Review: ARCHANGEL'S STORM

Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh
Book 5 of the Guild Hunter series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About Archangel's Storm:

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

Source: Info in the About Archangel's Storm was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9738483-archangel-s-storm on 06/05/2013.

Review:

This being Book 5, I already know the style of this series, so to speak. So I was looking forward to reading this book even though I am not really a fan of Jason. From his appearances in previous books, he was alright I guess, but he didn't exactly shine or inspire a reader to want to know more about him. He was very easily forgettable. Then all of a sudden we have him showcased in his very own book. Okey, fine. The author writes what she wants to write. As a fan of this author and of this series, I would still buy Jason from that point of view alone. Anyway, I went into this book wanting to like it and I found that I did liked it. But also found myself needing lots of breaks from the book. That came as a surprise for me because normally Nalini Singh's story telling quality grabs me by the throat and drags me into the story and don't let go until the very last page. It made the pace of this book a bit longer than expected. Now, let's talk about covers. I like the US cover. It is appropriate to the story and it pings my fantasy geek radar. The UK cover however is rather a bit too bland and doesn't really suit the story. What is that cover all about?!! Just because the story got lots of angels in it doesn't mean you can just slap an angel wing tattoo on to it and that's that. As a marketing tool, it's a miserable failure. Anyway, unsuitable cover or not, I still enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the next book in this series!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = UK: 1.5 / US: 4.5
Pace = 3.5
Plot = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Guild Hunter series:

Review: ARCHANGEL'S BLADE

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
Book 4 of the Guild Hunter series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback

About Archangel's Blade:

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

Source: Info in the About Archangel's Blade was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8074967-archangel-s-blade on 20/03/2013.

Review:

I am a touchy-feely kind of reader, that is why I never stopped buying print books despite the proliferation and advantages of ebooks. I appreciate the convenience that ebooks offer, but I would always go back to print books whenever I can. So, to a reader like me, cover arts plays a significant role in my reading habit. And I have to comment on the UK cover of this book. The wing tattoo on the back design was appropriate for the first three books in this series because those books' focus were Raphael and Elena, however it missed by a wide mile with this book. Some of the likely excuses which would probably get spouted are that, art departments wanted to make the series look the same, etc., etc. However, I think they need to adapt and make the book a bit more consistent instead of any other excuse that they could think up. Or maybe they ought to take lessons from the US art department. Speaking of which, the model in the US cover is buffed and all but, for some reason I imagined Dmitri as a stocky man. Maybe more like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Dwayne The Rock Johnson... Wider in the shoulders from farming or something...

I wasn't really looking forward to reading this book because I already gotten used to reading all about Raphael and Elena in this series with Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3. And now all of a sudden they are secondary characters and the story focuses on a new couple, one of which is a completely new character. I was kind of not looking forward to that. But I was in between good books (IBGB) kind of funk, so this book got read. I shouldn't have worried too much because Nalini Singh brought into this book the same masterful story telling quality that I have come to love with this author! Nalini Singh made me like Dmitri and Honor despite my initial resistance. You gotta give an author a lot of kudos for that 'coz that takes talent! However I felt like the ending was a bit too dramatic and drawn-out. It wasn't a let down, don't get me wrong, I just felt that with this author she could have done a better job of it. Despite that, I enjoyed this book given that this is a Nalini Singh work and would definitely be reading the next book in this series!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = UK: 2 / US: 4.5
Pace =
Plot = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Guild Hunter series:

Review: ARCHANGEL'S CONSORT

Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh
Book 3 of the Guild Hunter series
Read by Justine Eyre
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: paperback & audiobook

About Archangel's Consort:

Nalini Singh steps back into the shadows of her heartbreakingly original world where angels rule, vampires serve, and the innocent can pay the greatest price of all ...Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil ...A vampire has attacked a girls' school - the assault one of sheer, vicious madness - and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders. The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear. An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed ...

Source: Info in the About Archangel's Consort was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7307503-archangel-s-consort on 24/02/2013.

Review:

I've already said most of what I can say about this book with my reviews with the first two books of this series. So what else/more can be said about this book other than that it will feed more of your Guild Hunter series addiction? In this book we see more familial dynamics interaction. The irritating dynamics of Elena's dysfuntional family plus Raphael's mother entering the scene. This book is all about family and it was interesting to see how Ms. Singh woved that into the central theme of the book plus all the various sub plots and tie it all up into a nice bow at the end. Masterfully woven tale! Combine that with a compelling story telling quality and you got a very enjoyable reading time! Although this book started off rather slow for me it was worth trudging through the first few chapters for the wonderful read that I got in the end.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = [paperback = 4] / [audiobook = 2.5]
Pace = (paperback) 4.5 / (audiobook: 10 hrs and 22 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narrator = 4

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Guild Hunter series: