What do you think?
Rate this book
Dangerous Spirits #3
Black Angel
Meg's always thought that love and ghosts are fantasies for gullible people, but her skepticism is about to be tested. As her roommates Sol and Alexei move on with their lives, the otter remains stuck in her rut, unsure what to do about her future or about her best friend Athos. He wants more than friendship from her, but she isn't sure whether she's straight or gay, let alone in love with him. Not helping are the strange trances that show her the lives of two other young girls, one who wants to be a voodoo priestess and the other who wants to to escape a Christian cult. Athos sticks by her as the trances take over her life, and Meg will have to figure out her true feelings or lose him along with everything else.
- GenresFantasy
516 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Kyell Gold
66 books633 followersHi there! I am a writer of gay furry fiction--but you probably know that if you've seen my book listing here. I live in California with my husband Kit, and when I'm not writing, we like to go out to eat and watch movies. We travel a lot, too, mostly around the West Coast, but occasionally to the midwest and east.
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 17, 2017
This is not your usual 5 star review. I'm not really a Kyell Gold fan; in the past I've been critical of his writing. Not this time. Not this book.
The first chapter captured me. I had the opportunity to hear the author read it and Meg's character was alive. She boldly lets you know who she is, she's damn proud of that and you're going to have to deal with it. The rest of the book sucked me in with the writing quality. This book sings. "Black Angel" is three separate narratives braided together, and I immediately loved Hannah and Marie-Belle's tales. There the stories are immediately more intriguing, but also the descriptive prose purrs in ways I haven't seen from Gold before. Kudos to Gold for stepping outside his usual and writing a story with three female protagonists.
As with most of the author's work, sexual identity is quite important in two of the three stories, that of Meg's confusion and conflict with asexuality and Hannah's budding lesbianism set in a very oppressive Christian cult. I have trouble connecting with these elements, and that is a disconnect that is okay, because not every story is for everyone. What resonated with me was Meg's struggle with her mental issues. There is a point where she is in true crisis and has no idea which way is up. To many people who have dealt with mental illness, that is quite real. It left me feeling like Meg was a comrade in arms and for that I love this book.
"Black Angel" is not without its flaws. The biggest one for me is, strangely, Meg's character. Consider she is: irritable by default; hostile to anyone expressing interest in her life; carries a "whatever, I don't care" attitude; and only shows rare and grudging appreciation. Meg is a crank, the dog who growls at any passerby, 30 years away from chasing kids off her lawn with a broom. How she manages to have any friends is beyond me. This makes for a hard character to read at times. It also hampers things from a story perspective. She refuses to tell anyone anything unless she is absolutely cornered. This not only leads to a lot of needless stalling of the story, but because Meg is so guarded, it turns every interaction into an over-analysis of "what does this person mean, what do they want, what should I say, what can I tell them, what will THAT mean to them". Yes, characters with flaws that get in their way and complicate things makes good fiction, but her inability to trust is taken to the level of becoming an exhausting grind. Thank goodness the Marie-Belle and Hannah narratives offer some respite from that. Also, I quickly lost patience with Athos. While he clearly cares a lot about his friend, every scene the two are together, Athos is asking her what's wrong multiple times. She cannot hiccup without him hovering over her. While yes, Meg is going through a crisis, Athos gives her so little space to breathe that I felt smothered.
These frustrations are forgiven for the final leg of the book. Those last chapters are excellent.
I must speak about Max Miller, the audiobook narrator. His voice acting was divine. TouTou, the Baron, and Jeffrey leap out as the best in the book, but his consistently excellent voicework, both male and female, made the experience that much more for me.
While I did set the book down when things get frustrating, or when they got too hard and dark, more often I stopped reading because I didn't want to finish the book too soon. It is meant to be savored. Or as the Baron would say, it should be enjoyed as one of the pleasures of life.
The first chapter captured me. I had the opportunity to hear the author read it and Meg's character was alive. She boldly lets you know who she is, she's damn proud of that and you're going to have to deal with it. The rest of the book sucked me in with the writing quality. This book sings. "Black Angel" is three separate narratives braided together, and I immediately loved Hannah and Marie-Belle's tales. There the stories are immediately more intriguing, but also the descriptive prose purrs in ways I haven't seen from Gold before. Kudos to Gold for stepping outside his usual and writing a story with three female protagonists.
As with most of the author's work, sexual identity is quite important in two of the three stories, that of Meg's confusion and conflict with asexuality and Hannah's budding lesbianism set in a very oppressive Christian cult. I have trouble connecting with these elements, and that is a disconnect that is okay, because not every story is for everyone. What resonated with me was Meg's struggle with her mental issues. There is a point where she is in true crisis and has no idea which way is up. To many people who have dealt with mental illness, that is quite real. It left me feeling like Meg was a comrade in arms and for that I love this book.
"Black Angel" is not without its flaws. The biggest one for me is, strangely, Meg's character. Consider she is: irritable by default; hostile to anyone expressing interest in her life; carries a "whatever, I don't care" attitude; and only shows rare and grudging appreciation. Meg is a crank, the dog who growls at any passerby, 30 years away from chasing kids off her lawn with a broom. How she manages to have any friends is beyond me. This makes for a hard character to read at times. It also hampers things from a story perspective. She refuses to tell anyone anything unless she is absolutely cornered. This not only leads to a lot of needless stalling of the story, but because Meg is so guarded, it turns every interaction into an over-analysis of "what does this person mean, what do they want, what should I say, what can I tell them, what will THAT mean to them". Yes, characters with flaws that get in their way and complicate things makes good fiction, but her inability to trust is taken to the level of becoming an exhausting grind. Thank goodness the Marie-Belle and Hannah narratives offer some respite from that. Also, I quickly lost patience with Athos. While he clearly cares a lot about his friend, every scene the two are together, Athos is asking her what's wrong multiple times. She cannot hiccup without him hovering over her. While yes, Meg is going through a crisis, Athos gives her so little space to breathe that I felt smothered.
These frustrations are forgiven for the final leg of the book. Those last chapters are excellent.
I must speak about Max Miller, the audiobook narrator. His voice acting was divine. TouTou, the Baron, and Jeffrey leap out as the best in the book, but his consistently excellent voicework, both male and female, made the experience that much more for me.
While I did set the book down when things get frustrating, or when they got too hard and dark, more often I stopped reading because I didn't want to finish the book too soon. It is meant to be savored. Or as the Baron would say, it should be enjoyed as one of the pleasures of life.
September 11, 2016
Having not read any of the other books in the series, I went into this totally blind. I don't read reviews until after I'm done, and the biggest thing I've seen is that people who had read the other books in the series gave it mixed reviews. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It stands on its own just fine. A very enjoyable read that has me intrigued about the author's other work. I look forward to someday reading the earlier books in the series and learning more about Meg and her friends and the past events that are alluded to in this book. There's plenty to draw you in and keep you reading, and a really fresh set of storylines. Overall, I'm impressed and would definitely recommend this.
March 20, 2019
The third and last book of the series, Black Angel focuses on Meg, the cynical otter who has been a supportive character through this journey. Now, it is her turn to show us the things that trouble her deep inside, and how dreams that lie right between what is real and what is not will aid her to self-discover herself, about her sexuality, about what means to open her feelings to others and well, maybe open her mind to the possibility that spirits might be real.
I gotta say the book didn't quite hook me right away like the past did. I think this is the slowest one yet, taking quite a bit of time in order to develop the conflict. But it does pay off once we know what troubles Meg, which at first doesn't seem like a big deal, but develops into a threat we can't ignore.
I like the shift from third person to first person for this book, as Meg's trouble is really all inside her, and it fits both thematically and in practice, letting us see a much, much closer look into what she thinks and feels, which is pivotal for the story.
What I can critique is, well, the book's pacing is sort of all over the place, being fast-paced in one part just to go to a snail pace the next. It is the reason the beginning was so slow and failed to capture me right away. I prefer my books to have a steady pace, be it fast or slow, but when it switches to often, it comes off wrong, leaving you, lets say, disoriented.
The handling of the spirits was done differently this time too, which I praise. It gives a much different feeling to each Dangerous Spirits entry, which makes them memorable all of them on their own, and well, avoids them blurring together. And the author made a good job on the vodou spirits, denoting a degree of research before writing.
Athos, the 'vampire' fox character, is easily the best support character in the entire series (that isn't a spirit). I was absolutely amazed by how well written he was: he wasn't just a side character brought there to let Meg have some conflict and nothing else. He was a fully fledged character, one with intentions, with flaws and virtues. Hell, I even thought it wasn't that far-fetched off to think he could have his own book. I loved every single scene that had Athos in it, he was the best surprise of Black Angel, and perhaps the reason I kept reading.
A bit of spoilers ahead,
I feel like I have ended a journey, closing the final book of the Dangerous Spirits series. What can I say... it is easily the best series I have read. Or top 5 at the very least. They have affected my life for the better, hitting topics and motifs that hit close to home, allowing me to reflect on the characters and their struggles and allowing for me to tackle mine in healthy ways. Sol, Alexei, Meg, and their spirits will for sure stay with me for a long time. I wish it didn't end here, but everything has to end sometime, right? I can only hope the best for them, and thank them for the good time they have brought (and of course, to the author for writing and sharing their stories with us). Maybe sometime, in the future, we can read about them again.
Or maybe, just maybe, encounter them in our dreams... after a drink or two.
I gotta say the book didn't quite hook me right away like the past did. I think this is the slowest one yet, taking quite a bit of time in order to develop the conflict. But it does pay off once we know what troubles Meg, which at first doesn't seem like a big deal, but develops into a threat we can't ignore.
I like the shift from third person to first person for this book, as Meg's trouble is really all inside her, and it fits both thematically and in practice, letting us see a much, much closer look into what she thinks and feels, which is pivotal for the story.
What I can critique is, well, the book's pacing is sort of all over the place, being fast-paced in one part just to go to a snail pace the next. It is the reason the beginning was so slow and failed to capture me right away. I prefer my books to have a steady pace, be it fast or slow, but when it switches to often, it comes off wrong, leaving you, lets say, disoriented.
The handling of the spirits was done differently this time too, which I praise. It gives a much different feeling to each Dangerous Spirits entry, which makes them memorable all of them on their own, and well, avoids them blurring together. And the author made a good job on the vodou spirits, denoting a degree of research before writing.
Athos, the 'vampire' fox character, is easily the best support character in the entire series (that isn't a spirit). I was absolutely amazed by how well written he was: he wasn't just a side character brought there to let Meg have some conflict and nothing else. He was a fully fledged character, one with intentions, with flaws and virtues. Hell, I even thought it wasn't that far-fetched off to think he could have his own book. I loved every single scene that had Athos in it, he was the best surprise of Black Angel, and perhaps the reason I kept reading.
A bit of spoilers ahead,
I feel like I have ended a journey, closing the final book of the Dangerous Spirits series. What can I say... it is easily the best series I have read. Or top 5 at the very least. They have affected my life for the better, hitting topics and motifs that hit close to home, allowing me to reflect on the characters and their struggles and allowing for me to tackle mine in healthy ways. Sol, Alexei, Meg, and their spirits will for sure stay with me for a long time. I wish it didn't end here, but everything has to end sometime, right? I can only hope the best for them, and thank them for the good time they have brought (and of course, to the author for writing and sharing their stories with us). Maybe sometime, in the future, we can read about them again.
Or maybe, just maybe, encounter them in our dreams... after a drink or two.
January 5, 2018
This is a well-written book, working three different stories and lacing them together in an interesting way and with a focus on Meg, an otter who paints her fur black. In the first two books, she's a bit of a source of stability and cautious realism during Sol and Alexi's adventures, but in this one we can see the cracks in her character. And it's fantastic.
Working a book with a main story and two sub-plots is a hugely technical thing to do, and it works well for Black Angel. These different sub plots drove the main narrative for Meg's self-discovery, and it was a thrill to experience.
I listened to the audiobook for this one, and Jay Maxwell does a great job of reading it. There were some audio-related hiccups or sudden shifts in tone while reading through, even during the middle of sentences, as of Jay was suddenly closer to the Mic when recording or farther away. It also seemed like these shifts could have been caused by reading these sections on different days, when his voice was better rested. But they were subtle, and I only really noticed since I was heavily focused on the story as a whole.
