Angelology

March 8, 2010
A covert age-old war between angels and humans serves as the backdrop for Trussonis gripping tale of supernatural thrills and divine destinies. Sister Evangeline, the secretary who handles all inquiries concerning the archives of angel arcana at an upstate New York convent, receives a letter from researcher V.A. Verlaine inquiring about an unknown link between the convent and philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller dating to 1943. It turns out that the Rockefellers were interested in a legendary artifact associated with an order of fallen angels. That priceless artifact is coveted by Verlaines employer, Percival Grigori, a Nephilimoffspring of the union between mortal and angel parentswho will stop at nothing to retrieve it for the awesome power it will give his race over humanity. Trussoni ("Falling Through the Earth") anchors this fanciful dark fantasy to a solid foundation built from Catholic church history, biblical exegesis, and apocryphal texts. Suspenseful intrigues and apocalyptic battle scenes give this complexly plotted tale a vigor and vitality all the more exciting for its intelligence. "9-city author tour. (Mar.)" .

May 31, 2010
Trussoni's complex and intricately plotted novel about an epic war between mortals and angels is, despite the heroic efforts of Susan Denaker, an unholy mess in the audio version. What readers relished—the labyrinthine plot, the accretion of suspense—becomes a morass of agonizingly slow description, invented mythologies, and a needlessly protracted setup. Sister Evangeline, a secretary at an upstate New York convent, receives a mysterious letter directing her to an artifact that is sought by a Nephilim—the offspring of a mortal and an angel—who is desperate to possess its power. Denaker proves her versatility in creating the diverse cast, but her melodic singsong cannot salvage the audiobook from tedium. Fans of The Da Vinci Code eager to give this one a listen should be directed to the hardcover. A Viking hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 25).

Danielle Trussoni's debut novel introduces listeners to Sister Evangeline, a young nun whose discovery in her convent's library pulls her into an ancient conflict between angelologists and the Nephilim, an evil society of human-angel offspring. She and art historian Verlaine, an Abigail Rockefeller enthusiast under a questionable commission, embark on a globe-trotting treasure hunt that leads to a showdown of biblical proportions. Susan Denaker's narration perfectly suits the sprawling time line and epic scope of the story, which reveals the mythological backdrop of the angels, the origins of Sister Evangeline, and the thrilling plot in equal measure. In particular, Denaker handles the accents and personalities of the Nephilim society with ease and color, bringing out their diabolical natures. F.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine