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Remy Chandler #1
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
Generations ago, angel Remiel chose to renounce heaven and live on Earth. He found a place among ordinary humans by converting himself into Boston P.I. Remy Chandler, but he can never tell anyone who he was or that he still has angelic powers. Remy can will himself invisible, speak and understand any foreign language (including any animal language), and hear the thoughts of others. All these secret powers come in handy for a private investigator, especially when the Angel of Death goes missing and he’s assigned to find him. As he gets deeper into the investigation, he realizes this is not a missing persons case but a conspiracy to destroy the human race and only Remy has the powers to stop the forces of evil.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2008
81 people are currently reading
3975 people want to read
About the author
Thomas E. Sniegoski
281 books1,105 followersThomas E. Sniegoski, often credited as Tom Sniegoski is the author of more than two dozen novels for adults, teens, and children. His teen fantasy YA series Fallen was adapted into a trilogy of monstrously successful TV movies by ABC Family Channel. His other books for teens include Sleeper Code, Sleeper Agenda, and Force Majeure, as well as the upcoming series The Brimstone Network. The author's first adult novel, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse, hit the shelves in 2008, with its sequel, Dancing on the Head of a Pin to be released in 2009.
Sniegoski's work for younger readers includes Billy Hooten: Owlboy, and the fantasy quartet OutCast, which he co-authored with Christopher Golden. OutCast is in development as a film at Universal. Sniegoski and Golden have also collaborated on the adult dark fantasy series The Menagerie, and multiple creator-owned comic book series, including The Sisterhood, which is being prepped for a feature film by InterMedia, and Talent, currently in development at Universal after a major bidding war.
As a comic book writer, Sniegoski's work includes Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails, a prequel miniseries to international hit, Bone. Sniegoski collaborated with Bone creator Jeff Smith on the prequel, making him the only writer Smith has ever asked to work on those characters. Sniegoski and Golden also wrote the graphic novel BPRD: Hollow Earth, a spinoff from Hellboy.
Sniegoski was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his wife LeeAnne and their Labrador Retriever, Mulder. Tom recently completed the new young adult novel, Legacy, which is set to be released in October of 2009.
Sniegoski's work for younger readers includes Billy Hooten: Owlboy, and the fantasy quartet OutCast, which he co-authored with Christopher Golden. OutCast is in development as a film at Universal. Sniegoski and Golden have also collaborated on the adult dark fantasy series The Menagerie, and multiple creator-owned comic book series, including The Sisterhood, which is being prepped for a feature film by InterMedia, and Talent, currently in development at Universal after a major bidding war.
As a comic book writer, Sniegoski's work includes Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails, a prequel miniseries to international hit, Bone. Sniegoski collaborated with Bone creator Jeff Smith on the prequel, making him the only writer Smith has ever asked to work on those characters. Sniegoski and Golden also wrote the graphic novel BPRD: Hollow Earth, a spinoff from Hellboy.
Sniegoski was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his wife LeeAnne and their Labrador Retriever, Mulder. Tom recently completed the new young adult novel, Legacy, which is set to be released in October of 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
January 18, 2025
Great start for a series!
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
By Thomas E Sniegoski
This is book #1 in the Remy Chandler series. I read this before, but it's been over 10 yrs ago. It's a good fantasy with angels, demons, and those creatures in-between. Great plot, characters, interesting situations. I'm going on to the next book in the series.
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse
By Thomas E Sniegoski
This is book #1 in the Remy Chandler series. I read this before, but it's been over 10 yrs ago. It's a good fantasy with angels, demons, and those creatures in-between. Great plot, characters, interesting situations. I'm going on to the next book in the series.
June 1, 2017
😇🐕👿💀
I understand the low ratings now, at least I think I do. It's by no means a bad book but it's kind of simple. I have a feeling the books after this will be a lot better since the initial setup is over. For me this was a 3.5 but I'm rounding up because of Marlowe the dog and the fact that this made me cry a couple of times.
I understand the low ratings now, at least I think I do. It's by no means a bad book but it's kind of simple. I have a feeling the books after this will be a lot better since the initial setup is over. For me this was a 3.5 but I'm rounding up because of Marlowe the dog and the fact that this made me cry a couple of times.
December 29, 2015
I have no luck with Angel books it seems...dangit.
This had an idea that had me really excited... an angel as a PI, sign me up! The description plus it being billed as a "noir fantasy"... lots of potential:)
Not the case for me... it did have its interesting points but overall it was just... boring. The scenes with Remy's wife and his dog (he was so adorable!) were the highlights for me. Remy himself, he was... okay. His inner thoughts got on my nerves at times and he wasn't very compelling, to me at least.
Felt no investment in the story at all, even with the Apocalypse being close at hand...
Angel of death: powers, pretty cool... character not so much. I called it fairly quickly what was going on with him... all I wanted to do was smack him.
Many mental red flags during this book for me, and alot of "Huh? What?" as well. I'm all for different interpretations of things but you gotta make it work together...Some of the elements of this story just felt thrown together in a rush.
The battle scenes and the end parts... was indifferent to it all. Felt nothing towards anything that was happening. My eyes glazed over a few times and I had to re-read a few passages.
Great idea, execution... not so much. *shrugs*
Struggling to find what to say with this but it was just a bile pile of "meh" for me.
One of these days I will find an angel book that I love, just not with this one.
This had an idea that had me really excited... an angel as a PI, sign me up! The description plus it being billed as a "noir fantasy"... lots of potential:)
Not the case for me... it did have its interesting points but overall it was just... boring. The scenes with Remy's wife and his dog (he was so adorable!) were the highlights for me. Remy himself, he was... okay. His inner thoughts got on my nerves at times and he wasn't very compelling, to me at least.
Felt no investment in the story at all, even with the Apocalypse being close at hand...
Angel of death: powers, pretty cool... character not so much. I called it fairly quickly what was going on with him... all I wanted to do was smack him.
Many mental red flags during this book for me, and alot of "Huh? What?" as well. I'm all for different interpretations of things but you gotta make it work together...Some of the elements of this story just felt thrown together in a rush.
The battle scenes and the end parts... was indifferent to it all. Felt nothing towards anything that was happening. My eyes glazed over a few times and I had to re-read a few passages.
Great idea, execution... not so much. *shrugs*
Struggling to find what to say with this but it was just a bile pile of "meh" for me.
One of these days I will find an angel book that I love, just not with this one.
February 11, 2009
I read this book on my husband's enthusiastic recommendation, and in spite of rather than because of the blurb on the cover from Christopher Golden. I find Golden to be like Simon Green only moreso, someone whose imagination I can admire but whose ability to tell a story leaves me absolutely cold--and in Golden's case, his writing style also has nothing to recommend it; Green at least has a marked prose style that renders his books more or less palatable to me.
Sniegoski, unfortunately, falls square onto the Golden end of the scale. It was absolutely no surprise to discover from the author's notes that he has done most of his writing for comic books; I was thinking as I read the final set-piece that it read as though it had been conceived visually, and not translated very well into prose. I found much of the writing, in fact, to be leaden, the storytelling unsophisticated, and the characterization rather two dimensional. As a graphic novel I might have enjoyed it; as a book, I finished it for my husband's sake; left to myself, I'd have given up a few chapters in.
Sniegoski, unfortunately, falls square onto the Golden end of the scale. It was absolutely no surprise to discover from the author's notes that he has done most of his writing for comic books; I was thinking as I read the final set-piece that it read as though it had been conceived visually, and not translated very well into prose. I found much of the writing, in fact, to be leaden, the storytelling unsophisticated, and the characterization rather two dimensional. As a graphic novel I might have enjoyed it; as a book, I finished it for my husband's sake; left to myself, I'd have given up a few chapters in.
April 10, 2011
Eighth book for the readathon? Less sleepy now -- I was having to force myself to read the seventh book, but this was fun and absorbing, so I had no problems with falling asleep.
As might be predicted for me, I loved the references to Raymond Chandler (the detective is called Remy Chandler; his dog is Marlowe). I also loved the fact that in my head, Remy totally looked like Castiel from Supernatural, as portrayed by Misha Collins.
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse is basically the story of a sort-of-fallen angel who works as a private investigator, and who then finds himself caught up in investigating where the Angel of Death has got to and who wants to start the apocalypse. His closest sidekick is his dog, and not his cop friend, which was not what I expected -- I wish supporting characters had been used better, actually. Francis and Lazarus were amazing. He should've used 'em and abused 'em.
The thing that I liked most was the relationship between him and his aged wife -- given that, being an angel, he can't age -- and the tenderness between them, even when to outsiders she appears old enough to be his mother. I love Remy's devotion to her.
Nothing amazingly special, but a fun (and quick) read.
As might be predicted for me, I loved the references to Raymond Chandler (the detective is called Remy Chandler; his dog is Marlowe). I also loved the fact that in my head, Remy totally looked like Castiel from Supernatural, as portrayed by Misha Collins.
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse is basically the story of a sort-of-fallen angel who works as a private investigator, and who then finds himself caught up in investigating where the Angel of Death has got to and who wants to start the apocalypse. His closest sidekick is his dog, and not his cop friend, which was not what I expected -- I wish supporting characters had been used better, actually. Francis and Lazarus were amazing. He should've used 'em and abused 'em.
The thing that I liked most was the relationship between him and his aged wife -- given that, being an angel, he can't age -- and the tenderness between them, even when to outsiders she appears old enough to be his mother. I love Remy's devotion to her.
Nothing amazingly special, but a fun (and quick) read.
June 7, 2009
Eh. This book really just didn't do much of anything for me. There were a few plot holes (God apparently doesn't notice or care when an angel goes on walkabout amongst humanity for millenia? Really? This occasions no comment at all?). Having a disillusioned angel as the protagonist was an interesting idea, but the exposition felt long, and it wasn't interesting enough to distract from that. The internal conflicts and Remy's emotional interactions with his loved ones worked, but the battle scenes were a bit...anti-climactic, I guess. And the Apocalypse shouldn't be dull. I never really felt like I connected to the story to the point where I absolutely couldn't put it down. As far as supernatural noir goes, I'll stick with Harry Dresden. He's more fun.
Also - this writer and his editor need to watch pronoun/antecedent and phrase clarity. Several sentences in the book are confusing/unintentionally hilarious on that account ("He turned his body around as it leapt on upon his back." Not impossible to figure out, in context, but for a moment, I had a really odd visual. Also: "Distracted by the sight, his...foes attacked as one.." As written, the foes are distracted, but it is clearly meant to be the protagonist, as distracted foes tend to have trouble beating the snot out of you).
Also - this writer and his editor need to watch pronoun/antecedent and phrase clarity. Several sentences in the book are confusing/unintentionally hilarious on that account ("He turned his body around as it leapt on upon his back." Not impossible to figure out, in context, but for a moment, I had a really odd visual. Also: "Distracted by the sight, his...foes attacked as one.." As written, the foes are distracted, but it is clearly meant to be the protagonist, as distracted foes tend to have trouble beating the snot out of you).
September 28, 2011
For a novel that's given the trappings of a fantasy detective mystery, the main character is strangely ineffectual and passive. The big clue that cracks the case just wanders into his living room. He receives it through no effort of his own.
The action starts when Remy Chandler is alerted that something strange is happening when two people who should be dead don't die. Given that he is a seraph (not a spoiler) one would think such an astonishing event should put him on full alert and fill him with motivation. It doesn't; he just keeps lumbering on with his life.
Then he is given a heavenly visitation and is told that the world is ending and it's up to him to stop it. Then he's is attacked, twice, by creatures who it latter turns out have no reason to attack him. This is one of several continuity errors.
Why would a wayward angel (the protagonist), the Angel of Death, several Grigori (the Watchers from the Bible), and Lazarus (the Lazarus) all be living in Boston at the same time when they have the whole world to choose from for homes? The author never explains.
Then there are the fight scenes where the characters speak whole sentences to each other in the same amount of time as a punch or a headbutt a la Marvel comics.
How about the time a character apparently has three hands? He is holding a sword, a dagger, and a revolver at the same time.
The author tries for a few emotionally wrenching scenes, but my suspension of disbelief was so shattered that they left me cold. I couldn't sustain the reader's trance for this novel, so I was mostly bored. In addition to his continuity ineptness, the author insufficiently filed the serial numbers off of ideas taken from Raiders of the Lost Ark and, I suspect, The Prophecy. Furthermore, pretty much all of the characters are stock cutouts.
About the only redeeming quality this novel has is that the author has done some Jewish-Christian mythology homework.
The action starts when Remy Chandler is alerted that something strange is happening when two people who should be dead don't die. Given that he is a seraph (not a spoiler) one would think such an astonishing event should put him on full alert and fill him with motivation. It doesn't; he just keeps lumbering on with his life.
Then he is given a heavenly visitation and is told that the world is ending and it's up to him to stop it. Then he's is attacked, twice, by creatures who it latter turns out have no reason to attack him. This is one of several continuity errors.
Why would a wayward angel (the protagonist), the Angel of Death, several Grigori (the Watchers from the Bible), and Lazarus (the Lazarus) all be living in Boston at the same time when they have the whole world to choose from for homes? The author never explains.
Then there are the fight scenes where the characters speak whole sentences to each other in the same amount of time as a punch or a headbutt a la Marvel comics.
How about the time a character apparently has three hands? He is holding a sword, a dagger, and a revolver at the same time.
The author tries for a few emotionally wrenching scenes, but my suspension of disbelief was so shattered that they left me cold. I couldn't sustain the reader's trance for this novel, so I was mostly bored. In addition to his continuity ineptness, the author insufficiently filed the serial numbers off of ideas taken from Raiders of the Lost Ark and, I suspect, The Prophecy. Furthermore, pretty much all of the characters are stock cutouts.
About the only redeeming quality this novel has is that the author has done some Jewish-Christian mythology homework.
August 8, 2014
ok, have you ever been a Paladin on a role playing game?
Bear with me a minute, it is relevant....
If you ever were a Paladin, you probably didn't pay that character very often. Why? They're so BORING! Paladins Have to be good and the HAVE to follow the rules. It just kinda screws up on the fun angle...lolol
Anyway, Angels by their very nature are Paladins. They serve good. They fall in line with religious morality. Ina way, an angel is a very limited character in what you can have them do.
SO the idea of an Angel who left Heaven after the Angelic Wars to live with humanity is a cool idea. They have a little more range. Making one a paranormal PI could be a GRET premise! So much potential! Could you see an angel as a demonologist? That would be badass! Maybe a crusader against any of the fallen angels living on Earth? So Cool!
IS this book any of these? Nope.
In fact, if anything, Remy Chandler is even more boring than he was in Paradise. He spends his days (and pages and pages of the book) eating breakfast, drinking lots of coffee, driving around Boston looking for parking space, deciding what to watch on TV, deciding what to wear, cleaning things, and occasionally following around a cheating spouse.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I want to BANG MY HEAD ON THE DESK!
Seriously, if you took out all the parking walking, drinking coffee, and other mundane tasks, this book would be about 100 pages long.
It was actually interesting when he had a scotch or talked to his dog. argh
So then, something finally happens when he notices no one is dying. This does not spring him into any action, though. Some other heavenly angels have to visit him and let him know the Angel of Death is missing and he should get on it. Did an Angel really need to be told? So, getting on the ball, Remy decides to make an early night of it and go home and park his car and watch TV and let his dog sleep in the bed that night. huh?
So the next day he does a couple things and goes to talk to some people and gets beat up by demons. Yes, all in the same tone of voice.
Anyway, he kinda resolves the story, mostly just by being in the right place, but man...I have to think all day about where my car is parked now. Arghhhhh
Bear with me a minute, it is relevant....
If you ever were a Paladin, you probably didn't pay that character very often. Why? They're so BORING! Paladins Have to be good and the HAVE to follow the rules. It just kinda screws up on the fun angle...lolol
Anyway, Angels by their very nature are Paladins. They serve good. They fall in line with religious morality. Ina way, an angel is a very limited character in what you can have them do.
SO the idea of an Angel who left Heaven after the Angelic Wars to live with humanity is a cool idea. They have a little more range. Making one a paranormal PI could be a GRET premise! So much potential! Could you see an angel as a demonologist? That would be badass! Maybe a crusader against any of the fallen angels living on Earth? So Cool!
IS this book any of these? Nope.
In fact, if anything, Remy Chandler is even more boring than he was in Paradise. He spends his days (and pages and pages of the book) eating breakfast, drinking lots of coffee, driving around Boston looking for parking space, deciding what to watch on TV, deciding what to wear, cleaning things, and occasionally following around a cheating spouse.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I want to BANG MY HEAD ON THE DESK!
Seriously, if you took out all the parking walking, drinking coffee, and other mundane tasks, this book would be about 100 pages long.
It was actually interesting when he had a scotch or talked to his dog. argh
So then, something finally happens when he notices no one is dying. This does not spring him into any action, though. Some other heavenly angels have to visit him and let him know the Angel of Death is missing and he should get on it. Did an Angel really need to be told? So, getting on the ball, Remy decides to make an early night of it and go home and park his car and watch TV and let his dog sleep in the bed that night. huh?
So the next day he does a couple things and goes to talk to some people and gets beat up by demons. Yes, all in the same tone of voice.
Anyway, he kinda resolves the story, mostly just by being in the right place, but man...I have to think all day about where my car is parked now. Arghhhhh
February 28, 2025
The idea behind the book is amazing, but the written just didn't engage me at all. It felt too much 2d, nothing came alive. Urban fantasy needs to be sort of funny, but it's sort of taking it more serious than it needed to be. Basically everything felt too straightforward.
February 3, 2023
DNF'd @ p. 63
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse (Remy Chandler #1) by Thomas E. Sniegoski sounded like it was going to be right up my alley. I mean, urban fantasy noir with angels. The hook sounds like a good one, but it was far too much telling without enough showing. Somehow I was bored out of my mind given all of it. Plus, I didn't have a good sense of any of the characters. Maybe the novel gets better, but I can't be bothered to stick around to find out.
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse (Remy Chandler #1) by Thomas E. Sniegoski sounded like it was going to be right up my alley. I mean, urban fantasy noir with angels. The hook sounds like a good one, but it was far too much telling without enough showing. Somehow I was bored out of my mind given all of it. Plus, I didn't have a good sense of any of the characters. Maybe the novel gets better, but I can't be bothered to stick around to find out.
October 19, 2018
Below is my review from 2009 when I read this as a print book. It still stands. It reminded me why the author and the series is on the WWBL. I love it and can definitely recommend the author, the book and the series.
*************
An urban fantasy starring an angel who would rather be human averting the apocalypse. How cool was this book to read? I fell for Remy Chandler, former Seraphim, and his dog, Marlowe (I may have fallen harder for Marlowe - look at that face on the cover!) in the novella that Sniegoski wrote for MEAN STREETS that I read in January. I fell hard and had to add Sniegoski's books to my WantonWantin' Book List.
The Angel of Death has gone missing and this sets a whole bunch of incidents off towards the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on the horizon. Some of Remy's former brethren show up asking for his help.
This is a gritty noir detective novel tinged urban fantasy and I highly recommend this if only to read the conversations between Remy and Marlowe.
Five angelic beans....image to follow...
*************
An urban fantasy starring an angel who would rather be human averting the apocalypse. How cool was this book to read? I fell for Remy Chandler, former Seraphim, and his dog, Marlowe (I may have fallen harder for Marlowe - look at that face on the cover!) in the novella that Sniegoski wrote for MEAN STREETS that I read in January. I fell hard and had to add Sniegoski's books to my WantonWantin' Book List.
The Angel of Death has gone missing and this sets a whole bunch of incidents off towards the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on the horizon. Some of Remy's former brethren show up asking for his help.
This is a gritty noir detective novel tinged urban fantasy and I highly recommend this if only to read the conversations between Remy and Marlowe.
Five angelic beans....image to follow...
