Wednesday, June 27, 2012

A Hundred Words for Hate by Thomas E. Sniegoski

As an angel, Remy possess powers and skill he puts to good use in his chosen profession - but only if the situation calls for it. And the sudden reappearance of the Garden of Eden is definitely one such situation.

He's approached by the seemingly benevolent Sons of Adam to find the Key to the Gates of Eden. But there are those who want the Gates to stay shut. For there is something terrible and dangerous buried in the Garden- and they'll do anything to see that it is not unearthed.

Now, caught between warring factions of immortals, Remy must decide how to proceed: Find the Key, or not? Desperate for help, he turns to a very old acquaintance: a fallen angel who is sometimes a friend, sometimes a foe- and always deadly.
~~

I have to give high marks to a series that's a fantastic read even when you start with book four. I found myself liking Remy from the beginning, the former Angel who's lost his feel for humanity. His wife had kept him grounded and connected to the world of men and when she died of cancer (which I don't consider a spoiler since it's revealed first thing) everything changed for Remy. When a former associate contacts him to find the key to the Gates of Eden it gives him the opportunity to feel excited once again about his job and humanity.

Initially I picked this up because it felt similar to Simon R. Green and his Nightside series but after finishing this book there are some very distinct differences. First the overall tone is not as 'horror-ful' as Green's world. Yes there is some pretty gruesome action, but pain and torture for the sake of pain and torture don't appear nearly as much. And of course one can't overlook the Christian mythology. Remy is an Angel, full stop, with the typical God created Angels then created Man back story. Any sort of Christian mythos that shows up in Nightside is a footnote (for the most part) to what else is going on - there are lots of  gods and goddesses to consider.

Either way I ended this book with excitement - I've found a new author :). I really like Sniegoski's style, his characters, and the way he mixes mystery and the paranormal. I definitely want to read the rest.

Overall Feeling - A-

Series - 1) A Kiss Before the Apocalypse 2) Dancing on the Head of a Pin 3) Where Angels Fear to Tread 4) A Hundred Words for Hate 5) In the House of the Wicked

P.S. - What the f*ck? I bought this used for half price and the SERIES IS 60% OFF ON AMAZON ($5.60). I'm a little bitter.