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Kindred
In the Dakota Territory, a U.S. Marshal haunted by his past works desperately to discover who is behind a weaponized smallpox plague and stop an incipient Sioux uprising.
A Serbian policeman, at war with terrorists as well as his conflicting loyalties, races against the clock in Sarajevo to stop the terrorists intent on setting off World War I.
A gifted New Orleans paramedic finds himself embroiled in the bloody drug cartel wars on the U.S./Mexico border, battling a new kind of plague he does not understand.
All three men have two things in the archangel that resides in their heads, and the fallen angel they’re pursuing.
It’s a battle as old as time, with the fate of mankind hanging in the balance.
A Serbian policeman, at war with terrorists as well as his conflicting loyalties, races against the clock in Sarajevo to stop the terrorists intent on setting off World War I.
A gifted New Orleans paramedic finds himself embroiled in the bloody drug cartel wars on the U.S./Mexico border, battling a new kind of plague he does not understand.
All three men have two things in the archangel that resides in their heads, and the fallen angel they’re pursuing.
It’s a battle as old as time, with the fate of mankind hanging in the balance.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2022
20 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 6, 2023
Back Story. This is the FOURTH work by Kelly Grayson I have reviewed this week. I am neither perseverating, nor am I review-stalking.
Recently, I WAS perseverating on stories of the 87th Precinct; I found a source for ALL of them, going back to to 'Cop Hater,' written in 1956. I read seven police procedurals before I came up for air. That isn't AT ALL possible with Kelly Grayson; the four items I've read so far are WILDLY different.
I'm not review-stalking, either. I know that's a thing, usually done when an author's work irritates a reader's sensitivities. They respond by writing scathing reviews of all the author's other works, whether they have read them or not. Perhaps positive review-stalking is a thing, but I've never seen it.
SO: if I'm not doing THOSE things, why AM I reviewing so much of his work? LTUE prevented me from reviewing for the past mumble years. I'm currently fighting back, and I needed all the help I could get; I did NOT want to get blocked by impenetrable prose. The writers in Texas have given me good leads in the past, so I asked them, and Kelly's work came highly recommended. I understand why, now.
Review. We are given a look behind the curtain, and see a portion of a war involving angelic beings, fighting for causes we may be incapable of understanding. However, this much is clear: humanity appears to be chosen as the weapons the angels use. In this single volume, we are given three scenarios, which quite easily could be divided into three books. In each vignette, one angel (mostly, identified as Azazel) nastily uses humans as puppets in his attempts to destroy mankind, while the other (only given nicknames until the end) shows concern for those he invests in to stop that from happening.
First story, Cowboys and angels, 1877/8: I don't know if this has been attempted before, but I love the way it's done. Without spoilers, I can say that Clete Miller is an example of how people die in wartime by accident. The angel he called Jerry offered to return him to health, conditional on Clete agreeing to help him thwart the evil intent of the bad angel. Even John Wayne couldn't handle a shoot-out in a bar better than the Clete & Jerry team.
Second story, Cops and angels, 1914. All wars are stupid, but WWI/the Great War wins the prize for most stupidity. The assassination of Grand Duke Ferdinand in Sarajevo ended what some thought of as the Golden Age of Man. Zoran Markoviĉ is a Bosnian Serb police captain, working with the angel he calls 'Jerri,' is determined to prevent the bloodbath by stopping the assassination.
Third story, Medics and angels, 2011. Bryan Thibodeaux, a New Orleans paramedic, is working with the angel he knows as Remy to stop a TRUE drug epidemic. A new, powerful form known as 'Sumdood' (named after the unidentifiable person who tricks innocent people into things) is doing terrible things to users, and triggering cartel warfare as well.
Jerry/Jerri/Remy is NOT just a super-weapon/plot device. He is on a spiritual journey as well, and while he may not learn as much as he teaches, each one of his contacts contributes to making him, for lack of better terminology, a better angel. It's NOT a trivial point.
Recently, I WAS perseverating on stories of the 87th Precinct; I found a source for ALL of them, going back to to 'Cop Hater,' written in 1956. I read seven police procedurals before I came up for air. That isn't AT ALL possible with Kelly Grayson; the four items I've read so far are WILDLY different.
I'm not review-stalking, either. I know that's a thing, usually done when an author's work irritates a reader's sensitivities. They respond by writing scathing reviews of all the author's other works, whether they have read them or not. Perhaps positive review-stalking is a thing, but I've never seen it.
SO: if I'm not doing THOSE things, why AM I reviewing so much of his work? LTUE prevented me from reviewing for the past mumble years. I'm currently fighting back, and I needed all the help I could get; I did NOT want to get blocked by impenetrable prose. The writers in Texas have given me good leads in the past, so I asked them, and Kelly's work came highly recommended. I understand why, now.
Review. We are given a look behind the curtain, and see a portion of a war involving angelic beings, fighting for causes we may be incapable of understanding. However, this much is clear: humanity appears to be chosen as the weapons the angels use. In this single volume, we are given three scenarios, which quite easily could be divided into three books. In each vignette, one angel (mostly, identified as Azazel) nastily uses humans as puppets in his attempts to destroy mankind, while the other (only given nicknames until the end) shows concern for those he invests in to stop that from happening.
First story, Cowboys and angels, 1877/8: I don't know if this has been attempted before, but I love the way it's done. Without spoilers, I can say that Clete Miller is an example of how people die in wartime by accident. The angel he called Jerry offered to return him to health, conditional on Clete agreeing to help him thwart the evil intent of the bad angel. Even John Wayne couldn't handle a shoot-out in a bar better than the Clete & Jerry team.
Second story, Cops and angels, 1914. All wars are stupid, but WWI/the Great War wins the prize for most stupidity. The assassination of Grand Duke Ferdinand in Sarajevo ended what some thought of as the Golden Age of Man. Zoran Markoviĉ is a Bosnian Serb police captain, working with the angel he calls 'Jerri,' is determined to prevent the bloodbath by stopping the assassination.
Third story, Medics and angels, 2011. Bryan Thibodeaux, a New Orleans paramedic, is working with the angel he knows as Remy to stop a TRUE drug epidemic. A new, powerful form known as 'Sumdood' (named after the unidentifiable person who tricks innocent people into things) is doing terrible things to users, and triggering cartel warfare as well.
Jerry/Jerri/Remy is NOT just a super-weapon/plot device. He is on a spiritual journey as well, and while he may not learn as much as he teaches, each one of his contacts contributes to making him, for lack of better terminology, a better angel. It's NOT a trivial point.
January 18, 2023
Solid read for Supernatural or Action fans Alike.
I enjoyed the premise of the book, an Angel that tracks a demon causing all sorts of ills throughout time by offering a “bargain” to a dying person to ride shotgun in their head with them, giving them a boost to health and general asskickingness, all the while hunting down a brother fallen angel out to cause all sorts of mischief, and general nogoodery. We have Old west bar gunfights, an episode of Eastern European COPS meets peaky blinders, and finally face shooting sicarios, lots of sicarios and if your not a fan of that, then I feel sorry for your weak progeny. 5 Mozambique’s out of 5.
I enjoyed the premise of the book, an Angel that tracks a demon causing all sorts of ills throughout time by offering a “bargain” to a dying person to ride shotgun in their head with them, giving them a boost to health and general asskickingness, all the while hunting down a brother fallen angel out to cause all sorts of mischief, and general nogoodery. We have Old west bar gunfights, an episode of Eastern European COPS meets peaky blinders, and finally face shooting sicarios, lots of sicarios and if your not a fan of that, then I feel sorry for your weak progeny. 5 Mozambique’s out of 5.
January 27, 2026
Kindred follows three very different men across different eras and places, tied together by a supernatural thread that unfolds gradually. The stakes are high - plagues, war, and moral conflict - but what stood out most was the care put into the settings and the characters’ inner struggles.
This isn’t a fast, shallow read; it rewards patience and attention. If you enjoy thrillers that mix historical detail, contemporary issues, and a touch of the metaphysical without being overblown, this book is worth your time.
This isn’t a fast, shallow read; it rewards patience and attention. If you enjoy thrillers that mix historical detail, contemporary issues, and a touch of the metaphysical without being overblown, this book is worth your time.
January 2, 2023
Excellent use of words in a row
Kelly Grayson has a serious winner here. I ended up setting aside everything else I could just to read this book. It grabbed me a few pages in and never let go.
Kelly Grayson has a serious winner here. I ended up setting aside everything else I could just to read this book. It grabbed me a few pages in and never let go.
March 10, 2023
Fantastic
As usual Kelly delivers. A engaging and utterly entertaining story
Different from his usual offerings it is non the less just as riveting. Can’t wait for more of the chronicles
As usual Kelly delivers. A engaging and utterly entertaining story
Different from his usual offerings it is non the less just as riveting. Can’t wait for more of the chronicles
January 11, 2024
Top notch
I don't even know where to start describing this book.
Perhaps it could be described as an action-adventure with an element of supernatural, but that feels inadequate. What I do know for certain is that I dearly hope the author writes more of these.
I don't even know where to start describing this book.
Perhaps it could be described as an action-adventure with an element of supernatural, but that feels inadequate. What I do know for certain is that I dearly hope the author writes more of these.
January 18, 2023
outstanding!
An excellent first book in the series, three different perspectives, all with a similar goal. The way those goals get accomplished are different and it is obviously author has put a lot of work into both research and human interactions. Not going to give any plot points away, but I highly recommend this book! :-)
An excellent first book in the series, three different perspectives, all with a similar goal. The way those goals get accomplished are different and it is obviously author has put a lot of work into both research and human interactions. Not going to give any plot points away, but I highly recommend this book! :-)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews