Los Nefilim Omnibus

Los Nefilim is an omnibus consisting of three novellas (“In Midnight’s Silence,” “Without Light or Guide,” and “The Second Death”) which flow together to create the experience of reading one novel. They are often listed separately as parts 0.1 - 0.3 of the series. They take place before the three further novels in the series: "Where Oblivion Lives", "Carved from Stone and Dream", and "A Song with Teeth".

I loved:

• the magic system based on chromesthesia - a combination of light, music and colour - and dance
• the depiction of a long-married gay couple with a healthy relationship
• the deep friendship and trust
• characters who are reflective as well as honest with themselves and their loved ones
• the truth and clarity of the child's point of view
• the clarity and compassion with which the rape of a man by a woman via enchantment is accepted by others as a traumatic event, even as he works through his own denial.
• the ease and fluidity with which the child who was a product of said rape becomes the center of their family

Beneath the suspenseful and compelling plot, this is a story about the intense complexity of relationships, power dynamics, redemption and loyalty. Frohock's prose is lyrical as always, conjuring a gritty world where nefilim, angels and daimons are rigidly classified by their lineage. Our protagonsists each challenge this imposed order by their existence, their relationships, and/or their morality. Through their eyes and experiences, Frohock lightly and deftly explores exclusion and belonging in various ways which only add to the plot and pacing.

Pros: great relationships, tight plots

Cons: not enough background!

Several years ago Diago had a short “affair” with an angel, a betrayal he hid from his husband. Now another angel threatens to kill his husband if he doesn't sacrifice the son he didn't know existed to a daimon.

This is a collection of 3 novellas dealing with Diago, his husband Miquel, and his son, Rafael and how the Nephilim (offspring of humans and either angels or daimons) interact with each other. The stories take place within a short time frame.

I've put “affair” in quotation marks because as the story goes on it's revealed to be a rape. There are no graphic details but if this will trigger you you may want to avoid the book. I thought the author handeled it well, though the characters don't dwell on the emotional aftermath that would result from this revelation as much as I suspect real people would.

I liked the interactions between the three principle characters. The relationship between Diago and Miquel was so loving and considerate. Seeing Miquel caring for Rafael was very touching, especially given Rafael's origin. There were some great family moments, especially with the later stories.

Each novella has a tight plot that gives you the necessary information and characters and little else.

I'd love to learn more about Diago's past, his time with King Solomon in particular. Hopefully one of the novels the author has written as follow-ups will go into that period and fleshes out the world some more.

I enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading more in this world.