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Angels of the Deep

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 229 ratings · 46 reviews

Becket Merriday is on the trail of a killer who is murdering beautiful young men in the small town of Irenic. What he discovers an ancient race of immortal beings hunted by an incredibly powerful adversary: the angel Mastema. Soon, Beck and his partner, Sean Logan, find themselves at the center of a deadly supernatural war.

Paperback, 308 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by MLR Press

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Sep 07, 2012 Aleksandr Voinov added it

Shelves: fantasy-favourites

What an amazing, engrossing, fantastic read. I loved it. I think this is probably among the top five in the genre, and stands right there with my favourite from Tanith Lee and others in terms of "dark fantasy". Brilliant. What a book.

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Nov 30, 2011 Amara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I really want to be able to write a coherent review for this one, however I am struggling greatly with that as I can’t seem to get past my “WOW” response. It’s been a long while since a book has tripped all my triggers like this one did.

I’ve always had a strong draw to stories of angels and demons, however finding ones that are well written isn’t easy to do. Throw Nephilim into the mix and it rarely goes well. Frankly, Kirby Crow has given me one of the best dark fantasies I think I’ve ever rea...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Jesse rated it 5 of 5 stars

To paraphrase the plot synopsis: Becket Merriday is a chief of police in a small, upstate New York town, where young men are being murdered brutally. In the end, he's drawn right into the crux of the conflict.

But it's a lot more wilder than all that.

The writing was excellent. Kirby Crow knows how to set a scene so palpable that it feels like you're right in the middle of it, like you can reach out and touch it. I could smell the damp, moist earth and the green growing things in the garden of the...more To paraphrase the plot synopsis: Becket Merriday is a chief of police in a small, upstate New York town, where young men are being murdered brutally. In the end, he's drawn right into the crux of the conflict.

But it's a lot more wilder than all that.

The writing was excellent. Kirby Crow knows how to set a scene so palpable that it feels like you're right in the middle of it, like you can reach out and touch it. I could smell the damp, moist earth and the green growing things in the garden of the churchyard in the opening scene, and it didn't stop there. Every detail - the beautiful, the horrifying, and the grotesque - were all described in perfect, unabashed detail. There was a very, very dark sort of beauty about this book. 'Sybaritic' is a word that comes to mind, for more reasons than one.

There are two types of people who may be reading my review: those who already know the genre and have a pretty good idea of what the story entails, and those who read my book reviews because they just happen to be interested in what I'm reading - so I will say that those two audiences are very different. Most of what I have to say about this book is spoiler-ish in nature, and some of it, while not extremely graphic, is a bit more than I would say in mixed company, so I will censor it behind a 'spoiler' cut, below.

I would classify this as an urban fantasy-type story. It starts out very modern and everyday, but it quickly changes. As I said, it is very dark, in several ways. And there are two caveats: one, it is male-male oriented, so if that type of thing makes you uncomfortable, you probably don't need to read any further to know that this wouldn't be your cup of tea; and two, it is extremely graphic in every way that comes to mind. In all honesty it was a bit much for me...again in every way that comes to mind...but I still gave it full marks because it was well-written, extremely compelling, beautiful in its own way, and very satisfying to read.

And with that being said...on to the details.

(view spoiler)[I was really really surprised by this story, mainly that it took me in a MUCH different direction than I'd originally though. By reading the synopsis, I pictured a Johnny Depp-ish police inspector and his partner (in every sense of the word) up against some sort of serial killer. Sort of like Jim Butcher meets The Silence of the Lambs. Turns out, I was way off. We're not really talking about serial killers here...well, not human ones, anyway. This is an angels and demons story, with a few interesting twists. I've always been a bit reserved on the angels and demons stories...I've read some of them, and they just didn't catch my interest. This one did, and not just because, as I mentioned before, it was male-male oriented. But I will say that it is definitely interesting to read a book where the romance is 'speaking my language,' if you will.

I don't need a specific angle of romance (or any romance at all!) in the books I read, but although I can relate to a heterosexual romance angle, my understanding is never perfect, because it's just different than my own orientation. So it was very interesting to read something that I did understand, completely. And I always have to shake my head in amazement about books that feature, um, male-male encounters, that are authored by women. They hit the details dead and center, totally spot-on. I'm not sure how they do that, being a woman and writing an intimate scene between two men, but hey...it was convincing.

The thing is...for me...it was a bit much on the sex, violence, and gore. There was a lot of it...and sometimes it was all intertwined. I could have done without half of the sex, violence, and gore in this book. I would not read books like this on a frequent basis, but every now and then is OK, and it brings an interesting new perspective, since Angels of the Deep is so very different than most of what I read.

Beck, the main character, has a complicated love life. (Too complicated for me, actually) He's married, and separated, from Catherine, who is one of those innocent, kind characters you totally adore and hate to see anything bad happen to - and Beck is trying to figure out his attraction to Sean, the tall, rugged, blond cop who works for him. To explain all of the plot details would be overload (trust me, you have to read it, it's that complicated and twisting) but in the end, there are a lot of secrets in Beck's life, things he has to come to terms with. And all the while, Mastema - a powerful, handsome, irresistable (in a bad way...a really, really bad way) angel-demon à la Luficer - is hunting Beck, not sure whether he wants to destroy Beck, or make him his own...or both.

There are some vague Biblical references thrown in, as well as some other mythology which is definitely not based on the Bible, but yet seems like a plausible addition to the whole. Just enough to satisfy some of the plot devices in the story, while still leaving a lot of the mythology open to speculation.

I really liked Sean. And when I say this, I mean the persona of Sean, since he's really also a being who is much older. And Beck...he actually annoyed me through most of the story, though I started to feel a certain affection for him toward the end. I see in him what we all see in ourselves, from time to time...the potential to be less-than-good, less-than-pure. In this way, it was a very human story, as everyone has times in their life where they have to choose to do the right thing, or not...choose to do the good thing, or not.

This was definitely a compelling read, and one I would read again. I will also look for more of Kirby Crow's work. I don't think I have the stomach to read this type of stuff all the time - but from time to time, yes. I really loved the dark, romantic (and sometimes dreadful) atmosphere she created with this book. A bit strong on the sex and violence, but otherwise, very well done. (hide spoiler)](less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Camilla ~ ♥Qhuay At Last♥ ~ rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

I have no idea what to say here.. I dont really want to write a review.. Would love nothing more than to just delete this book from my Kindle, and never think about it again..

I have no idea why this book bothered me so much.. But when I seriosuly wanted the "good guy" in this book to end up with the nasty, bad, motherfucking evil SOB, you get the point that I absolutly didnt get the point of this book..

Or maybe it shows that there is something seriously wrong with me, but I would rather not dig...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: glbt, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a difficult review to write because the book is so complex, so you'll have to bear with me while I go through my impressions.

It's a dark book from the beginning to the end. The life that Beck, the protagonist, has led is difficult from the beginning. Reading about the abuse he had to endure as a child was heart-wrenching. There's an image in the book of him as a child bleeding while he walks down an aisle which will be impossible for me to dispel. It makes you really cry for the loss of...more This is a difficult review to write because the book is so complex, so you'll have to bear with me while I go through my impressions.

It's a dark book from the beginning to the end. The life that Beck, the protagonist, has led is difficult from the beginning. Reading about the abuse he had to endure as a child was heart-wrenching. There's an image in the book of him as a child bleeding while he walks down an aisle which will be impossible for me to dispel. It makes you really cry for the loss of innocence, for the pain. At this point Beck sees himself as a child through some kind of mirror. It's impossible for him to soothe that child, as it is impossible for us to ease that child's pain through the pages of the book. Many times in the book someone inquires about the past and many times it is said that the past is written in stone and can't be changed. All this makes the finality of an act of violence so cruel almost unbearable. Beck keeps returning to it in his mind and he refuses to tell anyone about it. The priest who abused him used to call him "angel", and it was unsettling that evil could be attracted to the most precious part of Beck's being as if he recognised it in some way.

Beck struggles throughout the book for his humanity. His other nature, which is the nature of an angel, is a core inside him and at the beginning he can't perceive it and when he can, he is not able to understand it, although his job, his dreams, the people he loves are determined by it. The angels in the book are not the good guardian angels we are used to: they are beings whose reasoning is not understandable by human minds, their actions are not to be judged by the good they make, but by the adherence of their behavior to the will of God (and I'd like to say that God is notable by his absence here).

Beck doesn't have only a human/divine nature, he has also a female/male nature, but the reader is given no light, no accomplished feeling even when Beck gets to know about himself, realising the reasons why he is as he is and what is expected from him. He is confused, torn between two powerful supernatural beings who love him each in their own tortured ways. He doesn't know what part of himself he has to surrender to continue to exist.

What is really remarkable in this book is its logic. There's a scheme inside the book that ties everything together: the past and the present; all the characters; the reasons why they love and the reasons why they hate; the places. The last pages of the book, with the final confrontation between Mastema and Beck, are soaked with emotions and meanings, and everytime you think that you have the resolution, there's a twist that makes you reconsider your expectations and sometimes makes you feel a poor little human struggling for a satisfying end.

