The Book of Angels

by Todd Jordan, L.A. Williams (Illustrator), Renae Taylor (Illustrator)

The story of the archangels is one of heroism and drama, and the world they represent is unlike any you know. The Book of Angels shines a light on little-known facts of angel lore that have been hidden away for centuries in forgotten books and histories kept from wide circulation. Boldly illustrated with Ruth Thompson’s stunning full-color artwork, this book shows you details of angel history and heraldry that have never been so vividly rendered, and that you cannot glean from traditional myths and legends. A special section on Angelic Lore is also included, which recounts stories from the Bible, literature, and history. This is your introduction to beings of awe and mystery, and a realm illuminated by their valor and magnificence.

Genres: Angels, Art, Fantasy, Reference, Research, Religion

137 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2006

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this for the art. I ran across some Ruth Thompson art at the local SFF con several years ago, liked it, and put in the winning bid for one of the prints. (I especially liked that she depicted a lot of men instead of only the bombshell chickies so prevalent at SFF cons.)
Not being very widely-read in religion or any sort New Agey stuff that might deal in the topic, I found the text rather surprising and weird. It can be read in one setting; I just happened to get sidetracked by other things.

[Lex Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels given their true AO3 form.

This book is awesome. I did not read any of the text, so I cannot speak to the quality of writing or content, but the pictures! Wow. Incredible.

Also, you cannot convince me that Sarah J. Maas didn't read this book before developing any and all of her characters.

[Christopher Gilstrap]

This is a book of Christian angel folklore that I read as a kid because the artwork captivated me and archangels are cool as hell. It's not exactly sound theology lmao but still a fun book

[Tim Halbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main purpose of this book is to inform with beautiful art. The artwork of this book is absolutely amazing. It was nice to see the archangels of angelic lore dressed in something other than robes and towels. Though I hold doubts to any form of accuracy with the 'angelic script' discussed in the book, it does list various nicknames and stories that involved the main archangels, each in their own section. If you're looking for encyclopedic information, this probably isn't what you're looking for. If you're looking for fantastic full color pictures and a four page summary on Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Azrael, and Samael, then this will be more than suitable.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing artwork! Ties nicely to biblical passages and other religious sources. Do you know that archangels Michael and Gabriel are both mentioned in the Bible and Koran? The author also uses passages from St Thomas Aquinas as he categorizes the Angels into hierarchy according to their proximity to God's grace! Employs a plethora of other sources so the reader understands that there are references and sources to back up the author's depictions. 150 pages with beautiful artwork on almost every single page!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple overview of angels accompanied by the artwork of Ruth Thompson. In the late 1900s to early 2000s, Ruth Thompson's work was very popular within the Renaissance Faire circuits, but now she has floated into obscurity.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book. I got turned on to the subject by the tv show Supernatural and this book was very informative with some very imressive art. Recommended.

[James Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take this as mainly fiction, as there is a lot of speculation in this, but it is very entertaining and if taken as fantasy, it is superb. Very impressive artwork.

[Danelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and it's illustrations. Very cool.

[Siiri Cressey · Rating 4 out of 5]

GORGEOUS illustrations. And kudos for including Lucifer.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book.

[N. Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork in here is worth it