Category: Horror Publisher: Dark Dragon Publications
ISBN-10: 0981196500
Type: Fiction
Pages: 580
Copyright: January 26, 2009.
ISBN-13: 9780981196503
The Vampires of London are being murdered and only the Angel of Death can save them.
When Father Paul Notus is captured and threatened with a gruesome death by the Mistress of London and her Vampires, the Angel is forced into a dark world of murder and deception to discover who is killing the Vampires of Britain.
Forced into a partnership with the Noble Fernando de Sagres, a vampire of sadistic tastes, and joined by the beautiful and mortal Jeanie Stuart, the Angel seeks out who is behind these killings.
Plagued by demons from his past and his increasing affections for Jeanie, the Angel walks a fine line between his heart and his fears. He discovers the culprits but at a high cost - the irrevocable discovery of what he truly is and the Destruction of one he loves.
Includes the bonus novel that delves into the past of the Angel - Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen -
Demon or Fay? Human or Chosen? Mortal or Immortal?
Delve into the past of the Angel of Death.
Abandoned at birth and left to die as a Changeling, the Angel is found by the local healer. In loving secrecy he is raised unnamed lest his strange appearance bring down the wrath of the villagers. Growing up, exiled from humanity, he is discovered and hurtled into a dark world as one of the Chosen. Even amongst the Chosen, who call themselves Vampires, he must remain apart for his differences could mark him for Destruction.
Professional Reviews
Bitten By Books
Karen Dales in her debut offering has written a poignant and epic tale of life and its constant challenges to both the human body and psyche. She writes of the hardships that our forbearers had to prevail against in those times of hardship, prejudice and superstition.
The boy had never known anything but the love of Auntie, the woman who cared for him and kept him from all human eyes. He only knew he was different than the others he had seen while hiding from anyone who came to the humble shack. The boy’s albino looks kept him from appearing totally human, giving him fae features. His name was even a mystery as he had never been given a proper name, only the name of the fey creature those who had espied him on rare occasions had given him: Gwyn ap Nudd.
The prequel to Angel of Death is the Chronicle of the Changeling which introduces us to the boy’s life. His birth, his abandonment, his life with Auntie, his unknowing relationship with his father, his meeting of his mentor and Chooser, Father Notus, and his first brush with the dark forces give us incite to the man now known as the Angel.
Angel of Death continues with the Chooser Father Paul and his Chosen, now only known as the Angel, back in England. There is something poisoning the Chosen who now call themselves Vampire, and the Mistress of the City has forced Angel’s hand in compelling him to find out what and who is causing this spreading disease which is tainting the blood of mortals, killing the Chosen who feed on them unsuspectingly. Angel’s hand is further forced to take on partners to help him in his search: Fernando, a cocky Portuguese noble who is very brash and the lovely Scottish maid, Jeanie Stuart, who has pined for the Angel to notice her for years.
The trio find themselves traveling to France to search out the conspirators in the poisoning of their food supply and subsequent extinction. While on their quest, they find love, friendship and truths which lead them back to where they started from.
This novel is a brilliant example of good overcoming and prevailing against evil and prejudice. I must say this tale was an emotional ride of literary genius, both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I will be watching and waiting for Ms. Dales’ next chapter in the life of the Angel. 5 Tombstones out of 5.
Amazon.com Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can't Wait for Book Two,
August 1, 2009
By Ruth Ann Nordin "Historical Romance Author" (Springfield, NE USA)
I do not make it a habit to read paranormal books, but this one caught my attention and I decided to take my chances and read it. I am very glad I did! This is an excellent book. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning when a child was born who had white hair and red eyes. Immediately shunned by his mother who sends him away to die, I was pulled into the world Karen Dales magically wove. The prologue explains his childhood and the strange white creatures who haunt him and the way he became Chosen.
Then Book One begins, and I already developed an attachment to the grown child who is called the Angel and his mentor/Chooser Father Paul Notus. I really liked Notus. He is what I consider to be a moral compass, and the Angel longs to belong. However, he is different so he doesn't truly belong among other Chosen who now call themselves vampires. Both the Angel and Father Notus are back in London, and we are introduced to two very memorable characters: Jeanie Stuart and the Noble Fernando de Sagres.
The plot to this book is simple: someone is out to kill the vampires and it is up to the Angel and Fernando to find out who is behind it. (The Angel agrees in order to save Notus who is held captive.) Fernando is the opposite of Notus. While Notus is the moral compass, Fernando is a "do whatever feels right regardless of anyone else" kind of person. He was likable despite his savage nature, and I thoroughly enjoyed him. His comments had me laughing through most of the book. He's actually my favorite character.
Jeanie is the Angel's love interest, and she and Fernando clash, which was great to see. But yes, danger is lurking around the corner for Jeanie. I won't spoil that one though, but Karen has a surprise in store that caught me completely off guard.
The white demons we're introduced to in the prologue continue to haunt the Angel in this book, which I very much enjoyed because it built up the suspense and kept me on the edge of my seat. Who are these demons and will the Angel ever conquer them?
So I recommend this book. This is a mature book, and it's probably that reason that makes it easy to enjoy it as much as I did. It's nice to get involved in a story that has multiple layers and depth to it. It's a book for my keeper shelf now. And don't let the number of pages dissuade you. The book reads fast because Karen never lets it slow down.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it! I didn't want this story to end...,
July 19, 2009
By Dora E. H. Crow (Santa Cruz, CA USA)
This is a very rich novel; beautifully written. It is the kind of book that you won't want to put down--and that you won't ever want to end. Filled with romance, mystery, deception, and surprises, Karen Dales does a wonderful job of making the reader understand and care about the characters in her story. I was quickly drawn into the story, eagerly discovering the secret histories of each character and wondering what choices each would make. It was easy to become emotionally connected to them, even to the extent of becoming frustrated with some of the stubborn and bewildering traits a few of them displayed! The main characters were quite endearing, and perhaps I became a bit too attached to them.
Angel of Death is an exhilarating story in which Karen Dales seamlessly blends beautiful descriptive pieces into a fast-paced story. I was never bored or tempted to skim through this book--not once! I believe Angel of Death is destined to be a classic, and would make a wonderful movie production.
And, of course, I want the next book in the series to be published right now!
