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Rogue Mage #3
Host
In a post-apocalyptic ice age, neomage Thorn St. Croix was nearly driven insane by her powers. She lived as a fugitive, disguised as a human and married to a human man, channeling her gifts for war into stone-magery. When she was discovered, her friends and neighbors accepted her, but warily. Not so the mage who arrives from the Council of Seraphs, who could be her greatest ally-or her most dangerous foe. And when it's revealed that her long-gone sister, Rose, is still alive, Thorn must make a choice-and risk her own life in the process.
352 pages, ebook
First published November 6, 2007
144 people are currently reading
1610 people want to read
About the author
Faith Hunter
92 books5,718 followersFaith Hunter's Junkyard Cats novella series is available in Audible, eBook, and "ridiculously expensive" (her words) trade paperback books at this time.
Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts
The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books
Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.
Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She bakes homemade bread and loves to cook.
Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.
Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.
Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.
She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.
Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.
For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net
Faith's Jane Yellowrock series is a dark urban fantasy. Jane is a full blooded Cherokee skinwalker and hunter of rogue-vampires in a world of weres, witches, vampires, and other supernats. 15 books and several compilations of shorts
The Soulwood series is a dark-urban fantasy / paranormal police procedural /para-thriller series featuring Nell Nicholson Ingram, an earth magic user and Special gent of PsyLED. 6 books
Her Rogue Mage novels—Bloodring, Seraphs, Host, and the RPG Rogue Mage—feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic alternate reality.
Faith is a full time writer who finally hired a housekeeper when the dust bunnies multiplied, She bakes homemade bread and loves to cook.
Faith researches in great detail, and tries most everything her characters do. Research led to her life’s passions – jewelry making, orchids, Japanese maples, bones, travel, white-water kayaking, and writing.
Faith loves orchids. Her favorite time of year is when several are blooming. Pictures can be seen at her FaceBook page. And yes, she collects bones and skulls. She has a fox, cat, dog, cow skull, goat, a boar skull, a deer skull, (that is, unfortunately, falling apart) and the jawbone of an ass. Her prize skull is a mountain lion (legally purchased from a US tannery) hit by a car in the wild.
Her latest love is Japanese maples, and she has managed to collect over thirty.
She and her husband RV, traveling to whitewater rivers to kayak all over the Southeast. Whitewater Kayaking is her very favorite sport, discovered when she was researching her (Gwen Hunter) mystery book, Rapid Descent. She took a lesson and—after a bout of panic attacks from fear of being upside down trapped in a boat—discovered she loved the sport.
Under other pen names, notably, Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Gwen, she is a winner of the WH Smith Literary Award for Fresh Talent in 1995 in the UK, and won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2008. As Faith, her books have been on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists, been nominated for various awards and won an Audie Award with Khristine Hvam, among other awards. Under all her pen names, she has more than 40 books, anthologies, and complications in print in 30 countries.
For more, including a list of her books, see www.faithhunter.net , www.gwenhunter.com . To keep up with her daily, join her fan pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/official.fait... and see her website blog at
www.faithhunter.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
January 23, 2021
I enjoyed the series (but I must admit I enjoyed the author's Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series much more). It was a good mixture of fantasy, religion and post-apocalypse. It had strong religious undertones but the author made it work well with fantasy infused throughout.
September 1, 2010
I'm still feeling like a moron trying to read this series. I think it has too much going on and I'm having a hard time keeping track of it all. Whether or not they are in Mineral City, The Realm of Light or in the here-not-here I'm still confused as shit. What is up with those wheels anyway? And all the eyes and the cobra? There better be some answers in the next 50 pages or I'm going to flip a biscuit.
Update: book/series finished. Urgh, my brain. I'm just going to say that Post Apocalyptic fantasy is not my cup of tea. I'm still not sure I understood what the hell happened. If another book comes out I'm going to pass.
Update: book/series finished. Urgh, my brain. I'm just going to say that Post Apocalyptic fantasy is not my cup of tea. I'm still not sure I understood what the hell happened. If another book comes out I'm going to pass.
January 20, 2014
The overall plot arc that began in bloodring is concluded really well in this book. Most of the questions are the dragon/darkness type monsters is concluded and answered.
Yet while im happy with this ending at the same time im not. I need there to be another set of books in this world, following thorn and friends, theres still too many unanswered questions about characters and the world.
Such as are the Seraphs really aliens? Is there really a one true god (in this world) and will we ever see him? Also I want thorn to meet said one true god! Are the darkness things really just missunderstood like thorn was thinking at the end of this book? Will the Seraphs leave now the war is over? How will the town rebuild? Will thorn have to go back to an enclave after her visa is up or will the town demand she stay? will she have little kylen/mage kids with thadd? and who will she end up with?
And most of all what kind of supernats are lucas and cianna? I want to knowwwww.
If theres another book I will like this one a lot more.
Yet while im happy with this ending at the same time im not. I need there to be another set of books in this world, following thorn and friends, theres still too many unanswered questions about characters and the world.
Such as are the Seraphs really aliens? Is there really a one true god (in this world) and will we ever see him? Also I want thorn to meet said one true god! Are the darkness things really just missunderstood like thorn was thinking at the end of this book? Will the Seraphs leave now the war is over? How will the town rebuild? Will thorn have to go back to an enclave after her visa is up or will the town demand she stay? will she have little kylen/mage kids with thadd? and who will she end up with?
And most of all what kind of supernats are lucas and cianna? I want to knowwwww.
If theres another book I will like this one a lot more.
June 16, 2014
The Rogue Mage series is complicated sometimes to the point of being hard to follow, but the story is interesting. The last book did leave a lot of unanswered questions - enough to make me wonder why she hasn't written another book to completely wrap up this story. Even the things that did get wrapped up were only half answered like what happened to Lo Lo? Is Rose evil? What's the deal with the lynx? What's the deal with amethyst and the wheels and the snake? Why don't witches have souls? Are they ever going to get souls? I personally think Faith's newer series, Jane Yellowrock is much better.
April 8, 2008
Did you ever go to the movies and buy a too-big popcorn, then find yourself 30 minutes later giving a queasy look at the bottom of the empty bucket and thinking, "jeez, why did I...?" That's how I feel after reading this series. It was entertaining, but not at all nutritious, and I shouldn't have overdone it like that.
October 12, 2022
This attempt to mesh together fantasy and sci-fi managed to fizzle out of my interest and decimate into oblivion..
July 29, 2010
As a result of her new Seraphic visa and station her birth Enclave sends a metal mage emissary named Cheran to train Thorn. However, she immediately realizes there is more than meets the eye to the pompous Cheran, and she senses a underlying current of danger from him. While she is trying to juggle the demands from the different organizations due to her new position, and trying to figure out how to rescue her twin, the Succubus Queen makes a reappearance threatening the ones she loves. When the attack turns deadly, the trapped uses that death power to escape his prison, and he has his sights set on Thorn.
Once again the evil darkness led by the Dragon does all it can to get a hold of Thorn and her power. Its up to Thorn to stop him as she cannot call for Seraphic help without risking the town as humans always die whenever a Seraph draws their sword. While she may not always handle diplomatic situations well, she never once flinches when it comes to duty and honor in protecting others. She would rather allow herself to be gravely injured than risk the human's deaths. A character with less strength and determination could not have survived her perils. Through the battles she learns some distressing truths about her past and who she really is, as well as what her birth prophecy really means. These revelations are bittersweet and many came as a shock to Thorn as well as myself. I knew many things were hidden to her in her past, but some of them just completely floored me. The book ended with most things tied up, but still left open the possibility for more books. The series had a slow start but did not disappoint me as it went on. Thorn is really admirable character and her "voice" makes for a good read.
Once again the evil darkness led by the Dragon does all it can to get a hold of Thorn and her power. Its up to Thorn to stop him as she cannot call for Seraphic help without risking the town as humans always die whenever a Seraph draws their sword. While she may not always handle diplomatic situations well, she never once flinches when it comes to duty and honor in protecting others. She would rather allow herself to be gravely injured than risk the human's deaths. A character with less strength and determination could not have survived her perils. Through the battles she learns some distressing truths about her past and who she really is, as well as what her birth prophecy really means. These revelations are bittersweet and many came as a shock to Thorn as well as myself. I knew many things were hidden to her in her past, but some of them just completely floored me. The book ended with most things tied up, but still left open the possibility for more books. The series had a slow start but did not disappoint me as it went on. Thorn is really admirable character and her "voice" makes for a good read.
April 8, 2010
Hahahahahahahaha! Thorn gets a new buddy in Host. This one was sent from her former home, the New Orleans Enclave. Yes, the one that threw her out in the first place. Cheran Jones is a prissy and arrogant metal mage whose duty is to instruct Thorn in the arts of diplomacy. Apparently she's not polished enough to represent the neo-mages in Mineral City, even if she's been too busy hiding, killing demon spawn, and containing the Dragon, to worry about "media relations". Along with the Seraphs, the Earth Invasion Heretics, her ex-husband, the town preacher, and all the colorful cast members in the series, Thorn must now defeat the succubus queen if they are to live to see another day.
I like Thorn. She tries to do the right thing, she really really does. But when the "right" thing is asinine, or completely objectionable, she redefines the meaning of right to ensure that her loved ones, her friends, and even the townspeople who don't care for her much, are as safe as she can make them. Host is a satisfying conclusion to the Rogue Mage series. I'm kinda hoping for more Thorn, though...
I like Thorn. She tries to do the right thing, she really really does. But when the "right" thing is asinine, or completely objectionable, she redefines the meaning of right to ensure that her loved ones, her friends, and even the townspeople who don't care for her much, are as safe as she can make them. Host is a satisfying conclusion to the Rogue Mage series. I'm kinda hoping for more Thorn, though...
November 9, 2024
Third (and last, wahh) in the Rogue Mage / Thorn St. Croix apocalyptic, religious, science fiction series and revolving around Thorn St Croix, a stone mage in training. It’s 105 Post-Apocalypse year.
My Take
It’s the end of the world with seraphs taking over from humans, not allowing violence between mages and humans. Between humans and humans? They don’t care.
Parts of the world are no longer habitable. The ice age has begun. Small pockets of humanity remain with religion at its highest. Only now is technology beginning to regenerate.
Bigotry is everywhere, against any who are different from humans. Religious fervor is everywhere with their rigid sense of morality.
A neomage, Thorn has fought and will fight beside seraphs with us getting her perspective through first person protagonist point-of-view. Fortunately, she’s proven herself to the people of Mineral City — she’s now “our town mage”.
It’s good versus evil with a completely different take on the angels of God, and Thorn using passages from the Bible to overcome evil. There is no end of action with a wide range of characters on both sides, all of it revolving around religion, temptations, and battle.
Oh, lol, Thorn realizes Jones is on probation for his temper. He’s certainly not demonstrating any diplomacy himself. Thorn, Audric, and Rupert complete Jones’ dismay with a few home truths, ROFLMAO. Then he displays his cowardice. Thorn and friends do have "fun" with Jones. The description of his future living quarters is so depressing and serves him right. I loved imagining his dismay, lol.
Ooh, yes! I love how Thorn takes that acting priestess down!
That Culpepper is such a jerk!!
In the time of survival, all religions worked together. Now, they’re sparring over their disagreements over dogma.
And everyone forgets that the seraphs are on Thorn’s side.
The Story
Evil seeks Thorn St Croix. Including Cheran Jones, who issues threats and fights from cover, if necessary.
The Dark is using human deaths to provide the energy needed to free the Dragon, who wants a child by Thorn.
The acting mage priestess is threatening Thorn with punishment.
Mineral City is under severe threat from a Darkness invasion by a Prince of the underworld, and the elders have asked Thorn to take in the town’s children and elderly, to protect them.
The Characters
Mentally open to all mage-minds, Thorn St Croix is a jeweler and now a licensed stone omega neomage, able to command seraphs in battle. Audric Cooper is Thorn’s champard, a half-human, half-mage bodyguard cum teacher cum friend, bound servant to Raziel (in Seraphs , 2) — and half-breed mule. Her business partners in Thorn’s Gems include the gay Rupert Stanhope, a several-times great-grandson of Benaiah Stanhope, a.k.a. Mole Man, and Jacey. Cissy is Jacey’s nine-year-old daughter. Thorn’s parents were killed by a Prince of the Dark. Her twin sister, Rose, a licensed earth mage in Atlanta, is a captive.
The Battle Station Consulate is established and licensed by the High Host.
Lucas Stanhope, Rupert’s brother, is Thorn’s ex-husband. Ciana is Lucas’ daughter, Thorn’s stepdaughter, given a pin by a seraph. Gramma is a succubus queen. Marla had been Lucas’ first wife. Jane Hilton had been his third wife. Thaddeus “Thad” Bartholomew, a third-generation kylen, is a Stanhope cousin and a Hand of the Law for Carolina law enforcement. It seems the Stanhopes are not fully human.
Cheran Jones, a snooty, extremely bigoted steel mage, too good for everyone around him, is a emissary from the New Orleans Enclave. He’s supposed to instruct Thorn in swordplay and diplomatic protocol between humans and angels. Gag
Mineral City, Carolina, is . . .
. . . living in the shadow of the Trine in the Appalachian Mountains. The Central Baptist Church is the town hall. Elders of the town include Shamus Waldroup, a senior elder and a town father who owns a bakery; Jasper is one of the youngest Elders; the hateful Perkins and Culpepper; and, Ebenezer. Ernest Waldroup is Shamus’ brother, an elder, and the chief bishop of the Atlanta kirk. Derek Culpepper is the elder’s son.
The Schuberts own Blue Tick Hound Guns. Gloria Stein has two kids and a husband, the only Jewish family in town. Darlene Smythe has a dress shop next door to Thorn’s Gems. Miz Essie sometimes takes boarders. Some of the children include Kimmer and Estrella. Zeddy, Big Zed’s oldest, works at the bakery.
Romona Benson is a journalist.
Enclaves are . . .
. . . reservations for these wild mages, neomages, to protect them. Babies conceived just before the first plague are perfect until their abilities manifest. Wild mages. Slaughtered by bigotry. Jones is from Thorn’s home Enclave, New Orleans, where Lolo, a.k.a. Daria, is Thorn and Rose’s kylen grandmother and the priestess of the New Orleans Enclave. The acting priestess of the New Orleans Enclave threatening Thorn, is Élan of the line of Eugene.
The Administration of the ArchSeraph (AAS) regulates neomages, hunting down any unlicensed neomage. Nazareth Durbage was one of them ( Seraphs ).
The High Host of the Seraphim are . . .
. . . the ruling council of seraphs, Major Princes of the Light, angels of punishment who descended upon Earth and destroyed its populations. Stars of the Morning are the primary combatants of the war in the heavens, greater even than Major Princes of the Light. Now humanity answers to them. Realms of Light are where the seraphs live. Raziel, who likes Thorn, is a warrior angel, who bound Audric in Seraphs . Uriel. Ravens One, Two, and Three are not there to help. Flames are balls of plasma who can do battle and heal.
Zadkiel, rescued in Seraphs when he placed Thorn under his protection, is a seraph with Holy Amethyst his cherub, and he's battle companion to ArchSeraph Michael. Cherubim are nothing like we think! Cheriour is an Angel of Punishment and Judgment. Mutuol. Malashe-el is a former daywalker.
Barak was a Watcher imprisoned and now possessed by the Dragon. Watchers are seraphs who left heaven willingly to mate with human women. Their punishment is an inability to transmogrify or return to heaven.
The Earth Invasion Heretics are . . .
. . . enemies of the AAS who believe seraphs and Darkness are alien invaders. Members include Joseph Barefoot who had given his life to save Mineral City; Tomas and Rickie Ernandez; and, Eli Walker, who is a miner. All three and Durbarge had gone underground with Thorn to battle Darkness.
The Darkness
The Major Darkness is ruled by the Lord of the Dark, a.k.a. the Great Red Dragon or Satan, and includes dragons, a.k.a. satanels. Lesser Darkness includes spawn, dragonets created by Lord Forcas, and the succubi who are both made with Mole Man’s blood. Azazel, the left-hand of Satan, is believed to be a Leviathan, an evil that played two roles in the rebellion. Then there are neomages who have gone to the Dark, Dark mages. A Fallen Watcher has gone to the Dark.
Elijah is a prophet. A healing dome is a seraph energy construct. The River of Time may be a fourth dimension that gives seraphs access to all time throughout the universe.
Mages, a.k.a. neomages, use the leftover energies of creation and are bound by the laws of physics in many ways. They are the first unforeseen and aren't fertile with humans but they are with seraphs whose presence causes a mage to go into heat. Mules are the second unforeseen, sterile, incompletely developed, and half-human, half-seraph. Kylen are half-mage, half-angel who may only breed with humans with all offspring taken to a Realm of Light. Mage bliss is a compulsion after a human has sex with a mage. A mage visa provides a neomage with the ability to speak loudly and gives diplomatic advice. Tears of Taharial is a curse. Damocles had been a battle mage of renown using the longsword his parents made. The Apache Tear is an obsidian amulet that helps mute mind voices.
An assey is supposed to protect a mage in the human population. A mistrend is a blended word of mistress and friend.
The Cover and Title
The cover is patriotic with its blues of the smoke rising and the shingled side of the building with the red-haired Thorn in a shiny black PVC jumpsuit, a red cape flaring around her, standing in profile but looking out at us, her sword clenched in both hands. All the text is in white from the testimonial at the top, the title crossing Thorn’s waist with the series info below it, to the author’s name at the bottom with an info blurb below that. An orange colophon for the publisher is in the top right corner.
The title is about the Heavenly Host of angels — the good and the bad of it.
My Take
It’s the end of the world with seraphs taking over from humans, not allowing violence between mages and humans. Between humans and humans? They don’t care.
Parts of the world are no longer habitable. The ice age has begun. Small pockets of humanity remain with religion at its highest. Only now is technology beginning to regenerate.
Bigotry is everywhere, against any who are different from humans. Religious fervor is everywhere with their rigid sense of morality.
A neomage, Thorn has fought and will fight beside seraphs with us getting her perspective through first person protagonist point-of-view. Fortunately, she’s proven herself to the people of Mineral City — she’s now “our town mage”.
It’s good versus evil with a completely different take on the angels of God, and Thorn using passages from the Bible to overcome evil. There is no end of action with a wide range of characters on both sides, all of it revolving around religion, temptations, and battle.
Oh, lol, Thorn realizes Jones is on probation for his temper. He’s certainly not demonstrating any diplomacy himself. Thorn, Audric, and Rupert complete Jones’ dismay with a few home truths, ROFLMAO. Then he displays his cowardice. Thorn and friends do have "fun" with Jones. The description of his future living quarters is so depressing and serves him right. I loved imagining his dismay, lol.
Ooh, yes! I love how Thorn takes that acting priestess down!
That Culpepper is such a jerk!!
In the time of survival, all religions worked together. Now, they’re sparring over their disagreements over dogma.
And everyone forgets that the seraphs are on Thorn’s side.
The Story
Evil seeks Thorn St Croix. Including Cheran Jones, who issues threats and fights from cover, if necessary.
The Dark is using human deaths to provide the energy needed to free the Dragon, who wants a child by Thorn.
The acting mage priestess is threatening Thorn with punishment.
Mineral City is under severe threat from a Darkness invasion by a Prince of the underworld, and the elders have asked Thorn to take in the town’s children and elderly, to protect them.
The Characters
Mentally open to all mage-minds, Thorn St Croix is a jeweler and now a licensed stone omega neomage, able to command seraphs in battle. Audric Cooper is Thorn’s champard, a half-human, half-mage bodyguard cum teacher cum friend, bound servant to Raziel (in Seraphs , 2) — and half-breed mule. Her business partners in Thorn’s Gems include the gay Rupert Stanhope, a several-times great-grandson of Benaiah Stanhope, a.k.a. Mole Man, and Jacey. Cissy is Jacey’s nine-year-old daughter. Thorn’s parents were killed by a Prince of the Dark. Her twin sister, Rose, a licensed earth mage in Atlanta, is a captive.
The Battle Station Consulate is established and licensed by the High Host.
Lucas Stanhope, Rupert’s brother, is Thorn’s ex-husband. Ciana is Lucas’ daughter, Thorn’s stepdaughter, given a pin by a seraph. Gramma is a succubus queen. Marla had been Lucas’ first wife. Jane Hilton had been his third wife. Thaddeus “Thad” Bartholomew, a third-generation kylen, is a Stanhope cousin and a Hand of the Law for Carolina law enforcement. It seems the Stanhopes are not fully human.
Cheran Jones, a snooty, extremely bigoted steel mage, too good for everyone around him, is a emissary from the New Orleans Enclave. He’s supposed to instruct Thorn in swordplay and diplomatic protocol between humans and angels. Gag
Mineral City, Carolina, is . . .
. . . living in the shadow of the Trine in the Appalachian Mountains. The Central Baptist Church is the town hall. Elders of the town include Shamus Waldroup, a senior elder and a town father who owns a bakery; Jasper is one of the youngest Elders; the hateful Perkins and Culpepper; and, Ebenezer. Ernest Waldroup is Shamus’ brother, an elder, and the chief bishop of the Atlanta kirk. Derek Culpepper is the elder’s son.
The Schuberts own Blue Tick Hound Guns. Gloria Stein has two kids and a husband, the only Jewish family in town. Darlene Smythe has a dress shop next door to Thorn’s Gems. Miz Essie sometimes takes boarders. Some of the children include Kimmer and Estrella. Zeddy, Big Zed’s oldest, works at the bakery.
Romona Benson is a journalist.
Enclaves are . . .
. . . reservations for these wild mages, neomages, to protect them. Babies conceived just before the first plague are perfect until their abilities manifest. Wild mages. Slaughtered by bigotry. Jones is from Thorn’s home Enclave, New Orleans, where Lolo, a.k.a. Daria, is Thorn and Rose’s kylen grandmother and the priestess of the New Orleans Enclave. The acting priestess of the New Orleans Enclave threatening Thorn, is Élan of the line of Eugene.
The Administration of the ArchSeraph (AAS) regulates neomages, hunting down any unlicensed neomage. Nazareth Durbage was one of them ( Seraphs ).
The High Host of the Seraphim are . . .
. . . the ruling council of seraphs, Major Princes of the Light, angels of punishment who descended upon Earth and destroyed its populations. Stars of the Morning are the primary combatants of the war in the heavens, greater even than Major Princes of the Light. Now humanity answers to them. Realms of Light are where the seraphs live. Raziel, who likes Thorn, is a warrior angel, who bound Audric in Seraphs . Uriel. Ravens One, Two, and Three are not there to help. Flames are balls of plasma who can do battle and heal.
Zadkiel, rescued in Seraphs when he placed Thorn under his protection, is a seraph with Holy Amethyst his cherub, and he's battle companion to ArchSeraph Michael. Cherubim are nothing like we think! Cheriour is an Angel of Punishment and Judgment. Mutuol. Malashe-el is a former daywalker.
Barak was a Watcher imprisoned and now possessed by the Dragon. Watchers are seraphs who left heaven willingly to mate with human women. Their punishment is an inability to transmogrify or return to heaven.
The Earth Invasion Heretics are . . .
. . . enemies of the AAS who believe seraphs and Darkness are alien invaders. Members include Joseph Barefoot who had given his life to save Mineral City; Tomas and Rickie Ernandez; and, Eli Walker, who is a miner. All three and Durbarge had gone underground with Thorn to battle Darkness.
The Darkness
The Major Darkness is ruled by the Lord of the Dark, a.k.a. the Great Red Dragon or Satan, and includes dragons, a.k.a. satanels. Lesser Darkness includes spawn, dragonets created by Lord Forcas, and the succubi who are both made with Mole Man’s blood. Azazel, the left-hand of Satan, is believed to be a Leviathan, an evil that played two roles in the rebellion. Then there are neomages who have gone to the Dark, Dark mages. A Fallen Watcher has gone to the Dark.
Elijah is a prophet. A healing dome is a seraph energy construct. The River of Time may be a fourth dimension that gives seraphs access to all time throughout the universe.
Mages, a.k.a. neomages, use the leftover energies of creation and are bound by the laws of physics in many ways. They are the first unforeseen and aren't fertile with humans but they are with seraphs whose presence causes a mage to go into heat. Mules are the second unforeseen, sterile, incompletely developed, and half-human, half-seraph. Kylen are half-mage, half-angel who may only breed with humans with all offspring taken to a Realm of Light. Mage bliss is a compulsion after a human has sex with a mage. A mage visa provides a neomage with the ability to speak loudly and gives diplomatic advice. Tears of Taharial is a curse. Damocles had been a battle mage of renown using the longsword his parents made. The Apache Tear is an obsidian amulet that helps mute mind voices.
An assey is supposed to protect a mage in the human population. A mistrend is a blended word of mistress and friend.
The Cover and Title
The cover is patriotic with its blues of the smoke rising and the shingled side of the building with the red-haired Thorn in a shiny black PVC jumpsuit, a red cape flaring around her, standing in profile but looking out at us, her sword clenched in both hands. All the text is in white from the testimonial at the top, the title crossing Thorn’s waist with the series info below it, to the author’s name at the bottom with an info blurb below that. An orange colophon for the publisher is in the top right corner.
The title is about the Heavenly Host of angels — the good and the bad of it.
November 16, 2007
Warning: This review contains massive spoilers. I reveal the end of the book.
In many ways this book fell into familiar patterns. Darkness attacks, Thorn and Co. beat it only to have an even worse Darkness rise up.
The book also suffers the "everyone is in love with the protagonist, who is in love with everyone" problem. I'd pick Eli. He knows what's he's getting into and wants it anyway. They seem to have genuine, non mage-heat induced chemistry. The attraction between Thadd & Thorn seems to be mostly hormonal. There seemed to be more in the first two books but that's not evident here. Lucas apparently has great charisma but I've never felt it. Thorn knows he will never be faithful so despite shared history I'd say be done with him. However, I like that Thorn is not described as beautiful. In fact, she now has so many scars from various battles that she is definitely not beautiful which lessens my annoyance with everyone being in love/lust with her. (Eli and Lucas lean toward love, I think Thadd is mostly lust and since it's completely beyond his control that helps too).
I enjoyed the political intrigue and the useless visa.
I really liked Eli's question about whether we'd automatically assume that the Seraphs were the good guys if they were ugly and the Darkness was beautiful. It is amazing that the Seraphs killed 6 billion people and yet humans assume they're good.
I hope the EIH is wrong. I dig the idea of it being a religious thing that wasn't quite what anyone expected. Besides, if they're right, why does scripture bother Darkness?
I'm conflicted about Hunter addressing homophobia. I liked that Rupert and Audric are more or less accepted, but I always thought it was unbelievable that they're branding people for swearing, drinking, etc. and yet leaving homosexuals alone. Today, the far right would have blamed them for the apocalypse happening in the first place. Also, feminists. Though for a very traditional society there seems to be remarkable parity between the sexes.
Herein lies the end of the book. Read at your peril
It was really the last 30 or so pages that made the novel for me. I didn't care all that much about Rose or whether she could be rescued (it actually seemed like a more pressing concern in the first two books) but Rupert's death was terrible and tragic. His final "Audric" was heart breaking. I loved them together.
Even so, I was glad that once Rupert had died he couldn't be brought back. Doing so would have lessened the impact of his death. It would have cheapened it, and his sacrifice.
I couldn't help wishing it was a character I cared less about (Lucas). Failing that, I would have taken Thadd. I liked him a lot in previous books but his presence here was almost non-existent.
I understand why it had to be Rupert. It sets Thorn against Rose, and I would imagine it at least distances Audric from Thorn. Intellectually he probably knows it's not her fault, but emotionally it's a different story. I think his duty would keep him bound to her but I know things will be strained between them. I'm not sure their friendship will survive.
I also think the narrative was at a point where a greater sacrifice was called for. Audric is too important to the story line to die and possibly Hunter realized that Lucas wouldn't have the same impact.
But as terrible as Audric's life has been I wanted him to be happy. And he was happy with Rupert.
Like Thorn, I hate Rose, though it's no more Rose's fault than it is Thorn's and intellectually I know that Rupert would have died either way since the Seraphs were already going into heat. He was beyond saving, and had Rose not taken his life his death would not have been as meaningful and they may have fallen to the Dark. But irrational as it is, I blame her.
Rupert's death was necessary but damn if it doesn't hurt like hell.
In many ways this book fell into familiar patterns. Darkness attacks, Thorn and Co. beat it only to have an even worse Darkness rise up.
The book also suffers the "everyone is in love with the protagonist, who is in love with everyone" problem. I'd pick Eli. He knows what's he's getting into and wants it anyway. They seem to have genuine, non mage-heat induced chemistry. The attraction between Thadd & Thorn seems to be mostly hormonal. There seemed to be more in the first two books but that's not evident here. Lucas apparently has great charisma but I've never felt it. Thorn knows he will never be faithful so despite shared history I'd say be done with him. However, I like that Thorn is not described as beautiful. In fact, she now has so many scars from various battles that she is definitely not beautiful which lessens my annoyance with everyone being in love/lust with her. (Eli and Lucas lean toward love, I think Thadd is mostly lust and since it's completely beyond his control that helps too).
I enjoyed the political intrigue and the useless visa.
I really liked Eli's question about whether we'd automatically assume that the Seraphs were the good guys if they were ugly and the Darkness was beautiful. It is amazing that the Seraphs killed 6 billion people and yet humans assume they're good.
I hope the EIH is wrong. I dig the idea of it being a religious thing that wasn't quite what anyone expected. Besides, if they're right, why does scripture bother Darkness?
I'm conflicted about Hunter addressing homophobia. I liked that Rupert and Audric are more or less accepted, but I always thought it was unbelievable that they're branding people for swearing, drinking, etc. and yet leaving homosexuals alone. Today, the far right would have blamed them for the apocalypse happening in the first place. Also, feminists. Though for a very traditional society there seems to be remarkable parity between the sexes.
Herein lies the end of the book. Read at your peril
It was really the last 30 or so pages that made the novel for me. I didn't care all that much about Rose or whether she could be rescued (it actually seemed like a more pressing concern in the first two books) but Rupert's death was terrible and tragic. His final "Audric" was heart breaking. I loved them together.
Even so, I was glad that once Rupert had died he couldn't be brought back. Doing so would have lessened the impact of his death. It would have cheapened it, and his sacrifice.
I couldn't help wishing it was a character I cared less about (Lucas). Failing that, I would have taken Thadd. I liked him a lot in previous books but his presence here was almost non-existent.
I understand why it had to be Rupert. It sets Thorn against Rose, and I would imagine it at least distances Audric from Thorn. Intellectually he probably knows it's not her fault, but emotionally it's a different story. I think his duty would keep him bound to her but I know things will be strained between them. I'm not sure their friendship will survive.
I also think the narrative was at a point where a greater sacrifice was called for. Audric is too important to the story line to die and possibly Hunter realized that Lucas wouldn't have the same impact.
But as terrible as Audric's life has been I wanted him to be happy. And he was happy with Rupert.
Like Thorn, I hate Rose, though it's no more Rose's fault than it is Thorn's and intellectually I know that Rupert would have died either way since the Seraphs were already going into heat. He was beyond saving, and had Rose not taken his life his death would not have been as meaningful and they may have fallen to the Dark. But irrational as it is, I blame her.
Rupert's death was necessary but damn if it doesn't hurt like hell.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2014
Host finishes up all the Rogue Mage books to date, currently a trilogy. There aren't current plans to write more to the series and since this one was published around 2010, it doesn't seem like it would happen anytime soon, if at all.
With that in mind, this book does wrap up the main arc of the initial 3 books very well. You won't be left on a razor's edge when you close the book and while I'm not going to put any spoilers in this review, I will say this. This book ends DARK. This trilogy is not the feel good trilogy winner of the past few years, by any means. That's not a bad thing at all, but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
The imagery in this book is incredible. In the final third it reads like a modern version of Revelations with the amount of seraphs doing battle between our existence and the between-time space they can flit around to. We get to the source of a lot of the "big bad uglies" we've been dealing with and Thorn gets some very big surprises, hardly any of them good. A new neo-mage shows up as well with an unhealthy interest in the goings on of Mineral City. Thorn has way too much to worry about without adding a possible backstabber to the ranks. As if that isn't enough, The Dragon has finally woken up.
What impressed me most in the span of these three books was how much Thorn utterly changes and grows as a character. Her entire life living in hiding is uprooted and by acknowledging and accepting what she is as a neo-mage she can never go back to it again. There is an incredible sense of loss in that for her and as a reader it helps ground you in the midst of all the "strangeness" that is this book with the relate-able feelings of irreversible change. Her friendships and idea of family are pushed to the absolute brink and the town she stands in at the end of the third book is nothing like the one she rides back into at the start of the first. For a trilogy that never leaves the confines of a small post-Apocalyptic mining town in the Appalachians this is a huge achievement.
Overall, I don't feel this is written as tightly as Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, and I didn't exactly like seeing as much repeated imagery as I did, be it in manners of speech, certain descriptive vocabulary, or location. To my knowledge these aren't supposed to take place in the same universe so that definitely pulled me out of the immersion of this new world more than I'd like. That being said, the concepts at play here are amazing. If you are a fan of anything angel related, lore behind the Book of Enoch or Revelations, or even some lite-sci-fi, supernatural stuff, there's a lot here for you in this trilogy. The writing is fantastic, as are the descriptions. It sneaks up on you how much you care for this cast of characters and I know I was left deep in thought after the last page.
Definitely check this out. It's not terribly long in terms of page count and it's very unique. It's not perfect, but still a worthwhile investment.
With that in mind, this book does wrap up the main arc of the initial 3 books very well. You won't be left on a razor's edge when you close the book and while I'm not going to put any spoilers in this review, I will say this. This book ends DARK. This trilogy is not the feel good trilogy winner of the past few years, by any means. That's not a bad thing at all, but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
The imagery in this book is incredible. In the final third it reads like a modern version of Revelations with the amount of seraphs doing battle between our existence and the between-time space they can flit around to. We get to the source of a lot of the "big bad uglies" we've been dealing with and Thorn gets some very big surprises, hardly any of them good. A new neo-mage shows up as well with an unhealthy interest in the goings on of Mineral City. Thorn has way too much to worry about without adding a possible backstabber to the ranks. As if that isn't enough, The Dragon has finally woken up.
What impressed me most in the span of these three books was how much Thorn utterly changes and grows as a character. Her entire life living in hiding is uprooted and by acknowledging and accepting what she is as a neo-mage she can never go back to it again. There is an incredible sense of loss in that for her and as a reader it helps ground you in the midst of all the "strangeness" that is this book with the relate-able feelings of irreversible change. Her friendships and idea of family are pushed to the absolute brink and the town she stands in at the end of the third book is nothing like the one she rides back into at the start of the first. For a trilogy that never leaves the confines of a small post-Apocalyptic mining town in the Appalachians this is a huge achievement.
Overall, I don't feel this is written as tightly as Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, and I didn't exactly like seeing as much repeated imagery as I did, be it in manners of speech, certain descriptive vocabulary, or location. To my knowledge these aren't supposed to take place in the same universe so that definitely pulled me out of the immersion of this new world more than I'd like. That being said, the concepts at play here are amazing. If you are a fan of anything angel related, lore behind the Book of Enoch or Revelations, or even some lite-sci-fi, supernatural stuff, there's a lot here for you in this trilogy. The writing is fantastic, as are the descriptions. It sneaks up on you how much you care for this cast of characters and I know I was left deep in thought after the last page.
Definitely check this out. It's not terribly long in terms of page count and it's very unique. It's not perfect, but still a worthwhile investment.
October 13, 2009
Close On The Heels Of Book 2 Buuuuut...
Hunter's mythology with angels and demons and mages is shaping up pretty excitingly buuuuuuuuuut *takes deep breath* the protagonist, Thorn St. Croix, is kinda-sorta-starting to-really-um annoy me just a tad-maybe-a-little-more-than-a-tad-how-about-tod-is-that-even-a-word-well-let's-just-go-with-it, just a tod.
In this case I can't be sure if it's the author's way of making Thorn easier to relate to, but to me, someone who stands around and watches while people are getting hurt/killed and a child is in immediate danger, and they have the power to do something but instead don't do anything but just stand there and narrate/observe/pick their nose is someone that needs to be slapped and not looked upon with any kind of respect or awe. Yeah, sure, she's something different/unique/powerful/oooh/ahhhh (what urban-fantasy girl isn't nowadays), but you know what, none of that is actually powerful if the person who's supposed to be powerful is a dud.
It seems like all Thorn ever does in a crunch is panic and freeze, or maybe because the author is taking the time to describe what's going on in detail, and forgetting to *show* us what Thorn is doing at the same time, we're just assuming that she's standing there for precious minutes at a time doing, I don't know, nothing, but whatever it is, I really don't like it. Something is missing, whether it's a sense of realistic urgency, or setting genuine priorities (characters just don't seem to be acting the way you would in dire circumstances, granted people are unpredictable, but come on, not THAT undpredictable). It irks me.
And apparently it's a continuing series, and doesn't end with Book 3 (which I mistakenly thought). What the flagnodd. Onward!
Hunter's mythology with angels and demons and mages is shaping up pretty excitingly buuuuuuuuuut *takes deep breath* the protagonist, Thorn St. Croix, is kinda-sorta-starting to-really-um annoy me just a tad-maybe-a-little-more-than-a-tad-how-about-tod-is-that-even-a-word-well-let's-just-go-with-it, just a tod.
In this case I can't be sure if it's the author's way of making Thorn easier to relate to, but to me, someone who stands around and watches while people are getting hurt/killed and a child is in immediate danger, and they have the power to do something but instead don't do anything but just stand there and narrate/observe/pick their nose is someone that needs to be slapped and not looked upon with any kind of respect or awe. Yeah, sure, she's something different/unique/powerful/oooh/ahhhh (what urban-fantasy girl isn't nowadays), but you know what, none of that is actually powerful if the person who's supposed to be powerful is a dud.
It seems like all Thorn ever does in a crunch is panic and freeze, or maybe because the author is taking the time to describe what's going on in detail, and forgetting to *show* us what Thorn is doing at the same time, we're just assuming that she's standing there for precious minutes at a time doing, I don't know, nothing, but whatever it is, I really don't like it. Something is missing, whether it's a sense of realistic urgency, or setting genuine priorities (characters just don't seem to be acting the way you would in dire circumstances, granted people are unpredictable, but come on, not THAT undpredictable). It irks me.
And apparently it's a continuing series, and doesn't end with Book 3 (which I mistakenly thought). What the flagnodd. Onward!
April 18, 2009
This series (trilogy?) was recommended to me by a good friend and I decided to take a chance with it. I enjoyed the first book enough to read the second one (which I enjoyed immensely) and immediately read the third one upon finishing Seraphs.
Things I enjoyed:
-The character could easily be a Mary Sue, but she somehow avoids this with her quirky personality.
-The supporting characters are well-defined and add to the story.
-The world building is really good when it comes to the town, magic, and political/religious structure.
-The battle scenes are VERY well done and crafted to build tension.
Things I didn't enjoy:
-While the world building overall was quite good, the mage-heat felt like a tacked on plot device. It never rang true or even made much sense.
-The ending felt a little too rushed and left me confused as to whether this is the end of a trilogy or one more book in a series.
-The epilogue was a let down. Thorn seems to be set up to be another Anita Blake with a whole bunch of male lovers at her whim. I'm so tired of this plot device and it almost ruined the whole book for me.
My final thoughts are that I really enjoyed the three books. I do hope there are more. I feel this world has a lot to offer and I would like to see how things develop between Thorn and her long lost twin. But I would like to see it remain urban fantasy without the Mary Sue and her many lovers tired old plot device.
Frankly, I would have liked the books a whole lot better without the mage-heat.
Things I enjoyed:
-The character could easily be a Mary Sue, but she somehow avoids this with her quirky personality.
-The supporting characters are well-defined and add to the story.
-The world building is really good when it comes to the town, magic, and political/religious structure.
-The battle scenes are VERY well done and crafted to build tension.
Things I didn't enjoy:
-While the world building overall was quite good, the mage-heat felt like a tacked on plot device. It never rang true or even made much sense.
-The ending felt a little too rushed and left me confused as to whether this is the end of a trilogy or one more book in a series.
-The epilogue was a let down. Thorn seems to be set up to be another Anita Blake with a whole bunch of male lovers at her whim. I'm so tired of this plot device and it almost ruined the whole book for me.
My final thoughts are that I really enjoyed the three books. I do hope there are more. I feel this world has a lot to offer and I would like to see how things develop between Thorn and her long lost twin. But I would like to see it remain urban fantasy without the Mary Sue and her many lovers tired old plot device.
Frankly, I would have liked the books a whole lot better without the mage-heat.
August 31, 2010
I liked this but there are way too many things left unfinished. What exactly are these seraphs? What's going to happen to Thorn when her visa runs out? Why is there a mage heat and then they aren't allowed to breed with seraphs? Why do they have "litters" and "breed" if they are human? Why in the world are they different and how exactly did they get that way? What about the conspiracy theories that the EIH put out there? The entire time I thought this was an alien takeover and they just didn't know it but after the comment that Eli makes about Luke Skywalker, I'm pretty sure he was versed in Pre-Ap movies and would recognize a spaceship (ie the wheels) if he saw one and he saw that didn't he?
The problems I had with the writing were the fact that things are not clear. I honestly felt like the writer was inventing things using areas of science that were too complicated for the reader to understand unless they were a physics major. I also believe that the author made that crap up as she went along and it probably would be laughed at by a physics major. The ending with the dragon was ridiculous. I still have no clue what happened there. That was often the case with her climactic scenes in these books, hard to tell what the heck she was even talking about.
I wanted another book but I think I'll just stick to the Jane Yellowrock series because at least that one is written in a way that will be easily followed.
The problems I had with the writing were the fact that things are not clear. I honestly felt like the writer was inventing things using areas of science that were too complicated for the reader to understand unless they were a physics major. I also believe that the author made that crap up as she went along and it probably would be laughed at by a physics major. The ending with the dragon was ridiculous. I still have no clue what happened there. That was often the case with her climactic scenes in these books, hard to tell what the heck she was even talking about.
I wanted another book but I think I'll just stick to the Jane Yellowrock series because at least that one is written in a way that will be easily followed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2012
Ok I did really love this book, well 99% of it anyway - the battles were amazing and the detail made me feel totally invested. I think the MC Thorn is fabulous and has enough hang-ups to make her believable and likeable. I was completely absorbed in the end-of-days scenario even to the point of demanding hubby cooked dinner last night so I could finish but then .... the finish happened. To say I feel unsatisfied is inadequate - I feel like a kid who has been promised a trip to Disneyland and then got told sorry watch a Disney Dvd instead. All I can say is - this can NOT be the last book in the series Faith! You can't let it end with so many things hanging ..... please say there is another book! If I hadn't been so enthralled with the story and buoyed by a spirit of fairness I would have given it *gasp* 3 stars purely on the fact that I feel so unsatisfied with the end ... but I still love the writing and the series has been most enjoyable that I can't in all honesty 3 star it - I do recommend the story, its a fun read but brace yourself at the end.
June 11, 2015
Well, I'm very torn on how to rate this. As a book, it was fine and I was into it right up until the epilogue, and then I felt terribly betrayed.
The problem is this one leaves off looking like there's supposed to be another book. Since there isn't one, it's a terrible series finale with a lot of stuff unresolved.
If I'd known the series never got finished, I'd have skipped reading the three books that do exist. I will not recommend these.
The problem is this one leaves off looking like there's supposed to be another book. Since there isn't one, it's a terrible series finale with a lot of stuff unresolved.
If I'd known the series never got finished, I'd have skipped reading the three books that do exist. I will not recommend these.
January 20, 2010
A very literal post-apocalyptic series. God and the Devil popped back up, wiped out 6B humans, and the Earth is back in an Ice Age to cleanse it. Angels are good guys, but in the no-shades-of-grey variety, so relying on them for help is as likely to get you killed as not.
I convince myself in between books that this series is just ok, but, when I'm reading them I manage to lose myself in them; I'm not sure how to really rate them as a result. What does it say when you like a book more only when you're actually reading it?
I convince myself in between books that this series is just ok, but, when I'm reading them I manage to lose myself in them; I'm not sure how to really rate them as a result. What does it say when you like a book more only when you're actually reading it?
February 14, 2012
It was a great trilogy. The blend of post-apocolyptic fantasy and christian scriptures. The battles were epic. The loose ends were tied quickly, which there was another book. Seems the author is inquiring of fans wants another Thorn St Croix.
November 14, 2012
Very strange series and not sure how to feel when I got to the end of this book. The world building is very interesting and I like Thorn and ... I'd probably read the next book because I feel a bit like we've been left hanging at the end of this one.
June 13, 2014
This is the first one I have read and it is No3. I didn't feel to lost. It is alot of world building but it didn't drag. Now to read 1 and 2
September 11, 2017
Actual rating 2.5
Now that I've finished this series, I feel more confident saying that there are elements that I really enjoyed and elements that drove me absolutely insane about this series.
I'm not sure that what I liked outweighed what I didn't. It's clear that these are novels of a new author, and while I am usually fairly forgiving about that, I don't think that the plot was enough to overcome it.
I really hated that the most interesting aspect of this series - what the hell the Seraphs and the demons really were - wasn't explored. Sure, the narrator mentions it a time or two, but no exploration and certainly no resolution. Although that might be because Faith Hunter had originally planned on more novels or short stories, I don't know. Frankly, I think that discovering that what was taken as a sign of the Bible being correct was actually an invasion would have been a much more interesting story. It's so frustrating that it wasn't touched on more.
I also felt that the majority of the world building just didn't make sense and wasn't consistent. One aspect of this (how religion is treated) also shows up in the Jane Yellowrock series, but it definitely is getting less and less relevant as the series goes on. I feel like this is due to the author's personal religious beliefs, but I could be wrong.
It seems like the worst part of religion is what was kept in this future (homophobia, xenophobia, sever gender roles, etc) which I just have such a hard time accepting. Then there is the mage heat, litters of babies, mules, no souls and the new step in human evolution (but really only called humans turning into something else because, you know, religion).
I'm not going to even get into the cursing thing because I don't want to be writing this review all night. It did not make sense. It will never make sense. This is the author's hang up and it hinders the story.
I did enjoy the friendships that Thorn has and how she created a family for herself. I liked that while she was a mage with powerful magic, it is explained that she is not invincible, gets hurt, and makes mistakes. I loved how Hunter explored how a town can accept something unexpected and initially unwanted because it's their town's unexpected and unwanted mage.
Overall, I will not read this series again and would hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I'm glad that I read the Jane Yellowrock series before these because I'm not confident I would have read them otherwise.
Now that I've finished this series, I feel more confident saying that there are elements that I really enjoyed and elements that drove me absolutely insane about this series.
I'm not sure that what I liked outweighed what I didn't. It's clear that these are novels of a new author, and while I am usually fairly forgiving about that, I don't think that the plot was enough to overcome it.
I really hated that the most interesting aspect of this series - what the hell the Seraphs and the demons really were - wasn't explored. Sure, the narrator mentions it a time or two, but no exploration and certainly no resolution. Although that might be because Faith Hunter had originally planned on more novels or short stories, I don't know. Frankly, I think that discovering that what was taken as a sign of the Bible being correct was actually an invasion would have been a much more interesting story. It's so frustrating that it wasn't touched on more.
I also felt that the majority of the world building just didn't make sense and wasn't consistent. One aspect of this (how religion is treated) also shows up in the Jane Yellowrock series, but it definitely is getting less and less relevant as the series goes on. I feel like this is due to the author's personal religious beliefs, but I could be wrong.
It seems like the worst part of religion is what was kept in this future (homophobia, xenophobia, sever gender roles, etc) which I just have such a hard time accepting. Then there is the mage heat, litters of babies, mules, no souls and the new step in human evolution (but really only called humans turning into something else because, you know, religion).
I'm not going to even get into the cursing thing because I don't want to be writing this review all night. It did not make sense. It will never make sense. This is the author's hang up and it hinders the story.
I did enjoy the friendships that Thorn has and how she created a family for herself. I liked that while she was a mage with powerful magic, it is explained that she is not invincible, gets hurt, and makes mistakes. I loved how Hunter explored how a town can accept something unexpected and initially unwanted because it's their town's unexpected and unwanted mage.
Overall, I will not read this series again and would hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I'm glad that I read the Jane Yellowrock series before these because I'm not confident I would have read them otherwise.
Read
December 7, 2020Third, and apparently final, book in the Rogue Mage series, this book seemed confusing to me. The dark powers under the Trine mountain have not been completely vanquished, and in some ways have grown even stronger. An emissary from the New Orleans mage enclave arrives, ostensibly to teach Thorn the things she must know to function in the diplomatic side of magery, but he turns out to be an assassin, working for her political rival within New Orleans.
The succubus Queen attacks early in the book, causing more murder and mayhem. The townspeople, aside from a few fundamentalist holdouts, have finally decided to trust Thorn, and ask her to put their old folks and children under the protection of the wards on her buildings, so the noncombatants are gotten out of the way for the coming big battle. They all believe they may only have days before the leader of the dark forces, known as the Dragon, brings all of his forces to bear on their town. He needs the blood of the Stanhope family to work the magic which will free him from his chains, as one of their ancestors, known as the Mole Man, used his blood to work the binding in the first place.
Thorn gathers all of her friends and allies around her, and they present a more or less united front when all hell breaks loose a couple of nights later. There are a couple of weird scenes when Thorn has an out of body experience and spends some time in the river of time, a higher plane where the seraphs, dark and light, do battle. She also gathers a hoard of objects of power that get used up, one by one and in occasional bunches, while battling succeedingly more powerful dark forces. In the end, she and her lost sister, Rose, must unite their minds as prophesied to conquer the Dragon.
The end felt rushed, and I think Hunter was already mentally and emotionally moving on to her Jane Yellowrock series, and just wanted to wrap up all the loose ends quickly. Thorn's development from a character with little power to one with major power happened far too quickly. If you're following this series, you've got to read the finish, but expect to be underwhelmed.
The succubus Queen attacks early in the book, causing more murder and mayhem. The townspeople, aside from a few fundamentalist holdouts, have finally decided to trust Thorn, and ask her to put their old folks and children under the protection of the wards on her buildings, so the noncombatants are gotten out of the way for the coming big battle. They all believe they may only have days before the leader of the dark forces, known as the Dragon, brings all of his forces to bear on their town. He needs the blood of the Stanhope family to work the magic which will free him from his chains, as one of their ancestors, known as the Mole Man, used his blood to work the binding in the first place.
Thorn gathers all of her friends and allies around her, and they present a more or less united front when all hell breaks loose a couple of nights later. There are a couple of weird scenes when Thorn has an out of body experience and spends some time in the river of time, a higher plane where the seraphs, dark and light, do battle. She also gathers a hoard of objects of power that get used up, one by one and in occasional bunches, while battling succeedingly more powerful dark forces. In the end, she and her lost sister, Rose, must unite their minds as prophesied to conquer the Dragon.
The end felt rushed, and I think Hunter was already mentally and emotionally moving on to her Jane Yellowrock series, and just wanted to wrap up all the loose ends quickly. Thorn's development from a character with little power to one with major power happened far too quickly. If you're following this series, you've got to read the finish, but expect to be underwhelmed.
April 15, 2022
still too much religious babble to make an enjoyable fantasy
I finished. I will Not buy another even if there are more. I bought the series thinking it would be like her Skinwalker novels. Other than battle leathers and knife play, oh and a mention of Cherokee once or twice. This isn’t like her Skinwalker novels. I know good fiction that quote the Bible extensively exists. Heck there are even some that twist the words some consider holy into thrilling existential questions about life, and existence. This is just a glorified woman who Constantly needs to remind everyone how she has no soul, and the ring of men she is collecting around her that want to “mate”.
Add to that the dual battle views one “in reality” the other “in space….with lava”. So space angels, rock wheels and mist serpents. There are a Lot of interesting ideas but the execution is clunky. I found myself skimming over whole sections, bored. If I have to read One More time about mage-heat, soulless mages, is there a god, scripture repeatedly quoted (same line over and over), endless clothing and scars, breakable bones (and yeah if you are that brittle you can’t wield heavy swords and have bones survive the impact) so many throats torn out. There is a lot of hate for LGTB people despite our MC caring deeply for her brother-in law and his partner. It is framed in terms of orthodox vs reform. And everything revolves around the Kirk or house of worship.
I finished. I will Not buy another even if there are more. I bought the series thinking it would be like her Skinwalker novels. Other than battle leathers and knife play, oh and a mention of Cherokee once or twice. This isn’t like her Skinwalker novels. I know good fiction that quote the Bible extensively exists. Heck there are even some that twist the words some consider holy into thrilling existential questions about life, and existence. This is just a glorified woman who Constantly needs to remind everyone how she has no soul, and the ring of men she is collecting around her that want to “mate”.
Add to that the dual battle views one “in reality” the other “in space….with lava”. So space angels, rock wheels and mist serpents. There are a Lot of interesting ideas but the execution is clunky. I found myself skimming over whole sections, bored. If I have to read One More time about mage-heat, soulless mages, is there a god, scripture repeatedly quoted (same line over and over), endless clothing and scars, breakable bones (and yeah if you are that brittle you can’t wield heavy swords and have bones survive the impact) so many throats torn out. There is a lot of hate for LGTB people despite our MC caring deeply for her brother-in law and his partner. It is framed in terms of orthodox vs reform. And everything revolves around the Kirk or house of worship.
December 16, 2019
SO incredibly irritated by this book; enough so that I wished I hadn't started any of them. I know, fairly strong sentiment. The first book was enjoyable, and for me a new premise concerning witches and angels I hadn't come across before. Second book was less so, but still enough like-able momentum to start the third.
Now for the third; basically a repeat of the second which was a repeat of the first: Demon fight, hunky men, sex lust, sex lust, demon fight. Ok, not terrible, although not my cup of tea per se. The ending, however, sent me into an irrational RAGE. The whole series was about Thorn, the main character, bemoaning the loss of her twin sister as well as ptsd flashbacks to the time she was held captive by demons for two weeks. TWO WEEKS. In this last book it's discovered her sister, Rose, is still alive and has been tortured for the last (7+) YEARS. However, because her best friend and business partner *offers* up his life for the sister to use as fuel to fight and win against the big baddies, Thorn and her hunk groupies decide to give Rose the cold shoulder completely. What the hell?? Really? Thorn's grief over the loss of her sister seems to completely vanish, as well as any compassion she may have had for someone who experienced literally 1000x the torture she did. Maybe the author was going to clear things up in a follow up, but I'll never know.
Now for the third; basically a repeat of the second which was a repeat of the first: Demon fight, hunky men, sex lust, sex lust, demon fight. Ok, not terrible, although not my cup of tea per se. The ending, however, sent me into an irrational RAGE. The whole series was about Thorn, the main character, bemoaning the loss of her twin sister as well as ptsd flashbacks to the time she was held captive by demons for two weeks. TWO WEEKS. In this last book it's discovered her sister, Rose, is still alive and has been tortured for the last (7+) YEARS. However, because her best friend and business partner *offers* up his life for the sister to use as fuel to fight and win against the big baddies, Thorn and her hunk groupies decide to give Rose the cold shoulder completely. What the hell?? Really? Thorn's grief over the loss of her sister seems to completely vanish, as well as any compassion she may have had for someone who experienced literally 1000x the torture she did. Maybe the author was going to clear things up in a follow up, but I'll never know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2017
This almost reads like a stand-alone book. The way it starts and how everything was said about the previous events. The prologue in this should have been at the beginning of the first book. It would have answered a lot of questions back then and relieved a lot of confusion.
Not sure I liked the ending. It was nice and everything was wrapped up well, but it left me wishing there was another book. Just to see what happened to her and who she ended up with. About Cianna and Eli and even Cheran. But than I hate untied threads and life doesn’t stop at the end of a book but goes on and on.
Footnote: 1) She sure goes through a lot of salt for something that supposed to be a special kind that has to be imported in.
2) There’s a lot of terms that needed to be clarified. For example; just what is a snow-el-mobile? And I get champard but what’s the meaning behind mistrend?
Fave scenes: the Elder’s comments about Cheran, the 70 children, ‘visiting’ the wheels and creating the embassy.
Not sure I liked the ending. It was nice and everything was wrapped up well, but it left me wishing there was another book. Just to see what happened to her and who she ended up with. About Cianna and Eli and even Cheran. But than I hate untied threads and life doesn’t stop at the end of a book but goes on and on.
Footnote: 1) She sure goes through a lot of salt for something that supposed to be a special kind that has to be imported in.
2) There’s a lot of terms that needed to be clarified. For example; just what is a snow-el-mobile? And I get champard but what’s the meaning behind mistrend?
Fave scenes: the Elder’s comments about Cheran, the 70 children, ‘visiting’ the wheels and creating the embassy.
August 24, 2020
Well, it didn’t really answer any of the set up questions.
Very long tease - who is she going to have sex with - never answered, except the sex scene in book 2 with her ex. Yuck. Hate that concept.
Have these people who have a variety of magical options never heard of birth control? The uncontrollable lust, okay, been there, but, having litter after litter ... give me a break.
And finding Rose - just in time. Too close to the end, so not developed as a character.
Not close to the writing or world building in either of her other two series, although there’s a hint here and there. I think it started with the idea of what if the Bible was true? What if all the nutso imagery of seraphim and cherubim and the wheels and and and ...
But, the essential questions, because they aren’t ever answered, don’t really matter at all.
Very long tease - who is she going to have sex with - never answered, except the sex scene in book 2 with her ex. Yuck. Hate that concept.
Have these people who have a variety of magical options never heard of birth control? The uncontrollable lust, okay, been there, but, having litter after litter ... give me a break.
And finding Rose - just in time. Too close to the end, so not developed as a character.
Not close to the writing or world building in either of her other two series, although there’s a hint here and there. I think it started with the idea of what if the Bible was true? What if all the nutso imagery of seraphim and cherubim and the wheels and and and ...
But, the essential questions, because they aren’t ever answered, don’t really matter at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2023
Regarding this trilogy: If these had been the first Faith Hunter books I'd read, I'm not sure if I would have taken a chance on Jane Yellowrock. Since I read JY first, I found it interesting to see the difference between "early" and "later" works by the author.
If you've already read Jane Y., and are thinking this will be similar, you'll be disappointed. For that, I would recommend the Soulwood series.
If this were any other author, I would review this saying "too full of tropes, too predictable, and far far too many biblical quotations despite the premise that this is a war between angels and demons."
If you've already read Jane Y., and are thinking this will be similar, you'll be disappointed. For that, I would recommend the Soulwood series.
If this were any other author, I would review this saying "too full of tropes, too predictable, and far far too many biblical quotations despite the premise that this is a war between angels and demons."
September 27, 2020
Up to the last 90%, this was a good final installment in the Rogue Mage trilogy. But that last 10% ruined it for me. It was, at best, an unsatisfying ending, and some elements of the denouement just made me wonder what the heck Hunter was thinking. She could have made the book a third again as long, and wrapped up everything in a much more satisfying way, neatly tying up all the loose ends and bringing everything to a much better conclusion. It's almost as if her editor told her to keep the book under a certain length or they wouldn't publish it. It could have been so much better!
October 20, 2017
I still can't tell if this series was good or not. It had all the bones of being a fantastic and interesting world but in the end there were a few things that were off. The first, even though you've finished the series there is a lot left unresolved and unanswered. Second, the links to Faith's other books was just...weird. This world doesn't make sense with Jane Yellowrock and the Soulwood series.
February 23, 2021
Dark, Gritty, Thrilling and Heartbreaking all at once!
I found this book in the series to be more dark, gritty and heartbreaking. Thorn had a lot happen to her that it was just overwhelming. Her family of her heart kept her in one piece mentally and physically. I’m still routing for Eli! What gal can turn down a saddle, whipped cream, and a red silk teddy? Lol! Plus he always was there for Thorn when she’s at her lowest, that man can make her laugh!
I found this book in the series to be more dark, gritty and heartbreaking. Thorn had a lot happen to her that it was just overwhelming. Her family of her heart kept her in one piece mentally and physically. I’m still routing for Eli! What gal can turn down a saddle, whipped cream, and a red silk teddy? Lol! Plus he always was there for Thorn when she’s at her lowest, that man can make her laugh!
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