Principles of Angels (Hidden Empire) - Softcover

Fenn, Jaine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0575082925 ISBN 13: 9780575082922

Publisher: Gollancz, 2008

Synopsis

Khesh City floats above the surface of the uninhabitable planet of Vellern. Topside, it's extravagant, opulent, luxurious; the Undertow is dark, twisted and dangerous. A place where nothing is forbidden, Khesh City is also a democracy, of sorts, policed by the Angels—elite, state-sponsored killers who answer only to their enigmatic master, the Minister. Taro lived a privileged life with his Angel aunt until a strange man, who bought his body for the night, followed him home and murdered her. Taro wants to find the killer who ruined his future, but he's struggling just to survive in the brutal Undertow—then an encounter with the Minister sets him on a new course. Elarn Reen is a famous musician sent to Khesh City as the unwilling agent of mankind's oldest enemy, the Sidhe. To save her own life, she must find and kill a renegade Sidhe. As Taro and Elarn's paths converge, it becomes clear that the lives of everyone in Khesh City are at risk—and a common prostitute and an uncommon singer are the city's only chance.

About this title

About the Author

Jaine Fenn has had short stories published in magazines including Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and On Spec.

Review

"In her first novel, Jaine Fenn has created a vivid and unusual world, populated by an interesting array of characters. A promising start." -- Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES "Fenn manages to put her own stamp on some familiar genre elements, enough to make this a genuinely promising debut" -- Faren Miller LOCUS "The plot speeds along, the dialogue is sharp... British debut author Fenn's future dystopia may contain some overly familiar elements but it's mighty promising nonetheless." -- Dave Golder BBC FOCUS "What initially plays as a slow-burning blend of murder mystery and hard sci-fi (with an added dash of China Mieville's gritty sense of urban energy) is soon expanding in scale and taking on some highly intriguing concepts. Fenn's debut novel is an impressive piece of work and adds another name to the list of SF and fantasy authors worth watching." -- Saxon Bullock SFX "Fenn shows considerable promise with this debut. Well paced, with a satisfying number of twists and turns to hold your interest and characters are well drawn, ensuring you care enough about them to keep reading. This is an accomplished first novel from an author who bears watching." -- Steve Robinson DEATHRAY "The novel reads as a thriller, short and punchy with clear prose and authentic characterisation. This is an enjoyable debut." BRUM SF GROUP NEWSLETTER "The politics and social mores of Chesh are well-defined and surprisingly interesting...Given that it's a first novel, that bodes rather well for the future." SF REVU "Jaine Fenn adroitly creates a richly detailed future world populated by some colorful and intriguing characters. Fenn is adept at keeping the action moving. There are many fine fight scenes, changes of locale, and cliff-hanging ends of chapters. Fenn also possesses a strong gift for vibrant description: the clothing, architecture, and interiors of dwellings are conveyed with a keen visual sense. Principles of Angels is a fun read, and a well written first novel." SCI-FI DIMENSIONS "Principles of Angels offers a meaty science fantasy. It has a soundly structured plot, is well written and engages the senses. Angels is founded on social commentary but offers no prescription. Written in an urgent and compelling style, if you simply want a fast-paced, well imagined sci-fi read, you'll enjoy it." -- Beth Webb MSLEXIA "Jaine Fenn is a potential star in the making." SF CROWSNEST "An artfully engineered plot, flawed but compelling characters and a fascinating setting make for an entertaining first novel." -- Eric Brown GUARDIAN "I found myself really enjoying this slice of 'low-tech' sci-fi and its hints of further developments in the future have got me looking forward to what Jaine Fenn comes up with next." GRAEME'S FANTASY REVIEW "New author Jaine Fenn really doesn't pull punches in her dark look at the future of mankind in this tale where Dark City meets Bladerunner and one of the cheapest commodities is life. This really is Science Fiction at its best with risks that only a new author will take." FALCATTA TIMES

Edition details

• Publisher: Gollancz
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0575082925
• ISBN 13: 9780575082922
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 304