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The Angelus Trilogy #2
Angel City
Electrifying from its explosive first scene to its unexpected and shocking conclusion, Angel City revisits the unforgettable characters from The Watchers to reveal more of the earthly—and otherworldy—mysteries of the Angelus trilogy.
Katherine Taylor, ex-escort, and Jay Harper, private detective, no longer remember each other. They no longer remember the cosmic battle they fought against the Nephilim. In fact, the only memory of the events of their pasts takes the form of a child, Katherine’s infant son, Max, who has, unbeknown to anyone, stirred the interest of the same vengeful spirits.…
Meanwhile, from the shadows steps a defrocked priest named Astruc, whose face looks as if it has been clawed by some terrible beast and who hides his eyes behind blue lenses. He and his brilliant young ward have discovered something unfathomable in the catacombs under Paris—something that will confirm that �the time of the prophecy” is at hand.
Katherine Taylor, ex-escort, and Jay Harper, private detective, no longer remember each other. They no longer remember the cosmic battle they fought against the Nephilim. In fact, the only memory of the events of their pasts takes the form of a child, Katherine’s infant son, Max, who has, unbeknown to anyone, stirred the interest of the same vengeful spirits.…
Meanwhile, from the shadows steps a defrocked priest named Astruc, whose face looks as if it has been clawed by some terrible beast and who hides his eyes behind blue lenses. He and his brilliant young ward have discovered something unfathomable in the catacombs under Paris—something that will confirm that �the time of the prophecy” is at hand.
640 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
40 people are currently reading
1503 people want to read
About the author
Jon Steele
18 books119 followersJon Steele was born in the American Northwest in 1950 and was raised in Great Falls Montana. He worked an assortment of legal and illegal jobs all accross America before joining Independent Television News of London. Jon earned a reputation as one of the world's top cameramen in dangerous environments. His autobiography, 'War Junkie' was published in 2002 by Transworld and is today recognized as a cult classic of war reportage. In Baghdad, on the day before the Iraq War began, he put his camera on the ground and quit. Jon moved to the south of France and lived without a television, radio or newspapers for a year. He spent his days writing and taking walks in quiet places. In 2007 he traveled to Iraq, alone and without support of any news organization. He lived for three months with an American combat unit, filming their lives and recording their emotions for the award winning documentary, The Baker Boys: Inside The Surge. Currently Jon lives in Switzerland with his Jordanian-born wife and the two abandoned cats they found in an Amman road.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
May 3, 2014
As I'd read and really enjoyed The Watchers which is Mark Steele's previous book in this series I was delighted to be able to read this latest one. While I guess it would be possible to read this as a standalone story I would really advise anyone to read The Watchers before this one as, while it is a story that can stand alone, it gives much background information on the main and fascinating characters that are in this book. Essentially this is a book about angels and the never ending war between dark and light. While it is a fantasy work is has some well worked stories that are solidly based in historical fact.
The Watchers felt a little different to this book to me and it started very differently. It was more ethereal and thoughtful and less action packed than this story. Harper's approach is different too and there are one or two small inconsistencies to me in language and details that make the follow on not quite as good as the first book. However this is a very good book and I love the way that Jon Steele weaves fact and fiction, fantasy and reality, beforetimes and nowtimes and takes you to "lines of causality intersecting". The original guet (watcher) Marc Rochat may be gone however there are some great new characters such as Serge who conjure the same fascination with time and place. Others too are now "watchers" who look out for the vulnerable and troubled.
While I do love this book the ending is less satisfactory for me than was the first book. It ends on a cliff hanger and it will be a year before that is resolved - that is not an approach that I am keen on. It is certainly well written and sent the odd shiver down my spine as well as being funny at times and moving at times too. The action thriller aspect of it is rather too prominent for me too however if you enjoyed the Watchers as much as I did you may find yourself happily wandering in "beforetimes" and the being catapulted into now again - for me it is a very hard book to put down. I do hope that the third book can gather the best of its predecessors, it will be remarkable if that can be pulled off.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
The Watchers felt a little different to this book to me and it started very differently. It was more ethereal and thoughtful and less action packed than this story. Harper's approach is different too and there are one or two small inconsistencies to me in language and details that make the follow on not quite as good as the first book. However this is a very good book and I love the way that Jon Steele weaves fact and fiction, fantasy and reality, beforetimes and nowtimes and takes you to "lines of causality intersecting". The original guet (watcher) Marc Rochat may be gone however there are some great new characters such as Serge who conjure the same fascination with time and place. Others too are now "watchers" who look out for the vulnerable and troubled.
While I do love this book the ending is less satisfactory for me than was the first book. It ends on a cliff hanger and it will be a year before that is resolved - that is not an approach that I am keen on. It is certainly well written and sent the odd shiver down my spine as well as being funny at times and moving at times too. The action thriller aspect of it is rather too prominent for me too however if you enjoyed the Watchers as much as I did you may find yourself happily wandering in "beforetimes" and the being catapulted into now again - for me it is a very hard book to put down. I do hope that the third book can gather the best of its predecessors, it will be remarkable if that can be pulled off.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
May 13, 2013
I liked Angel City so much that I stopped reading it, and bought the first book in the series, The Watchers, so I could have the complete experience. The first book built slowly, introducing characters, and dropping well–placed bits of foreshadowing and indications that things were moving in unexpected directions, then delivered a powerful finish. Angel City follows the same road. Harper and Katherine return, but with their memories scrubbed, (mostly--pesky little unauthorized memories break through). Their stories, separate this time, form the two main narrative strands. Harper's story has plenty of action but is also a little exposition heavy; too much historical data slows the pacing for the first part of the book. By the middle things do pick up for him, the underground scenes are particularly creepy and claustrophobic, and the scene is set for book 3. Kat's story is less eventful initially, but was the more fascinating for me. She is slowly putting together what happened to her in the past, trying to decipher just what is going on in her high security present, getting used to being a mother, and falling in love with her bodyguard. Everything is done so well in this section, the characters are so believable and the developing friendships and romance so movingly portrayed, and the growing sense of danger, so subtle but so very there totally sucking the reader right in to the story, until the brilliant cliffhanger ending that had me scrambling to try to find more pages. No! You can't end the book there! I have to wait for the next book?! No! Angel City suffers a bit from the middle book in a trilogy--more information dropped in, plots developing, but no satisfying resolutions--and lacks the tight plotting of book 1. Angel City also suffers from the lack of Marc Rochat, a complex and endearing character that gave the first book a lot of heart. But Angel City is still not to be missed, in spite of a few flaws, it is a compelling read and part of an absolutely amazing series. Thanks so much to the publishers for providing my advance copy.�
June 8, 2013
In an act of ultimate literary sacrifice, Jon Steele slit the wrists of his soul and bled all that he had into Angel City. A mystical combination of metaphysics, astronomy, history and culture, fine art and science, Angel City is a phenomenon unto itself. It breaks the boundaries of genre, redefines the gritty style of Noir, and takes the reader into a realm that is difficult to emerge from. Indeed, one feels as if their soul somehow expanded with awareness while reading Angel City.
