Leviathan (The Fallen)
Grade 8 Up-In The Fallen (Pulse, 2003), 18-year-old Aaron Corbet learned that he was a Nephilim (the son of a mortal woman and a fallen angel); lost his foster family in a battle with fallen angels; brought his dog, Gabriel, back from death; and gained the power to understand animal speech. Here, Aaron; his angelic traveling companion, Camael; and Gabriel encounter a vicious Orisha, a goblinlike creature that bites Gabriel, forcing Aaron to find the vet in the small Maine town to which they have been drawn. Katie McGovern, the new vet, has also been strangely drawn there by the mysterious disappearance of her fiance, and she and Aaron quickly unite to investigate the strange goings-on in Blithe. It doesn't take long for them to discover that the townspeople are being controlled by a horrible beast living underground. Confronting Leviathan forces Aaron to recognize, accept, use, and refine his angelic powers. Although the story revolves around angels, heavenly messengers, and otherworldly creatures, it has no clear religious message. The real emphasis is on guts, gore, and bodily fluids of all types. The plot reads like a grade-B horror movie with as many nauseating descriptions as possible and dialogue reminiscent of the comics the author has written. This addition to the series stands on its own, with enough background from book one included to introduce the characters. There is also plenty of foreshadowing of later developments along with hints about the sequel. It's not great literature, but fans of the first installment might want it.Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.