Angel Time

Customer Reviews

• Listening for the Songs of the Seraphim  Aug 6, 2009 (117 of 125 found this helpful)

  I just finished an advanced reading copy of Anne Rice's "Angel Time." I've never read an Anne Rice book before, and almost passed it by, but I was intrigued by the medieval aspect mentioned on the jacket blurb.
  
  I literally held my breath throughout the entire book. It was "unputdownable." The suspension of disbelief necessary to accept the concept of an angel or "heavenly being" in an earthly reality is not so farfetched with Rice's masterful development - I could easily imagine the "songs of the Seraphim" from her detailed descriptions. The senses of character, place and time enveloped the reading. The dénouement was amazing and showed perfect symmetry; I didn't imagine - much less predict - the fantastic ending. Toby O'Dare's personal quest was the most compelling aspect, and Rice's Catholic background and research is reflected in his every thought, word and deed.
  
  I'll make a point of reading Rice's books now, and will encourage others to do the same. Recommended for Rice fans, those interested in medieval England and France, Catholic history and concepts, angels and heavenly beings and - in an understated but very present way - the relationship of architecture to the spiritual journey.

• Anne Rice - Angel Time  Oct 5, 2009 (28 of 32 found this helpful)

  I really like the story here and how the first and second halves of the book tied together, seeing as how they were so different. Those most familiar with Rice's earlier works may have some issues with the material being so preachy, and it didn't bother me too much, but it does hurt the story a bit in my eyes. If you are of a religious persuasion, you may enjoy it, but I'm not and it did come off a tad bit trite from my viewpoint. It is expertly written and extremely vivid, much like her earlier, more Gothic pieces, so that's definitely another plus. The pace of the book is nothing short of brilliant for the first half but it did start to drag in the second, not too bad but it was noticeable. Overall this is a great book and allows the imagination to flourish but I just couldn't get into all of the religious aspects.

• Inspiring and Clever  Oct 8, 2009 (17 of 19 found this helpful)

  Angel Time is a pleasantly short read. A nice side-step from her previous novels, though staying somewhat in the periphery of her vampire classics. This novel is the first of the metaphysical thrillers that sets up a new saga (The Songs of the Seraphim).
  
  A bit of a redemption story, the main character (Lucky the Fox) is in a constant battle of moral reflection and introspection. A contract killer by trade, his guardian angel offers a chance to redeem himself. Then comes some history (in the form of time-travel). A bit "awkward" for my taste, but the storyline remained interesting nevertheless.
  
  The story of Lucky somewhat mirrors a similar tragic history as her other main character (ie. Louis of Interview with the Vampire). The life of an innocent young child raised by a devout catholic family, the sudden loss of family members, fighting through a wrecked and violent childhood, the temptation of dark forces, eventually succumbing to the lure that changes them into creatures of darkness (vampire or assasin).
  
  I found the storyline to be a bit disjointed at times. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this book, and anxiously looking forward to the series.

• Lacking  Sep 28, 2009 (26 of 32 found this helpful)

  I loved the old style Anne Rice. I was hoping that she was back and she is in some ways. Her descriptive style is back and her ability to make you see and feel what she is writing is back. However, her plot in this book leaves a lot to be desired. The description on Amazon, the title and the back of the book make a reader think that this book is about assassins and angels. It's not really. It's about a man who is finding himself. I was confused throughout the book about where it was going and where it really wanted to go. I felt like Ms. Rice was struggling in getting her true meaning across. I'm very conflicted about recommending this book. In some ways, I definitely want to recommend it because Toby is a fascinating character and I hope that Ms. Rice explores his life further. However, the book doesn't really make complete sense until the final two pages. It was frustrating to say the least. Of course the last couple books by Anne Rice have been frustrating to most of her fans. I would love her to continue the series to see what she has in mind.

• Redemption  Oct 4, 2009 (9 of 10 found this helpful)

  This is my first book by Anne Rice. I could tell immediately that the author has a strong voice and wrote the book for herself, not the audience - which is always a good thing. The fact that there are basically three different aspects of this tale shows her courage in writing something different and not easily classified. The 3 major subjects are angels, hit men and a great tale from the middle ages (Seriously - how ridiculous is that??). It was interesting to me to see if and how she could blend these 3 disparate elements and turn them into a unified whole. She does it well and you will have to read it yourself to see how. There is an undercurrent in the book that might not be discussed as much. After hearing how the author had recently converted to Christianity I was curious. The segments of the book that rang the most true for me were the most spiritual ones. One can tell that Anne, like the main protagonist, has had a genuine experience with God.