Title: Archon
Author: Sabrina Benulis
Series: The Books of Raziel
Publication Date: December 27, 2011
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Although I read a lot of urban and paranormal fantasy, both YA and adult, the realm of angels was new territory for me. I'm not entirely sure if it is my lack of experience in this sub genre or just this particular book but I found Archon, the first book of The Books of Raziel series, to be completely confusing.
I never felt like I understood the world that Angela and the other characters inhabited. I didn't understand the rules, the prophecy, and even what was actually taking place at times. While it seemed that Benulis often provided details about the physical setting, the best mental picture that I could get was that everything was gloomy and falling apart.
I never connected to the characters either. I had trouble distinguishing the good guys from the bad guys even when characters were labeled angel or demon. It seemed that everyone was simply out to destroy the earth and rule over everything or merely wanted to indulge their own selfish desires. The true motivations behind the characters' actions were often hidden in the midst of the chaotic events and manipulation of others seemed to be the main goal. While Angela was the central character of the story I never felt that I understood her any better than any of the other characters. I simply didn't care what really happened to any of them.
It is also difficult to say what actually happens in this book. While the action and killing seemed to be non-stop, I didn't really see the point in most of it. At the end it felt like very little had actually changed for the characters who survived. The ending definitely has the feel of the first book in the series, as there are so many unanswered questions, but I'm not going to struggle through another book in the series to try to actually understand what is going on. If I had not received Archon: The Books of Raziel through the Amazon Vine program, I would not have read all the way to the end.
Archon has an official release date of December 27, 2011 and is currently available for pre-order.
Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.