A versatile writer, Jon Steele got his humble start working for the Post Office and selling dope. His zeal for adventure, thirst for trouble, and empathic nature landed him at ITV in the U.K. where he filmed great atrocities, incredible humanity, and people at both their finest and worst for over two decades. His memoir, War Junkie, details the horrific scenes he bore witness to that forever changed him. As a result, his characters are living, breathing beings with great depth, flaws, gut wrenching emotion, and are fully developed – a rarity these days.
The cadence of Angel City increases steadily throughout the course of the narrative, and like The Watchers, the reader is fully immersed in the world of darkness and light, wounded fragile souls struggling to survive and fight the good fight. The beloved Jay Harper flows with synchronicity no one, not even Inspector Gobet could possibly explain, as his two and a half million year old battle in Paradise begins to end. Meanwhile, Katherine Taylor, the stunning high class call girl that found herself in Marc Rochat’s care, has emerged as a realistic, doting mother to her son Max. Glints of memories haunt her as she trains relentlessly for the day she must protect Max, a child that will bring light to Paradise.
The intricate threads of plot and subplots never lose the reader, and the author does not get lost in the Encyclopedia of Explanation either. In the perfect combination of action and discovery, Angel City is a novel that delights and stirs the soul.
A versatile writer, Jon Steele got his humble start working for the Post Office and selling dope. His zeal for adventure, thirst for trouble, and empathic nature landed him at ITV in the U.K. where he filmed great atrocities, incredible humanity, and people at both their finest and worst for over two decades. His memoir, War Junkie, details the horrific scenes he bore witness to that forever changed him. As a result, his characters are living, breathing beings with great depth, flaws, gut wrenching emotion, and are fully developed – a rarity these days.
The cadence of Angel City increases steadily throughout the course of the narrative, and like The Watchers, the reader is fully immersed in the world of darkness and light, wounded fragile souls struggling to survive and fight the good fight. The beloved Jay Harper flows with synchronicity no one, not even Inspector Gobet could possibly explain, as his two and a half million year old battle in Paradise begins to end. Meanwhile, Katherine Taylor, the stunning high class call girl that found herself in Marc Rochat’s care, has emerged as a realistic, doting mother to her son Max. Glints of memories haunt her as she trains relentlessly for the day she must protect Max, a child that will bring light to Paradise.
The intricate threads of plot and subplots never lose the reader, and the author does not get lost in the Encyclopedia of Explanation either. In the perfect combination of action and discovery, Angel City is a novel that delights and stirs the soul.
May 29, 2013
Take some angels, some demons, some humor, some action, foreign phrases, then blend it all up and you have Angel City by Jon Steele! The writing style is crisp and flows smoothly from tense moments to tender moments without a hitch as the two main characters take turns center stage. In spite of the fact that I learned after the fact that this was the second book of a Sci-fi, fantasy series, I was captivated by the creativity of the author. Without a brief re-cap of book one, The Watchers, Jon Steele forges ahead with his tale of a battle that has been waged for eons, and is now going full tilt in contemporary times. As quickly as the book jumped into action, it abruptly ended, right at the precipice of a HUGE piece of the book! Some like cliffhangers, some don’t, but for me, I was hooked into needing to know what happens next, enough so, that I am thinking I NEED to read book one to get the full flavor of an amazing story.
An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and the PENGUIN GROUP Blue Rider Press in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: June 4, 2013.
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and the PENGUIN GROUP Blue Rider Press in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: June 4, 2013.
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
April 24, 2013
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of review. The review is my honest opinion and I was not paid for this service.
Sadly, Angel City did not capture my attention. I found the prologue to be extremely boring. It really did not seem to have anything to do with the rest of the book. Once past the prologue it did not get much better. While the book was well written, I felt that the author did not draw the reader into the story. A story should draw the reader into the story, captivate them if you will from the very beginning and keep them until the very end. If you are expecting that type of book, then you will be disappointed with this one. I must admit that I gave up completely on the book halfway through it. I just couldn't force myself to finish it.
Now while, I myself did not enjoy this book, you on the other hand may enjoy the book.
Sadly, Angel City did not capture my attention. I found the prologue to be extremely boring. It really did not seem to have anything to do with the rest of the book. Once past the prologue it did not get much better. While the book was well written, I felt that the author did not draw the reader into the story. A story should draw the reader into the story, captivate them if you will from the very beginning and keep them until the very end. If you are expecting that type of book, then you will be disappointed with this one. I must admit that I gave up completely on the book halfway through it. I just couldn't force myself to finish it.
Now while, I myself did not enjoy this book, you on the other hand may enjoy the book.
July 27, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of review. The review is my honest opinion and I was not paid for this service.
Since reading The Watchers, I've spent more than a bit of time imagining what mad road the author might steer the story down in Angel City, but none of my imaginings were even remotely correct. The ending can only be described as diabolical and will surely give whole new meaning to the word ‘cliffhanger’.
This astounding novel contains loads of action, a touch of esoteric history and a claustrophobic trip into the tunnels beneath Paris. The author has a gift of giving voice to the different characters, creating characters that leap off the page to scare you or steal your heart (as Rochat does in "The Watchers". Rochat is one of the most endearing characters I've met in a book in many years).
Picking up a few years after the first book of the series, Angel City hits the ground running. The first scene would certainly serve as a wonferful climax in most other books, as Harper is busy saving Paris from certain destruction - if not the world. Katherine is living the quiet country life, as a candle maker in Washington state, while raising her precocious son Max. Both these scenarios play a smaller part of a larger picture, of the Angel Wars; and a defrocked priest and his son, with confused motives comes into play.
Harper and Katherine return, but with their memories scrubbed, (mostly--pesky little unauthorized memories break through). Their stories, separate this time, form the two main narrative strands. Kat's story is less eventful than Harper's, initially, but was the more fascinating for me. She is slowly putting together what happened to her in the past, trying to decipher just what is going on in her high security present, getting used to being a mother, and falling in love with her bodyguard. Everything is done so well in this section, the characters are so believable and the developing friendships and romance so movingly portrayed, and the growing sense of danger, so subtle but so very there totally sucking the reader right in to the story, until the brilliant cliffhanger ending that had me scrambling to try to find more pages.
While The Watchers had more background and buildup about it, which focused on Harper and Katherine learning about this world of angels and demons, and their half-breed counterparts, and their own place in this world. Angel City moves at a much quicker pace than the first novel. Harper charges into action from the first chapter, delivering quips like a British Humphrey Bogart, while learning more about his own past. Max gives Katherine purpose, making her question less before she acts. It's wonderful to see that motherhood did little to change her brassy, "fuck you" nature. It's these characters, and their emotions, while finding out more about the past and it's place in this mess, that tether the series of revelations and action sequences. And, it's better than a Michael Bay movie... at least in MY head, it is. lol
Darker, yet more entertaining, Jon Steele gives a wider scope to his mythology, connecting it to human complexity. He also leaves you with an ending that will shock you into tears... while leaving you desperately hungry for that final installment.
The ONLY issue I had with this novel, besides the ending, was that Max giggled way too much. Like... almost constantly.
(My response, without giving away the ending? "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
And then a little crying.)
Man, this book ......!! Every time when I put down the book of his I've been reading into the wee hours of the night, unable to stop, I find myself with a haunting sense of longing and missing the world he created, the world into which he so effortlessly immerses his readers, the world of his storytelling that you never want to leave.
Thank you, Jon Steele. Now get that third book finished! ;)
November 22, 2013
Fantastic imagination & "musings on folks" has Jon Steele especially where character interaction goes. The Watchers really grabbed my attention & Angel City takes it forward yet again!
The Watchers began in a different timezone & centred mainly on 3 characters in "nowtimes", it wasn't action-packed nor did it need to be as the tale developed, Angel City brings more action as the plot/story now evolves further bringing into play other elements as well as the tride & trusted from The Watchers.
Angel City too starts in a different timezone before coming upto date & it's a very engaging read throughout & one I found very hard to put down over a few days. Whats it all about you say? Well there's still so much to find out in the next book tbh! It's about people, it's about "angels - gun toting ones in human form that is", it's about goons & so yes it's really jus about good vs evil :) BUT it's so much MORE, the humour is spot-on, the characters brilliant & their interaction takes you through a range of emotions as you glide through the story, even Monsieur Booty, A french cat! & Max a young toddler will make you smile & laugh as they intertwine with the story.
An enchanting read, yes enchanting.... not a word I use oft but it is so, Thank you Mr Steele Sir & i look forward to more musings from yourself.
And with all that said if your remotely interested in this book (& I highly recommend it!) you MUST read The Watchers first!
The Watchers began in a different timezone & centred mainly on 3 characters in "nowtimes", it wasn't action-packed nor did it need to be as the tale developed, Angel City brings more action as the plot/story now evolves further bringing into play other elements as well as the tride & trusted from The Watchers.
Angel City too starts in a different timezone before coming upto date & it's a very engaging read throughout & one I found very hard to put down over a few days. Whats it all about you say? Well there's still so much to find out in the next book tbh! It's about people, it's about "angels - gun toting ones in human form that is", it's about goons & so yes it's really jus about good vs evil :) BUT it's so much MORE, the humour is spot-on, the characters brilliant & their interaction takes you through a range of emotions as you glide through the story, even Monsieur Booty, A french cat! & Max a young toddler will make you smile & laugh as they intertwine with the story.
An enchanting read, yes enchanting.... not a word I use oft but it is so, Thank you Mr Steele Sir & i look forward to more musings from yourself.
And with all that said if your remotely interested in this book (& I highly recommend it!) you MUST read The Watchers first!
December 23, 2013
This review originally posted on my blog, drey's library.
The Watchers ended with a bang, leaving one of the three main characters dead. Now, our detective has no memory of what occurred, and our bell-ringer’s angel is hiding in a small town with her toddler. Neither know that they’re paying the price for events they managed to live through in The Watcher, and neither know that so much danger abounds – nor what’s being done to protect them.
Because someone is hunting those who bear the light, and someone is looking to eliminate any who may upset the balance in this war between light and dark… And so our hero and heroine are left to puzzle things out, like mice in a maze – where the wrong turn could end in death.
Angel City is an action-packed story of those who’ll stop at nothing to achieve their ends, and the selfless heroes who’ll stand in their way to protect mankind. It’s a story that could have been told in fewer words, but you’ll appreciate the tale anyway. The pace is non-stop, the revelations surprising, and the ending will knock your socks off and leave you wishing The Way of Sorrows is available now so you can find out what happened. Angel City is available today.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
The Watchers ended with a bang, leaving one of the three main characters dead. Now, our detective has no memory of what occurred, and our bell-ringer’s angel is hiding in a small town with her toddler. Neither know that they’re paying the price for events they managed to live through in The Watcher, and neither know that so much danger abounds – nor what’s being done to protect them.
Because someone is hunting those who bear the light, and someone is looking to eliminate any who may upset the balance in this war between light and dark… And so our hero and heroine are left to puzzle things out, like mice in a maze – where the wrong turn could end in death.
Angel City is an action-packed story of those who’ll stop at nothing to achieve their ends, and the selfless heroes who’ll stand in their way to protect mankind. It’s a story that could have been told in fewer words, but you’ll appreciate the tale anyway. The pace is non-stop, the revelations surprising, and the ending will knock your socks off and leave you wishing The Way of Sorrows is available now so you can find out what happened. Angel City is available today.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
January 5, 2018
Wow! A reading highlight of the year for me. This sequel to the original and powerful The Watchers is extraordinary, weaving together the experiences of different lives in different realities, love, mercy and hatred fighting for dominance. It will stay in my mind, just as The Watchers does still. Do make sure you read The Watchers first. An outstanding series.
August 9, 2020
At the end of the first book, I feared that I could not like the second one as much, as my favorite character of the first book would not be in the second.
But somehow he is... and I did enjoy the second part quite as much as the first one. It is very different but then again quite well following the red line set by the first book.
I love Jon Steele's imagination.
It is wild, it is fantastic and he has a way of putting it into words that really really works for me (while I am not generally a huge fan of fantasy).
The end of this second part provoked an outburst in me as I rarely experienced before. In terms of cliffhanger, Jon Steele wins first prize.
MUST read the third book, SOON !!!
But somehow he is... and I did enjoy the second part quite as much as the first one. It is very different but then again quite well following the red line set by the first book.
I love Jon Steele's imagination.
It is wild, it is fantastic and he has a way of putting it into words that really really works for me (while I am not generally a huge fan of fantasy).
The end of this second part provoked an outburst in me as I rarely experienced before. In terms of cliffhanger, Jon Steele wins first prize.
MUST read the third book, SOON !!!
April 5, 2018
There are two plots- both overlong and could have easily been pared down to a few chapters instead of this book. Plot A involves Harper on his next assignment...once again he is clueless as to his past, present, and why his is assigned to do what he does..he get's answers in drips and drabs - this plot is too long, too overwrought, too complicated...it's just too much.
Plot B is Katherine and her son Max - yes unfortunately, Katherine survived the first book. Her plot just plods along and is BORING. Overall this suffers like many middle books in a trilogy - nothing much happens and it's a holding place until the third book.
Plot B is Katherine and her son Max - yes unfortunately, Katherine survived the first book. Her plot just plods along and is BORING. Overall this suffers like many middle books in a trilogy - nothing much happens and it's a holding place until the third book.
June 20, 2013
I received my copy from Blue Rider Press through NetGalley.
WOW! What a book! What an imagination and what a story!
When I read The Watchers almost a year ago I was blown away by the book. The idea behind the story was original, well thought out and brilliantly delivered. When I discovered that the book was the first part of a trilogy I was both delighted and a little bit afraid; would the author be able to live up to the expectations he had created in book one? And, before I go on, if you haven’t read The Watchers yet, please do so before starting this book. You will probably enjoy this book without having read the first book but not nearly as much as you will if you know the back-story.
I shouldn’t have worried. Angel City is at least as good as The Watchers and pushes the story forward in a manner that makes perfect sense and yet is full of surprises and unexpected twists. Two and a half years after the battle in Lausanne Cathedral, Jay Harper is still his old unpredictable and hard to control self. Although some of his memories of what happened in Lausanne have been erased – as most of the memories from his past have been – he remembers enough to realize that he escaped from a great danger and that the battle was only started at the Cathedral. And although there is something wrong with Jay Harper, something that may well end his existence once and for all, he is still on a quest to defeat the forces of evil, although he doesn’t know who or what exactly he is looking for and what exactly those forces are after.
Katherine Taylor is living in the United States, protected by forces from the Swiss Guards with her son Max, who was born after she narrowly escaped with her life in Lausanne. Since Katherine’s memories are also being controlled she is not exactly sure what happened in that city or even who Max’ father might be. And although she does realize that she is in danger, she has no idea how big the danger actually is and what form it might take should it ever find her.
Astruc is a priest on a mission. Convinced that he and his assistant Goose are the only forces for good left, he sets out on a quest to warn the world about the Prophecy that is about to be fulfilled; a war between the forces of good and evil that is about to reach its climax and the future of the world and humanity appears to depend – some would say once again – on an innocent baby boy.
Like I said, this is an amazing book. Taking the reader from Montségur in the 13th century, to Paris in the very near future, from Switzerland to the USA this is a story that begins at full blast and doesn’t let up until the very last page.
Historical facts, conspiracy theories and biblical stories are faultlessly brought together to create a plausible and fascinating plot. So plausible, in fact, that it is almost possible to believe that this could actually happen. In Jay Harper’s words:
“Trust me mate, spend enough time watching the world go by and you learn just because something isn’t possible doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”
And it is Jay Harper’s cynical view of the world and the situations he finds himself in, as well as his dead-pan way of dealing with, and commenting on, what is happening with and around him that stops this from being an incredibly dark story. In fact, one of the strengths of this book is that the author manages to combine drama, tension, action, humour, descriptions, relationships and love without ever slowing down the plot. No matter how pleasant a scene in this book may be, there is always that undercurrent of danger that keeps on pushing the story and the reader forwards.
I like that our heroes are as flawed as they come. Jay Harper may be an angel but you’d be hard pressed to call him Angelic. And while Katherine Taylor may be a former hooker she proves herself the most loving mother and loyal friend imaginable. It is impossible not to like these two characters and become engrossed in their adventures. These are two anti-heroes and yet the future of the world and humanity depends on their actions.
And then there’s the cliff-hanger. Did the first book end in such a way that the story could have stopped there, this book ends at such a heart-stopping moment that there is no room for doubt that a sequel is coming. And I have absolutely no objection to another book by this author. set in this world with these characters. What I do have a problem with is that I haven’t been able to find out when this third book might be coming. I really do NOT want to wait another year before I find out how all of this is going to play out.
WOW! What a book! What an imagination and what a story!
When I read The Watchers almost a year ago I was blown away by the book. The idea behind the story was original, well thought out and brilliantly delivered. When I discovered that the book was the first part of a trilogy I was both delighted and a little bit afraid; would the author be able to live up to the expectations he had created in book one? And, before I go on, if you haven’t read The Watchers yet, please do so before starting this book. You will probably enjoy this book without having read the first book but not nearly as much as you will if you know the back-story.
I shouldn’t have worried. Angel City is at least as good as The Watchers and pushes the story forward in a manner that makes perfect sense and yet is full of surprises and unexpected twists. Two and a half years after the battle in Lausanne Cathedral, Jay Harper is still his old unpredictable and hard to control self. Although some of his memories of what happened in Lausanne have been erased – as most of the memories from his past have been – he remembers enough to realize that he escaped from a great danger and that the battle was only started at the Cathedral. And although there is something wrong with Jay Harper, something that may well end his existence once and for all, he is still on a quest to defeat the forces of evil, although he doesn’t know who or what exactly he is looking for and what exactly those forces are after.
Katherine Taylor is living in the United States, protected by forces from the Swiss Guards with her son Max, who was born after she narrowly escaped with her life in Lausanne. Since Katherine’s memories are also being controlled she is not exactly sure what happened in that city or even who Max’ father might be. And although she does realize that she is in danger, she has no idea how big the danger actually is and what form it might take should it ever find her.
Astruc is a priest on a mission. Convinced that he and his assistant Goose are the only forces for good left, he sets out on a quest to warn the world about the Prophecy that is about to be fulfilled; a war between the forces of good and evil that is about to reach its climax and the future of the world and humanity appears to depend – some would say once again – on an innocent baby boy.
Like I said, this is an amazing book. Taking the reader from Montségur in the 13th century, to Paris in the very near future, from Switzerland to the USA this is a story that begins at full blast and doesn’t let up until the very last page.
Historical facts, conspiracy theories and biblical stories are faultlessly brought together to create a plausible and fascinating plot. So plausible, in fact, that it is almost possible to believe that this could actually happen. In Jay Harper’s words:
“Trust me mate, spend enough time watching the world go by and you learn just because something isn’t possible doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”
And it is Jay Harper’s cynical view of the world and the situations he finds himself in, as well as his dead-pan way of dealing with, and commenting on, what is happening with and around him that stops this from being an incredibly dark story. In fact, one of the strengths of this book is that the author manages to combine drama, tension, action, humour, descriptions, relationships and love without ever slowing down the plot. No matter how pleasant a scene in this book may be, there is always that undercurrent of danger that keeps on pushing the story and the reader forwards.
I like that our heroes are as flawed as they come. Jay Harper may be an angel but you’d be hard pressed to call him Angelic. And while Katherine Taylor may be a former hooker she proves herself the most loving mother and loyal friend imaginable. It is impossible not to like these two characters and become engrossed in their adventures. These are two anti-heroes and yet the future of the world and humanity depends on their actions.
And then there’s the cliff-hanger. Did the first book end in such a way that the story could have stopped there, this book ends at such a heart-stopping moment that there is no room for doubt that a sequel is coming. And I have absolutely no objection to another book by this author. set in this world with these characters. What I do have a problem with is that I haven’t been able to find out when this third book might be coming. I really do NOT want to wait another year before I find out how all of this is going to play out.
June 15, 2013
I read The Watchers, Jon Steele’s debut novel back in June 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Two years later and the sequel is upon us. My only uncertainty going in, was how much I would enjoy it knowing that one of my favourite characters from book one was gone?
