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Los Nefilim #1
Where Oblivion Lives
A lyrical historical fantasy adventure, set in 1932 Spain and Germany, that brings to life the world of the novellas collected in Los Nefilim: Spanish Nephilim battling daimons in a supernatural war to save humankind.
Born of daimon and angel, Diago Alvarez is a being unlike all others. The embodiment of dark and light, he has witnessed the good and the horror of this world and those beyond. In the supernatural war between angels and daimons that will determine humankind’s future, Diago has chosen Los Nefilim, the sons and daughters of angels who possess the power to harness music and light.
As the forces of evil gather, Diago must locate the Key, the special chord that will unite the nefilim’s voices, giving them the power to avert the coming civil war between the Republicans and Franco’s Nationalists. Finding the Key will save Spain from plunging into darkness. And for Diago, it will resurrect the anguish caused by a tragedy he experienced in a past life.
But someone - or something - is determined to stop Diago in his quest and will use his history to destroy him and the nefilim. Hearing his stolen Stradivarius played through the night, Diago is tormented by nightmares about his past life. Each incarnation strengthens the ties shared by the nefilim, whether those bonds are of love or hate...or even betrayal.
To retrieve the violin, Diago must journey into enemy territory...and face an old nemesis and a fallen angel bent on revenge.
Born of daimon and angel, Diago Alvarez is a being unlike all others. The embodiment of dark and light, he has witnessed the good and the horror of this world and those beyond. In the supernatural war between angels and daimons that will determine humankind’s future, Diago has chosen Los Nefilim, the sons and daughters of angels who possess the power to harness music and light.
As the forces of evil gather, Diago must locate the Key, the special chord that will unite the nefilim’s voices, giving them the power to avert the coming civil war between the Republicans and Franco’s Nationalists. Finding the Key will save Spain from plunging into darkness. And for Diago, it will resurrect the anguish caused by a tragedy he experienced in a past life.
But someone - or something - is determined to stop Diago in his quest and will use his history to destroy him and the nefilim. Hearing his stolen Stradivarius played through the night, Diago is tormented by nightmares about his past life. Each incarnation strengthens the ties shared by the nefilim, whether those bonds are of love or hate...or even betrayal.
To retrieve the violin, Diago must journey into enemy territory...and face an old nemesis and a fallen angel bent on revenge.
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First published February 19, 2019
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About the author
T. Frohock
17 books332 followers
I have a Patreon, where you can find short stories and articles on demonology and angelology.
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T. Frohock has turned a love of history and dark fantasy into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. A real-life cyborg, T has a cochlear implant, meaning she can turn you on or off with the flick of a switch. Make of that what you will. She currently lives in North Carolina, where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.
Check out my newsletter for updates and more.
T. Frohock has turned a love of history and dark fantasy into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. A real-life cyborg, T has a cochlear implant, meaning she can turn you on or off with the flick of a switch. Make of that what you will. She currently lives in North Carolina, where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
September 9, 2025
This is both a stand alone book and a follow up to the three Los Nefilim novellas.
I've only read the first of those novellas, which was excellent:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So that puts me somewhere between the complete newcomer and the reader who has finished Los Nefilim.
I think Frohock has succeeded in making Where Oblivion Lies accessible to new readers, and that the existence of the trilogy provides a sense of depth and history to the book.
Where Oblivion Lies is set in 1932, primarily in pre-Franco Spain and wandering into pre-Hitler Germany (via France). The sense of period is well conveyed and it all feels convincing to me.
The story concerns the machinations of angels, demons and their offspring, mostly their offspring, the nefilim who are essentially reincarnating, long lived humans, with a magic based around song (not what you're imagining but more to do with powering sigils with the right note or sealing portals with the right music - we're talking classical violin here, not rap battles!).
It's beautifully written. You can rely on Frohock for clear writing and, when the situation demands it, beautiful prose. Frohock also builds strong relationships between characters that you believe in and care about.
The story itself is a slow burn leading to an exciting crescendo with some genuinely creepy vibes.
As a tone deaf musical ignoramus I was still able to enjoy the music based magic and the hunt for a musical key to achieve an important goal. In that respect it was similar to the musical interludes in The Name of the Wind where the quality of the writing carried me through despite my lack of understanding of the fine points of ... notes ... and ... stuff.
I enjoyed reading this and if it sounds interesting to you then it very likely will be!
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Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
I've only read the first of those novellas, which was excellent:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So that puts me somewhere between the complete newcomer and the reader who has finished Los Nefilim.
I think Frohock has succeeded in making Where Oblivion Lies accessible to new readers, and that the existence of the trilogy provides a sense of depth and history to the book.
Where Oblivion Lies is set in 1932, primarily in pre-Franco Spain and wandering into pre-Hitler Germany (via France). The sense of period is well conveyed and it all feels convincing to me.
The story concerns the machinations of angels, demons and their offspring, mostly their offspring, the nefilim who are essentially reincarnating, long lived humans, with a magic based around song (not what you're imagining but more to do with powering sigils with the right note or sealing portals with the right music - we're talking classical violin here, not rap battles!).
It's beautifully written. You can rely on Frohock for clear writing and, when the situation demands it, beautiful prose. Frohock also builds strong relationships between characters that you believe in and care about.
The story itself is a slow burn leading to an exciting crescendo with some genuinely creepy vibes.
As a tone deaf musical ignoramus I was still able to enjoy the music based magic and the hunt for a musical key to achieve an important goal. In that respect it was similar to the musical interludes in The Name of the Wind where the quality of the writing carried me through despite my lack of understanding of the fine points of ... notes ... and ... stuff.
I enjoyed reading this and if it sounds interesting to you then it very likely will be!
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
May 20, 2020
"Nothing sinister marked his features, but then again monsters generally moved through the world unobtrusively, camouflaged by banality until their deeds manifested in the form of dead bodies or broken souls."
Where Oblivion Lives is the first full-length novel in the Los Nefilim series by T. Frohock. Preceded by a collection of three novellas, Where Oblivion Lives is both a continuation and a standalone. My experience wasn't interrupted in the least by not having read the novellas, although I will be getting to those (hopefully) before moving onto the next book in the series, Carved from Stone and Dream.
Having wanted to read this anyway, that Mark Lawrence fellow with a front-cover blurb definitely pushed my desire to move it up the never-ending TBR list even more. I'm so glad that I did!
Set in 1930's Barcelona, as well as Germany and France, Where Oblivion Lives follows Diago Alvarez as a newer member of Los Nefilim (generally spelled as nephilim, however, the Spanish replace the "ph" sound with an "f"). Los Nefilim are a group that monitor daimonic activity for the angels all over the world, while living among mortals. Each country is assigned a special group - Los Nefilim, Die Nephilim, Les Néphilim, etc.
Diago is of mixed heritage, which is incredibly rare among the group, having been born of both angel and diamon blood. He has the diamonic ability to hear and the angelic ability to sing. Many of the other members don't trust him, expecting him to reveal insider information to the daimons.
As Diago attempts to prove his loyalty to Los Nefilim, he is also in the middle of composing the Key, which is a song that could jeopardize humanity in the wrong hands. However, he is struggling with the assignment as his dreams are haunted by his stolen stradivarius (violin), which is being used as a weapon against him, causing violent hallucinations and traumatic flashbacks.
Needless to say, Diago has a lot going on! But he isn't alone in this. He is joined and supported by his husband Miquel, his 7-year-old son Rafael, Guillermo his boss and Juanita, Guillermo's wife who oversees the medical care for Los Nefilim. Together, they remind him of his various reincarnations, the present and of a nightmarish future. Or worse.. no future at all.
Will someone have to forfeit the battle in order to win the war?
"Although his nightmares had receded somewhat, the violin still hummed in the back of his mind, reaching into his bones, urging him toward his destination."
An escalating supernatural war, rogue angels, soul-eaters, found family, religion, architecture, music and magic. Where Oblivion Lives is a tale of violence and betrayal and hope. It's also a profound rumination on both queerness in society and PTSD.
Where Oblivion Lives is quite unlike my normal fantasy novels that I gravitate towards in theory. Rather, 13-year-old Holly went through a major Angels and Demons phase and would have been all over this from the get-go! However, every now and then a book comes out of nowhere and surprises you. Where Oblivion Lives did just that for me. I was taken by just how painfully beautiful this was. Frohock's complex, multifaceted storytelling was everything I could have wanted in this moment.
T. Frohock weaves magic throughout music, creating a dark and majestic atmosphere that is surreal in the most glorious way. The visual aspects of this are all-encompassing, drawing the reader into a captivatingly magical song.
This is truly an underrated gem of a novel!
Watch for me..
Where Oblivion Lives is the first full-length novel in the Los Nefilim series by T. Frohock. Preceded by a collection of three novellas, Where Oblivion Lives is both a continuation and a standalone. My experience wasn't interrupted in the least by not having read the novellas, although I will be getting to those (hopefully) before moving onto the next book in the series, Carved from Stone and Dream.
Having wanted to read this anyway, that Mark Lawrence fellow with a front-cover blurb definitely pushed my desire to move it up the never-ending TBR list even more. I'm so glad that I did!
Set in 1930's Barcelona, as well as Germany and France, Where Oblivion Lives follows Diago Alvarez as a newer member of Los Nefilim (generally spelled as nephilim, however, the Spanish replace the "ph" sound with an "f"). Los Nefilim are a group that monitor daimonic activity for the angels all over the world, while living among mortals. Each country is assigned a special group - Los Nefilim, Die Nephilim, Les Néphilim, etc.
Diago is of mixed heritage, which is incredibly rare among the group, having been born of both angel and diamon blood. He has the diamonic ability to hear and the angelic ability to sing. Many of the other members don't trust him, expecting him to reveal insider information to the daimons.
As Diago attempts to prove his loyalty to Los Nefilim, he is also in the middle of composing the Key, which is a song that could jeopardize humanity in the wrong hands. However, he is struggling with the assignment as his dreams are haunted by his stolen stradivarius (violin), which is being used as a weapon against him, causing violent hallucinations and traumatic flashbacks.
Needless to say, Diago has a lot going on! But he isn't alone in this. He is joined and supported by his husband Miquel, his 7-year-old son Rafael, Guillermo his boss and Juanita, Guillermo's wife who oversees the medical care for Los Nefilim. Together, they remind him of his various reincarnations, the present and of a nightmarish future. Or worse.. no future at all.
Will someone have to forfeit the battle in order to win the war?
"Although his nightmares had receded somewhat, the violin still hummed in the back of his mind, reaching into his bones, urging him toward his destination."
An escalating supernatural war, rogue angels, soul-eaters, found family, religion, architecture, music and magic. Where Oblivion Lives is a tale of violence and betrayal and hope. It's also a profound rumination on both queerness in society and PTSD.
Where Oblivion Lives is quite unlike my normal fantasy novels that I gravitate towards in theory. Rather, 13-year-old Holly went through a major Angels and Demons phase and would have been all over this from the get-go! However, every now and then a book comes out of nowhere and surprises you. Where Oblivion Lives did just that for me. I was taken by just how painfully beautiful this was. Frohock's complex, multifaceted storytelling was everything I could have wanted in this moment.
T. Frohock weaves magic throughout music, creating a dark and majestic atmosphere that is surreal in the most glorious way. The visual aspects of this are all-encompassing, drawing the reader into a captivatingly magical song.
This is truly an underrated gem of a novel!
Watch for me..
February 15, 2021
This trilogy continues the story of Los Nefilim that began in the series of novellas with that title. Diago is in pursuit of the Key, a sort of musical word of power. It turns out his missing Stradivarius is in the hands of a family who live in an isolated mansion in Germany. With Guillermo's blessing, he heads out there alone to retrieve the instrument and perhaps find more hints about the Key.
Anyone who's read the novellas will know that Diago has a habit of getting himself into trouble when he goes in search of his past. This story is no exception!
The Los Nefilim series is an interesting combination of dark fantasy, urban fantasy, and historical fiction. The movements and conflicts of the angels, daimons, and nefilim are inevitably intertwined with the wars and political movements of humans. In the latter half of the novel, there's a hint of the gothic, and even some . Throughout, there's a vivid sense of time and place, from tobacconist shops at railway stations, to a rainy night at a worn-down manse.
One thing that I have never been entirely clear about while reading these stories is the hierarchy of angels and nefilim, and why some supernatural beings can move freely on earth (i.e. Juanita), and others can't. I'm torn between wanting more background detail, and appreciating that we don't get walls of text explaining every little thing.
However, while that information is relevant to the story, it more of a backdrop for the interpersonal conflicts between the characters. As is true in the novellas, details about Diago's past, various artifacts associated with it, and the loves and hates between the characters over time, are the most interesting--and sometimes moving--things about Where Oblivion Lives.
The central family of Diago, Miquel and Rafael continues to be my favorite part of these stories. Diago spends the majority of the novel on his own as he journeys to the Grier home where he hopes to retrieve his violin, but his family is a constant source of inspiration and strength for him. Diago has felt isolated and lonely at the Los Nefilim compound, and by the end of this installment, has found a greater sense of belonging there, thanks to . As little as I believe in reincarnation myself, I enjoy stories about it, enjoy seeing these characters striving to become their best selves over the centuries, both for themselves and for those they love and want to protect.
Real-world history has an important role to play, as well. For various reasons, I'd rather not read a novel where Hitler becomes a central figure, but since this one is set in western Europe between the world wars, it's almost inevitable he'd show up. He's in the background, and his political views are reflected in one or two of the minor characters. Other historical figures such as Sanjurjo and Franco are in the background, as well.
The search for the Stradivarius comes to a conclusion in this book, but the end of the battle that features it, the angel Frauja, and a nefil named Jordi, by no means ends the war. I'm looking forward to seeing where Diago's music, and the waves of history, take him and Los Nefilim next.
Anyone who's read the novellas will know that Diago has a habit of getting himself into trouble when he goes in search of his past. This story is no exception!
The Los Nefilim series is an interesting combination of dark fantasy, urban fantasy, and historical fiction. The movements and conflicts of the angels, daimons, and nefilim are inevitably intertwined with the wars and political movements of humans. In the latter half of the novel, there's a hint of the gothic, and even some . Throughout, there's a vivid sense of time and place, from tobacconist shops at railway stations, to a rainy night at a worn-down manse.
One thing that I have never been entirely clear about while reading these stories is the hierarchy of angels and nefilim, and why some supernatural beings can move freely on earth (i.e. Juanita), and others can't. I'm torn between wanting more background detail, and appreciating that we don't get walls of text explaining every little thing.
However, while that information is relevant to the story, it more of a backdrop for the interpersonal conflicts between the characters. As is true in the novellas, details about Diago's past, various artifacts associated with it, and the loves and hates between the characters over time, are the most interesting--and sometimes moving--things about Where Oblivion Lives.
The central family of Diago, Miquel and Rafael continues to be my favorite part of these stories. Diago spends the majority of the novel on his own as he journeys to the Grier home where he hopes to retrieve his violin, but his family is a constant source of inspiration and strength for him. Diago has felt isolated and lonely at the Los Nefilim compound, and by the end of this installment, has found a greater sense of belonging there, thanks to . As little as I believe in reincarnation myself, I enjoy stories about it, enjoy seeing these characters striving to become their best selves over the centuries, both for themselves and for those they love and want to protect.
Real-world history has an important role to play, as well. For various reasons, I'd rather not read a novel where Hitler becomes a central figure, but since this one is set in western Europe between the world wars, it's almost inevitable he'd show up. He's in the background, and his political views are reflected in one or two of the minor characters. Other historical figures such as Sanjurjo and Franco are in the background, as well.
The search for the Stradivarius comes to a conclusion in this book, but the end of the battle that features it, the angel Frauja, and a nefil named Jordi, by no means ends the war. I'm looking forward to seeing where Diago's music, and the waves of history, take him and Los Nefilim next.
February 25, 2019
Some books just click and this was one of those times. It wasn’t even that there is much in the way of my bullet-proof likes either- Angels are not an auto-buy for me, and historical fantasy is probably closer to an auto-skip. But there was something about this story that resonated (a little pun intended) and part way through I knew I was going to have to go back and read the rest of the series, as soon as my schedule allowed.
Now a member of the Los Nefilim, Diago’s work on the key is being hampered to the point he can no longer ignore it. His instrument, a Stradivarius (violin) is being used against him like a weapon in a type of psychic attack. Suffering from crippling hallucinations and what is essentially the equivalent of PTSD he sets out to locate the source and retrieve his Violin.
***
The magic is music based, shaping tones and sound to create sigils/glyphs. It’s accessible and you don’t need to be a music prodigy to understand it. I loved the use and how music, combined with the setting, with Hitler on the rise and Spain on the verge of civil war, gave the story a very unsettled, haunting quality that heightened the sense of danger.
The characters- I’m a of a sucker for those outsider type characters- the ones that feel like they are walking a tight rope in their head trying to do the right thing. That only really need someone to believe in them for them to believe in themselves. Diago, feels a bit like that kind of character to me. He’s found redemption and a family and will do anything to protect it.
To back Diago up- there are people who love, trust and support of him but who also occasionally have real fears and doubts that he wont trust himself enough to be the person they know he is.
Villains- IMO, some of the best villains are the ones that have a past with the main character. A little history goes a long way and, in this case, Diago’s shared history in his past incarnation, adds a deeper layer making not only the relationships between all the characters more complicated but also making this more than just a grasp for power story.
The reincarnations/memories- I tended to think of these as something like the reincarnated version of the Highlander tv show where McLeod would have a history with a person and we’d get glimpses of characters past together to set up the back story/relationship.
Watch for Me –
I don’t usually even comment much on the writing in a review unless it stands out. But nothing says better what kind of writing to expect than that phrase-which honestly gave me a little thrill every time it came up.
Used like goodbye, it’s double meaning with the reincarnations, also serves as a reminder of how dangerous their lives are. That the next time they may see one another is in a future incarnation.
I really liked the punch that it added and I think it’s a perfect example to use here to show the thought that was given to the writing in every part of this story- from the word choices, to the setting, the music, the characters, and the past lives. The writing alone could have felt almost stark but the combined elements assist in bringing the world alive through all of our senses. For me this was the distinction that made this an outstanding read.
I would have given this book six stars if GoodReads would have let me. Well worth checking out and quite easy to jump in at this point. But, I can guarantee if you’re like me, you’ll want to go back and catch this series from the start.
Now a member of the Los Nefilim, Diago’s work on the key is being hampered to the point he can no longer ignore it. His instrument, a Stradivarius (violin) is being used against him like a weapon in a type of psychic attack. Suffering from crippling hallucinations and what is essentially the equivalent of PTSD he sets out to locate the source and retrieve his Violin.
***
The magic is music based, shaping tones and sound to create sigils/glyphs. It’s accessible and you don’t need to be a music prodigy to understand it. I loved the use and how music, combined with the setting, with Hitler on the rise and Spain on the verge of civil war, gave the story a very unsettled, haunting quality that heightened the sense of danger.
The characters- I’m a of a sucker for those outsider type characters- the ones that feel like they are walking a tight rope in their head trying to do the right thing. That only really need someone to believe in them for them to believe in themselves. Diago, feels a bit like that kind of character to me. He’s found redemption and a family and will do anything to protect it.
To back Diago up- there are people who love, trust and support of him but who also occasionally have real fears and doubts that he wont trust himself enough to be the person they know he is.
Villains- IMO, some of the best villains are the ones that have a past with the main character. A little history goes a long way and, in this case, Diago’s shared history in his past incarnation, adds a deeper layer making not only the relationships between all the characters more complicated but also making this more than just a grasp for power story.
The reincarnations/memories- I tended to think of these as something like the reincarnated version of the Highlander tv show where McLeod would have a history with a person and we’d get glimpses of characters past together to set up the back story/relationship.
Watch for Me –
I don’t usually even comment much on the writing in a review unless it stands out. But nothing says better what kind of writing to expect than that phrase-which honestly gave me a little thrill every time it came up.
Used like goodbye, it’s double meaning with the reincarnations, also serves as a reminder of how dangerous their lives are. That the next time they may see one another is in a future incarnation.
I really liked the punch that it added and I think it’s a perfect example to use here to show the thought that was given to the writing in every part of this story- from the word choices, to the setting, the music, the characters, and the past lives. The writing alone could have felt almost stark but the combined elements assist in bringing the world alive through all of our senses. For me this was the distinction that made this an outstanding read.
I would have given this book six stars if GoodReads would have let me. Well worth checking out and quite easy to jump in at this point. But, I can guarantee if you’re like me, you’ll want to go back and catch this series from the start.
December 23, 2020
4.5/5 This was even better than the novellas, since the story got some breathing space. And the novellas were already excellent. Can't wait for the next one.
March 24, 2025
This review was originally posted on RockStarlit BookAsylum!
"Nothing sinister marked his features, but then again monsters generally moved through the world unobtrusively, camouflaged by banality until their deeds manifested in the form of dead bodies or broken souls."
I've been hearing a lot about Where Oblivion Lives this past year and it was one of those books that seemed to be totally up my alley. Angels? Demons? Music? Hell to the yes! I was absolutely on board with that. I, however, did not heed the advice of others and jumped right to Where Oblivion Lives without reading the three Los Nefilim novellas. And though it not necessarily a must to start with the novellas, I feel like it would have given me much more background and worldbuilding I missed at the beginning and which made me struggle to get into the story at first. Eventually I did put the pieces together and got really hooked and I can only blame myself for being stupid.
Anyway, the book. Where Oblivion Lives is set in 1932, Spain, France and Germany. We are between two world wars - not that the characters know about that - and life is more or less peaceful, though memories from the Great War still linger and cause vivid nightmares for those who were there. Like Diago, who lived through the conflict and on top of the memories he also lost his invaluable Stradivarius. Both of which torments his dreams. When they finally learn about it whereabouts, Diago gets a chance to not only get back a piece of himself, but also to prove his loyalty and value to Los Nefilim. Which starts out as a quick and easy job (not without dangers though) turns into a vicious fight for his life.
