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Death Sword
The only thing more dangerous than an angel of death is one obsessed with vengeance.
Karla Black has always known she’s different from other people. She learns just how different after she's fatally stabbed and brought back to life as a half-human angel of death.
With newfound power comes a newfound boss.
Samael despises her. He considers Karla impure and resents her relationship with her partner Xariel…who also happens to be Samael's ex-lover. When he takes that hatred to a higher level, Karla vows vengeance - a task easier said than done.
With the loss of their angelic powers, Karla and Xariel face a dilemma – how will they defeat an unstoppable Samael, whose poisoned rapier can kill human and angel alike?
If Karla doesn’t awaken to her true identity, both heaven and earth are in danger of annihilation.
Karla Black has always known she’s different from other people. She learns just how different after she's fatally stabbed and brought back to life as a half-human angel of death.
With newfound power comes a newfound boss.
Samael despises her. He considers Karla impure and resents her relationship with her partner Xariel…who also happens to be Samael's ex-lover. When he takes that hatred to a higher level, Karla vows vengeance - a task easier said than done.
With the loss of their angelic powers, Karla and Xariel face a dilemma – how will they defeat an unstoppable Samael, whose poisoned rapier can kill human and angel alike?
If Karla doesn’t awaken to her true identity, both heaven and earth are in danger of annihilation.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
22 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Turner
26 books15 followersPamela Turner drinks too much coffee, and wishes she could write perfect first drafts. Influenced by shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, and Twilight Zone, she writes paranormal suspense. Publications include the short novels Death Sword, a finalist in the Chanticleer Book Reviews’ Blue Ribbon Paranormal Awards 2013, Exterminating Angel (both from Kensington Publishing’s Lyrical Press imprint), and The Ripper’s Daughter (BlackWyrm Publishing). Her short, dark suspense story, “Family Tradition” (MuseItUp Publishing), was a finalist in the EPIC 2014 EBook Awards, and her short screenplay “Cemetery” placed second in The Writers Place Short/Teleplay screenplay competition. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, EPIC, and a supporting member of HWA. Besides coffee, she likes cats, cemeteries, and old abandoned buildings. You can find her at http://pamelaturner.net
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 17, 2012
Reviewed for The Book Vixen, here
In a Nutshell: Really enjoyed the hot angels of death fraternity world building but the romance was meh and the plot had too many strings dropped.
The Set Up: Karla has always been different but until she’s killed and resurrected as an angel of death, she didn’t know how different. Now she’s got Xariel as a partner but his former lover and their boss, Samael, hates Karla and wants her dead. Will Karla and the other angels be able to outsmart the evil Samael?
Why I Read this Book: Paranormal romance is my PB&J comfort genre and I’m always looking for new reads. This synopsis and beautiful cover captured my attention.
What I Liked: I adored the angels of death. Metatron, the CEO, has the beleaguered charm readers like me adore (think Acheron from Kenyon’s Dark Hunters series). Each angel introduced has an interesting personality, for instance, Gabriel is the cool, remote angel of vengeance but shows slivers of caring. Even the villain, Samael, was a fascinating character. Sure, he decimates the human population in an attempt to win back his former lover but he’s got this charisma that had me hoping he could be redeemed somehow. This group of hot men had such personality that they made Xariel, the hero, seem almost bland in comparison.
What I Didn’t Like: I wanted to like this novella a lot but I have issues:
The romance was meh. Karla was young (barely 21) and acted it. Xariel seemed to have more attraction to his dead wife and Samael than to Karla. Sure, they have sex but the emotional attraction was nil, in my opinion. Plus, Xariel makes mention a few times how much he misses male-male sex and how denying that would be to deny a part of himself but the couple doesn’t even discuss this at novella’s end. As a reader I got the impression this was pretty big and now nada!? Nut-uh, not buying this HEA romance one bit.
The plot showed such potential at novella’s onset but then the strings were just dropped. For instance, Xariel is fighting a few curses that should make a sexual relationship with Karla impossible and there is big tension about this early on. But then, poof, have sex and wouldn’t you know it, no one knows how his curses aren’t activated, they just aren’t—c’mon, now, of course that explanation ain’t gonna fly!
The end felt rushed. So much was going on with the characters as they tried to prevent Samael from destroying both earth and the heavens that it all went by at light speed to a very quick finish. I felt like the author had built up this great story with lots of pieces and then couldn’t figure a way to make them all works so she just threw it against the wall and whatever slid down was the ending.
IMO: I liked the angels of death so much that I will give the series a little rope and read the next one, unless it’s a continuation of Xariel and Karla’s “romance” in which case I won’t.
In a Nutshell: Really enjoyed the hot angels of death fraternity world building but the romance was meh and the plot had too many strings dropped.
The Set Up: Karla has always been different but until she’s killed and resurrected as an angel of death, she didn’t know how different. Now she’s got Xariel as a partner but his former lover and their boss, Samael, hates Karla and wants her dead. Will Karla and the other angels be able to outsmart the evil Samael?
Why I Read this Book: Paranormal romance is my PB&J comfort genre and I’m always looking for new reads. This synopsis and beautiful cover captured my attention.
What I Liked: I adored the angels of death. Metatron, the CEO, has the beleaguered charm readers like me adore (think Acheron from Kenyon’s Dark Hunters series). Each angel introduced has an interesting personality, for instance, Gabriel is the cool, remote angel of vengeance but shows slivers of caring. Even the villain, Samael, was a fascinating character. Sure, he decimates the human population in an attempt to win back his former lover but he’s got this charisma that had me hoping he could be redeemed somehow. This group of hot men had such personality that they made Xariel, the hero, seem almost bland in comparison.
