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5.0 out of 5 stars
Rachel Olivier- TCM Reviews, October 14, 2009
While everyone expects a friary that runs a parish church to be busy, there is more going on in this friary than meets the eye. From mundane problems like personality conflicts and small fibs, to more supernatural happenings like wandering ghosts, a minotaur, and magical cats, this little friary has much to deal with. Leo, or Quantum (Quant for short) is just the cat to help set things straight.
In Angelos by Robina Williams, a young adult fantasy, Williams uses a variety of background material from philosophy, mythology, Church History, and contemporary life to build her world and tell her story. As I read this book I kept thinking of several other authors who have written stories along this same vein, such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Dante. I've reviewed other stories that had discussions of philosophy and religion, but they seemed heavy-handed and the discussions seemed out of place or inappropriate. Because of the setting (a friary) and the people involved (brothers, priests, and the friary cat), however, these discussions are appropriate and rarely approach heavy-handed.
It is also obvious that Williams has not only done her homework in regards to the details of the setting and material, but she has also pieced together a well-told tale. The author seems to understand that there are people who have not been exposed to this background. She provides a glossary at the end of the book of Church History and mythological terms and characters to aid anyone who would like more information.
While I think appreciation of the book is deeper if the reader has a solid humanities education or background, I also believe this is a book (and Quant is an excellent guide) that can open up that world for further exploration to someone who has not been exposed to it before. Williams wrote a book before this one based in this same reality that I'm thinking I might try to find (Jerome and the Seraph). She's working on a third that continues the adventures of the friars and their friary ginger tom, which I'm looking forward to reading as well.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining mix of science, mythology, and religion, August 9, 2007
The new book from Robina Williams, Angelos, will keep you reading beyond your bedtime! I was unable to put it down. The author has an entertaining way of embracing complex topics such as time-traveling, life after death, Greek mythology, legends, and Catholic theology braided with philosophy and mysticism. She also uses two famous paintings to bring the book to its climax!
This Young Adult book is suitable for teens and adults. I do not, however, recommend it for children under 13 years of age, since they are not mature enough yet to understand some of the book's themes.
The book begins with the sudden departure of Father Fidelis and his close encounter with a ginger cat named Leo. However, the sudden departure of Father Fidelis came as a surprise to all the friars and it started a chain of speculations and some admiration among them. Some of them admired his sense of obedience while others wondered, why?
But the knowledge of their newly assigned guardian, Father Aidan, brought joy to the friars. They all knew him. He has been their guardian before. He was flexible and understanding. Upon his arrival, however, Father Aidan's behavior appears somehow changed towards the other friars. Now they are not so sure if it was indeed a good trade. Perhaps Father Aidan is just tired from his long journey, or is he? The day is still too young...time will tell!
Leo is not an ordinary cat. He is able to travel from "this time" to the afterlife easily. He also has a pair of "mystical eyes" that inspire awe and fear in those who see them. Leo's real name is Quantum, but he is known in the afterlife as Quant.
Between the departure of Father Fidelis and the arrival of Father Aidan, Leo and Father Peter have a closed encounter, too. Leo's eyes change to gold while looking at Father Peter, then return again to emerald green. This puzzles Father Peter. He wonders what type of cat this is! He feels unease and very nervous around Leo, so he keeps him at a safe distance.
The deceased Father Jerome, however, is fond of Leo. After all, Leo was his pet when he was alive! He, however, has not yet accepted his deceased state and the world of the dead. So he wanders often around the orchard at the friary. Some of the friars were not pleased with his presence there since it challenges their beliefs about death and life after death!
During one of Father Jerome's visits to the friary, he is violently catapulted from a hut near the orchard to another place, which appears to be a cellar or a Dungeon. He is confused and perplexed! Where is he? He looks around and explores the place. He finds some human bones and becomes frightened. There is something--or someone--living in this place that eats humans! He cries out for Quant's help, who doesn't immediately arrive, and grows tired. He takes a nap while waiting for Quant.
Meanwhile at the friary, the Minotaur is equally puzzled and annoyed. He also explores the small room and searches for something to eat. He finds some jars on top of a shelf and after several attempts, manages to open one of them. He tastes its content and concludes that whatever was inside was not edible. He goes to sleep, hoping it's all just a nightmare!
Quant finally appears, of course, to sort everything out and show Father Jerome around in this new world, known to the good priest as the world of Greek Mythology. They visit some of Quant's old friends, including the Deiphobe, the Sibyl of Cumae, St. Jerome and his lion, St. Anthony of Egypt, and St. Paul the Hermit, among others. Father Jerome is fascinated and intrigued and asks tons of questions to Quant. During their traveling in this world, the reader will be exposed to a combination of philosophy, mythology and mysticism from Quant's point of view. The combination of these topics is essential to the understanding of God's Creation beyond human comprehension.
The end of the book will leave the reader saying, WOW! It echoes Jesus' parable of the "Good Servant" and St. Paul's words of encouragement about finishing the race and fighting the good fight.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
A cat tale, July 27, 2007
Reviewed by Ian McCurley (age 13) for Reader Views (7/07)
Set in modern-day rural England, "Angelos" begins when Father Fidelis is happily leaving the country monastery for a guardian position at a church in the city. Though he has had a hate-hate relationship with the cat, Leo, aka Quant, Father Fidelis is surprised when Leo happily nuzzles him as if to say goodbye. This doesn't surprise Father Peter because of the strange happenings, such as a long-dead Brother floating around the corridors and the cat making two ghosts disappear along with itself in a graveyard. What does surprise him is that when Leo turns around, his eyes flash from a green, to a fiery golden color fit for big cat, and back to green again.
Later, Father Aidan, the new guardian at the monastery, has suddenly turned from a laid-back to a crusading Christian bent on restoring discipline to the Fathers as they have slipped into an over-lax state. Meanwhile, Quant is escorting Brother Jerome, the dead Brother, to the afterlife but is taking the scenic route through the ancient Greek cities which he insists are not ancient but current from where they are standing. As Quant takes Brother Jerome through the Minotaur's lair to Mount Olympus into a close encounter with Pegasus, Brother Jerome begins to see that what he thought was history, when viewed from a different time, was now.
"Angelos" is a compelling but almost plot-less fantasy novel with strong Christian overtones and too many personal problems with the characters. The writing style is creative, but not well thought-out. The book doesn't grab you, but if you can bull your way through it, it is almost entertaining. This book would be best for cat-loving Christians.
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