Customer Reviews

Where Angels Fear to Tread: A Remy Chandler Novel (Remy Chandler Series)

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Three books into the series now (plus one short story), and I have to be honest: I love the concept, I'm disappointed in the execution.

The concept, for those just tuning in: After the War in Heaven and the banishing of those who followed Lucifer in revolt against God, the angel Remiel of the Seraphim Host decided to quit Heaven and dwell on Earth. Eventually, he decided to hide his divine nature in a human guise, and settled into the role of Remy Chandler, a Boston private detective. He fell in love with a mortal woman named Madeline, revealed his true nature to her, and they married. Unwilling to have children that would turn out "unnatural" due to the blend of human and angelic nature, they adopted a dog named Marlowe. Remy also revealed his true nature to a dying cop named Steven Mulvehill, who became one of his two closest friends, the other being a former guardian angel named Francis who had originally followed Lucifer but repented before the War was over and was given penance by God: stand guard over the door to Hell.

All of this back-story happens before the first book in the series, and is sprinkled liberally between the first two books in the series. The first two books were approached as somewhat from Remy's point of view -- not first person narrative, but everything definitely filtered (except for one scene in the first book) through the perspective of knowing only what Remy would know, when he would know it. The first two books were also heavy on the "series set-up" angle: the first book introducing Remy and pitting him literally against the end of the world; the second showing how that near-miss of an apocalypse has set the supernatural world of angels and demons into an agitated kind of motion.

Book three is the first in the series that seems to be more about a case than about the political machinations of Heaven and Hell (although, of course, there is a connection, and a set-up for something that will probably pay off in a big way later should the series last long enough). It's also the first to feature a main bad guy only peripherally associated with Judeo-Christian beliefs: the old god Dagon. There's also a subplot about Samson and Delilah and what they're doing now (no surprise they're immortal; in the one Remy Chandler short story, we found that Noah was still alive too). The Samson and Delilah plot, and the revival of Dagon, come together with the case Remy is currently working on: locating a missing six year old girl named Zoe (who is more than she seems) and the father who stole her away. Those three plots are enough to propel the book, and Sniegoski rightly leaves mentions of Heaven and Hell to a minimum. This is also the first book not told completely through Remy's perspective: chapters (and eventually, scenes within chapters) bounce between Remy, Delilah, Dagon, Zoe's father and mother, and several other supporting characters.

On the upside: 1) the three plots are interesting, and while the way they come together is not really shocking they at least fit together sensibly; 2) Sniegoski finds a somewhat trite but still workable way to keep the late Madeline as an active presence in Remy's life; 3) we get to see more of how the Biblical world is still extant in the modern world (the aforementioned blind Samson and near-demonic Delilah, still both paying some form of penance for the mistakes they made in Biblical times); 4) with this particular plot there is almost no way Sniegoski could have kept things only in Remy's POV, and the change in style makes the third book feel a little fresher (sort of like Jim Butcher writing the novella "Back-up" from Thomas Wraith's POV instead of Harry Dresden's); 5) the scenes between Remy and Marlowe are possibly the best-written scenes in the book.

On the downside: 1) Sniegoski's style is still choppy to the extreme, highly repetitive (not just from scene to scene, but characters repeating each other in the same scene). While he keeps the references to previous books appropriately brief, he has a tendency to repeat information from this story in places that felt out of place, or made it feel like he needed one more good edit; 2) what should be an excellent supporting cast is once again largely relegated to the background -- Madeline is dead, and still gets more screen-time than any of the living recurring characters. The bits where Remy and Mulvehill drink together are fun, but Mulvehill needs more to do than that if we're going to maintain interest in him; 3) with all the repetition of information, there's still a decided lack of sensory detail and what is there feels largely cliched except for a few nice turns of phrase -- Sniegoski's strong point is in the dialogue more than the description; 4) the scenes between Remy and his dog are possibly the best-written scenes in the book.

I really, really want to like this series. The concept is a strong one; the characters have great potential. But so far the potential is not realized, and the lack of immediacy even in the fight scenes made the book disappointing for me.

March 2, 2010: I can't say that I have been the biggest fan of the urban fantasy genre but I have been totally hooked on Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Files for a few years. Last summer I picked up the Mean Streets compilation to see what Harry was up to and discovered Sniegoski's Remy Chandler character in his novella "Noah's Orphans". It was a terrific story and an even more interesting concept: An angel living amongst humans working as a private investigator. I immediately picked up the first two novels at my local bookstore and read them both in a single sitting. The books offer an interesting take on the concepts of angels, gods, heaven and hell weaved into two very good mysteries. What I really love, and what I found very moving at times, are the depictions of Remy's relationships with his human wife, his human friend Steve, his friend Francis (a former guardian angel who once was on the wrong side during the war in heaven and now guards one of the gates of hell as a penance) and especially with his dog and best friend, Marlowe. Angels have the ability to talk to animals and we get to eavesdrop on these hilarious and believable conversations.
Sniegoski has not missed a beat with his newest installment in the series, "Where Angels Fear to Tread". Remy has been hired by the mother of young autistic girl to search for her kidnapped daughter who seems to have some clairvoyant abilities and may be the key to something big and powerful. He gets a little help from the Old Testament hero Samson, who is still alive, because the little girl is also being sought by Samson's former lover and betrayer Delilah for reasons unknown. Samson is still a little bitter over the breakup. It's a very enjoyable take on the biblical characters and it's obvious the author had a lot of fun making them contemporary and letting us know what they have been up to for the last four thousand or so years. I definitely recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to the next book!

A frantic mother comes to Remy because her husband took their 6 year old autistic daughter. Delilah has great power, but is seeking more. Samson is looking for Delilah (yes, them), to kill the betraying witch. A Sumerian god is wants to be a god again. Zoe, the six year old, who rocks and hand flaps, also draws the future, and is who they all seek. And Remy, either as a P.I. or angel, must stop most of them. I really like these urban fantasies/ mysteries because Remy and Marlowe (his dog) and the rest of his pals and allies are so delightful to spend time with.

This is the third book in the Remy Chandler series; the most recent information that I can find says Sniegoski was contracted for four books in this series. This book was a great addition to the series.

Remy gets contacted to work a missing child case; only this missing child is drawing prophetic pictures in crayon and is more than she seems. Deliliah, cursed to forever live without love, is also looking for the child. Samson gets pulled into the mess in an attempt to help Remy fight Deliliah, as he has been tasked by God to destroy her. Drawn into the mess is also an ancient god Dagon, who is trying to use the child to be reborn.

There are some interesting characters in this book but they aren't necessarily the strong point of the story. What really distinguishes this book (as well as the first two) from others in the genre is the tight plot and great action scenes. Sniegoski does an excellent job of weaving a tight and engaging mystery/plot that doesn't waste space. Remy always has a clear goal and follows a logical path to get there. I just love that there is no rambling in these books or any sense of Sniegoski not knowing what he wants the characters to do.

Those who were hoping that this book would expand on the changes that happened in Hell in book 2 may be disappointed. Though the reformed Hell is mentioned in passing, it is not a focal point of this story. In fact this book could be read without reading the first two (although you would be missing some of Remy's background); in general it is a very contained story.

This books are also starting to get a bit formulaic for me. They always start with Remy getting a case, they always end with Remy having to yield to his angelic nature in order to save humanity from destruction. I am not saying this is bad; in general the books in this series have been quick, fun reads that are well written and enjoyable.

Overall I thought this was another solid addition to the Remy Chandler series. I was a little disappointed that the main story arc envolving the reformation of Hell wasn't dealt with much; in fact many of the side characters from previous book were missing. Still, it was an entertaining read. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book in this series.

Where Angels Fear to Tread
By Thomas E. Sniegoski

I will be the first to admit I'm a very particular reader. I tend to stray wildly across the genre-scape and like to think that what attracts me to my favorite books is good writing. Of course, what reader doesn't? For an example of this straying, I love Butcher's Dresden Files but couldn't stand Green's Nightside books.
That being said, I read the back cover of Sneigoski's book and was captured. An angel who wants to be human and pretends to be while working as a PI in Boston, well, how does that not sound awesome? I flipped through the first few pages in the bookstore and the clear nods to Raymond Chandler (one of the original noir writers) hooked me even more. I couldn't wait to get home and get started on the book.
I wound up reading it over the course of a weekend and while I think there are a lot of good points, there were also some lows that have convinced me to wait for a few more Remy Chandler books to come out before getting back into them.
The bad. Most of the characters came across as very flat. Remy presents a compelling character as an angel trying to be human, but his motives for this compulsion are either very well hidden, very shallow, or were presented elsewhere and I missed it by starting on the third book of the series. His cop friend, Mulvane, is perfectly set up to provide interesting and humorous banter, but tends to miss the mark more often than not and for some reason gets very little scene time. Speaking of scenes, they tend to run short and feel a little rough. The dialogue is driven by the need to forward the plot and conversations come across as the bare minimum needed. I also felt that I was either old or out of touch with society, there were quite a few places where I felt like I should be laughing but I just didn't get it. I also felt by the end that either I hadn't been paying attention or not everything was explained very well, as I felt lost with a lot of the characters.
The above may sound harsh and overly critical. But take it with a grain of salt and check out the good. The concept is really incredible and has a ton of potential. The interplay between Remy and Marlowe (Remy's Labrador) is wonderfully written and practically leaps off the page with a vibrant sense of life. I personally found it the most enjoyable parts of the book. The plot was well conceived and kept on track, and there was enough side plot to keep you wondering where everything was going and how it would tie in at the end. Sniegoski also provides enough details to show that he's done research and background work, but doesn't sacrifice the pace of the story to showing off how much of it was done. While the ending was predictable, it was also neatly brought together and mostly satisfying.
I probably won't rush to buy the next Remy Chandler book immediately, but I will be keeping an eye on the series. I think there is an enormous amount of potential in this series and I think most of the bad points I hit are areas that are going to get better as Sniegoski becomes a more experienced and polished writer. For those of you who feel skeptical, I would remind you of the first books in the Dresden Files. They are rough and unpolished and if you read Ghost Story and then Storm Front the improvement is incredible. Sniegoski is a good writer, with a solid grasp of the craft, and he tells a fast paced and interesting story. For those of you on the fence, grab a copy, give it a read, and keep an eye on this guy. It's only going to get better from here.

The third book in a wonderful series, Where Angels Fear to Tread has a mother hiring our detective-angel to locate her child, who has been kidnapped by her father. Remy is drawn into the case when the mother shows him a picture the child drew of him and Marlowe -- though she has never met him. Remy quickly discovers that he is once again wrapped up in a supernatural mystery involving historic characters.

If you have not read the Remy Chandler novels by Thomas Sniegoski, you are in for a treat. They are dark and gritty detective tales with a difference: the detective, Remy Chandler, is a Seraphim, a warrior angel who left heaven in search of his own humanity. Remy's angelic nature (and his wings!) are firmly held in check, until occasionally required - generally in battle. One delightful side benefit of an angelic nature is that Remy can speak every language on earth, including that of animals. He has great conversations with Marlowe, his black lab, and occasional (snobby) cats that he comes across. Remy's relationship with Marlowe is well done, and touching, as is his relationship with his best friend, Steven, a policeman.

I really loved the first Remy Chandler novels and I think I was expecting something similar in this one. I didn't like it as much as I liked the first two but it was still enjoyable.
If you haven't read the first two books, Remy is a retired, not fallen angel who works as a Boston PI and takes cases that get a little weird. In this one, he's hired to look for an autistic girl who was kidnapped by her father and things take a turn for the strange when he finds out that there is involvement of a cult and that the girl can draw the future.
Samson and Delilah are supporting characters in this one. The former with a Holy mission, and the second under a curse for her betrayal of Samson.
There were aspects of this book I really liked, but the whole thing just seemed a bit less then the other two. Not enough to knock me off the series, I'll still get the next book.
Recommended for fans of Jim Butcher or Simon R. Green.

In Boston, former seraphim Remy Chandler struggles to control his heavenly power ever since his beloved Madeline died six moths ago. Deryn York, the frantic mother of six years old Zoe, pleads with Remy to find her missing daughter. The distraught woman shows the private investigator drawings she says her child drew that foretell her abduction by her father Carl and one picture of a male angelic savior with a big black dog in front of a brownstone that Remy recognizes in entirety.

Unbeknownst to Remy, cursed to walk the earth alone Delilah seeks the child as does the followers of the god Dagan. Blind Samson also joins the mix seeking the little girl with power to predict the future. Soon everyone converges in West Virginia.

This exciting urban fantasy is fast-paced and filled with action from the moment Remy sees the last drawing and never slows down as the hero realizes all hell is about to break out over a child. Remy is super as he struggles to contain his power though he would not mind burning a few worthless souls yet will move heaven, hell and earth to protect an innocent little girl. Delilah is a terrific villainess who will do anything to further her power; except for Remy, she makes the rest of the cast including her former husband look emaciated. Fans will relish this fine tale and seek the hero's back story (see, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse and Dancing on the Head of a Pin).

Harriet Klausner

Six-year-old Zoe York has disappeared without a trace and it is up to Remy Chandler, Seraphim PI, to find her. Hired by the girl's desperate mother, Remy begins a search for the abducted child which rapidly leads him into the world of the bizarre as the pictures drawn by the little girl reveal visions of the future. And he's not the only one looking for her. Delilah, an immortal succubus, is using all the ample resources at her command to find the little girl and the divine secret that she carries. It's a race against time for Remy as he battles everything from Delilah's military trained thugs to patrons of a supernatural bar. Teaming up with Samson the strong man and his raucous brood of children gives Remy an edge, but it's going to take a lot more than that to wrest the frightened child from the clutches of an eldritch god...

Sniegoski produced another amazing addition to the Remy Chandler novels with this book. I will say that I was slightly disappointed that the end of the second book isn't really addressed in the third, but the new plot was still excellent. The book flashes pretty consistently between Remy's investigation and the brutal methods used by Delilah to find Zoe. The primary plot line still involves a Biblical story (hopefully, you caught the references to both Samson and Delilah), but Sniegoski begins to expand his supernatural repertoire and strays from strictly Biblical material with the addition of creatures like a minotaur and the pagan god Dagon. The pacing was rapid and the characters you love from the first two books, such as Marlowe and Mulvehill, make appearances. The conclusion was satisfying and there is a lot of action leading up to the climax of the book.

I loved the fisrt two books of this series but this last entry was somewhat of a lesser effort .The story was simplistic and did not have the same thoughful thelogical complexity of the prior novels in this series. I was eager to see this next adventure but after I finished it I wish I had waited for a library copy. Over excessive carnage and an uneven story line was a disappointment. I hope that the next one will return to the high quality I know this author is well capable of providing.