The Fallen Trilogy

Fallen - Tor -372 pages
Guardian - Tor - 357 pages
Claire Delacroix

Claire Delacroix is an author that I follow religiously, well usually. I am ashamed to say that I’ve been remiss in that by only recently reading her new series/trilogy, well new in 2008. The essence of this new trilogy is set in post apocalyptic USA where after a series of nuclear explosions the world is a very different place, a place inhabited by “norms”, self explanatory and “S H A D E S” a human deformed by or as a result of the nuclear fallout, and in the words of the norms, sub-human. The new world order is run by The Republic which is a nice way of saying big brother and it has eyes and ears everywhere. The celestial community has seen this all happen and has asked for volunteers to “fall” of their own volition to help humanity. But humanity leaves a lot to be desired in these dire times and the angels and their co-conspirators on earth face obstacles far greater and more dangerous than we mere mortals could ever conceive. The question is, can the world be saved and even more grievous a question is, is the world worth saving.
In book one Fallen we have fallen angel Adam Montgomery who has volunteered to come to earth to save humanity by helping Lilia Desjardins, his path is clear and his intensions are noble but as he seeks out, finds and comes to know her, Lilia becomes more than he can imagine and he finds himself deeply attracted to her. Lilia has deep secrets and she’s spent her life learning not to trust many people so when this enigma of a man named Montgomery a cop for the Republic and in her eyes public enemy number one. The problem is that he keeps showing up wherever she is and she wonders what his motives are. The more she gets to know him the more she begins to trust him. And while fighting the attraction to him she knows he’s hiding something, something big. But they have a mission and their time-table is short and their odds of achieving it is long.
In book two Guardian we have fallen angel volunteer Rafe, the problem is he doesn’t know he’s a fallen angel, he can’t remember further than his arrival the previous autumn. He does know he’s on a mission, a mission to find and help Delilia Dejardins and although he doesn’t know why or what will come of it he’s determined to try. Helping her is not going to be easy and fighting his growing feelings for her is going to be the least of their worries. Delilia has spent her life in the shadows and that’s common for a S H A D E. When she begins having visions, visions that tell her she’s the next Oracle, visions she’s convinced are sent from the heavens she marks herself as an enemy of the state and becomes a fugitive. While running for their lives Rafe and Delilia come face to face with evil in many faces and the race is on to save themselves and help to save the world.
In these first two installments of Claire’s Fallen trilogy we readers will be amazed, appalled and saddened by how humanity has become or maybe we should just call it inhumanity and be done with it. Her story line/plot has been addressed countless times by many authors, but in hers we find a uniqueness that says it’s hers alone. She gives us gritty descriptive dialogue that let us visualize the society she’s drawn for us in cruel focus. Her heros and heroines to this point are very worthwhile characters and we will find ourselves holding our breath as they face perils that we only have nightmares about. Her co-starring characters are many and varied, some we will befriend, cheer for and cry with. And some are so vile that we will fear with bone chilling dread. The love stories are wonderfully written and while not ecclesiastically accurate I’m sure, she gives us a very human look at some very heavenly bodies and does it with sensuality and corporeality. Her love scenes are hot, spicy and she puts them on the sizzle burner, while making them incredibly sweet.
You will love this series, you will love getting to know her characters and you will chill at her new world order. If you are a lover of paranormal romance, of apocalyptic stories or if you just love a great romance. Give this trilogy a try. The next novel is due out in October 2010 and will be called Rebel. Put it on your wish list. Also try her paranormal romance series starring the Pyr, a shapeshifting dragon species sworn to protect Earth and her humans, this is written in her other pen name of Deborah Cooke.