Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim 1

I enjoyed every aspect of this book and found myself commenting on paragraph after paragraph. I am so pleased to see this type of testimonial, written in this day and age, which reflects my love for my Catholic faith. I will definitely recommend this to those who believe, and those who don't.

As someone who was also raised Catholic, this was interesting to me. But her conversion from atheism back to Christianity was what interested me most. An interesting read, but she tried to condense a lot of thoughts into a relatively small space. But overall, worth reading.

Like eating popcorn, it seems like a good idea, is enjoyable, but is not the best thing you consumed that day. This was my first Anne Rice book, prompted by an NPR interview about her spiritual life and her new angels series after years of Vampires. I never had the remotest interest in Vampires, and found the rationale she presented for looking at a fictional flip side with angels intriguing. Spiritual lit is not my thing but a clever play on an idea we all have some preconceptions about does appeal. Read this in a couple of hours and enjoy, then wonder whether it's worth reading the next in the series...just published. Reads like a TV show... Like calories spent on popcorn, I don't regret the time reading this. Just don't expect spiritual uplift, deep characters, or plot that isn't obvious. With angels on your side the good guys are sure to win. ( I preferred Chrichton's book Timeline about going back in time. His characters confronted the difficulties which arise because of differences in their skills and expectations when dropped into a different time...something Rice's character completely ignores!)

I found this book captured my attention, but wouldn't classify it as a "page turner". I did enjoy the themes surrounding forgiveness, love and redemption. Definitely worth a read, but you won't stay up all night to finish.

Angel Time by Anne Rice starts with her trade mark descriptiveness that makes the reader feel (or certainly this reader), as if they are able to see the tiniest detail she is describing and feel the very atmosphere she is writing about. In this instance she is telling of the Mission Inn, in Riverside California and I don't think it's possible for this fine establishment to get a better endorsement else where.

Then we learn of the troubled life of the books main character, Toby O'Dare, our lute loving anti hero. His is a broken soul if ever there was one but again, as she has done so many times before, she manages to make one feel sympathy or at least empathy for someone who kills repeatedly and is exceptional at it, by describing in great detail the circumstances that led to him becoming as he is.

Events in his life were so horrendous, it would be totally understandable if he had chosen to take his own. That of course doesn't happen but he does develop into a cold hearted killer who will dispatch life with little to no remorse and becomes the best in what he does.

Enter the 'Angel Malchiah' to someone who no longer believes in God and who also prays mockingly because it was so much a part of his troubled youth, and is still attached to the patterns and rituals of his religious upbringing though not however, in the believing itself, and the journey truly begins!

The writing is beautiful and it was with no small measure of amazement on my part, that I felt the same respect and admiration for her unparalleled prose skills reading this book, as I have when I read her previous works on vampires and this book, in an odd way, did indeed reminded me of Interview With A Vampire. Only the narrators are the main character, the Angel, and I would have to say another character as well who has a large part in the story to tell, that makes all the pieces fall into place. It is also incredible how Anne can take a reader back in time, and write of the time period in such a way, that it is just as believable and realistic as when she is writing of our present day world.

I highly recommend this book to all, regardless of whether you are a stout believer in God or if you don't believe at all. The story is beautifully written and interwoven like with all her books and you will come away with more brain power, as she always teaches as well as thoroughly entertains.

Lastly, I learned on Face Book she would be doing a book signing at the very Mission Inn she wrote about and it was in driving distance. So I'm delighted to have a signed copy and to have met Anne in person and considering I was in line for over two hours, I'm also amazed at how cordial and friendly she was and how lovely her handwriting was after signing an enormous number of books before mine.

I anxiously await a sequel to this book as it looks like it could branch off into other characters entering the picture with stories of their own based on the strength of this work. And I am also, as I would like to believe many others are as well, happy that someone with her obvious and time proven skills, is giving to the world of literature something that really, in my view hasn't existed very much before. A choice of reading something based on good and God and Angels by someone who you know, is an exceptional talent with few equals in the literary world. I'm sure many are wondering if she can bring the same magic to a tale regarding God and Angels as she did with witches and vampires. For my part, I can say I certainly feel she has done just that!

Respectfully,

Chase Von
Author of Pink, Blue and Green
Your Chance To Hear The Last Panther Speak
And Dream Reachers with co author Betty Dravis

Dream Reachers

I loved this book. Total heartfelt honesty & sincerity in writing. Her last 10 or so pages totally speak to me about things I have struggled with myself. I am a lover not a fighter. And Jesus love is the greatest

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the sequel. Anne Rice has an amazing style of imaginative and mesmerizing writing. It's not over the top like some books about Angels.....it's more grounded......Ha! Angels grounded!! Anyway,,,,,it's a really fun read.

I bought this book for when I was recovering from surgery and it really helped me to pass the time in bed quickly. It was an easy read and very entertaining. I wish there would have been more "missions" to other historical places- that was the part I really enjoyed.

Good book! I enjoyed Angel Time. After reading some of the critiques I questioned whether or not I would. But, it was worth the purchase and I look forward to reading the next installment. Excellent begining to a series.

This is like vintage Anne Rice. She seduces you with such amazing characterizations that you feel part of the story. Wonderful to know that shes back to her unique ability to make words into videos in your mind.
THANKS

This was a wonderful production. Intriguing from beginning to end, Rice brings a novelists eye to describing her spiritual journey, and it is rich in nostalgia and evocative imagery.
For anyone interested in spirituality I think this is one of the must-have items of the year. And even if you are not, Rice's sheer skill makes this a fascinating journey for any reader/listener.
Highly recommended!

The book could be better if it had been developed better. This is the first and last Anne Rice book I will read. It's just too simplistic for my tastes. I would categorize it as something a teenager might find interesting and easy to read. There's no meat to the plot.

Not as far out as vampires, but nevertheless not plausible plot. It is hard to relate to main character or why he does what he does. There is some interesting history, but novel is slow to get to interesting part and ending not all together satisfying, but is probably a setup for additional books.