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Blood and Feathers #2
Blood and Feathers: Rebellion
“This is a war. The war. There is no stopping; no getting out. You’re in this - just like the rest of us - to the end.”
Driven out of hell and with nothing to lose, the Fallen wage open warfare against the angels on the streets. And they’re winning.
As the balance tips towards the darkness, Alice – barely recovered from her own ordeal in hell and struggling to start over – once again finds herself in the eye of the storm. But with the chaos spreading and the Archangel Michael determined to destroy Lucifer whatever the cost, is the price simply too high? And what sacrifices will Alice and the angels have to make in order to pay it?
The Fallen will rise. Trust will be betrayed. And all hell breaks loose...
Driven out of hell and with nothing to lose, the Fallen wage open warfare against the angels on the streets. And they’re winning.
As the balance tips towards the darkness, Alice – barely recovered from her own ordeal in hell and struggling to start over – once again finds herself in the eye of the storm. But with the chaos spreading and the Archangel Michael determined to destroy Lucifer whatever the cost, is the price simply too high? And what sacrifices will Alice and the angels have to make in order to pay it?
The Fallen will rise. Trust will be betrayed. And all hell breaks loose...
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2013
10 people are currently reading
534 people want to read
About the author
Lou Morgan
45 books94 followersLou Morgan is an award-nominated adult and YA author. Her first novel, Blood and Feathers – an adult urban fantasy – was published by Solaris Books in 2012 and the follow-up, Blood and Feathers: Rebellion, was released in the summer of 2013.
Her first YA novel, Sleepless, is published by Stripes / Little Tiger Press as part of their Red Eye horror series.
She has appeared at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and has been nominated for three British Fantasy Awards (Best Newcomer and twice for Best Fantasy Novel).
Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Solaris Books, PS Publishing and Jurassic, amongst others. She has also written genre novel-related features for magazines including Future Publishing’s SFX and is a long- and shortlist reader for the Bath Novel Award.
Born in Wales and a graduate of University College London, she now lives in Bath with her family.
She is represented by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group / UTA.
Her first YA novel, Sleepless, is published by Stripes / Little Tiger Press as part of their Red Eye horror series.
She has appeared at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and has been nominated for three British Fantasy Awards (Best Newcomer and twice for Best Fantasy Novel).
Her short stories have appeared in anthologies from Solaris Books, PS Publishing and Jurassic, amongst others. She has also written genre novel-related features for magazines including Future Publishing’s SFX and is a long- and shortlist reader for the Bath Novel Award.
Born in Wales and a graduate of University College London, she now lives in Bath with her family.
She is represented by Juliet Mushens at The Agency Group / UTA.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 17, 2013
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2013...
First off. Stop. And look at the cover. Yup. I know. Great stuff. Makes you want to read it straight away doesn't it? On to the book itself now.
Last year around the same time as now I read Lou Morgan’s debut: Blood and Feathers. From the first page onwards I just knew that Lou Morgan would be an author to watch out for. Blood and Feathers was a solid start into a new series and into the established genre of Urban Fantasy. A lot of cool stuff happened in this first book storywise, Angels, Fallen, angelic choirs and guns guns guns. Added to this was a great character cast with Alice, a human and several Angels in various degrees: Mallory, Vin and Michael. And to top it all off, Lou Morgan writing style is highly addictive, I finished Blood and Feathers in one go, Rebellion proved to be the same deal. It’s shame on you if you haven’t read these books yet, I highly advice you to do so now. asap.
Rebellion picks up directly after Blood and Feathers focusing again on the protagonist of the series Alice. Blood and Feathers left the story open after an intense battle between heaven and hell with The Fallen and their leader Lucifer breaking out of Hell. Opening in London, we see Alice doing her normal daily things, well.. maybe what has become normal for Alice. Alice has always felt drawn to Mallory but now that he has gone missing, Alice is finding that living for yourself, with your own savings is a lot harder. She is need of money and soon finds herself working as a receptionist for someone none other than the Angel of Death. This all is just the starting point to what happens in the story of Rebellion, it soon comes to show just what The Fallen have in store for the Angels and the whole world. Rebellion isn’t confined to the London area, the story starts in it but the majority of the book takes place in Mont Saint-Michel. Mont Saint-Michel, is a place that must be well known to a lot of people and if you know it’s history, using this place only added a whole lot of flavour to the story. Named after Michael itself, what better place is there to have your base of operations?
Like I already mentioned, the focus is still on Alice. In the first book she already went through quite a transformation and in Rebellion she keeps on developing even further. Alice was a strong protagonist, not afraid to give her own opinion as she see it, she even starts to argue with Archangels! Besides her fierce nature Alice also has a gift, quite a fiery one to say the least, that is currently mostly controlled by her emotions, when she gets angry it seems to flare up a lot. She is coming to understand and learn more and more about what her power actually is and how she can use it to its full potential. Besides Alice there were also a few other characters that you had got to learn in the first book. Mallory, Vin, Michael and a lot more. Most of them all make a reappearance in Rebellion and all for the better. To most of them you were briefly introduced, with a few facts and figure about each of them, what I liked most about what happened in Rebellion is that Lou Morgan took a lot of time and invested it in showing more and more of each of these secondary characters. I was especially pleased with the depth that was giving to Mallory’s character. He is pretty cool, with his nonchalance attitude and fast remarks and let’s not forget his two favourite colts but Lou Morgan gives Mallory a completely different, emotional side. Showing how the Mallory that we know became that Mallory, I hadn’t dared to guess that all this was behind his character. Just superb. Besides the recurring cast there are also a few new characters, both angelic and human. Like Adriel, The Angel of Death, where Alice suddenly finds herself working for and Toby, a human who has an eye for Alice but doesn’t have a clue what is behind Alice’s character.
All of the characters that you get acquainted to all feel complete whole and their actions are easily relatable to. All this is held together and further bolstered by the way that Lou Morgan writes her story. The dialogues that feature between the different characters are fast paced, natural and features a lot of witty and snappy remarks that further encourages a certain flow in the story. There is a great focus on the characters and how they act with or against each other, the best thing here is that Lou Morgan doesn’t sacrifice the world building to achieve this. In between the dialogues and intense battles that feature in Rebellion there is enough time invested to create a dynamic and energized world. In terms of characters building, development and the world itself Rebellion is just spot on A+ material.
OK now for one of the best things that Rebellion offers. Action. Its chockfull of it. When you think you just had seen the fight wind down, BAM another one and another one. Now you might say, isn’t it all the same? Well no. Each time when a confrontation between The Fallen and the Angels occur there is this action reaction thing happening. One party looses and has to rethink their strategy. This really kept everything tight and interesting. There are also a few things happening off scene and it come to show that The Fallen are a lot more sneakier than Michael had first thought. Added to this is that the battles that you see aren’t only full frontal assaults. Due to various choices made by different characters there are new alliances forged and old ones broken, keeping you on the edge of your seat guessing what the h... will happen next! When the action does go down its in full angelic raiment think fiery swords, lighting and not to forget Mallory and his trusted side arms. This is really the type of action that you want to read in such a book and genre wise itself.
