Angel City by Jon Steele is book #2 in The Angelus Trilogy. I received my copy of the book as part of a Goodreads giveaway and it took me awhile to finish the book. I actually put it down after a hundred pages or so and could not continue. It took my awhile to figure out why and once I did I was able to restart the story and found myself involved and once again caring for the characters. I will explain that in a moment. But first, a little about Angel City and The Angelus Trilogy.
..."What is the day?" one said.
"Why should you care?" another answered.
"Because I should like to know the day of my death, if this is to be the day of my death."
"Then it is a Tuesday. I think."
Such fateful words were a soldier's words, the knight remembered thinking. And he remembered how he, too, tried to recall the day just in case this would be the day of his death. The fighter was correct, it was a Tuesday; first day of March. The day was named after the Norse god of war, Tiw; the month was named after the Roman god of war.
"Not a bad day to die," the knight said...
Angel City picks up where The Watchers; book one of The Angelus Trilogy leaves off. Years have passed and the two survivors of the attack upon Lausanne Cathedral by the dark Nephilim; Harper and Katherine have gone on with their lives. Their memories wiped clean of the past and the fallen friend Marc Rochat.
Katherine and her son Max have been moved to Washington State under the constant care of the Swiss Guard. Her every move watched and detailed. Those around her awaiting and preparing for every danger they know is coming.
Harper has returned to doing what he has always done. An angel who protects those in danger. Possessing a human body when it is close to death and then leaving it when it is again. For if Harper remains in the host body as it dies, he dies along with it. Only something has changed.
"You're telling me something happened to me during the cathedral job. Being exposed to the light...changed me."
"Actually, I'm not saying anything of the sort, Mr. Harper. I merely lay out the facts."
"What facts? That I bloody rose from the dead? That's not evolution, Inspector, that's a..."
"A what?"
"A miracle. And you and I know there's no such thing in paradise."...
Both something has changed and the carefully woven fabric of time and light that the Angels have wrapped around the world is unraveling and the war waged in the heavens has come down to Earth. Katherine is starting to remember. Harper is starting to remember. And the dangers that attacked them in the Lausanne Cathedral are strengthening to attack them again. Not only them but all the innocents who were born from the Angels. Innocents are being killed across the world and Katherine's baby Max is on the list.
Angel City is well written and as its own novel stands well. It is not just a bridge between book one and the upcoming finale in book three. The characters are expertly crafted and you can feel their struggle as they piece together memories and dreams of what once was and what may be coming.
What made this a difficult read for me at the outset was what was missing from this novel. That is Marc Rochat. The central character to book one, The Watchers, is such a powerful voice in the Angelus Trilogy that he is missed in his absence here. There are references to him throughout but for those who read book one, you know how strong of a character he was. Once I go past the fact that he died and the others lived I was able to continue the story.
Angel City is well written fantasy book with imperfect Angels and even less perfect humans who find a way save both the Heavens and the Earth.
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