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House Phoenix #1
Broken Angel
One don't lose.
When Gabriel Morgan's sister disappears somewhere in New York's underground, he'll do anything to save her. But finding her is only the beginning, because Marcus Slade won't let her go for less than ten million dollars - earned through Gabriel's blood.
Slade, one of five ruthless leaders of an organization identified only by a symbol, runs hookers and street fighters, and never gives up what's his. Including Gabriel's sister. To win her freedom, Gabriel is forced to undergo a brutal training program with Slade's top fighters in order to become one of them. He is branded, broken, given a new image, and a new name.
In the ring, Gabriel is known as Angel...and he does not lose. Because the price for losing is his sister's life.
Contains violence, torture and more violence.
When Gabriel Morgan's sister disappears somewhere in New York's underground, he'll do anything to save her. But finding her is only the beginning, because Marcus Slade won't let her go for less than ten million dollars - earned through Gabriel's blood.
Slade, one of five ruthless leaders of an organization identified only by a symbol, runs hookers and street fighters, and never gives up what's his. Including Gabriel's sister. To win her freedom, Gabriel is forced to undergo a brutal training program with Slade's top fighters in order to become one of them. He is branded, broken, given a new image, and a new name.
In the ring, Gabriel is known as Angel...and he does not lose. Because the price for losing is his sister's life.
Contains violence, torture and more violence.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2003
87 people are currently reading
1036 people want to read
About the author
S.W. Vaughn
33 books138 followersS.W. Vaughn lives in "scenic" Central New York, with its two glorious seasons -- winter and road construction -- along with her husband and son. An award-winning author, copywriter, and blogger, she's been writing professionally for over 15 years.
Under Sonya Bateman, she is the author of the DeathSpeaker Codex series (urban fantasy) and the Gavyn Donatti series (urban fantasy / Simon & Schuster).
Under Sonya Bateman, she is the author of the DeathSpeaker Codex series (urban fantasy) and the Gavyn Donatti series (urban fantasy / Simon & Schuster).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 30, 2013
So this is an excellent book, though it isn't a romance what so ever. The world building is very well done, as are the descriptions of the training and the fight scenes. It's also extremely violent beyond the underground fighting, including torture and rape. The descriptions are very vivid and visceral and not much is left to the imagination. For the most part I thought it was well done and you could really see and feel what the characters were going through, but at times it did border on gratuitous, like it felt included to shock and or gross out the reader. I appreciate that the author wanted to paint a detailed and gritty world, and she(?) certainly succeeded, but a few times it got a bit OTT. So, if you don't like detailed violence and plenty of it, you may want to avoid this one.
I went back and forth with my feelings toward Angel/Gabriel, sometimes feeling like he maybe whined a little too much and that in certain situations he should have done more, especially in one situation, where I just wanted to yell "WTF are you doing?" Of course I felt sorry for him, his life has pretty much sucked from the beginning, but I really wanted to see him just stand up and say he wasn't taking it anymore. He does redeem himself at the end though, and I liked the way he did it.
Aside from the violence, a few others things bothered me even though I enjoyed the book a great deal overall. First, the ending is super predictable, well, a lot of the plot is pretty predictable and it's really the world building that keeps it interesting. Some of the characterization didn't make sense to me, one character's motives were really never explained, and the secondary characters for the most part were a little flat and cliche at times. Still, the fast paced action, detailed description where things are really shown and not just told about, and a character I came to care about even though he pissed me off a few times kept me reading and enjoying the story. I hope Gabriel will continue to develop as the series progresses. I would absolutely check out the sequel, but I'm have to be in the mood for it, maybe read some happy fluff in between.
I went back and forth with my feelings toward Angel/Gabriel, sometimes feeling like he maybe whined a little too much and that in certain situations he should have done more, especially in one situation, where I just wanted to yell "WTF are you doing?" Of course I felt sorry for him, his life has pretty much sucked from the beginning, but I really wanted to see him just stand up and say he wasn't taking it anymore. He does redeem himself at the end though, and I liked the way he did it.
Aside from the violence, a few others things bothered me even though I enjoyed the book a great deal overall. First, the ending is super predictable, well, a lot of the plot is pretty predictable and it's really the world building that keeps it interesting. Some of the characterization didn't make sense to me, one character's motives were really never explained, and the secondary characters for the most part were a little flat and cliche at times. Still, the fast paced action, detailed description where things are really shown and not just told about, and a character I came to care about even though he pissed me off a few times kept me reading and enjoying the story. I hope Gabriel will continue to develop as the series progresses. I would absolutely check out the sequel, but I'm have to be in the mood for it, maybe read some happy fluff in between.
January 17, 2011
Before submitting my comments I feel compelled to say that I really enjoyed Vaughn's Fae series; the two books I've read from her thus far made me want to read Broken Angel.. I should also impart that I'm not an easily squicked out reader. I unabashedly waive my freak and masochist flags proudly. That being said I couldn't stomach another page of Broken Angel (I stopped at pg 126), not another FRECKIN page, because it is full of mindless, gratuitous torture.
I get that kinky authors sometimes use a character's pain as a device to engender empathy, love, compassion, whatever but what Vaughn put Gabriel through was OVERKILL. Ostensibly it wasn't enough that he endured years of physical abuse from his father to primarily protect his sister from the asshole's wrath, but did he have to be forced to fight MMA style to prevent her death, subjected to unremitting threats of her death/torture/rape, did he have to watch his sister being raped after he unfairly lost a match? I could go on! There is no balance, no reprieve, no fing hope! I stopped reading because at this point I don't care about any of the characters; even if there's an uber-sparkly rainbow somewhere down the line I don't want to read about it. I'm just really disappointed. Vaughn's other works aren't in same galaxy of Broken Angel. I won't hesitate to support her Fae series but it will definitely be a while, if ever, that I read more of the Phoenix House series. :/ <-- that's me; mega bummed out
I get that kinky authors sometimes use a character's pain as a device to engender empathy, love, compassion, whatever but what Vaughn put Gabriel through was OVERKILL. Ostensibly it wasn't enough that he endured years of physical abuse from his father to primarily protect his sister from the asshole's wrath, but did he have to be forced to fight MMA style to prevent her death, subjected to unremitting threats of her death/torture/rape, did he have to watch his sister being raped after he unfairly lost a match? I could go on! There is no balance, no reprieve, no fing hope! I stopped reading because at this point I don't care about any of the characters; even if there's an uber-sparkly rainbow somewhere down the line I don't want to read about it. I'm just really disappointed. Vaughn's other works aren't in same galaxy of Broken Angel. I won't hesitate to support her Fae series but it will definitely be a while, if ever, that I read more of the Phoenix House series. :/ <-- that's me; mega bummed out
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2014
1. There is not a hint of m/m in this book whatsoever.
Ok, maybe there is a ghost of a hint, but it's abuse, not a true m/m relationship. On the bright side - there is only one female character
2. Lots of hurt, very little to no comfort.
3. Pronoun obsession. I got confused between different "he" quite a few times and had to reread whole paragraphs to figure out who did what to whom.
4. The ending is a bit predictable. Sorta-kinda spoiler:
Overall - 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.
Ok, maybe there is a ghost of a hint, but it's abuse, not a true m/m relationship. On the bright side - there is only one female character
2. Lots of hurt, very little to no comfort.
3. Pronoun obsession. I got confused between different "he" quite a few times and had to reread whole paragraphs to figure out who did what to whom.
4. The ending is a bit predictable. Sorta-kinda spoiler:
Overall - 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.
August 26, 2012
N.B. This is NOT an m/m read. However it is an excellent well-written story about a brother sacrificing himself to save his sister from prostitution. Gabriel is forced to become Angel, a fighter in New York's illegal fight scene. Plus a great shock ending to this.
Jenner made a sound resembling a sigh, as though his patience were sorely tested. "I did not make you what you have become," he said. "I merely uncovered what was already there."
Jenner made a sound resembling a sigh, as though his patience were sorely tested. "I did not make you what you have become," he said. "I merely uncovered what was already there."
July 5, 2011
4.5/5
It was an unexpectedly brilliant book! I downloaded it as a free read assuming that it will be another paranormal about angels. No such thing.
The author herself, who we know as Sonya Bateman calls herself a pioneer in street fighting fiction, and I can only agree with her.
Despite the author's warning I was unprepared to deal with explosive violence at the beginning, but once I got past it, I enjoyed the book immensely. I realised that the making of Gabriel as Angel couldn't be complete without showing so graphically what he went through to become an excellent fighter.
The book is brutal, the fights are fantastic, the psychology behind the characters is amazing, and a lot of them are not who we presume they are. There are no pure villains or goodies, instead there is a lot of gray and plenty of reasons behind horrendous behaviour like it happens in real life. No one is one-dimensional.
I loved Jenner, Slade's sadistic lieutenant. He is a fascinating character who has his own book, I hear. So far there are three more books in these series, and I plan to read them all. If you think you would enjoy a hybrid of Kick Boxer and Fight Club, this book is for you.
It was an unexpectedly brilliant book! I downloaded it as a free read assuming that it will be another paranormal about angels. No such thing.
The author herself, who we know as Sonya Bateman calls herself a pioneer in street fighting fiction, and I can only agree with her.
Despite the author's warning I was unprepared to deal with explosive violence at the beginning, but once I got past it, I enjoyed the book immensely. I realised that the making of Gabriel as Angel couldn't be complete without showing so graphically what he went through to become an excellent fighter.
The book is brutal, the fights are fantastic, the psychology behind the characters is amazing, and a lot of them are not who we presume they are. There are no pure villains or goodies, instead there is a lot of gray and plenty of reasons behind horrendous behaviour like it happens in real life. No one is one-dimensional.
I loved Jenner, Slade's sadistic lieutenant. He is a fascinating character who has his own book, I hear. So far there are three more books in these series, and I plan to read them all. If you think you would enjoy a hybrid of Kick Boxer and Fight Club, this book is for you.
July 16, 2016
First off, this is NOT a romance!! It's not even M/M. It's a brutal book about torture and fighting. I don't have a clue why it's even in our group. There is zero sex, zero kissing, zero hugging... I don't think there were even any real relationships. I can't even....I'm just shocked.
September 16, 2014
ABR's full Broken Angel audiobook review can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
First thoughts about the cover of Broken Angel? Well, that’s a bit scary. The wall looks cracked, the door looks like it is in shadow. Is it a basement? Is it a dungeon? Is that blood on the floor?! It had my brain asking several questions before I ever started the book. Good way to draw the reader/listener in.
This story is about Gabriel Morgan. He’s trying to find his sister. He feels he is responsible for her, he must take care of her, save her. In doing so, he unwillingly ends up getting tied in with underground fighting. He fights to protect his sister.
The main ‘bad guy’ for most of this book is Slade. Honestly, this guy is an A-Hole to the max. Cruel, angry, narcissistic, manipulative… He sure makes a great bad guy for sure! I wanted to punch.
Troy Duran is the narrator for this story. I loved his voice. Troy Duran has a sort of throaty growl in his voice that I found lovely. I loved the accents he gave to some of the characters in the book. This book is 9 hours, 1 minute, and 40 seconds. Well worth the time.
There are several descriptive bloody fight scenes. Kinda mixes boxing, mixed martial arts, free style, and flat out brawling. If you aren’t into MMA or similar fighting styles, this book is not for you. It has a great story line about the five houses that run the fighting ring as well.
The one mistake the narrator made that I caught was at the end of chapter six. It was a small one word oopsie, but it still brought me out of the story. The word bow. He read it as bow as in bow and arrow. It should have been said as one would bow a head. As in bend forward or curve downward. Same spelling, but different. Over all I greatly enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the others in this series. They are on my list for sure.
When I finished this book it left me with the feeling that sometimes people are not what they seem. Even the best person has their dark side. There will always be people in your life that you think you cannot live without, but you might have to cut ties and walk away. Sometimes letting go is the only way to move forward.
Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.
First thoughts about the cover of Broken Angel? Well, that’s a bit scary. The wall looks cracked, the door looks like it is in shadow. Is it a basement? Is it a dungeon? Is that blood on the floor?! It had my brain asking several questions before I ever started the book. Good way to draw the reader/listener in.
This story is about Gabriel Morgan. He’s trying to find his sister. He feels he is responsible for her, he must take care of her, save her. In doing so, he unwillingly ends up getting tied in with underground fighting. He fights to protect his sister.
The main ‘bad guy’ for most of this book is Slade. Honestly, this guy is an A-Hole to the max. Cruel, angry, narcissistic, manipulative… He sure makes a great bad guy for sure! I wanted to punch.
Troy Duran is the narrator for this story. I loved his voice. Troy Duran has a sort of throaty growl in his voice that I found lovely. I loved the accents he gave to some of the characters in the book. This book is 9 hours, 1 minute, and 40 seconds. Well worth the time.
There are several descriptive bloody fight scenes. Kinda mixes boxing, mixed martial arts, free style, and flat out brawling. If you aren’t into MMA or similar fighting styles, this book is not for you. It has a great story line about the five houses that run the fighting ring as well.
The one mistake the narrator made that I caught was at the end of chapter six. It was a small one word oopsie, but it still brought me out of the story. The word bow. He read it as bow as in bow and arrow. It should have been said as one would bow a head. As in bend forward or curve downward. Same spelling, but different. Over all I greatly enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the others in this series. They are on my list for sure.
When I finished this book it left me with the feeling that sometimes people are not what they seem. Even the best person has their dark side. There will always be people in your life that you think you cannot live without, but you might have to cut ties and walk away. Sometimes letting go is the only way to move forward.
Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.
June 5, 2012
When I think of what books I would normally pick up and read, this wasn’t one of them. Being honest, I didn’t read much of the description for the book before I decided it was one I needed to read. What captured my attention were the title, and the cover. I knew then, that I needed to read it and I’m so glad I did.
The book begins with Gabriel Morgan searching for his sister who had apparently disappeared and his searching led him to the underground fight scenes. He had learned from his past searches that the people he was looking for were involved with the fights. Eventually, the one place where someone recognised the photo he had presented, represented his last day of freedom, his last day as Gabriel Morgan.
Slade, the very man responsible for Lilith’s disappearance, had sent out orders for Gabriel’s capture. And once handed to him, Gabriel had no option but to take up his offer of fighting for Slade in order to gain his freedom and that of his sister.
But Gabriel can’t submit that easily and must endure pain, upon pain in order to try and have him under control. But no matter what has to go through, Gabriel allowed it to happen, he would do anything for his sister.
As the book goes on, Gabriel is no longer by that name; he under much regret and anger had to go by the name of Angel. The anger it caused him that his situation caused him, he put to good use and used it to try and win his fights.
But nothing is as it seems, the further the book goes on, the more you want to read. This one is page turner from start to finish, each fight Angel had to go through, left you wondering whether he would win or not. If he loses then his sister pays, and that’s not an option for him.
I can’t say more without giving away too much detail within the book, but I will say, Broken Angel is a must read for anyone. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the rest in the series. I want to find out what happens in the next. Seriously, I loved this book from start to finish. So much so that I need to give it 5/5 stars!
The book begins with Gabriel Morgan searching for his sister who had apparently disappeared and his searching led him to the underground fight scenes. He had learned from his past searches that the people he was looking for were involved with the fights. Eventually, the one place where someone recognised the photo he had presented, represented his last day of freedom, his last day as Gabriel Morgan.
Slade, the very man responsible for Lilith’s disappearance, had sent out orders for Gabriel’s capture. And once handed to him, Gabriel had no option but to take up his offer of fighting for Slade in order to gain his freedom and that of his sister.
But Gabriel can’t submit that easily and must endure pain, upon pain in order to try and have him under control. But no matter what has to go through, Gabriel allowed it to happen, he would do anything for his sister.
As the book goes on, Gabriel is no longer by that name; he under much regret and anger had to go by the name of Angel. The anger it caused him that his situation caused him, he put to good use and used it to try and win his fights.
But nothing is as it seems, the further the book goes on, the more you want to read. This one is page turner from start to finish, each fight Angel had to go through, left you wondering whether he would win or not. If he loses then his sister pays, and that’s not an option for him.
I can’t say more without giving away too much detail within the book, but I will say, Broken Angel is a must read for anyone. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the rest in the series. I want to find out what happens in the next. Seriously, I loved this book from start to finish. So much so that I need to give it 5/5 stars!
May 22, 2012
This was an interesting book about the world of underground fighting. The fighting organization is comprised of 5 houses, Ulysses, Dionyses, Pandora, Prometheus, and Orion. Each house is led by one fighter (except in the case of Pandora whose leader doesn't fight) and their lieutenant. Gabriel Morgan is looking for his sister who he last heard was part of this underground world of illicit fighting and prostitution. When he finds her, he is given the choice to fight in order to free Lillith, or to leave Lillith in the clutches of one of the ruthless house leaders.
I always enjoy this type of story where the men are all Alpha all day. Gabriel sheds his persona to become "Angel", with his sole purpose to win his and his sister's freedom. I liked this story although I could see the ending coming for awhile. I still enjoyed the training, the fighting, and the dynamic between the houses and the various fighters.
The one BIG niggle I had that I felt was inadequately explained was:
Also, this is listed as an M/M book but there is no M/M in the book at all. I kept waiting for someone to become "special" to Angel but that never happened.
I always enjoy this type of story where the men are all Alpha all day. Gabriel sheds his persona to become "Angel", with his sole purpose to win his and his sister's freedom. I liked this story although I could see the ending coming for awhile. I still enjoyed the training, the fighting, and the dynamic between the houses and the various fighters.
The one BIG niggle I had that I felt was inadequately explained was:
Also, this is listed as an M/M book but there is no M/M in the book at all. I kept waiting for someone to become "special" to Angel but that never happened.
April 2, 2013
Broken Angel by S W Vaughn
Not for the faint-hearted, this is a tough, gritty yet thought-provoking and, at times, touching read. It has something of a timeless, dystopian setting in New York, but centres on the world of illegal fighting rings and prostitution. Destitute Gabriel Morgan, who’s desperately searching for his lost sister Lillith, gets dragged into the Ulysses House by Marcus Slade, its leader, who sees a lot of potential in the young man. He also has a unbreakable hold over him, in that he has Lillith. If Gabriel will fight for him, he’ll keep Lillith safe. Gabriel had a rough upbringing and his sister was the only good thing in his life so he’ll do anything to protect her.
Gabriel becomes Angel, with wings tattooed on his back, under the hands of his brutal trainer Jenner. He systematically breaks Gabriel down before recreating him as a focused, powerful fighter. There’s a lot of sweat, blood, broken bones and pain in this book. It’s dark and it’s challenging but it’s a very exciting read. The book isn’t just about people pounding each other into a pulp, there’s a well thought out and twisting plot holding the action together. The ending certainly takes you by surprise.
Vaughn creates a brooding atmosphere that can and does erupt into violence at any moment. He depicts a series of damaged, complex characters in the book with great and convincing detail. You see the worst in people, but also the best in the resilience and loyalty shown by Gabriel/Angel and the sheer drive to survive.
This book will keep you reading. Even if it doesn’t sound like something you’d usually read, give it a go because it’s well written and it opens your mind up to parts of society it’s too easy to dismiss as beyond salvation. Good people get caught up in bad things for good reasons.
Not for the faint-hearted, this is a tough, gritty yet thought-provoking and, at times, touching read. It has something of a timeless, dystopian setting in New York, but centres on the world of illegal fighting rings and prostitution. Destitute Gabriel Morgan, who’s desperately searching for his lost sister Lillith, gets dragged into the Ulysses House by Marcus Slade, its leader, who sees a lot of potential in the young man. He also has a unbreakable hold over him, in that he has Lillith. If Gabriel will fight for him, he’ll keep Lillith safe. Gabriel had a rough upbringing and his sister was the only good thing in his life so he’ll do anything to protect her.
Gabriel becomes Angel, with wings tattooed on his back, under the hands of his brutal trainer Jenner. He systematically breaks Gabriel down before recreating him as a focused, powerful fighter. There’s a lot of sweat, blood, broken bones and pain in this book. It’s dark and it’s challenging but it’s a very exciting read. The book isn’t just about people pounding each other into a pulp, there’s a well thought out and twisting plot holding the action together. The ending certainly takes you by surprise.
Vaughn creates a brooding atmosphere that can and does erupt into violence at any moment. He depicts a series of damaged, complex characters in the book with great and convincing detail. You see the worst in people, but also the best in the resilience and loyalty shown by Gabriel/Angel and the sheer drive to survive.
This book will keep you reading. Even if it doesn’t sound like something you’d usually read, give it a go because it’s well written and it opens your mind up to parts of society it’s too easy to dismiss as beyond salvation. Good people get caught up in bad things for good reasons.
April 30, 2021
I have had the pleasure of reading this book many times before, and it never fails to capture me anew by the story that It has to tell. It never fails to draw me in, enthralling me with the story of how the lost boy named Gabriel Morgan came to be Angel; The greatest fighter that The Organization has ever seen.
All Gabriel wanted was to find his sister and protect her, as he had done since they were children. He would go to the ends of the earth to find her, and come back from the dead to keep her safe. His determination to be reunited with Lillith lands him in a whole world of trouble, and his resolve to do whatever it takes to save his sister will be pushed to its very limits. But then, can his sister even be saved? Or are those odds forever out of his reach? What if she was already too far gone to be saved?
I adore Gabriel's transformation from beaten, unconfident, defeated big brother to radiant, powerful, unstoppable street-fighter. He was near unbeatable in the ring and his strength of heart was unparalleled. This is a brother willing to fight the odds to protect what little he has to love, though at times with a blind trust that will cloud him to the harshest of truths; especially when it comes to the one he loves most. My heart goes out to Angel, and his story will always be worth reading.
All Gabriel wanted was to find his sister and protect her, as he had done since they were children. He would go to the ends of the earth to find her, and come back from the dead to keep her safe. His determination to be reunited with Lillith lands him in a whole world of trouble, and his resolve to do whatever it takes to save his sister will be pushed to its very limits. But then, can his sister even be saved? Or are those odds forever out of his reach? What if she was already too far gone to be saved?
I adore Gabriel's transformation from beaten, unconfident, defeated big brother to radiant, powerful, unstoppable street-fighter. He was near unbeatable in the ring and his strength of heart was unparalleled. This is a brother willing to fight the odds to protect what little he has to love, though at times with a blind trust that will cloud him to the harshest of truths; especially when it comes to the one he loves most. My heart goes out to Angel, and his story will always be worth reading.
July 23, 2011
Absolutely must read. Loved it!
July 5, 2011
Only if you have nothing to read on the commute.
September 8, 2018
Like a few other books, I read this as a part of the boxed set bundle, At Odds with Destiny. If you like righteous violence stories or movies, this is for you. Think "Taken" for one of hundreds of examples. A little bit goes a long way, especially when the righteous part may not be what it seems. But it's more than that, as story details how a young man is kidnapped, tortured and abused to make into a fighter a la Fight Club. There is attendant corruption, payoffs, gangs and police looking the other way and more. "Angel" is motivated in his fighting to protect his sister. After the surprise twist, you will find he has become someone who will start his own club, in successive books in the series. I steeled myself to get through it, but the rest of the series won't be among my TBR list.
September 10, 2021
Wow! Not your average mystery!
This book was well written and riveting. I couldn’t put it down. This story was loaded with heart pounding moments, angst and despair, and at times I found myself holding my breath. The characters were fantastic, especially creepy Jenner who gave me chills. This book is an emotional roller coaster ride, complete with some twists and turns you may not see coming. The narration by Troy Duran was amazing. There were so many different characters as well as the emotions and personalities of each one, yet he performed their voices brilliantly.
IMO this book was very angsty and I loved every minute of it.
I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
This book was well written and riveting. I couldn’t put it down. This story was loaded with heart pounding moments, angst and despair, and at times I found myself holding my breath. The characters were fantastic, especially creepy Jenner who gave me chills. This book is an emotional roller coaster ride, complete with some twists and turns you may not see coming. The narration by Troy Duran was amazing. There were so many different characters as well as the emotions and personalities of each one, yet he performed their voices brilliantly.
IMO this book was very angsty and I loved every minute of it.
I highly recommend this book.
Sisters Spotlight 💜
September 8, 2021
Gabriel
Wow, just Wow! I had no idea what I was getting into with this story. This is a great story with a lot of angst. A lost girl and a brother on the search until he gets caught himself. He must fight to save his sister. He has to be trained however and the training process is very grueling and painful. He has no choice but to keep on and to not lose any fights. I highly recommend this book and I absolutely loved the amazing narration.
Sisters Spotlight 💕
Wow, just Wow! I had no idea what I was getting into with this story. This is a great story with a lot of angst. A lost girl and a brother on the search until he gets caught himself. He must fight to save his sister. He has to be trained however and the training process is very grueling and painful. He has no choice but to keep on and to not lose any fights. I highly recommend this book and I absolutely loved the amazing narration.
Sisters Spotlight 💕
March 12, 2013
Warning: Book better suited for ages 18 and up. Contains graphic scenes of violence and torture. Implication of rape and prostitution.
Review: If you have ever seen the movie Fight Club with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton then you’d get a pretty good feel as to what you can expect to read in Broken Angel. Except where Fight Club had depth and dimension and a wicked ending that made you want to rewatch the movie right then and there, Broken Angel I couldn’t finish.
I read half of Broken Angel and that took me a bit of work. It wasn’t the violence, the prostitution, the greed, the cliché thugs and underground fight clubs; it was the lack of depth to the characters.
The story follows Gabriel who is searching for his sister who suddenly disappeared. She’s the only family he has left and the only one he trusts. He finds his sister trapped in world of forced prostitution by a guy named Slade who runs one of the underground houses (I can’t remember which one). Slade won’t give up Lilith but he decides that he’ll let Gabriel fight for her freedom. If he wins Slade ten million dollars, he’ll set them both free. In order for Gabriel to become the fighter Slade needs, he must be trained. Gabriel also inherits a new name: Angel.
The world-building is the best part to the book. The training and fight scenes are well set up and well executed. You can picture every detail, feel every jab, wince at every hit. The story also has great fluidity and structure. Everything moves at a pretty steady pace (except it gets so boggled down with details that do not matter that it becomes boring).
But that was it. Those were the only elements that really managed to keep my interest.
Gabriel has been abused his entire life; first from his father and then by Slade and his goons in order to save his sister’s life. He’s the so-called hero of the story, but there isn’t anything really all that heroic about him. He trains and fights in order to stay alive and keep his sister alive but he can’t stop whinnying about it or feeling insecure. He pretends to be tough but he never really seems that way (this may have changed somewhere along the way with the second of the book I didn't read). Any human can adapt to survive. It’s a natural instinct. There was nothing that really separated Gabriel from just a guy who needed to survive because the only other choice was death.
I never bought Gabriel’s relationship with his sister Lilith. I never once believed they were close or really cared for each other. Their bond seemed to lack heart. She was just used as a plot tool. There was nothing noteworthy about her. There was no real reason to care about what happened to her.
There are a handful of evil henchmen, each with puffed out chests and a nasty mouth, determined to prove their manhood. None of them provided any real form of entertainment outside of watching them spit out threats and get their brains bashed in. Every one of them was one dimensional. Except for Jenner. He’s a sadistic freak show but he was the only character that stood out.
The plot was predictable (at least for the amount I read. I did skim through the rest of the book and the end but that seemed pretty predictable, too). There wasn’t any real spark to the plot as far as I could tell. There was a lot of fighting, cussing, torture (both mentally and physically), blood, threatening. There was also a rape scene which only served to show how utterly weak Gabriel is. He’s ordered to watch his sister being rapped and does NOTHING because Slade tells him if he does there will be worse consequences. I would have told him to ‘eff off and punched him as hard as I could in the face. Then tore down the door to the room which was RIGHT NEXT DOOR and beaten the living daylights out of the guy raping my sister. If there is any way to muster any level of respect for Gabriel’s character at any point in the story, you will quickly lose it once that scene comes into play.
It’s quite sad really. The story is written very well, the talent of the author is very present, but the book lacks heart and soul. I did like that Angel (Gabriel) rebels at the end and how he chooses to rebel, but that didn’t make me gain any respect for him.
I doubt I would continue reading anymore of Angel’s tale (although there is apart of me that’s curious to see if the author could make the sequel better and what will happen to Angel because of what he’s chosen to do) or check out anymore of S.W. Vaughn’s books. But that’s mainly because she’s an author who writes in erotic and m/m fiction. Genres I do not read. Broken Angel does not contain that (just implies it often enough you can't help but get the hint).
Would I recommend the book? *shrug* I'd say it's worth reading for the world building, the fight scenes, and Jenner. The structure of the book is really well done. But there isn't anything really new about the book. If you want something brutally entertaining without too much depth to the story then I'd say check out Broken Angel.
For the rest of you, go watch Fight Club *wink*
http://teamnerdreviews.blogspot.com/2...
Review: If you have ever seen the movie Fight Club with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton then you’d get a pretty good feel as to what you can expect to read in Broken Angel. Except where Fight Club had depth and dimension and a wicked ending that made you want to rewatch the movie right then and there, Broken Angel I couldn’t finish.
I read half of Broken Angel and that took me a bit of work. It wasn’t the violence, the prostitution, the greed, the cliché thugs and underground fight clubs; it was the lack of depth to the characters.
The story follows Gabriel who is searching for his sister who suddenly disappeared. She’s the only family he has left and the only one he trusts. He finds his sister trapped in world of forced prostitution by a guy named Slade who runs one of the underground houses (I can’t remember which one). Slade won’t give up Lilith but he decides that he’ll let Gabriel fight for her freedom. If he wins Slade ten million dollars, he’ll set them both free. In order for Gabriel to become the fighter Slade needs, he must be trained. Gabriel also inherits a new name: Angel.
The world-building is the best part to the book. The training and fight scenes are well set up and well executed. You can picture every detail, feel every jab, wince at every hit. The story also has great fluidity and structure. Everything moves at a pretty steady pace (except it gets so boggled down with details that do not matter that it becomes boring).
But that was it. Those were the only elements that really managed to keep my interest.
Gabriel has been abused his entire life; first from his father and then by Slade and his goons in order to save his sister’s life. He’s the so-called hero of the story, but there isn’t anything really all that heroic about him. He trains and fights in order to stay alive and keep his sister alive but he can’t stop whinnying about it or feeling insecure. He pretends to be tough but he never really seems that way (this may have changed somewhere along the way with the second of the book I didn't read). Any human can adapt to survive. It’s a natural instinct. There was nothing that really separated Gabriel from just a guy who needed to survive because the only other choice was death.
I never bought Gabriel’s relationship with his sister Lilith. I never once believed they were close or really cared for each other. Their bond seemed to lack heart. She was just used as a plot tool. There was nothing noteworthy about her. There was no real reason to care about what happened to her.
There are a handful of evil henchmen, each with puffed out chests and a nasty mouth, determined to prove their manhood. None of them provided any real form of entertainment outside of watching them spit out threats and get their brains bashed in. Every one of them was one dimensional. Except for Jenner. He’s a sadistic freak show but he was the only character that stood out.
The plot was predictable (at least for the amount I read. I did skim through the rest of the book and the end but that seemed pretty predictable, too). There wasn’t any real spark to the plot as far as I could tell. There was a lot of fighting, cussing, torture (both mentally and physically), blood, threatening. There was also a rape scene which only served to show how utterly weak Gabriel is. He’s ordered to watch his sister being rapped and does NOTHING because Slade tells him if he does there will be worse consequences. I would have told him to ‘eff off and punched him as hard as I could in the face. Then tore down the door to the room which was RIGHT NEXT DOOR and beaten the living daylights out of the guy raping my sister. If there is any way to muster any level of respect for Gabriel’s character at any point in the story, you will quickly lose it once that scene comes into play.
It’s quite sad really. The story is written very well, the talent of the author is very present, but the book lacks heart and soul. I did like that Angel (Gabriel) rebels at the end and how he chooses to rebel, but that didn’t make me gain any respect for him.
I doubt I would continue reading anymore of Angel’s tale (although there is apart of me that’s curious to see if the author could make the sequel better and what will happen to Angel because of what he’s chosen to do) or check out anymore of S.W. Vaughn’s books. But that’s mainly because she’s an author who writes in erotic and m/m fiction. Genres I do not read. Broken Angel does not contain that (just implies it often enough you can't help but get the hint).
Would I recommend the book? *shrug* I'd say it's worth reading for the world building, the fight scenes, and Jenner. The structure of the book is really well done. But there isn't anything really new about the book. If you want something brutally entertaining without too much depth to the story then I'd say check out Broken Angel.
For the rest of you, go watch Fight Club *wink*
http://teamnerdreviews.blogspot.com/2...
June 26, 2017
Very good read - full of action throughout.
April 30, 2018
Enjoyed this book and would've read more in the series but it seems they are not available on ebooks or Kindle. Still it's a good stand alone book
August 3, 2018
Good Reading
I would recommend this book. This book had me not wanting to put it down. My eyes tire now, so I need to give them a break
I would recommend this book. This book had me not wanting to put it down. My eyes tire now, so I need to give them a break
September 25, 2014
This author apparently writes M/M fiction, but this book is certainly not.
Very well written with fantastic world building, story structure, descriptions, and word choice. A bit graphic and violent for my taste, but I kept reading because of the excellent writing. The author also brought out well Gabriel’s emotional responses to the various situations he faces, something many thriller writers don’t do so well.
A little slow to get going, too much detail in the beginning that slowed the plot. Some of the torture in the beginning was a little over the top and slowed the plot. The torture served a purpose in the overall book, but I think it could have been served using fewer pages. Later on once the plot got going, I enjoyed the detailed descriptions with rich word choices.
Very good characterization, even if some of them are expected or clichéd, and good character development/growth throughout the book beginning to end. Great dynamics between characters who worked together and at times depended on each other but didn’t fully trust each other. I love how what first appeared to be a House in order soon became revealed as a nest of contention and hidden motivations.
I didn’t truly believe that Gabriel would have done what he was portrayed as doing during the rape scene; I think he would have reacted more violently, even if it meant more consequences. You just can’t control yourself when something that horrible is happening to someone you care about, especially in the next room.
The relationship between Gabriel and Lillith was very underdeveloped beginning to end, making his entire motivation for enduring the torture and fighting a bit shaky. Also, there was no support for his sister hating him and putting him through the torture and fighting, so I found that very unbelievable.
As another reviewer mentioned, I also occasionally got confused with the “he’s” during fight scenes.
Quotes from other reviewers that I agree with:
Kara-karina:
“The book is brutal, the fights are fantastic, the psychology behind the characters is amazing, and a lot of them are not who we presume they are. There are no pure villains or goodies, instead there is a lot of gray and plenty of reasons behind horrendous behaviour like it happens in real life. No one is one-dimensional.”
Stephanie Dagg:
“Vaughn creates a brooding atmosphere that can and does erupt into violence at any moment. He depicts a series of damaged, complex characters in the book with great and convincing detail. You see the worst in people, but also the best in the resilience and loyalty shown by Gabriel/Angel and the sheer drive to survive.”
Despite its flaws, this book is very well written and a joy to read. I’ll be reading more from this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2012
Broken Angel, by SW Vaughn, breathes with an insistent life of its own, pulling readers along through the dark underworld of barbaric fight clubs and prostitution.
The story unfolds as twenty-two year old Gabriel Morgan, destitute and starving, discovers a lead to his missing sister's whereabouts deep in the seedy underbelly of Manhattan. For two years, Gabe scoured the city in search of his sibling, driven by memories of their traumatic childhood and praying to rescue Lillith from the ring of prostitution into which she's been ensnared.
Slade, cold-hearted leader of an underground street fighting society, has been waiting for the unsuspecting Gabriel. Lillith dangles like a spider's prey in his web, luring Gabe into Slade's trap.
Beneath the glamour and glitz of Fifth Avenue pulses a world fraught with greed, violence, and cruelty. Captured, tortured and held in a secret complex beneath Fifth Avenue, Gabe is chained to a wall in his own private dungeon, where he discovers his fate. Terms for release: ten million dollars. Broke and desperate, Gabe is forced to fight for Slade in exchange for his sister's freedom.
Training is brutal and comes with a price. Jenner, slithering and sadistic, delights in torturing Gabriel, calling him his "angel." The name sticks. Slade bills Angel as his newest weapon; sure that he'll make millions in the no-holds-barred events.
Angel grows stronger and more resilient as the months pass under Jenner's vicious tutelage. Jenner tattoos an elaborate set of wings on Angel's back, driving him into a pain-induced coma. After an excruciating recovery, fight follows fight as Angel strikes blows for freedom. He wins the first, the second, and the third event. He's good - and discovers a disturbing affinity to the blood sport. Befriended by Akuma, an exotic and lithe fighter, Angel welcomes the brief moments of companionship as he works his way through the human cockfights.
Vaughn has created a fascinating, yet disturbed world. The tight writing flows effortlessly and propels the reader forward, mesmerized and horrified, to the startling ending. Readers must be forewarned, they will likely read late into the night, unable to abandon Angel in his plight, and will beg for the release of Devil's Honor, the second book in the series.
The story unfolds as twenty-two year old Gabriel Morgan, destitute and starving, discovers a lead to his missing sister's whereabouts deep in the seedy underbelly of Manhattan. For two years, Gabe scoured the city in search of his sibling, driven by memories of their traumatic childhood and praying to rescue Lillith from the ring of prostitution into which she's been ensnared.
Slade, cold-hearted leader of an underground street fighting society, has been waiting for the unsuspecting Gabriel. Lillith dangles like a spider's prey in his web, luring Gabe into Slade's trap.
Beneath the glamour and glitz of Fifth Avenue pulses a world fraught with greed, violence, and cruelty. Captured, tortured and held in a secret complex beneath Fifth Avenue, Gabe is chained to a wall in his own private dungeon, where he discovers his fate. Terms for release: ten million dollars. Broke and desperate, Gabe is forced to fight for Slade in exchange for his sister's freedom.
Training is brutal and comes with a price. Jenner, slithering and sadistic, delights in torturing Gabriel, calling him his "angel." The name sticks. Slade bills Angel as his newest weapon; sure that he'll make millions in the no-holds-barred events.
Angel grows stronger and more resilient as the months pass under Jenner's vicious tutelage. Jenner tattoos an elaborate set of wings on Angel's back, driving him into a pain-induced coma. After an excruciating recovery, fight follows fight as Angel strikes blows for freedom. He wins the first, the second, and the third event. He's good - and discovers a disturbing affinity to the blood sport. Befriended by Akuma, an exotic and lithe fighter, Angel welcomes the brief moments of companionship as he works his way through the human cockfights.
Vaughn has created a fascinating, yet disturbed world. The tight writing flows effortlessly and propels the reader forward, mesmerized and horrified, to the startling ending. Readers must be forewarned, they will likely read late into the night, unable to abandon Angel in his plight, and will beg for the release of Devil's Honor, the second book in the series.
July 28, 2011
This is my first S.W. Vaughn book and I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read it. I love the characters, I love the plot, the intricacies between the fighting Houses and the struggle of being an owned man.
Gabriel Morgan has been beaten by his father for 17 years all in the name of protecting his sister Lillith. Now that one happiness in his life is missing, and he will stop at nothing until he finds her. Unfortunately that leads him in to an underground fighting ring complete with prostitution (guess where Lillith is) and protected by the cops who have their own House. The head of Ulysses House, Marcus Slade, sees something in Gabriel. This burning desire to protect at all costs. He uses the threat of rape and murder of his beloved sister over Gabriel and forces him to become one of his fighters. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, no one graciously accepts being forced to fight. This leads to Gabriel meeting Jenner. I loved Jenner's character. He was cold, brutal yet esoteric. Jenner transforms Gabriel into Angel, complete with life size tattoos of wings on his back, and slowly breaks him, to build him up again.
This book was truly magnificent. I could smell the sweat and blood in the ring. Hear the jeers of the audience, and feel the crunch of bone beneath my fist. Vaughn is very good at pulling out the details with stark words and feelings. The plot moves quickly along, and Gabriel is a far cry from the underdog hero who rises to the top. Far, far, from it. The ending will have you cringing and wanting to bang this book against certain character faces. It is sad, but needful if our hero is to ever finally stand on his own. I know the second book will be even bloodier, and I can't wait to see what Jenner ends up doing. If you like gore, brutality, fighting, dirty tricks, cheap whores and worse... you will devour this book.
*Review also on Amazon*
One of my top ten favorite authors!
Gabriel Morgan has been beaten by his father for 17 years all in the name of protecting his sister Lillith. Now that one happiness in his life is missing, and he will stop at nothing until he finds her. Unfortunately that leads him in to an underground fighting ring complete with prostitution (guess where Lillith is) and protected by the cops who have their own House. The head of Ulysses House, Marcus Slade, sees something in Gabriel. This burning desire to protect at all costs. He uses the threat of rape and murder of his beloved sister over Gabriel and forces him to become one of his fighters. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, no one graciously accepts being forced to fight. This leads to Gabriel meeting Jenner. I loved Jenner's character. He was cold, brutal yet esoteric. Jenner transforms Gabriel into Angel, complete with life size tattoos of wings on his back, and slowly breaks him, to build him up again.
This book was truly magnificent. I could smell the sweat and blood in the ring. Hear the jeers of the audience, and feel the crunch of bone beneath my fist. Vaughn is very good at pulling out the details with stark words and feelings. The plot moves quickly along, and Gabriel is a far cry from the underdog hero who rises to the top. Far, far, from it. The ending will have you cringing and wanting to bang this book against certain character faces. It is sad, but needful if our hero is to ever finally stand on his own. I know the second book will be even bloodier, and I can't wait to see what Jenner ends up doing. If you like gore, brutality, fighting, dirty tricks, cheap whores and worse... you will devour this book.
*Review also on Amazon*
One of my top ten favorite authors!
April 5, 2013
Broken Angel by S.W. Vaughn is a fictional book taking place in NYC’s underground street fighting scenes. This is the first book in a the House Phoenix series but can be read as a standalone.
Gabriel Morgan’s sister disappeared and he’ll do anything to save her. Finally Gabriel found her working as a high class prostitute in New York City’s underground society.
Marcus Slade, the head of an organization running street fighters and hookers, will let her go for ten million dollars which Gabriel has to earn through fighting. Forced into a brutal training program Gabriel is given an new persona, Angel, and becomes a fighter for Slade’s organization until his sister’s ransom is paid off.
Broken Angel by S.W. Vaughn was an unexpected surprise. I started to read it and found myself being engrossed in the story and characters. The book explodes with violence which works great with the theme of professional street fighting tournaments.
Despite the gratuitous violence and torture scenes, I found the novel compelling. The plot is well drawn, the characters are interesting and engaging and the narrative full with enough detail to draw the reader into its world.
The book has several twists which the astute reader probably guessed ahead of time. The descriptive fights with all the smells, blood and sweat are excellent, while the protagonist if certainly not the underdog type we all enjoy rooting for, he does rise from the bottom to the top in a fast and furious way planting destruction and mayhem along the way.
Broken Angel is an unapologetic book that moves at a furious pace with intriguing characters living on the fringes of society. One of the strengths of the book is the supporting characters, most of them intriguing, strong and with enough mystery to support the rest of the series.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Gabriel Morgan’s sister disappeared and he’ll do anything to save her. Finally Gabriel found her working as a high class prostitute in New York City’s underground society.
Marcus Slade, the head of an organization running street fighters and hookers, will let her go for ten million dollars which Gabriel has to earn through fighting. Forced into a brutal training program Gabriel is given an new persona, Angel, and becomes a fighter for Slade’s organization until his sister’s ransom is paid off.
Broken Angel by S.W. Vaughn was an unexpected surprise. I started to read it and found myself being engrossed in the story and characters. The book explodes with violence which works great with the theme of professional street fighting tournaments.
Despite the gratuitous violence and torture scenes, I found the novel compelling. The plot is well drawn, the characters are interesting and engaging and the narrative full with enough detail to draw the reader into its world.
The book has several twists which the astute reader probably guessed ahead of time. The descriptive fights with all the smells, blood and sweat are excellent, while the protagonist if certainly not the underdog type we all enjoy rooting for, he does rise from the bottom to the top in a fast and furious way planting destruction and mayhem along the way.
Broken Angel is an unapologetic book that moves at a furious pace with intriguing characters living on the fringes of society. One of the strengths of the book is the supporting characters, most of them intriguing, strong and with enough mystery to support the rest of the series.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
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April 27, 2022No emotional connection at all.
I just couldn't seem to get into this one. The plot was intriguing, the storyline-- though predictable, especially the end-- was done well, and I enjoyed most of the supporting characters. BUT, you never really get to delve into the character's psyche. Most of this story is from the perspective of Gabriel aka "Angel". And though the author doesn't spare any details when it comes to describing the torture he has to go though, I feel like we- as the reader- never get to *feel* Gabriel's reaction to it, there's not much inner reflection from him other than of the 'this is what I'm doing today. this is what hurts' variety.
There are hints to the torture he underwent as a child, and one of the characters frequently tells us that Gabriel enjoys pain, but we never get to see any of this, certainly Gabriel never seems to show us that the latter is a true statement (I don't count his epiphany that he likes to beat other guys bloody), and we never really learn why his childhood was so abusive/how he really feels about what happened to him both then and now.
Also, I liked the character of Jenner- he was well thought out and written, but making him out to be a master psychological torturer/etc fell flat when aside from their first meeting, all he does is tattoo Gabriel. Gabriel's terrified reactions to Jenner might have come across better if we could have gotten into Gabriel's head during these sessions, but we're never given that insight. What's even more confusing was how Gabriel went from terrified of Jenner to not when the 'end' comes into play.
I enjoyed reading about Shiro too, so I might be tempted to read book two because it's about him more than the other characters but I'm making no promises.
I just couldn't seem to get into this one. The plot was intriguing, the storyline-- though predictable, especially the end-- was done well, and I enjoyed most of the supporting characters. BUT, you never really get to delve into the character's psyche. Most of this story is from the perspective of Gabriel aka "Angel". And though the author doesn't spare any details when it comes to describing the torture he has to go though, I feel like we- as the reader- never get to *feel* Gabriel's reaction to it, there's not much inner reflection from him other than of the 'this is what I'm doing today. this is what hurts' variety.
There are hints to the torture he underwent as a child, and one of the characters frequently tells us that Gabriel enjoys pain, but we never get to see any of this, certainly Gabriel never seems to show us that the latter is a true statement (I don't count his epiphany that he likes to beat other guys bloody), and we never really learn why his childhood was so abusive/how he really feels about what happened to him both then and now.
Also, I liked the character of Jenner- he was well thought out and written, but making him out to be a master psychological torturer/etc fell flat when aside from their first meeting, all he does is tattoo Gabriel. Gabriel's terrified reactions to Jenner might have come across better if we could have gotten into Gabriel's head during these sessions, but we're never given that insight. What's even more confusing was how Gabriel went from terrified of Jenner to not when the 'end' comes into play.
I enjoyed reading about Shiro too, so I might be tempted to read book two because it's about him more than the other characters but I'm making no promises.
February 15, 2012
This is my first S.W. Vaughn book and I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read it. I love the characters, I love the plot, the intricacies between the fighting Houses and the struggle of being an owned man.
Gabriel Morgan has been beaten by his father for 17 years all in the name of protecting his sister Lillith. Now that one happiness in his life is missing, and he will stop at nothing until he finds her. Unfortunately that leads him in to an underground fighting ring complete with prostitution (guess where Lillith is) and protected by the cops who have their own House. The head of Ulysses House, Marcus Slade, sees something in Gabriel. This burning desire to protect at all costs. He uses the threat of rape and murder of his beloved sister over Gabriel and forces him to become one of his fighters. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, no one graciously accepts being forced to fight. This leads to Gabriel meeting Jenner. I loved Jenner's character. He was cold, brutal yet esoteric. Jenner transforms Gabriel into Angel, complete with life size tattoos of wings on his back, and slowly breaks him, to build him up again.
This book was truly magnificent. I could smell the sweat and blood in the ring. Hear the jeers of the audience, and feel the crunch of bone beneath my fist. Vaughn is very good at pulling out the details with stark words and feelings. The plot moves quickly along, and Gabriel is a far cry from the underdog hero who rises to the top. Far, far, from it. The ending will have you cringing and wanting to bang this book against certain character faces. It is sad, but needful if our hero is to ever finally stand on his own.
Gabriel Morgan has been beaten by his father for 17 years all in the name of protecting his sister Lillith. Now that one happiness in his life is missing, and he will stop at nothing until he finds her. Unfortunately that leads him in to an underground fighting ring complete with prostitution (guess where Lillith is) and protected by the cops who have their own House. The head of Ulysses House, Marcus Slade, sees something in Gabriel. This burning desire to protect at all costs. He uses the threat of rape and murder of his beloved sister over Gabriel and forces him to become one of his fighters. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, no one graciously accepts being forced to fight. This leads to Gabriel meeting Jenner. I loved Jenner's character. He was cold, brutal yet esoteric. Jenner transforms Gabriel into Angel, complete with life size tattoos of wings on his back, and slowly breaks him, to build him up again.
This book was truly magnificent. I could smell the sweat and blood in the ring. Hear the jeers of the audience, and feel the crunch of bone beneath my fist. Vaughn is very good at pulling out the details with stark words and feelings. The plot moves quickly along, and Gabriel is a far cry from the underdog hero who rises to the top. Far, far, from it. The ending will have you cringing and wanting to bang this book against certain character faces. It is sad, but needful if our hero is to ever finally stand on his own.
October 2, 2013
I loved this 35 chapter book. Homeless, Gabriel had just moved to New York City in search of his missing sister, Lillith. He’d do anything to protect her, and when i say ‘anything,’ that’s not an exaggeration.
My favorite lines: 1) A dark smile surfaced, and he said, “I’d kill you for free. But right now, you’re worth more to me alive.” 2) Fear pulled his senses into sharp relief. 3) The lie came easy. He’d had years of practice.
It was revealed pretty early that Marcus Slade was behind it all. The biggest mystery of the real reason why lingered until the end. It was fun trying to solve clues to figure it all out. There was a cool twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting at all!
Marcus knew that Gabriel was a good fighter, so he wanted to own and control him for underground fighting–no rules. Marcus wanted to make a lot of money off of him; he’d already turned Lillith into a high-end escort.
The author had a fantastic talent with creating the characters’ relationships. I loved that the dynamics were three-dimensional. No one truly trusted each other, even though some people got along there was still some tension. Heroes had faults while villains had positive qualities. I liked the moral gray aspect. The author also did a great job with plot. The action wasn’t stopped for excessive backstory or info dumps. Each scene was valuable for the plot to move forward.
My favorite scenes: 1) Jenner quit inside the limo 2) Akuma and Gabriel fighting in the ring
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
My favorite lines: 1) A dark smile surfaced, and he said, “I’d kill you for free. But right now, you’re worth more to me alive.” 2) Fear pulled his senses into sharp relief. 3) The lie came easy. He’d had years of practice.
It was revealed pretty early that Marcus Slade was behind it all. The biggest mystery of the real reason why lingered until the end. It was fun trying to solve clues to figure it all out. There was a cool twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting at all!
Marcus knew that Gabriel was a good fighter, so he wanted to own and control him for underground fighting–no rules. Marcus wanted to make a lot of money off of him; he’d already turned Lillith into a high-end escort.
The author had a fantastic talent with creating the characters’ relationships. I loved that the dynamics were three-dimensional. No one truly trusted each other, even though some people got along there was still some tension. Heroes had faults while villains had positive qualities. I liked the moral gray aspect. The author also did a great job with plot. The action wasn’t stopped for excessive backstory or info dumps. Each scene was valuable for the plot to move forward.
My favorite scenes: 1) Jenner quit inside the limo 2) Akuma and Gabriel fighting in the ring
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
February 5, 2013
I came across a link to this ebook on Facebook. The cover called to me so I got it. It is a really good read. The reason behind the rating is, I am not one to use curse words and this book has a lot of them. I wouldn't let my teenagers read this one due to that fact.
Gabriel has been searching for his sister. Just when he thinks that he luck is over and she will never be found, he is thrown into an organization that has her. He is forced to fight for his sister's freedom, and his own.
The organization is run by five leaders and protected by the cops who happen to own one of the Houses. Slade decides he wants Gabriel, why? Because Gabriel's sister works as a prostitute in his House and he see that Gabriel will do anything for her freedom.
He has Gabriel branded and gives him a new name, Angel. Angel is now forced to sleep in the attic, has no freedom, and must win all fights if he wants his sister to live.
The book was written in great detail, you could almost smell the bloodied fists, feel each blow to the jaw, each kick to the gut. The author even threw in a twist that I will not spoil for those of you who haven't yet read the book.
Gabriel has been searching for his sister. Just when he thinks that he luck is over and she will never be found, he is thrown into an organization that has her. He is forced to fight for his sister's freedom, and his own.
The organization is run by five leaders and protected by the cops who happen to own one of the Houses. Slade decides he wants Gabriel, why? Because Gabriel's sister works as a prostitute in his House and he see that Gabriel will do anything for her freedom.
He has Gabriel branded and gives him a new name, Angel. Angel is now forced to sleep in the attic, has no freedom, and must win all fights if he wants his sister to live.
The book was written in great detail, you could almost smell the bloodied fists, feel each blow to the jaw, each kick to the gut. The author even threw in a twist that I will not spoil for those of you who haven't yet read the book.
July 25, 2011
This was one of those novels that I enjoyed but never really fell in love with. I found the main character to be fairly annoying at times and never bought into the character of Jenner, an older, slight Asia male, whom everyone feared.
The story moved along okay but was hampered by the closed environment in which it was set and so a fair amount of the story revolves around the fights, which would be okay in a longer novel, even though the novel itself is fairly short.
The twist near the end was a good one and allowed the main character to break free of the shackles that had inhibited him and thus I think he could be a lot more entertaining in the second installment of this series.
There were plenty of times throughout the novel when I'm sure certain characters would have been killed off had the story been more realistic but that was a minor qualm. Decent enough novel and certainly worth checking out considering it's available free.
The story moved along okay but was hampered by the closed environment in which it was set and so a fair amount of the story revolves around the fights, which would be okay in a longer novel, even though the novel itself is fairly short.
The twist near the end was a good one and allowed the main character to break free of the shackles that had inhibited him and thus I think he could be a lot more entertaining in the second installment of this series.
There were plenty of times throughout the novel when I'm sure certain characters would have been killed off had the story been more realistic but that was a minor qualm. Decent enough novel and certainly worth checking out considering it's available free.
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