Because I can't remember the word for how I'd better describe her, Meg is a strong protagonist who has flaws but does have authority in how her life is lead. She's no Mary Sue, but neither is she a ditz or needs a boy to save her. She is a strong female protagonist, and it pains me that I have to write those words still to describe a character if only because I still want women in media portrayed better than what they typically get.
The main reason this was put down as a 4-star was that, even though the sub-plots are well written, I don't feel like the climax for these stories successfully relieved the tension that was built up on previous chapters, and some of the lessons learned between them felt forced. It's unfortunate that the beats didn't resolve better, if only because theme is one most anybody in the world could relate to and would have been an absolute home run for me save if not for the distracting, "wait, that's it?" moments.
Working a book with a main story and two sub-plots is a hugely technical thing to do, and it works well for Black Angel. These different sub plots drove the main narrative for Meg's self-discovery, and it was a thrill to experience.
I listened to the audiobook for this one, and Jay Maxwell does a great job of reading it. There were some audio-related hiccups or sudden shifts in tone while reading through, even during the middle of sentences, as of Jay was suddenly closer to the Mic when recording or farther away. It also seemed like these shifts could have been caused by reading these sections on different days, when his voice was better rested. But they were subtle, and I only really noticed since I was heavily focused on the story as a whole.
Because I can't remember the word for how I'd better describe her, Meg is a strong protagonist who has flaws but does have authority in how her life is lead. She's no Mary Sue, but neither is she a ditz or needs a boy to save her. She is a strong female protagonist, and it pains me that I have to write those words still to describe a character if only because I still want women in media portrayed better than what they typically get.
The main reason this was put down as a 4-star was that, even though the sub-plots are well written, I don't feel like the climax for these stories successfully relieved the tension that was built up on previous chapters, and some of the lessons learned between them felt forced. It's unfortunate that the beats didn't resolve better, if only because theme is one most anybody in the world could relate to and would have been an absolute home run for me save if not for the distracting, "wait, that's it?" moments.
March 17, 2017
Black Angel (Dangerous Spirits Book 3) Kindle Edition
by Kyell Gold
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I came into this book as the first in the series I've read. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read it all the way through. I tried three separate times, getting as far as about 1/3 of the way through.
The plot is, well, kind of non-existent. A young otter is trying to figure out why she isn't attracted to anyone, even though she has people attracted to her.
Part of the problem that I had was that for some reason, the author kept harping on the fact that because she didn't have a male love in her life, everyone assumed she was gay. I have read a lot of LGBTQIA romances, and never run into that particular mess. Also, that at 19, she had to be bed hopping or something is wrong with her. Perhaps, this book is designed for Millennials, because a member of GenX, I wanted to smack Meg, the main character upside the head and tell her to stop whining.
The dialogue, however, was snappy and very well done. That is why I kept trying. I enjoyed the characters each having a speech pattern.
Unfortunately, that is the only recommendation I can give, if you want jaunty dialogue from side characters and a whiny main character who can't get out of her own way, this is the book for you.
If plot, motivation, or anything resembling a story, elsewhere would be a good choice..
2 out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Angel-Da...
by Kyell Gold
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I came into this book as the first in the series I've read. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read it all the way through. I tried three separate times, getting as far as about 1/3 of the way through.
The plot is, well, kind of non-existent. A young otter is trying to figure out why she isn't attracted to anyone, even though she has people attracted to her.
Part of the problem that I had was that for some reason, the author kept harping on the fact that because she didn't have a male love in her life, everyone assumed she was gay. I have read a lot of LGBTQIA romances, and never run into that particular mess. Also, that at 19, she had to be bed hopping or something is wrong with her. Perhaps, this book is designed for Millennials, because a member of GenX, I wanted to smack Meg, the main character upside the head and tell her to stop whining.
The dialogue, however, was snappy and very well done. That is why I kept trying. I enjoyed the characters each having a speech pattern.
Unfortunately, that is the only recommendation I can give, if you want jaunty dialogue from side characters and a whiny main character who can't get out of her own way, this is the book for you.
If plot, motivation, or anything resembling a story, elsewhere would be a good choice..
2 out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Angel-Da...
April 1, 2023
The protagonist's struggle with asexuality was a little too relatable. It was awesome to see an indecisive, depressive, somewhat paranoid character represented in a novel, but reading about her misery was a chore at points. Her angry, full-of-barriers engagement with others was frustrating even to read. I'd call it a point of success that this represents a kind of character that rarely gets a starring role in a novel. This book is also just xenofictional enough to be really interesting at points. The characters aren't just humans and I love to get a glimpse of a nonhuman society.
To even mention this next bit feels like a spoiler, since there's such a tension about it throughout the story... That last bit drives a spike in the ending, to me. That revelation would change too much if I had it. Meg carries on with her life having learned a small lesson from it rather than anything big.
To even mention this next bit feels like a spoiler, since there's such a tension about it throughout the story... That last bit drives a spike in the ending, to me. That revelation would change too much if I had it. Meg carries on with her life having learned a small lesson from it rather than anything big.
May 20, 2016
When I read "Green Fairy", I was surprised by how taken in I was with the characters and conflict. I wasn't much into paranormal stuff, but Gold managed to mix in relatable themes and characters and got me emotionally invested in the outcome. By the end I was satisfied with the conclusion, but knowing there were two more books that dealt with the same characters got me excited and I couldn't wait to read the next book.
Then I read "Red Devil" and I was stabbed in the heart. I wasn't prepared for how emotionally wrenching the story would be and it kept me up at night and distracted me from school. By the end, I felt a hollowness like grief, even though the book ended with a hopefulness for healing and recovery, I had a insatiable need to read what I knew was going to be the last book because I needed to make sure the characters were going to be okay.
So now I've finished "Black Angel", what appears to be the final entry in this series and the last we'll see of these characters. Was I satisfied with the conclusion? Well - let's talk about the book as a whole first...
This book focuses on Meg, our favorite spunky otter skeptic who's been a supporting character for the past two books, but now gets her time in the spotlight. I'll admit, the book does take a couple chapters to get into its flow. Now unlike Sol and Alexei from the previous books, I don't personally relate to Meg, but that doesn't mean I don't like her or invested in her character. In fact, Gold does a wonderful job in conveying her emotions and feelings, allowing her to be vulnerable and change without compromising her established character. But for the first couple chapters, the main conflict is an internal one, setting up her personal feelings about job, friends, sexuality, and the future in general. Then the book has to setup the supernatural side of the story.
Now all the books have three different perspectives. In "Green Fairy" there was Sol's perspective, the book which told Jean's point of view, and then Niki's which gave a counterpoint to Jean's perspective. This worked because it gave us both viewpoints on the same event Sol was reading and also tied thematically into Sol's problem in that book.
"Red Devil" gave us Alexei's perspective, the dreams where he encounters the ghost Konstantin are told in a different style, then Konstantin's perspective on his backstory. This was different, but only because Konstantin was a more active character in the events of Alexei's story. Although it was odd that even though the whole book is from Alexei's point-of-view, the sections with Konstantin's backstory are not. But it as relevant to the character to see what his motivations were and how it tied into Alexei's story.
So now in "Black Angel" we again get that three point narrative, but this time its a bit complicated. Now of course we get Meg's POV (told in first person), then we have two different but kinda tangentially related stories. First there's a comic Meg starts drawing of a Muskrat named Marie-Belle from the early 1900's who wants to be a vodoun priestess, which begins as if from Meg's imagination but ends up taking over her work and interferes with her relationships. But there's another story too as Meg ends up having dreams about a strange future-ish society where the South has ceded from the country and has become a Christian cult, where we focus on another otter named Hannah who harbors secret affection for another girl and her desperate attempt to escape with her. Both stories do end up tying into Meg's development, but the two don't interconnect.
I do have to say, out of all three books in the series, "Black Angel" does end up being structurally the messiest. It goes a bit all over the place, but Gold is a deft enough writer to lead us along on his juggling act, even if in the end it doesn't all fall into place perfectly we still understand what he was going for. What's interesting is that out of the two stories, the one with Hannah is the most developed (probably because we have to spend more time with her trying to understand the mechanics of her world), but the story with Marie-Belle is the one that ends up being the most relevant in conclusion.
So does that make this a bad book? No. Because even though the two stories are wildly different and uneven, they still tie into the book's most important story, which is Meg's. These books have always been about the main three, and their development. Like I said, I don't personally relate to Meg's conflict, but it is a very important and relevant story and I think Gold pulls it off well. Meg is snarky and fun to follow, responding to the supernatural events around her with both honestly and wit. It's worth reading this book just for her.
The rest of the supporting cast is good to. Sol's off to college in this one, so his presence is diminished sadly, but he does have a little subplot of his own going through the book so it's nice to see continuing to grow too. Alexei is pretty much okay (amazingly given how much emotional trauma he received in "Red Devil") and remains as Meg's moral support. Athos is another character that ends up being refreshingly three dimensional. He wants to help Meg, but he also has desires of his own that need to be worked out, like most relationships. I think this is where Gold really shines as a writer, conveying realistic relationships between characters, which is especially important here given the nature of Meg's sexual identity.
In the end, was I satisfied with this book? Like I said, I do think it's the messiest of the three in terms of structure, but it's no less honest and it's themes no less pertinent. If you've read the other two, there's no reason not to read this one. The last book left me with the need to see these characters again to find out how they end up. With "Black Angel", I feel satisfied in saying goodbye to them, even though I'm going to miss them a damn lot.
They're going to be just fine.
Then I read "Red Devil" and I was stabbed in the heart. I wasn't prepared for how emotionally wrenching the story would be and it kept me up at night and distracted me from school. By the end, I felt a hollowness like grief, even though the book ended with a hopefulness for healing and recovery, I had a insatiable need to read what I knew was going to be the last book because I needed to make sure the characters were going to be okay.
So now I've finished "Black Angel", what appears to be the final entry in this series and the last we'll see of these characters. Was I satisfied with the conclusion? Well - let's talk about the book as a whole first...
This book focuses on Meg, our favorite spunky otter skeptic who's been a supporting character for the past two books, but now gets her time in the spotlight. I'll admit, the book does take a couple chapters to get into its flow. Now unlike Sol and Alexei from the previous books, I don't personally relate to Meg, but that doesn't mean I don't like her or invested in her character. In fact, Gold does a wonderful job in conveying her emotions and feelings, allowing her to be vulnerable and change without compromising her established character. But for the first couple chapters, the main conflict is an internal one, setting up her personal feelings about job, friends, sexuality, and the future in general. Then the book has to setup the supernatural side of the story.
Now all the books have three different perspectives. In "Green Fairy" there was Sol's perspective, the book which told Jean's point of view, and then Niki's which gave a counterpoint to Jean's perspective. This worked because it gave us both viewpoints on the same event Sol was reading and also tied thematically into Sol's problem in that book.
"Red Devil" gave us Alexei's perspective, the dreams where he encounters the ghost Konstantin are told in a different style, then Konstantin's perspective on his backstory. This was different, but only because Konstantin was a more active character in the events of Alexei's story. Although it was odd that even though the whole book is from Alexei's point-of-view, the sections with Konstantin's backstory are not. But it as relevant to the character to see what his motivations were and how it tied into Alexei's story.
So now in "Black Angel" we again get that three point narrative, but this time its a bit complicated. Now of course we get Meg's POV (told in first person), then we have two different but kinda tangentially related stories. First there's a comic Meg starts drawing of a Muskrat named Marie-Belle from the early 1900's who wants to be a vodoun priestess, which begins as if from Meg's imagination but ends up taking over her work and interferes with her relationships. But there's another story too as Meg ends up having dreams about a strange future-ish society where the South has ceded from the country and has become a Christian cult, where we focus on another otter named Hannah who harbors secret affection for another girl and her desperate attempt to escape with her. Both stories do end up tying into Meg's development, but the two don't interconnect.
I do have to say, out of all three books in the series, "Black Angel" does end up being structurally the messiest. It goes a bit all over the place, but Gold is a deft enough writer to lead us along on his juggling act, even if in the end it doesn't all fall into place perfectly we still understand what he was going for. What's interesting is that out of the two stories, the one with Hannah is the most developed (probably because we have to spend more time with her trying to understand the mechanics of her world), but the story with Marie-Belle is the one that ends up being the most relevant in conclusion.