Read
April 14, 2021I won this one in a Goodreads Giveaway. Not my usual thing, but I really enjoyed the book. I liked Sniegoski's interpretation of angels and the different strata of the legions of heaven. I'd have liked a bit more back story for Remy, but have a feeling learning it over a series of books rather than in one quick installment will make it more rewarding.
I loved Marlowe and the conversations he and Remy had together. Madeleine and his relationship with her made his sacrifice at the end so much more meaningful and really kicked the story up a notch.
More PI work would have been fun. I started this liking the idea of an angel as a private detective. Maybe that's something else that will be explored in later books as well.
I also liked the varied cast of characters and the fact not all were as they seemed.
I loved Marlowe and the conversations he and Remy had together. Madeleine and his relationship with her made his sacrifice at the end so much more meaningful and really kicked the story up a notch.
More PI work would have been fun. I started this liking the idea of an angel as a private detective. Maybe that's something else that will be explored in later books as well.
I also liked the varied cast of characters and the fact not all were as they seemed.
January 2, 2011
This book had the dialogue and plot of a bad comic book. I actually feel dumber having read it.
July 15, 2019
I have had this book on my shelves for ages, a friend suggested it so I picked it up. I'm not sure why I didn't pick it up to read sooner since I love Urban Fantasy. The book is about a "former" angel, he didn't fall he basically walked out on the job, who is now a private investigator in Boston. This book gives some background on the character which is interesting, but the best part is his first case. The angel of death is missing and he has been tasked to find him by other angels. Parts of it are a bit farcical, but the twist at the end is great and not something I saw coming. So I finished this yesterday and may have just bought the next three in the series. I'm hooked now and can't wait to read the rest.
January 7, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: An angel that had turned his back on Heaven must now do its dirty work in order to save humanity and all he holds dear.
Opening Sentence: It was an unusually warm mid-September day in Boston.
The Review:
Angels have held our fascination for ages untold. These etheric creatures that seem to encapsulate the beautiful horror nestled within the primitive part of our imaginations. Is it their complete lack of humanity that grabs our attention? Is it our need to touch and personify that which we will never be? Angels, Demons, and an adorable Labrador Retriever all make an appearance in this exciting new series from Thomas Sniegoski, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse.
Remy Chandler is a simple private investigator working an open-and-shut infidelity job. What was once easy, if boring, money gig turns into trouble on a Heavenly scale. So why should Remy care about the troubles of Heaven and its Host? It may have a little something to do with him once being one of them. After the war with Lucifer, Remiel lost the drive to fight anymore and walked away from his brothers and Maker to live among the humans on Earth. Now it seems that “Remy” is going to get involved with the politics of Heaven whether he wants to or not.
Remy is an amazing character. His angelic nature is still there, just suppressed by the sheer force of his will. His love and understanding of humanity make him a unique link between Angels and humans. His past allegiances come into constant opposition to his current life. He must find and restore the Angel of Death but by doing that, he loses the woman he loves. The conflicting emotions make Remy’s journey much more relatable than most other angel stories I have read. It is his ultimate compassion for life on Earth that marks him the perfect champion for Heaven’s Designs.
The supporting characters are just as complex, and that’s including Remy’s dog. Each person, both human and non-human, allows Remy to explore each aspect of the story with a new perspective. The dog, Marlowe, expresses each issue in its most simplistic fashion. Things like death and time mean little to a dog. For the record, I love Marlowe just for this reason. Sometimes people make things far more complicated than it needs to be.
With the occasional sad and tension filled pages that were hard for me to personally read, Kiss Before the Apocalypse provides fans a new and interesting twist to the usual angel tale. Sniegoski gives us a hero of biblical proportions with a fondness of coffee and the simple things in life.
Notable Scene:
Remy darted out into the downpour.
“Hey, Chandler,” Francis called to him.
Remy stopped at the car, opening the door as he waited to hear what Francis had to say.
“I know it’s tough, but don’t do anything stupid.”
He wished he could’ve made that kind of promise, but those times had long passed.
Stupid may have been all that he had left.
FTC Advisory: Penguin/ROC Trade provided me with a copy of A Kiss Before the Apocalypse. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payments I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.
Quick & Dirty: An angel that had turned his back on Heaven must now do its dirty work in order to save humanity and all he holds dear.
Opening Sentence: It was an unusually warm mid-September day in Boston.
The Review:
Angels have held our fascination for ages untold. These etheric creatures that seem to encapsulate the beautiful horror nestled within the primitive part of our imaginations. Is it their complete lack of humanity that grabs our attention? Is it our need to touch and personify that which we will never be? Angels, Demons, and an adorable Labrador Retriever all make an appearance in this exciting new series from Thomas Sniegoski, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse.
Remy Chandler is a simple private investigator working an open-and-shut infidelity job. What was once easy, if boring, money gig turns into trouble on a Heavenly scale. So why should Remy care about the troubles of Heaven and its Host? It may have a little something to do with him once being one of them. After the war with Lucifer, Remiel lost the drive to fight anymore and walked away from his brothers and Maker to live among the humans on Earth. Now it seems that “Remy” is going to get involved with the politics of Heaven whether he wants to or not.
Remy is an amazing character. His angelic nature is still there, just suppressed by the sheer force of his will. His love and understanding of humanity make him a unique link between Angels and humans. His past allegiances come into constant opposition to his current life. He must find and restore the Angel of Death but by doing that, he loses the woman he loves. The conflicting emotions make Remy’s journey much more relatable than most other angel stories I have read. It is his ultimate compassion for life on Earth that marks him the perfect champion for Heaven’s Designs.
The supporting characters are just as complex, and that’s including Remy’s dog. Each person, both human and non-human, allows Remy to explore each aspect of the story with a new perspective. The dog, Marlowe, expresses each issue in its most simplistic fashion. Things like death and time mean little to a dog. For the record, I love Marlowe just for this reason. Sometimes people make things far more complicated than it needs to be.
With the occasional sad and tension filled pages that were hard for me to personally read, Kiss Before the Apocalypse provides fans a new and interesting twist to the usual angel tale. Sniegoski gives us a hero of biblical proportions with a fondness of coffee and the simple things in life.
Notable Scene:
Remy darted out into the downpour.
“Hey, Chandler,” Francis called to him.
Remy stopped at the car, opening the door as he waited to hear what Francis had to say.
“I know it’s tough, but don’t do anything stupid.”
He wished he could’ve made that kind of promise, but those times had long passed.
Stupid may have been all that he had left.
FTC Advisory: Penguin/ROC Trade provided me with a copy of A Kiss Before the Apocalypse. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payments I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.
January 12, 2011
The end of the world is coming, and only one man/angel can stop it. Remy is an angel who chooses to live on earth as a human private investigator. At the beginning of the story he is investigating an unfaithful spouse and hears gun shots. Quickly, he runs up to see what is happening, not really thinking about the danger. He walks in on a dead body and a crazed husband who shoots himself. But wait, they aren't really dead, and it turns out the husband was seeing visions of the end of the world. As the jacket says, the angel of death is missing, trapping souls here on earth, unable to move on. It's up to Remy to find the angel of death and set everything right before the world ends.
There is the summary of the book, here are my thoughts. The plot sure does sound interesting, but it falls short in my opinion. Without going into spoilers I can't say more, but the plot is very straightforward with no twists, no turns, no surprises. The constant mention of Remy's dying wife doesn't add much to my enjoyment either. Actually, when it came down to the end with the final standoff, I found my self skipping details, I wasn't very interested at that point. The story of the angel of death was interesting and I enjoyed Remy's conversations with his dog, but not much else. I just couldn't get into this story. The characters seemed boring and distant, and I didn't really care much what happened to any of them. If the above summary appeals to you though, by all means you should read this book. I wish I enjoyed it more than I did, something about it just didn't connect with me in any way.
There is the summary of the book, here are my thoughts. The plot sure does sound interesting, but it falls short in my opinion. Without going into spoilers I can't say more, but the plot is very straightforward with no twists, no turns, no surprises. The constant mention of Remy's dying wife doesn't add much to my enjoyment either. Actually, when it came down to the end with the final standoff, I found my self skipping details, I wasn't very interested at that point. The story of the angel of death was interesting and I enjoyed Remy's conversations with his dog, but not much else. I just couldn't get into this story. The characters seemed boring and distant, and I didn't really care much what happened to any of them. If the above summary appeals to you though, by all means you should read this book. I wish I enjoyed it more than I did, something about it just didn't connect with me in any way.
July 11, 2010
The idea was neat but I just didn't like the book. First off, it was very "Christian." Lots of full-on biblical and religious dogma that I just don't need in a fantasy book. Reads like a Christian Fantasy book; everything in it was presenting Christianity's beliefs as facts; as a given. I'm not Christian and I don't need a book with 27 different ways of saying, "god" including "Lord of Lords" and "All-Father" etc. Gag.
Plus the plot just wasn't very good or original. You mean the angels are pissed at humanity for being "god's favorite creation?" Boring. The angels were such whiny little brats, you simply didn't care and couldn't understand why they were throwing such tempter tantrums. (Especially when they were apparently so completely different from humans. Whatever, 2 year olds throw tantrums too - nothing new about that!)
By about 3/4 of the way through I just didn't care and wanted the book to end. You knew what the outcome was going to be since a book ending in the Apocalypse would never happen because then you can never have a book 2.
The idea was interesting but I just didn't like it. Found it distasteful for non-Christians. If you're Christian, you'd probably love it but I don't appreciate a book not being up front with it's strong, targeted audience tone.
Plus the plot just wasn't very good or original. You mean the angels are pissed at humanity for being "god's favorite creation?" Boring. The angels were such whiny little brats, you simply didn't care and couldn't understand why they were throwing such tempter tantrums. (Especially when they were apparently so completely different from humans. Whatever, 2 year olds throw tantrums too - nothing new about that!)
By about 3/4 of the way through I just didn't care and wanted the book to end. You knew what the outcome was going to be since a book ending in the Apocalypse would never happen because then you can never have a book 2.
The idea was interesting but I just didn't like it. Found it distasteful for non-Christians. If you're Christian, you'd probably love it but I don't appreciate a book not being up front with it's strong, targeted audience tone.
August 31, 2012
Why did I pick this book? I had just finished all the so far published Dresden books and this book looked very similar ... and I was right. If you like the Dresden Files you're almost guaranteed to like this one.
Overall story ... I'd give it a four. It's a good detective yarn, fun story, good characters. But the reason I gave it a five star review is because of the world that Thomas created. Thomas creates a rich world with wonderful background history, and awesome detail. I would love to just explore the world that Remy Chandler lives in. Thomas has created his own world where Remy left the army of God as an angel to try to become a human, however, the change isn't easy and Remy must fight his Sephardim self constantly to remain human.
My only complaint is the all to often use of the f word, but I guess if you hang out with fallen angels you can't expect them to have clean language.
My favorite part of the whole book though is any conversation that Remy has with this dog Marlowe. Marlowe is an awesome character that really adds an upbeat, innocent voice to an end of the world scenario.
Overall story ... I'd give it a four. It's a good detective yarn, fun story, good characters. But the reason I gave it a five star review is because of the world that Thomas created. Thomas creates a rich world with wonderful background history, and awesome detail. I would love to just explore the world that Remy Chandler lives in. Thomas has created his own world where Remy left the army of God as an angel to try to become a human, however, the change isn't easy and Remy must fight his Sephardim self constantly to remain human.
My only complaint is the all to often use of the f word, but I guess if you hang out with fallen angels you can't expect them to have clean language.
My favorite part of the whole book though is any conversation that Remy has with this dog Marlowe. Marlowe is an awesome character that really adds an upbeat, innocent voice to an end of the world scenario.
October 14, 2009
An excellent book I enjoyed a lot. Remy Chandler may look like an ordinary private detective, but he's actually the angel Remiel disguised and living among humans. After the battle in Heaven that resulted in the fall of Morningstar (Lucifer), Heaven was no longer the paradise it had been for the angel Remiel and he found he couldn't bear staying there. Despite disguising himelf as human, Remy is immortal and still has all his powers. But his wife of 50 years is in a care home dying of cancer. And now his former angelic brothers approach Remy and inform him that the Angel of Death has abandoned his duties and disappeared. It's up to Remy to find the Angel of Death and prevent the apocalypse.
Despite the fairly serious subject matter, this story was simply fun to read. I especially enjoyed Remy's conversations with Marlowe, his loyal Labrador Retriever. Very well written and nice characterizations. Anyone who enjoys Jim Butcher's novels should check this one out.
Despite the fairly serious subject matter, this story was simply fun to read. I especially enjoyed Remy's conversations with Marlowe, his loyal Labrador Retriever. Very well written and nice characterizations. Anyone who enjoys Jim Butcher's novels should check this one out.
May 4, 2015
Setting building. I don't get the reviewers who complain about the language, or the Christianity, or the basicness. This is quick, with lots of little bits like food and coffee to try to ground it in reality; but not overly so. I would say its main struggle is the constant introduction of characters in a not-very organic way; you don't really get the time to know many of them as anything other than an information source. However; the basic core of main character - wife - dog is very well done and rescues a lot. The star of the story is the quick emotional build of those three.
March 11, 2019
The writing is noir detective style, with interesting material and characters to set the stage. While it could be heavy reading with all the doom and gloom happening-Remy has to find the Angel of Death-there were pockets of humanity peeking through to show why Remy chose the path he did. My favorite character is still Marlowe, Remy’s four year old lab, who lightens up any scene he’s in with his exhuberance and simple outlook on life.
I remember reading this book years ago, thinking it was an intriguing twist on heaven, angels, fallen angels and the Apocalypse. I still think that.
I remember reading this book years ago, thinking it was an intriguing twist on heaven, angels, fallen angels and the Apocalypse. I still think that.
June 1, 2009
I picked this up after reading a short story with this character in "Mean Streets". An interesting idea, an angel trying to be human and a PI. I find I like the dog better than the main character. Still, I'll keep reading to see where it goes.
July 22, 2019
I'm giving this book five stars because it made me cry - TWICE! The first time was on pages 214-215, at the end of Chapter 15, when Remy shared a beautiful conversation with his wife, Madeline.
The second time I cried was at the end, in the Epilogue, and I think the tears started on page 288 of this 290-page book. Remy and Marlowe and just written so beautifully that I HAD to cry.
So I'm giving this story five stars even though I don't think I ever laughed while reading it. (I certainly felt tense, though! And when my phone unexpectedly DIED while I was reading it on the 21st, I got very upset!) ❤
I will be buying this book in mass market paperback for my collection. And I'm kicking myself for not ordering it from Barnes and Noble when I was there on Friday!
(Both of the sections that made me cry are shared in my Kindle notes. If you'd like to read them, feel free! But be warned that they are very L-O-N-G.)
The second time I cried was at the end, in the Epilogue, and I think the tears started on page 288 of this 290-page book. Remy and Marlowe and just written so beautifully that I HAD to cry.
So I'm giving this story five stars even though I don't think I ever laughed while reading it. (I certainly felt tense, though! And when my phone unexpectedly DIED while I was reading it on the 21st, I got very upset!) ❤
I will be buying this book in mass market paperback for my collection. And I'm kicking myself for not ordering it from Barnes and Noble when I was there on Friday!
(Both of the sections that made me cry are shared in my Kindle notes. If you'd like to read them, feel free! But be warned that they are very L-O-N-G.)
February 28, 2019
I wanted to love this book, but I just really couldn't get into it and that still bothers me. I'll definitely give the future sequels a chance though.
It took me almost a full month to read this (which it should've taken me 1-2 days).
It assumes you know a lot about angels before you even pick it up, so it was hard for me to figure out who all the characters are because I don't come from that background.
In a weird sense, it reminds me of a Christian version of
, but with less comedy.
It took me almost a full month to read this (which it should've taken me 1-2 days).
It assumes you know a lot about angels before you even pick it up, so it was hard for me to figure out who all the characters are because I don't come from that background.
In a weird sense, it reminds me of a Christian version of
, but with less comedy.
January 26, 2020
Unfortunately, one chapter is all it took to realize it was not for me. I love urban fantasy, but this one reads very “simple” for lack of a better word. I like it a bit more gritty. I couldn’t commit to this book, and less so the entire series.
July 30, 2020
I don't agree with the theology (in general I don't think urban fantasy is the best place to get orthodox theology from :) ), but the story was very good. Good action scenes.
I found it hard to believe that it took 6,000 years of living before the hero found his One True Love Ever.
I found it hard to believe that it took 6,000 years of living before the hero found his One True Love Ever.
August 26, 2016
I admit that I bought this book before I noticed the less than enthusiastic reviews of it here on Goodreads. I'm a picky reader at the best of times and I don't like angel related stories so I was concerned that I wasn't going to like it. I surprised myself by liking it and buying the next books in the series.
Remy is an angel who renounced Heaven to live amongst humans and work as a PI, marrying a human woman called Madeline. He has two friends-his cop friend Mulvehill who knows what Remy is, and his beloved dog Marlowe, who he can communicate with. Remy is suffering as he watches Madeline slowly die in a nursing home where staff think he is a younger relative, so the last thing he needs is to hear that an apocalypse could be coming. Someone is seeking the four scrolls, which if opened, will summon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Despite his personal trauma, Remy is dragged into the battle to stop the apocalypse and has to locate and secure the scrolls before they can be used. However, there are those who do want to see the apocalypse and they don't like the fact that Remy and his friends are interfering with their plans. They are determined to stop him at all costs and it leaves Remy wondering who to turn to for help.
Israfil, the Angel of Death has decided to try living in the real world for a while, abandoning his job of taking the souls of the dead, who end up trapped on Earth and in pain. Remy cannot bear the thought of Madeline suffering this fate along with so many people and agrees to get involved. Israfil's story turns out to be quite human and I liked viewing the Angel of Death in a more sympathetic manner. I liked the story which centered around the Bible verses about the Four Horsemen. I thought the concept was interesting and a bit different from the normal urban fantasy.
It was interesting to see characters who were a bit different. It was refreshing to start the series with the cop already knowing who and what Remy is and being happy to be friends with him, treating him like a normal guy and hanging out with him. It is better than having the conflicts and refusal to believe what Remy is for half the book. So I applaud the author for skipping by all of that and having Mulvehill already accepting it all. Remy himself is a nice guy and I had complete empathy for the personal pain he was going through, as I have recently been in that situation myself. I found it harder to read this book second time round for review purposes because the story is now more personal to me. I thought the author handled this storyline well, with real emotion and understanding.
As I said, I don't like angel stories but this was different from the other angel ones I've read. In fact I think it is the first book with an angel MC that I've ever liked! Remy was an angel and has a few angel powers but he lives as a human and behaves as a human, caring more about the human population than most of his kind do. He is basically getting involved in a war between battling angels who want a different future and are willing to sacrifice humans to do it, which Remy finds unacceptable. We even have a group of them that both Heaven and Lucifer want nothing to do with, which was an interesting addition, along with the group of angel outcasts. The book certainly explores angel mythology so to speak but I actually found that and the religious themes quite fascinating as they were woven nicely with the urban fantasy story.
It is quite an emotional story as Remy struggles to deal with the coming loss of his beloved wife, enduring painful visits to the nursing home. Marlowe doesn't quite understand why Madeline can't be at home with them and doesn't get the concept of how ill she is. The scenes with Remy and Marlowe talking about missing Madeline are quite heartbreaking. Marlowe is totally adorable and sweet and I love him to bits! I wish I had a dog that I could share conversations with like that! I think dog lovers will fall in love with Marlowe from page one. I'm certainly going to enjoy seeing what is in store for Marlowe through the series. I admit that man talking to his dog was one of the reasons that I was attracted to reading the book!
This is not an all action book. The plot centres around locating the scrolls and evading the bad guys. Yes there are a couple of action scenes but a lot of the plot centres around Remy and his conflicting emotions, and the choices he makes. I feel that this helped to develop him as a character and made him easier to connect with, as did his relationships with Madeline, Marlowe and Mulvehill. I am certainly interested in where the story is going in the next book.
A few reviewers have indicated that they were not impressed by the author's writing but I honestly didn't have a problem with it. I found the plot cohesive and entertaining and I can't ask for much more than that. Have I read better urban fantasy? Yes. But I still liked this one and hope to get through the rest of the series soon.
Remy is an angel who renounced Heaven to live amongst humans and work as a PI, marrying a human woman called Madeline. He has two friends-his cop friend Mulvehill who knows what Remy is, and his beloved dog Marlowe, who he can communicate with. Remy is suffering as he watches Madeline slowly die in a nursing home where staff think he is a younger relative, so the last thing he needs is to hear that an apocalypse could be coming. Someone is seeking the four scrolls, which if opened, will summon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Despite his personal trauma, Remy is dragged into the battle to stop the apocalypse and has to locate and secure the scrolls before they can be used. However, there are those who do want to see the apocalypse and they don't like the fact that Remy and his friends are interfering with their plans. They are determined to stop him at all costs and it leaves Remy wondering who to turn to for help.
Israfil, the Angel of Death has decided to try living in the real world for a while, abandoning his job of taking the souls of the dead, who end up trapped on Earth and in pain. Remy cannot bear the thought of Madeline suffering this fate along with so many people and agrees to get involved. Israfil's story turns out to be quite human and I liked viewing the Angel of Death in a more sympathetic manner. I liked the story which centered around the Bible verses about the Four Horsemen. I thought the concept was interesting and a bit different from the normal urban fantasy.
It was interesting to see characters who were a bit different. It was refreshing to start the series with the cop already knowing who and what Remy is and being happy to be friends with him, treating him like a normal guy and hanging out with him. It is better than having the conflicts and refusal to believe what Remy is for half the book. So I applaud the author for skipping by all of that and having Mulvehill already accepting it all. Remy himself is a nice guy and I had complete empathy for the personal pain he was going through, as I have recently been in that situation myself. I found it harder to read this book second time round for review purposes because the story is now more personal to me. I thought the author handled this storyline well, with real emotion and understanding.
As I said, I don't like angel stories but this was different from the other angel ones I've read. In fact I think it is the first book with an angel MC that I've ever liked! Remy was an angel and has a few angel powers but he lives as a human and behaves as a human, caring more about the human population than most of his kind do. He is basically getting involved in a war between battling angels who want a different future and are willing to sacrifice humans to do it, which Remy finds unacceptable. We even have a group of them that both Heaven and Lucifer want nothing to do with, which was an interesting addition, along with the group of angel outcasts. The book certainly explores angel mythology so to speak but I actually found that and the religious themes quite fascinating as they were woven nicely with the urban fantasy story.
It is quite an emotional story as Remy struggles to deal with the coming loss of his beloved wife, enduring painful visits to the nursing home. Marlowe doesn't quite understand why Madeline can't be at home with them and doesn't get the concept of how ill she is. The scenes with Remy and Marlowe talking about missing Madeline are quite heartbreaking. Marlowe is totally adorable and sweet and I love him to bits! I wish I had a dog that I could share conversations with like that! I think dog lovers will fall in love with Marlowe from page one. I'm certainly going to enjoy seeing what is in store for Marlowe through the series. I admit that man talking to his dog was one of the reasons that I was attracted to reading the book!
This is not an all action book. The plot centres around locating the scrolls and evading the bad guys. Yes there are a couple of action scenes but a lot of the plot centres around Remy and his conflicting emotions, and the choices he makes. I feel that this helped to develop him as a character and made him easier to connect with, as did his relationships with Madeline, Marlowe and Mulvehill. I am certainly interested in where the story is going in the next book.
A few reviewers have indicated that they were not impressed by the author's writing but I honestly didn't have a problem with it. I found the plot cohesive and entertaining and I can't ask for much more than that. Have I read better urban fantasy? Yes. But I still liked this one and hope to get through the rest of the series soon.
December 30, 2010
I read a short story with Remy Chandler in it and was intrigued by the character. So, I decided to pick up the first book in this series. It was a good book with an interesting premise.
Remy used to be Remiel part of the Seraphim host. He decided to suppress his angelic nature and live with humans. Now his lives with his dog Marlowe, his wife (who is in a nursing home) and runs his own PI agency . On a investigation that should have been a straight case of infidelity things go awry when the man being investigated shoots himself in the head and dies, but then regains his pulse. Something weird is going on, people all over the world are getting fatal injuries but not dying. Remy finds out that the Angel of Death is missing. The Seraphim want Remy to investigate and try to find the Angel of Death. Time is definitely not on Remy's side because as hospitals fill with people who should be dead, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are getting restless. If Remy can't find the Angel of Death it could mean the end of the world.
Overall this was a good book. Remy is an interesting character. Sniegoski does a good job of dealing with angelic and demonic nature without getting too weird about all the religion behind it; which I really appreciated. There is a lot of action in this book and the plot moves along quickly. The world being on the edge of destruction really propels the book forward. There is some humor, but more heartbreak in this book than I was expecting. The side characters are well filled out and were interesting to read about. The writing is straight-forward, nothing exceptional but very easy to read and engaging. I also liked that Sniegoski dealt with how these disasters were affecting the whole world and not just Remy's little corner of it.
Despite the fact that this is technically a well-written novel I had a bit of trouble getting into the characters. The characters had depth, but they were a little fuzzy around the edges. The action scenes were well-written but didn't really grab me and make me feel like I was there. So, I guess, everything felt a little softer than it should have been and didn't have the hard definition that I expect from an investigative novel. I also expected more witty banter and humor than I got, really most of this novel deals with heartbreak. Remy is a character who deals with love in the toughest forms. The novel wasn't very uplifting (not that I expected it to be), I was almost in tears a number of times.
So, I guess this was a paranormal PI novel with heart. Unfortunately I wanted something with a bit more humor and well-defined action. For me this was one of those books that I kind of like, but was kind of disappointed in. I wasn't exactly sure what was missing but I have described it as well as I can above. I do think this could be an excellent series; this book may just be suffering from the first book syndrome a lot of paranormal books seem to suffer from. It was an easy read and engaging; so I will be picking up the next book to read and see how I like that one.
Remy used to be Remiel part of the Seraphim host. He decided to suppress his angelic nature and live with humans. Now his lives with his dog Marlowe, his wife (who is in a nursing home) and runs his own PI agency . On a investigation that should have been a straight case of infidelity things go awry when the man being investigated shoots himself in the head and dies, but then regains his pulse. Something weird is going on, people all over the world are getting fatal injuries but not dying. Remy finds out that the Angel of Death is missing. The Seraphim want Remy to investigate and try to find the Angel of Death. Time is definitely not on Remy's side because as hospitals fill with people who should be dead, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are getting restless. If Remy can't find the Angel of Death it could mean the end of the world.
Overall this was a good book. Remy is an interesting character. Sniegoski does a good job of dealing with angelic and demonic nature without getting too weird about all the religion behind it; which I really appreciated. There is a lot of action in this book and the plot moves along quickly. The world being on the edge of destruction really propels the book forward. There is some humor, but more heartbreak in this book than I was expecting. The side characters are well filled out and were interesting to read about. The writing is straight-forward, nothing exceptional but very easy to read and engaging. I also liked that Sniegoski dealt with how these disasters were affecting the whole world and not just Remy's little corner of it.
Despite the fact that this is technically a well-written novel I had a bit of trouble getting into the characters. The characters had depth, but they were a little fuzzy around the edges. The action scenes were well-written but didn't really grab me and make me feel like I was there. So, I guess, everything felt a little softer than it should have been and didn't have the hard definition that I expect from an investigative novel. I also expected more witty banter and humor than I got, really most of this novel deals with heartbreak. Remy is a character who deals with love in the toughest forms. The novel wasn't very uplifting (not that I expected it to be), I was almost in tears a number of times.
So, I guess this was a paranormal PI novel with heart. Unfortunately I wanted something with a bit more humor and well-defined action. For me this was one of those books that I kind of like, but was kind of disappointed in. I wasn't exactly sure what was missing but I have described it as well as I can above. I do think this could be an excellent series; this book may just be suffering from the first book syndrome a lot of paranormal books seem to suffer from. It was an easy read and engaging; so I will be picking up the next book to read and see how I like that one.
December 8, 2015
Originally posted at http://kimheniadis.com
I want to start off by saying, if you are a fan of Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, I think you may really enjoy this book. I didn’t notice it as first, I was about half way through the book, but I started to think, What does this remind me of?
Although there are similarities, this book stands on it’s own feet as a fast-paced Urban Fantasy.
Remy Chandler is an angel who chose to come to Earth after witnessing the horrific battle in Heaven that led to Lucifer being sent to Hell. Remy shed his angelic powers (although they are still beneath the surface) and is living among humans.
After being here for many years, he fell in love with, Madeline, his wife. And to round out their small pack, they adopted a dog named Marlowe.
Remy does use his ability to communicate with any person or animal, and talks with Marlowe. His chats with Marlowe made me like him even more.
Thomas Sniegoski must have down a lot of research into the various levels of angels and their philosophy, along with Biblical research. That aspect of the book was pretty new to me, and very interesting to read. The theme of angels being jealous of humankind is not a new story concept, but Sniegoski made it work with all of his extra research and his dynamic writing.
The author also does a great job in showing the conflict warring inside of Remy. There are times when he is getting beaten up, but instead of giving in and using his angel powers, he resists. In this respect it is like the Hardboiled Detective novels. The detective gets roughed up, but still keeps on going.
There is also the pain he feels with his wife dying, but continues to battle for the rest of humankind instead of just quitting, and spending the remaining time with his wife. While this was very hard for him, it’s a choice he must make.
I don’t want to go much more into the plot than what is in the blurb above because I don’t want to give anything away, but Sniegoski set up the secondary characters perfectly for the continuation of the story. We find out who’s Remy’s friends are, and who he has to be wary of.
If you enjoy Urban Fantasy and/or Hardboiled Detective novels, I think you may really enjoy this series. I’m looking forward to reading Dancing on the Head of a Pin, book two in the Remy Chandler series.
I want to start off by saying, if you are a fan of Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, I think you may really enjoy this book. I didn’t notice it as first, I was about half way through the book, but I started to think, What does this remind me of?
Although there are similarities, this book stands on it’s own feet as a fast-paced Urban Fantasy.
Remy Chandler is an angel who chose to come to Earth after witnessing the horrific battle in Heaven that led to Lucifer being sent to Hell. Remy shed his angelic powers (although they are still beneath the surface) and is living among humans.
After being here for many years, he fell in love with, Madeline, his wife. And to round out their small pack, they adopted a dog named Marlowe.
Remy does use his ability to communicate with any person or animal, and talks with Marlowe. His chats with Marlowe made me like him even more.
Thomas Sniegoski must have down a lot of research into the various levels of angels and their philosophy, along with Biblical research. That aspect of the book was pretty new to me, and very interesting to read. The theme of angels being jealous of humankind is not a new story concept, but Sniegoski made it work with all of his extra research and his dynamic writing.
The author also does a great job in showing the conflict warring inside of Remy. There are times when he is getting beaten up, but instead of giving in and using his angel powers, he resists. In this respect it is like the Hardboiled Detective novels. The detective gets roughed up, but still keeps on going.
There is also the pain he feels with his wife dying, but continues to battle for the rest of humankind instead of just quitting, and spending the remaining time with his wife. While this was very hard for him, it’s a choice he must make.
I don’t want to go much more into the plot than what is in the blurb above because I don’t want to give anything away, but Sniegoski set up the secondary characters perfectly for the continuation of the story. We find out who’s Remy’s friends are, and who he has to be wary of.
If you enjoy Urban Fantasy and/or Hardboiled Detective novels, I think you may really enjoy this series. I’m looking forward to reading Dancing on the Head of a Pin, book two in the Remy Chandler series.
April 4, 2011
Some other reviewers were kind enough to give a synopsis of the book, so this review is basically for folks with a similar attitude to mine who may benefit by the heads up. I will simply say, that I didn't like *A kiss before Apocalypse*, The first book in the Remy Chandler series and here's why - This is yet another first book in a series, that starts off without a decent character introduction. I rather feel like the reader needs to be part of the character development required for an Angel to leave heaven and form lasting relationships with humans. There needs to be some work done to get the reader to a place where that character makes sense. But as I read a few chapters in to this book, after a few vague allusions to back-story,(that would have been insightful had it been fleshed out) I kept getting the feeling that I'd started the second book first by accident. This appears to be a trend that I've run across it a few times of late, mostly in books that are released as part of an, "A (Character name here) novel", series. To me jumping in to the story without character exposition is a kind of cheap short hand that I find just tolerable in movies and TV shows. In books; I don't much like it. I really wanted to like this book; the story idea is very appealing - what happens when an angel of the Lord settles on earth and starts making a living as a Private investigator? Unfortunately I found the scanty introduction to the main character and his cronies to be off putting in its approach and brevity. I really want to know what happened to make THAT happen before we settle in to the action of the second reel. I read to chapter nine of nineteen where, finally, almost a full chapter of back story was on offer; but no still real character revelation. There may be hope for the subsequent books in this series, but no hope for my reading them. I didn't throw *A kiss before Apocalypse* across the room, (The fate of those most evil of writings) but I didn't finish it either (rather a bit like book purgatory…)
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