I'd rather not tell more about the plot, let's just say, there is a twisty road ahead of our dear Diago. What I'd like to talk about however, is my appreciation for Frohock who chose a really interesting era to set her novel in. Exploring brand new imaginary worlds is always fun, but as someone who loves history (did I mention recently, that I have a degree in History?) I always enjoy reading books set in our world, amidst of real events which play an integral part in the world building and occasionally in the plot. In Where Oblivion Lives we have the Sanjurjo trial mentioned several times as well as the Brownshirts or as they also known officially, the SA, a paramilitary organisation in the Nazi Germany. Hitler himself is also mentioned, though his political role was not as prominent yet. I absolutely enjoyed these hints and side comments, "watching" as history happens in the background while the focus still remained on Diago and his quest. Those seemingly unimpotant nuances added a lot to my enjoyment. And, as it was indicated, mortal events influenced those within the Nefilim, so knowing what came in the years after 1932, I can only imagine how much hardship are coming Diago', Miquel's, Guillermo's and the others' way in later books.
Talking about the characters - we have a wide cast here, three of them who have their own POV: Diago, Guillermo and Jordi. Their relationships and conflicts have a long history through a couple of incarnations. Nefilim are the offspring of mortals and angels or daimons which gives them different skills and powers. They don't always remember their previous lives, but they can be triggered and complicate things in the present. Grudges can be hold through the ages as well as love and friendships. Guillermo and Jordi, two brothers have been fighting for the approval of the Thrones to be a leader of one of the Inner Guards on earth. In this life Guillermo is the leader of the Spanish territory and his group is called Los Nefilim. Jordi wants his birthright and stops at nothing to reach his goal. Diago used to be a rouge for centuries, not woving loyalty to anyone, and not be trusted by many for his Daimon inheritance. People who stand by him no matter what are Guillermo - to whom he swore his loyalty - and Miquel, his lover and husband. The one who keeps him grounded and accepts him the way he is. Their relationship has hardships and they still to learn some things, but their connection is strong and honestly, would be nice to have a relationship like the one they have.
I'm not quite sure why, but I couldn't quite connect with any of the characters in a deeper level, even though they were all fleshed out and had their own agenda. Maybe because I was more focused on figuring out what is going on to really pay attention to them - we have Diago's quest, the resurfacing memories of a past life which leads to complications in the present and then the politics within the Nefilim. It probably didn't help that I partly read it as an audiobook - especially the beginning and some parts toward the end. Audiobooks always makes things a bit tricky, and personally I wasn't really into Vikas Adam's performance, he has a nice voice though.
Even though it took me a while to really get into Where Oblivion Lives due to it having many layers and me being new to the world, by the end I was totally invested. I really liked the mystery, how the different plotlines came together and the cleverly placed hints and historical references. For which I need to praise T. Frohock's writing! That and the way she transformed the music into literary form.
If you are looking for an intriguing historical fiction with LGBTQ characters and music in the spotlight, look no further. I'm pretty sure the Los Nefilim series will be up your alley.
UPDATE:
After reading Los Nefilim then rereading Where Oblivion Lives, I decided to round my rating up to 5*. I said in my review before that I could not really connect with any of the characters. And at the time of writing the review that was true. Now, however, that I know more about Diago, and have a better understanding of what's going on, I have to correct myself. I definitely can connect with Diago. His longing to be accepted, to prove himself, the struggle to face his past and demons. And Guillermo's endless loyalty to his friends. I can't wait to read the next book.
"Nothing sinister marked his features, but then again monsters generally moved through the world unobtrusively, camouflaged by banality until their deeds manifested in the form of dead bodies or broken souls."
I've been hearing a lot about Where Oblivion Lives this past year and it was one of those books that seemed to be totally up my alley. Angels? Demons? Music? Hell to the yes! I was absolutely on board with that. I, however, did not heed the advice of others and jumped right to Where Oblivion Lives without reading the three Los Nefilim novellas. And though it not necessarily a must to start with the novellas, I feel like it would have given me much more background and worldbuilding I missed at the beginning and which made me struggle to get into the story at first. Eventually I did put the pieces together and got really hooked and I can only blame myself for being stupid.
Anyway, the book. Where Oblivion Lives is set in 1932, Spain, France and Germany. We are between two world wars - not that the characters know about that - and life is more or less peaceful, though memories from the Great War still linger and cause vivid nightmares for those who were there. Like Diago, who lived through the conflict and on top of the memories he also lost his invaluable Stradivarius. Both of which torments his dreams. When they finally learn about it whereabouts, Diago gets a chance to not only get back a piece of himself, but also to prove his loyalty and value to Los Nefilim. Which starts out as a quick and easy job (not without dangers though) turns into a vicious fight for his life.
I'd rather not tell more about the plot, let's just say, there is a twisty road ahead of our dear Diago. What I'd like to talk about however, is my appreciation for Frohock who chose a really interesting era to set her novel in. Exploring brand new imaginary worlds is always fun, but as someone who loves history (did I mention recently, that I have a degree in History?) I always enjoy reading books set in our world, amidst of real events which play an integral part in the world building and occasionally in the plot. In Where Oblivion Lives we have the Sanjurjo trial mentioned several times as well as the Brownshirts or as they also known officially, the SA, a paramilitary organisation in the Nazi Germany. Hitler himself is also mentioned, though his political role was not as prominent yet. I absolutely enjoyed these hints and side comments, "watching" as history happens in the background while the focus still remained on Diago and his quest. Those seemingly unimpotant nuances added a lot to my enjoyment. And, as it was indicated, mortal events influenced those within the Nefilim, so knowing what came in the years after 1932, I can only imagine how much hardship are coming Diago', Miquel's, Guillermo's and the others' way in later books.
Talking about the characters - we have a wide cast here, three of them who have their own POV: Diago, Guillermo and Jordi. Their relationships and conflicts have a long history through a couple of incarnations. Nefilim are the offspring of mortals and angels or daimons which gives them different skills and powers. They don't always remember their previous lives, but they can be triggered and complicate things in the present. Grudges can be hold through the ages as well as love and friendships. Guillermo and Jordi, two brothers have been fighting for the approval of the Thrones to be a leader of one of the Inner Guards on earth. In this life Guillermo is the leader of the Spanish territory and his group is called Los Nefilim. Jordi wants his birthright and stops at nothing to reach his goal. Diago used to be a rouge for centuries, not woving loyalty to anyone, and not be trusted by many for his Daimon inheritance. People who stand by him no matter what are Guillermo - to whom he swore his loyalty - and Miquel, his lover and husband. The one who keeps him grounded and accepts him the way he is. Their relationship has hardships and they still to learn some things, but their connection is strong and honestly, would be nice to have a relationship like the one they have.
I'm not quite sure why, but I couldn't quite connect with any of the characters in a deeper level, even though they were all fleshed out and had their own agenda. Maybe because I was more focused on figuring out what is going on to really pay attention to them - we have Diago's quest, the resurfacing memories of a past life which leads to complications in the present and then the politics within the Nefilim. It probably didn't help that I partly read it as an audiobook - especially the beginning and some parts toward the end. Audiobooks always makes things a bit tricky, and personally I wasn't really into Vikas Adam's performance, he has a nice voice though.
Even though it took me a while to really get into Where Oblivion Lives due to it having many layers and me being new to the world, by the end I was totally invested. I really liked the mystery, how the different plotlines came together and the cleverly placed hints and historical references. For which I need to praise T. Frohock's writing! That and the way she transformed the music into literary form.
If you are looking for an intriguing historical fiction with LGBTQ characters and music in the spotlight, look no further. I'm pretty sure the Los Nefilim series will be up your alley.
UPDATE:
After reading Los Nefilim then rereading Where Oblivion Lives, I decided to round my rating up to 5*. I said in my review before that I could not really connect with any of the characters. And at the time of writing the review that was true. Now, however, that I know more about Diago, and have a better understanding of what's going on, I have to correct myself. I definitely can connect with Diago. His longing to be accepted, to prove himself, the struggle to face his past and demons. And Guillermo's endless loyalty to his friends. I can't wait to read the next book.
February 26, 2020
I'm taking advantage of the Kindle notes to add annotations to the text in case anyone is interested.
You can find the Kindle Notes here. There are currently five, but I'll be adding more over the next few days.
If you enjoyed the Los Nefilim novellas--In Midnight's Silence, Without Light or Guide, and The Second Death--check out Where Oblivion Dwells.
Diago and all of the nefilim are back for a brand new adventure. Bonus points for getting to do a novel, so I'm able to share more of Los Nefilim's mythology with you.
Merged review:
The sequel, Carved from Stone and Dream, is out now!
You can find the Kindle Notes here. There are currently five, but I'll be adding more over the next few days.
If you enjoyed the Los Nefilim novellas--In Midnight's Silence, Without Light or Guide, and The Second Death--check out Where Oblivion Dwells.
Diago and all of the nefilim are back for a brand new adventure. Bonus points for getting to do a novel, so I'm able to share more of Los Nefilim's mythology with you.
Merged review:
The sequel, Carved from Stone and Dream, is out now!
November 22, 2018
Teresa Frohock is a true hidden treasure whose work deserves a much wider audience. Her current work, of which I received and ARC, is a novel continuing the tales in the Los Nefilim novellas, set during the time of the Spanish Civil War and continues the story of Diago, born of daemon and angel, his husband Miquel and their son as Diago continues to gain the trust of the Nefilim in their quest to maintain the peace between the immortals, whose conflicts parallel events in our world.
Teresa’s prose is nothing short of brilliant, she has done a yeoman’s share of historical research to flesh out the setting and make the reader part of the scene. A brilliant scene in the Black Forest of Germany brings back haunting memories of Bram Stoker’s initial castle scene in Dracula. Well paced and heart pounding, this is a must read, as is all of her work. Do. Not. Miss. This
Teresa’s prose is nothing short of brilliant, she has done a yeoman’s share of historical research to flesh out the setting and make the reader part of the scene. A brilliant scene in the Black Forest of Germany brings back haunting memories of Bram Stoker’s initial castle scene in Dracula. Well paced and heart pounding, this is a must read, as is all of her work. Do. Not. Miss. This
tbr-sffh-and-r
September 22, 2021Attention, reading folks! This baby right here is on sale for $1.99 until October 1st: if you're in the mood for an excellently written, thoughtfully researched historical UF, then go snatch your copy (and, if you want, hit me up for a BR)!
---------------------------------------------
When one of your favorite authors drops the news of a sequel for one of your favorite reads of 2017 you didn't even know was in the making:
And it's going to be a full-lenght novel, too! Hurrah!!!
---------------------------------------------
When one of your favorite authors drops the news of a sequel for one of your favorite reads of 2017 you didn't even know was in the making:
And it's going to be a full-lenght novel, too! Hurrah!!!
August 13, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/08...
I’ve been following this author since just before she released her very first book. I look back on her storied career, and I’m just so impressed by everything she’s done, and the high quality of work she has always, ceaselessly provided her readers. It also makes me feel like I’ve been bopping around genrespace and writing reviews an abnormally long time, considering blog turnover rate these days. Ah, well.
Anyway, I’ve been reading Frohock’s books since she’s been publishing books, and they always land really well for me. Each book is a bit different, she has a way with tackling social issues and history that really works for me. Plus, she mixes that with some extremely fluid prose and yeah, it’s great. It’s like her books were written with me in mind. They weren’t, but I can flatter myself.
