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    Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One
    Unavailable
    Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One
    Unavailable
    Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One
    Audiobook8 hours

    Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One

    Written by Anne Rice

    Narrated by Paul Michael

    3/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Anne Rice returns to the mesmerizing storytelling that has captivated readers for more than three decades in a tale of unceasing suspense set in time past-a metaphysical thriller about angels and assassins.

    The novel opens in the present. At its center: Toby O'Dare-a contract killer of underground fame on assignment to kill once again. A soulless soul, a dead man walking, he lives under a series of aliases-just now: Lucky the Fox-and takes his orders from "The Right Man."

    Into O'Dare's nightmarish world of lone and lethal missions comes a mysterious stranger, a seraph, who offers him a chance to save rather than destroy lives. O'Dare, who long ago dreamt of being a priest but instead came to embody danger and violence, seizes his chance. Now he is carried back through the ages to thirteenth-century England, to dark realms where accusations of ritual murder have been made against Jews, where children suddenly die or disappear . . . In this primitive setting, O'Dare begins his perilous quest for salvation, a journey of danger and flight, loyalty and betrayal, selflessness and love.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 27, 2009
    ISBN9780739316092
    Unavailable
    Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One
    Author

    Anne Rice

    A.N. Roquelaure is the pseudonym for bestselling author Anne Rice, the author of 25 books. She lives in New Orleans.

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    Reviews for Angel Time

    3/5

    24 ratings21 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      The first half of the book tells how Toby came to be an assasin. About his childhood in New Orleans with alcoholic mother and little brother and sister after his fathers death. He’s practically taking care of his sisters and running the house and the thing that helps him going through al this is playing a lute. He has great love for historic books about medieval religious stuff and when he was little he dreamed becoming a priest. But all this ends when he comes home and finds his whole family dead. He leaves without leaving a trace behind. Some time after going to New York he meets a man who’s going to change his life and making him come an assasin. He meets an angel on his latest mission and the angel, Malchiah, send him to 13th century England to save a Jewish family.

