This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Published by Berkley
Released on November 24, 2020
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
The Delight
The aftermath of a great archangel war and the Cascade, an insidious dark legacy, and a surprising angel romance make for a dazzling latest Guild Hunter installment. I wasn’t even looking for such a story, but I was glad to get it.
Review
Archangel’s Sun is the thirteen of the Guild Hunter series that must be read in order as the connecting story arc between books is strong.
Sharine, the famous angel artist known as The Hummingbird, was considered broken and lost until the day she came out of her splintering grief and took up her life once again. Rafael, Archangel of New York, believes in her, and asks her to leave Lumia where she has been restoring what an evil angel nearly destroyed and take on the formidable task of assisting a certain recalcitrant Archangel of Africa who has grumpily driven away all others who came to assist from other archangel territories. Sharine lays aside her artist robes for the tunic and trousers of action. This is her chance to prove that she is more than a weak, gentle artist and is becoming more than the shattered woman whose multiple losses overwhelmed her. Starting with the arrogant Titus, she will show the world the powerful ancient who has been hiding inside her and maybe the attractive woman capable of deep love and zest for life.
The unborn are ravaging the land and Titus is being sent The Hummingbird to aid him? What will he do with such an ornamental, fragile creature. Maybe she can organize his stronghold and do some painting to keep her busy. The hideous creatures that Charisemnon diseased and set loose in his lands are morphing and taking on cunning to be even more dangerous as they feed and spread the reborn disease and he very much fears that even angelic immortals are susceptible. But, instead of a drag on his already stretched resources, he receives a fiery, independent, and quite capable angel who looks him in the eye and dares to disagree and show that everyone got the Hummingbird all wrong. Titus thought he’d never meet his match, but Sharine fires his blood and they form an evocative and genuine relationship as they work together to eradicate the scourge of reborn and Titus ponders the possibility of something lasting.
Archangel’s Sun was both crackling with attraction and danger, but also slow-building. It has a back history to develop for both characters as they reflect on their separate pasts- particularly Sharine who is the central figure of the story even if she shares narration with Titus. She is making a huge comeback here and it was grand to see. She must also come to an understanding and make peace with her past so she can first appreciate and then feel more for Titus who is nothing like either of the men she loved and lost before- and who in their ways along with her parents, abandoned her. Titus doesn’t have the losses to get over, but he does have to nerve himself up to put himself out there and to a woman who is well-off men and said so.
Even though this is Sharine and Titus’ story, it is also Charisemnon’s even though he is dead. He set loose such horrors as the reborn and they find even more twists as they go trying to discover a way to get ahead of a potential devastating situation he set in motion.
Speaking of horrors. The focus of everyone clearing out the ‘reborn’ aka green-black oozing zombies does have a strong horror element to it. If you love your zombies ravaging and contagious and formidable, you’re in for a stomach-turning treat.
This focus is part of a broader focus which is rebuilding the world after the culmination of the Cascade in an archangel war. I really appreciate the author not skipping the clean up, devastation, limited supplies and manpower, destitution, hope, and rebuilding that happen in war’s aftermath. And, to do it in such a way as to make it part of a strong, riveting story was even better.
This book wasn’t formulaic to earlier books in a few ways and the ending was also unique to fit the tone of the book. I’m keeping this vague so I don’t spoiler for you, but just know that it will have a different feel throughout than the earlier books. It’s a bridge book between the series arc that came before and entering into the new arc which so far seems to be the dangerous new world that is recovering and presenting new conflicts and the potential for new romance pairings as well as seen by this book.
I am intrigued and look forward to the future journey of the series. I think this is a book that I’ll appreciate even more when future books are released and it’s part of a continuum and not the latest release since it feels not quite finished to me though it left no annoying threads dangling.
All in all, I was well satisfied with a book that followed such a boomer as Archangel’s War and can’t wait for more Guild Hunters action. Those who enjoy deep backstory and a fascinating supernatural world as well as amazing romance should definitely give this series a go.
My thanks to Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Challenges Met
New Release #193
COYER Quarantine #180
Reading Assignment Fall #14 Prof Mix Up
About the Book
ARCHANGEL’S SUN BY NALINI SINGH
A horrifying secret rises in the aftermath of an archangelic war in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s deadly and beautiful Guild Hunter world. . . .
The Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease may be gone but their legacy of evil lives on—especially in Africa, where the shambling, rotting creatures called the reborn have gained a glimmer of vicious intelligence.
It is up to Titus, archangel of this vast continent, to stop the reborn from spreading across the world. Titus can’t do it alone, but of the surviving powerful angels and archangels, large numbers are wounded, while the rest are fighting a surge of murderous vampires.
There is no one left . . . but the Hummingbird. Old, powerful, her mind long a broken kaleidoscope. Now, she must stand at Titus’s side against a tide of death upon a discovery more chilling than any other. For the Archangel of Disease has left them one last terrible gift . . . .
Preview
About Nalini Singh
I’ve been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There’s no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I’ve worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer’s mill.
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Same author, different series. This series is popular too. I’ll get to it some day.
You’ve got a treat coming.
I agree with your review 100%, except I didn’t love it as much. I love this: “I really appreciate the author not skipping the clean up, devastation, limited supplies and manpower, destitution, hope, and rebuilding that happen in war’s aftermath.” And I agree, but I felt the balance between transition book and the romance was off. Either way, I’m happy to see the pair together and I look forward to seeing what comes next!!!
You’re right that the two situations weren’t really meshing. I did love both sides of the story. I think that they left things a little open in the end for the relationship made sense.
Great review on this one. I had similar thoughts on this one. It did feel different and honestly I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as previous ones in the series.
I think this one was unsettling, too. I also think it’s preparing readers for some more surprises in the next few books. Hopefully those will resonate better for you.
I want spoilers 😉
Haha, I will be evil and hide them from you. 🙂
I loved how Sharine truly shined and came away from her broken past! Glad to hear you enjoyed the story, too. Can’t wait to see what happens next in this saga. 🙂
I found her so amazing. She had me laughing when she confronted Titus.
Yeah, that situation in China has me so curious.