Special thanks to Leontine from Leontine's Book Realm for the super header.


Friday, April 23, 2010

Angelic Friday


I've decided that each Friday I will review three stories from the A Brush of Wings anthology in an effort to keep myself from binging. It's harder than it sounds because you want to see what's next. But if I skip a few days it will help.

In the Hands of the Gods by Jana Denardo (22 pages)
A Voice in the Darkness by Patric Michael (28 pages)
Some Comfort by S. Blaise (9 pages)

Last time all three stories had a similar theme and these I found had more variety.

In the Hands of the Gods - This is set in Pompeii. Tiberius is the lone surviving member of his family and is a wealthy olive oil merchant. At a friend's party he meets Priscus. He and Priscus, who is visiting from Rome, start a taboo relationship (same social status is a no-no). Priscus finally convinces Tiberius to pack up his household and come to Rome for a while and start business there. While enroute, Vesuvius blows. Seems Priscus is more than he seems and Tiberius devout care of the household god served him well. I really enjoyed this as I've not read anything set in that time and reading about the gym and the bath and sort of daily life as interesting for me. Not a traditional angel story as they didn't really have angels then I suppose.

A Voice in the Darkness - Landon and his husband Bryce are on their way home from finalizing their adoption of a young boy when they are caught in a land slide and their car is crushed. Landon wakes up to himself and Bryce injured and a good Samaritan Danyel talking to him from outside the car. Danyel encourages him to help Bryce and to try and get them out before another rock falls and crushes them. At the last minute help arrives but there is no sign of Danyel. Who was he? I quite liked this as it used Landon's memories of their fight to adopt their little guy and while Bryce was unconscious for the story you got to know him through Landon's memories and feeling the desperation as Landon tried to save them and Danyel's calm presence was well done.

Some Comfort - Dale is home from Iraq and feeling a bit out of place. He's hanging at an ice rink when Mal, who saved his life in Iraq shows up out of the blue. Mal had always told him that he needed someone to look out for him and had taken on the task. They talk for a while and when Dale doesn't want to be with his family they hang out and Mal soothes Dale and tells him he's destined for great things. Dale falls asleep and Mal vows to protect and watch over him. This was a sweet story although it left me feeling a bit sad for Mal and I would have loved to read more about them both. It was only 9 pages but you got the sense of Mal's love for Dale and what I sensed was the futility of this love. So I would have loved to see them get a HEA otherworldly being or not. :-)

As I said, the first two had a different theme from the last ones I read which was a refreshing change and while the third one had the angel offering comfort theme it was done differently, I guess in a more benign manner. Have a heavenly weekend everyone.


22 comments:

Polt said...

I love me a sexy angel, like the one in the photo. Nice shot, Tam!

HUGS...

Tam said...

Thanks hon. He was pretty and oh my life is so tough, having to google sexy angel pics. :-)

Chris said...

And having to google them every week until you finish the anthology!

The only one of those I've read so far was the Patric Michael, which I liked. Definitely a twist at the end!

Lily said...

Love the Angel pic and your hottie of the day is very cute too!


These sounds good, I especially like the middle one.

Tam said...

I know, my life is hard Chris. :-) It was an interesting twist.

My hottie needs black angel wings Lily. All three were good and a bit different from what I feared might be 15 stories with the same themes.

Average Reader said...

Great illustrations! I'm holding back on reading the reviews until I (start and) finish the anthology myself.

Tam said...

I find the large anthologies a bit daunting Val, but breaking it down like this seems to be helping me feel both less overwhelmed at taking on a huge book and burned out from reading similar themes in a short period of time.

Have a great weekend.

Chris said...

I just capitulated and purchased the Dreamspinner Midsummer short story package....

Tam said...

Uh oh. Is there a theme or just summer in general?

Tam said...

Duh. I linked from Sean. I'll pass. I am not into the horror genre but will check out some as they come up and get only those author's I enjoy or stories that really seem to strike a chord.

Chris said...

I thought what the heck - lots of author's in there whose stories I'd pick up, even being horror.

And! Are you not shocked? I am going to read zombie stories. WTF. ;)

Tam said...

It's a slippery slope honey after the first one. I guess I'm going to have to take credit (blame?) for this one. :-)

Chris said...

I swear, my life is nothing but slippery slopes lately.

Tam said...

You'll be hooked on menage soon. Mark my words. And Twincest. LOL Twincest menage. Gemini anyone?

Chris said...

*curls into fetal ball and begins rocking and whimpering*

Janna said...

Which reminds me, I've started this anthology a couple of weeks ago and forgot all about it... I better try to keep up with you or else I have to skip your angelic Friday posts ;)

Zombies huh? Not my thing either. But if you can handle zombies, Chris, a menage will be like kinder garten. Hmm maybe not the most appropiate analogy, but you know what I mean, don't you?

Tam said...

Well you have another week to catch up Janna. :-)

I don't mind zombie stories but I'm not so much in the horror genre so I'll just see what comes out of that group.

Chris said...

I'm not huge on horror, but these didn't really sound like HORROR horror to me (something like HP Lovecraft - holy hell, I had to sleep with the lights on).

Tam said...

Well, I've never even read Stephen King. LOL I have read Jordan Castillo Price's stuff and I don't find it too much and Ally Blue's ghosty stuff but I don't seek it out as a rule and it really depends on the author.

Erotic Horizon said...

Kudos to you for making it so far through the book - I am rubbish with anthology...

A do like the osund of A Voice in the Darkness- It brings to mind those stories you hear of people doing incredible things with no explanation of any kind for it...

This anthology sounds like there is something there for everyone..

E.H>

Tam said...

I don't usually read such large anthologies EH, but I'm finding breaking it down is working. Too often I start to rush through the last stories just because I'm tiring of them. Which is totally unfair to the authors who get stuck at the end. Hopefully I'll find some more good ones as I go along.

Erotic Horizon said...

I think I am going to use your system and try and get through a massive book of Paranormal romance that I have...

Probably challenge myself to read it all in six months...

E.H>