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Keeper's Chronicles #3
Long Hot Summoning
In Tanya Huff's delightful new follow-up to her acclaimed bestsellers, Summon the Keeper The Second Summoning a force from the Otherside threatens to break through to our world and destroy the balance between Light and Darkness. Unless, of course, the Keepers Claire and Diana-two sisters who are able to reweave the possibilities of time and space-can prevent a permanent rift between worlds...at the local shopping mall.
413 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 6, 2003
63 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Huff
151 books2,446 followersTanya 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 15, 2011
Embarrassingly, I've read it before, but didn't realize until we hit the mall. Still, a good book, Huff is great with characters, and brings them to life well, whether a teenage girl, a cat or a mummy. I like the consistency and moral code of her characters; Huff doesn't make them act inconsistently to move the plot along. I enjoyed the part about Dean and Austin's hotel adventures a great deal, and would have enjoyed learning more about the situation. Unfortunately, I'm pretty certain I never read the first two books, and I'm not sure it's meant to be completely stand-alone. I made a number of assumptions about the "Keepers," but the magic system isn't well explained, dealing partly in "probabilities." Eventually, Claire meets up with another teenage girl in the Otherlands, so some things are explained through Claire explaining to her. The story never conveys a real sense of menace, probably partly because that probability hasn't fully actualized yet. Confused? Me too. Still, it's an enjoyable light read.
November 21, 2018
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this last book in the trilogy, though not as much as books one and two. This was because Claire’s younger sister Diana had too large a part in this story. I found her annoying in small doses in the previous books, and to have her figure so much in this story made several scenes somewhat irksome. That said, Claire’s and Diana’s constant sniping at each other was sometimes pretty funny.
What was laugh-out loud funny often was Austin and Dean hanging out together. Austin’s frequent rationale for his actions and statements: “I’m a cat”, rang totally true, having lived with the beasties for years. And Austin’s “kibble brain” insult of Dean had me grinning.
I found the ending, while wrapping up the hellhole thread started in book one, left me wondering what new incidents Claire would have to deal with, and what happens next with Austin.
What was laugh-out loud funny often was Austin and Dean hanging out together. Austin’s frequent rationale for his actions and statements: “I’m a cat”, rang totally true, having lived with the beasties for years. And Austin’s “kibble brain” insult of Dean had me grinning.
I found the ending, while wrapping up the hellhole thread started in book one, left me wondering what new incidents Claire would have to deal with, and what happens next with Austin.
April 29, 2021
The young sister is rarely as cool as the older sister (sorry, Dawn), but Claire and Diana and Dean and everybody's hero Austin all do their part to keep Canada (and most importantly the mall) safe from the forces of evil. Elves and mummies and all manner of amusing and interesting figures from various mythologies play a part, too. It's light fare, a lot of fun, quite well written, and a shame that this is the final book of their adventures.
June 15, 2013
Third in the series starting with Summon the Keeper. More cats and Canadian jokes, plus mall elves and a romance for the annoying little sister from the prior volumes. The Midwestern ambiance of Ontario is not so different from that of Ohio, below that big moat that makes Ohioans forget their state is on an international border.
Very topical settings tend to give books a short sell-by date, but this one (first published 2003) is surviving its aging into being a historical novel reasonably gracefully.
Ta, L.
Very topical settings tend to give books a short sell-by date, but this one (first published 2003) is surviving its aging into being a historical novel reasonably gracefully.
Ta, L.
July 15, 2023
Almost a exactly a year ago, I read the first and second books in The Keeper Chronicles. Now we conclude this trilogy with Long Hot Summoning. Tanya Huff increases the role of Claire’s younger sister, Diana, giving her a Summoning of her own and more responsibility for saving the world. It’s a fresh and fun adventure with much of the charm but also most of the flaws of the first two books. Also, the cover art is very DAW and very early 2000s and quite honestly I love it.
Diana has graduated high school, which officially means she is an active Keeper. She couldn’t be more thrilled. Her first Summoning comes as she walks out of high school on her last day, and it takes her to familiar territory: Kingston. Normally Claire’s domain, this Summoning requires the most powerful Keeper—and as the second child, that’s Diana. Along with Claire and their respective cats (Sam, a former angel; and Austin, a curmudgeon of a cat if ever there was one), they need to stop an evil shopping mall from manifesting in this dimension.
I enjoyed this much more than Second Summoning. I’m not sure if I just prefer Diana’s perspective to Claire’s or if the new main character just made things more interesting. This book is also less frenetic in setting than Second Summoning was: most of it takes place in the mall (albeit a distorted, Otherside version thereof), with secondary scenes back at Claire’s bed and breakfast. There’s also less snarky Hell banter, which I think helps as well.
I still struggled with the constant low-level horniness of all the characters. On the one hand, I don’t want to pan the book too much for this because, hey, normalize female protagonists being horny on main (including Diana, who is very obviously queer in this book, yay!). On the other hand, as a sex-averse aro/ace gal, the background horniness does little for me and is, if anything, a distraction.
As with the previous books, the way that Hell manifests as a general nefarious force that slowly aggregates its sentience into a single being is an interesting concept on paper but a less interesting concept … well, on paper. The book lacks a strong antagonist, and while we are constantly told that the stakes are high and the Otherside winning would be Bad, it never really seems to manifest. At the same time, the mummy subplot involving Dean, while fun, also feels very trite and predictable.
I am working my around to this opinion of Tanya Huff as an author: I really like her sense of humour and her writing, but I don’t know that I actually love her books all that much? Like I heartily recommend her to other people but I can’t call her one of my personal faves—and I guess that’s all right.
Not as good as the Gale Women series in terms of story, stakes, or characterization. But still a fun, undemanding read for a weekend on the deck.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Diana has graduated high school, which officially means she is an active Keeper. She couldn’t be more thrilled. Her first Summoning comes as she walks out of high school on her last day, and it takes her to familiar territory: Kingston. Normally Claire’s domain, this Summoning requires the most powerful Keeper—and as the second child, that’s Diana. Along with Claire and their respective cats (Sam, a former angel; and Austin, a curmudgeon of a cat if ever there was one), they need to stop an evil shopping mall from manifesting in this dimension.
I enjoyed this much more than Second Summoning. I’m not sure if I just prefer Diana’s perspective to Claire’s or if the new main character just made things more interesting. This book is also less frenetic in setting than Second Summoning was: most of it takes place in the mall (albeit a distorted, Otherside version thereof), with secondary scenes back at Claire’s bed and breakfast. There’s also less snarky Hell banter, which I think helps as well.
I still struggled with the constant low-level horniness of all the characters. On the one hand, I don’t want to pan the book too much for this because, hey, normalize female protagonists being horny on main (including Diana, who is very obviously queer in this book, yay!). On the other hand, as a sex-averse aro/ace gal, the background horniness does little for me and is, if anything, a distraction.
As with the previous books, the way that Hell manifests as a general nefarious force that slowly aggregates its sentience into a single being is an interesting concept on paper but a less interesting concept … well, on paper. The book lacks a strong antagonist, and while we are constantly told that the stakes are high and the Otherside winning would be Bad, it never really seems to manifest. At the same time, the mummy subplot involving Dean, while fun, also feels very trite and predictable.
I am working my around to this opinion of Tanya Huff as an author: I really like her sense of humour and her writing, but I don’t know that I actually love her books all that much? Like I heartily recommend her to other people but I can’t call her one of my personal faves—and I guess that’s all right.
Not as good as the Gale Women series in terms of story, stakes, or characterization. But still a fun, undemanding read for a weekend on the deck.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
April 29, 2025
Claire, Diana and Sam are off to save the world from a mall turning evil while Dean and Austin keep things running smoothly at the Guest House in Long Hot Summoning, the final book in the Keeper's Chronicles trilogy by Tanya Huff.
This was so much fun! The story features more Canadian jokes, mall elves, King Arthur, a mummy, multiple Othersides, a fanatical research student, a former angel and, everyone's favorite cat, Austin. Plus Hell still likes to argue with itself which I find hilarious. I greatly enjoyed how the story went back and forth between events at the mall and keeping us up to date on how Dean and Austin were doing. Sam learning how to cat was too precious. This was a satisfying ending to the trilogy.