      I had some fears about reading this book because I couldn’t finish the first Christ book. But I’m a huge fan of hers and love all her other books so I had to try. And I’m glad I did. It’s not just about angels, it’s more about a man trying to find himself. While most of the religious stuff went over my head I always love her writing style and how she describes everything. I have no knowledge about Jews in that time period, or much in general, so it’s interesting to learn more.
    • 3/5
      Since this is the first of her novels I've read, I didn't come to this book with any expectations or resentments about Rice's recent change of subjects or themes. This book suffers from several problems. The first is that its setup - a modern hitman recruited by his guardian angel to undertake a mission into medieval England - hints at an intriguing, violent story that never materializes. Malchiah, guardian angel to protagonist Toby O'Dare, seems to think Toby is ideally suited for this mission. I remained unconvinced. O'Dare's contributions seem to be his beautiful, graceful appearance which renders him credible enough to attempt a deceit to save the Jews of Norwich, England. To be sure, Toby has also read extensively about the time. But Rice seems to cheat a little by giving him linguistic abilities which he hasn't earned unless we're dealing with an implicit gift of tongues. The second problem is that the characters all sound alike when narrating their tales be it Toby O'Dare or Malchiah or the Jewish woman Fluria. The third problem is that, for a tale involving an assassin and a threatened massacre of Jews in England, it's remarkably ungrim and beautiful - in fact several figures are described as beautiful or graceful: Fluria, Meir, Godwin, Toby, Malchiah, even the mysterious Right Man (who may head a government assassination bureau). Granted, that constant emphasis on beauty and grace is sometimes an advantage in conveying the visual attraction of the Catholic faith, and Rice depicts some of the nuances of Jewish-Christian relations in the Middle Ages. But it is too much beauty when depicting the fallen human world. The fourth problem is that the story is too long. Rice writes some nice sentences, has some truthful, insightful bits in her internal monologues and then dilutes the effect by being too wordy. Finally, the ending is contrived, a revelation to Toby too neatly mirroring another character's dilemna. The book ends with a hint of more Toby adventures to come. I didn't hate this novel. But I didn't find Toby's adventures intriguing enough to want more.
    • 3/5
      The title kind of put me off and I never intended to read any of the "new" Anne Rice books. But stuck with an hour to kill and no book with me I picked this up at the library. I found it hard to put down. Anne Rice's writing and style has not changed only a little of the subject matter. And although I felt like I was missing the importance of some things because I am not a Catholic, it was a good read. At the close I immediately started looking for the next one. It may not be vampires or witches but it was wonderful story nonetheless.
    • 2/5
      Started well, then became very run of the mill, not for the enthusiastic or those interested in great plot development. Obvious ending, worth avoiding
    • 4/5
      i am still processing what i think about this book. it's definitely well written and an interesting story. it tells the tale of a paid hit man who is visited by an angel and offered redemption for all of the murders he has committed. in turn he becomes the angel's emissary on earth. because the angel can move in non-linear time the hit man is taken back to the past and given the chance to help someone.it's an interesting concept and once the book got going i was really engaged by it...morei am still processing what i think about this book. it's definitely well written and an interesting story. it tells the tale of a paid hit man who is visited by an angel and offered redemption for all of the murders he has committed. in turn he becomes the angel's emissary on earth. because the angel can move in non-linear time the hit man is taken back to the past and given the chance to help someone.it's an interesting concept and once the book got going i was really engaged by it. it could also become an interesting series what with the time travel and all.i'm not sure how i feel about the theology of it all and the book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. i'm not sure if she's planning on continuing the story or not, but i would keep reading if she does.
    • 1/5
      This book is really, really poor. It is mindnumbingly dull and predictable, populated with cardboard cut-out characters and infused with religious nonsense. Avoid!
    • 4/5
      Angel Time was written by one of my all-time favourite authors Anne Rice. Published in October 2009; a copy found its way under the Christmas tree last year thanks to a thoughtful relative. Since then I've been admiring it on my bookshelf and trying to prolong the gratification for as long as I can.However; with the release of the second book in this new series, I thought I had waited long enough and plunged into this long awaited novel with high hopes and expectation.The book opens with the character of Toby, a hired assassin who has a painful past. The reader is given a glimpse into this past, and we are shown how Toby reached the point of becoming a killer for hire. One night - after another assassination by needle - Toby is approached by an Angel named Malchiah, and given a chance to redeem himself and leave evil behind for good. Toby agrees to help Malchiah in his duties on earth, and is taken by Angel Time to 13th Century England where he must protect the lives of two Jewish people under threat from an angry mob.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it met all of my expectations. The book contains her much loved themes of love, hate, good and evil, as well as faith, religion and God. Having read Anne Rice's book Called out of Darkness - A Spiritual Confession, I can see the themes of faith and religion echoed quite closely in the character Toby. She has obviously drawn on her own experiences and life journey when plotting the series.The series is called The Songs of the Seraphim, and the next book is called Of Love and Evil, and continues with Toby and Malchiah as they head to Rome for his next 'assignment'. Fortunately I've just purchased this one, and it's waiting expectantly on my bookshelf just waiting to be seized.
    • 5/5
      Genre: Religious/Metaphysical SuspenseRating: 9.8 out of 10Buzzword: BEAUTIFULTheme Song: "Angels Would Fall" by Melissa EtheridgeFavorite Quote: "You don't believe. You're afraid to believe."Pros:Intense drama and suspenseBeautifully crafted characters and settingsWriting with a talent to make you completely jealousPremise is perfect for an ongoing seriesCons:One little part was hard to believeIt's too short!Summary: Toby O'Dare is known as Lucky the Fox, among his other aliases, and is the best contract killer you can find. His boss, The Right Man, doles out his assignments in the form of targets for him to eliminate. Having abandoned his faith years ago, Toby rarely thinks of his immortal soul, but a holy mission from the angel Malchiah will change all of that. He embarks on a journey through time to do God's work, and save his own soul. This is the first in a planned series titled "Songs of the Seraphim."Review: I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Adored, even. This is Anne Rice at her best. Her style is flawless, the story is compelling. This is my favorite book of 2009.The writing...there aren't words for the beauty of Anne's talent. It's a gift, there's no other way to describe it. She can transport you to any place, time, even make you feel any emotion she wants. All the while she's crafting a plot that hooks you from the beginning. Even her exposition keeps you eagerly reading to find out more. This book's style is so reminiscent of The Vampire Chronicles, but with all of the beauty and joy that her return to Catholicism has granted her.The characterization is very nearly perfect. I loved Toby almost as much as Lestat. He certainly has all the depth and complexity, just not quite the charm or seductive attitude that I loved so much. The one little thing that I didn't like about this book was a somewhat transformative moment for Toby early in the story. I didn't quite believe it. It was a little... too easy. I don't want to say much more than that to avoid giving anything away. Beyond that I fell in love with Toby, as I have with every other character Anne has ever created.The subject matter is very dear to my heart. Toby's mission is complex and I won't give you the details, but at the heart of it is a discussion of anti-Semitism in medieval Europe. Anne's research on this matter was impeccable and thorough. My degree is in History, and all of my studies focused around Jewish and German history. I enjoyed this so much, I don't even have words. It was heart-wrenching, personal, accurate, and beautiful. She also presents the story in a way that will be universally moving to Christians, Jews, and likely those of no faith whatsoever.Then there's the theme of redemption. I adored Anne's earlier work, both with vampires and witches, but there was always an underlying darkness in them. I didn't mind this, don't get me wrong! But it's a beautiful thing to see this be such a huge part of her stories now. There is a hope and a joy in this work that was missing from her other novels. I adored it. It just adds that much more to her repertoire.I can't wait to see Toby again in more books in this series. Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP!
    • 4/5
      The first half of the book tells how Toby came to be an assasin. About his childhood in New Orleans with alcoholic mother and little brother and sister after his fathers death. He’s practically taking care of his sisters and running the house and the thing that helps him going through al this is playing a lute. He has great love for historic books about medieval religious stuff and when he was little he dreamed becoming a priest. But all this ends when he comes home and finds his whole family dead. He leaves without leaving a trace behind. Some time after going to New York he meets a man who’s going to change his life and making him come an assasin. He meets an angel on his latest mission and the angel, Malchiah, send him to 13th century England to save a Jewish family.I had some fears about reading this book because I couldn’t finish the first Christ book. But I’m a huge fan of hers and love all her other books so I had to try. And I’m glad I did. It’s not just about angels, it’s more about a man trying to find himself. While most of the religious stuff went over my head I always love her writing style and how she describes everything. I have no knowledge about Jews in that time period, or much in general, so it’s interesting to learn more.
    • 2/5
      Rice has written some of my favorite books, especially Road to Cana, which I consider to be a masterful work. Angel Time, however, seemed to be a wasted opportunity by a gifted author. Weighted with long exposition, which although at times compelling is, in the end, a character telling the story of another character. The novel feels like it would have been best served had it been published as three separate short stories since although Rice attempts to draw them all together, are never tightly woven enough for the stories to function as a true novel. The initial set up was great, but then a great twist gets bogged down with back story. The back story is well-written, it's just not gripping since you know it's back story and there's no real danger. Then I had hoped the book would take off once the new mission started, but again, the mission becomes mostly exposition of a back story. I finished only because I found Rice’s idea of a reformed hit man using his gifts for God compelling. But Rice never conveys the sense that the particular gifts that were misused by the character when living as a hit man were ever really required or used in his mission for God.
    • 2/5
      Disappointing.......this story of a hit man given a chance at redemption never picks up steam and after two thirds of the book I gave up and skimmed to the end.
    • 3/5
      It has always been the problem of wrong book, wrong time for me. This goes for Angel Time as well. Having been an Anne Rice fan since I was 12 when I first came across with Interview with the Vampire in the year 2000. The writing was very blunt and imaginative as well as clearly put out and very intricate. I’m not a professional editor and I am not a writer, but this was what I felt when I first read the book. Then, I started reading more and more of her books. Although I admit that there are works of hers that have yet to read. In my opinion, this is definitely not her best work. Anne Rice to me was mostly about crafting a great story line with a brilliant subtle description of the soul and mind of her characters. With Angel Time however, it’s a little draggy. I do feel like as if my late grandmother was telling the tale of the past or telling story about history to me. And I dreaded history when I was younger and it does not get any better now, but I do have a little bit more respect and want to know about history. This book begins with the unveiling of a young hit man name Lucky the Fox… then it slowly reveals the past of a young boy to the day he became Lucky the Fox. That boy is Toby O’Dare. Anne Rice’s choice of words are unmatched by most contemporary writers nowadays. But at the part where she was revealing the past of Toby, it seemed a little too boring. But to put a mild mannered lute player as an