Angels Wolf
By: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Publishing
Publish Date: October 2011
Format: ARC
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Series: Anthology
Recommendation: If you like a tale of finding love. This is the story for you as it happens to Angels and vampires.
Book Synopsis:
Tales of alpha angels...from four alpha authors.
They soar through the night, unearthly creatures of legends and lore. Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance explore the rapture of the heavens above, and the darkness below in four all-new stories of angels and guardians, and good and evil.
First Sentence:
Nole had been given a promotion in being assigned to the lushgreen state of Louisiana, but the position was a double-edged sword.
My Thoughts and Summary:
This book is an anthology with 4 novellas. There are 4 of us reviewing each story separately. I have the first story. Please stop by the three fellow reviewers who are reviewing the other three stories. The stories are read by: (click to go to the other reviews)
Melissa (My World...in words and pages) - Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
Mihir (Fantasy Book Critic) - Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews
The Qwillery - Nocturne by Sharon Shinn
Bastard (Bastard Books and other crap) - Ascension by Meljean Brook
Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh
Noel is a vampire who is "promoted" to the Louisiana section under a 600 year old goddess looking Angel known for her strength and power to hold such an area for so long, Nimra. Noel looks at the promotion as he is being tossed away no longer the man he once was not so long ago, taking him from the spot in line for Senior position to a little guard. But since the attack that broke his body, then was brutially repaired by his vampire ability, he hasn't been quite the same. As Noel works to find out who tried to kill Nimra, in her own court, he learns there is more to this position than he thought and just might start to feel more inside since that deadly attack.
This novella of about 90 pages is a telling from both views of Noel and Nimra. I liked that we got both views here, to see a little of what each character is thinking. But this story took a while to get going for me, about half of the pages felt like description trying to set up the characters and world. It felt like so much time was spent here rather than the story. I didn't feel the sudden attraction Noel and Nimra felt for each other.
But as the story got going and secondary characters where introduced it felt to pick up some for me. The second half of the story is where I started to care more for the characters and getting to see the story unfold more helped. I liked the little mystery we had of finding the would be murderer and the way the story ended with Noel.
This is a short story of two strong characters finding comfort in someone unexpected that helps them through. And even a new spot in the world they thought they didn't belong in. And there is a little mystery here of finding the guilty party. A short love story if you will.
I was hoping to get a good feel for Nalini's writing as I've wanted to pick up her full novels, but I'm not sure after reading this novella. I might want to read a few pages before I pick it up.
I read this short story for an honest review.
I've read Nalini's Psy-Changeling series and I am now an old fan of it. But I haven't read her angel series... I wasn't so sure about that one. I always liked Nalini's author's voice so I am pretty sure I would like the angel series too... maybe... perhaps the angel series is not as good as the Psy-Changeling one...
ReplyDeleteOh it's a book in my wishlist ! I've just read the first one in the series of Nalini Singh and it was a nice book. Maybe it's just this novella, it's sometimes difficult with anthology. I hope the other one short stories are better. Thanks for your review !
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Psy-Changeling series-- I bet you would too. I'm on the third one now I think. I love that I don't have to wait since I'm behind:)
ReplyDeleteIs this story in one of her worlds or is it a stand alone?
90 pages sounds more like a novella than a short story. Maybe she's not used to writing short fiction? It's a difficult medium to master.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like stories with both POVs. But yes, I find that is the problem with shorts, you have to spend some time getting acquainted with the world and then when you do, it's over.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting way to do an anthology! Plus, I've been wanting to read this one. Too bad this didn't rock, but it is hard to do insta- connection in shorts. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI want it :D There are some great authors in this one, but then i have not read the Meljean books
ReplyDeleteCherry - I'm needing to try Nalini's Psy-Chaneling series. I'm really hearing some great things about it. And I wanted to try her Angel seires as well, which this is a short based on one of the characters in the second book. But maybe it's just that it's a novella. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMelliane - I'm wondering the same thing too. I've heard really good things about bothe of Nalini's series. I'm still thinking of giving them a try one day. :)
Brenda Hyde - Thank you! I've not started it yet, but I would like to try one of Nalini's series. And this is based off of one of her characters in the second book of the Angel series.
StephanieD - Thank you for catching that. I thought I changed all the short story to novella, but I missed one. So I changed it now. :) Thank you!
Missie - I like both views of the characters too. I like how we get a bigger picture with them both. :) But it was so detail oriented then it got going and it was over. *sigh* I might have to try the series out. :)
Melissa (Books&Things) - :) Thank yoU! It was a fun way to do the anthology with others. It is hard with the shorts. But I'm hoping to read the others here some day as well. :)
Blodeuedd - I hope you get this anthology and love it! :) I think you would. Thank you!
The Angel series is great - I started reading Nalini Singh through the Psy-Changeling series, and while I really like it, I much prefer the Angels series.
ReplyDeleteI liked this story, but it was really only a fix for me til the next full-length Angel story comes out later this year. I'm not sure if I would have been driven to buy any other books after this one if it had been my first intro to her work, though.
Still, I recommend picking up Angel's Blood. Lots of strong female characters and a really interesting world. And really well written.
Jen - Thank you. I do want to give Nalini Singh series' a go, one of these days. I know short stories don't always give a strong feeling of the authors, so I do need to give her two series a try and see. I've heard very good things of both of them. :) Thank you!
ReplyDelete