I'm not sure why I was surprised that a story about a hit man who was sent back in time by an angel to become a monk and solve a problem, would be a religious story. Less action and more explanation of back story than I like, but still solid writing. I hadn't known that the author has written several series on religious themes since the vampire stories. It's been a long time since I read them. ( )

Great idea...enjoyed the angel theme...little thin in plot - little kitschy but love the concept. Writing always good ( )

This was shockingly awful from an author I love. ( )

Tedious ( )

I liked the modern portions of the story with Toby in the hotel but once the Angel became involved, the trip to the past, etc, the book just did not hold me. I scanned through a few more chapters and then just gave up entirely.
I just love so many of her books: Servant of the Bones, Cry to Heaven, Violin, The Mummy and the first few Vampire books too. I should have been a shoe-in for it. Sadly, not. ( )

The strange tale of a professional hitman who is spontaneously converted by the intervention of an angel. He is thrown back in time to assist a family of persecuted jews in the Middle Ages. Don't ask me. ( )

Great book! This is a light, sweet story about a hit man who is given the chance to use his skills to help people instead of hurting them. The author does a great job with the characters - really letting you know their feelings and motivations. I liked the positive message that no matter what mistakes someone has made, there is always an opportunity for redemption and forgiveness. If you've never read an Anne Rice book or are not a fan of her darker work, this might be a good one to try. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

Angel Time is basically about a serial killer who is ready to be done with life. On his last kill, he is visited by an angel who offers him a chance to help angels answer prayers since angels are only messengers of God. "Angel Time" refers to the timelessness that angels live in, which allows them to visit any period of time during "human time" or whatever.

Overall, I really liked the book. Anne Rice is a historian, and like always, I'm learning things I never knew about history by reading her books. This one is no exception. Once you get past the first few chapters, it gets harder to put it down.

Unfortunately, you have to go through the first few chapters for character development. The lead, Toby O'Dare, is basically Anne Rice in his thinking. Which made it impossible for me to believe that he was an actual killer. He appreciated too much of the beauty in life for someone who placed so little value on human life. He would shed tears at flowers, architecture, you name it. I don't expect that kind of emotion from someone who could care less about taking another human's life from them.

Eventually, I gave up on trying to figure Toby out. His background was fascinating to read, however, and I could make some connections there. But, I'd expect someone to be much, much colder having gone through that much drama. Anne certainly has the talent to patiently walk us through this kind of character development, because we've seen it time and time again in her books.

Anyway, once I just accepted the fact that Toby used to be a killer and gave up on trying to figure out how he knew so much about art, I really, really enjoyed the novel. It was very difficult to put down. The story itself is powerful and moving. In fact, I was moved very deeply by this novel.

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. ( )

Started well, then became very run of the mill, not for the enthusiastic or those interested in great plot development. Obvious ending, worth avoiding ( )

This is the first Anne Rice book I have ever read and it was hard to put down. The story was a little disjointed at first and I wasn't sure where she was going when the angel came to Toby but it turned out to be a very interesting surprise for me. I love reading about medieval times and being Jewish myself am always amazed at how common it was for Jews to be persecuted throughout every time period. The events described in the book actually did happen but as in all good historical fiction stories, the events are given names and faces and brought to life. I also read Of Love and Evil and the medieval time in this book is about Jewish persecution as well. Is Anne Rice making a statement? Can't wait for more books in the series!

I enjoyed Anne Rice's foray into the worlds of angels and saints. Toby O'Dare, hired assassin is given a chance to redeem his life working for the angels. In so doing, he discovers the goodness inside himself. ( )

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. ( )

This book is really, really poor. It is mindnumbingly dull and predictable, populated with cardboard cut-out characters and infused with religious nonsense. Avoid! ( )

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. ( )

Genre: Religious/Metaphysical Suspense
Rating: 9.8 out of 10
Buzzword: BEAUTIFUL
Theme Song: "Angels Would Fall" by Melissa Etheridge
Favorite Quote: "You don't believe. You're afraid to believe."

Pros:
Intense drama and suspense
Beautifully crafted characters and settings
Writing with a talent to make you completely jealous
Premise is perfect for an ongoing series

Cons:
One little part was hard to believe
It'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! ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

This is my first Anne Rice book and I am not a fan of 'dark gothic tales' and I wouldn't ordinarily have read this book if I hadn't seen it in my boss's office and read the blurb. The story appealed to me and it turned out to be quite a good read and I enjoyed it. Not sure whether I will read the next in the series but I might try one of her Christ the Lord books just to see what they are like. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

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..... ( )

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. ( )