In all the hurt and confusion of Beck's life, there's a burning flame which is not enough to defy the darkness, but it's warm enough to drive away the cold, and that's Sean's love. It's a safe haven, where Beck can finally find tenderness and understanding. It's what I felt rewarded with for having gone through Beck's trial with him.

I am sorry if my review is so confused, but this book really blew me away and I don't have the skills to express it.(less)

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Jun 05, 2009 Elisa Ramblings added it

The best word to describe Angels of the Deep is "dark"; it started in the dark, both literally than figuratively, to continue always in the dark. Even when it's daylight, the darkness is there, and sincerely I always had the feel, reading this book, that there was like a cloud covering the sun, and even if the events take place during the day, no real sunlight was allowed in the story. The only light I perceived was the artificial one of neon, a light that was cold, in this way reinforcing the d...more The best word to describe Angels of the Deep is "dark"; it started in the dark, both literally than figuratively, to continue always in the dark. Even when it's daylight, the darkness is there, and sincerely I always had the feel, reading this book, that there was like a cloud covering the sun, and even if the events take place during the day, no real sunlight was allowed in the story. The only light I perceived was the artificial one of neon, a light that was cold, in this way reinforcing the darkness and also the coldness. No sunlight means no natural warm. All in this book was dark and icy.

I realized that I concentrated more on the feeling it left me than on the story, but it's also hard to give you a short summary of the story without giving up the end, but I will try. At the beginning of the book Beck is an orphan, a ward in the hand of a priest; unfortunately Beck is suffering an unspeakable hell living with the priest, a pedophiles who calls Beck his Angel. As expected in this situation, Beck is escaping reality building a world of his own, till the day an ancient woman appears and "frees" Beck from his hell. Jump ahead in time, Beck is now an adult, married man and soon-to-be divorced. It seems that he loves his wife, Cat, but not in the way he should love her; Cat is a good woman, but when Beck is near her, I feel more friendship than love passing between them. On the other hand, Beck is feeling something strong for someone he should not, Sean, his partner in the police facility they both work for.

Also Sean is aware of the feelings between them, and he would be willing to try, but Beck is unwilling. He finds all the right excuse, he is married, he can't do that to Cat, Sean is a co-worker... strange enough one of the excuse is not that he is not gay, as if the gender of them is not important... Anyway I had the feeling that the real reason was that Beck is still traumatized by what happened to him when he was a child. Beck is the exactly profile of an abused child, unable to tighten real bond with a lover, reluctant to speak of his problem, ready to lie to therapists when they near the real problem. The only thing that I will not add to the other typical thing is Beck being gay, since, first of all it seems not to be one of his "trouble", and second, as I said before, his relationship with Sean is strange, and being both men seem not to be the real problem between them.

All right, telling you these things, I covered more or less 50 pages of the more than 300 pages of the book, and I can't say more, since from this moment on the reader is plunged inside the story right in the middle of the event and will resurface only in the end. The author don't prolong the broth with water to make it last, but serve the main course and let the reader to deal with it in full play mode. The story takes is direction and goes straight to the end without hesitation and not leaving to the reader neither the time to breath. I was turning the page hoping to find a moment to stop, and instead there wasn't neither one. The book is 300 pages long, but no one of these pages is an embellishment, they are all center stage events.

Kirby Crow is not famous for being sexy, she is more famous to be a teaser (she will never be free of that title after letting me suffer for one very long book, Scarlet and the White Wold 1, for a kiss, and for another even more long book, the second in the series, for a sex scene...), and Angels of the Deep confirms it; even if, truth be told, there is sex in the book (and not only in the last chapter) and there is also a continuous running of eroticism in all the pages, all the characters, not only Beck and Sean, are all very physical, and their body reactions are pretty clear and described. So the only moment that the icy cloak I felt on the story is raised, is when that sexy running surfaces here and there.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608200264/?...(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 G.B. Gordon added it

This one will stay with me for a long time. So. Much. Pain. I couldn't breathe when I finished it, it was so heavy. The darkness is not without hope or redemption, but even the comparatively positive ending has an elegiac quality to it. I felt every ounce of the weight of the world that Beck carries on his shoulders.

Playlist: Nick Cave's Murder Ballads, Bruckner's 8th Symphony and Björk's Dancer in the Dark (and if that doesn't tell you what to expect, nothing will)

So why read it? Because all t...more

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May 15, 2013 Mammarella rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-police, contemporary, favourites, fantasy, historical, paranormal, mystery-suspense

To all who is looking for an M/M romance. There is NONE here.
There IS m/m sex, but in the context of the book the gender is irrelevant.

This is not about gender. This is not about sex. This is about Love. This is also about race (humans, angels, demons, nephilim) or rather a place and the sense of belonging, fear of losing personal values, humanity and all it entails.

The lines are so blurred between good and evil, race, gender, time you might get lost.

This is about temptation to give into fate,...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting story and very good writing, if a little dense at times

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- The writing in this book is among the best I’ve encountered in this genre. Crow has a wonderful sense of language rhythm and a large vocabulary of which s/he makes good use. I had to look up a number of different words in this book. The majority of the time, the words used are precise and convey a specific meaning.
- The plot and characters...more Interesting story and very good writing, if a little dense at times

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- The writing in this book is among the best I’ve encountered in this genre. Crow has a wonderful sense of language rhythm and a large vocabulary of which s/he makes good use. I had to look up a number of different words in this book. The majority of the time, the words used are precise and convey a specific meaning.
- The plot and characters and settings are rich and exotic and fascinating. I don’t read much supernatural or secular/spiritual fiction, so perhaps the twisting of biblical tales and people is not that uncommon; but I found the depth of the story very intriguing.
- Much of the dialogue is quick and sharp and realistic. The one bad thing about this is that at times it’s difficult to follow the characters’ conversations because their words don’t always provide a lot of context clues (as is the case when people in real life talk…usually people converse in fragments rather than sentences, and people are likely to say, “Did you talk to him?” without specifying who “he” is or what the conversation was supposed to have been about).

CONS:
- Although the writing throughout the book is solid, sometimes it was a little too much on the descriptive side for my taste. On occasion I felt as though Crow was simply playing with words because s/he can (and again, s/he’s good at it), when what I wanted was less exposition and more action, particularly in the climactic moments when resolution of the plot was foremost in my mind.
- Crow repeats a few story elements enough times that I stopped seeing them as necessary echoes and started viewing them as annoying redundancy. The writing is intelligent, and on the whole, Crow assumes that the reader must be intelligent also. The repetition of certain elements--the nature of characters’ past relationships, for example--was the one major contradiction to this assumption that I found.
- There’s a good amount of sexual content in the book, but I enjoyed reading only one of those scenes; with the others I found one or both characters repugnant or I felt that the sex was forced upon one participant.

Overall comments: I would not AT ALL call this a “religious” book, which is to say, if you’re easily offended by transformations of traditional religious folklore, you should probably stay away from this one. Many of the characters believe in a Higher Power, but not all of them believe that Power to be wholly good. If you’re open-minded, though, this is a good story.(less)

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Jan 16, 2012 Brie C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I keep wondering if angels are the new vampires. This book was published in 2009 before angels became so in vogue, but still, I keep seeing more books dealing with the subject and this was one that kept showing up as a recommended read. I decided to read it because of its darker nature. I didn’t know what I was getting into.

The story is quite complex and filled with twists and turns, so I can’t go into many details, but the books is best described as...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Min rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt, horror, fantasy, dub-con-rape-abuse

I first came upon this book while looking for other novels to read by Kirby Crow, since I had quite enjoyed her Scarlet and the White Wolf series. So, when I found ‘Angels of the Deep’ and read the short summary, I thought I found some sort of fantastical adventure mystery book. (If you want a better summary than the goodreads one, Elisa Ramblings’ review has a good description and insight into the novel) I had glanced at some of the reviews to give me some sneak peek at what I was getting into,...more

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Sep 26, 2009 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction_mystery-horror

I don't even know how to classify this one: horror, supernatural, love story. It's totally wrapped into one. The story is very dark; from the first page, it feels like there is a dark cloak all around you, while you follow the story of the hero in this book, Beck Merriday, as he is trying to find a serial murder that has been viciously and gruesomely killed a number of people in his town.

The story goes into a supernatural realm -- with angels, and demons, and Nephilims (children of fallen angel...more

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Aug 30, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars

I went into this thinking it was going to be a combination of all things gay, angels, and mysteries. ...two out of three doesn't really cut it. The plot is pretty predictable and I kind of found myself reading to get the story to go somewhere as opposed to becoming involved in the seemingly endless identity crisis the main character goes through with himself. He doesn't really evolve as a character as much as get beaten into a new mold by various plot devises. The graphic scenes are pretty much...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Sasha Kay Riley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-11

It seems like everybody wants Beck. There’s his wife, Catherine, who doesn’t want to divorce him even though he can’t feel the same love for her that he used to. There’s Sean, who he happens to work with. Then there are the angels Mastema and Tamiel. Mastema is the servant of God, sent to Earth to hunt the Nephilim, the offspring of the angelic Watchers and moral women. And Tamiel is a Watcher dedicated to protecting the Nephilim.