So does that make this a bad book? No. Because even though the two stories are wildly different and uneven, they still tie into the book's most important story, which is Meg's. These books have always been about the main three, and their development. Like I said, I don't personally relate to Meg's conflict, but it is a very important and relevant story and I think Gold pulls it off well. Meg is snarky and fun to follow, responding to the supernatural events around her with both honestly and wit. It's worth reading this book just for her.
The rest of the supporting cast is good to. Sol's off to college in this one, so his presence is diminished sadly, but he does have a little subplot of his own going through the book so it's nice to see continuing to grow too. Alexei is pretty much okay (amazingly given how much emotional trauma he received in "Red Devil") and remains as Meg's moral support. Athos is another character that ends up being refreshingly three dimensional. He wants to help Meg, but he also has desires of his own that need to be worked out, like most relationships. I think this is where Gold really shines as a writer, conveying realistic relationships between characters, which is especially important here given the nature of Meg's sexual identity.
In the end, was I satisfied with this book? Like I said, I do think it's the messiest of the three in terms of structure, but it's no less honest and it's themes no less pertinent. If you've read the other two, there's no reason not to read this one. The last book left me with the need to see these characters again to find out how they end up. With "Black Angel", I feel satisfied in saying goodbye to them, even though I'm going to miss them a damn lot.
They're going to be just fine.
November 30, 2016
I was impressed by this book. Kyell Gold seamlessly creates tone of a YA novel, I would say even better so than in Green Fairy and Red Devil, and once again demonstrates his mastery at creating gradual rising tension within a scene,. Because Black Devil follows three storylines instead of too, the book is a little longer and the pace a little slower, but interesting enough to keep me coming back to the book every night. The final act of the book is very cinematic, with the supernatural elements being quite creepy at times compared to the previous installments. I stayed up late to finish this book, was kind of spooked, and I loved it.
Thank you Kyell for another literary pleasure!
Thank you Kyell for another literary pleasure!
February 6, 2018
I found this to be a little less enthralling than the previous books in the series, but given the strength of Green Fairy and Red Devil, that was a very high marker.
Meg was, as a main character, a little less enjoyable to follow than Sol and Alexei, but her development was great to see. I would perhaps have liked to see a little more resolution with her ghosts and spirits, but ultimately it was a very enjoyable story and a good ending to this trilogy.
Meg was, as a main character, a little less enjoyable to follow than Sol and Alexei, but her development was great to see. I would perhaps have liked to see a little more resolution with her ghosts and spirits, but ultimately it was a very enjoyable story and a good ending to this trilogy.
February 1, 2020
This book, being the last instalment in the series, sure as hell deserves full five stars feedback. The story presented here is the most complex one, with more than even two plot branches, and unlike the previous book, the story seems to be more possible to happen in reality which entails a lot of equating.
And it's also good to read Kyell writing about someone between the two worlds of sexuality, struggling to find their own place.
And it's also good to read Kyell writing about someone between the two worlds of sexuality, struggling to find their own place.
July 7, 2017
As always Kyell did a fantastic job writing this. Once I started reading it I didn't want to put it down and found myself reading it when ever I got the chance. The only reason I gave it only four stars and not a full five is that the ending felt a little hurried to me. But then again that could be just me not wanting it to end at all.
February 17, 2018
My top favourite KG novel right. A thrilling fresh new story line, introducing new characters and orientations, matching my RL and VR straight down to the point. Brilliant reflection and varity of the furry GLBTQ+ community.
March 4, 2025
Loved it
Another great book,I've been following This series,And we'll continue on with the next.The story enthralled Me Captivated me It was extremely hard to put-down.I can't wait to see what happens next and will continue following Stories from this author.
Another great book,I've been following This series,And we'll continue on with the next.The story enthralled Me Captivated me It was extremely hard to put-down.I can't wait to see what happens next and will continue following Stories from this author.
October 2, 2017
Ghosts and otter-people make for a fantastic trip between the darkest parts of the mind, the depths of dark bayous, and possible futures that aren't so bright as they seem.
June 18, 2019
This book had me on edge plenty of times, other times I wanted to throw it across the room and stop reading. This is and excellent book and a good end to the series. Would definitely recommend it.
February 7, 2018
I can't say I'm generally fond of Kyell Gold's work, but his Dangerous Spirits series shows that he has the capacity for truly great stories going beyond his better-known middling (in my own subjective opinion, of course) romance.
Black Angel is a masterful book that I can heartily recommend, and is, perhaps, a perfect cap to this series.
Black Angel is a masterful book that I can heartily recommend, and is, perhaps, a perfect cap to this series.
January 3, 2017
Though filled with purple prose, the final novel of Kyell Gold's Dangerous Spirits series sheds light on some serious stuff. Meg is a character who, when given time away from her friends, is very vulnerable and afraid of the extreme consequences that she thinks will happen to her. Without giving too much away, her family, a dream, a comic and spirits are all involved.
The main issue I have, though, is an issue I have with a lot of "furry"/anthropomorphic novels: the challenge of imagining an upright animal person(s) for a long time really hurts my brain. In my opinion, anthropomorphic characters are still more interesting than drab human ones, but they can be super hard to visualize without the art (which, thankfully, this book has every 50-100 pages or so). It's a good issue to have with a book.
Another gripe that I have with the book is how certain things in the real world (ie Facebook) become cheesy animal-related puns in Gold's world ("ScentBook"). They really defeat the purpose of the novel, and I feel like if he stopped shoehorning them in, he could really up his game. I haven't written any full length novels yet like he has, so my opinion probably should be taken with a grain of salt.
All in all, Black Angel was a book that brought the series to a very satisfactory end. If you have read the previous two, there is no reason not to get this one. Just don't go in expecting the next great Pulitzer-winning novel.
The main issue I have, though, is an issue I have with a lot of "furry"/anthropomorphic novels: the challenge of imagining an upright animal person(s) for a long time really hurts my brain. In my opinion, anthropomorphic characters are still more interesting than drab human ones, but they can be super hard to visualize without the art (which, thankfully, this book has every 50-100 pages or so). It's a good issue to have with a book.
Another gripe that I have with the book is how certain things in the real world (ie Facebook) become cheesy animal-related puns in Gold's world ("ScentBook"). They really defeat the purpose of the novel, and I feel like if he stopped shoehorning them in, he could really up his game. I haven't written any full length novels yet like he has, so my opinion probably should be taken with a grain of salt.
All in all, Black Angel was a book that brought the series to a very satisfactory end. If you have read the previous two, there is no reason not to get this one. Just don't go in expecting the next great Pulitzer-winning novel.
October 27, 2016
'Black Angel' resonates strongly with the themes of self-discovery, honesty, and personal growth that are found throughout Kyell Gold's works. Unlike the last few books in this series, Meg's supernatural visitations focus on two different characters in two different times, and though each supernatural arc ties into the main plotline of her growth pretty well, they don't really relate very much to each other (aside from some thematic and speculative plot links), which is really the only problem I have with the story.
Despite that caveat, I think this might be among my personal favorites; Meg has a compelling arc, and Kyell continues to make furries who are endearingly human (I know). Meg's conflict is an important one, and I'm glad to see that Kyell is just as passionate about Meg's story as he is about Dev's, Sol's, and Kory's. I'm also particularly fond of a recurring spirit who appears in the book, and the research that obviously went into the voudou aspects of her spiritual visitations.
All in all, I recommend it!
Despite that caveat, I think this might be among my personal favorites; Meg has a compelling arc, and Kyell continues to make furries who are endearingly human (I know). Meg's conflict is an important one, and I'm glad to see that Kyell is just as passionate about Meg's story as he is about Dev's, Sol's, and Kory's. I'm also particularly fond of a recurring spirit who appears in the book, and the research that obviously went into the voudou aspects of her spiritual visitations.
All in all, I recommend it!
August 30, 2016
If you enjoy reading about Meg and her friends, about spirits and voodoo, and if you enjoy several storylines interlocking within Meg's present time, then you should give this one a try. Because of the aforementioned reasons, I however did not enjoy this book so much. I didnt let the topics and themes of this book get to me - if you just wanna read this book to finish the series, not caring much abou the themes, you will be disappointed. If you let the topics and characters get to you, if you *want* to know Meg even closer and don't immediately call off something you arent interested in, then you'll probably enjoy this book.
August 23, 2016
Good end to the series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews