Archangel’s Sun

Archangel’s Sun is the thirteenth book in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series, the long running paranormal romance saga set in a world where archangels rule the planet and vampires serve them. Singh launched the series in 2009 with Angel’s Blood and has built one of the more carefully constructed paranormal universes in the genre, with mythology, geography, and political relationships that have grown more complex with each new book.

This novel turns the spotlight on Titus, the warrior archangel of Africa, and Sharine, the Hummingbird, an ancient angel whose mind has been broken for centuries and is only now beginning to reawaken. The setup is one of the more emotionally interesting in the wider series. Sharine has been the figure of legend in the Cadre of Archangels, the artist whose work shaped angelic culture and whose mental fragility has been a source of grief to those who knew her in her prime. Titus is the kind of warrior leader who has spent his immortal life solving problems with his sword, and finding himself in any kind of partnership with someone like Sharine forces him into territory he has no experience with.

The wider series arc continues to develop in the background. The Cascade, the slow building cosmic disturbance that has been transforming archangels and their territories for several books, is reaching new phases. The threat from the Reborn, twisted vampire creatures that emerged in earlier books, continues to spread. Singh manages all of these threads with practiced skill, giving each book its own self contained romance while moving the larger story forward.

For longtime Guild Hunter readers, Archangel’s Sun is a satisfying entry that gives one of the most beloved minor characters of the series her overdue moment. For new readers, the wider mythology is dense enough that starting with Angel’s Blood is the better choice. Singh’s Guild Hunter and Psy Changeling series remain two of the best developed paranormal romance worlds in modern fiction.