Where Oblivion Lives takes off after the previous Los Nefilim novellas, yet it is also a good entry point for new readers. Somehow, Frohock managed to do what a lot of authors struggle with: creating a book that will keep tried-and-true readers engaged, while also serving as a good entry point for new readers who haven’t visited this particular world of hers before. That being said, the novellas are absolutely amazing, and give this book a real sense of depth and history that perhaps made me appreciate some aspects of it more than I otherwise would have.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good book, regardless. I just think having some background before I went into this probably upped my enjoyment a touch.
Heavily focused on plot, Where Oblivion Lives is set in 1932, an interesting time when tensions in Europe are rising as the world changes and events start barreling toward an impending World War II, which isn’t too terribly far away. Set against this backdrop of tension and change we have one Diego, who is a rare individual born of both an angel and a daimon, and is struggling to prove himself to the Los Nefilim, a group that monitors daimon activity.
Diego’s story was extremely powerful. He has a lot going on, from nightmares and lost violins, trying to prove himself to the Los Nefilim group, political tensions all around which impact things. Plus there’s daimons and powerful music and so much more. The poor guy doesn’t really catch a break, and yet through that, readers get a real sense of who he is. He is probably one of the purest characters I’ve ever read. And don’t misread that as me saying he’s without flaw, because he’s not. He’s just who he is and it’s really rare I come across a character when I read that is this unabashedly complex, complicated and yet somehow manages to shine so bright in the face of everything.
The historical period Frohock deals with here is very interesting, and I will admit, this is one reason I wanted to read these books. As someone who has probably done about the same amount of research into the same time period but on the Russian side of things, I always find myself incredibly interested in not just how other authors research for their writing, but how they use that research in their writing.
The world Frohock creates is our own, but it’s one steeped in magic and otherworldly creatures like angels and soul-eaters. Barreling toward very real wars (Spanish Civil War, World War II), it’s also on the cusp of a supernatural war as well. I loved how Frohock managed to infuse her book with a sense of time and place, and her research and devotion to her craft made me feel like I wasn’t reading about somewhere else, but I was reading about here and now. I was living the story.
The magic system is based on music, and Frohock’s writing is up to the task. What I mean by this is, she carefully selected her words for the greatest impact. Some turns of phrases in this book were stunningly beautiful, to the point where I felt like the book became a song in its own right. Rather than prose telling a story, the prose here felt like another shining layer of paint on an already brilliant landscape.
Family and love are the shining beacons that fill this book. Diego is a bit of an outsider, and it did not take me long at all to empathize with him deeply. I feel, at times, a whole lot like Diego: outside, looking in. However, Diego’s love and devotion to those he cares about are almost as magical as the magic system itself, and perhaps that’s what I’m touching on when I say he’s one of the purest character’s I’ve read. Yes, he’s flawed, but at the core of his being, his true strength is his devotion, and it shines so incredibly bright.
Where Oblivion Lives blew me away. It’s one of those books that swept my legs out from under me and left me reeling. A lot happens in these pages, not only with plot, but a lot of subtle details as well, which creates this perfect balance between relentless forward motion and personal growth. The world is so real, I felt transported there. The magic system is beautiful, and the prose are the icing on top of a positively decadent cake.
If you haven’t read Frohock’s books yet, you really need to change that.
I’ve been following this author since just before she released her very first book. I look back on her storied career, and I’m just so impressed by everything she’s done, and the high quality of work she has always, ceaselessly provided her readers. It also makes me feel like I’ve been bopping around genrespace and writing reviews an abnormally long time, considering blog turnover rate these days. Ah, well.
Anyway, I’ve been reading Frohock’s books since she’s been publishing books, and they always land really well for me. Each book is a bit different, she has a way with tackling social issues and history that really works for me. Plus, she mixes that with some extremely fluid prose and yeah, it’s great. It’s like her books were written with me in mind. They weren’t, but I can flatter myself.
Where Oblivion Lives takes off after the previous Los Nefilim novellas, yet it is also a good entry point for new readers. Somehow, Frohock managed to do what a lot of authors struggle with: creating a book that will keep tried-and-true readers engaged, while also serving as a good entry point for new readers who haven’t visited this particular world of hers before. That being said, the novellas are absolutely amazing, and give this book a real sense of depth and history that perhaps made me appreciate some aspects of it more than I otherwise would have.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good book, regardless. I just think having some background before I went into this probably upped my enjoyment a touch.
Heavily focused on plot, Where Oblivion Lives is set in 1932, an interesting time when tensions in Europe are rising as the world changes and events start barreling toward an impending World War II, which isn’t too terribly far away. Set against this backdrop of tension and change we have one Diego, who is a rare individual born of both an angel and a daimon, and is struggling to prove himself to the Los Nefilim, a group that monitors daimon activity.
Diego’s story was extremely powerful. He has a lot going on, from nightmares and lost violins, trying to prove himself to the Los Nefilim group, political tensions all around which impact things. Plus there’s daimons and powerful music and so much more. The poor guy doesn’t really catch a break, and yet through that, readers get a real sense of who he is. He is probably one of the purest characters I’ve ever read. And don’t misread that as me saying he’s without flaw, because he’s not. He’s just who he is and it’s really rare I come across a character when I read that is this unabashedly complex, complicated and yet somehow manages to shine so bright in the face of everything.
The historical period Frohock deals with here is very interesting, and I will admit, this is one reason I wanted to read these books. As someone who has probably done about the same amount of research into the same time period but on the Russian side of things, I always find myself incredibly interested in not just how other authors research for their writing, but how they use that research in their writing.
The world Frohock creates is our own, but it’s one steeped in magic and otherworldly creatures like angels and soul-eaters. Barreling toward very real wars (Spanish Civil War, World War II), it’s also on the cusp of a supernatural war as well. I loved how Frohock managed to infuse her book with a sense of time and place, and her research and devotion to her craft made me feel like I wasn’t reading about somewhere else, but I was reading about here and now. I was living the story.
The magic system is based on music, and Frohock’s writing is up to the task. What I mean by this is, she carefully selected her words for the greatest impact. Some turns of phrases in this book were stunningly beautiful, to the point where I felt like the book became a song in its own right. Rather than prose telling a story, the prose here felt like another shining layer of paint on an already brilliant landscape.
Family and love are the shining beacons that fill this book. Diego is a bit of an outsider, and it did not take me long at all to empathize with him deeply. I feel, at times, a whole lot like Diego: outside, looking in. However, Diego’s love and devotion to those he cares about are almost as magical as the magic system itself, and perhaps that’s what I’m touching on when I say he’s one of the purest character’s I’ve read. Yes, he’s flawed, but at the core of his being, his true strength is his devotion, and it shines so incredibly bright.
Where Oblivion Lives blew me away. It’s one of those books that swept my legs out from under me and left me reeling. A lot happens in these pages, not only with plot, but a lot of subtle details as well, which creates this perfect balance between relentless forward motion and personal growth. The world is so real, I felt transported there. The magic system is beautiful, and the prose are the icing on top of a positively decadent cake.
If you haven’t read Frohock’s books yet, you really need to change that.
March 23, 2022
Initial reaction 2/17/22:
MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE READING THIS SERIES!!
this is so good??? it’s loving and CREEPY as hell. I don’t read many historicals at all but this paranormal historical fantasy at the beginning of WW2 with angels and demons has me in a chokehold. Diago and Miquel are SO LOVELY and they keep finding each other through their reincarnations?? and Diago and Guillermo as good friends as me WEAK.
Vikas Adam narrating this is a top tier choice. he can get me to read to anything, no matter how confusing things seem at first (hello, Chorus of Dragons). I skipped the prequel novellas because I was not in a reading-with-my-eyeballs mood but I will go back to them! If the publisher wants to record those as audio, I would not object! I want more Diago and Miquel. 🥰
Full review:
The only question I have for myself is WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK SOONER??? This book is amazing and this series does not get enough hype. I am BAFFLED that there's hardly any reviews for it on the different retail sites, and more people need to get their hands on this book! The book is SOLID, and there's mystery and it's romantic while staying creepy as hell. I don’t read many historicals at all, but this paranormal historical fantasy that takes place in Spain during the 1930s with angels and demons has me in a chokehold. Okay, so the story doesn't contain JUST those - instead, they have the angels, the nephilim, AND the daimons (there's humans are around too, but we don't care about them as much here).
The nephilim are reincarnated into their next lives, and in the end, they can wind up finding one another again as their new selves. That's why this book is romantic to me? Our main characters, Diago and Miquel keep finding one another and following in love all over again, and I THINK THAT'S SO SWEET. Yes, the series features a queer couple in an established relationship and they have a son together, and I love them a lot! That said, this book is also very dark too and delves into some dark topics, so it's not all just fun and games. There's a dash of horror in this book as well.
Content notes include violence, murder, death, mentions of drugged food, drug use, mentions of rape, and mentions of abuse.
This book drops us in 1932 Spain where we meet Diago, who is half-nephilim, half-daimon. He works for the leader of Los Nefilim, Guillermo. While this book drops us in the middle of the story, I never really feel like I'm missing out or having to play catch-up too much. For me, it hits the right balance. Diago is trying to compose a Key, something that is supposed to unlock a path between realms. But he is haunted by the sounds of his lost Stradivarius (a violin) that seem to enter his dreams and keeps him awake. He doesn't get much sleep. He constantly wants to prove himself to Guillermo and the rest of Los Nefilim that he can be trusted, because his actions in his previous lives and even previously as a rogue (a nefil with no previous affiliation) has others look down on him and suspect him to betray them at any moment.
This story takes place between Spain and Germany, and we see the start of what ultimately becomes the Spanish Civil War and World War II. But I feel like this book isn't TOO heavy on the grim historical details or too foreboding about what's to come. Instead, it mostly focuses on Diago and for the readers to learn about Los Nefilim.
I know the author said that these novels can be read as standalone books, but I disagree. There's a very linear timeline between the books and the readers are learning more and more about the characters as the books progress. Even the ending of this book opens the door to the next book. So, this is definitely the book to start out with. I wouldn't necessarily say you'd have to read the prequel novellas first. I didn't, because none of them are available in audio and I was not in the mood to read anything with my eyeballs. I plan on reading them after I'm done with the audiobooks available in this series.
That said, the audiobook for this is fantastic. Which is no surprise because it's narrated by the amazing Vikas Adam. He is one of the few fantasy narrators who manages to keep me engaged with the book. Considering his narration helped me get through The Ruin of Kings, which is so much more confusing, I found it a joy to listen to him narrate this book and take me on another adventure! His voices for the characters are great, and he differentiates between male and female character voices very, very well without me cringing away. There's a lot of internal dialogue in this book where characters make comments in their heads to themselves, and it's easy to tell when that happens in this audiobook. Sometimes, some narrations make it hard to tell when a character is speaking aloud, or just thinking to themselves, but I had an easy time telling the two scenarios apart whenever they arise. I highly recommend listening to this book in audio, if you have the choice!
For a story that has an established couple at the core, I would only say that I wanted MORE Diago and Miquel. I think there was more screen time between Diago and Guillermo, than Diago with his own husband. Yes, they've been through five incarnations now and are happily married, but I WANTED MORE. I understand the prequel novellas dive more into their relationship, but it does feel like for a novel that should standalone or just the first full-length novel in a series, we should've gotten more of them together? There were times in this book where I felt like I was expecting Guillermo to hook up with Diago or announce that they've all been together in a romantic relationship in a previous life. Alas, Guillermo is married to an actual angel, Juanita. I have nothing against Juanita, their relationship just didn't come across as strongly as Guillermo and Diago's.
Diago and Miquel have a son called Rafael. I want to say he's about 10, but I don't remember his exact age, or if this book mentioned it. Diago and Juanita have a daughter called Ysabel, who is 8. Ysabel and Rafael are good friends and very much still kids in this book. They are in their first born lives, so even younger still compared to other nefilim. For children, I found them pretty cute in this book. They didn't annoy me whenever there were scenes with them in it. There's not much to them in this book since they're still just children and don't have larger parts to play yet.
A major character in this book is Jordi, Guillermo's brother. Jordi was the oldest in their first born lives, and still feels a deep and aching betrayal at their throne passing over him and going to Guillermo. What happens with nefilim in their first born lives tends to carry to their later incarnations, and this is the anger that fuels Jordi to want to take down his own brother even after so many years. Jordi wants Los Nefilim and will stop at nothing to get the title. I know Jordi is the big bad for the series, but I didn't get that automatic sense of evilness from this book. As a matter of fact, there's another character here that is so unpredictable and so destructive, it even has Jordi giving him the side eye once they meet. I thought that was funny, even though it probably isn't meant to be funny at all. That other character seems to overshadow Jordi in my opinion.
Did I mention this book was part horror as well? Personally, I would not recommend listening to this audiobook in an empty house in the middle of the night like I did. It was super creepy. But if you do, who am I to stop you? The suspense in this book is deliciously drawn out and I loved every minute of its creepiness. Yes, this book is a little scary at times, but it does end with a HFN for our main couple (Diago and Miquel), and the story ends on a good note.
I really enjoyed this book and it is SHOCKING to me that more people haven't read this! It's SO. GOOD. The storytelling is clean, and by that I mean the story is easy enough to understand. There's no meandering topics where readers are supposed to guess what's going on. It's very straightforward and I love that. The audiobook narration is stellar and only helps to boost an already solid book to new heights. The characters are lovely, and I can see this book as a re-read for years to come!
MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE READING THIS SERIES!!
this is so good??? it’s loving and CREEPY as hell. I don’t read many historicals at all but this paranormal historical fantasy at the beginning of WW2 with angels and demons has me in a chokehold. Diago and Miquel are SO LOVELY and they keep finding each other through their reincarnations?? and Diago and Guillermo as good friends as me WEAK.
Vikas Adam narrating this is a top tier choice. he can get me to read to anything, no matter how confusing things seem at first (hello, Chorus of Dragons). I skipped the prequel novellas because I was not in a reading-with-my-eyeballs mood but I will go back to them! If the publisher wants to record those as audio, I would not object! I want more Diago and Miquel. 🥰
Full review:
The only question I have for myself is WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK SOONER??? This book is amazing and this series does not get enough hype. I am BAFFLED that there's hardly any reviews for it on the different retail sites, and more people need to get their hands on this book! The book is SOLID, and there's mystery and it's romantic while staying creepy as hell. I don’t read many historicals at all, but this paranormal historical fantasy that takes place in Spain during the 1930s with angels and demons has me in a chokehold. Okay, so the story doesn't contain JUST those - instead, they have the angels, the nephilim, AND the daimons (there's humans are around too, but we don't care about them as much here).
The nephilim are reincarnated into their next lives, and in the end, they can wind up finding one another again as their new selves. That's why this book is romantic to me? Our main characters, Diago and Miquel keep finding one another and following in love all over again, and I THINK THAT'S SO SWEET. Yes, the series features a queer couple in an established relationship and they have a son together, and I love them a lot! That said, this book is also very dark too and delves into some dark topics, so it's not all just fun and games. There's a dash of horror in this book as well.
Content notes include violence, murder, death, mentions of drugged food, drug use, mentions of rape, and mentions of abuse.
This book drops us in 1932 Spain where we meet Diago, who is half-nephilim, half-daimon. He works for the leader of Los Nefilim, Guillermo. While this book drops us in the middle of the story, I never really feel like I'm missing out or having to play catch-up too much. For me, it hits the right balance. Diago is trying to compose a Key, something that is supposed to unlock a path between realms. But he is haunted by the sounds of his lost Stradivarius (a violin) that seem to enter his dreams and keeps him awake. He doesn't get much sleep. He constantly wants to prove himself to Guillermo and the rest of Los Nefilim that he can be trusted, because his actions in his previous lives and even previously as a rogue (a nefil with no previous affiliation) has others look down on him and suspect him to betray them at any moment.
This story takes place between Spain and Germany, and we see the start of what ultimately becomes the Spanish Civil War and World War II. But I feel like this book isn't TOO heavy on the grim historical details or too foreboding about what's to come. Instead, it mostly focuses on Diago and for the readers to learn about Los Nefilim.
I know the author said that these novels can be read as standalone books, but I disagree. There's a very linear timeline between the books and the readers are learning more and more about the characters as the books progress. Even the ending of this book opens the door to the next book. So, this is definitely the book to start out with. I wouldn't necessarily say you'd have to read the prequel novellas first. I didn't, because none of them are available in audio and I was not in the mood to read anything with my eyeballs. I plan on reading them after I'm done with the audiobooks available in this series.
That said, the audiobook for this is fantastic. Which is no surprise because it's narrated by the amazing Vikas Adam. He is one of the few fantasy narrators who manages to keep me engaged with the book. Considering his narration helped me get through The Ruin of Kings, which is so much more confusing, I found it a joy to listen to him narrate this book and take me on another adventure! His voices for the characters are great, and he differentiates between male and female character voices very, very well without me cringing away. There's a lot of internal dialogue in this book where characters make comments in their heads to themselves, and it's easy to tell when that happens in this audiobook. Sometimes, some narrations make it hard to tell when a character is speaking aloud, or just thinking to themselves, but I had an easy time telling the two scenarios apart whenever they arise. I highly recommend listening to this book in audio, if you have the choice!
For a story that has an established couple at the core, I would only say that I wanted MORE Diago and Miquel. I think there was more screen time between Diago and Guillermo, than Diago with his own husband. Yes, they've been through five incarnations now and are happily married, but I WANTED MORE. I understand the prequel novellas dive more into their relationship, but it does feel like for a novel that should standalone or just the first full-length novel in a series, we should've gotten more of them together? There were times in this book where I felt like I was expecting Guillermo to hook up with Diago or announce that they've all been together in a romantic relationship in a previous life. Alas, Guillermo is married to an actual angel, Juanita. I have nothing against Juanita, their relationship just didn't come across as strongly as Guillermo and Diago's.
Diago and Miquel have a son called Rafael. I want to say he's about 10, but I don't remember his exact age, or if this book mentioned it. Diago and Juanita have a daughter called Ysabel, who is 8. Ysabel and Rafael are good friends and very much still kids in this book. They are in their first born lives, so even younger still compared to other nefilim. For children, I found them pretty cute in this book. They didn't annoy me whenever there were scenes with them in it. There's not much to them in this book since they're still just children and don't have larger parts to play yet.
A major character in this book is Jordi, Guillermo's brother. Jordi was the oldest in their first born lives, and still feels a deep and aching betrayal at their throne passing over him and going to Guillermo. What happens with nefilim in their first born lives tends to carry to their later incarnations, and this is the anger that fuels Jordi to want to take down his own brother even after so many years. Jordi wants Los Nefilim and will stop at nothing to get the title. I know Jordi is the big bad for the series, but I didn't get that automatic sense of evilness from this book. As a matter of fact, there's another character here that is so unpredictable and so destructive, it even has Jordi giving him the side eye once they meet. I thought that was funny, even though it probably isn't meant to be funny at all. That other character seems to overshadow Jordi in my opinion.
Did I mention this book was part horror as well? Personally, I would not recommend listening to this audiobook in an empty house in the middle of the night like I did. It was super creepy. But if you do, who am I to stop you? The suspense in this book is deliciously drawn out and I loved every minute of its creepiness. Yes, this book is a little scary at times, but it does end with a HFN for our main couple (Diago and Miquel), and the story ends on a good note.
I really enjoyed this book and it is SHOCKING to me that more people haven't read this! It's SO. GOOD. The storytelling is clean, and by that I mean the story is easy enough to understand. There's no meandering topics where readers are supposed to guess what's going on. It's very straightforward and I love that. The audiobook narration is stellar and only helps to boost an already solid book to new heights. The characters are lovely, and I can see this book as a re-read for years to come!
February 9, 2021
It was great to see a novel-length Los Nefilim story, as well as seeing some real flashbacks to past incarnations and just more in-depth exploration of the greater politics around and above Barcelona. My only knock against this book is that I wanted more Diago/Miquel/Rafael time compared to the novellas.
But wow, are some of these characters quite damaged inside--and with the Spanish Civil War about to start in 4 years, I don't see this getting any better for them.
Watch for me.
But wow, are some of these characters quite damaged inside--and with the Spanish Civil War about to start in 4 years, I don't see this getting any better for them.
Watch for me.
February 24, 2019
WHERE OBLIVION LIVES is a well-written, historically grounded, evocative dark urban fantasy. While designated Los Nefilim #4, there being 3 previous novellas, reading the novellas is unnecessary for the full appreciation of this book, though it is likely to spur you to obtain the novellas post-haste.
It is a tale WHERE FAMILY LIVES and thrives—family forged by blood, and family that is hand-picked and formed by voluntary bonds. The central family consists of Diago (half-angel, half-demon), Miquel (a Nefil), and Rafael, Diago's recently discovered son with a prior tryst with an angel. The central family is embraced by another family, that of Guillermo, leader of the Nefilim. Beyond that lies all the Nefilim who have collectively accepted the central family, though not without suspicion, particularly of Diago and his split origin.
This book is WHERE MAGIC LIVES. First, there is the magic employed in the story in the form of music powering special sigils—magic heard, seen and felt. Voice, instruments, anything that produces musical tones can lend strength and force to magical symbols. Second, there is the magic of T. Frohock's lyrical prose, painting a canvas of emotions. There is a palpable sense of underlying danger. The language, tone and turn of phrase Frohock adopts lend themselves to instinctively feeling fear for Diago, Miquel, Guillermo—in the manner one fears for loved ones. Almost from the outset—especially if you've read the novellas—the reader feels connected, relates to, and sympathizes with, the characters, fears for them, hopes against hope for their survival.
The backdrop is WHERE HISTORY LIVES. We revisit history in this tale grounded in 1932 Spain and Germany during the rise of nationalism, where the seeds of World War II were sown. To this increasing political turmoil, Frohock adds a supernatural battle between nefilim—marshals of angels, near immortal, with the power of reincarnation—and daimons. The historical aspect is obviously well-researched, the fantasy addition is highly imaginative, and they are seamlessly interwoven.
The quest for The Key that unlocks the secret to unifying and harmonizing the Nefilim's collective voice is WHERE THE FUTURE LIVES. The world is in jeopardy and powerful as a nefil may be, no single voice alone is powerful enough to avert disaster. Diago has caught snippets of The Key but must unravel his past to unlock it in its entirety.
T. Frohock reminds us WHERE HOPE LIVES--ensconced in the unwavering resolve to do the ought. Attempts may fail; attempts will fail. But re-orienting all attempts to this most righteous and noble of intents is the rudder without which only failure is guaranteed. Loved ones are the constant-- always celebratory in success, reassuring in failure, comforting in despair, and forgiving before offense is even committed. Failure remains a possibility but a risk worth taking.
Where mistakes and failure may be found is also WHERE REDEMPTION LIVES. With the power of reincarnation comes past lives and the regrets that attend them. Diago, Guillermo, and the others are haunted by ghosts of their pasts and the reverberating consequences of prior choices and decisions throughout time. Old enemies join forces with new ones to create greater peril. To maneuver through all this, Diago & Co. must work through the imperfections of memory, the disconnect between actual events and one's hazy, tenuous, incomplete recall of them. In order to prevail, they must come to terms with their past and exorcise old demons. The most dangerous enemy each of the characters must face may just be themselves.
A world where people of seemingly disparate origins and backgrounds are able to get past differences and overcome bias and suspicion is WHERE LOVE LIVES. Some may talk of purity of race, define family in the most narrow of ways, appoint themselves protector of virtue but, ultimately, the only pure thing is love that is persistent, gratuitous, unconditional, enduring.
WHERE T. FROHOCK WALKS, this reader shall follow.
It is a tale WHERE FAMILY LIVES and thrives—family forged by blood, and family that is hand-picked and formed by voluntary bonds. The central family consists of Diago (half-angel, half-demon), Miquel (a Nefil), and Rafael, Diago's recently discovered son with a prior tryst with an angel. The central family is embraced by another family, that of Guillermo, leader of the Nefilim. Beyond that lies all the Nefilim who have collectively accepted the central family, though not without suspicion, particularly of Diago and his split origin.
This book is WHERE MAGIC LIVES. First, there is the magic employed in the story in the form of music powering special sigils—magic heard, seen and felt. Voice, instruments, anything that produces musical tones can lend strength and force to magical symbols. Second, there is the magic of T. Frohock's lyrical prose, painting a canvas of emotions. There is a palpable sense of underlying danger. The language, tone and turn of phrase Frohock adopts lend themselves to instinctively feeling fear for Diago, Miquel, Guillermo—in the manner one fears for loved ones. Almost from the outset—especially if you've read the novellas—the reader feels connected, relates to, and sympathizes with, the characters, fears for them, hopes against hope for their survival.
The backdrop is WHERE HISTORY LIVES. We revisit history in this tale grounded in 1932 Spain and Germany during the rise of nationalism, where the seeds of World War II were sown. To this increasing political turmoil, Frohock adds a supernatural battle between nefilim—marshals of angels, near immortal, with the power of reincarnation—and daimons. The historical aspect is obviously well-researched, the fantasy addition is highly imaginative, and they are seamlessly interwoven.
The quest for The Key that unlocks the secret to unifying and harmonizing the Nefilim's collective voice is WHERE THE FUTURE LIVES. The world is in jeopardy and powerful as a nefil may be, no single voice alone is powerful enough to avert disaster. Diago has caught snippets of The Key but must unravel his past to unlock it in its entirety.
T. Frohock reminds us WHERE HOPE LIVES--ensconced in the unwavering resolve to do the ought. Attempts may fail; attempts will fail. But re-orienting all attempts to this most righteous and noble of intents is the rudder without which only failure is guaranteed. Loved ones are the constant-- always celebratory in success, reassuring in failure, comforting in despair, and forgiving before offense is even committed. Failure remains a possibility but a risk worth taking.
Where mistakes and failure may be found is also WHERE REDEMPTION LIVES. With the power of reincarnation comes past lives and the regrets that attend them. Diago, Guillermo, and the others are haunted by ghosts of their pasts and the reverberating consequences of prior choices and decisions throughout time. Old enemies join forces with new ones to create greater peril. To maneuver through all this, Diago & Co. must work through the imperfections of memory, the disconnect between actual events and one's hazy, tenuous, incomplete recall of them. In order to prevail, they must come to terms with their past and exorcise old demons. The most dangerous enemy each of the characters must face may just be themselves.
A world where people of seemingly disparate origins and backgrounds are able to get past differences and overcome bias and suspicion is WHERE LOVE LIVES. Some may talk of purity of race, define family in the most narrow of ways, appoint themselves protector of virtue but, ultimately, the only pure thing is love that is persistent, gratuitous, unconditional, enduring.
WHERE T. FROHOCK WALKS, this reader shall follow.
February 11, 2020
Rating: 9.0/10
Thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of Where Oblivion Lives (Los Nefilim #4) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving a copy of the novel did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
Where Oblivion Lives is a master stroke of historical fantasy; mesmerizing in its prose and alluring in its song, Frohock’s first full-length novel in the Los Nefilim series is a work of art.
This was my introduction to the author thanks to HarperVoyager. I have had the Los Nefilim novella collection on my Kindle for some time, but like many Daily Deals, it became a quick purchase and “I’ll get to it” type of read. Now that WOL is finished and I can gush about it, the novellas will be read sooner rather than later and the sequel, Carved from Stone and Dream (02/25/20) will be read post-haste.
The first chapter is absolutely captivating, introducing you to the main protagonist, Diago Alvarez, in what I can only describe as a rapid manner. You see, his stolen instrument is being used against him, and whoever is playing it is plaguing Diago with nightmares from his past.
But then, the story takes a less brisk approach, introducing secondary characters, a bit of backstory, and the events that must take place to allow for the crescendo at the end. A more in-depth look at the backstories, from what I can tell, are found in the earlier novellas; but what makes this book unique is that they are not required reading to enjoy the story that unfolds.
The entire arc of Diago is fascinating, and I can only imagine it becomes grander in the sequel. It is always interesting to have a character that is unique to his surroundings, being unlike anyone else in Los Nefilim and having to prove his worth on top of his allegiance. I also thought Frohock did a great job detailing the environments, giving a perfect feel for the time period. Not being a huge history or music buff, but thoroughly enjoying the subjects growing up and even now, it was neat (if you can call war times “neat”) seeing names of people/places/etc that you can recall from those days.
While I could spend much of the day recounting the story, I’ll just tell you not to sleep on this book. From the historical events to the characters, the lyrical magic system to the fantastic ending, Where Oblivion Lives was a smashing read and deserves way more attention that it has gotten.
Thanks to the publisher and author for a copy of Where Oblivion Lives (Los Nefilim #4) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving a copy of the novel did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
Where Oblivion Lives is a master stroke of historical fantasy; mesmerizing in its prose and alluring in its song, Frohock’s first full-length novel in the Los Nefilim series is a work of art.
This was my introduction to the author thanks to HarperVoyager. I have had the Los Nefilim novella collection on my Kindle for some time, but like many Daily Deals, it became a quick purchase and “I’ll get to it” type of read. Now that WOL is finished and I can gush about it, the novellas will be read sooner rather than later and the sequel, Carved from Stone and Dream (02/25/20) will be read post-haste.
The first chapter is absolutely captivating, introducing you to the main protagonist, Diago Alvarez, in what I can only describe as a rapid manner. You see, his stolen instrument is being used against him, and whoever is playing it is plaguing Diago with nightmares from his past.
But then, the story takes a less brisk approach, introducing secondary characters, a bit of backstory, and the events that must take place to allow for the crescendo at the end. A more in-depth look at the backstories, from what I can tell, are found in the earlier novellas; but what makes this book unique is that they are not required reading to enjoy the story that unfolds.
The entire arc of Diago is fascinating, and I can only imagine it becomes grander in the sequel. It is always interesting to have a character that is unique to his surroundings, being unlike anyone else in Los Nefilim and having to prove his worth on top of his allegiance. I also thought Frohock did a great job detailing the environments, giving a perfect feel for the time period. Not being a huge history or music buff, but thoroughly enjoying the subjects growing up and even now, it was neat (if you can call war times “neat”) seeing names of people/places/etc that you can recall from those days.
While I could spend much of the day recounting the story, I’ll just tell you not to sleep on this book. From the historical events to the characters, the lyrical magic system to the fantastic ending, Where Oblivion Lives was a smashing read and deserves way more attention that it has gotten.
February 13, 2019
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
Short Review: Historical UF with angels, exactly the balm my soul needed with this genre. Perfect sequel to the first three novellas. I love the characters, and I loved the story. I can't wait to see more in this series.
Longer Review:
96 points, 5 STARS!
LGBT Themes
Once again, Where Oblivion Lives is everything I needed in an urban fantasy novel. I didn't just want everything to do with this novel, I needed it to soothe a part of my soul that has been struggling against the world. I was drawn into this story with Los Nefilim and I continued to be enchanted through Where Oblivion Lives. From the moment I started, I didn't want the ride to stop.
The lore surrounding the Angels and Demons is just outstanding. There is nothing worse than a weak, humanic, angel and demon race set, but these are good, strong, proper races in Where Oblivion Lives. The plays these two races make are anything but weak. There wasn't as much demonic action during Where Oblivion Lives, but the actions of everyone else more than make up for it. The way music and sound are interwoven into magic...well, it is pure magic itself. Frohock understands that everything is based on vibrations, and if you can change that, you can change the world. It is perfect and exactly what I love in my magic.
In a departure from the majority of the novellas, Diago shares his time with Guillermo and others. The shift from focused novellas to focused novel was handled very well, and I cannot wait to read more full sized stories like this in the future. Where Oblivion Lives has many facets and players, each thinking they are in the right. But, everyone can't be remembering true. The idea of multiple incarnations is explored a lot more in this story. Remembering something in a past life isn't easy, though, and can be used for good or ill. I don't like memory loss, but this isn't memory loss. This is something fundamental to the beings that are nephilim, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It is perfect.
I also love how the mortal world and the supernatural world are interwoven together. Spain is gearing up for civil war, and the characters are aware of the trouble that is ahead of them. The world is a decade away from another world war, which they have seen the signs of as well. It is great how Frohock weaves the two worlds together, with mortals not having any knowledge of their world, and the Nefilim belonging to the mortal world and not. It can be a difficult task for an author to show how the characters belong to the mortal world while also not, and it is often overlooked entirely when there is a masquerade in effect. The fact that it isn't overlooked and it is well handled just raises this series in my eye even more, and I didn't think it could get much higher!
Where Oblivion Lives was everything I wanted and needed right now. This series has already jumped up onto my favourites and I cannot wait for the next installment of this series. I love Diago and his family and I need to see them grow together more.
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to T. Frohock, HarperCollins, and Edelweiss for providing this copy for review!
Short Review: Historical UF with angels, exactly the balm my soul needed with this genre. Perfect sequel to the first three novellas. I love the characters, and I loved the story. I can't wait to see more in this series.
Longer Review:
96 points, 5 STARS!
LGBT Themes
Once again, Where Oblivion Lives is everything I needed in an urban fantasy novel. I didn't just want everything to do with this novel, I needed it to soothe a part of my soul that has been struggling against the world. I was drawn into this story with Los Nefilim and I continued to be enchanted through Where Oblivion Lives. From the moment I started, I didn't want the ride to stop.
The lore surrounding the Angels and Demons is just outstanding. There is nothing worse than a weak, humanic, angel and demon race set, but these are good, strong, proper races in Where Oblivion Lives. The plays these two races make are anything but weak. There wasn't as much demonic action during Where Oblivion Lives, but the actions of everyone else more than make up for it. The way music and sound are interwoven into magic...well, it is pure magic itself. Frohock understands that everything is based on vibrations, and if you can change that, you can change the world. It is perfect and exactly what I love in my magic.
In a departure from the majority of the novellas, Diago shares his time with Guillermo and others. The shift from focused novellas to focused novel was handled very well, and I cannot wait to read more full sized stories like this in the future. Where Oblivion Lives has many facets and players, each thinking they are in the right. But, everyone can't be remembering true. The idea of multiple incarnations is explored a lot more in this story. Remembering something in a past life isn't easy, though, and can be used for good or ill. I don't like memory loss, but this isn't memory loss. This is something fundamental to the beings that are nephilim, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It is perfect.
I also love how the mortal world and the supernatural world are interwoven together. Spain is gearing up for civil war, and the characters are aware of the trouble that is ahead of them. The world is a decade away from another world war, which they have seen the signs of as well. It is great how Frohock weaves the two worlds together, with mortals not having any knowledge of their world, and the Nefilim belonging to the mortal world and not. It can be a difficult task for an author to show how the characters belong to the mortal world while also not, and it is often overlooked entirely when there is a masquerade in effect. The fact that it isn't overlooked and it is well handled just raises this series in my eye even more, and I didn't think it could get much higher!
Where Oblivion Lives was everything I wanted and needed right now. This series has already jumped up onto my favourites and I cannot wait for the next installment of this series. I love Diago and his family and I need to see them grow together more.
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to T. Frohock, HarperCollins, and Edelweiss for providing this copy for review!
February 23, 2019
A delightful standalone excursion into the world of Los Nefilim, part spy thriller, part gothic horror, part magical warfare, as the husband and husband team of Diago and Miquel navigate dangers across Europe on the eve of the Spanish Civil War.
I posted a full review at the Fantasy Hive, here
http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2019/01/whe...
The author also kindly answered some interview questions about the book and the process of writing it, here
http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2019/02/int...
I posted a full review at the Fantasy Hive, here
http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2019/01/whe...
The author also kindly answered some interview questions about the book and the process of writing it, here
http://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2019/02/int...
September 17, 2021
I liked it. The people, clothing and descriptions of the settings are enough to transport me into the book. That there is a whole culture of hidden creatures operating within this historical time period is intriguing.
December 13, 2023
I’m definitely glad I returned to this series. I can’t say that I have incredibly strong feelings about it, but I think Frohock is doing something really cool and unique here and doing it well. The result is an engaging mix of history, intrigue, and her own interesting religious lore.
While I was reading the first 15% or so, I found myself extremely confused by all the past life identities and connections…but then I reread the start and CREATED A CHART (in case you were wondering whether or not I was taking my reading experience seriously!). Once I managed to piece together who was who in the past and how they were related as lovers/friends/family, things went much more smoothly. What I find most interesting is how the nephilim don’t actually remember everything about their past lives and start to get flashbacks and piece things together based on triggers. As this book shows, they are therefore quite susceptible to manipulation because vague impressions can be tipped into false interpretations.
That being said, I feel like there are still some things I am missing. Why are so many nephilim reincarnated as queer men in Europe? Of course we are following the protagonist and his friends, but almost every nephilim in the book can be described this way and almost all of the world-changing events involving nephilim seem to revolve around this very small group. Are they always technically the same person with the same soul? This would explain why they seem to share the same characteristics generation after generation and why Diago is always a rogue…but then why wouldn’t they be different in at least some ways if they’re born into totally different circumstances each time and don’t remember their past lives? There is room for a really interesting conversation about nature vs. nurture, but it just never seems to be considered at all.
One of my favorite things about these books is how well-researched they are, especially with regards to classical music and history. Some of the most interesting historical aspects this time are the exploration of what it is like for Rudi to be a young gay man who is forced to be closeted and the representation of brewing Nazi occultism (and how the angels/nephilim are able to manipulate it). That being said, there was one paragraph where Frohock made a very clear comparison between Hitler and Trump that veered just a bit into the heavy-handed.
Overall, these books are easy to read, engaging, and very well-written. For one reason or another, I’m not quite as enthusiastic about them as I am about some other books, but I really appreciate their quality and what they have to offer.
While I was reading the first 15% or so, I found myself extremely confused by all the past life identities and connections…but then I reread the start and CREATED A CHART (in case you were wondering whether or not I was taking my reading experience seriously!). Once I managed to piece together who was who in the past and how they were related as lovers/friends/family, things went much more smoothly. What I find most interesting is how the nephilim don’t actually remember everything about their past lives and start to get flashbacks and piece things together based on triggers. As this book shows, they are therefore quite susceptible to manipulation because vague impressions can be tipped into false interpretations.
That being said, I feel like there are still some things I am missing. Why are so many nephilim reincarnated as queer men in Europe? Of course we are following the protagonist and his friends, but almost every nephilim in the book can be described this way and almost all of the world-changing events involving nephilim seem to revolve around this very small group. Are they always technically the same person with the same soul? This would explain why they seem to share the same characteristics generation after generation and why Diago is always a rogue…but then why wouldn’t they be different in at least some ways if they’re born into totally different circumstances each time and don’t remember their past lives? There is room for a really interesting conversation about nature vs. nurture, but it just never seems to be considered at all.
One of my favorite things about these books is how well-researched they are, especially with regards to classical music and history. Some of the most interesting historical aspects this time are the exploration of what it is like for Rudi to be a young gay man who is forced to be closeted and the representation of brewing Nazi occultism (and how the angels/nephilim are able to manipulate it). That being said, there was one paragraph where Frohock made a very clear comparison between Hitler and Trump that veered just a bit into the heavy-handed.
Overall, these books are easy to read, engaging, and very well-written. For one reason or another, I’m not quite as enthusiastic about them as I am about some other books, but I really appreciate their quality and what they have to offer.
March 17, 2021
Where Oblivion Lives is the first full novel in the Los Nefilim series by T. Frohock. Although she wrote three novellas that take place prior to Where Oblivion Lives collected in one volume titled Los Nefilim (hence Goodreads labeling it as #4), this novel was written to serve as an introduction for newcomers to the books. It’s not necessary to read Los Nefilim first, though I do highly encourage reading them at some point solely because they’re excellent. My review of Los Nefilim can be found here.
Though it’s inspired by Abrahamic lore, this is certainly not a religious book any moreso than a book based on Greek or Roman mythology. The Nefilim of Spain are embroiled in a war to save humanity, and there is no one they can trust. The angels are corrupt, the demons are not to be trusted, and even members of Los Nefilim have been compromised. Diago, a half demon and half angel nefil, must not only work to earn his place among Los Nefilim along with his husband, Miquel, but also protect their son from forces that would do him harm.
Frohock’s prose is lyrical and rhythmic, drawing on the structure and syntax of the Spanish language and pulling them through into English to create a secondary layer to her writing. Her descriptions of music capture the reader, enchanting them just as Diago is enthralled by the chords of his stolen violin which haunt his dreams. Frohock became deaf around the age of 12, but the music she misses and loves is woven masterfully throughout her work.
Though it’s inspired by Abrahamic lore, this is certainly not a religious book any moreso than a book based on Greek or Roman mythology. The Nefilim of Spain are embroiled in a war to save humanity, and there is no one they can trust. The angels are corrupt, the demons are not to be trusted, and even members of Los Nefilim have been compromised. Diago, a half demon and half angel nefil, must not only work to earn his place among Los Nefilim along with his husband, Miquel, but also protect their son from forces that would do him harm.
Frohock’s prose is lyrical and rhythmic, drawing on the structure and syntax of the Spanish language and pulling them through into English to create a secondary layer to her writing. Her descriptions of music capture the reader, enchanting them just as Diago is enthralled by the chords of his stolen violin which haunt his dreams. Frohock became deaf around the age of 12, but the music she misses and loves is woven masterfully throughout her work.
March 3, 2019
An absolute gem - wonderfully written, genuinely intriguing through the entire novel, and containing the same superb characters, relationships, and drama I've come to expect from the Los Nefilim series. It's felt like an incredibly long wait to get back to these characters, but Frohock thankfully hits it out of the park.
March 25, 2019
Soundtrack:Happy Days are Here Again!
It's a happy day indeed, so many things I like in one place! Midway through the book I realized it's fourth in a series, so now I have some catching-up to do.
An interesting magic system. Music-imbued sigils? Yes please! If you follow the text, you can listen to a pretty interesting soundtrack. It was great to hear ol' Brahms and Berlioz as a soundtrack to angel-killing and soul-eating!
A new(ish) take on an old trope. Children of angels and humans - now with more warfare, memories from past incarnations, and angst.
The realistic portrayal of some facets of human nature. There is talk about trauma, PTSD, addiction, obsession, and nightmares. The author doesn't shy away from the violence, but manages to convey a sense of camaraderie and hope in her characters, which I came to appreciate (I blame too much of Abercombie in a short time period for my disdain of grimdark, really).
The music. I repeat myself, but of, what joy! It makes me overlook a somewhat odd pacing and over-dramatics.
It's a happy day indeed, so many things I like in one place! Midway through the book I realized it's fourth in a series, so now I have some catching-up to do.
An interesting magic system. Music-imbued sigils? Yes please! If you follow the text, you can listen to a pretty interesting soundtrack. It was great to hear ol' Brahms and Berlioz as a soundtrack to angel-killing and soul-eating!
A new(ish) take on an old trope. Children of angels and humans - now with more warfare, memories from past incarnations, and angst.
The realistic portrayal of some facets of human nature. There is talk about trauma, PTSD, addiction, obsession, and nightmares. The author doesn't shy away from the violence, but manages to convey a sense of camaraderie and hope in her characters, which I came to appreciate (I blame too much of Abercombie in a short time period for my disdain of grimdark, really).
The music. I repeat myself, but of, what joy! It makes me overlook a somewhat odd pacing and over-dramatics.
January 23, 2019
I won this book in the first reads giveaway! T. Frohock is a wonderful writer. You don't need to read the first three books in the series but after reading the fourth I will look for the other three!
February 17, 2021
This book had me hooked from the beginning to the end! It has a fascinating take on magic and is definitely worth a read.
January 9, 2023
Plagued by nightmares and in search of lost objects, Diagonal must play by the rules of the nefilim. Playing by the rules is hard when you have to fight to get the trust and respect of some very scarey people.
This story has some beautifully described creatures and great characters.
This story has some beautifully described creatures and great characters.
July 10, 2020
Buddy read with Shan 💜
Phenomenal!! I love this series so much! Officially a favorite! I love the world and the music and the magic and the history! The way past lives influence current incarnations of the nefilim is so well done, and I especially love the way glimpses of past lives show the growth in current lives. I love the friendships and tight bonds these characters share and the intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. Now to impatiently await my copy of the next novel…
Phenomenal!! I love this series so much! Officially a favorite! I love the world and the music and the magic and the history! The way past lives influence current incarnations of the nefilim is so well done, and I especially love the way glimpses of past lives show the growth in current lives. I love the friendships and tight bonds these characters share and the intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. Now to impatiently await my copy of the next novel…
February 8, 2020
I love it.
I love Diago so much. His whole being and how he tries and tries and tries and even though it's enough he still feels that it isn't. I love how Miquel and Guillermo remind him that it's enough and have his back. Especially Guillermo - coming to save him and get him out. <3
Also, I would really, really, really love to read about how Miquel and Diago (and Guillermo) meet in each incarnation and how Miquel managed to teach/convince Diago that he is loved and worth it.
I also like that Miquel is forced to reflect that some of his behavior (even though it isn't really bad) still has an impact on Diago that isn't entirely positive.
I love the idea of the sigils and them being damaged during the Great War (and double the love to remind people that the great War hasn't been over that long and that the wounds in people and landscape are still open and healing) and that this leads to an rogue angel trying to break through to our realm.
I love that we got a bit more history on the Nefilim in general and especially Diago and Guillermo. I love that we get to know a bit more about how the re-incarnation and everything else works.
I'm still madly in love with the fact that they all sing their magic. <3
The mirror was creepy! And I'm not easily creeped out while reading. Watching something, yes. But reading? Usually not. But in this case... Also, my heart is breaking for Harvey and the others. If I understood it correctly - they are trapped there forever (or until Frauja finds a way out of there and someone manages to kill him?)? :(
I kind of wanted soul!Rudi to stay with Diago. I may sound creepy/whatever, but I think it would have been adorable. Diago and his little protector soul/shadow.
The only thing that I'm a bit "Hmm" about is, that some things spelled in German should have been written with upper cases. It's a tiny thing to nitpick, but it just throws me out of a story. *shrugs* Also, I'm a bit sad that it's once again about a power struggle between brothers. I hoped for a long time that Jordi is undercover or something and it ends up all of them are on the same side against Frauja. :/ I mean, I still enjoyed reading it but, yeah, I still hoped.
So, yeah, loved it and I'm looking forward to the next part!
I love Diago so much. His whole being and how he tries and tries and tries and even though it's enough he still feels that it isn't. I love how Miquel and Guillermo remind him that it's enough and have his back. Especially Guillermo - coming to save him and get him out. <3
Also, I would really, really, really love to read about how Miquel and Diago (and Guillermo) meet in each incarnation and how Miquel managed to teach/convince Diago that he is loved and worth it.
I also like that Miquel is forced to reflect that some of his behavior (even though it isn't really bad) still has an impact on Diago that isn't entirely positive.
I love the idea of the sigils and them being damaged during the Great War (and double the love to remind people that the great War hasn't been over that long and that the wounds in people and landscape are still open and healing) and that this leads to an rogue angel trying to break through to our realm.
I love that we got a bit more history on the Nefilim in general and especially Diago and Guillermo. I love that we get to know a bit more about how the re-incarnation and everything else works.
I'm still madly in love with the fact that they all sing their magic. <3
The mirror was creepy! And I'm not easily creeped out while reading. Watching something, yes. But reading? Usually not. But in this case... Also, my heart is breaking for Harvey and the others. If I understood it correctly - they are trapped there forever (or until Frauja finds a way out of there and someone manages to kill him?)? :(
I kind of wanted soul!Rudi to stay with Diago. I may sound creepy/whatever, but I think it would have been adorable. Diago and his little protector soul/shadow.
The only thing that I'm a bit "Hmm" about is, that some things spelled in German should have been written with upper cases. It's a tiny thing to nitpick, but it just throws me out of a story. *shrugs* Also, I'm a bit sad that it's once again about a power struggle between brothers. I hoped for a long time that Jordi is undercover or something and it ends up all of them are on the same side against Frauja. :/ I mean, I still enjoyed reading it but, yeah, I still hoped.
So, yeah, loved it and I'm looking forward to the next part!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2019
For those who are new to the series, Los Nefilim presents an early 1930's Europe in which nefilim, the children of angels and daimons, live hidden amidst mortal kind and serve the angels as earthly soldiers in the angel-daimon war. We follow the activity of the Spanish nephilim branch, Los Nefilim, particularly one Diago Alvarez--a half-angel, half-daimon being who's recently been inducted into the organization.
While I'd enjoyed the novellas (the characters in particular), I did feel like I was getting held back on the worldbuilding and nefilim lore. This full-length novel firmly addresses those problems. So now we get the heart-tugging family dynamic of the novellas plus a deeper exploration into the nefilim's magic and their history. The story also widens its field of view to include Germany, introducing a new kind of tension relating to growing Aryan supremacy and too-curious Nazi officers.
While we don't see a lot of interaction between Diago and his companions (and thus not a lot of development), what we do see of the characters individually I really liked.
Diago's existence continues to spit in the face of toxic masculinity. Besides being a badass half-angel, half-daimon being who can harness musical energy, he's also a loving husband, doting father, and a battler of PTSD, full of insecurities and fears but also a willingness (however reluctant) to voice them, which frankly makes him all the more badass.
Rafael continues to be the best kid character I've encountered in adult fantasy in the past year. So sweet. So adorable. So authentically child-like--not an adult's skewed vision of what a child should be. And so incredibly bad for my heart because it melts every time he shows up on page.
Disappointingly, Diago's husband Miquel takes a backseat in this story, but on the upside, we do see a lot of Guillermo, the leader of Los Nefilim, and through his eyes we get more deeply entrenched into the political side of the war which I wholly enjoyed.
The espionage section of the story is the really interesting bit. The blurb dresses it up in this flashy action-adventure garb, but the reality is something more intimate and ordinary and creepy:
One house, two brothers, strange happenings, and suspense threatening to spill through the edges.
When you lay out such a seemingly mundane setting and plop down a character who's as powerful as Diago is and still manage to make the readers fearful for him, you'll hear me applauding in the background because that's such a hard thing to pull off.
While reading the novellas beforehand would be helpful, I don't think it's necessary for the enjoyment of the story. I heartily recommend this to anyone who likes angel/demon stories, music magic, fantasy mixing with pre-WW2 history, and male protagonists who embrace vulnerability.
While I'd enjoyed the novellas (the characters in particular), I did feel like I was getting held back on the worldbuilding and nefilim lore. This full-length novel firmly addresses those problems. So now we get the heart-tugging family dynamic of the novellas plus a deeper exploration into the nefilim's magic and their history. The story also widens its field of view to include Germany, introducing a new kind of tension relating to growing Aryan supremacy and too-curious Nazi officers.
While we don't see a lot of interaction between Diago and his companions (and thus not a lot of development), what we do see of the characters individually I really liked.
Diago's existence continues to spit in the face of toxic masculinity. Besides being a badass half-angel, half-daimon being who can harness musical energy, he's also a loving husband, doting father, and a battler of PTSD, full of insecurities and fears but also a willingness (however reluctant) to voice them, which frankly makes him all the more badass.
Rafael continues to be the best kid character I've encountered in adult fantasy in the past year. So sweet. So adorable. So authentically child-like--not an adult's skewed vision of what a child should be. And so incredibly bad for my heart because it melts every time he shows up on page.
"Don't come home beat up. Every time you go away without us, you come home beat up."
Disappointingly, Diago's husband Miquel takes a backseat in this story, but on the upside, we do see a lot of Guillermo, the leader of Los Nefilim, and through his eyes we get more deeply entrenched into the political side of the war which I wholly enjoyed.
The espionage section of the story is the really interesting bit. The blurb dresses it up in this flashy action-adventure garb, but the reality is something more intimate and ordinary and creepy:
One house, two brothers, strange happenings, and suspense threatening to spill through the edges.
When you lay out such a seemingly mundane setting and plop down a character who's as powerful as Diago is and still manage to make the readers fearful for him, you'll hear me applauding in the background because that's such a hard thing to pull off.
While reading the novellas beforehand would be helpful, I don't think it's necessary for the enjoyment of the story. I heartily recommend this to anyone who likes angel/demon stories, music magic, fantasy mixing with pre-WW2 history, and male protagonists who embrace vulnerability.
March 10, 2020
Pros: fast paced, focused, interesting worldbuilding
Cons:
It is 1932 and tensions between Germany and France are on the rise. Diagos nightmares of the Great War and sharp violin music are getting worse and he fears los Nefilim will cast him out unless he can prove himself trustworthy. So when his lost violin case is discovered he offers to track down the instrument in Germany. But a past life connection implicates Guillermo’s half brother and a fallen angel.
I really enjoyed this. The plot is quick paced and engaging making the book hard to put down. Everything is focused on the plot, so while there is some groundwork being set for the next book in the series (with regards to the Spanish Civil War and World War II), most of what goes on is directly related to what’s happening at this period of time.
I love the characters and how they support each other. Even the scenes from one of the antagonist’s point of view showed that he has what he feels are noble motivations for his actions. Since Diago is gone for most of the book there isn’t as much family time, which is a shame as their personal dynamics are so wholesome and loving - and hard to find in media.
The alternate history additions of angels and daimons continues to be interesting. I love that the magic system is built around symbols and music.
I’m looking forward to the next book.
Cons:
It is 1932 and tensions between Germany and France are on the rise. Diagos nightmares of the Great War and sharp violin music are getting worse and he fears los Nefilim will cast him out unless he can prove himself trustworthy. So when his lost violin case is discovered he offers to track down the instrument in Germany. But a past life connection implicates Guillermo’s half brother and a fallen angel.
I really enjoyed this. The plot is quick paced and engaging making the book hard to put down. Everything is focused on the plot, so while there is some groundwork being set for the next book in the series (with regards to the Spanish Civil War and World War II), most of what goes on is directly related to what’s happening at this period of time.
I love the characters and how they support each other. Even the scenes from one of the antagonist’s point of view showed that he has what he feels are noble motivations for his actions. Since Diago is gone for most of the book there isn’t as much family time, which is a shame as their personal dynamics are so wholesome and loving - and hard to find in media.
The alternate history additions of angels and daimons continues to be interesting. I love that the magic system is built around symbols and music.
I’m looking forward to the next book.
September 5, 2023
This is listed as "Los Nefilim #1," but don't be fooled--it's the first full-length novel in the world, but several novellas and short stories precede it. It's possible if I'd read those first I would have been more enamored of this; as-is, I never built any particular sense of attachment toward the characters. The prose flows smoothly, but having finished I'm still not sure why I should care about any of this. And the historical setting felt very pasted-on--lots of references to period brands and period music, but characters routinely using turns of speech from later eras and expressing attitudes that felt all out of keeping with their surroundings.
March 6, 2022
This was fascinating. Most of the Spanish and Catalan names were right, Frohock does a very good job in setting it in different European countries without over-explaining or making it like it's just this very exotic place. The fact that is set just before Franco's coup makes it even more interesting as you know what's going to happen.
I love how unapologetically queer it is, which I didn't expect, and how important is male friendship on top of it. I also really liked the whole nefilim thing, of course, and I'm for sure reading the rest in the series.
I love how unapologetically queer it is, which I didn't expect, and how important is male friendship on top of it. I also really liked the whole nefilim thing, of course, and I'm for sure reading the rest in the series.
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