Los Nefilim (A Prequel) (#0.5)
Collected together for the first time, T. Frohock’s three novellas—In Midnight’s Silence, Without Light or Guide, and The Second Death—brings to life the world of Los Nefilim, Spanish Nephilim that possess the power to harness music and light in the supernatural war between the angels and daimons. In 1931, Los Nefilim’s existence is shaken by the preternatural forces commanding them … and a half-breed caught in-between.
Diago Alvarez, a singular being of daimonic and angelic descent, is pulled into the ranks of Los Nefilim in order to protect his newly-found son. As an angelic war brews in the numinous realms, and Spain marches closer to civil war, the destiny of two worlds hangs on Diago’s actions. Yet it is the combined fates of his lover, Miquel, and his young son, Rafael, that weighs most heavily on his soul.
Lyrical and magical, Los Nefilim explores whether moving towards the light is necessarily the right move, and what it means to live amongst the shadows.
Reviews
"This was joy to read. ... The best thing about this story is the writing. It's just excellent. Not overdone, not clunky, just fluid and assured. ... The story is very engaging, tension ratcheting up, the fantasy elements being revealed, and an exciting climax."Mark Lawrence, bestselling author of Prince of Thorns
"T. Frohock has a beautiful, enchanting handle of prose which is balanced by her imaginative storytelling. Both of these powerful narrative characteristics are on full display here in LOS NEFILIM. Recommended."
"A good novella writer needs to have the skill to create as much richness of atmosphere and depth of character as you’d get in a well-written full-length novel, only with far fewer words. And I’m happy to report that T. Frohock is a very good novella writer."
"This wonderful collection is a joy to read: each novella flows seamlessly into the next to form a well-rounded and well-plotted story in three beautifully-titled parts. ... Frohock writes with precision and balance, and the result is a faultless blend of beauty and brutality, cruelty and love, action and reaction forming a story that is pleasantly complex and satisfying. ... Her prose is wonderfully lyrical, yet functional. ... Teresa Frohock is a damn fine writer who uses damn fine prose to tell a damn fine story."
"LOS NEFILIM is a slow and dark burn, and that slow but steady rise to intensity makes you want to know more. ... An amazing story that’s like the most amazing dessert I’ve ever had – it was delicious and satisfying and amazing, and I want the opportunity to have to more of it."
"I’d be hard pressed to point to a single thing I disliked in any of these novellas. T. Frohock has created an outstanding world with even better characters. This book is one that’s filled with good, genuine people who all do their best to stand by one another even in impossible circumstances. I would recommend it to absolutely anyone."
"I loved the setting, the writing, the world-building, the awesome music-based magic (!), the twists, that even angels can’t be labeled as only good, and Diago’s character arc. But what I loved the most was the relationship between characters. ... This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites and I absolutely will make sure to look out for anything T. Frohock writes in the future."
"The worldbuilding, for one, is fantastic. The story is set in pre-WWII Barcelona and focused on angels, daimons, and nefilim, but it’s detailed and interesting and genuinely done well. I say nefilim, but really, they are more of a supernatural mafia. And the magic is based on music. What’s more, the main characters are one of the rare cases of an established couple – and that’s never questioned. It just is. And they raise a child together!"