If you had thought Blood and Feathers to be a great book, be sure to read Rebellion. It has everything it predecessor had but much much more. Rebellion is so fiery it'll singe the hairs on your arms! In terms of sequels this is what you want to read as a second book in a series. Lou Morgan never falters, never disappoints and never writes a boring thing. This is what is called taking your story to the next level. From the characters that make reappearance to the new characters there is a great amount of development going on. All for the better, learning more about the existing characters and getting acquainted with a lot more. In terms of places visited, starting up in London and then making the transition to the iconic part of Mont Saint-Michel was a very wise and if I may say so brilliant decision, this places added bucket loads of extra flavour to the story. And lastly the action, it’s just awesome, its dark, fast paced down right in your face take it or leave it. I know you will love it.
If I have to be honest, I want to see this series being translated to the big screen! Like I said when I read the first book Blood and Feathers, Lou Morgan is an author to watch out for, and she again proves it double-time. You don’t want to be missing out on these books. I hope be far this isn’t the last thing we have seen from her, she is definitely taking over the Urban Fantasy genre with a fiery storm.
First off. Stop. And look at the cover. Yup. I know. Great stuff. Makes you want to read it straight away doesn't it? On to the book itself now.
Last year around the same time as now I read Lou Morgan’s debut: Blood and Feathers. From the first page onwards I just knew that Lou Morgan would be an author to watch out for. Blood and Feathers was a solid start into a new series and into the established genre of Urban Fantasy. A lot of cool stuff happened in this first book storywise, Angels, Fallen, angelic choirs and guns guns guns. Added to this was a great character cast with Alice, a human and several Angels in various degrees: Mallory, Vin and Michael. And to top it all off, Lou Morgan writing style is highly addictive, I finished Blood and Feathers in one go, Rebellion proved to be the same deal. It’s shame on you if you haven’t read these books yet, I highly advice you to do so now. asap.
Rebellion picks up directly after Blood and Feathers focusing again on the protagonist of the series Alice. Blood and Feathers left the story open after an intense battle between heaven and hell with The Fallen and their leader Lucifer breaking out of Hell. Opening in London, we see Alice doing her normal daily things, well.. maybe what has become normal for Alice. Alice has always felt drawn to Mallory but now that he has gone missing, Alice is finding that living for yourself, with your own savings is a lot harder. She is need of money and soon finds herself working as a receptionist for someone none other than the Angel of Death. This all is just the starting point to what happens in the story of Rebellion, it soon comes to show just what The Fallen have in store for the Angels and the whole world. Rebellion isn’t confined to the London area, the story starts in it but the majority of the book takes place in Mont Saint-Michel. Mont Saint-Michel, is a place that must be well known to a lot of people and if you know it’s history, using this place only added a whole lot of flavour to the story. Named after Michael itself, what better place is there to have your base of operations?
Like I already mentioned, the focus is still on Alice. In the first book she already went through quite a transformation and in Rebellion she keeps on developing even further. Alice was a strong protagonist, not afraid to give her own opinion as she see it, she even starts to argue with Archangels! Besides her fierce nature Alice also has a gift, quite a fiery one to say the least, that is currently mostly controlled by her emotions, when she gets angry it seems to flare up a lot. She is coming to understand and learn more and more about what her power actually is and how she can use it to its full potential. Besides Alice there were also a few other characters that you had got to learn in the first book. Mallory, Vin, Michael and a lot more. Most of them all make a reappearance in Rebellion and all for the better. To most of them you were briefly introduced, with a few facts and figure about each of them, what I liked most about what happened in Rebellion is that Lou Morgan took a lot of time and invested it in showing more and more of each of these secondary characters. I was especially pleased with the depth that was giving to Mallory’s character. He is pretty cool, with his nonchalance attitude and fast remarks and let’s not forget his two favourite colts but Lou Morgan gives Mallory a completely different, emotional side. Showing how the Mallory that we know became that Mallory, I hadn’t dared to guess that all this was behind his character. Just superb. Besides the recurring cast there are also a few new characters, both angelic and human. Like Adriel, The Angel of Death, where Alice suddenly finds herself working for and Toby, a human who has an eye for Alice but doesn’t have a clue what is behind Alice’s character.
All of the characters that you get acquainted to all feel complete whole and their actions are easily relatable to. All this is held together and further bolstered by the way that Lou Morgan writes her story. The dialogues that feature between the different characters are fast paced, natural and features a lot of witty and snappy remarks that further encourages a certain flow in the story. There is a great focus on the characters and how they act with or against each other, the best thing here is that Lou Morgan doesn’t sacrifice the world building to achieve this. In between the dialogues and intense battles that feature in Rebellion there is enough time invested to create a dynamic and energized world. In terms of characters building, development and the world itself Rebellion is just spot on A+ material.
OK now for one of the best things that Rebellion offers. Action. Its chockfull of it. When you think you just had seen the fight wind down, BAM another one and another one. Now you might say, isn’t it all the same? Well no. Each time when a confrontation between The Fallen and the Angels occur there is this action reaction thing happening. One party looses and has to rethink their strategy. This really kept everything tight and interesting. There are also a few things happening off scene and it come to show that The Fallen are a lot more sneakier than Michael had first thought. Added to this is that the battles that you see aren’t only full frontal assaults. Due to various choices made by different characters there are new alliances forged and old ones broken, keeping you on the edge of your seat guessing what the h... will happen next! When the action does go down its in full angelic raiment think fiery swords, lighting and not to forget Mallory and his trusted side arms. This is really the type of action that you want to read in such a book and genre wise itself.
If you had thought Blood and Feathers to be a great book, be sure to read Rebellion. It has everything it predecessor had but much much more. Rebellion is so fiery it'll singe the hairs on your arms! In terms of sequels this is what you want to read as a second book in a series. Lou Morgan never falters, never disappoints and never writes a boring thing. This is what is called taking your story to the next level. From the characters that make reappearance to the new characters there is a great amount of development going on. All for the better, learning more about the existing characters and getting acquainted with a lot more. In terms of places visited, starting up in London and then making the transition to the iconic part of Mont Saint-Michel was a very wise and if I may say so brilliant decision, this places added bucket loads of extra flavour to the story. And lastly the action, it’s just awesome, its dark, fast paced down right in your face take it or leave it. I know you will love it.
If I have to be honest, I want to see this series being translated to the big screen! Like I said when I read the first book Blood and Feathers, Lou Morgan is an author to watch out for, and she again proves it double-time. You don’t want to be missing out on these books. I hope be far this isn’t the last thing we have seen from her, she is definitely taking over the Urban Fantasy genre with a fiery storm.
March 5, 2015
Where's the next book? Come on now, where's the next book! *screams down an empty corridor* WHERE'S THE NEXT BOOK?!
REVIEW TO COME... Once I calm down
REVIEW TO COME... Once I calm down
July 2, 2013
Please note Rebellion is a direct sequel to Blood and Feathers, so if you haven’t read that, there is a good chance there will be some minor spoilers below. Got it? Good. Onwards…
Driven out of hell and with nothing to lose, the Fallen wage open warfare against the angels on the streets. And they’re winning.
As the balance tips towards the darkness, Alice – barely recovered from her own ordeal in hell and struggling to start over – once again finds herself in the eye of the storm. But with the chaos spreading and the Archangel Michael determined to destroy Lucifer whatever the cost, is the price simply too high? And what sacrifices will Alice and the angels have to make in order to pay it?
The Fallen will rise. Trust will be betrayed. And all hell breaks loose…
The thing I’m always on the look out for in the second book of any series is a successful expansion on the existing narrative. The writing needs to reference the main events of book one and, using them as a base, expand upon the universe the author has already created. The good news is that with her second novel, Rebellion, Lou Morgan has taken the time to do exactly that.
The evolution of Alice’s character continues as she discovers more about the angelic side of her nature. The uncertainty that was so evident in the past is beginning to fall away. There is a sense that Alice is starting to relish her position. There is no denying that she suffered greatly during the events at the end of book one, but this has only made her a stronger, more resolute, person. Now that she is more confident in herself and her abilities Alice is willing to take on any angelic threat that comes her way.
The angels Mallory and Vin continue to delight. Like an old married couple they bicker and snipe at one another, and generally argue over just about everything. Their snarky back and forth is a genuine highlight.
I was lucky enough to attend the launch for Rebellion last week in London. Lou Morgan read a chapter from the book and also took part in a question and answer session. There was some interesting discussion regarding what does and doesn’t work when it comes to angels in fiction? Who has delivered the best onscreen portrayal of the Devil? (Viggo Mortensen in The Prophecy in case you’re curious) Which angel in Lou’s novels is the biggest badass? *cough* it’s Michael *cough* All insightful stuff I’m sure you’ll agree. The thing I found most interesting, however, was how Lou envisages her angels. It’s something that I picked up on in when I read book one – first and foremost these individuals are warriors. Alice meets everyone from your rank and file foot soldiers to the captains and generals of the angelic choirs. Make no mistake we’re talking about a fully-fledged army. Alice has found herself slap-bang in the midst of an eons old conflict.
As an aside, and on an entirely personal note, I should say that though the novel has lots of great stuff going on, page three hundred and twenty two is a personal favourite.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel. I’m pleased to report that the wait has been well worth it. Morgan’s writing goes from strength to strength and she really knows how to deliver when it comes to action, characterisation and blistering plot. As a confirmed atheist, I honestly never thought there would come a time in my life when I would look forward to angels beating the living tar out of one another. It’s always a pleasure to be proved one hundred per cent wrong.
To finish, a personal plea from me to the gods and goddesses of publishing – please tell me there is going to be another book in this series? There just has to be more still to come. THERE HAS TO BE! The tensions between the various angelic factions have reached near fever pitch. It feels like everything is just about to kick off in a properly apocalyptic fashion.
Blood and Feathers: Rebellion is published by Solaris Books and is available from 4th July 2013 in the UK and 9th July in the US. This novel confirms what I already suspected, Lou Morgan is an author whose work is well worth seeking out.
Driven out of hell and with nothing to lose, the Fallen wage open warfare against the angels on the streets. And they’re winning.
As the balance tips towards the darkness, Alice – barely recovered from her own ordeal in hell and struggling to start over – once again finds herself in the eye of the storm. But with the chaos spreading and the Archangel Michael determined to destroy Lucifer whatever the cost, is the price simply too high? And what sacrifices will Alice and the angels have to make in order to pay it?
The Fallen will rise. Trust will be betrayed. And all hell breaks loose…
The thing I’m always on the look out for in the second book of any series is a successful expansion on the existing narrative. The writing needs to reference the main events of book one and, using them as a base, expand upon the universe the author has already created. The good news is that with her second novel, Rebellion, Lou Morgan has taken the time to do exactly that.
The evolution of Alice’s character continues as she discovers more about the angelic side of her nature. The uncertainty that was so evident in the past is beginning to fall away. There is a sense that Alice is starting to relish her position. There is no denying that she suffered greatly during the events at the end of book one, but this has only made her a stronger, more resolute, person. Now that she is more confident in herself and her abilities Alice is willing to take on any angelic threat that comes her way.
The angels Mallory and Vin continue to delight. Like an old married couple they bicker and snipe at one another, and generally argue over just about everything. Their snarky back and forth is a genuine highlight.
I was lucky enough to attend the launch for Rebellion last week in London. Lou Morgan read a chapter from the book and also took part in a question and answer session. There was some interesting discussion regarding what does and doesn’t work when it comes to angels in fiction? Who has delivered the best onscreen portrayal of the Devil? (Viggo Mortensen in The Prophecy in case you’re curious) Which angel in Lou’s novels is the biggest badass? *cough* it’s Michael *cough* All insightful stuff I’m sure you’ll agree. The thing I found most interesting, however, was how Lou envisages her angels. It’s something that I picked up on in when I read book one – first and foremost these individuals are warriors. Alice meets everyone from your rank and file foot soldiers to the captains and generals of the angelic choirs. Make no mistake we’re talking about a fully-fledged army. Alice has found herself slap-bang in the midst of an eons old conflict.
As an aside, and on an entirely personal note, I should say that though the novel has lots of great stuff going on, page three hundred and twenty two is a personal favourite.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel. I’m pleased to report that the wait has been well worth it. Morgan’s writing goes from strength to strength and she really knows how to deliver when it comes to action, characterisation and blistering plot. As a confirmed atheist, I honestly never thought there would come a time in my life when I would look forward to angels beating the living tar out of one another. It’s always a pleasure to be proved one hundred per cent wrong.
To finish, a personal plea from me to the gods and goddesses of publishing – please tell me there is going to be another book in this series? There just has to be more still to come. THERE HAS TO BE! The tensions between the various angelic factions have reached near fever pitch. It feels like everything is just about to kick off in a properly apocalyptic fashion.
Blood and Feathers: Rebellion is published by Solaris Books and is available from 4th July 2013 in the UK and 9th July in the US. This novel confirms what I already suspected, Lou Morgan is an author whose work is well worth seeking out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2013
Rebellion is the second book in the Blood and Feathers series. I reviewed Lou Morgan's debut novel last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was really looking forward to reading this second instalment in the series. The novel picks up six months after the ending of the first one and we find Alice in a much changed situation from her previous life. Struggling to learn to control her new-found powers, living in Mallory's old home in the sacristy and she's quickly running out of money. Meanwhile, the Fallen have escaped Hell and are moving to take over the Earth. Humanity is largely powerless against them and it's all the angels, led by Michael, can do to keep the balance from tipping over too far. Until the balance doesn't just tip over, it does a double somersault and lands in a belly flop with its tongue between its teeth. And yeah, that story is as cool as I had hoped it would be.