Jay Harper has adjusted to the revelations he uncovered about origins. Working for the celestial authorities is never boring, and within a few pages he’s already involved in breakneck chase to save Paris. Just a typical day on the job really. On top of that however, Harper appears to be developing a bit of a problem. It turns out that his current body’s previous occupant, Captain Jay Michael Harper (deceased), is still hanging around, sort of. I love Harper’s roguish charm, it continues to delight. He is the earthiest of angels. He drinks, he smokes and his quick mouth ends up getting him into trouble more often than not.
Meanwhile on the side of the Atlantic, in the town of Grover’s Mill, Katherine Taylor starts to slowly rebuild her life. Two years after the traumatic events she experienced in Lausane, she is living in protective custody, a detachment of the Swiss Guard watching her round the clock. Katherine still has huge gaps in her memory, but each passing day brings new discoveries about the horror she experienced and the situation she now finds herself in. Slowly she comes to realise that there are forces, both good and bad, who are very interested in her and her child.
I do still miss Marc Rochat, but I’m glad that his presence continues to be felt strongly throughout the pages of this sequel. Even though he’s gone, his legacy plays an important part in Katherine’s journey. It’s a testament to the strength of Steele’s writing that this character has left such a lasting impression.
Much like its predecessor, it’s the characterisation that makes this such an enjoyable read. Harper continues to be one of the bolshiest angels I’ve ever come across, his back chat and one-liners always raise a smile. I love the back and forth between him and his boss, the man in the cashmere coat, Inspector Gobet. The relationship between Katherine and the lead officer of her protective detail is also handled very well. Even the interactions between Astruc and his assistant, Goose, are great. Thinking about it now this hardly seems a surprise, the author has a real knack for dialogue and it shows.
A word of warning. In this case, I think it would be advisable to ensure you’ve read the first book in this series before attempting the second. This is very much the middle part of a much larger work and you’ll be missing out on so much if you don’t.
Steele has created another wonderful story in Angel City. He has successfully expanded on the promise of The Watchers, and in this novel, he’s created two equally compelling narrative strands. I’d be hard pushed to confirm which one I enjoyed the most, each are so engrossing. Harper and Katherine’s stories both end on a suitably cliff-hangery note, and I found myself cheering and cursing the author in equal measure. I loved the story but I need to know what happens next! Hopefully I should be able to just about hold out until the final book in the trilogy is released.
Angel City is published by Blue Rider Press and is available now. I’m looking finding out how this story comes to a conclusion in book three, The Way of Sorrows, already.
Jay Harper has adjusted to the revelations he uncovered about origins. Working for the celestial authorities is never boring, and within a few pages he’s already involved in breakneck chase to save Paris. Just a typical day on the job really. On top of that however, Harper appears to be developing a bit of a problem. It turns out that his current body’s previous occupant, Captain Jay Michael Harper (deceased), is still hanging around, sort of. I love Harper’s roguish charm, it continues to delight. He is the earthiest of angels. He drinks, he smokes and his quick mouth ends up getting him into trouble more often than not.
Meanwhile on the side of the Atlantic, in the town of Grover’s Mill, Katherine Taylor starts to slowly rebuild her life. Two years after the traumatic events she experienced in Lausane, she is living in protective custody, a detachment of the Swiss Guard watching her round the clock. Katherine still has huge gaps in her memory, but each passing day brings new discoveries about the horror she experienced and the situation she now finds herself in. Slowly she comes to realise that there are forces, both good and bad, who are very interested in her and her child.
I do still miss Marc Rochat, but I’m glad that his presence continues to be felt strongly throughout the pages of this sequel. Even though he’s gone, his legacy plays an important part in Katherine’s journey. It’s a testament to the strength of Steele’s writing that this character has left such a lasting impression.
Much like its predecessor, it’s the characterisation that makes this such an enjoyable read. Harper continues to be one of the bolshiest angels I’ve ever come across, his back chat and one-liners always raise a smile. I love the back and forth between him and his boss, the man in the cashmere coat, Inspector Gobet. The relationship between Katherine and the lead officer of her protective detail is also handled very well. Even the interactions between Astruc and his assistant, Goose, are great. Thinking about it now this hardly seems a surprise, the author has a real knack for dialogue and it shows.
A word of warning. In this case, I think it would be advisable to ensure you’ve read the first book in this series before attempting the second. This is very much the middle part of a much larger work and you’ll be missing out on so much if you don’t.
Steele has created another wonderful story in Angel City. He has successfully expanded on the promise of The Watchers, and in this novel, he’s created two equally compelling narrative strands. I’d be hard pushed to confirm which one I enjoyed the most, each are so engrossing. Harper and Katherine’s stories both end on a suitably cliff-hangery note, and I found myself cheering and cursing the author in equal measure. I loved the story but I need to know what happens next! Hopefully I should be able to just about hold out until the final book in the trilogy is released.
Angel City is published by Blue Rider Press and is available now. I’m looking finding out how this story comes to a conclusion in book three, The Way of Sorrows, already.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2013
The second part of the Angelus Trilogy, Angel City leads us further in the stories of Jay Harper and Katherine Taylor, introduced to us in the first in Jon Steele's series, The Watchers.
I'm not sure what genre I would put this novel in. Given its notion of angels taking the forms of men, and walking amongst us, the idea of being able to warp time, a bus that appears to be able to break the sound barrier, science fiction/fantasy would appear to be the prime candidate, but as the story unfolds, it begins to fit equally well in the mystery-thriller-detective genre. With a bit of a religion thing going on.
After a prologue taking us through events in Montsegur in the 13th century, the actions get to an explosive start in September 2013, where Jay Harper is trying to prevent a devastating attack on Paris, while Katherine is living in small-town America under the protection of the Swiss Guard.
Following the events in the Watchers, both Kat and Harper have had each other wiped from their respective memories, and Angel City tells the next part of their stories in parallel. While Katherine devotes her time to looking after her young son Max, Harper is assigned on a mission to learn more about the actions of a defrocked priest who talks of the time of the prophecy.
Steele is a talented author. He switches between the relative peace of Katherine's life and the full-on thrill ride of Harper's with ease. There are some beautiful moments between Max and her son, as well as a touching love story, while the action in Harper's world moves along, for the most part, at a cracking pace. I found both lead characters likeable; Harper, in particular, has some great line: describing someone's excitement as 'like a plane-spotter just receiving word Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra had been spotted after eighty years and was making its final approach to Le Bourget', or after meeting again the person who left him for dead 'and three days later I rose from the dead. It's been known to happen.'
The characters and the humour make this a very readable work. There are some niggles - the journey through the catacombs felt overly long, and some passages on astronomy felt more detailed than they needed to be. It also seemed to take a long time before the relevance of the prologue became apparent. But these are minor, and overall this is a very readable book that holds the reader to its cliffhanger ending.
I'm not sure what genre I would put this novel in. Given its notion of angels taking the forms of men, and walking amongst us, the idea of being able to warp time, a bus that appears to be able to break the sound barrier, science fiction/fantasy would appear to be the prime candidate, but as the story unfolds, it begins to fit equally well in the mystery-thriller-detective genre. With a bit of a religion thing going on.
After a prologue taking us through events in Montsegur in the 13th century, the actions get to an explosive start in September 2013, where Jay Harper is trying to prevent a devastating attack on Paris, while Katherine is living in small-town America under the protection of the Swiss Guard.
Following the events in the Watchers, both Kat and Harper have had each other wiped from their respective memories, and Angel City tells the next part of their stories in parallel. While Katherine devotes her time to looking after her young son Max, Harper is assigned on a mission to learn more about the actions of a defrocked priest who talks of the time of the prophecy.
Steele is a talented author. He switches between the relative peace of Katherine's life and the full-on thrill ride of Harper's with ease. There are some beautiful moments between Max and her son, as well as a touching love story, while the action in Harper's world moves along, for the most part, at a cracking pace. I found both lead characters likeable; Harper, in particular, has some great line: describing someone's excitement as 'like a plane-spotter just receiving word Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra had been spotted after eighty years and was making its final approach to Le Bourget', or after meeting again the person who left him for dead 'and three days later I rose from the dead. It's been known to happen.'
The characters and the humour make this a very readable work. There are some niggles - the journey through the catacombs felt overly long, and some passages on astronomy felt more detailed than they needed to be. It also seemed to take a long time before the relevance of the prologue became apparent. But these are minor, and overall this is a very readable book that holds the reader to its cliffhanger ending.
July 2, 2014
This, to me, was a very different book than the first one, Watchers. But it needed to be. It had to be, and if you've read the first one, you know just what I mean.
What was the same was that I experienced this book more than I read it.
When there's some bit on the mythology on angels, where they come from, what they are, and I'd usually wince at what Steele's got down for that, I barely even notice. Because while I'm reading the book, it's real. The characters are real. And shit I don't like? Well, tough; I can “not like” it all I want to; it's still real. And that's better than if I nodded my head at every philosophy in here.
It's too big to talk about. It's also very much a second-in-a-trilogy. Cliffhanger and all. And then you add that Harper's situation, what's happening to him, is definitely unresolved. Everything's “middle of the story” and yet we came so far and did so much, and the arc demanded my interested the whole way.
I loved hanging out with both main characters---Harper and Swan Lake. The sections devoted to the “bad guys” even held my interested, and that's really something for me.
And here's something for those who have read the first book, addressing a worry I had going into this one. The following spoiler is for the first book. That is, if you've read the first book, it's not a spoiler; it's not a spoiler for this book.
I fought hard to wait for this one to come out in paperback, to give myself some breathing time after the first one. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that this time. I very much need to see what happens next.
What was the same was that I experienced this book more than I read it.
When there's some bit on the mythology on angels, where they come from, what they are, and I'd usually wince at what Steele's got down for that, I barely even notice. Because while I'm reading the book, it's real. The characters are real. And shit I don't like? Well, tough; I can “not like” it all I want to; it's still real. And that's better than if I nodded my head at every philosophy in here.
It's too big to talk about. It's also very much a second-in-a-trilogy. Cliffhanger and all. And then you add that Harper's situation, what's happening to him, is definitely unresolved. Everything's “middle of the story” and yet we came so far and did so much, and the arc demanded my interested the whole way.
I loved hanging out with both main characters---Harper and Swan Lake. The sections devoted to the “bad guys” even held my interested, and that's really something for me.
And here's something for those who have read the first book, addressing a worry I had going into this one. The following spoiler is for the first book. That is, if you've read the first book, it's not a spoiler; it's not a spoiler for this book.
I fought hard to wait for this one to come out in paperback, to give myself some breathing time after the first one. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that this time. I very much need to see what happens next.
November 4, 2013
The sequel to The Watchers (Angelus Trilogy 1). One of things that bothered me about the first book was lack of clarity. I am happy to say the author has kept his sub-plots a lot clearer this time.
The scene with Harper and the terrorists was well-written and finally elevated him out of the murky confusion of the first book.
The cathedral wasn't a focal point this time, which is a shame and I have to admit to missing the character Marc Rochat.
The descriptions of the cathedral and his role as the Quasimodo-esque watcher in the bellfry was one of the things that I remember vividly and enjoyed the most from the previous book.
I am not sure why it was necessary to have a romantic liaison between Katherine and one of the Swiss Guard.It seemed as if the author was trying to steer her in the direction of the opposite gender, due to the past abuse by multiple men. The female guard was also portrayed as being motherly towards Max. That didn't gel well for me. Being a female doesn't automatically mean you will melt at the mere sight of a chubby cheeked cherub or turn into molten mommy lava if the baby happens to coo at you. The relationship between Max and his mother takes up a lot of story. He is cute, we get it but cute doesn't cut it through an entire book of complex ancient angel warfare.
Ideally I am hoping that book 3 has the complexity of the first and the clarity of the second book. Not much to ask for eh? I am sure the author will be able to balance that creative surge and the evolution of his ideas on paper.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
The scene with Harper and the terrorists was well-written and finally elevated him out of the murky confusion of the first book.
The cathedral wasn't a focal point this time, which is a shame and I have to admit to missing the character Marc Rochat.
The descriptions of the cathedral and his role as the Quasimodo-esque watcher in the bellfry was one of the things that I remember vividly and enjoyed the most from the previous book.
I am not sure why it was necessary to have a romantic liaison between Katherine and one of the Swiss Guard.It seemed as if the author was trying to steer her in the direction of the opposite gender, due to the past abuse by multiple men. The female guard was also portrayed as being motherly towards Max. That didn't gel well for me. Being a female doesn't automatically mean you will melt at the mere sight of a chubby cheeked cherub or turn into molten mommy lava if the baby happens to coo at you. The relationship between Max and his mother takes up a lot of story. He is cute, we get it but cute doesn't cut it through an entire book of complex ancient angel warfare.
Ideally I am hoping that book 3 has the complexity of the first and the clarity of the second book. Not much to ask for eh? I am sure the author will be able to balance that creative surge and the evolution of his ideas on paper.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
May 10, 2013
Angel City picks up basically where The Watchers left off and retains much of the essence of that first novel in the Angelus trilogy – the intricate detail, seductive noir feel, brilliant flashes of humour – but this is a very different book. The protagonists have scattered across the globe, the pace of the action has picked up considerably and the sense of impending disaster is intense. Since reading The Watchers I’ve spent more than a bit of time imagining what mad road the author might steer the story down in Angel City, but none of my imaginings were even remotely correct. The ending can only be described as diabolical and will surely give whole new meaning to the word ‘cliffhanger’.
August 5, 2015
This book continues the story of the battle between the angels, good and evil, that was begun in "The Watchers". The characters are not as engaging as in "The Watchers" but the book is still a roller coaster ride of a read, with loads of action, a touch of esoteric history and a claustrophobic trip into the tunnels beneath Paris. The author has a gift of giving voice to the different characters, creating characters that leap off the page to scare you or steal your heart (as Rochat does in "The Watchers". Rochat is one of the most endearing characters I've met in a book in many years). The book tells a satisfying story but be prepared for a whiz-bang cliffhanger of an ending.
September 5, 2014
Excellent book! I just needed a quick book to read for a fishing trip so I grabbed it in Walmart and just loved it. It's a very exciting novel and keeps you on the edge of your seat. My only regret is that I did not read the first book in the series. I bought the book not knowing it was the second in a series of, I believe, four. However, I really enjoyed it and it was a great read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves an adventurous and raw read.
May 22, 2013
A good read. I really like the concept & anxiously await "The Way of Sorrows!"
October 7, 2014
An excellent action packed read. The only bad thing was that it ended on a serious cliffhanger and I now have to wait for at least a year for the next installment! Argh!
November 25, 2015
Continued super suspense and fascinating characters.
July 23, 2013
Angel City starts off with two pages dedicated to explaining several historical events or mentioning’s like The Cathars and Montsegur. By briefly mentioning what these things meant was cleverly done, since next you are reading about the year 1244 where these terms are used. Already from The Watchers I learned that Jon Steele used several historical landmarks and history in his story and continuing this in Angel City was interesting to read about, since his usage of the angels is closely linked to several of these places. It gave just this little bit more of mystical feel to the story.
Like The Watchers where you read a prologue set in the past, Angel City has the same feature, however the places and linking them with the current situation is revealed much earlier on. You can spot a few hints on early in the story that will encourage you to think about what it all can mean. After the prologue you are switched to the current situation, September 9th 2013 in Paris (Angel City takes place 3 years after the events of The Watchers). Where you follow one of the main protagonist’s of the series, Jay Harper. Jay was already an important player in the first book and proves his worth even more in Angel City. What you got to read in the first book about his character, his amnesia and ultimately his destiny was already quite worked out so I was wondering how his character would be shown in the second book. And I’m pretty pleased, because not only is Jay still not understanding everything about himself it is also that by Jay, Jon Steele reveals more about the angels in his series. There is a nice glossary of terms in the back of the book that recaps several terms that Jay uses. Jay has two tasks in Angel City and the former is to save Paris from a doom scenario, which is a shows a nice display of how determined Jay is to safe humankind and also packs quite the cool action scenes, this really started off the book in a right way. But later this first encounter turns out to be a small part of a much bigger plan. A plan set into motion by a someone gone “rogue”… This is where the second task of Jay comes into as he finds himself in a race to find out who and also why the destruction of Paris was planned. In this second task of Jay a lot of the “angelic ways” of life are revealed like how they travel into the human bodies and back out again. Angels use bodies of the people on Earth to carry out their tasks. And to keep their sanity at bay, once they are finished their minds are wiped clean and only get “new thoughts” imprinted when they enter a fresh body for a new task. It was nice to see that Jay can recall certain events with flashbacks by mentioning of names or places. All the things that I learned so far about the angelic powers added a bonus sci-fi feel to the book with the lights flashing and all. Very cool.
A second character that you already learned about in The Watcher was Katherine Taylor, who had quite the turn around of events there. Now she lives, guarded by the Swiss Guard in a remote village in Washington State, Grover’s Mill. And she has a kid. Max. Her involvement in the main storyline isn’t that much early on in the book, but only takes off once you reach the halfway mark. Instead you first get to see her in her now “normal” life running her candleshop and taking care for her kid Max. What you can still perceive from her character is that she is scarred from the dealings in The Watchers. Katherine also drinks a lot of herbal tea’s which I didn’t really had any thoughts about, but later on you learn that they were there to help her with certain things. Now the guarding part is needed and it actually turned out to be one of the major drives in the storyline together with Max. Her storyline was a bit similar to The Watchers where you first presume it might be a singular storyline but on the whole it neatly folds into the major one.
There were also two new important characters that you read about in Angel City, Astruc and his “helper” Goose. These new additions proved to be important as they have a mind set of their own, well mostly Astruc, as Goose mostly follows his orders. I especially liked how Astruc was portrayed in the book. I’m not going to mention his plans or what he is, but hands down he believes really give a new twist to the story.
The storyline of Angel City is hard to described without revealing to much of the plot itself, but this time you are taken to different places, from the remote village of Grover’s Mill in America to Paris down to the catacombs. It very interesting to read about how Jon Steele used all the historical landmarks to further enrich his storyline. There are quite a few twists and turns riddled throughout the story that kept my clustered at the pages. For me The Watchers was a character driven book, Angel City has the same but also goes beyond this by shifting the focus more and more on the environment of the series itself. I found this in particular a good feature of the and showed that the story was taken further.
Angel City seamlessly build on the foundation of it’s predecessor, thereby further enriching the story told so far. It is these kind of sequels that I truly enjoy where authors are able to take their current concept and raising the bar for themselves that much higher, and surpassing it. Where The Watchers more or less introduced us to Jon Steele unique concept of heaven and hell and angels, Angel City shows what all in possible once the foundation has been laid down. The characters of the book aren’t your average heroes, a feature that I have come to like. With angels it is often that they are invincible but Jay isn’t that type of angel, and Katherine either, especially with her past. But what they are though is neatly portrayed in a strong and convincing manner. They are just as strong or even stronger shown that in the first book. Especially now that you have a greater focus on the environment as well. The ending of Angel City is a bit said and left me a bit empty inside, it’s in the spur of the last moment of the book; compelling, beautiful and sad. Jon Steele captured Katherine spot on, but leaves the reader on a cliffhanger moment…
Like The Watchers where you read a prologue set in the past, Angel City has the same feature, however the places and linking them with the current situation is revealed much earlier on. You can spot a few hints on early in the story that will encourage you to think about what it all can mean. After the prologue you are switched to the current situation, September 9th 2013 in Paris (Angel City takes place 3 years after the events of The Watchers). Where you follow one of the main protagonist’s of the series, Jay Harper. Jay was already an important player in the first book and proves his worth even more in Angel City. What you got to read in the first book about his character, his amnesia and ultimately his destiny was already quite worked out so I was wondering how his character would be shown in the second book. And I’m pretty pleased, because not only is Jay still not understanding everything about himself it is also that by Jay, Jon Steele reveals more about the angels in his series. There is a nice glossary of terms in the back of the book that recaps several terms that Jay uses. Jay has two tasks in Angel City and the former is to save Paris from a doom scenario, which is a shows a nice display of how determined Jay is to safe humankind and also packs quite the cool action scenes, this really started off the book in a right way. But later this first encounter turns out to be a small part of a much bigger plan. A plan set into motion by a someone gone “rogue”… This is where the second task of Jay comes into as he finds himself in a race to find out who and also why the destruction of Paris was planned. In this second task of Jay a lot of the “angelic ways” of life are revealed like how they travel into the human bodies and back out again. Angels use bodies of the people on Earth to carry out their tasks. And to keep their sanity at bay, once they are finished their minds are wiped clean and only get “new thoughts” imprinted when they enter a fresh body for a new task. It was nice to see that Jay can recall certain events with flashbacks by mentioning of names or places. All the things that I learned so far about the angelic powers added a bonus sci-fi feel to the book with the lights flashing and all. Very cool.
A second character that you already learned about in The Watcher was Katherine Taylor, who had quite the turn around of events there. Now she lives, guarded by the Swiss Guard in a remote village in Washington State, Grover’s Mill. And she has a kid. Max. Her involvement in the main storyline isn’t that much early on in the book, but only takes off once you reach the halfway mark. Instead you first get to see her in her now “normal” life running her candleshop and taking care for her kid Max. What you can still perceive from her character is that she is scarred from the dealings in The Watchers. Katherine also drinks a lot of herbal tea’s which I didn’t really had any thoughts about, but later on you learn that they were there to help her with certain things. Now the guarding part is needed and it actually turned out to be one of the major drives in the storyline together with Max. Her storyline was a bit similar to The Watchers where you first presume it might be a singular storyline but on the whole it neatly folds into the major one.
There were also two new important characters that you read about in Angel City, Astruc and his “helper” Goose. These new additions proved to be important as they have a mind set of their own, well mostly Astruc, as Goose mostly follows his orders. I especially liked how Astruc was portrayed in the book. I’m not going to mention his plans or what he is, but hands down he believes really give a new twist to the story.
The storyline of Angel City is hard to described without revealing to much of the plot itself, but this time you are taken to different places, from the remote village of Grover’s Mill in America to Paris down to the catacombs. It very interesting to read about how Jon Steele used all the historical landmarks to further enrich his storyline. There are quite a few twists and turns riddled throughout the story that kept my clustered at the pages. For me The Watchers was a character driven book, Angel City has the same but also goes beyond this by shifting the focus more and more on the environment of the series itself. I found this in particular a good feature of the and showed that the story was taken further.
Angel City seamlessly build on the foundation of it’s predecessor, thereby further enriching the story told so far. It is these kind of sequels that I truly enjoy where authors are able to take their current concept and raising the bar for themselves that much higher, and surpassing it. Where The Watchers more or less introduced us to Jon Steele unique concept of heaven and hell and angels, Angel City shows what all in possible once the foundation has been laid down. The characters of the book aren’t your average heroes, a feature that I have come to like. With angels it is often that they are invincible but Jay isn’t that type of angel, and Katherine either, especially with her past. But what they are though is neatly portrayed in a strong and convincing manner. They are just as strong or even stronger shown that in the first book. Especially now that you have a greater focus on the environment as well. The ending of Angel City is a bit said and left me a bit empty inside, it’s in the spur of the last moment of the book; compelling, beautiful and sad. Jon Steele captured Katherine spot on, but leaves the reader on a cliffhanger moment…
December 30, 2019
A good book with great details, imagery, writing and plot. I have to say that this book is slightly lacking compare to The Watchers. The dynamics of the characters in this book is subpar compared to the previous one. First off, Marc Rochat is gone, for real (I actually though he would make a come back, maybe in the third book perhaps), his solo narrative in the first half of The Watchers is slightly boring, but when Katherine and Harper joins in with his narrative, it makes for an superb storytelling with strong character dynamics and chemistry. Then, the main characters, Katherine and Harper does not meet at all which leaves out their chemistry and friendly battering which makes the story more interesting. The narrative from Astruc is slightly boring, luckily it was not a main narrative.
I still don't understand the need for Katherine and Officer Jansen to become lesbian, I mean that they could just be become best friends or whatever.
Overall, this feels like a 10 hour read first part of a book that left more to be desired that I'll continue to search for in the third installment.
I still don't understand the need for Katherine and Officer Jansen to become lesbian, I mean that they could just be become best friends or whatever.
Overall, this feels like a 10 hour read first part of a book that left more to be desired that I'll continue to search for in the third installment.
April 26, 2018
No Rochat. Very disappointing. (Yeah, so he died in the first book. This is a book with supernatural stuff.)
But Monsieur Booty is back with "mew." And Max the baby does lots of one word responses.
There are many wonderfully quirky dialogues. The characters feel real and remain true to themselves even as they change. I did enjoy the Katherine sections more than the Harper sections. (It must be very frustrating being an "angel" whose memory keeps being wiped. Hard to keep track of what happened and what you did.)
Harper goes on a magic bus tour.
Other themes: angels and quantum mechanics, revisiting the creation story.
Who are these bad guys anyway? We don't get their views or rationale or derivation.
But Monsieur Booty is back with "mew." And Max the baby does lots of one word responses.
There are many wonderfully quirky dialogues. The characters feel real and remain true to themselves even as they change. I did enjoy the Katherine sections more than the Harper sections. (It must be very frustrating being an "angel" whose memory keeps being wiped. Hard to keep track of what happened and what you did.)
Harper goes on a magic bus tour.
Other themes: angels and quantum mechanics, revisiting the creation story.
Who are these bad guys anyway? We don't get their views or rationale or derivation.
March 23, 2021
This was better than the 1st book. The story gets so much better here, and things move along better. Though the writing isn't quite as "pretty".
Warning: If you are a religious purist, you don't want to read these books! However, if you are open-minded about reading new and creative ways to think about religion and the metaphysical, this series is really great.
Harper and his compatriot "angels" are a fun group, although there are some frustrations (for non-humans, they sure subscribe to some typical human male-stereotypical ridiculousness that they should be able to avoid) and we do get some good female character development in this book.
It definitely ends with a cliff-hanger, so unlike Book 1, you can't just read this and be done.
Warning: If you are a religious purist, you don't want to read these books! However, if you are open-minded about reading new and creative ways to think about religion and the metaphysical, this series is really great.
Harper and his compatriot "angels" are a fun group, although there are some frustrations (for non-humans, they sure subscribe to some typical human male-stereotypical ridiculousness that they should be able to avoid) and we do get some good female character development in this book.
It definitely ends with a cliff-hanger, so unlike Book 1, you can't just read this and be done.
October 6, 2021
A very LONG book to read, but I have come this far...So I will finish the trilogy. This story had a ton of extra things that really did not need to be in the story. We never truly get answer about Harper being archangel Michael...though may I say I do not picture Archangel Michael as a cussing Brit. So...I simply keep reading these books out of curiosity. If Harper was not supposed to maybe be Archangel Michael...I would probably enjoy the story line more. Even in works of Fiction, we should not portray angels as guys like Harper. Just my two cents. Not a terrible read, but not 5 stars for me.
November 20, 2017
I loved this book also, but not as much as the first book. I was not a huge fan of the lesbian angle where Katherine Taylor all of a sudden falls in love with her protector...it seemed forced and unrealistic. I am excited to finish the series and cannot wait to see how it all ends.
December 28, 2020
Don't let my rating stop you. I had to abandon it because I didn't remember enough of the first novel to pick up the thread and don't really want to re-read it. But if I hadn't liked it, I would not have wanted to read the second one. It's probably pretty good.
November 8, 2016
Enjoyed 2nd of the trilogy as well. A nail-biting ending!! Put it down, and promptly picked up the 3rd installment.
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