assassin, the idea is awesome. All the while reading the book, I felt like watching a Malay TV drama. It’s always seems that when a person is in a bad situation more and more bad things happens to them until someone break the chain to the unfortunate events. But that what sells the movie and books. Like I have said earlier, the last part just does not do it for me as I am not really a historical fiction reader. But it makes me look up a little bit after I read the book. The question comes down to has Anne Rice lost her touch with younger readers? Hopefully not, because there are not many like her out there... Maybe for The Songs of Seraphim #2 she will do better...Personally I’d give the book a three out of five (3/5) for I love her choice of words and intricate character of O’Dare. But it just lack the juice that she had years before as she had it with Interview with the Vampire and most of her Mayfair Witches collections. If you are Anne Rice fanatics, go ahead for the hard cover, if you are just like me, I’d advise to wait for the paperback version (we only have the hard cover version of the book here in Malaysia). It would not be a miss if you don’t read it though…
    • 4/5
      Angel Time follows Toby O'Dare AKA Lucky The Fox, an assassin who ultimately finds redemption. The first part of the story was a little slow at times but I enjoyed the historical perspective. In spite of myself I also enjoyed the religious overtones of the book. I found the parallel to Anne Rice's own life interesting, especially the prayer Toby uses throughout the novel about separating himself from God. I was not a huge fan of Anne Rice's vampire books but have thoroughly enjoyed the Christ the Lord series.
    • 3/5
      i really did want to like this book.....i tried....and there were a few moments of good....but they were few and far between. and by the time i finished it.....i was glad to be done and just was not satisfied. although i have always enjoyed Anne Rice this really was very disappointing.....
    • 1/5
      I'm giving this one star for 1 chapter that was great. The only chapter I liked in this book. I have never read Anne Rice before and this book doesn't give me the greatest impression. It just did not grab me or agree with me, I guess.
    • 5/5
      Lucky the Fox is a great protag. He is completely damaged, completely dying to be accepted by someone. He wants to do the right thing. To the person he works for he wants to offer blind devotion. I enjoyed reading how Toby O'Dare became Lucky the Fox and how God's grace transformed him into closer to the person God will be proud of. It isn't a preachy tale but it engages the reader. Anne Rice can never be accused of not being able to tell a story. Rice's telling of Toby's story and first angelic mission will absolutely enthrall you. This story is completely captivating. Rice will always remain on top and the last 2 sentences of the book had me hitting google to see when book 2 hits the shelves. Anne Rice's Angel Time has you hooked to the very last words, The End.
    • 3/5
      Anne Rice is one of my favourite authors but I must admit I haven't read her Christ the Lord books whci she has written since she has found religion again.This book is religous but not in a bad way and it's about angels and from the blurb it was supposed to be a dark gothic tale. Well it's not that gothic but I did like it. Of course it's nothing like her fabulous Vampire Chronicles except that I can see glimpses of Lestat in the main character Toby O'Dare. Toby is a "hit man" for the Good Guys(we are not sure who they are) and he lives an empty lonely existence until he is visited by the angel Malchiah. He gives Toby a choice between his current life or a new life working for good. Toby chooses to follow the angel and he is transported to 13th century England to help save a cummunity of Jews.The ending was a little bit predictable but as this is the first in a series I suppose it will improve and the ending provides the link to the next book.Anne is still a great writer and I suggest you give this book a try even if you are not a fan.
    • 1/5
      In the text the main character, "Lucky" a repentant government hit man, says he wrote this book in two weeks. It feels as though Rice took no more time or care.Cliched, with a plot so predictable you can skip ten pages at a time and not miss a thing, sloppy prose, and with enormous credibility issues, this book was a tremendous disappointment. I will suspend disbelief long enough to believe in angels and time travel, but not so far that popping into the middle ages from the 21st century leaves no psychological mark, not even a whiff of discombobulation. And isn't it convenient that the angel-in-charge is able to outfit him, grant him language skills and knowledge of local customs, but can't seem to sort out earthly problems.... just not buying it. The vampires were more credible.
    • 3/5
      Angel Time is the story of an assassin who repents and teams up with an angel to do God’s work at various times in history. Rice envisions a number of books for this new character.Here a disclaimer before I continue: I’ve never read Interview with the Vampire, or any of her other works in that genre. I started reading Rice when she wrote her Christ the Lord books (Out of Egypt, The Road to Cana) and her spiritual autobiography, Called Out of Darkness. When I heard she wrote a supernatural fiction from a post-conversion perspective, I was intrigued. Could this be the Roman Catholic Frank Peretti?I wanted to like this book, but found it quite average. While I was interested by the theological nuances of the text, they did little to move the plot or character development along. It was almost as if Rice wanted to use her familiar genre to explain her new-found faith.This book isn’t bad—it’s just not as good as I’ve come to expect from Rice. I’ll still eagerly await the next volume.
    • 1/5
      I kept plodding forward in this seemingly endless novel (364 pages in the large print edition, which felt like 664!) because of several reviews which stated that it became better. Nuh-uh! It read like a YA novel. Simplistic plot, simplistic language. At times I felt as though I was listening to preaching; at others, the condescension was unbearable. The maudlin ending caused me to slam the book down in disgust.From my other reading about the time period Toby is sent back to, the situations seemed false. The cruelty of that time in relation to the Jews was whitewashed here.I have always enjoyed the writing of Anne Rice. I was hoping that a Christian novel from this excellent writer would raise the bar for Christian fiction. I was sadly disappointed.
    • 2/5
      Overall I was disappointed in this book. I love that the character had been down such a path and wanted redemption, and I love her powers of description. I will recommend this title for people who want inspirational fiction.