Customer Reviews

Surrender the Dark

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Honestly, I LUV LUV LUV LUV LUV LUV LUV...yes I will say it one more time LUV L. A. BANKS' books. I see that some people were complaining about the religious aspect of the book but I also see that they have never read a Banks book before so that explains it. Most of Banks' series have some religious aspect with a little bit of mythology thrown in there which I have always found refreshing (like Eve beating the crap out of Lilith in VHL....CLASSIC!!!!)There is nothing wrong with a little bit of reaffirmation in your faith or belief system so she can keep it coming for all I care. This book caught me by surprise because I didn't even know she was starting a new series. I like kick butt female heriones which she has in abundance so I'm in heaven. As a fan of VHL (god! I love that series) and Crimson Moon, I'm glad she started another series....I always love her characters and being from the south it I always like reading things with which I can easily identify =) yayayayayayay L. A. Banks keep 'em coming!!!!!

When I first picked this book up, I was a little worried that Celeste was going to be a weak version of Damali and Azreal, just a knock-off of Carlos from Banks' Vampire Huntress series. I am happy to say that wasn't the case at all. Both Celeste and Azreal are definately their own characters and both are fully realized. What I like most about this book is that Banks spends more time in development of the "Lore" and we get to see more of the "behind the scenes" workings of The Divine. Azreal explains why prayers take a long time to get answered and why the forces of Light are losing the battle against the Dark. Given that Azreal is an angel, that is totally appropriate. Ever since Banks brought up the Land of Nod in her Vampire Huntress books and we learned that Damali is part angel, I have always thought well gee, what about the other Nephilim, there should be more, what happened to them? Surrender the Dark gives us a partial answer, that is fully statisfying, to that question. I say partial because I expect that more and more back history about them when Banks writes her next 2 books in the series..at least I expect there to be at least 2 more, given that one of Celeste's Divine Missions is to find the other 2 Remnant left on the planet and unite with them. There is really only one criticism I have for the book and that's the whole set up with Celeste being an abused alcoholic. I would have liked to see her have to really deal with those issues instead of having Azreal magically purge them from her. Ms. Banks has written 12 Vampire Huntress books, started a Young Adult series, written numerous romance books and has a 6-book(to date) Werewolf series as and has contributes stories to a plethora of anthologies and has other titles to her credit. Unlike many other prolific authors, each of her books is as good as the last, often times even better and none of her books seemed rushed to publishing, nor are they a novella hidden as a full novel. Amazingly, each of Banks' series have their own individual pace, feel and nuances, no cookie characters for her, period. Surrender the Dark is definately a must read for anyone who enjoys LA Banks as well as the genera.

Besides being a chain smoker Celeste Jackson is a chain drinker and a constant abuse victim. However, in her mind, she believes she deserves punishment as she suffers from schizophrenia. Her mental illness culminates when her abusive boyfriend Brandon threatens to kill her and Celeste sees a demon residing inside him that he commands to leave; as the horned figure flees the human host, Brandon crumbles in death.

Fleeing for her life, Celeste does what she always does when she hallucinates; she stops at a bar for a drink or ten and a pack of Newports. Her thoughts are she has to get out of this place as Philly is not a safe haven for her. Azrael the Angel who left the Light to protect Celeste meets her at the bar. She thinks he is crazier than she is, which says a lot as he explains who she is and why opposing sides recognize she is critical in the war over humanity. She feels safe with him and he tries to obtain her trust. Celeste must serve as a rallying cry to gather her hybrid angelic-human peers the Remnant and other sensitive receptors to stop the evil dark from continuing their rule over humanity. However, Azrael's attraction to his ward could cost him his wings and mankind their last chance for salvation; only Celeste's addictions may prevent his obsession leaving him wingless forever.

This is a terrific urban fantasy with a throwback feel to when authors used the genre to spotlight social issues. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Celeste orders the demon out of Brandon and never slows down even while L.A. Banks looks deeply at what ails the country. Readers will appreciate the battle for humanity between angels and demons as a schizophrenic addict serves as the pivotal essence in a war for eternity.

Harriet Klausner

**The following review may contain SPOILERS**


I was motivated to read Surrender the Dark in quite a different way. While playing around on amazon.com, I came across the book almost a month ago. I found the cover and the premise of the novel very appealing. At that time, there were only about two reviews and both were very negative. I think one was a 2 star rating while the other was only a 1 star rating. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I am not trying to be disrespectful but after reading the book, I am having a hard time finding the validity of their complaints. One reviewer complained that the author's writing is bad, do to the "over explaining of simple concepts" and too much religious lecturing/preaching. Well, I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to realize that a) the book is the 1st in a new series so of course the author is going to introduce the reader to this new world/mythology she is writing about and b) DUH! The book is about ANGELS and the possibility of the end of the world! I am agnostic and am more spiritual than religious. Those close to me know I strongly dislike people who try pushing their religious beliefs on others. While reading this book, I in NO way felt that the author was trying to make me run to the nearest church. I think some readers need to be a little more open-minded and aware of some of the topics they may come across when reading the synopsis of a novel.

That being said, here are a few things I loved about Surrender the Dark.

Third person narration worked well in this novel and I think Ms. Banks made a wise choice in starting it off with Azrael's fall and first few moments of life on Earth in a mortal body. It definitely sets the mood and in my opinion, immediately catches the interest of the reader. Azrael's fall reminded me of Gabriel's fall in the indie movie of the same name, starring Andy Whitfield. Definitely a movie worth checking out if you like this book.

I liked the different terminology that the author uses (I'll get to that later) and her mythology. One thing I found fascinating is how Angels of the Light come into human bodies depending on their surroundings/environment. For example, the main protagonist, Celeste, lives in the hood and is African American. Since Azrael is being sent down to search for her but does not want to draw too much attention to himself, it only makes sense that his mortal body would blend in, therefore, he looks African American (and has dredlocks). Once I figured that out, it made total sense. It would draw too much attention if a white guy is found walking around in a predominantly "black" section. That is just asking for trouble.

I also liked the way Banks connected natural disasters, excessive drug dealing/using, and diseases (like cancer) to that of the evil workings of the devil. I'm not going to further explain that concept as I don't want to give too much away. But it definitely got me thinking.

I was really impressed with the author's ability to write realistic dialogue and dialects. A great example is one of my favorite characters, Aunt Niecey. Banks was able to capture her old southern charm mixed in with a no nonsense, God fearing attitude of a black woman. Here is an excerpt to give you an idea what I mean:

'"This po' girl been through a lot,"' Aunt Niecey said, looking at Azrael as she rubbed Celeste's back. "I don't know who or what you are to her, but if you hurt this baby girl after all she done endured, ain't no power high enough in Heaven to keep me off your ass, son. You hear? This is my baby. My baby sister's only chile. This one here is special. This one here is anointed--jus' like every door and windowsill and floorboard up in here is anointed, I done put down special prayers on this one. An' jus' like the devil can't come in this prayed-up house, can't nobody who ain't right stay with this special chile to bring her down..."'

Banks also did great with the Jamaican accent of her angel character Isda.

Another small thing I noticed-- I liked the fact that the story takes place in Philadelphia, PA! I am from the South Jersey area and it was so refreshing to read a story where the characters are navigating down streets and buildings I have actually been to myself.

Lastly, what makes this book a little different than other urban fantasy/romance novels is the fact that the main protagonist, Celeste, is not perfect. She is on drugs when Azrael first meets her. I think this gives her a real human quality rather than some unrealistic, perfect character that is hard to relate to.

Now for my 2 small complaints if you want to call them that. Although most people detest when authors add glossaries to their books, I think it would have been an asset in this case. Banks introduces new terminology to her readers in this series that may take some getting used to. While I did figure out the meaning of most, a small guide would have been helpful. Some terms are as follows: "Most High", "The Source of All That Is", "On High", etc.

My other small issue is more of a wish. In Surrender the Dark, Azrael is not the only angel we are introduced to nor is he the only one that is sent down on a mission. There are a few of his brethren that are sent to find others like Celeste. I was hoping, wishing, and praying that Banks' sequel would be about these other warrior angels and their missions but I found out that Azrael and Celeste's story continues in the next book. It's not a huge disappointment but I at least hope Banks adds more about these other characters.

All in all, Surrender the Dark is a great start to a new series about angels & demons, light and dark, good vs. evil, and the depths of despair vs. the healing power of faith.

Good Angels, Bad Angles and lots of Diversity!!!
Surrender the Dark is the story of Celeste and Azriel and the fight to save the world come December 2012. Celeste's a young woman who has had a rough life in the inner city of Philly, she's use to poverty, drugs and heartache, Azriel is the angel who has come to earth, sworn to protect her against fallen angels who would do her harm.

Pros: This book is full of rich diversity which is something lacking with most popular authors, not only are there strong Black characters in the lead role but there are also America Natives, Hispanic and white characters in both the good and bad roles. This is my first angel paranormal and Im happy to say that there is not a vampire in sight. I love the detail Ms. Banks gives when describing the angels. Im looking forward to seeing the website for this series. Most of the characters had interesting dialogue and great chemistry with one another.

Cons: There is so much PLOT that you could become lost in this book, it's a bit overwhelming and I found myself reading parts more then one time (this is also why Im looking forward to the website). There are also a LOT of characters and keeping up with who's who makes me wanna make a chart of some kind.

Final thought: Im looking forward to and will read book two at the end of the year.

The angel Azrael has been sent to earth in a human body, with a very important mission. He must find Celeste Jackson, a woman who is one of the Remnant, the last remaining descendants of angel/human couplings in ages past. The Remnant must be gathered so they can lead the human race when all hell breaks loose in 2012.

When we first meet Celeste, she's an unlikely leader. Labeled "crazy" all her life because she sees demons, she has fallen into an abusive relationship and heavy drinking. One night she's sure it's over -- that her boyfriend is finally going to kill her -- but instead he is killed by the demon that has been inhabiting him. Celeste escapes the demon but finds herself lost and hopeless, until she meets a drop-dead gorgeous man who claims to be an angel.

The interactions between Azrael and Celeste are, for the most part, terrific. Celeste doesn't believe the angel story at first, Azrael is baffled by much of what he finds in the human world, and the trust that develops between the two characters is sweet and uplifting. The relationship between Celeste and her beloved Aunt Niecey is also endearing, as is the camaraderie that develops between Azrael and Niecey. L.A. Banks gives each character a distinctive voice and creates several adorable scenes -- most notably a grocery shopping trip in which Azrael discovers the sensual joys of earthly food, and the scene where the two go to Niecey's house and banter affectionately -- that will give you the warm fuzzies.

The relationship between Azrael and Celeste progresses at improbable speed, though, as does Celeste's transformation from mess to dispenser of wisdom. It might have been easier to swallow if _Surrender the Dark_ took place over a period of weeks rather than a day or two.

The larger problem in _Surrender the Dark_ is the lecturing. Several times, the plot comes to a halt so that one character (usually Azrael) can expound about something to another (usually Celeste). I also had this issue when reading Banks's Minion (Vampire Huntress Legend) several years ago. The subject matter is a little different this time; Minion had a lot of religious preaching, while _Surrender the Dark_ has some of that but is largely focused on the benefits of an organic vegan diet. I can't complain too much, since it does lead to the grocery store scene -- but the copious filibustering wears thin (even during that scene, which I otherwise liked).

The latter half of the novel features more action, as the forces of darkness scheme to gain control of Celeste. I'm not sure how much the larger plot of the series is advanced, as Banks could go several different directions from here. I'm curious whether she will continue to follow Celeste and show how she fulfills her destiny, or if she will backtrack and tell the stories of the other Remnant characters first. This series opener is a promising start... especially if Banks dials back the lecturing.

I'm addicted to the good-versus-evil books where the main character is a bad girl with a big heart. With an in-depth plot, likable characters and a unique writing style, reading SURRENDER THE DARK was a great way to spend a day. Paranormal and Urban Fantasy fans get ready for this great new series!

I was so sad when I finished the Vampire Huntress series. I can't believe she has written something even better. The characters engage you from the beginning. You feel the hurt and disappointment they have had and she makes you understand why we still have hope that more is to come.

Yes I love this book. Her writing is flawless!

Surrender the Dark is a great way to start a new chapter in the supernatural series. Moving on from Werewolves, Vampires and the realms of hell L. A. Banks brings us a bit of heaven with a fallen angel, temptation and an enthralling journey about finding your way back from being lost.
The hero is a handsome angel who was chosen to come down to earth to protect one of the chosen.
This is not as easy of a task as it seems almost equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack. The darkness has taken advantage of every loop hole they could find and the battle for the future of the world is now leaning heavily in their favor. Most of the half breeds (angel and human hybrids) have been killed in natural disasters or freak accidents and now only a handful are left. Out of that handful in a sea of humanity our hero has to find the one he must protect. Not only has darkness surrounded her, her light is so dim that it has been all but snuffed out. She is a light bearer who was being driven off the path her life was supposed to take by demonic persuasion.
If you don't like the idea that this story seems religious based you can say it is based on mythology, no worse than a story about the Greek gods. Don't let that stop you from reading a good book. This story is a reminder that no matter how far you have strayed from your original purpose, where there is life there is hope for angels and humans alike.
There is also a bit of romance and a seemingly forbidden love story mixed in with all of the running for your life and fighting impossible battles. How far would you go for love?
I LOVE L. A. Banks, she is a wonderful and warm person.
I LOVE reading her books and I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.

This book is just an awesome story of positivity, perseverance, uplifting the people and taking care of one's self. She's interwoven a fiction storyline with historical and Biblical events. It makes you think and the fact that the main characters are African American just made me smile from ear to ear every time they're described in detail. If you like her books, she doesn't disappoint at all in this novel. It's a breath of fresh air that will have you thinking and inspiring you to do a little research after you're done. I can't wait for the next book in this series!