Please note Rebellion is a direct sequel to Blood and Feathers, so if you haven’t read that, there is a good chance there will be some minor spoilers below. Got it? Good. Onwards…
Driven out of hell and with nothing to lose, the Fallen wage open warfare against the angels on the streets. And they’re winning.
As the balance tips towards the darkness, Alice – barely recovered from her own ordeal in hell and struggling to start over – once again finds herself in the eye of the storm. But with the chaos spreading and the Archangel Michael determined to destroy Lucifer whatever the cost, is the price simply too high? And what sacrifices will Alice and the angels have to make in order to pay it?
The Fallen will rise. Trust will be betrayed. And all hell breaks loose…
The thing I’m always on the look out for in the second book of any series is a successful expansion on the existing narrative. The writing needs to reference the main events of book one and, using them as a base, expand upon the universe the author has already created. The good news is that with her second novel, Rebellion, Lou Morgan has taken the time to do exactly that.
The evolution of Alice’s character continues as she discovers more about the angelic side of her nature. The uncertainty that was so evident in the past is beginning to fall away. There is a sense that Alice is starting to relish her position. There is no denying that she suffered greatly during the events at the end of book one, but this has only made her a stronger, more resolute, person. Now that she is more confident in herself and her abilities Alice is willing to take on any angelic threat that comes her way.
The angels Mallory and Vin continue to delight. Like an old married couple they bicker and snipe at one another, and generally argue over just about everything. Their snarky back and forth is a genuine highlight.
I was lucky enough to attend the launch for Rebellion last week in London. Lou Morgan read a chapter from the book and also took part in a question and answer session. There was some interesting discussion regarding what does and doesn’t work when it comes to angels in fiction? Who has delivered the best onscreen portrayal of the Devil? (Viggo Mortensen in The Prophecy in case you’re curious) Which angel in Lou’s novels is the biggest badass? *cough* it’s Michael *cough* All insightful stuff I’m sure you’ll agree. The thing I found most interesting, however, was how Lou envisages her angels. It’s something that I picked up on in when I read book one – first and foremost these individuals are warriors. Alice meets everyone from your rank and file foot soldiers to the captains and generals of the angelic choirs. Make no mistake we’re talking about a fully-fledged army. Alice has found herself slap-bang in the midst of an eons old conflict.
As an aside, and on an entirely personal note, I should say that though the novel has lots of great stuff going on, page three hundred and twenty two is a personal favourite.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel. I’m pleased to report that the wait has been well worth it. Morgan’s writing goes from strength to strength and she really knows how to deliver when it comes to action, characterisation and blistering plot. As a confirmed atheist, I honestly never thought there would come a time in my life when I would look forward to angels beating the living tar out of one another. It’s always a pleasure to be proved one hundred per cent wrong.
To finish, a personal plea from me to the gods and goddesses of publishing – please tell me there is going to be another book in this series? There just has to be more still to come. THERE HAS TO BE! The tensions between the various angelic factions have reached near fever pitch. It feels like everything is just about to kick off in a properly apocalyptic fashion.
Blood and Feathers: Rebellion is published by Solaris Books and is available from 4th July 2013 in the UK and 9th July in the US. This novel confirms what I already suspected, Lou Morgan is an author whose work is well worth seeking out.
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