My review of "Angel Time" by Anne Rice

“Angel Time,” by Anne Rice is a departure from her previous work. In the past Anne’s characters struggled with the fact that their very existences were unredeemable. Characters like Lestat struggled against their innate evil, but were doomed to live with it. This new novel reflects Anne’s Christian conversion and offers her protagonist salvation. This is a surprising change for those who follow Anne’s work.

The story is based on a man named Toby O’Dare. The character is a contract killer fallen into despair after the completion of his latest assignment. In this moment of utter melancholy an angel name Malchiah reveals himself to Toby. The angel not only tells Toby that God has forgiven him, but also offers the opportunity to work on God’s behalf. Through Angel Time, a method of time travel Malchiah uses, Toby is brought to the past where he must use his skills to save lives instead of taking them.

Anne tells this story with the same flowing descriptions we are accustomed to reading. We can literally see the ruins of San Juan Capistrano, the opulence of the Mission Inn. What impressed me the most was how she explained Toby’s tragic past, particularly the event which causes him to turn his back on God. I can’t remember a scene in any of Anne’s previous works with such a strong emotional impact.

What troubled me about the novel was how “easy” Toby’s redemption is. I don’t come from a strong Christian background, so the idea that God can simply forgive you no matter what you’ve done is a bit jarring for me. I would have liked the book to have been a bit longer, too. Half the novel successfully covers Toby’s past and present. I think some more danger during Toby’s time in the past would have generated a bit more suspense.

Toby O’Dare was not as engaging to me as some of Anne’s other characters. It may be because I am still accustomed to those evil but utterly compelling vampires and witches she created. But the novel is definitely an enjoyable read. I am eager to see how Toby’s character develops in the sequel and what new adventures Malchiah will send his way.