This time we stay on Earth and we discover where Alice actually lives: London. In this book Earth is not just a stage Alice moves over to get from wherever to Hell, but it's the backdrop against which the narrative actually plays out and in fact the places the story visits even play an important part. The story starts in London and Morgan cleverly incorporated the London riots of 2011 into her plot; the riots were perhaps not kicked off by the Fallen, but they most definitely fanned the flames and transformed the streets into a hellish pandemonium where the mindless mob rules and anything can and will be used as a weapon. In contrast, most of the second half of the book is set on the idyllic, and iconic, Mont Saint-Michel – yes, named for that Michael – which the angels have made their headquarters on Earth. And while there was plenty of fighting here as well, it didn't seem quite as visceral and chaotic as the riot scenes. Grim, yes, unrelenting, most definitely, but far better organised and also less messy. It's as if the peace that can be found on the mountain in the sea pervades everything and anything there, making even conflict seem cleaner.
Despite the big battle scenes, it's the quieter, smaller moments where a single decision is made, that have furthest reaching impact and pack the greatest punch. The novel looks at choices: how we're free to make our own, the difficulty of having to make a choice and then having to stick to it. Your choice is your own and the consequences are yours to bear, even if they are unexpected and affect people other than yourself in ways you didn't mean to. Something which is reinforced in Alice's case, since Michael makes the others abide by her choices as well. But it's not just Alice who makes choices, it is all of them. It is Florence choosing Xaphan, Adriel choosing his successor; it is Gabriel choosing to act as he does and Toby as well. They all make choices, choices influenced by those of others, choices made ages and eons ago, but whose ripples only know come back to haunt those who made them.
I had a great time getting to know the various angels better and even meeting new ones. I loved Adriel and his successor and I found Zadkiel, Castor, and Pollux a fascinating trio, whose complete story I hope one day to find out. Morgan writes quick, snappy dialogue, with a wry sense of humour and enough bite to thoroughly engage me. Alice continues to grow, to master her dual nature and to discover how to just be Alice, instead of having to be either human or angel. I really enjoyed her development and the roles Mallory and Vin play in it. Surprisingly, both Mallory and Vin change and grow as well – surprising, because hey, eons-old characters should have the wisdom of Methuselah, right? You'd think they'd have learned it all by now. But no, they still have plenty to learn – though in this book it's more Vin than Mallory who has to do most of the growing. And it's Alice who needs to help them and all the others grow by shaking them up.
Lou Morgan has firmly placed herself on my auto-buy-list of authors with her second book. Blood and Feathers: Rebellion is a great sequel to Blood and Feathers and it has raised the stakes for Alice, the angels, and humanity considerably. I'm looking forward to the next – and presumably concluding – volume in the series and seeing where Morgan will take us next. We have seen Hell and Earth, will the next stop be Heaven? Whether it is or not, I know I'll be along for the ride. Won't you catch up and join me?
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
This time we stay on Earth and we discover where Alice actually lives: London. In this book Earth is not just a stage Alice moves over to get from wherever to Hell, but it's the backdrop against which the narrative actually plays out and in fact the places the story visits even play an important part. The story starts in London and Morgan cleverly incorporated the London riots of 2011 into her plot; the riots were perhaps not kicked off by the Fallen, but they most definitely fanned the flames and transformed the streets into a hellish pandemonium where the mindless mob rules and anything can and will be used as a weapon. In contrast, most of the second half of the book is set on the idyllic, and iconic, Mont Saint-Michel – yes, named for that Michael – which the angels have made their headquarters on Earth. And while there was plenty of fighting here as well, it didn't seem quite as visceral and chaotic as the riot scenes. Grim, yes, unrelenting, most definitely, but far better organised and also less messy. It's as if the peace that can be found on the mountain in the sea pervades everything and anything there, making even conflict seem cleaner.
Despite the big battle scenes, it's the quieter, smaller moments where a single decision is made, that have furthest reaching impact and pack the greatest punch. The novel looks at choices: how we're free to make our own, the difficulty of having to make a choice and then having to stick to it. Your choice is your own and the consequences are yours to bear, even if they are unexpected and affect people other than yourself in ways you didn't mean to. Something which is reinforced in Alice's case, since Michael makes the others abide by her choices as well. But it's not just Alice who makes choices, it is all of them. It is Florence choosing Xaphan, Adriel choosing his successor; it is Gabriel choosing to act as he does and Toby as well. They all make choices, choices influenced by those of others, choices made ages and eons ago, but whose ripples only know come back to haunt those who made them.
I had a great time getting to know the various angels better and even meeting new ones. I loved Adriel and his successor and I found Zadkiel, Castor, and Pollux a fascinating trio, whose complete story I hope one day to find out. Morgan writes quick, snappy dialogue, with a wry sense of humour and enough bite to thoroughly engage me. Alice continues to grow, to master her dual nature and to discover how to just be Alice, instead of having to be either human or angel. I really enjoyed her development and the roles Mallory and Vin play in it. Surprisingly, both Mallory and Vin change and grow as well – surprising, because hey, eons-old characters should have the wisdom of Methuselah, right? You'd think they'd have learned it all by now. But no, they still have plenty to learn – though in this book it's more Vin than Mallory who has to do most of the growing. And it's Alice who needs to help them and all the others grow by shaking them up.
Lou Morgan has firmly placed herself on my auto-buy-list of authors with her second book. Blood and Feathers: Rebellion is a great sequel to Blood and Feathers and it has raised the stakes for Alice, the angels, and humanity considerably. I'm looking forward to the next – and presumably concluding – volume in the series and seeing where Morgan will take us next. We have seen Hell and Earth, will the next stop be Heaven? Whether it is or not, I know I'll be along for the ride. Won't you catch up and join me?
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
November 28, 2013
This review contains spoilers for both “Blood and Feathers” and “Rebellion.”
The war in Heaven has ramped up a notch in the sequel to Lou Morgan’s debut, “Blood and Feathers.” The Fallen have escaped from Hell and are running riot on the streets of the UK, manipulative archangel Michael has Satan’s body in chains, but his mind is still loose amongst his followers, and Alice has a new job. As a receptionist. In a funeral parlour. Working for the Angel of Death. Like you do.
Well, like Alice does, anyway. Because Alice is more than human, and in her down-time she hunts and burns the Fallen in the warehouses and back-alleys of a deeply troubled London. But the balance between the angels and the legions of Hell is tipping, irrevocably, in favour of the Fallen, and no one, not even her closest allies, can really be trusted. Not even Michael. Especially not Michael.
Our favourite bickering angelic twosome, Mallory and Vin, are back, and their sarcastic affection for each other provides much of the humour at the core of the novel. The book might be about theology, faith, free will and corruption, but it’s also stonkingly funny and crammed with action and a pace that rarely falters. At the same time, it’s also a thought-provoking read, especially when it comes to Alice, forced at one point to choose between saving Mallory, or saving an unknown human who, at the crunch point, turns out to be a good friend of hers. Being half-angel, Alice suddenly finds she doesn’t have quite the free will she always thought she had, and it’s an unsettling revelation. Especially when you consider the psychotic bastards who are giving out the orders. On both sides of the war.
This is the middle book in the trilogy, and it manages to deftly avoid mid-trilogy slump with some fiery apocalyptic action, while leaving itself wide open for a sequel which implies that everything will be cranked up yet another gear (Not sure how that’s even possible…) Whatever the outcome, heavenly or hellish, it’s going to be quite a ride.