What I Didn’t Like: I wanted to like this novella a lot but I have issues:
The romance was meh. Karla was young (barely 21) and acted it. Xariel seemed to have more attraction to his dead wife and Samael than to Karla. Sure, they have sex but the emotional attraction was nil, in my opinion. Plus, Xariel makes mention a few times how much he misses male-male sex and how denying that would be to deny a part of himself but the couple doesn’t even discuss this at novella’s end. As a reader I got the impression this was pretty big and now nada!? Nut-uh, not buying this HEA romance one bit.
The plot showed such potential at novella’s onset but then the strings were just dropped. For instance, Xariel is fighting a few curses that should make a sexual relationship with Karla impossible and there is big tension about this early on. But then, poof, have sex and wouldn’t you know it, no one knows how his curses aren’t activated, they just aren’t—c’mon, now, of course that explanation ain’t gonna fly!
The end felt rushed. So much was going on with the characters as they tried to prevent Samael from destroying both earth and the heavens that it all went by at light speed to a very quick finish. I felt like the author had built up this great story with lots of pieces and then couldn’t figure a way to make them all works so she just threw it against the wall and whatever slid down was the ending.
IMO: I liked the angels of death so much that I will give the series a little rope and read the next one, unless it’s a continuation of Xariel and Karla’s “romance” in which case I won’t.
March 29, 2012
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It's funny a couple of months ago I hadn't read any books about angels, but yet they were a topic that was very intriguing to me. But then I happen to mention on twitter that I was looking for books to review that involved angels, and so far I have had a ton of books submitted for review, and Death Sword was one of them. But the thing I really like about this particular part of the urban fantasy genre is that there are so many unique takes on how to write angels.
So this book ha to do with angels of death, which I think may be the first book about angels of death I have read, although I did read a book about two brothers who were grim reapers. That being said I really enjoyed how the whole thing worked. It was a pretty unique take on angels, and they were super interesting to read. I like how serious the angels take their work.
I have to say that this book started off pretty strong from the very beginning of the book, and also managed to keep up the plot in terms of suspense until the end of the book. I think the writing was pretty good, and I love a book that keeps me wanting to turn the page.
I really enjoyed the characters. I thought the author did a really good job of putting together an interesting group of people. And you also get pretty invested in the characters, and it's easy to start pulling for them.
I think the story was pretty good, although I think there could have been more done during the editing process. I think it could have used maybe one more pass to make the content just a little more polished. But honestly even without it the book was pretty good as it is.
So I think if you enjoy books about angels, or even if you just are looking for an urban fantasy book to try, this one is pretty good.
It's funny a couple of months ago I hadn't read any books about angels, but yet they were a topic that was very intriguing to me. But then I happen to mention on twitter that I was looking for books to review that involved angels, and so far I have had a ton of books submitted for review, and Death Sword was one of them. But the thing I really like about this particular part of the urban fantasy genre is that there are so many unique takes on how to write angels.
So this book ha to do with angels of death, which I think may be the first book about angels of death I have read, although I did read a book about two brothers who were grim reapers. That being said I really enjoyed how the whole thing worked. It was a pretty unique take on angels, and they were super interesting to read. I like how serious the angels take their work.
I have to say that this book started off pretty strong from the very beginning of the book, and also managed to keep up the plot in terms of suspense until the end of the book. I think the writing was pretty good, and I love a book that keeps me wanting to turn the page.
I really enjoyed the characters. I thought the author did a really good job of putting together an interesting group of people. And you also get pretty invested in the characters, and it's easy to start pulling for them.
I think the story was pretty good, although I think there could have been more done during the editing process. I think it could have used maybe one more pass to make the content just a little more polished. But honestly even without it the book was pretty good as it is.
So I think if you enjoy books about angels, or even if you just are looking for an urban fantasy book to try, this one is pretty good.
December 27, 2011
One night in a dark alley Karla Black is stabbed by a man who doesn't want her money, her body, or even her life. He wants to activate her angel side and help her take up a mantle as an angel of death. Traumatizing enough on its own, Karla then finds herself stuck with her mysterious not-killer and sucked into a centuries old drama involving his jealous ex-lover and a series of curses (and nothing is as jealous as or curses like an angel)
More than just Karla is at stake, though, as Samael's berserker side takes control of him bit by bit putting Karla, the other angels, and the world at large in some serious danger.
Death Sword is not perfect. I'd have liked to see some smoothing around the edges, both in the writing and in the emotional content of the story. But it's a lot of fun to read about your home city suffering the vengeful wrath of angels, and Turner has a very interesting take on angels here. And a great love story, which will make this a pleasurable read for paranormal romance fans, and a good addition to digital paranormal romance collections.
Contains: violence, language, m/m sexual situations, explicit sex scenes
More than just Karla is at stake, though, as Samael's berserker side takes control of him bit by bit putting Karla, the other angels, and the world at large in some serious danger.
Death Sword is not perfect. I'd have liked to see some smoothing around the edges, both in the writing and in the emotional content of the story. But it's a lot of fun to read about your home city suffering the vengeful wrath of angels, and Turner has a very interesting take on angels here. And a great love story, which will make this a pleasurable read for paranormal romance fans, and a good addition to digital paranormal romance collections.
Contains: violence, language, m/m sexual situations, explicit sex scenes
January 21, 2011
A very inventive take on angels in fiction. I particularly enjoyed the "corporate" nature of the angels of death and their work ethics.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews