Principles of Angels (Paperback)

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Review
"In her first novel, Jaine Fenn has created a vivid and unusual world, populated by an interesting array of characters. A promising start." (Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES )

"Fenn manages to put her own stamp on some familiar genre elements, enough to make this a genuinely promising debut" (Faren Miller LOCUS )

"The plot speeds along, the dialogue is sharp... British debut author Fenn's future dystopia may contain some overly familiar elements but it's mighty promising nonetheless." (Dave Golder BBC FOCUS )

"What initially plays as a slow-burning blend of murder mystery and hard sci-fi (with an added dash of China Mieville's gritty sense of urban energy) is soon expanding in scale and taking on some highly intriguing concepts. Fenn's debut novel is an impressive piece of work and adds another name to the list of SF and fantasy authors worth watching." (Saxon Bullock SFX )

"Fenn shows considerable promise with this debut. Well paced, with a satisfying number of twists and turns to hold your interest and characters are well drawn, ensuring you care enough about them to keep reading. This is an accomplished first novel from an author who bears watching." (Steve Robinson DEATHRAY )

"The novel reads as a thriller, short and punchy with clear prose and authentic characterisation. This is an enjoyable debut." (BRUM SF GROUP NEWSLETTER )

"The politics and social mores of Chesh are well-defined and surprisingly interesting...Given that it's a first novel, that bodes rather well for the future." (SF REVU )

"Jaine Fenn adroitly creates a richly detailed future world populated by some colorful and intriguing characters. Fenn is adept at keeping the action moving. There are many fine fight scenes, changes of locale, and cliff-hanging ends of chapters. Fenn also possesses a strong gift for vibrant description: the clothing, architecture, and interiors of dwellings are conveyed with a keen visual sense. Principles of Angels is a fun read, and a well written first novel." (SCI-FI DIMENSIONS )

"Principles of Angels offers a meaty science fantasy. It has a soundly structured plot, is well written and engages the senses. Angels is founded on social commentary but offers no prescription. Written in an urgent and compelling style, if you simply want a fast-paced, well imagined sci-fi read, you'll enjoy it." (Beth Webb MSLEXIA )

"Jaine Fenn is a potential star in the making." (SF CROWSNEST )

"An artfully engineered plot, flawed but compelling characters and a fascinating setting make for an entertaining first novel." (Eric Brown GUARDIAN )

"I found myself really enjoying this slice of 'low-tech' sci-fi and its hints of further developments in the future have got me looking forward to what Jaine Fenn comes up with next." (GRAEME'S FANTASY REVIEW )

"New author Jaine Fenn really doesn't pull punches in her dark look at the future of mankind in this tale where Dark City meets Bladerunner and one of the cheapest commodities is life. This really is Science Fiction at its best with risks that only a new author will take." (FALCATTA TIMES )

Product Description
Khesh City floats above the surface of the uninhabitable planet of Vellern. Topside, it's extravagant, opulent, luxurious; the Undertow is dark, twisted and dangerous. Khesh City is a place where nothing is forbidden - but it's also a democracy, of sorts, a democracy by assassination, policed by the Angels, the elite, state-sponsored killers who answer only to the Minister, their enigmatic master. Taro lived with Malia, his Angel aunt, one of the privileged few, until a strange man bought his body for the night, then followed him home and murdered Malia in cold blood. Taro wants to find the killer who ruined his future, but he's struggling just to survive in the brutal world of the Undertow. Then an encounter with the Minister sets him on a new course, spying for the City; his target is a reclusive Angel called Nual. Elarn Reen is a famous musician, sent to Khesh City as the unwilling agent of mankind's oldest enemy, the Sidhe. To save her own life, she must find and kill her ex-lover, a renegade Sidhe. Though they come from different worlds, Taro and Elarn's fates are linked, their lives apparently forfeit to other people's schemes. As their paths converge, it becomes clear that the lives of everyone in Khesh City, from the majestic, deadly Angels to the barely-human denizens of the Undertow, are at risk. And Taro and Elarn, a common prostitute and an uncommon singer, are Khesh City's only chance . . .

