Nalini Singh brings us to book 15 in the Guild Hunter series aptly entitled ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION. This Guild Hunter series used to be one of my very favorite series, but in the past several years enjoyment has begun to wane as the stories become more repetitive and less enjoyable. ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION is definitely the least satisfying of this fifteen book series, and I may not have finished it if it weren’t for the fact that I was reading it for a review.
The Guild Hunterworld is marvelous, with vampires, angels, and at the apex of the power pyramid, archangels who rule over vast territories. Singh has done a superlative job of worldbuilding through this series, although the heavy lifting is done and this fantastic world is well established for longtime readers. Raphael, Archangel of New York and his once-human consort Elena are my favorite couple in this series, and we see little glimpses of them here and there in this story, along with other favorites in this paranormal world. ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION centers on the relationship between Zanaya, Archangel and Queen of the Nile, and Alexander, Archangel of Persia. Their romance is set against the backdrop of the continued epic struggle between the Cadre of ten archangels who are fighting against the evil forces of the perverted archangel of the undead, Lijuan.
Zanaya and Alexander have a long history of monumental fighting--repetitively falling into mad love and then butting heads and breaking violently apart. This happens over and over again for the first fifty percent of the book while not much else happens. This constant push/pull between “Zani” & Alexander is highly annoying and, frankly, exhausting. On top of the very slow pace of the book's first half, I was ready to throw in the towel well before any action finally started happening--about 60% of the way into the book.
The cast of characters is getting huge, and it is a lot of work to keep track of everyone. While including some of my beloved characters is nice, it’s not enough to keep my interest in ARCHANGEL’S RESURRECTION. Slow plot progression, repetitive rumination by the main characters, and the frankly unattractive habit of hot-cold-hot-cold romance between inflexible Zanaya and Alexander combine to make this an unappealing read for me. Hopefully, Singh’s next Guild Hunter offering will bring back her old magic.
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into the dangerous, haunting world of archangels . . . and a love that is legend.
For thousands of years, the passion between Alexander, Archangel of Persia, and Zanaya, Queen of the Nile, burned furious and bright, seemingly without end. But to be an archangel is to be bound to power violent and demanding. Driven by its primal energy, Alexander and Zanaya fought as fiercely as they loved, locked in an endless cycle of devotion and heartbreak. It is only Zanaya’s decision to Sleep that ends their love story.
Eons later, the Cascade of Death wakens them both. The passion between them a flame that yet burns, Alexander and Zanaya stand together in one last battle against the ultimate darkness. But even a warrior archangel cannot win every war. Alexander’s scream shatters the world as Zanaya falls, broken and silent . . . only to rise again in a miracle that may be a devastating curse. For is it truly the Queen of the Nile who has been resurrected?
Only one thing is clear: This is the last beat of their passionate, angry dance. The final song for Alexander and his Zani . . .