Oh, and Beck is a Nephilim. (No spoilers here, it’s pretty obvious...more It seems like everybody wants Beck. There’s his wife, Catherine, who doesn’t want to divorce him even though he can’t feel the same love for her that he used to. There’s Sean, who he happens to work with. Then there are the angels Mastema and Tamiel. Mastema is the servant of God, sent to Earth to hunt the Nephilim, the offspring of the angelic Watchers and moral women. And Tamiel is a Watcher dedicated to protecting the Nephilim.

Oh, and Beck is a Nephilim. (No spoilers here, it’s pretty obvious from the beginning.) But he doesn’t know it until Mastema shows up to kill him.

The coolest part about this story, in my opinion, was knowing who Beck actually was. What is actually drawing both Mastema and Tamiel to him is the human soul reborn in Beck, a soul that was once within the body of someone they both loved thousands of years ago. This ancient-love-reborn is by far my favorite aspect of the plot.

This book really is dark, starting with Beck’s shadowy past (in his current life), and ending with the choices he has to make and live with (for a very long time, since, you know, he’s immortal), and including all the gruesome things along the way. But it is a great book, and I found myself not wanting to put it down, and wanting it to go on. The ending seems to be a set-up for a sequel, which I hope happens. I would love to see if Beck can find his parents or confront the horrors of the place where he grew up.

I don’t have any real complaints about this book, except I don’t think I really understood the Veil. It threw me off a couple of times because I didn’t know if Beck had actually physically moved through it to another time and place, or if it was more of a dream. It almost seemed like sometimes it was one and sometimes the other. Maybe time traveling just didn’t seem like it would fit in this type of novel so my mind processed it as visions. But, it’s not a big deal. The only other thing that really bothered me for a long time was Sean. I pretty much guessed who he was, for the most part, at one point, but he never told Beck the truth until much later. I was so mad that he waited until so many things had happened, and I kept asking why so many times. But then the last chapter had him explain it and I felt better.

Formatting wise, there were some weird things going on with quotation marks in a few places, but it didn’t hurt my reading experience at all.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 Alina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 19, 2012 Kate O'Hanlon rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, myth-religion-folklore, romance

This started out well enough and then around the half way mark started to sink under the weight of its own convoluted mythology. I doubt I would have persisted without the assistance of a six pack.

There's a good story here, buried under a turgid mess of nonsense that Crow doesn't have the skill to pull it out from under.
Also the romance didn't work for me at all.

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Dec 05, 2009 Alli rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-read

I think I missed some existential message about good vs evil and that's why I liked this story so much less than other readers. Technically well written, but the whole book felt like being stuck in relentless rain &/or perpetual darkness. Just dismal, even when it wasn't supposed to be.

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Apr 03, 2012 Donnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This story is about two angles and a race of half human and half angle, which one angle is the father of, and the other a destroyer of. after an angle takes a human wife god sends another angle to destroy the new race. throughout time the people of the new race keep being reborn and the story repeats itself, until present day when both angles fight each other over the original wife of the one angle and her race. both angles are in love with her and through many other events god allows the new ra...more

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May 07, 2013 nicoll lu rated it 1 of 5 stars

1.5* because the author is literate
Angels of the Deep is the worst sort of a terrible book. It piques your interest, raises your hopes. The writing is good, the atmosphere gloomy and foreboding. Characters are interesting and you’re just about to start caring for them. You think: “Dear Lord, I have a hidden gem in my hands. I was so lucky to stumble upon this!”
And then it shatters your hopes, ruins your dreams and turns into a little piece of crap. Long-winded descriptions which serve no purpose...more

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Apr 08, 2012 amelia cavendish rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-2012, action, erotica, het, gay-male, fiction, murder-mystery, kindle, supernatural

I understand now why this book has such mixed reviews, it is because it is incredibly dark and if you are even mildly squeamish, you will find this book difficult reading.

The story revolves around a former FBI investigator turned police chief of a small town in New York, called Beck, who realises that the murders happening are messages directed at him.

This leads to Beck finding out about his supernatural heritage and takes him on a nightmarish and torturous journey of self-discovery, where nothi...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

A friend recommended this book to me, and I generally share tastes with her, so I was expected to be thrilled with Angels of the Deep.

...but I wasn't. Not really. It started out kind of interesting, and I found myself enjoying the characters and the start of the story, but as soon as things started to be "explained", as soon as Beck, the main character, started to fully realize what he was and who he used to be in his past lives, the story became at times cringe-worthy. There's a rule I remember...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Julesmarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban-fantasy, m-m, horror

This is another one that I'm having such a hard time giving a star rating to. This book actually took me months to finish because it was so harrowing and nightmarish to read that I couldn't take it in more than small doses.

What I liked:

The writing is fantastic! Among the most lyrical and vivid m/m books I've found so far. The imagery is clear and vivid, every scene is described in such carefully accurate detail that it was difficult to not get wholly absorbed into them.

I also liked the fresh and...more This is another one that I'm having such a hard time giving a star rating to. This book actually took me months to finish because it was so harrowing and nightmarish to read that I couldn't take it in more than small doses.

What I liked:

The writing is fantastic! Among the most lyrical and vivid m/m books I've found so far. The imagery is clear and vivid, every scene is described in such carefully accurate detail that it was difficult to not get wholly absorbed into them.

I also liked the fresh and interesting take on the battle between "good" and "evil" and the examination of those concepts. I appreciated that it was clear that NOBODY is completely good or completely evil, but that we all make choices that invariably lead to us having bits of both in us. I also really liked that "indifferent" was included along with good and bad when Beck was thinking about things there at the end.

I think perhaps my favorite thing was the emphasis on free will. Each of the characters ended up where they were at the end because they made the choices that put them there. (view spoiler)

What I didn't like:

There is so much that is horrific in this book. The whole atmosphere of nearly the whole book is filled with this terrible pessimism that seems to rule out happiness as a possibility, let alone a goal.

I think the thing that kept making me need to stop reading this was how fluid "reality" was in this book. Beck's life at times became this waking nightmare that I was accompanying him through, and it got to the point several times that I just couldn't take any more horror or destruction or lies.

However, I do feel like the end made up for a lot of that. The end seemed filled with hope just as much as the rest of the book was filled with despair, and I appreciate the metaphor of the triumph of hope and love and faith over darkness and despair.

I'll likely not put myself through reading this again, but I'm glad I finished it.(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Erica Pike rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Oh where to start? This book is a heavy, heavy read. It's long, dark, disturbing and the author doesn't pull back the punches. Just a warning to those who have a problem with severe violence, rape, and female bits in m/m stories - this isn't your book.

Here's the blurb:

Becket Merriday is on the trail of a killer who is murdering beautiful young men in the small town of Irenic. What he discovers an ancient race of immortal beings hunted by an incredibly powerful adversary: the angel Mastema. Soon...more Oh where to start? This book is a heavy, heavy read. It's long, dark, disturbing and the author doesn't pull back the punches. Just a warning to those who have a problem with severe violence, rape, and female bits in m/m stories - this isn't your book.

Here's the blurb:

Becket Merriday is on the trail of a killer who is murdering beautiful young men in the small town of Irenic. What he discovers an ancient race of immortal beings hunted by an incredibly powerful adversary: the angel Mastema. Soon, Beck and his partner, Sean Logan, find themselves at the center of a deadly supernatural war.

The book is full of details and I like that in a book. However, when there's too much details about nature and the surroundings in this one, I feel that things dragged on and I had to put the book down a couple of times because of it. The story also went back and forth in time, with Beck and Mastema thinking about the past. It was very well done, but again, it slowed things down and left me somewhat frustrated at times. I like fast plots and this book didn't have that, but then this isn't the kind of story that would have a fast plot.

I've read books about Nephilim before. Some are well developed and some are not. In this book, I felt that the Nephilim were unique in a way that they're not perfect, they're only male, and they have a specific power that I've never seen before in a Nephilim book (a power that very much makes sense when you think about what the Nephilim really are). The whole myth about the angels and the creation was unique as well.

The characters were very well developed. You get to know the three main players very intimately, how their past has intertwined and how it has molded them into the present people they are today.

The writing is absolutely beautiful. The many, many similes took my breath away. As I said before, the details got to be a bit too much, but I never tired of those similes. The plot itself was flawless and there was no straying from it. This is my first book by Kirby Crow and I've learned that she's one hell of an author.

I don't like angel books. I wouldn't have read this book if it hadn't been for the bingo challenge. I probably won't read this book again, but it left me with such an impression that I'll never forget it (and those are the best books).(less)

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Feb 07, 2010 Kassa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a dark fantasy, so uniquely beautiful in its horror and alluring in its pain that you’ll be unable to put this book down. The world Crow has created from the brilliant sun to the depths of empty darkness combine with the fantasy and history of Gods, Angels, Demons, and the ultimate balance of good and evil. The subtle and nuanced writing with beautifully lyrical prose read like a fantasy, yet the tangible evil and fear within almost mock the lovely, moving and descriptive writing of such...more This is a dark fantasy, so uniquely beautiful in its horror and alluring in its pain that you’ll be unable to put this book down. The world Crow has created from the brilliant sun to the depths of empty darkness combine with the fantasy and history of Gods, Angels, Demons, and the ultimate balance of good and evil. The subtle and nuanced writing with beautifully lyrical prose read like a fantasy, yet the tangible evil and fear within almost mock the lovely, moving and descriptive writing of such deeds. This is an incredible story that I read twice before even attempting to write a review and will likely read many more times in the future.

Due to the complexity of the plot and the inability to write a review without discussing any spoilers, there will be no discussion about individual elements ~ although I truly wish I could. The story begins impressively with its vivid setting and lushly dark atmosphere threaded with secrets and pain, but soon turns mesmerizing as the journey moves fluidly across time and space. The plot is intricately wrapped in fantasy, theory, faith, and reality as they combine to create a world unbelievable and yet so richly alive, the dream becomes the truth. Each additional layer of complexity to the already complicated story line never overwhelmed, but enhanced the depth and texture of the tale.

Each subtle and nuanced detail is important, creating a different experience each telling. The emotional upheaval the story takes is almost never ending, unafraid of starting high and cresting upon that level only to plunge into the darkness time and time again. There are no limits, no safety nets, and no rules that are set within this story. Everything is questionable, changeable and fragile. This inherent uneasiness keeps you on edge, waiting to see where the author will go next, what terror and horror is in store in the name of love or hatred. The interchangeable and repeated use of such terms, love and hatred, epitomize the necessity of both emotions and the resulting actions in their honor.

The various characters, a rather large and veritable cast, enhanced the story at every turn. The depth of each person from Sean, Catherine, and Frank to Mastema, Tamiel, and Zefira was surprising. There were almost no missteps in characterization, each essential to the story and surprising with their purpose and intent. Beck, as the hero, is a stunning character from his overwhelming anger to his desperate cling to humanity. His need to love and be loved is emotional and moving, as is his voracious denial and avoidance. Beck’s progression within the story could have been enough for a wonderful tale, but in combination with a fascinating plot, this story easily elevates itself. From the beginning priest to the last Nephilim, every character’s presence is felt within the pages and its own addition to the tale important.

However, for all the raving about the story I have done there were some definite problems. None of these will detract from the story, hopefully, nor should they scare a novice reader away. The story’s twists and turns with heart racing emotions and actions are almost too much at times. The author never just offers information; instead she makes the reader work for every clue, every inference, and every subtle hint. While this works especially well in combination with many elements of the story, some are over done and simply cause unnecessary confusion and work. Several background elements to the various characters could have easily been offered within a simple context without the slow dropping of hints and cut off conversation and not affected either the tone, pace, or impact of the story. Especially with the maze like plot building at the beginning, the flow and cohesiveness of the tale would have benefited from a few of the more mundane details freely offered.

Additionally, as a name holds power several of the characters used more than one name and thus the mixing of multiple names could be confusing if not paying strict attention to who is who. There are also continuity errors that occur, some noticeable and some subtler. Even so, the revelations certainly do not stop ever within the book. If you think you’ve figured out the truth, think again and start reading the book from the beginning. Chances are you missed something. The last hundred pages especially involve so many twists and turns and detailed scenarios that you want to be sure to read this book in one sitting if possible, but the fast pace and fascinating topic will keep you glued to the story.

There are literary aspects that could keep scholars entranced for ages, from the overwhelming theme of light versus darkness, to God and faith, revenge and forgiveness, and even men versus Angels. However absorbing these themes may be, this tale is still a love story. Violent, gory, and beautiful in its terrifying horror, the theme of love is never far away. This may not be for everyone, but for those that enjoy an absorbing edgy story that you won’t be able to put down and keep you guessing, I highly recommend this story. The ending is satisfying, if not simple, and the hint of a sequel will have you almost sorry the story ends.(less)

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Aug 15, 2009 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance, dark-fantasy, some-recommended-reads, the-tasting-from-my-blog

The Tasting:

Why I bought it:

A combination of the cover, the blurb and the author.

Dislike/like (ending on a high note):

Dislike~ More of a warning than a dislike... I am familiar with the Nephilim (the children of the ‘Sons of God’ and the ‘Daughters of Humans’) and therefore was quick to catch on to the main premise of the story, which, as the blurb says, is the hunting of the Nephilim by the Angel Mastema. It’s not essential to have an in depth knowledge of Nephilim, but a certain amount did hel...more The Tasting:

Why I bought it:

A combination of the cover, the blurb and the author.

Dislike/like (ending on a high note):

Dislike~ More of a warning than a dislike... I am familiar with the Nephilim (the children of the ‘Sons of God’ and the ‘Daughters of Humans’) and therefore was quick to catch on to the main premise of the story, which, as the blurb says, is the hunting of the Nephilim by the Angel Mastema. It’s not essential to have an in depth knowledge of Nephilim, but a certain amount did help me to better understand the nuances of Angels of the Deep. Along these lines, some back story and flashbacks appear throughout the book to assist with the development of the story. Take notice of them. They are important!

Like~ This is dark fantasy, my friends. Not everything is as it seems and bad stuff happens (a lot) to people; some of which is quite graphic including murder and references to rape and to child abuse. Not a pleasant afternoon’s reading by any stretch of the imagination. So why the heck is this a like?? I LOVE good dark fantasy, that’s why. *G*

Dislike~ Being very, very honest, this story contains a cast of characters, who are very difficult to like, especially the main character Brett. He is a bit of a bastard, un/caring, cold/hot, a prick to his estranged wife, hovering on the brink of an affair with a man, and more often than not seemingly detached/inhuman. I thought he was a total wanker and then the big reveal happened and all became clear(er). This – and subsequent revelations – did make me feel more sympathetic to Brett in the end.

Like~ Twist upon twist upon twist upon twist. Other than the fact that I figured more people were going to die (prob’ly quite gruesomely) I had no idea where the plot was going and what was going to happen next. I love it when an author keeps you guessing, don’t you. ;)

So, what I think:

This will definitely NOT be everyone’s cuppa. For those of you who, like me, enjoy dark fantasy with a strong dash of mystery, GET IT. It’s an engrossing story which has the added bonus of being written by the talented Kirby Crow, who never fails to impress.

============================================

‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to. Oh, and I’ve added a bit about why I picked up the book in the first place – sometimes this can be interesting to know.(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Dreamer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, m-m-para-romance, angels, demons, kindle

Kirby Crow's use of language is both haunting and beautiful in this darkly excellent m/m horror read. Police chief Beck is faced with a demonic serial killer in the quiet town of Irenic.
'The twin virtues of sin and purity lured Mastema in like a hooked fish, impaled through the cheek with steel desire, swimming hopefully toward death. He reached for the creature.'

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Sep 19, 2010 Nene rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, pnr-mm

I did it! I finished it! Took me quite a while, but I made it through. This is a difficult book for me to rate and review because I struggled quite a bit reading it. In the end it was just too much for me: too dark, too violent, too many themes, too complex. You get the point.

But on the other hand, it was beautifully written and Ms. Crow has a way of painting pictures with her words that is few and far between.

So the real question becomes, would I recommend this book? And the answer is yes, I t...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Pedro rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's a strange book with angels that couldn't be more dark and manipulative. The descriptions of environments and situations are so vivid that seem like images from a comic book. The plot and the characters change a lot throughout the story, syometimes in the verge of becoming a fluffy romance.

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May 08, 2010 Sonya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, horror, angels-demons

Whoa. This was a heavy book. I wouldn't call it an easy read. The story is well written and engaging but it did take me about 100 pages to really get into it. Beck struggled so much and for so long I was relieved when he finally got his answers. A good book but not one to read if you're feeling down or want a fun read. I'd recommend it.

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Jul 11, 2012 Antonella rated it 4 of 5 stars

3,5

A well written dark story. Some lenghty descriptions, visions and flashbacks annoyed me.
Warning: graphic scenes, rape, violence. Were all of them necessary? I don't know.

like 1 like · see review

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About Kirby Crow

Kirby Crow worked as an entertainment editor and ghostwriter for several years before happily giving it up to bake more brownies, read more yaoi, play more video games, and write her own novels.

Changing weather patterns, watering bans, and pesticides have unhappily forced her to give up growing roses, alas.

Her published novels are Prisoner of the Raven (historical romance, Torquere Press, 2005), S...more

More about Kirby Crow...

Books by Kirby Crow

The Pedlar and the Bandit King (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #1)

Mariner's Luck (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #2)

The Land of Night (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #3)

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Quotes from Angels of the Deep

“Mastema prefers absolutes. He wants fences on the world and everything in its place, neat and tidy as a churchyard garden. God is not like that. God is boundless. For all his wisdom, Mastema cannot comprehend Yahweh’s need for surprises. An omniscient Being would naturally yearn for things beyond His control, futures He could not see, wills He could influence but not command. Strange, yes. It is odd when the puppeteer desires his wooden slaves to cut their strings, yet that is exactly what He did when he granted humans free will.” — 4 people liked it

“I went to them without fear, child, prepared for a pitched battle, expecting the fierce Watchers, famed for their love of Earth, to defend their families. Yet they stood mute and allowed their loved ones to die. I judged them harshly in my heart for that.” — 2 people liked it

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