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6 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:  (3) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.5 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   6 of 6 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Standard ingredients, plus extras, surprisingly gripping rsult, 29 Jun 2008 By  Jane Williams (UK) - See all my reviews This book has me slightly puzzled, because now I've managed to escape from its clutches and stop checking for... no, to tell you what it made me scared of would be a spoiler... anyway, now I've got "out" of it, it's hard to analyse what made it so gripping. We have an ancient man-made (er, sentient-made) space city, all luxury on top and slums in the sewers/recycling mechanism. Nothing new there, standard cliche of either SF or fantasy. Tribe culture in the underworld - check. Gritty references to food and water from recycling - check. Of our two heros, one is a youngster in the underworld who has recently lost his protector, the other is a wealthy newcomer to the entire world who can therefore receive explanations that also explain things to the reader. Check, check. (Though I notice that many of these things are cliches I'm more used to meeting in fantasy than in SF). There are other cliches later on, too, mainly about alien powers and what the climax consists of, but I'll refrain from spoilers. The Angels of the title are state-sponsored assassins. Now, that's new. This is a democracy by assassination: for a politician, failing is a very bad idea. You may "win" the vote to be Removed. We get a look at the concept from the viewpoint of victim, of assassin, and of audience. It's well-thought out, it's different, and the consequences have been thought through. What else is different? Well, that young hero is a male prostitute - by choice. For once, this subject gets treated in a refreshingly non-hysterical fashion. I think what gripped me, though, was the characterisation. Both heroes, and many of the other characters, are sympathetic people. They're not idiots, but they do have human flaws. The action keeps moving at a good pace, enough to stop me putting the book down without getting breathless. Because they feel real, the threats seem real, and because much of the background is undemanding, familiar, stuff, you don't get distracted by it. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Real Fun on the Run, 7 Jul 2008 By  Gareth Wilson "drosdelnoch2" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Principles of Angels (Hardcover) New author Jaine Fenn really doesn't pull punches in her dark look at the future of mankind in this tale where Dark City meets Bladerunner and one of the cheapest commodities is life. Well written with an almost classical class of characters the reader is treated to a story within a story as the characters each struggle to find their own way in this dangerous world only to end up discovering that through cooperation do they stand any chance of success as the tale builds up to a climatic finish that no one will see coming. This really is Science Fiction at its best with risks that only a new author will take allowing the reader to see a world in vivid colour against the backdrop of a power struggle for societies elite using the denizens of the undercity as pawns in a masterful game of political court chess where even a pawn can become King. If you're looking for something different to many books out there, this one truly does stand on its own two feet and will more than entertain. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   4.0 out of 5 stars A promising debut., 25 May 2009 By  D. O'Brien "D.O'Brien" (Manchester, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       Khesh City is a place of two halves, in a society with a history. It's one of the three government centres in an uneasy alliance of human societies that exist some time after the ending of the dominance of humainty by the alien Sidhe (hint; it's pronounced 'Shee', as in 'Banshee'). Only the Sidhe aren't as defeated as everyone would like to think, and when a singer arrives in Khesh City with more than performances on her mind, the City's semi-despotic ruler conscripts one of the underworld's rent-boys to aid one of his own Angel assassins in uncovering a plot that could doom them all. This book is definitely one for grown-ups, including as it does a prostitute main character, and numerous passages you wouldn't want your child or granny to read. But in my view that's made for a bold debut. This book could have been written in a sanitised form, and wouldn't have had half as much integrity. I like a sci-fi story that treats its reader like an adult, and refuses to have its hands tied by the desire to please everyone - it's an easy trap for a genre book to fall into, and I admire Fenn for having boldly begun her career with her integrity intact. Word on the grapevine is that Fenn has secured a three book deal, and the hardback edition of the sequel to this book is about to hit the stores as I type. The only reservation I have with this book is that it's quite obviously the first in a series. Self-contained though the story may be to an extent, it loses some of its impact for me by being an obvious 'first book' in a (presumed) trilogy. Having said that, I do intend to buy the next book, so obviously I'm able to get past that. My hope also is that Fenn matures as writer as ther series moves on - this book, for all it's boldness, is a 'first book' in another way too. The storyline plods on occasion, and does take a while to warm up. The reader has to stick with it for some time before working out the setting (who the Angels are, who the Sidhe are, and how everyone has ended up in Khesh City in the first place). It's good, but could possibly have done with a bit more detail. Read it, and judge for yourself. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 6 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating, fast-paced joy-ride into a detailed and dangerous world. Principles of Angels is a sci-fi novel set in a domed city on a planet where society is split between top-siders and down-siders. Read more Published 10 months ago by Adriana Paun 5.0 out of 5 stars Mysteries, murder and airtight plotting Confidence and assurance are vital for the debut SF novelist. Standards these days are high: the new writer who wishes to be taken seriously has to juggle atmosphere,... Read more Published 11 months ago by John Dallman 5.0 out of 5 stars A thoroughly gripping read. Having started this book shortly after receiving it, but with the intention of saving the remaineder for a long train journey, I found that I couldn't put it down for long enough... Read more Published 12 months ago by Teddy Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 6 customer reviews...

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