[LXT]∎ PDF Free Flaming Dove eBook Daniel Arenson

Flaming Dove eBook Daniel Arenson

Download As PDF : Flaming Dove eBook Daniel Arenson

Flaming Dove eBook Daniel Arenson

This review was originally posted on Big Al's Books and Pals review blog on 06/28/2012.

The first character we are introduced to is Nathaniel. He is a jaded and gritty angel who had lost his wings and an eye fighting an arch-demon during the battle of Armageddon. He was my favorite angel and he drew me in. This story though is about Laila, both forces of Heaven and Hell think having Laila on their team will finally turn the tide in their favor.

When Laila returns to Jerusalem and finally chooses a side, she has her own agenda and refuses to follow orders. She will not let her fate be decided for her. Her only friends are Volkfair, a very large black wolf, who fights by her side, and Bat El, her innocent and pious angel sister, who has only been on earth a few months and serves as a captain in Michaels' army. We learn of their relationship through flashbacks that are easy to follow. Humans are a rarity now and seldom mentioned. It was easy to feel the angst and exhaustion of the characters. God seems nonexistent, except to Raphael, who seems to be in the story only to remind us that God exists in all things.

The characters are complex, fully developed, and well drawn; the plot is unique and flowed well. I enjoyed the tongue in cheek dialogue that served to lighten some scenes. The battle scenes were epic with tens of thousands of angels and demons, narrated with descriptive prose. The settings were vivid around Jerusalem, Caesarea, Masada and the Sea of Galilee. The ending was a bit surprising with a twist to leave us something to ponder and open enough for perhaps a sequel.

Arenson did get a bit repetitive in a few places describing angel wings and demon wings, but not enough to remove a star or lessen my enjoyment of the whole story. This story may cause you to rethink or reevaluate your concepts of good and evil. If you can not handle spitting, cursing, hard edged angels, or devils who have a heart and react with some humanity this book may not be for you.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **


Tags : Amazon.com: Flaming Dove eBook: Daniel Arenson: Kindle Store,ebook,Daniel Arenson,Flaming Dove,Moonclipse,Fiction Fantasy Dark Fantasy,Fiction Fantasy Epic

Flaming Dove eBook Daniel Arenson Reviews

What if Armageddon arrived and neither side won? What if twenty-seven years later angels and demons still battled over possession of a decimated Earth? What if one half-breed woman could break the deadlock but in doing so be left with nowhere she can call home. Indeed, if either hell or heaven take Earth and transform it into their kingdom, Laila will not be able to survive there. This is Daniel Arenson's intricately crafted, enjoyable "Flaming Dove."

The author excels at taking you deep within the characters and making them real. All have vulnerabilities, joys and sorrows. All have complex personalities. Angels are not all angelic; demons are not entirely demonic.

And Laila, poor sad Laila, an outcast all her life; so much inner conflict and torment.

The prose was rather repetitious at times. For example, Zarel's constant hissing, dripping drool, spark and flames. I liked the narration and character's speech when it was a more formal, slightly archaic mode which seemed appropriate for ancient beings that had been around for millennium, the flow was broken when they used modern verbiage and slang. But this is one of those books in which the overall excellence compensates for minor peeves; and they are minor. This is actually a very well-written book which not only entertains, it makes you think. What is purely Evil? What is purely Good? Do either exist, or are the worse and best really "shades of gray?" I read the last chapters feeling stunned by the twists and surprises.

Now I'm off to find more of Arenson's books.
I purchased this book for my in August.

Armageddon. Angels vs. Demons. Good vs. Evil. These are the themes in the author's new book, "Flaming Dove." But, for me, the book was much more than these larger-than-life themes. I found the relationships especially those of Laila, the half-angel, half-demon, had with Beezlebub, Michael, Bat-El and even Zarel, The Demon Queen, were what propelled the book forward and kept me turning the pages. Mr. Arenson did a magnificent job in portraying Laila - her wants and desires, her sorrow and ultimately her anguish at what her life had become. She is a sad tortured soul. Everyone wants a piece of Laila except for her ever-faithful wolf, Volkfair. It is to Volkfair that Laila pours her heart out -- from her tragic childhood to her current struggle to find some peace and a place to call her own. This is where the author shines and makes Laila come alive in the reader's mind.

Being half-demon half-angel means she does not belong in either Heaven or Hell, but that doesn't stop each side from trying to woo Laila to their side. Her power could turn the tide in the 27-year long war that continues after Armageddon failed to produce a clear winner. Beezlebub, King of Hell, and Archangel Michael, Heaven's highest-ranking angel, would say anything to win her loyalty. There is no black or white or good vs. evil here, only shades of gray. Demons are not all bad. Angels are not all pure and good. Beezlebub plays on their former love affair, while Michael continually reminds her of her angel side and her responsibility to her sister, Bat El. Laila doesn't want to help either one of them because it won't matter which side wins the war, she will lose her temporary home on Earth, the only place she has found a modicum of peace.

There are many twists and turns in the story that continually surprised me, but I have some slight criticism. The author needs to trust his readers more. There are too many character descriptions that are repeated over and over along with countless instances of dripping fangs. All of these become distracting after awhile.

Without spoiling the ending, I will say that the climax is exciting and unexpected. Everything you want in a novel. This book is a fun read, but on a deeper level it makes you think--nothing is purely black or white, good vs. evil, it's much more complicated than that. It takes a talented author to make you ponder these things long after you finish the book. I highly recommend "Flaming Dove" and look forward to reading more books by Mr. Arenson.
This review was originally posted on Big Al's Books and Pals review blog on 06/28/2012.

The first character we are introduced to is Nathaniel. He is a jaded and gritty angel who had lost his wings and an eye fighting an arch-demon during the battle of Armageddon. He was my favorite angel and he drew me in. This story though is about Laila, both forces of Heaven and Hell think having Laila on their team will finally turn the tide in their favor.

When Laila returns to Jerusalem and finally chooses a side, she has her own agenda and refuses to follow orders. She will not let her fate be decided for her. Her only friends are Volkfair, a very large black wolf, who fights by her side, and Bat El, her innocent and pious angel sister, who has only been on earth a few months and serves as a captain in Michaels' army. We learn of their relationship through flashbacks that are easy to follow. Humans are a rarity now and seldom mentioned. It was easy to feel the angst and exhaustion of the characters. God seems nonexistent, except to Raphael, who seems to be in the story only to remind us that God exists in all things.

The characters are complex, fully developed, and well drawn; the plot is unique and flowed well. I enjoyed the tongue in cheek dialogue that served to lighten some scenes. The battle scenes were epic with tens of thousands of angels and demons, narrated with descriptive prose. The settings were vivid around Jerusalem, Caesarea, Masada and the Sea of Galilee. The ending was a bit surprising with a twist to leave us something to ponder and open enough for perhaps a sequel.

Arenson did get a bit repetitive in a few places describing angel wings and demon wings, but not enough to remove a star or lessen my enjoyment of the whole story. This story may cause you to rethink or reevaluate your concepts of good and evil. If you can not handle spitting, cursing, hard edged angels, or devils who have a heart and react with some humanity this book may not be for you.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **