gets mixed up with inadvertent sex magic from Claire and Dean, a depressed fellow student summoning an angel of her dreams and an angry father to manifest a teenage angel with working male parts. But that much good in the world has to be evened out, by a teenage female demon. The sisters each believe she knows what to do but don't agree on what that is.

Great adventure and dialogue. Fun story with laughs, tender moments, sibling rivalry and cats.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just don't think that this series is for me. I enjoyed Tanya Huff's Torin Kerr series well enough; it was entertaining, though not earth-shattering. In this series, Huff seems to be going for that tongue-in-cheek tone reminiscent of something like Good Omens, but that brand of funny fantasy isn't my favorite. On top of that, Clare is so self-righteous and patronizing that even a talking cat and the role-reversal of a born-sexy-yesterday male didn't significantly improve my reading experience.

[Brit (Circus_of_Damed) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series main plus for me is the humor and the funny character interactions. Austin and his sassy self is just perfect, he exactly what you expect from a talking cat. These positives are high, however there are certain character aspect I findalittle frustrating. Mostly the annoying traits of know it all teen who constantly messes up, and the arrogant holier then thou character. Which are both prevelant in this series and are my main cause of frustration and cause these enjoyable books get middle of the road ratings.

[Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is better than the first, even though just like the first, it mixes up gender and biological sex, haha.

Anyways, I appreciate the occasional humor where the author doesn't take it super seriously. The random bringing up of sexual stuff sometimes is kinda weird but I think that's just the author's style.

I'll be reading the next one, but probably mostly because I always feel a need to finish book series'.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I haven't listened to the first one in some time so it took a bit for me to catch up with the characters. The narration is excellent, however, and I was back with it in short order.

It reads like the first book was setting up the world and the main characters and this book is setting up the secondary characters. It will be interesting to see what direction it's going in.

The romance isn't overly heat filled, the story is mostly a mystery.