Customer Reviews

Seven Archangels: Annihilation

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

 

 

Recommendation: Excellent

Originality: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Aesthetics: 4/5

This is a book you might have missed, but shouldn't have. The classical struggle of good against evil becomes even more dangerous as angels are forced to fight for their lives in Jane Lebak's Seven Archangels: Annihilation.

Jane combines humor, action, and a unique take on the angelic host as she helps us to imagine what it would be like if Satan and his demons discovered a way to unmake an angel.

The angel characters in this book are not the perfect, stoic saints we normally envision. They are much more human, though undoubtedly more powerful than any human was created to be. They often disagree with one another, get jealous and angry with each other, and even question God from time to time. As in normal human life, God is often on the sidelines in this book, regularly offering guidance and comfort, but usually leaving it up to His followers to handle the hands-on stuff. The great thing about God in this book is that whereas the angels are often afraid and unsure, God never is. He is in complete control the entire time.

Even so, there is a definite sense of urgency in the book. Although the reader trusts that God is ultimately in control, we never know how far God is willing to let a situation escalate. There is a very poignant scene in which God commands one of His angels to let another angel die and we see how challenging that is to the character's faith.

The main angel characters, such as Gabriel, Remiel, Raphael, and Michael are very easy to identify with and they are, in many instances, familiar names from Scripture and Christian legend. So the reader definitely finds themselves caring about what happens to these characters. There is even a cameo appearance by the Apostle Peter and a rather large supporting role given to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

One thing I hate about a book is an unsatisfying ending and Jane certainly doesn't disappoint with this one. The last battle will keep you guessing as you dread what will happen to two of the main characters and the resolution and epilogue are well worth the wait.

With that said, I do have a couple of detractors to mention. First, the angels in this book are all organized into different groups with different abilities given to them and they are able to bond and communicate with one another in special ways. Whereas this is all very interesting and indeed forms a large part of the subplot, it also seems to get a little too complex, especially in the beginning, as Jane's humorous foreword addresses. Still, as long as you don't get too hung up on trying to figure everything out and instead just let the story carry you along, you should be fine.

The other questionable material involves the way in which two angels or two demons are able to bond with one another. The relationship seems to resemble a human romance more than a platonic friendship. There is one scene, for instance, where the imagery of how one demon is attacking another almost sounds like a rape. Later, these same two demons, both described in the masculine, are very obviously flirting with one another as one sits on the others' lap. I don't think this should keep you from reading the book, but it is something you will most probably notice. In the author's defense, angels do not necessarily have to relate to one another in the same way that humans do and these scenes may even have been purposefully inserted here to show how the demons are even unable to love one another properly.

As far as the aesthetics of the book go, the cover does depict a key theme of the story, but the art is not very impressive. The interior is of a standard, professional quality.

As I said at the beginning, this book is definitely worth picking up and I look forward to Jane's next installment, hopefully coming out sooner rather than later. I give Seven Archangels: Annihilation a recommendation of Excellent.

Steve Wilson, from ([...], author of The Gifted: In the Beginning.

If you like angels and demons, this may be the book for you. Whereas the TV program "Touched By an Angel" played out in this world, this book primarily allows one to experience the world of angels and demons.

Certainly a difficult subject to pull off, simply because so many people have very set ideas of what angels and demons are like, as well as a theology about them. And one should be warned, this is not your daddy's angel book--unless you give it to him for Christmas. If you come at this book thinking this needs to conform to your theology of how angels are and act, you'll have a problem. Not that this book doesn't conform to a theology of angels, but one does have to keep in mind that this is fiction, not reality. The author isn't saying, "this is how angels really are and act." So if one comes at it giving the author some leeway in defining that world and knowing it may not sync with one's own theology one hundred percent, you'll enjoy this book.

The premise of the book is interesting. It boils down to what if Satan could kill an angel? In this story, he believes he can, and makes the attempt. And it appears he has succeeded in annihilating Gabriel. Can the other angels do anything to save Gabriel? Is one of them next? And what about God? Why did He allow this? The story follows the various angels and demons attempting to come to terms with Gabriel's annihilation.

If you're looking for an action packed book, this may not be for you. There is action to be had, but there are also chapters of dialog and waiting. Not that nothing is happening, but the pacing as far as action goes bogs down through the middle of the book, sandwiched between some well written action sequences in the beginning and the end.

But if you're wanting character interaction, look no further. A strong cast of angels and demons interact with one another, with well defined personalities and characters. I would suggest that the strong point of this novel is the cast of interesting characters and how they interact with one another. If that type of novel appeals to you, get this book and have at it.

If there is a weakness to the book, it would have to be the difficulty getting into the story. I think there are three reasons for this. One, while the cast of characters is the novel's strong point, they also contribute to the time it takes to get into the story. There are simply so many of them that it takes a while to match names with angels/demons. I almost felt I needed a program as in baseball to keep the players straight. But after some time, I had no trouble knowing who was who. It simply took three or four chapters to reach that point. And I'm on the slower side than others in that regard, so not all will have that same experience.

