I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Angels' Pawn
by
Nalini Singh
It is part of the Guild Hunter #0.6 series and is a paranormal romance on March 3, 2009 and has 60 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Must Love Hellhounds, Kiss of Snow, An Enchanted Season, Archangel's Blade, Angels of Darkness, Lord of the Abyss, Desert Warrior, Angels' Flight, Tangle of Need, Play of Passion, Archangel's Storm, Wild Invitation, Heart of Obsidian, Archangel's Legion, "Hide and Seek", "Making Dinner", Shield of Winter, "A Conversation", "Home", "New Year's Kisses", Night Shift, "Weapons Training", "Zoë's Workshop", "Wild Night", Archangel's Shadows, Archangel’s Enigma, Shards of Hope, “Fairy Balloons”, “An Unexpected Guest”, Allegiance of Honor, "The Song of the Wolf", Silver Silence, Archangel’s Heart, Archangel’s Viper, Ocean Light, "Elena's School of Horror", Cherish Hard, "Ain’t No Party Like A Bear Party", Archangel's Prophecy, "One Night At The Refuge", "Secret Things", Rebel Hard, Rock Hard, Wolf Rain, "Clean and Dirty", "Wolf School", "Naya’s Most Important Visitors", "Grocery Shopping", "The Cannibal Princess", "A Gift for Kit", "Movie Night", "Kaleb and Sahara’s Meeting with Sascha and Lucas", "Housewarming at the Orchard", "Christmas in the Kitchen", "Stalking Hawke", "Romancing Drew", "Sunday Morning", "Rowan", "Baubles & Ben", Wild Embrace, Love Hard, Rock Addiction, "Music Awards", Rock Courtship, "Rock Courtship Memo"s, Rock Redemption, "Sunshine", Rock Wedding, "With This Memo", "That Lip Ring…", A Madness of Sunshine, "Beary Tiny Ghosts", Alpha Night, "A Wedding Breakfast", "Poker Night", "Knives and Sheaths", "Seedlings", "Star Kissed", "A Walk on the Cliffs", "Wild Cat Blues", Slave to Sensation, Caressed by Ice, Visions of Heat, Kiss Hard, Angels' Blood, Archangel's Kiss, Archangel's War, Archangel's Sun, Archangel's Light, Archangel's Resurrection, Last Guard, “A Perfect Moment”, "Music in the Rain", Storm Echo, Resonance Surge, "Mate", “New Year’s Eve”
This is one of the prelude short stories, 0.6 in the chronology, in the Guild Hunters paranormal romance series and revolving around one of the Hunters, Ashwini, and her sometimes-prey, Janvier. Based in Louisiana. For a thorough list of the Guild Hunter stories, there is a chronological listing of the Guild Hunter books on my website.
My Take
“Angels’ Pawn” is fun, adventurous, and full of action with quite the twist in how Singh portrays vampires and how she provides insight into the rules that govern Guild Hunter and angel interaction. While the Guild was created to retrieve runaway vampires for the angels, they do retain a neutral autonomy. It’s a subtle political maneuvering that finds the Guild trapped into doing Nazarach’s dirty work. And provides Nazarach with the opportunity to add to his, um, “collection”.
There’s a lovely heat between Ashwini and Janvier with lots of promise for future installments.
The Story
It’s usually Ashwini hunting Janvier. This time, they’ll be partnered up on a most unusual hunt, for Monique Beaumont has been kidnapped.
It’s a tricky hunt with its twists and turns…and revved up with Janvier’s romantic pursuit of his usual pursuer.
It’s worse when Ashwini learns Nazarach has more than a passing interest in her.
The Characters
Ashwini, a.k.a., Ashblade, is a Guild Hunter and a born tracker. She also has a type of psychometry and a nightmare of a past. Ransom is another Hunter, also with the New York Guild. Sara is the current Guild Director (see Sara’s last hunt before accepting this appointment in “Angel’s Judgment“, 0.5). Kenji and Baden are also Guild Hunters, and Sara has put them on standby.
Janvier, a Cajun, has been a vampire for two hundred and forty-five years with the annoying habit of annoying the angels. Shamiya Made him.
Atlanta
Nazarach is the mid-level angel with no humanity who holds sway here. Audrina was the offering Nazarach provided Janvier.
The Beaumont vampire family runs Atlanta — under Nazarach. They’ve been a lucky family over the generations. This generation that luck resulted in Monique and Frédéric, a sister and brother, being Made. Antoine is the vampire head of the family. Jean is his sister. Simone Deschanel is the new woman in Antoine’s life, one with her own ambitions.
The ambitious Callan Fox has set up his own kiss. Perida is his enforcer.
Ashwini’s past memories
Dr. Taj is a well-regarded physician. And I think he’s Ashwini’s brother. Egan is the angel Ashwini pinned to a wall a year ago.
The Cadre of Ten
There are ten archangels who rule the world, including Favashi, the archangel who rules Persia. Over a thousand years old, and she still has her heart. Neha is the Queen of Poisons who rules in India. Raphael is the archangel who rules North America from New York.
The Cover and Title
The cover is Singh’s publicity photo off the the left, her name in red above it, and the title to the right of the picture with its subtitle reminding us that it’s an e-short companion to Angels’ Blood, 1.
The title refers to humans, and I suspect Ashwini in particular, for she feels very much like the “Angels’ Pawn”.
