Sam Cheever gives us a character in Astra Q. Phelps whose courage in the face of evil makes me hope this series continues for a long time. Whether she’s facing the devil’s highest prince, gargoyles or some of the creatures who are described as being as ugly as the evil within them, she finds shreds of humor. She also finds inhuman strength, usually with the help of her non-angelic side.

The world Ms. Cheever paints is a mix of now and the far distant future with speeding hover cars that drive on voice commands and household features we can only wish we had. Her descriptions of the players, the gunk and gore that are an expected result of battles with nasty inhuman creatures is excellent and gives us a sometimes all too vivid picture of the battles and the resultant mess. So many of the characters, I hope, will be regulars in this series. DD Raoul of the Strange Death unit in their world’s police department and Myra, Astra’s caffeine-addicted guardian angel are part of a great supporting cast. I adore this kind of fantasy. Ms. Cheever writes with class, humor and lots of fun while weaving an excellent story.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Dee Dailey
May 6, 2008