Two, the angel/demon world is so new and unlike our own that I was never sure what all the "rules" were as to how it operated. The strangeness of it kept me from sinking right into the story, attempting to acclimate myself to the world setting. Eventually I got there too, but it contributed to the delay. And each time a new power was revealed, I had to readjust the world's rules in my mind.

Three, while the point of view was well done and seamless in its execution so that I wasn't distracted from the story by it, it is written in a more omniscient view. Sometimes it sank into a close limited third with several of the characters, other times pulling back to a more omniscient perspective. While that point of view was necessary to tell the story, it did add to the time it took to get comfortable with the characters and their world.

I would say that by the fifth to sixth chapter or so, I didn't think as much about these things. If you're willing to spend a little time getting to know the characters and the world, if you like seeing a well developed setting, the story is worth the effort.

For the reader who enjoys a new world and a cast of interesting characters dealing with deep issues that we humans have faced for thousands of years, you don't want to miss out on this book. Despite the new world, and the angelic/demonic powers, what strikes me most is the very human issues it touches upon as this tale unfolds. And in that, it can teach us a lot about ourselves.

Part of this review is what I wrote to the author to praise her for her work. She'll have to forgive me for repeating myself, but I had to share.
I read this book just the other night and am so sad that I've finished it. it was so good, I started reading it at 10 pm--as something to read just before bed--I didn't go to sleep until 5 am. And that was only until I forced myself to do so at page 214. The only reason I put the book down is because my arms were falling asleep from being folded at my chest for 7 hours, and I knew I had to get some rest. Of course, I just woke up three hours later and finished it right away.
I love books that take your outside of yourself and your world. I also love books that remind me of the spiritual world that is around us. This book did both in a masterful and entertaining way. I loved everything about it, but I won't give away the surprising details. Yes, there were some characteristics--of angels, of Mary and Jesus that I might not have imagined myself. But they weren't implausible. They didn't make me cringe, but they opened my mind to the fact that Jesus and Mary were human (well, Jesus was God made man...), and it's absolutely plausible that they would have a human relationship, as mother and son.
Whether or not angels do the things Jane presents in this novel is completely beyond our knowledge. Is it possible that they behave this way? I don't see why it isn't, but I'm not a scholar on angels. If you want a scholarly treatise on angels, look to Aquinas. is this book sacrilegious? Absolutely not. It is a loving look, a hopeful look at faith and love, and Jesus and Mary and the angel world.
I wish that someone would make this book into a movie. And I can't wait to read the next thing this author has in store for us. I pray that more people will discover this book. And I'm going to have to add this to my list of books to read over and over again...

Jane Lebak yanked me right into her angelic world with the first chapter and kept me hooked all the way to the end. Her excellent characterization builds the suspense as we travel from heaven to hell and back again. A fantasy? Absolutely. But who knows? It could have happened.

N. Fischer

Every bit as exciting as the best fantasy novel, but all based on the general beliefs of angels, Heaven and Hell. The action is good, the plot is very engaging, and Jane's mastery of the genre is evident. Excellent first novel for those (like me) looking into Christian fiction.

I would say that Jane Lebak has created an excellent fantasy, but that would not be quite accurate. She has created a suberb novel, no qualifying genre required. This is a unique story that catches the reader and will not let go until the last page is finished. The characterizations are finely drawn and complex, and this is true of minor as well as major participants, both the good and the evil. It is the same with the interactions. Lebak's concepts of angelic nature, their modes of thought and function, are deep and complex and would make a reader's head spin were they not introduced so naturally that they can simply be absorbed. In the end, though, it is the individuals involved who make this heart-stopping tale all that it is. Good or bad, you care about them, and you care what happens to them.

If you're into Christian fiction, this is a best of breed novel. If you read it, you'll love it.

If you're not, don't run away just yet. Do you like a good fantasy story? Do you like the kind of novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat for hours, completely engrosses you, and does not let you go to sleep at night without knowing what happens next? If so, this book is for you. It will pull you along until the end, and when it dumps you out, you'll want more books by her because you'll want to go on that ride again.

Jane has done it again. She shows an uncanny knowledge (perhaps firsthand?) of the realm of the Angelic. With a master's touch, she weaves an incredible story that leaves you wanting more with each chapter. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy tale. The real question, is where does fantasy leave off and reality begin? Only the Angels know and they aren't telling.

While written from a decidedly Christian world-view (obviously), the author doesn't lapse into Peretti-esque preachiness. I'm looking forward to a "radio theatre"-style version. Hear that, Jane? [foot taps impatiently]

This has to be the worst book I've read since I became literate at the age of three. The writing is remindful of a thirteen-year-old posturing as a metaphysical genius -- or even worse. Doctrinally unsound, bordering on blasphemous, by turns hysterical and heave-inducing, Seven Archangels: Annihilation is one of those books I would "accidentally" leave behind on a plane or at a bus stop.

On second thought, no, I wouldn't. I wouldn't want to subject someone else to something so offensive.

A sacrilege, pure and simple.