This was so much fun! The story features more Canadian jokes, mall elves, King Arthur, a mummy, multiple Othersides, a fanatical research student, a former angel and, everyone's favorite cat, Austin. Plus Hell still likes to argue with itself which I find hilarious. I greatly enjoyed how the story went back and forth between events at the mall and keeping us up to date on how Dean and Austin were doing. Sam learning how to cat was too precious. This was a satisfying ending to the trilogy.
August 6, 2007
You always knew malls were evil... Hilarious third book in the Keeper Trilogy.
September 26, 2023
Well this book had 2 talking cats, Austin and Samuel, they were both awesome, so rating 2 stars for that and 1 star for the rest of the book. I do think this book was better than the previous one in the series. We followed Diana quite a lot, and she is much more likable than Claire. I did like the little side stories that Dean and Austin went through at the guesthouse while the others were gone. Again, the humour was there, it is just that the writing style is all over the place, and the main story isn't that strong. If you love cats, then maybe read this series. If not, then there are better urban fantasy series' out there to spend your time on.
June 5, 2023
It just got weird. There was a lot of back and forth between the Otherside and reality with an overuse of cliches and not much holding the story together. I felt like it was a somewhat disappointing ending to an otherwise fun but not great series.
September 2, 2017
More cats, more hilarity, more canadian references. Definitely the best of the bunch. *thumbs up*
November 9, 2019
So very silly, and very fun.
July 7, 2022
the best one of the trilogy, it made everything worth it
will never forget that one scene
will never forget that one scene
March 2, 2014
Title in German:
Die Chroniken der Hüter 3: Hüte sich wer kann
On her last school day Diana is already summoned for the first time as an active keeper. Her task leads her to Kingston where Claire, Dean and cat Austin run the Hotel Elysium. At the local Shopping Mall hell tries once again to take over world domination and Diana, Claire and their cats Sam and Austin prepare for battle..
Again Tanya Huff has written a humorous book interlaced with characters out of mythology like King Arthur, elves, an evil mummy and some egyptian gods. And hell with its split personality IS BACK hoping to kick the keepers´asses instead the other way around and getting kicked its own. This time Dean and Austin have been left behind and have to survive their own adventure with a life energy sucking mummy at the Hotel.
Although I think the humor in book one was more hilarious and weird than in this one I really enjoyed reading it and I´m sorry to say goodbye to the keepers. I really would like to meet Claire, Diana and their witty cats again somtime in the future…
Die Chroniken der Hüter 3: Hüte sich wer kann
On her last school day Diana is already summoned for the first time as an active keeper. Her task leads her to Kingston where Claire, Dean and cat Austin run the Hotel Elysium. At the local Shopping Mall hell tries once again to take over world domination and Diana, Claire and their cats Sam and Austin prepare for battle..
Again Tanya Huff has written a humorous book interlaced with characters out of mythology like King Arthur, elves, an evil mummy and some egyptian gods. And hell with its split personality IS BACK hoping to kick the keepers´asses instead the other way around and getting kicked its own. This time Dean and Austin have been left behind and have to survive their own adventure with a life energy sucking mummy at the Hotel.
Although I think the humor in book one was more hilarious and weird than in this one I really enjoyed reading it and I´m sorry to say goodbye to the keepers. I really would like to meet Claire, Diana and their witty cats again somtime in the future…
September 24, 2007
I picked up the Keeper Chronicles after reading/watching Tanya Huff's Blood Ties series. (Now a tv series on Lifetime.) I really like Tanya Huff's ability to write a good book with likeable characters...and I love her great sense of humor!
The star of this series, in my eyes, is the cat, Austin. He talks...in exactly the way you would expect a cat to talk. He knows everything, is full of attitude and actually made me laugh out loud while reading this book (on a plane).
This trilogy is just a lot of fun. It's a great light fantasy read with some interesting mythology and a lot of laughs. I love that about Tanya Huff. She's not afraid to take a little bit different angle on mythology to make it her own..and she doesn't take herself too seriously.
The star of this series, in my eyes, is the cat, Austin. He talks...in exactly the way you would expect a cat to talk. He knows everything, is full of attitude and actually made me laugh out loud while reading this book (on a plane).
This trilogy is just a lot of fun. It's a great light fantasy read with some interesting mythology and a lot of laughs. I love that about Tanya Huff. She's not afraid to take a little bit different angle on mythology to make it her own..and she doesn't take herself too seriously.
February 8, 2009
This one was my favorite of the three - even more enjoyable than the first two. The dark side taking over a mall, a talking mirror, Austin and Sam the cats who are as irascible as ever, and Diana is a very likable hero with a sarcastic edge. The relationship that Huff creates between competitive but loving sisters Diana and Claire is on target (reminds me of my own relationship with my younger sister). Great reading for a December weekend when I needed real R & R and non-school-related reading mateiral.
May 7, 2011
Diana gets to take center stage as she graduates from high school and becomes a full-time keeper. Her summons takes her and Sam to a shopping mall where street kids are evolving into elves to fight the evil.
What I enjoyed:
* Great sense of humor. The cats (Austin and Sam) get great lines.
* How magic works in this world.
* The sibling rivalry between Claire and Diana seems very realistic.
* King Arthur.
What could have been better:
* I would have preferred to have Dean and Austin stay with Claire, but their own story was interesting.
What I enjoyed:
* Great sense of humor. The cats (Austin and Sam) get great lines.
* How magic works in this world.
* The sibling rivalry between Claire and Diana seems very realistic.
* King Arthur.
What could have been better:
* I would have preferred to have Dean and Austin stay with Claire, but their own story was interesting.
August 13, 2007
Very good series for fans of modern fantasy (more general magic than demons/werewolves/vampires type books).
September 20, 2014
Quite funny and fun, but less engaging than the previous two books. Diana is an amusing character but she lacks the charm of Claire in a lot of ways.
May 25, 2018
This one was not as good, the back and forth in the mall seemed endless, and the constant tongue in cheek/snarky commentary wore thin after a while.
April 1, 2019
No thank you, I got bored.
March 20, 2025
A real let down after the first two.
March 12, 2019
This book is the 3rd in a series (The Keeper Chronicles), and was preceded by "Summon the Keeper" and "The Second Summoning". It follows closely after the events of the second book and takes a more 50-50 approach to Claire and Diana's perspectives. We also get Dean, and Austin and Sam (the best characters in the series, by far).
Another wacky setup to this one, but I admire Huff for coming up with a cooky idea and sticking with it. She tells her weird stories well, with relatable characters and fun folklore/magical references. This time Diana and Claire are in a shopping mall on "the other side," trying to stop a Hell portal from opening up. They have mall-rat teens and King Arthur(?) on their side.
Read this if you've read the first two and want to see how Diana and Claire's (and Austin and Sam's) story concludes. It's pretty much more of the same as the first two books, so if you liked them you will undoubtedly like these. Don't read this if you haven't read the other two. You'll just spoil them for yourself.
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
Another wacky setup to this one, but I admire Huff for coming up with a cooky idea and sticking with it. She tells her weird stories well, with relatable characters and fun folklore/magical references. This time Diana and Claire are in a shopping mall on "the other side," trying to stop a Hell portal from opening up. They have mall-rat teens and King Arthur(?) on their side.
Read this if you've read the first two and want to see how Diana and Claire's (and Austin and Sam's) story concludes. It's pretty much more of the same as the first two books, so if you liked them you will undoubtedly like these. Don't read this if you haven't read the other two. You'll just spoil them for yourself.
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
August 9, 2023
After reading Tanya Huff's Blood series and Smoke series, I looked for more books by this author. All I found was the Valor series, which I didn't think I was interested in. It turns out there is more out there in the minds of fantasy authors than just Vampires. It seems that Hell (or something much like it) is constantly trying to break into our world. Keepers protect us from that. When a breach shows up in the world, a Keeper is summoned. Well, this time it is a mall--the other side has taken over one of the stores and is expanding. Claire's younger sister has just graduated from high school and is summoned for this one. She quickly figures out she can't do this alone, so gets her sister. I have read all three of the Summoning novels and want more. Maybe I am ready to tackle the Valor series now.
December 1, 2019
The first book in this series was quite fun to read. After that, it's a steady downhill. Though the plot ideas are innovative and fun, the way it's been written is enough to give me brain cancer. "Snark" is heavily overdone, to the point of nausea. I got sick to the teeth of all the stupid "banter", especially from the two sisters. The way the second and third books unfolded made little sense.
Everything always works out "just so" for the two sisters "because". There are never any consequences to any of their questionable actions/bratty behaviours, none that they ever bear. It's stupid, that's all I can say. Stupid, as in STOOPID.
Imaginative plot, but very badly rendered. 🤕
I'm never reading anything by this author ever again. 🤢
Everything always works out "just so" for the two sisters "because". There are never any consequences to any of their questionable actions/bratty behaviours, none that they ever bear. It's stupid, that's all I can say. Stupid, as in STOOPID.
Imaginative plot, but very badly rendered. 🤕
I'm never reading anything by this author ever again. 🤢
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2021
Light urban fantasy with a panera-salad-size side of snark. I don't think I read anything profoundly mind changing, but it was fun hanging out with all five main characters (two keepers, two cats, one dean) as they confront evil in the shopping mall and complications from a mummy guest. I don't remember too much of the previous volumes and probably won't remember this one too much in the future, but that's okay; it is a safe read, with later Huff you can feel fairly sure the relationships end up fairly happily/squishy. I'm not sure what she has against minivans.
Audiobook, the narrator has some good accents (I don't actually know the Newfoundland accent, but he was pretty distinct) and the different voices are distinct. She actually sounded rather like the narrator in my own head.
Audiobook, the narrator has some good accents (I don't actually know the Newfoundland accent, but he was pretty distinct) and the different voices are distinct. She actually sounded rather like the narrator in my own head.
February 15, 2019
I like Summon the Keeper, but neither of the sequels really stand up to the first one. This final series entry is mostly from Diana's POV, and follows her and Claire as they try to figure out what's up at the mall.
It's a fine book, entertaining; however, the percentage of the text that is snarky jokes or vague unexplained allusions (maybe they make more sense to Canadians?) is too high. The mall plot is a bit thin to carry a book, and honestly Austin/Dean's adventures at the guesthouse are much more interesting. It's the guesthouse aspect that got me in to the series, after all.
It's a fine book, entertaining; however, the percentage of the text that is snarky jokes or vague unexplained allusions (maybe they make more sense to Canadians?) is too high. The mall plot is a bit thin to carry a book, and honestly Austin/Dean's adventures at the guesthouse are much more interesting. It's the guesthouse aspect that got me in to the series, after all.
June 29, 2017
A fitting end to the trilogy ! More humor only a teen could be capable of involving magic & Hell itself. The Keepers' Diana & her sister Claire, with the 2 cats, Sam & Austin, are called once again to battle the dark & save the world. Without telling more of the story ,be assured the reader is kept entranced from start to end.
July 10, 2017
With the younger sister taking lead in this novel - I felt my love for this series shrivel and die a little. The romance factor felt out of the blue/and forced. And whilst I liked the concept, and there was plenty of action to keep me turning the page - I wasn't invested as I have been in the past.
Okay, but not where I thought this series, or for that matter the characters were going.
Okay, but not where I thought this series, or for that matter the characters were going.
March 15, 2018
Wow
The sisters are on the otherside fighting the darkside in an alternate mall. They find allies to help them. You have to read it to see what happens!! Oh and Dean has to deal with a 3 thousand year old mummy!! Just another day in Kingston!! Please tell me there will be more oh please!!!
The sisters are on the otherside fighting the darkside in an alternate mall. They find allies to help them. You have to read it to see what happens!! Oh and Dean has to deal with a 3 thousand year old mummy!! Just another day in Kingston!! Please tell me there will be more oh please!!!
June 19, 2018
I love how Tanya Huff writes the perfect mix of sci-fi/fantasy that has both humor and a serious twist. No matter what series of hers I read I find myself thoroughly enjoying it. The main character in this is a kick butt heroine but not in the traditional sense and I love all of the secondary characters so very much, especially her cat.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews