The Crow: Hellbound

Crow Rating: 4 1/2 Crows

Author: A.A. Antonsio

Published: July 2001 (300 pages)

Book Overview
Amy Darien and William (Billy) Max are two 18 year olds unexpectedly brought together at the age of 12, when unfortunate life circumstances caused them both to be assigned to a state-run home for kids. Both Amy and Billy have lived tortured lives. Amy has been haunted by the voices of demons since her birth. These voices intensified after her junkie mother abandoned Amy at an early age. Misdiagnosed as being mentally ill, Amy has suffered alone most of her life. Billy Max, abandoned at a young age as well, has been both mentally and physically scarred from the abuse incurred from his mother and life in general. Amy and Billy, though each different on the inside, have evolved from being friends, to falling in love. They are now 18, free to make their own place in the real world. But they cannot escape the pain, which seems to be their lot in life. Billy, due to his upbringing, or lack there of, has made some bad decisions. His choice to run drugs for a local businessman, along with a past liaison with a Satan worshiper leads to enormous distress for he and Amy and ultimately has the potential to destroy their hope for happiness. The forces of good and evil are vehemently combating each other to take control of Billy and Amy's lives. These forces are in the form of demons and angels. One such demon, Dren, is frantically trying to become an angel. However, his master, Satan, has dispatched other demons to bring him back. His quest to become an angel crosses paths with the tragedy that is about to occur in the lives of Amy and Billy. Together with the world of the Crow, good and evil battle for supremacy in not only the lives of Amy and Billy, but also in the entire realm of human existence.

Personal Thoughts
Readers are given one of the most compelling stories, yet, within the Crow realm, by the well-informed and agile mind of A.A. Attanasio. The story works on the premise that we all have angels and demons in our lives. These creatures control us, yet the majority of us have no sense of their existence. However, there are a few, like Amy Darien, who have the ability to see and hear them. The story of good versus evil has never before been told so wickedly and in such detail in a Crow story. Attanasio has brought great depth and knowledge to the tale. A section at the end of the book is devoted to a very detailed history of demons and angels. This informative section gives insight to a lot of the rituals and characters found in the story.

I was a bit leery, at first, about the story. The first 40 or so pages focus on Dren, the demon trying to break free of Hell, and the demons who would end up pursuing him. The reason for so much detail comes into focus as the story progresses. The non-traditional nature of the opening pages, as far as Crow stories go, foreshadows the unique story telling that is to come. The two main human characters, Billy and Amy, are wonderfully written. We are emotionally drawn into their plight and truly feel compassion for them. This is a tragic love story that, with each page, has you pulling for Amy and Billy to overcome their plight and find happiness when it seems all hope is lost. I found myself being surprised and emotionally drawn into the story to a depth unlike any of the previous Crow novels. I can honestly say that I have never before read a Crow story that defied all other commonly used themes and created its own world as well as Hellbound does. This story could very well be playing out, right now, in our own lives.

Hellbound is a continuation of the short story "Hellbent" by Attanasio which first appeared in the James O'Barr edited Crow short story compilation book "Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams". One of the best short stories in that book has now become one of the best novels, if not THE best, in the Crow series.

Where to find this book
This novel is out of print. You can, however, find it though retailers who have access to warehouses that may contain out of print items (Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Walden's, Hastings). You can also try Amazon.Com. They can conduct a search for out of print items. Another online place is eBay online auctions. Just go to www.ebay.com and do a search on "The Crow" from the book section.