Murder of Angels

Caitlin R. Kiernan is an author whose voice rings like the crisp tolling of a bell in an otherwise muddled and bland wasteland of predictable and soulless stories. Murder of Angels is her fifth novel. In it Kiernan takes us on the incredible journey of characters first introduced in her novel Silk, some ten years after that first story's ending. The beautiful and quick prose of this dark tale reminds me of both Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker, and the artistic layout of text in some sections evokes shades of Mark Z. Danielewski's masterpiece House of Leaves. Fans of dark fantasy and lucid dream worlds take heed; Caitlin R. Kiernan is a shining beacon of hope in the literary world, a writer who communicates raw passion and desperate emotion with exquisite accuracy.

Before you take FruitLoop's commentary above to heart, take a look at the book. Murder of Angels is bit dark, true, but that should be obvious, if not from the title alone, let alone Kiernan's publishing history. The idea that this is a rip-off is ludicrous - the story is original, the characters engaging and NOT cookie-cutters, despite what FruitLoop says (good name for that reviewer - look at their other reviews). The very idea of comparing Murder of Angels to Kate and Leopold is just wrong - starting with the fact that the movie wasn't good. The idea of a review is not to trash things, but to talk about the book - this isn't for everyone, but it's a very good read. Fans of Neil Gaiman and Poppy Z. Brite will enjoy it.

I learned of Caitlin R. Kiernan by reading Poppy Z. Brite, though I do not agree with some critics about the similarity of their work. I didn't realize that "Murder of Angels" was a sequel to another Kiernan book ("Silk") until I was halfway through it. Since I have not yet read "Silk," I can unequivocally say that "MOA" stands on its own. The writing is moody and atmospheric without being at all overblown. The story drew me right in, and I cared for the characters. I'll be picking up more Kiernan books soon!

Ms. Kiernan's prose has grown more beautiful with every novel, and Murder of Angels surpasses even the stunningly high standard she set with Low Red Moon. While Murder can be read alone, I recommend reading its predeccessor Silk for added depth of characterization and back-story. For readers already familiar with Daria, Niki, and Spyder, (and others) Murder finds them older, more broken, and more beautiful than where we left off with Silk. The characters and settings in Murder are breath-takingly, heart-breakingly drawn, both universes vivid and touchable. The story is deft and intricate, and ends with a punch in the gut (if you'll forgive such an unoriginal simile). And for fans of H.P. Lovecraft, Ms. Kiernan's work continues to be far and away the best modern interpretation of his ideas, capturing all the horror, madness, and beauty without falling back on a pastiche of gibbering tentacles.

"Murder of Angels" is an amazing follow-up to the events in "Silk." Exquistiely dark imagery (Caitlin's power to create other planes of existence never ceases to amaze me), and the excellent, lyrical descriptions make it impossible to put this book down. Those with a soft spot for Niki Ky and Daria Parker will be pleased (and saddened--no spoilers) to see them again; while those unfamiliar with the characters should be dying to learn more about them by the end. If that's the case with you, purchase "Silk" immediately. The appearance of Scarborough Pentecost (from "Low Red Moon") is a whimsical touch that I thoroughly loved; and I can only hope that Marvin makes appearances in later work as well. One more time: Well done, Caitlin! "Murder of Angels" is superb. (um, ahem... in essence, NOTHING is original. Surely anyone can name a thousand books, movies, short stories, television shows, etc. that feature leaps from bridges, alternate realities, and portals to other realms. These things happen [wink, wink]. There are such things as themes and archetypes in literature; and only so many creative ways in which characters can die. Sorry).