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Buffyverse Novels #53
Angel: Soul Trade
Even if it takes an eternity, he will make amends.... Soul Survivor Of any creature to walk the earth, Angel understands -- perhaps better than most -- the fragility of the soul. For others, the soul is the essence of humanity.But for Angel, his propels him toward the acts of humanity that may ultimately be his salvation. He never thought people would pay for a soul. In Los Angeles, where everything's for sale, Doyle, Cordelia, and Angel discover a young girl whose soul has been literally taken from her, and they realize that the soul trade has hit the black market. A soul is now a commodity among the gamblers, junkies, and gangsters of the underworld, and the soul of an innocent child is the hottest item in town. That is, until Angel appears on the scene, and the inside traders realize that there's a soul out there even more unique than they had ever dared to dream....
326 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Thomas E. Sniegoski
281 books1,105 followersThomas E. Sniegoski, often credited as Tom Sniegoski is the author of more than two dozen novels for adults, teens, and children. His teen fantasy YA series Fallen was adapted into a trilogy of monstrously successful TV movies by ABC Family Channel. His other books for teens include Sleeper Code, Sleeper Agenda, and Force Majeure, as well as the upcoming series The Brimstone Network. The author's first adult novel, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse, hit the shelves in 2008, with its sequel, Dancing on the Head of a Pin to be released in 2009.
Sniegoski's work for younger readers includes Billy Hooten: Owlboy, and the fantasy quartet OutCast, which he co-authored with Christopher Golden. OutCast is in development as a film at Universal. Sniegoski and Golden have also collaborated on the adult dark fantasy series The Menagerie, and multiple creator-owned comic book series, including The Sisterhood, which is being prepped for a feature film by InterMedia, and Talent, currently in development at Universal after a major bidding war.
As a comic book writer, Sniegoski's work includes Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails, a prequel miniseries to international hit, Bone. Sniegoski collaborated with Bone creator Jeff Smith on the prequel, making him the only writer Smith has ever asked to work on those characters. Sniegoski and Golden also wrote the graphic novel BPRD: Hollow Earth, a spinoff from Hellboy.
Sniegoski was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his wife LeeAnne and their Labrador Retriever, Mulder. Tom recently completed the new young adult novel, Legacy, which is set to be released in October of 2009.
Sniegoski's work for younger readers includes Billy Hooten: Owlboy, and the fantasy quartet OutCast, which he co-authored with Christopher Golden. OutCast is in development as a film at Universal. Sniegoski and Golden have also collaborated on the adult dark fantasy series The Menagerie, and multiple creator-owned comic book series, including The Sisterhood, which is being prepped for a feature film by InterMedia, and Talent, currently in development at Universal after a major bidding war.
As a comic book writer, Sniegoski's work includes Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails, a prequel miniseries to international hit, Bone. Sniegoski collaborated with Bone creator Jeff Smith on the prequel, making him the only writer Smith has ever asked to work on those characters. Sniegoski and Golden also wrote the graphic novel BPRD: Hollow Earth, a spinoff from Hellboy.
Sniegoski was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his wife LeeAnne and their Labrador Retriever, Mulder. Tom recently completed the new young adult novel, Legacy, which is set to be released in October of 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 16, 2023
This tie-in novel from Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's spin-off, is set in the early days of the continuity with the original cast trio of Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle. It's a good, standard urban-fantasy story, with a plot involving the black-market trade of human souls that would work well in any number of genre settings, not just this television universe. The characters are quite well portrayed, especially Cordelia, who seems more caring than she was often seen as being, and Angel finally seems to be getting over It. It's a fine read even for folks not familiar with the original source material.
October 13, 2025
This is a book based on the television series. It takes place early in the first season of the show. In this one a father does the unthinkable to his daughter so he can pay off gambling debts. Angel hopes to reverse the damage the father has done.
I am not expecting high brow literature when I read a media tie-in novel. I want to be entertained while the established characters are portrayed correctly. This book accomplished that with no problems. The show was early in its run but did have history because of it being a spinoff. The author used the established lore for the characters and it worked perfectly. If I had an issue with characters it would be with the new characters that were brought in for this book. I thought one did not act accordingly and it took me out of the final act for a little bit. As for the story I thought it worked perfectly for this universe and I could picture this being a filler episode of the show. In fact some of the story reminded me of an episode that took place in a later season. It had me wondering if the writers read this book and put their own spin on the concept for the show.
I will pick up media tie-in novels from various universes. I want to spend more time with beloved characters and have one more adventure with them. This book allowed me to do that. It might not be the best book from this universe. It definitely is not the worst as I have read some pretty mediocre offerings. It was a fun time and a great way for fans to go back in time.
I am not expecting high brow literature when I read a media tie-in novel. I want to be entertained while the established characters are portrayed correctly. This book accomplished that with no problems. The show was early in its run but did have history because of it being a spinoff. The author used the established lore for the characters and it worked perfectly. If I had an issue with characters it would be with the new characters that were brought in for this book. I thought one did not act accordingly and it took me out of the final act for a little bit. As for the story I thought it worked perfectly for this universe and I could picture this being a filler episode of the show. In fact some of the story reminded me of an episode that took place in a later season. It had me wondering if the writers read this book and put their own spin on the concept for the show.
I will pick up media tie-in novels from various universes. I want to spend more time with beloved characters and have one more adventure with them. This book allowed me to do that. It might not be the best book from this universe. It definitely is not the worst as I have read some pretty mediocre offerings. It was a fun time and a great way for fans to go back in time.
January 24, 2025
This tie-in happens after Avatar so the first half of Angel's first season.
Getting a little bit of that Cordelia character growth as we see she has become much more of a fighter even if she still doesn't like being bait for demons. Still as snarky as ever but we get to see a caring side to her.
Doyle is pretty much the same but we get a little more of why he is always a little down, not on the same brooding level as Angel, yet filled with good humor. For anyone who hasn't seen the show, Doyle has an ex-wife who knows about him being a half demon. Cordelia doesn't know that Doyle has demon blood or has seen his demon face which is another road block considering his attraction to her.
We do get to learn a little more about Angel's past but not as Angelus but as the young man named Liam, his human name. The series explores that a little more but this book makes a connection to the main storyline giving us a brief look at his human soul.
In L.A. it is just as bad in the supernatural underbelly to score the perfect drug for the perfect high and the newest kick is one made from human souls. A human man named David is in deep with a loan shark but the appearance of a mysterious man named Meskal at his table changes all of that.
Down on his luck, David agrees to a crazy bargain where Meskal will pay off his debt if he does one thing for him. The most underhanded thing that a man can do that it makes my skin crawl because the back of the book blurb sugar-coats it...
The soul isn't that of a young girl but a little girl around five years old...his own daughter!!
Add to that, Angel is sent after a troll demon who eats children and has kidnapped six of them. We only get four of them unharmed before Doyle gets this other terrifying vision of a child in trouble...
Angel knows what it is like not to have a soul and the burden of having one so he promises the mother of the little girl named Aubrey that he will "help" her daughter. David's ex-wife June is grateful for the offer but has really no idea just how horrible a situation she has been put in despite the fact of seeing David be beaten to a bloody pulp numerous times by loan sharks seeking payment since their child was born...
It soon has worlds colliding when Angel and Company learn that Meskal is a powerful sorcerer teamed up with a demon and both of them are as old as Ancient Rome, having been stealing souls and creating life in faceless creatures for centuries. Once they learn that a vampire with a soul is looking to put an end to all of their schemes, Angel's the most sought after prize...
When it comes down to saving the soul of a child...could this be the end of Angel and the return of Angelus?
Despite my at times horrified reactions to what I was reading, it balanced itself out at all of the more heartwarming moments that almost made me cry. Being a mother now, those parts were palpable but also in seeing that the man who became Angel was not as disappointing as the show writers made him out to be.
If you haven't watched Angel it is a really big spoiler I won't share but Soul Trade would have made a fabulous episode of the series. Parts of it dragged on but the rest of the book was riveting and worth getting to the end.
Getting a little bit of that Cordelia character growth as we see she has become much more of a fighter even if she still doesn't like being bait for demons. Still as snarky as ever but we get to see a caring side to her.
Doyle is pretty much the same but we get a little more of why he is always a little down, not on the same brooding level as Angel, yet filled with good humor. For anyone who hasn't seen the show, Doyle has an ex-wife who knows about him being a half demon. Cordelia doesn't know that Doyle has demon blood or has seen his demon face which is another road block considering his attraction to her.
We do get to learn a little more about Angel's past but not as Angelus but as the young man named Liam, his human name. The series explores that a little more but this book makes a connection to the main storyline giving us a brief look at his human soul.
In L.A. it is just as bad in the supernatural underbelly to score the perfect drug for the perfect high and the newest kick is one made from human souls. A human man named David is in deep with a loan shark but the appearance of a mysterious man named Meskal at his table changes all of that.
Down on his luck, David agrees to a crazy bargain where Meskal will pay off his debt if he does one thing for him. The most underhanded thing that a man can do that it makes my skin crawl because the back of the book blurb sugar-coats it...
The soul isn't that of a young girl but a little girl around five years old...his own daughter!!
Add to that, Angel is sent after a troll demon who eats children and has kidnapped six of them. We only get four of them unharmed before Doyle gets this other terrifying vision of a child in trouble...
Angel knows what it is like not to have a soul and the burden of having one so he promises the mother of the little girl named Aubrey that he will "help" her daughter. David's ex-wife June is grateful for the offer but has really no idea just how horrible a situation she has been put in despite the fact of seeing David be beaten to a bloody pulp numerous times by loan sharks seeking payment since their child was born...
It soon has worlds colliding when Angel and Company learn that Meskal is a powerful sorcerer teamed up with a demon and both of them are as old as Ancient Rome, having been stealing souls and creating life in faceless creatures for centuries. Once they learn that a vampire with a soul is looking to put an end to all of their schemes, Angel's the most sought after prize...
When it comes down to saving the soul of a child...could this be the end of Angel and the return of Angelus?
Despite my at times horrified reactions to what I was reading, it balanced itself out at all of the more heartwarming moments that almost made me cry. Being a mother now, those parts were palpable but also in seeing that the man who became Angel was not as disappointing as the show writers made him out to be.
If you haven't watched Angel it is a really big spoiler I won't share but Soul Trade would have made a fabulous episode of the series. Parts of it dragged on but the rest of the book was riveting and worth getting to the end.
April 14, 2023
Not bad for media tie-in fiction, my first for Angel. Thoughtful and compelling, but I feel like the pay off at the end fell flat. Still, better than some episodes of the show, to be fair.
April 26, 2025
Surprised myself by quite enjoying this one. The storyline was quite engaging and didn't feel too convoluted or dragged out (a bit of a recurring theme with some of the Buffy/Angel novels). Although I will say that having the Irish Doyle's speech written phonetically (everything is always 'ye' and 'fer') got very old very quickly.
January 3, 2015
Quick and easy vacation read. Good Angel story, featuring Cordy and Doyle. Would recommend to any fan of the show.
April 27, 2019
Took a little getting into, but it had a good pace to it, and great moments for the characters
November 20, 2025
3.5 stars.
December 2, 2012
I fully expected this to be barely more than a sanctioned fan fiction. While there were a few inconsistencies, they are small things that only a few people would notice.
The prologue made me think that the book had been mislabeled, it was well written and made no mention of either Angel or the supernatural. It depicted a cowardly stupid man with a gambling problem willing to do anything to protect himself. In an effort to clear his debt with a loan shark he sells his daughters soul. Now I'm not a rocket scientist but if someone is willing to give you a really large sum of money for something that you don't believe in maybe its' time to actually think about the deal you are making. It was the kind of prologue that could have been made into a decent book without having Angel as the hero. but that of course would have been a different book.
The villains are completely flat characters with their only motivator being their greed.
While I'm assuming that this is suppose to take place in the first season of the T.V. Series the version of Cordelia seems more like the caring Cordy from the second season than the self absorbed airhead that first arrived in L.A. from Sunnydale. Not saying that she doesn't have her moments when the old Cordy shines but she is much more involved in the investigating part of Angel Investigations than I would have expected at that point.
Angel in this is pretty well written. Jumping from one heroic fight to another while questioning the reason he's fighting. Most of his brooding and counting of past sins is centered around the sister of Liam and her gruesome death at the hands and fangs of Angelus. A large part of the story line is centered around him comparing the girl he's trying to save with the sister that he killed and using the battle for the living to get some closure for the dead.
Fortunately unlike many of the other books written from the Buffy-verse Soul Trade isn't written from an existing episode meaning that fans aren't reading someones bad novelization of episodes they've already seen.
There is little mention of Buffy or the Buffy~Angel relationship that lead up to him leaving Sunnydale there is only one mention of her that sticks in my mind and even then she was just called The Slayer. In fact this book has no romantic interest at all unless you count Doyle's ever present interest in Cordelia.
This is an average book not one of the best in the world but for what it is it's an ok read.
The prologue made me think that the book had been mislabeled, it was well written and made no mention of either Angel or the supernatural. It depicted a cowardly stupid man with a gambling problem willing to do anything to protect himself. In an effort to clear his debt with a loan shark he sells his daughters soul. Now I'm not a rocket scientist but if someone is willing to give you a really large sum of money for something that you don't believe in maybe its' time to actually think about the deal you are making. It was the kind of prologue that could have been made into a decent book without having Angel as the hero. but that of course would have been a different book.
The villains are completely flat characters with their only motivator being their greed.
While I'm assuming that this is suppose to take place in the first season of the T.V. Series the version of Cordelia seems more like the caring Cordy from the second season than the self absorbed airhead that first arrived in L.A. from Sunnydale. Not saying that she doesn't have her moments when the old Cordy shines but she is much more involved in the investigating part of Angel Investigations than I would have expected at that point.
Angel in this is pretty well written. Jumping from one heroic fight to another while questioning the reason he's fighting. Most of his brooding and counting of past sins is centered around the sister of Liam and her gruesome death at the hands and fangs of Angelus. A large part of the story line is centered around him comparing the girl he's trying to save with the sister that he killed and using the battle for the living to get some closure for the dead.
Fortunately unlike many of the other books written from the Buffy-verse Soul Trade isn't written from an existing episode meaning that fans aren't reading someones bad novelization of episodes they've already seen.
There is little mention of Buffy or the Buffy~Angel relationship that lead up to him leaving Sunnydale there is only one mention of her that sticks in my mind and even then she was just called The Slayer. In fact this book has no romantic interest at all unless you count Doyle's ever present interest in Cordelia.
This is an average book not one of the best in the world but for what it is it's an ok read.
January 31, 2016
If you were a fan of the TV series Angel (the Vampire with a soul), then this is a novel you'll want to read. It's a brand new story with Angel, Codelia, and Doyle. Knowing Angel's history, I am sure you can tell from the title that the plot of this story involves the sale of souls. I don't believe in spoilers, so I can't say much. But, the three main characters do their best to retreive a certain soul that has been put on the open market. There are a lot of great villans in this novel, a lot of action, and some insight into three great characters. If you love the Angel series, and miss it, look on line or at used books sales, and pick this up this exciting new Angel tale!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews