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.