And if you like that, try this : Archangel Protocol
The war in Heaven has ramped up a notch in the sequel to Lou Morgan’s debut, “Blood and Feathers.” The Fallen have escaped from Hell and are running riot on the streets of the UK, manipulative archangel Michael has Satan’s body in chains, but his mind is still loose amongst his followers, and Alice has a new job. As a receptionist. In a funeral parlour. Working for the Angel of Death. Like you do.
Well, like Alice does, anyway. Because Alice is more than human, and in her down-time she hunts and burns the Fallen in the warehouses and back-alleys of a deeply troubled London. But the balance between the angels and the legions of Hell is tipping, irrevocably, in favour of the Fallen, and no one, not even her closest allies, can really be trusted. Not even Michael. Especially not Michael.
Our favourite bickering angelic twosome, Mallory and Vin, are back, and their sarcastic affection for each other provides much of the humour at the core of the novel. The book might be about theology, faith, free will and corruption, but it’s also stonkingly funny and crammed with action and a pace that rarely falters. At the same time, it’s also a thought-provoking read, especially when it comes to Alice, forced at one point to choose between saving Mallory, or saving an unknown human who, at the crunch point, turns out to be a good friend of hers. Being half-angel, Alice suddenly finds she doesn’t have quite the free will she always thought she had, and it’s an unsettling revelation. Especially when you consider the psychotic bastards who are giving out the orders. On both sides of the war.
This is the middle book in the trilogy, and it manages to deftly avoid mid-trilogy slump with some fiery apocalyptic action, while leaving itself wide open for a sequel which implies that everything will be cranked up yet another gear (Not sure how that’s even possible…) Whatever the outcome, heavenly or hellish, it’s going to be quite a ride.
And if you like that, try this : Archangel Protocol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2015
Okay, but, like, if it's a war between angels and fallen angels, and the fallen angels were constantly regenerating, why on earth would you punish arguably minor transgressions by cutting off an angel's wings thereby making them fall and adding them to an army that wars for thousands of years constantly just regenerating upon death? I don't need a physics degree to tell me that eventually that scale's going to tip in the fallen angels' favor.
Also there is no resolution whatsoever in this book. None of the characters grow as people in any meaningful way. You don't learn much of anything new that you couldn't have extrapolated from the first book. I read it in a day and felt like I wasted my time because I was just reading what essentially amounted to the episode before the season finale of a tv series. A tv series with seven female speaking roles across 2 books - almost 800 pages - the only gay characters having their sexuality skirted around (and then inevitably one of the gay characters is killed because of course) and a woman lead who is constantly placed upon a pedestal AND called inadequate AND called special BUT ALSO NOT SPECIAL who is supposed to save the day but is constantly just standing around confused while the male angels save and mansplain (mansplaingel?) everything to her.
Also there is no resolution whatsoever in this book. None of the characters grow as people in any meaningful way. You don't learn much of anything new that you couldn't have extrapolated from the first book. I read it in a day and felt like I wasted my time because I was just reading what essentially amounted to the episode before the season finale of a tv series. A tv series with seven female speaking roles across 2 books - almost 800 pages - the only gay characters having their sexuality skirted around (and then inevitably one of the gay characters is killed because of course) and a woman lead who is constantly placed upon a pedestal AND called inadequate AND called special BUT ALSO NOT SPECIAL who is supposed to save the day but is constantly just standing around confused while the male angels save and mansplain (mansplaingel?) everything to her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2013
Look at that cover! Top 10 EVER.
June 16, 2019
Well, this is a tough one...
I think it's what you'd call a love-hate relationship.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters (well, for the most part) but I'm finding it hard to say I enjoyed the book.
Lou Morgan's first book in this series, Blood And Feathers, was a great read. Fantastic characters, driving story and intriguing. Rebellion, on the other hand, at least in the first half, had no real story, watered down characters and didn't really pique my interest. And I think there lies the crux of the thing. This book felt to me like two segments forced together. I can't help but think that the second half of this book is what the author actually wanted to say, but maybe she'd been told that it wasn't enough and it needed a build up to those events. So we have the first half of the book which just seems to be forced, spinning its wheels for the sake of it. As I mentioned, there doesn't seem to be any story or forward drive, it just sort of meanders. Even the characters, early in the writing, come across as thin and just a shadow of what they were in the first book. And from that I can understand why there was never a third book produced.
I so desperately wanted this book to give me the highs I got when I read the first book, but it just doesn't get the job done.
I've given this a 3 star rating simply on the merits of the second half of the book. It picked up the pace, gave things some real drive and really pushed me forward and made it quite hard to put down. The characters transformed back into the interesting and three-dimensional 'Angels' I remembered really connecting with in book one. Devious, cruel and deathly loyal. You have to love them.
Thanks for reading my review, I hope it was helpful. But, please remember, this is simply my take on this book and you may have a completely different opinion.
How I select a star rating for each book is explained in my profile.
I think it's what you'd call a love-hate relationship.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters (well, for the most part) but I'm finding it hard to say I enjoyed the book.
Lou Morgan's first book in this series, Blood And Feathers, was a great read. Fantastic characters, driving story and intriguing. Rebellion, on the other hand, at least in the first half, had no real story, watered down characters and didn't really pique my interest. And I think there lies the crux of the thing. This book felt to me like two segments forced together. I can't help but think that the second half of this book is what the author actually wanted to say, but maybe she'd been told that it wasn't enough and it needed a build up to those events. So we have the first half of the book which just seems to be forced, spinning its wheels for the sake of it. As I mentioned, there doesn't seem to be any story or forward drive, it just sort of meanders. Even the characters, early in the writing, come across as thin and just a shadow of what they were in the first book. And from that I can understand why there was never a third book produced.
I so desperately wanted this book to give me the highs I got when I read the first book, but it just doesn't get the job done.
I've given this a 3 star rating simply on the merits of the second half of the book. It picked up the pace, gave things some real drive and really pushed me forward and made it quite hard to put down. The characters transformed back into the interesting and three-dimensional 'Angels' I remembered really connecting with in book one. Devious, cruel and deathly loyal. You have to love them.
Thanks for reading my review, I hope it was helpful. But, please remember, this is simply my take on this book and you may have a completely different opinion.
How I select a star rating for each book is explained in my profile.
September 1, 2021
Six months after the events of Blood and Feathers and the assault on Hell itself, Alice – half-human, half-angel, no nonsense – has found work in an undertakers office. The fact that her boss is far more than he seems is no surprise. The massive increase in civil unrest may be downright alarming but is also no surprise. After all, if you close down Hell, where else are all the devils going to go?
Another gritty yet humorous tale of angels, demons and all points in between. With the groundwork setting up the complex world and believable characters already covered in the first novel, this excellent sequel has the freedom to both build on these solid foundations and turn the action, twists and turns up a several notches. As a result this is a thoroughly gripping and unputdownable read.
