Customer Reviews

Fearless (Angel)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A excellently written story that hits all the right notes. One highlight that I loved about this book was that, unlike other books, it didn't spend pages and pages on fancy fighting scenes. Its very straightforward and has a great underlying message and is conclusion is great too. Well written with good characterization and the lovable Yoda-like demon character is a highlight.
The basic plot is like that of Mortal Fear but pulls it off way better. The gang are infected with demon powder than renders them able to heal rapidly, unafraid of ever getting hurt in their battles. However, the effect is reverse on Angel who suffers the slow healing of a normal human. The gang are unconcerned with Angel's wounds and take off to get more of this fearless powder. However, Angel and a Yoda-like creature must work together to stop this from happening as this powder, in the human world could be catastrophic.
This book has a much better plot than that of Mortal Fear and it actually makes more sense and better characterization. Overall very pleasing!

Doranna Durgin starts out Fearless with an unusual premise. A strange thing happens at the gangs most recent demon-killing party. The humans suddenly experience superhuman healing abilities - and superhuman silliness as well. On the other hand, Angel loses his vampirish capacity for recovery. With Cordelia, Fred, Wesley, and Gunn rendered stupid, Angel must do the majority of the fighting getting badly injured in the process. Worse, the ugly badness that messed with their heads gets away.

When the team returns to the hotel one thing becomes quickly apparent - everyone is so used to not having to worry about Angel that they literally ignore his needs. In fact, they resent giving him attention so much that their response becomes one of intense selfishness and suspicion. Angel is not the least bit comforted when a Yoda-like demon named Kluubp shows up and explains that the Giflatl feeds only on demons. The toxin that weakens vampires stupefies and intoxicates humans so that they will wander off and forget the whole thing. Including its magic healing abilities.

It is the latter which creates the real problem. Giflatl toxin may not hurt humans directly, but it becomes a magnet for greed and social unrest. So while Angel struggles to get rid of the Giflatl without any publicity, the gang gets furious with him for keeping secrets. Making the whole thing a lose/lose proposition. Angel's confrontation with his own fragility leaves him questioning his ability to care for Connor. And when Gunn and Wesley go on a compulsive magic serum hunt Angel finds his friends are not quite as perfect as he thought.

Durgin succeeds in making this story more than just a 'stop-demon-save-world' construct. Instead, the plot becomes the basis of some surprising character development. We, like the rest of Angel Investigations, tend to take Angel for granted, and the story mirrors the effect of making one team member into a crutch. I very much liked the introspective change of pace which balances very well with the underlying plot that drives the action. If you are looking for an interesting viewpoint on the latter-day Angel, check this out.

in this book the gang go up against the usual, a demon. but this one has different powers than they're used to. angel comes back from the fight completly torn apart while the others go back healed, happy and care free!!!!

the group is now split, leaving angel all by himself, well except for everyones fav. lorne who becomes a mediator. the split deepens when angel starts helping a yoda like creature to kill the beast.

overall i like this book the author doranna durgin seems like she really knows her stuff about the show, but i have to admit that it bugged me a bit the way she made gunn and welsley out to be less good and more suspicous. also i felt that sometimes not much really happened in some chapters but this was still a good angel book i recommend this to any angel fan

This book is really boring. Nothing happens in this book, except for the last five pages. It's the same conversation over and over again for the 200 something pages. I almost fell asleep reading it. I hope the next one, "Solitary Man" is better.