Another gritty yet humorous tale of angels, demons and all points in between. With the groundwork setting up the complex world and believable characters already covered in the first novel, this excellent sequel has the freedom to both build on these solid foundations and turn the action, twists and turns up a several notches. As a result this is a thoroughly gripping and unputdownable read.
December 23, 2022
Fav book of all time with absolutely no shame. Morgan’s way of developing characters that’s drip fed rather than painted out is beautiful. The depiction of hell sent me into absolute orbit- love love love.
My one complaint, where tf is the 3rd book? I’m impatiently waiting to know what happens.
My one complaint, where tf is the 3rd book? I’m impatiently waiting to know what happens.
June 8, 2014
You can read the full review over at my blog:
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2014...
Lou Morgan’s 2012 debut Blood and Feathers proved to be one of the best novels I’d read that year, and also a fine guide in my exploration of the urban fantasy genre which started that very year with Chris F. Holm’s Dead Harvest from Angry Robot Books. Blood and Feathers was a great read but it missed the mark a little, yet it was good enough that I looked forward to reading the sequel Rebellion, which was released in early 2012. However, I couldn’t get the time to read it then, which is why I made the effort to finally get through it last month. And it proved to be every bit as good as its predecessor.
Rebellion continues the story of Alice as she tries to find her place in a world where the Fallen have left Hell in a mass exodus and are causing all sorts of trouble in her world. This is also the world where the Archangel Michael will stop at nothing to destroy Lucifer once and for all, even if it means sacrificing his own people, or that of the other Archangels. Rebellion is much more cerebral and fascinating than its predecessor, and that’s what I loved most about it, in the end. That was exactly what I was looking for in the novel and Lou Morgan delivered on that front quite handsomely.
When I read Blood and Feathers back in 2012, what stood out for me was the chemistry between the lead characters Alice, Mallory, Vin and Gwyn, plus the fact that there was a moral gray area that the Angels and the Fallen could be placed in. Together, it made for a most interesting mix. Lou Morgan continued along the same path this time as well, though she raised the stakes considerably, and in quite a spectacular manner as well. At the end of Blood and Feathers the Angels had made a concerted attack on Hell to root out Lucifer and all of his Fallen, an effort that was only partially successful. This time, even as Lucifer seeks to regain a corporeal body, the Angels have to contend with treachery and betrayal so that they can win through again, hopefully.
Alice is a character who grows by leaps and bounds both within the new novel and in context to the old one. She is no longer a girl unaware of her heritage or her powers or even reluctant to use them. She is now a fighter and with the initial absence of Mallory since the ending of Blood and Feathers, she has found several like-minded sons and daughters of Heaven to make a stand against the continued encroachment of the Fallen. She has become an active player in this classic war between good and evil, and Lou Morgan’s characterisation of her is the best it has been, and also the most consistent. For that I what I like to see in a novel, a character who continues to grow in a natural manner and remains true to his/her first portrayal.
With all the action that can be found in this novel right from the start, Alice gets lots of opportunities to employ her particular set of powers, her gifts that allow her to be who she is, a half-breed who is part of one of the Angelic choirs, Michael’s if I’m not mistaken. Any scene that has Alice burning Fallen is a scene worth drinking a shot over. Alice is now a pretty strong woman in her own right and watching her wade into a fight and start throwing her weight around is something that I enjoyed every single instance of. Of course, she never does any of it alone because she has at her side two of her best friends, Mallory and Vin. In Blood and Feathers, their relationship with each other was another big positive of the novel, and that remains the case in Rebellion as well. By and large, most of the humour in the novel comes from the sarcastic back and forth between these two, but Alice often steps up to the stage too, and together, these three can be trusted on to be a riot of laughter, even when the situation is grim, exceedingly grim even.
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2014...
Lou Morgan’s 2012 debut Blood and Feathers proved to be one of the best novels I’d read that year, and also a fine guide in my exploration of the urban fantasy genre which started that very year with Chris F. Holm’s Dead Harvest from Angry Robot Books. Blood and Feathers was a great read but it missed the mark a little, yet it was good enough that I looked forward to reading the sequel Rebellion, which was released in early 2012. However, I couldn’t get the time to read it then, which is why I made the effort to finally get through it last month. And it proved to be every bit as good as its predecessor.
Rebellion continues the story of Alice as she tries to find her place in a world where the Fallen have left Hell in a mass exodus and are causing all sorts of trouble in her world. This is also the world where the Archangel Michael will stop at nothing to destroy Lucifer once and for all, even if it means sacrificing his own people, or that of the other Archangels. Rebellion is much more cerebral and fascinating than its predecessor, and that’s what I loved most about it, in the end. That was exactly what I was looking for in the novel and Lou Morgan delivered on that front quite handsomely.
When I read Blood and Feathers back in 2012, what stood out for me was the chemistry between the lead characters Alice, Mallory, Vin and Gwyn, plus the fact that there was a moral gray area that the Angels and the Fallen could be placed in. Together, it made for a most interesting mix. Lou Morgan continued along the same path this time as well, though she raised the stakes considerably, and in quite a spectacular manner as well. At the end of Blood and Feathers the Angels had made a concerted attack on Hell to root out Lucifer and all of his Fallen, an effort that was only partially successful. This time, even as Lucifer seeks to regain a corporeal body, the Angels have to contend with treachery and betrayal so that they can win through again, hopefully.
Alice is a character who grows by leaps and bounds both within the new novel and in context to the old one. She is no longer a girl unaware of her heritage or her powers or even reluctant to use them. She is now a fighter and with the initial absence of Mallory since the ending of Blood and Feathers, she has found several like-minded sons and daughters of Heaven to make a stand against the continued encroachment of the Fallen. She has become an active player in this classic war between good and evil, and Lou Morgan’s characterisation of her is the best it has been, and also the most consistent. For that I what I like to see in a novel, a character who continues to grow in a natural manner and remains true to his/her first portrayal.
With all the action that can be found in this novel right from the start, Alice gets lots of opportunities to employ her particular set of powers, her gifts that allow her to be who she is, a half-breed who is part of one of the Angelic choirs, Michael’s if I’m not mistaken. Any scene that has Alice burning Fallen is a scene worth drinking a shot over. Alice is now a pretty strong woman in her own right and watching her wade into a fight and start throwing her weight around is something that I enjoyed every single instance of. Of course, she never does any of it alone because she has at her side two of her best friends, Mallory and Vin. In Blood and Feathers, their relationship with each other was another big positive of the novel, and that remains the case in Rebellion as well. By and large, most of the humour in the novel comes from the sarcastic back and forth between these two, but Alice often steps up to the stage too, and together, these three can be trusted on to be a riot of laughter, even when the situation is grim, exceedingly grim even.
May 27, 2014
Oh Mallory, Mallory, Mallory.
There just isn’t any other way to start this review. Alice, Vin, Mallory, and the rest of the angels are back in the sequel to the excellent Blood and Feathers, and things are getting a whole lot worse: kicked out of hell, the Fallen have nothing to lose and everything to win and have taken the battle to the humans, pulling strings behind the scenes whilst Earthbounds and Descended alike struggle to keep the balance at the very least even. Tipping it back in their favour seems all but impossible.
Alice is feeling the same about her life. Left alone now that Mallory has his wings back, and with little to nothing to her name, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Apart from the fact that that’s not quite true. Alice just doesn’t know how to find a day job when she knows Hell is being unleashed on Earth, and when she fights alongside the Earthbounds every night to drive back the Fallen. Gifted as she is, Alice is a powerful ally to them, but she fails to make the difference she herself desires.
Everything changes for her, however, when she gets hired to work at a funeral home by the Angel of Death himself. There she starts to get the frustrating impression that something more is going on behind the scenes, which is only strengthened when she sees Descended appear in the midst of a riot, Mallory in their midst.
Morgan builds on the excellent character development of the first book with simple grace and ease. Characters have changed but not, the circumstances surrounding them obviously affecting their world whilst they struggle to remain who they are. Alice in particular is torn in between her human and angel nature and Morgan does a very good job of showing her struggle to remain herself despite the chaos around her. Mallory, wings or no wings, is still Mallory, sarcastic, gun-wielding, and with a tendency to drink more than he should. Vin hasn’t changed much although the betrayal from the previous book still haunts him and has pushed him to actions he would never have usually considered.
We also get to see a whole lot more of the Archangels, with Michael being arrogant in thinking there is only one way to win this war: his way. No matter the cost. Or perhaps, by the end of the book (and one hell of a heart rending scene I still haven’t forgiven Morgan for), not so much. Gabriel is there too, making amends for past mistakes, working for Michael, searching for something that would help them put Lucifer back in his body so they can kill him.
Morgan maintains the brilliant characterisation and dialogue of the first book and adds even more fast paced action, mystery, and heart stopping moments. She has all the perfect ingredients in her hands, and damnit, she knows what to do with them. This book made me laugh out loud (I’m sorry Mallory, I’m far too much like Vin), brought a few tears to my eyes, and made me angrier at a certain character than I have been at anyone in a book in a long, long time.
Blood and Feathers Rebellion is an excellent book, well-written, funny in the right places, with brilliant pacing, and shows what modern UF has in stock for us. I finished the book wanting for more: more of the characters, more of the writing, and more of the story. Because holy hell (no puns intended…okay maybe a little), Morgan knows how to leave us hanging right at the end!
There just isn’t any other way to start this review. Alice, Vin, Mallory, and the rest of the angels are back in the sequel to the excellent Blood and Feathers, and things are getting a whole lot worse: kicked out of hell, the Fallen have nothing to lose and everything to win and have taken the battle to the humans, pulling strings behind the scenes whilst Earthbounds and Descended alike struggle to keep the balance at the very least even. Tipping it back in their favour seems all but impossible.
Alice is feeling the same about her life. Left alone now that Mallory has his wings back, and with little to nothing to her name, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Apart from the fact that that’s not quite true. Alice just doesn’t know how to find a day job when she knows Hell is being unleashed on Earth, and when she fights alongside the Earthbounds every night to drive back the Fallen. Gifted as she is, Alice is a powerful ally to them, but she fails to make the difference she herself desires.
Everything changes for her, however, when she gets hired to work at a funeral home by the Angel of Death himself. There she starts to get the frustrating impression that something more is going on behind the scenes, which is only strengthened when she sees Descended appear in the midst of a riot, Mallory in their midst.
Morgan builds on the excellent character development of the first book with simple grace and ease. Characters have changed but not, the circumstances surrounding them obviously affecting their world whilst they struggle to remain who they are. Alice in particular is torn in between her human and angel nature and Morgan does a very good job of showing her struggle to remain herself despite the chaos around her. Mallory, wings or no wings, is still Mallory, sarcastic, gun-wielding, and with a tendency to drink more than he should. Vin hasn’t changed much although the betrayal from the previous book still haunts him and has pushed him to actions he would never have usually considered.
We also get to see a whole lot more of the Archangels, with Michael being arrogant in thinking there is only one way to win this war: his way. No matter the cost. Or perhaps, by the end of the book (and one hell of a heart rending scene I still haven’t forgiven Morgan for), not so much. Gabriel is there too, making amends for past mistakes, working for Michael, searching for something that would help them put Lucifer back in his body so they can kill him.
Morgan maintains the brilliant characterisation and dialogue of the first book and adds even more fast paced action, mystery, and heart stopping moments. She has all the perfect ingredients in her hands, and damnit, she knows what to do with them. This book made me laugh out loud (I’m sorry Mallory, I’m far too much like Vin), brought a few tears to my eyes, and made me angrier at a certain character than I have been at anyone in a book in a long, long time.
Blood and Feathers Rebellion is an excellent book, well-written, funny in the right places, with brilliant pacing, and shows what modern UF has in stock for us. I finished the book wanting for more: more of the characters, more of the writing, and more of the story. Because holy hell (no puns intended…okay maybe a little), Morgan knows how to leave us hanging right at the end!
May 28, 2014
Review: After the end of Blood and Feathers, Alice knows the angels will want her again, but for now, she just wants to be able to get back to a normal life. she then gets ropes into working for an undertaker, who is also the Angel of Death. Then riots involving Descended and Fallen tip the balance in the ongoing fight for control, and Alice and the angels have a lot to lose.
I left Blood and Feathers thinking “this is so good!” I started the next book in the series literally ten minutes after finishing it, which is something I have never done before. The world and writing is addictive, which is why I couldn’t wait to start this.
All my favourite characters return. Alice, Mallory and Vin. Then there’s new favourite, Adriel, angel of Death, who, form his introduction, I envisioned as Undertaker from Black Butler and he lived up to coolness expectation. Not sorry. Vin and Mallory are once again sarcastically funny at times with a lot of darkness at others. Marllory, I felt so sad for him when we were told what’s in his books. Zadkiel is awesome and we start falling in love with him and then that happens to him and Lou Morgan is evil. Can we just talk about how great Mallory, Vin, Alice and Adriel are? The relationships are so real it’s great spending time with the characters. My love of Lou’s portrayal of angels and demons is on par with that of my love for Supernatural’s, so that’s pretty big (extra points to Lou vs Supernatural for the lack of awful women treating!).
Plot is great. There’s more of the angels vs the fallen, with things getting worse and worse, and an angelic betrayal and things moving on quickly. at the end, I’m left wanting a lot more.
Overall: Strength 5 tea to a great second book. I have made the decision to read ANYTHING Lou writes.
I left Blood and Feathers thinking “this is so good!” I started the next book in the series literally ten minutes after finishing it, which is something I have never done before. The world and writing is addictive, which is why I couldn’t wait to start this.
All my favourite characters return. Alice, Mallory and Vin. Then there’s new favourite, Adriel, angel of Death, who, form his introduction, I envisioned as Undertaker from Black Butler and he lived up to coolness expectation. Not sorry. Vin and Mallory are once again sarcastically funny at times with a lot of darkness at others. Marllory, I felt so sad for him when we were told what’s in his books. Zadkiel is awesome and we start falling in love with him and then that happens to him and Lou Morgan is evil. Can we just talk about how great Mallory, Vin, Alice and Adriel are? The relationships are so real it’s great spending time with the characters. My love of Lou’s portrayal of angels and demons is on par with that of my love for Supernatural’s, so that’s pretty big (extra points to Lou vs Supernatural for the lack of awful women treating!).
Plot is great. There’s more of the angels vs the fallen, with things getting worse and worse, and an angelic betrayal and things moving on quickly. at the end, I’m left wanting a lot more.
Overall: Strength 5 tea to a great second book. I have made the decision to read ANYTHING Lou writes.
August 15, 2013
The second book in the Blood & Feathers series, "Rebellion" deals with the fallout of half-Angel Alice's efforts to prevent the Fallen and Lucifer from creating absolute chaos and war. The Fallen are more sinister, Alice is increasingly paranoid while still struggling to adjust to her pyrokinetic abilities, and this time around she has to work with Adriel, the angel of death, both to keep herself out of the limelight from Fallen eyes, not to mention having to keep hidden from the Archangel Michael whose intentions for her are, to put it mildly, not so great. The action scenes are fantastic, the humour and British wit just as funny as it was in the first book, and the tension is raised high so that the reader knows exactly what's at stake. This book feels more like The Two Towers of Lord of the Rings where the reader knows we're getting close to Mordor, but we'll have to wait until book 3 to see exactly what happens and how everything plays out. This book takes everything great about the first volume in the series and amplifies it to make for a very satisfying read. If you like your angels vs. demons stories to focus on plot and world-building, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a follow-up to "Angelopolis" from Danielle Trussoni or something as good as the Sandman Slim series from Richard Kadrey, look no further than Lou Morgan's Blood & Feathers series.
Read my full review on Hellnotes here: http://hellnotes.com/rebellion-book-r...
Read my full review on Hellnotes here: http://hellnotes.com/rebellion-book-r...
August 26, 2013
War between Angels and the Fallen Angels of Lucifer's army.
For me, the main character isn't my main focus like it usually is in other books. I really love the entire setting around the Angels and the Fallen. I love hearing about their background stories and getting to know each of their personalities. I also love that Lucifer is the end-all-be-all bad guy of this series.
In this particular book, I feel like Alice didn't do much this time. I mean, really though, how could she top what she did in the first book? LOL. But, I felt like she was just following the angels around more in this book than actually getting into action. Even though, the Angels were in full action this time. In the first book Alice in the one making huge changes in the war. But, this time all hell breaks loose (Literally) because of the Angels. I love this series though. The Angel/Fallen drama, full on war, betrayal, loyalty, sarcasm and rebellion against evil. I'm excited to see where the next book in the series takes us though... :)
For me, the main character isn't my main focus like it usually is in other books. I really love the entire setting around the Angels and the Fallen. I love hearing about their background stories and getting to know each of their personalities. I also love that Lucifer is the end-all-be-all bad guy of this series.
In this particular book, I feel like Alice didn't do much this time. I mean, really though, how could she top what she did in the first book? LOL. But, I felt like she was just following the angels around more in this book than actually getting into action. Even though, the Angels were in full action this time. In the first book Alice in the one making huge changes in the war. But, this time all hell breaks loose (Literally) because of the Angels. I love this series though. The Angel/Fallen drama, full on war, betrayal, loyalty, sarcasm and rebellion against evil. I'm excited to see where the next book in the series takes us though... :)
October 21, 2013
So....was "Rebellion" going to be "that difficult 2nd album"....?
The short answer is "no". This is an excellent sequel to "Blood & Feathers": Alice is now working as an undertaker's receptionist for the Angel of Death, Mallory hasn't been seen for 6 months, Vin's in Hong Kong, and there is no trace of Lucifer....
This book has a much more claustrophobic feel than the 1st, which works well: it's a grim book in places (particularly in the scenes with Rimmon, Mallory & Toby), & Alice learns about the consequences of the choices she makes.
I am always partial to a book where the author makes the reader emotionally involved, & this is one such book: Lou Morgan's engaging writing style really drew me in, & I can remember several "wow!" moments reading this. The book sparkles along at a canter, & the characters are all flawed, 3-dimensional, and believable.
Eagerly awaiting the next instalment: meanwhile, you! Yes, you! Read this book.....
The short answer is "no". This is an excellent sequel to "Blood & Feathers": Alice is now working as an undertaker's receptionist for the Angel of Death, Mallory hasn't been seen for 6 months, Vin's in Hong Kong, and there is no trace of Lucifer....
This book has a much more claustrophobic feel than the 1st, which works well: it's a grim book in places (particularly in the scenes with Rimmon, Mallory & Toby), & Alice learns about the consequences of the choices she makes.
I am always partial to a book where the author makes the reader emotionally involved, & this is one such book: Lou Morgan's engaging writing style really drew me in, & I can remember several "wow!" moments reading this. The book sparkles along at a canter, & the characters are all flawed, 3-dimensional, and believable.
Eagerly awaiting the next instalment: meanwhile, you! Yes, you! Read this book.....
August 29, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Right up to 3 pages from the end. It seemed to just end. Out of the blue, over. That is the only reason the book doesn't get 5 stars from this wannabe book reviewer.
I love the violence, but must of all, I really dig Lou Morgan's sarcastic sense of humor. The relationship between Alice, Mallory and Vin is really something to watch unfold as well. Really looking forward to book #3.
I love the violence, but must of all, I really dig Lou Morgan's sarcastic sense of humor. The relationship between Alice, Mallory and Vin is really something to watch unfold as well. Really looking forward to book #3.
August 27, 2016
I'm.Just.Blown.Away.
Just finished reading the last pages, and well, I think I need a few minutes or more before I'm even remotely ready to summaries what i feel and thought about Rebellion.
SO for now, I'll leave you with:
AMAZING!! AWESOME!! MAGICAL!!
You can read a full view at the road so far (in Swedish ;).
Just finished reading the last pages, and well, I think I need a few minutes or more before I'm even remotely ready to summaries what i feel and thought about Rebellion.
SO for now, I'll leave you with:
AMAZING!! AWESOME!! MAGICAL!!
You can read a full view at the road so far (in Swedish ;).
January 18, 2015
A good follow up to Blood and feathers. I think the story lacks a little bit of depth and breadth at times to truly shine. Yet, it's enjoyable and a cosy read. Alice does get on my nerve at times but we do hear a lot from the other characters so that makes it up for it.
July 5, 2013
I don't give many books 5 stars but this one deserves it. A one-sitting read!
January 7, 2014
CLIFFHANGER NO! I wan't to know what happened!
October 2, 2013
The second book in the series was also unique and messed up. I grew to love Mallory even more and cannot wait for the next book in the series.
November 24, 2014
very good story, good characters
April 17, 2016
thoroughly enjoyed this book. Can't wait for the next one!
October 20, 2016
Great book, I was hooked.
Just like the first, it drew me in and I couldn't stop reading. There were a few moments that actually made me tear up too!
Just like the first, it drew me in and I couldn't stop reading. There were a few moments that actually made me tear up too!
August 5, 2013
Loved, loved, loved.
Having choices is hard.
Having choices is hard.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews